NEW DELHI: Dr Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan, an eminent space scientist, educationist and the guiding force behind India’s space and education milestones, passed away on Friday in Bengaluru at the age of 84. A former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and the chief architect of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Kasturirangan had been battling age-related ailments following a heart attack he suffered in Sri Lanka in July 2023. He breathed his last at 10:43 am at his Bengaluru residence.
His mortal remains will be kept at the Raman Research Institute, Bengaluru, on April 27 for people to pay their respects. He is survived by two sons.
Kasturirangan-led Isro from 1994 to 2003, a period marked by major milestones, including the operationalisation of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle and the successful flight-test of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle. Under his stewardship, Isro pursued technological self-reliance and began planning ambitious missions such as Chandrayaan, despite facing international sanctions following India’s 1998 nuclear tests.
PM Narendra Modi said, “I am deeply saddened by the passing of Dr K Kasturirangan, a towering figure in India’s scientific and educational journey. His visionary leadership and selfless contribution to the nation will always be remembered.” He praised Kasturirangan’s pivotal role in elevating Isro and said India would always be grateful for his contributions to education.
President Droupadi Murmu acknowledged his integral role in shaping both India’s space programme and the NEP.
Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan remembered him as an “intellectual titan”, saying, “To me, he was far more than a mentor — he was a guiding light, a wellspring of wisdom, compassion, and quiet strength.”
Science and technology minister Jitendra Singh called him “a visionary scientist and a guiding force behind India’s space programme”. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said he made significant contributions in India’s space exploration and contributed in various positions in key policy making.
Prior to heading Isro, Kasturirangan directed the Isro Satellite Centre and was responsible for overseeing development of next-generation satellites including INSAT-2 and IRS-1A & 1B. As project director for BHASKARA-I and II, India’s first experimental Earth observation satellites, he laid the groundwork for the nation’s remote sensing capabilities.
An accomplished astrophysicist, Kasturirangan’s research spanned high-energy X-ray and gamma-ray astronomy. He played a key role in conceptualising India’s first space-based high-energy astronomy observatory and authored over 200 research papers in leading national and international journals. He also edited six books.
After his illustrious space career, Kasturirangan pivoted to education policy and led the drafting committee of the NEP-2020, introducing a transformative vision for Indian schooling and higher education. Later, he spearheaded the development of the National Curriculum Framework.
He had famously stated, “The vision of India’s new education system is to ensure that it touches each and every citizen’s life and creates a just and equitable society.”
Kasturirangan was awarded all three of India’s top civilian honours — Padma Shri (1982), Padma Bhushan (1992), and Padma Vibhushan (2000). He was also Member of Rajya Sabha (2003–09), Planning Commission member, National Institute of Advanced Studies director (2004–2009) and JNU chancellor.
Born on Oct 24, 1940, in Ernakulam, Kerala, he earned his physics degree from Bombay University and his PhD in experimental high-energy astronomy from the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad. Kasturirangan leaves behind a legacy that spans the cosmos and classrooms.

Commemorated both in Israel and in Jewish communities around the world, this year’s Holocaust Remembrance Day started with a ceremony on Wednesday evening at Yad Vashem, the world’s most well-known Holocaust museum in Jerusalem.
The ceremony took place amid the ongoing war in Gaza, and with the political situation in Israel threatening to escalate into an unprecedented constitutional crisis. Israeli officials, ambassadors and Holocaust survivors were in attendance.
The rest of the world observes International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27, the date when the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp was liberated by the Soviet Red Army. But Israel and the Jewish diaspora have their own memorial day on the Hebrew date of Nissan 27, a date chosen due to its close proximity to the beginning of the monthlong Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in April 1943.

Netanyahu: Hamas wants to ‘destroy all the Jews’

Similar to last year’s event, the official ceremony and speeches on Wednesday evening centered on the terrorist attacks by Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7, 2023 which killed some 1,200 people, and the ensuing war in Gaza launched by Israel. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, Germany, the US and other states.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who arrived late to the ceremony due to what his office said was a security incident, once again echoed his comparison of Hamas members to “Nazis, like Hitler,” who were responsible for the deaths of 6 million European Jews during World War II.
“They want to kill, to destroy all the Jews,” said Netanyahu. “They openly declare their intent to destroy the Jewish state, and that will not happen.”
Yad Vashem and its head, Dani Dayan, have repeatedly called for refraining from comparing the October 7 terrorist attacks to the Holocaust, in an effort not to marginalize both events.

