<p>Thulasenthirapuram, a village in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvarur district shot to fame in the year 2020, as it was traced to be the village from where then to-be US Vice President Kamala Harris' maternal family hailed. The town is back in the limelight again and has put up a billboard wishing Harris, who is now in the race for the most powerful job in the world —&nbsp; that of the US President.</p>

<p>If all goes well for her and the Democrats, Kamala would be the first woman to hold the US presidential office, and the second person of colour to do so, after Barack Obama.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KamalaHarris?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KamalaHarris</a> ancestral village<br />
Thulasendrapuram in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tiruvarur?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tiruvarur</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TamilNadu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TamilNadu</a> has erected a huge billboard, wishing her all success to win the Presidential Race...<br />
<br />
Apparently, the temple is also conducting special pujas and prayers <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KamalaHarris</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/President2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#President2024</a> <a href="https://t.co/gedrc7TZel">pic.twitter.com/gedrc7TZel</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1815956771250266118?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>The village folk have already begun their prayers for Harris, at the 'Dharma Sastha - Iyyanar' temple, which is said to be the family deity whom Harris' India-based ancestors have been worshipping.</p>

<p>The names of Kamala Harris and that of her maternal grandfather Gopalan Iyer feature on the temple's list of donors. Kamala Harris' name features on the list, because her Chennai-based aunt, Dr Sarala Gopalan had donated on her behalf for an annual temple ritual.</p>

<p>Kamala's extended family visits the temple on certain festive occasions. Kamala's aunt, Dr. Sarala Gopalan, had confirmed to WION that&nbsp;she once broke 108 coconuts as a ritualistic offering, when Kamala faced a challenging time in US politics.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is indeed the ancestral village&amp; family deity of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KamalaHarris?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KamalaHarris</a> maternal family...<br />
Kamala's grandfather PV Gopalan had donated to the temple, so has Kamala's aunt Dr. Sarala(who donated in the name of KH) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tamil?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tamil</a> names of PV Gopalan and Kamala Harris on temple donors list👇 <a href="https://t.co/x4XCPNvxnp">https://t.co/x4XCPNvxnp</a> <a href="https://t.co/jvwyQ8vP5s">pic.twitter.com/jvwyQ8vP5s</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1816104261953970375?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>This week, a massive billboard with a large picture of a cheerful and smiling Kamala Harris, was placed right beside the temple gate. In big bold lettering in Tamil, it reads "we wish for your victory" and hails Indo-American Kamala as a "daughter born as a result of penance."</p>

<p>The billboard also refers to her as a "daughter of this land".&nbsp;</p>

<p>During her 2020 campaign, Kamala Harris had referred to her Indian roots, and her visits to her grandfather's home in Chennai city, her walks on the city's Besant Nagar beach. Kamala's grandfather, PV Gopalan, an Indian civil servant, had lived in the upscale Besant Nagar locality of Chennai, then known as Madras.</p>

<p>Interestingly, Harris also used the Tamil word "<em>Chitthi</em>" (aunt), and created a buzz amid Indians on social media.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While a substantial portion of the billboard at the Thulasenthirapuram temple is occupied by the picture of Harris and the words of praise for her, there's also a picture of a couple on the billboard. The pictures are of Mr. Suthakar and&nbsp;Mrs. Arulmozhi Suthakar, who are members and lower-level functionaries of Tamil Nadu's ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party.</p>

<p>The DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had written to Kamala Harris in 2020, after she was declared the VP-elect. Then the opposition leader of Tamil Nadu, Stalin had shared a handwritten letter to Kamala Harris, in Tamil.</p>

<p>Kamala Harris' maternal family hails from the minority Tamil Brahmin community. Interestingly, the DMK and their ideological mentors are anti-Brahmin, supposedly rationalist political parties.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Wishing and greeting her with ''Vanakkam(Hello),'' MK Stalin had shared on social media that it was a matter of pride for the state's people that America's first woman Vice-President has a link to Tamil Nadu, as her mother hailed from the state.</p>

<p>He had said he chose to write in Tamil since it would bring more happiness to her, as Tamil is the mother tongue of Harris' mother&nbsp;Dr. Shymala Gopalan Harris. It is not known whether&nbsp; Stalin ever got a revert from the American vice president.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As for Suthakar, the DMK functionary from Thulasenthirapuram, the billboard, the celebrations and the temple rituals are their way of showering their best wishes on their "daughter of the land", Kamala Harris.</p>

<p>Speaking to WION, he claimed that the billboard was put up based on the wishes of the villagers. On Tuesday (July 23), they conducted a puja in the temple and prayed for Kamala Harris, while also distributing sweets to the devotees.</p>

<p>He added&nbsp;that this practice would continue during the routine puja in the temple. Suthakar is a businessman who holds agricultural lands and undertakes government contracts to build roads and buildings.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Suthakar recalled how the village had celebrated Harris' 2020 win as an early Diwali, by sharing sweets and bursting firecrackers.</p>

<p>"We will do more and can spend to the tune of lakhs of rupees, if she is elected US president," he tells WION.</p>

<p>He sincerely hopes that Harris would visit their town. Suthakar hopes that India-US ties would prosper under a possible Harris' presidency.</p>

<p>He adds that his leader, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin should meet her and bring more investments, jobs, and industries. MK Stalin is expected to visit the US in the month of August. It is not known whether he would be seeking a meeting with Kamala Harris.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kamala's&nbsp;maternal roots are in India, while her paternal roots trace back to Jamaica. However, as is evident from her public life, Harris has predominantly projected herself as an African-American or a Black woman.</p>

<p>While Harris had made occasional references to her Indian roots, they were only in lighter vein, when speaking of her formative years. Even when it comes to Harris' policy portfolio, there has been no significant focus on India, save for a customary meeting with Prime Minister Modi when he visited the US.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">In 2020, after <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KamalaHarris?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KamalaHarris</a> became <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>, I asked her aunt<br />
Dr. Sarala Gopalan, if <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kamala?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kamala</a> would become President in 2024... Here's what she said... 😁👇<br />
<br />
PS: I was among the few to get this prized interview back then... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KamalaHarris2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KamalaHarris2024</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Trump2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Trump2024</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USElection2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USElection2024</a> <a href="https://t.co/5nobyqi6JA">pic.twitter.com/5nobyqi6JA</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1815256562069594209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Few members of Harris' maternal family still live in India. This includes Kamala's maternal uncle Balachandran and her aunt Dr. Sarala Gopalan, both of whom are highly accomplished individuals in their respective fields of work.</p>

<p>As for her India visits,&nbsp;Harris has not visited the south Asian country in the last decade and her widely known visits are the few she made during her childhood, which she had also mentioned in campaign speeches. But even those visits are known to have been to Chennai and not the ancestral village of Thulasenthirapuram.</p>

<p>"She last visited us (in India), when her mother died (in 2009)... when her mother Shyamala died, the ashes were brought to India...," Kamala Harris' aunt Shyamala Gopalan had told WION.</p>

<p>This is part of a Hindu ritual of scattering the ashes of mortal remains in the ocean.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Recalling Kamala's upbringing in the US, Dr Sarala had mentioned that Shyamala Harris was a strict mother who taught the daughters values, "told her what to do and to fight for everything."&nbsp;</p>


Thulasenthirapuram, a village in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvarur district shot to fame in the year 2020, as it was traced to be the village from where then to-be US Vice President Kamala Harris' maternal family hailed.