Survivor calls for hostages’ return

Some of the hostages released from Hamas captivity in Gaza were also in attendance as this year’s Holocaust Remembrance Day events got underway.
Other former hostages, as well as the families of the Israelis currently held in Gaza, traveled to Poland to take part in the March of the Living, the annual event to commemorate the death marches from Auschwitz to Birkenau.
During the official ceremony in Jerusalem on Wednesday evening, Tunisia-born survivor Gad Fartouk defied protocol by shouting that the hostages should return home while lighting one of six torches in memory of Jews murdered in the Holocaust.
Fartouk, 93, the first Holocaust survivor of North African descent to light a memorial torch during the official ceremony, told Israeli outlet Ynet he felt it was “empty” not to mention the 59 hostages — some 20 of them believed to still be alive — still held by Hamas in Gaza.

Get ready for a thrill ride through today’s biggest show-biz buzz! From SRKs move from Mannat leaving vendors at Bandstand worried, Shatrughan reacting to terrorist attack, Dancer working on Riteish’s film found DEAD; here are the top five stories you can’t afford to miss—your one-stop roundup to stay ahead of all the glitz and glam.
SRKs move from Mannat leaves vendors at Bandstand worried
Shah Rukh Khan’s absence from Mannat due to renovations has caused a noticeable drop in foot traffic around Bandstand, Bandra. Local vendors, who relied on the crowds attracted by the actor’s presence, report a decline in sales as fewer people visit the area now that Shah Rukh no longer resides there.Shatrughan reacts to terrorist attack: ‘Yeh Hindu hindu kyun?’
Shatrughan Sinha expressed his concerns over the Pahalgam terrorist attack, questioning why people keep emphasizing religious identities in the context of such events. His statement, “Yeh Hindu-Hindu kyun keh rahe hai?” sparked reactions from netizens, igniting a debate on the role of religion in national tragedies.

Dancer working on Riteish’s film found DEAD
A dancer from the team of Riteish Deshmukh‘s Raja Shivaji tragically lost his life in a river accident. The news has deeply saddened fans, with netizens expressing their shock and calling it a “very unfortunate event.” The incident has sparked widespread condolences across social media.

Rakesh carried financial burdens to launch Hrithik
Rakesh Roshan, a renowned Bollywood filmmaker, took significant financial risks to launch his son Hrithik Roshan‘s career with the 2000 film Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai. According to his daughter, Sunaina Roshan, Rakesh mortgaged his house twice, along with his cars and office, to fund the project. Despite the immense pressure, he shielded his family from the financial strain, ensuring they had a peaceful childhood. Hrithik only became aware of the sacrifices his father made during a disagreement while working on the film, realizing the extent of the risks involved.

Songs from Fawad-Vaani’s Abir Gulaal removed from YouTube
Following the tragic terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, the film Abir Gulaal, starring Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor, has become the center of controversy in India. The film’s songs, including the romantic ballad ‘Khudaya Ishq’ and the upbeat ‘Angreji Rangrasiya’, have been removed from YouTube India, and reports indicate that the Indian government has decided to block the film’s release in the country. Both Khan and Kapoor have condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the victims’ families.