Thulasenthirapuram, a village in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvarur district shot to fame in the year 2020, as it was traced to be the village from where then to-be US Vice President Kamala Harris' maternal family hailed. The town is back in the limelight again and has put up a billboard wishing Harris, who is now in the race for the most powerful job in the world — that of the US President. If all goes well for her and the Democrats, Kamala would be the first woman to hold the US presidential office, and the second person of colour to do so, after Barack Obama. #KamalaHarris ancestral village Thulasendrapuram in #Tiruvarur #TamilNadu has erected a huge billboard, wishing her all success to win the Presidential Race... Apparently, the temple is also conducting special pujas and prayers @KamalaHarris #President2024 pic.twitter.com/gedrc7TZel — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) July 24, 2024 × The village folk have already begun their prayers for Harris, at the 'Dharma Sastha - Iyyanar' temple, which is said to be the family deity whom Harris' India-based ancestors have been worshipping. The names of Kamala Harris and that of her maternal grandfather Gopalan Iyer feature on the temple's list of donors. Kamala Harris' name features on the list, because her Chennai-based aunt, Dr Sarala Gopalan had donated on her behalf for an annual temple ritual. Kamala's extended family visits the temple on certain festive occasions. Kamala's aunt, Dr. Sarala Gopalan, had confirmed to WION that she once broke 108 coconuts as a ritualistic offering, when Kamala faced a challenging time in US politics. This is indeed the ancestral village& family deity of #KamalaHarris maternal family... Kamala's grandfather PV Gopalan had donated to the temple, so has Kamala's aunt Dr. Sarala(who donated in the name of KH) #Tamil names of PV Gopalan and Kamala Harris on temple donors list👇 https://t.co/x4XCPNvxnp pic.twitter.com/jvwyQ8vP5s — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) July 24, 2024 × This week, a massive billboard with a large picture of a cheerful and smiling Kamala Harris, was placed right beside the temple gate. In big bold lettering in Tamil, it reads "we wish for your victory" and hails Indo-American Kamala as a "daughter born as a result of penance." The billboard also refers to her as a "daughter of this land". During her 2020 campaign, Kamala Harris had referred to her Indian roots, and her visits to her grandfather's home in Chennai city, her walks on the city's Besant Nagar beach. Kamala's grandfather, PV Gopalan, an Indian civil servant, had lived in the upscale Besant Nagar locality of Chennai, then known as Madras. Interestingly, Harris also used the Tamil word "Chitthi" (aunt), and created a buzz amid Indians on social media. While a substantial portion of the billboard at the Thulasenthirapuram temple is occupied by the picture of Harris and the words of praise for her, there's also a picture of a couple on the billboard. The pictures are of Mr. Suthakar and Mrs. Arulmozhi Suthakar, who are members and lower-level functionaries of Tamil Nadu's ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party. The DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had written to Kamala Harris in 2020, after she was declared the VP-elect. Then the opposition leader of Tamil Nadu, Stalin had shared a handwritten letter to Kamala Harris, in Tamil. Kamala Harris' maternal family hails from the minority Tamil Brahmin community. Interestingly, the DMK and their ideological mentors are anti-Brahmin, supposedly rationalist political parties. Wishing and greeting her with ''Vanakkam(Hello),'' MK Stalin had shared on social media that it was a matter of pride for the state's people that America's first woman Vice-President has a link to Tamil Nadu, as her mother hailed from the state. He had said he chose to write in Tamil since it would bring more happiness to her, as Tamil is the mother tongue of Harris' mother Dr. Shymala Gopalan Harris. It is not known whether Stalin ever got a revert from the American vice president. As for Suthakar, the DMK functionary from Thulasenthirapuram, the billboard, the celebrations and the temple rituals are their way of showering their best wishes on their "daughter of the land", Kamala Harris. Speaking to WION, he claimed that the billboard was put up based on the wishes of the villagers. On Tuesday (July 23), they conducted a puja in the temple and prayed for Kamala Harris, while also distributing sweets to the devotees. He added that this practice would continue during the routine puja in the temple. Suthakar is a businessman who holds agricultural lands and undertakes government contracts to build roads and buildings. Suthakar recalled how the village had celebrated Harris' 2020 win as an early Diwali, by sharing sweets and bursting firecrackers. "We will do more and can spend to the tune of lakhs of rupees, if she is elected US president," he tells WION. He sincerely hopes that Harris would visit their town. Suthakar hopes that India-US ties would prosper under a possible Harris' presidency. He adds that his leader, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin should meet her and bring more investments, jobs, and industries. MK Stalin is expected to visit the US in the month of August. It is not known whether he would be seeking a meeting with Kamala Harris. Kamala's maternal roots are in India, while her paternal roots trace back to Jamaica. However, as is evident from her public life, Harris has predominantly projected herself as an African-American or a Black woman. While Harris had made occasional references to her Indian roots, they were only in lighter vein, when speaking of her formative years. Even when it comes to Harris' policy portfolio, there has been no significant focus on India, save for a customary meeting with Prime Minister Modi when he visited the US. In 2020, after #KamalaHarris became @VP, I asked her aunt Dr. Sarala Gopalan, if #Kamala would become President in 2024... Here's what she said... 😁👇 PS: I was among the few to get this prized interview back then... #KamalaHarris2024 #Trump2024 #USElection2024 pic.twitter.com/5nobyqi6JA — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) July 22, 2024 × Few members of Harris' maternal family still live in India. This includes Kamala's maternal uncle Balachandran and her aunt Dr. Sarala Gopalan, both of whom are highly accomplished individuals in their respective fields of work. As for her India visits, Harris has not visited the south Asian country in the last decade and her widely known visits are the few she made during her childhood, which she had also mentioned in campaign speeches. But even those visits are known to have been to Chennai and not the ancestral village of Thulasenthirapuram. "She last visited us (in India), when her mother died (in 2009)... when her mother Shyamala died, the ashes were brought to India...," Kamala Harris' aunt Shyamala Gopalan had told WION. This is part of a Hindu ritual of scattering the ashes of mortal remains in the ocean. Recalling Kamala's upbringing in the US, Dr Sarala had mentioned that Shyamala Harris was a strict mother who taught the daughters values, "told her what to do and to fight for everything."

Kamala Harris’ ancestral village in India hopes for her win in presidential poll, subsequent visit as US prez

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<p>Indian Coast Guard's&nbsp;efforts to fight the blaze on cargo ship Maersk Frankfurt began on Friday evening, and are still going on for the fourth day. At the time of writing of this report, the blaze has been suppressed and brought under control by the helicopters and ships of the Coast Guard, but there are instances of re-ignition that have been posing challenges to the operation.</p>

<p>The ship had been sailing along India's western seaboard, from Mundra, Gujarat, to Colombo, Sri Lanka, when it reported a fire at 5 pm, Friday, 19th July,&nbsp;thereby prompting a rapid response by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). At present, the ship is off New Mangalore, Karnataka, and at a safe distance from the coastal city.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As part of the firefighting efforts, the Indian Coast Guard has deployed five vessels - Samrat, Sujeet, Sachet, Varaha and Samudra Prahari, and their on-board helicopters, to fight the blaze that has been spreading to different parts of the cargo vessel that is ferrying International&nbsp;Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG). According to the Indian Coast Guard, their persistent efforts have supressed the blaze.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjIzaW-_bqHAxXFTGcHHVxoB7wQxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-naval-cadets-complete-training-in-india-for-2nd-year-in-a-row-742391" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-naval-cadets-complete-training-in-india-for-2nd-year-in-a-row-742391&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjIzaW-_bqHAxXFTGcHHVxoB7wQxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE">Saudi Naval cadets complete training in India for second year in a row</a></strong></p>

<p>However, the molten metal of the containers, and the chemicals they are carrying are prone to re-igniting. A four-member salvage team, including chemical experts, has boarded the merchant vessel to assess the situation and suggest a further course of action.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">An aerial view of the extent of fire-caused damage on the container ship <a href="https://twitter.com/Maersk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Maersk</a> Frankfurt...Vessel is off <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mangalore?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mangalore</a> Coast <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Karnataka?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Karnataka</a><br />
<br />
In recent times, this is among the longest ops by <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiaCoastGuard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndiaCoastGuard</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/india?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#india</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/marine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#marine</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/maritime?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#maritime</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/shipping?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#shipping</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cargo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cargo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Logistics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Logistics</a> <a href="https://t.co/EgLJXV8j7L">https://t.co/EgLJXV8j7L</a> <a href="https://t.co/1gYnA9RfzY">pic.twitter.com/1gYnA9RfzY</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1815404195098550307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>While the Indian Coast Guard assets continue to closely monitor the cargo ship that is seeing intermittent re-ignition of flames, there is also a danger posed by the 1,400 metric tonnes of diesel it is carrying. So far, ICG assets have been dousing the flames with water cannons and specialised firefighting chemicals such as Aqueous Film Forming Form (AFFF), Dry Chemical Powder(DCP).&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjIzaW-_bqHAxXFTGcHHVxoB7wQxfQBKAB6BAgSEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/the-indian-navy-is-a-uniquely-potent-force-with-cutting-edge-technology-powerful-weaponry-741304" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/the-indian-navy-is-a-uniquely-potent-force-with-cutting-edge-technology-powerful-weaponry-741304&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjIzaW-_bqHAxXFTGcHHVxoB7wQxfQBKAB6BAgSEAE">The Indian Navy is a uniquely potent force with cutting-edge technology &amp; powerful weaponry</a></strong></p>