Apple is planning to shift the assembly of all iPhones sold in the United States to India by next year, a Financial Times report said on Friday- a bold move fueled by President Donald Trump’s renewed tariff threats on Chinese imports.
The plan is part of a broader strategy to diversify Apple’s supply chain away from China, which still dominates most of the tech giant’s manufacturing infrastructure. If successful, this shift would see over 60 million iPhones produced annually in India by 2026 – doubling current output, the FT report said.
Why it matters
The US is Apple’s most important market. In 2024, it accounted for roughly 28% of the company’s global iPhone shipments, according to IDC. Moving the production of US-bound iPhones out of China not only helps Apple dodge steep tariffs but also reduces long-term geopolitical risk tied to US-China relations.
More immediately, the pivot is a reaction to Trump’s “reciprocal tariff” agenda. His administration slapped China with tariffs that once hit as high as 145% and still include a 20% duty on smartphones. Though some electronics like phones were recently exempted, that relief appears temporary. Trump has also floated new levies aimed at semiconductor-heavy products, potentially impacting Apple’s entire device line.
Zoom in
In the fiscal year ending March 2025, Apple assembled $22 billion worth of iPhones in India – a 60% year-over-year increase, according to a Bloomberg report. About 20% of the world’s iPhones now come from India, a figure poised to grow rapidly.
Most of this production takes place at Foxconn’s sprawling campus in Tamil Nadu, along with Tata Electronics, which acquired Wistron’s operations and now also oversees Pegatron’s production. This marks a turning point for Apple’s manufacturing strategy, which had remained largely centered in China for nearly two decades.
India’s government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is helping pave the way. Apple is tapping into production-linked incentives and may benefit from new $2.7 billion subsidy plans aimed at boosting electronics manufacturing and semiconductors.
The big picture
Apple’s urgency stems from a trade shock in early 2024, when Trump’s tariffs knocked $700 billion off the company’s market value. In response, Apple began exporting Indian-assembled iPhones to the US – a move designed to beat the tariff clock, the FT report said.
Still, challenges remain. While assembly is the final stage in the iPhone production process, Apple is still heavily reliant on Chinese suppliers for components, the FT report added. Experts say shifting the entire supply chain could take years. Bloomberg Intelligence estimates that moving just 10% of Apple’s production out of China could take up to eight years.
The shift also counters Trump’s own call for companies to “bring jobs home.” Analysts say the US lacks the labor force and infrastructure to support large-scale iPhone assembly, making India a more viable alternative.
What they’re saying
“We believe this is going to be an important move for Apple to be able to maintain its growth and momentum,” Daniel Newman, CEO of the Futurum Group, told the Financial Times. “We are seeing in real time how a company with these resources is moving at relative light speed to address the tariff risk.”
Apple declined to comment for the FT report.
Between the lines
The iPhone maker’s pivot also aligns with broader supply chain reshuffling across the tech industry. The pandemic exposed the fragility of China-dependent manufacturing, especially during Covid-era lockdowns at Apple’s largest Chinese plant. Now, geopolitical risk is compounding that concern.
To get ahead of potential supply disruptions, Apple shipped 57.9 million iPhones in Q1 2025 — a 10% jump from the same period last year — as it raced to build inventory in the US before tariffs could take effect, IDC reported.
Consumers also noticed: Apple Stores saw a spike in demand this spring, as shoppers rushed to buy iPhones before potential price hikes kicked in.
What’s next
Apple is set to report earnings next week. Analysts expect the company to field tough questions about the financial impact of tariffs, India’s role in the company’s long-term strategy, and whether production goals for 2025 are realistic.
While Apple’s transition won’t fully sever its ties with China, the message is clear: The iPhone’s future – at least in the US – will increasingly be ‘Made in India’.
(With inputs from agencies)

NEW DELHI: Election Commission and the Centre Thursday told Supreme Court that SC’s 2013 mandate to provide the option of NOTA to voters had turned out to be a “failed idea” and that it was preposterous for a PIL to insist on conducting polls even in the rare instance of there being only a single candidate in the fray to know whether she/he secures more votes than NOTA.
Appearing for EC, advocate Rakesh Dwivedi told SC, “NOTA… never impacted any election as a minuscule of voters exercised this option. Every winning candidate got far higher votes than NOTA.”
Attorney general R Venkataramani, with additional solicitor general S D Sanjay, said govt concurred with EC.
The bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh said, “Can the Union govt and EC deliberate on prescribing a minimum vote percentage benchmark for winning candidates?”
‘Uncontested polls now rare’: EC urges SC to junk NGO plea
Govt may think of constituting an expert body comprising parliamentarians and domain experts to discuss this issue. Since our Constitution provides for a democracy by majority, is it not desirable that the winning candi-date secures a threshold vote percentage, which would be fixed by Parliament,” the bench said.
Venkataramani said this issue was deliberated upon at length by EC which gave a report on ‘one nation one poll’. The recommendations were debated by parliamentarians and there were divergent views, he said.
Justice Kant said this may be a hypothetical issue – a single candidate in the fray may secure less votes than Nota in case an election was held instead of declaring that candidate elected unopposed.
In its affidavit, EC said a candidate getting elected unopposed from a Lok Sabha constituency was very rare. Since 1991, there was only a single such instance of a candidate getting elected to Lok Sabha unopposed, Dwivedi said. “Since 1971 till today, that is in the last 54 years, there have been six uncontested elections in total. In the 20 general elections since 1951, there have been only nine uncontested elections,” he added.
Responding to the PIL by NGO ‘Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy’ seeking conduct of election even when there was only a single candidate in the fray, EC said, “With the evolution of democracy, a greater number of political parties are contesting elections and, hence, the number of candidates also increases automatically, and voters have become more aware and eager to exercise their right to vote.
“The chance of the election being uncontested has become a rarity which is proven from statistical data and, hence, in such a scenario, SC ought not to entertain the present petition.”
Nota option is there only when there is an election, EC said, adding, “Hence, treating Nota as a mandatorily contesting candidate in all direct uncontested elections does not find place in the statute and the same would require legislative amendments in the provisions of Representation of the People Act, 1951, and the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961.”