<p>The efforts of the ICG ships are being assisted by an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH Mk3) that is dropping packets of Dry Chemical Powder (DCP), a specialised firefighting chemical. Further, a Dornier short-range Maritime patrol plane is monitoring the situation, keeping a close watch for any signs of an oil spill from the&nbsp;flaming cargo vessel.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Day &amp; night, amid rough Southwest monsoon weather, <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiaCoastGuard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndiaCoastGuard</a> ships&amp; helicopters have been battling the blaze on <a href="https://twitter.com/Maersk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Maersk</a> Frankfurt for 75+hrs..Blaze under control, but re-ignition risk exists..ICG ops continue for 4th day. So far, 5 ships+helos have been deployed <a href="https://t.co/L3h0g0VsD7">pic.twitter.com/L3h0g0VsD7</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1815403330421883194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>WION has learned that MV Maersk Frankfurt is manned by 21 crew members,&nbsp;comprising 17 Filipinos, two Ukrainians, one Russian and one member from Montenegro. One Filipino crew member is reported dead. As it stands, the cause of fire remains unknown.&nbsp;</p>


Indian Coast Guard's efforts to fight the blaze on cargo ship Maersk Frankfurt began on Friday evening, and are still going on for the fourth day. At the time of writing of this report, the blaze has been suppressed and brought under control by the helicopters and ships of the Coast Guard, but there are instances of re-ignition that have been posing challenges to the operation.

Indian Coast Guard's efforts to fight the blaze on cargo ship Maersk Frankfurt began on Friday evening, and are still going on for the fourth day. At the time of writing of this report, the blaze has been suppressed and brought under control by the helicopters and ships of the Coast Guard, but there are instances of re-ignition that have been posing challenges to the operation. The ship had been sailing along India's western seaboard, from Mundra, Gujarat, to Colombo, Sri Lanka, when it reported a fire at 5 pm, Friday, 19th July, thereby prompting a rapid response by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). At present, the ship is off New Mangalore, Karnataka, and at a safe distance from the coastal city. As part of the firefighting efforts, the Indian Coast Guard has deployed five vessels - Samrat, Sujeet, Sachet, Varaha and Samudra Prahari, and their on-board helicopters, to fight the blaze that has been spreading to different parts of the cargo vessel that is ferrying International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG). According to the Indian Coast Guard, their persistent efforts have supressed the blaze. Also read: Saudi Naval cadets complete training in India for second year in a row However, the molten metal of the containers, and the chemicals they are carrying are prone to re-igniting. A four-member salvage team, including chemical experts, has boarded the merchant vessel to assess the situation and suggest a further course of action. An aerial view of the extent of fire-caused damage on the container ship @Maersk Frankfurt...Vessel is off #Mangalore Coast #Karnataka In recent times, this is among the longest ops by @IndiaCoastGuard #india #marine #maritime #shipping #cargo #Logistics https://t.co/EgLJXV8j7L pic.twitter.com/1gYnA9RfzY — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) July 22, 2024 × While the Indian Coast Guard assets continue to closely monitor the cargo ship that is seeing intermittent re-ignition of flames, there is also a danger posed by the 1,400 metric tonnes of diesel it is carrying. So far, ICG assets have been dousing the flames with water cannons and specialised firefighting chemicals such as Aqueous Film Forming Form (AFFF), Dry Chemical Powder(DCP). Also read: The Indian Navy is a uniquely potent force with cutting-edge technology & powerful weaponry The efforts of the ICG ships are being assisted by an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH Mk3) that is dropping packets of Dry Chemical Powder (DCP), a specialised firefighting chemical. Further, a Dornier short-range Maritime patrol plane is monitoring the situation, keeping a close watch for any signs of an oil spill from the flaming cargo vessel. Day & night, amid rough Southwest monsoon weather, @IndiaCoastGuard ships& helicopters have been battling the blaze on @Maersk Frankfurt for 75+hrs..Blaze under control, but re-ignition risk exists..ICG ops continue for 4th day. So far, 5 ships+helos have been deployed pic.twitter.com/L3h0g0VsD7 — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) July 22, 2024 × WION has learned that MV Maersk Frankfurt is manned by 21 crew members, comprising 17 Filipinos, two Ukrainians, one Russian and one member from Montenegro. One Filipino crew member is reported dead. As it stands, the cause of fire remains unknown.

Maersk Frankfurt fire - Indian Coast Guard’s efforts continue for fourth day

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<p>On Monday (Jul 22), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will be test-flying a unique piece of technology known as an air-breathing propulsion system, <em>WION </em>has learnt. The test launch of this system is expected around 7:30 am IST, from India's spaceport Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. This flight test will be performed using a modified version of ISRO's 'Rohini-560' experimental rocket, dubbed as Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV). The test articles would be mounted on the ATV rocket.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This test will be a follow-up to ISRO's maiden experimental flight of air-breathing propulsion technology that was carried out on August 28,&nbsp;2016.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">My Exclusive: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/isro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#isro</a> will be testing an Air-breathing propulsion system mounted on RH-560rocket, tomo 22nd July<br />
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This is a follow-up to a 2016 test, where ISRO's Scramjet engine achieved Hypersonic speed of Mach 6. Scramjet engine uses on-board Hydrogen, Oxygen from air <a href="https://t.co/lCJZhyAKf2">pic.twitter.com/lCJZhyAKf2</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1815081785392525328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2><br />
<strong>What is air-breathing propulsion?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Typically, a rocket consists of two tanks - a fuel tank and an oxidiser tank, both of which (known as propellants) comprise a significant mass of the rocket. The oxidiser is used to provide the necessary oxygen to enable the burning of the fuel, which together propel the rocket upwards.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In case of air-breathing propulsion systems, the rocket will carry its fuel, but will not carry an on-board oxidiser. Instead, this system will utilise atmospheric oxygen as an oxidiser to burn the fuel. This makes rockets significantly lighter and more efficient. However, such air-breathing technologies can be used only within the denser layers of the Earth's atmosphere, where there is an adequate supply of oxygen. Such technologies might be feasible in the denser layers of Earth's atmosphere&nbsp;(up to 70kilometres altitude), and thereafter the rocket must switch to another stage that has both fuel and an on-board oxidiser,&nbsp;</p>

<p>For context - India's largest rocket LVM3 weighs around 640 tonnes at liftoff. Of the 640 tonnes mass, nearly 555 tonnes or 86 per cent is the propellant or the fuel and oxidiser combination. Of the 555 tonnes of propellant, nearly 70 per cent or 385 tons is oxidiser alone.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While the rocket weighs 640 tonnes, the cargo that it carries to space would be just about four to eight tonnes. Effectively, the cargo delivered to space by the LVM3 rocket is anywhere between 0.6-1.25 per cent of the rocket's own liftoff mass. Almost all conventional rockets deliver only 2-4 per cent of their liftoff mass to orbit. However, when air-breathing technologies are incorporated, the avoidance of oxidiser in the atmospheric phase of flight can lead to significant improvement in rocket efficiency, bringing down rocket mass, and reducing rocket costs.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>What are the types of air-breathing propulsion?</strong></p>

<p>Ramjet, Scramjet and Dual Mode Ramjet (DMRJ) are the three concepts of air-breathing engines which are being developed by various space agencies.</p>

<p><strong>Ramjet&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Ramjet engines have no moving parts and rely on the vehicle’s high speed to compress incoming air. The compressed air is mixed with fuel and ignited, producing thrust that propels it. Ramjet cannot fly on its own from the ground. A rocket will have to carry the ramjet engine to a supersonic speed and then the ramjet engine will take over and deliver speeds between Mach 3 and Mach 5. Mach 1 refers to the Speed of sound - 343m/sec or 1,234 kmph. The increase in Mach number denotes a corresponding increase in the speed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For example, the Indo-Russian BrahMos missile uses a Ramjet engine. At launch, the BrahMos' first-stage booster engine would propel the missile upwards and then to supersonic speeds, after which the first-stage booster is separated. Then the Scramjet engine takes over and helps the missile fly at speeds close to Mach 3.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/village-boy-to-isro-chief-to-iit-phd-inspirational-journey-of-dr-s-somanath-742486"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Village boy to ISRO chief to IIT PhD: The inspirational journey of Dr S Somanath</strong></a></p>

<p><strong>Scramjet</strong></p>

<p>A Scramjet engine is an advanced version of the ramjet. Scramjet stands for Supersonic Combustion Ramjet. Scramjets operate at hypersonic speeds (Mach 5 and above). Scramjets do not have any rotating parts such as compressors or turbines. Instead, they rely on the high speed of the vehicle to compress incoming air, which is then mixed with fuel and burned to produce thrust.</p>

<p>While the vehicle is travelling at hypersonic speeds, air enters the scramjet engine through an inlet where it is compressed due to the vehicle's high velocity. This compression raises the air pressure and temperature. The compressed air is mixed with fuel (usually hydrogen) and ignited. The airflow through the engine remains supersonic throughout the combustion process, making it suitable for very high-speed flight. Scramjets are designed to operate efficiently at speeds typically between Mach 5 and Mach 10.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-4-astronauts-selected-for-indias-gaganyaan-mission-694510"><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas | The 4 astronauts selected for India's Gaganyaan mission</strong></a></p>

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<p><strong>Dual Mode Ramjet</strong></p>

<p>A Dual Mode ramjet (DMRJ) is a type of engine where a ramjet transforms into a scramjet over Mach 4-8 range, which means it can efficiently operate both in subsonic and supersonic combustor modes. Simply put, it combines the characteristics of a Ramjet and Scramjet.</p>

<p><strong>ISRO's Scramjet engine</strong></p>

<p>The Scramjet engine designed and developed by ISRO uses Hydrogen as fuel and oxygen from the atmospheric air as the oxidiser. In August 2016, the maiden short-duration experimental test of ISRO’s Scramjet engine was accomplished with a hypersonic flight at Mach 6 and the Scramjet engines functioned for 5 seconds. ISRO’s Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV), a modified RH-560, served as the solid rocket booster that carried the scramjet test articles to supersonic speeds. The then ATV carrying Scramjet engines weighed 3,277 kg at lift-off.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the maiden test, ISRO successfully demonstrated critical technologies such as the ignition of air-breathing engines at supersonic speed, holding the flame at supersonic speed, air intake mechanism and requisite fuel injection systems.</p>

<p>Gradually, ISRO plans to develop an autonomous vehicle powered by Scramjet engine capable of accelerating for a period of 250 seconds. ISRO also intends to develop&nbsp;HAVA <strong>-&nbsp;</strong>Hyper Sonic Air Breathing Vehicle with Air Integration Systems. Such technologies are of strategic use and prove crucial in the development of advanced, high-speed aerospace vehicles.<strong>&nbsp;</strong>India is the fourth country to demonstrate the flight testing of a Scramjet engine.</p>


On Monday (Jul 22), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will be test-flying a unique piece of technology known as an air-breathing propulsion system, WION has learnt.

On Monday (Jul 22), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will be test-flying a unique piece of technology known as an air-breathing propulsion system, WION has learnt. The test launch of this system is expected around 7:30 am IST, from India's spaceport Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. This flight test will be performed using a modified version of ISRO's 'Rohini-560' experimental rocket, dubbed as Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV). The test articles would be mounted on the ATV rocket. This test will be a follow-up to ISRO's maiden experimental flight of air-breathing propulsion technology that was carried out on August 28, 2016. My Exclusive: #isro will be testing an Air-breathing propulsion system mounted on RH-560rocket, tomo 22nd July This is a follow-up to a 2016 test, where ISRO's Scramjet engine achieved Hypersonic speed of Mach 6. Scramjet engine uses on-board Hydrogen, Oxygen from air pic.twitter.com/lCJZhyAKf2 — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) July 21, 2024 × What is air-breathing propulsion? Typically, a rocket consists of two tanks - a fuel tank and an oxidiser tank, both of which (known as propellants) comprise a significant mass of the rocket. The oxidiser is used to provide the necessary oxygen to enable the burning of the fuel, which together propel the rocket upwards. In case of air-breathing propulsion systems, the rocket will carry its fuel, but will not carry an on-board oxidiser. Instead, this system will utilise atmospheric oxygen as an oxidiser to burn the fuel. This makes rockets significantly lighter and more efficient. However, such air-breathing technologies can be used only within the denser layers of the Earth's atmosphere, where there is an adequate supply of oxygen. Such technologies might be feasible in the denser layers of Earth's atmosphere (up to 70kilometres altitude), and thereafter the rocket must switch to another stage that has both fuel and an on-board oxidiser, For context - India's largest rocket LVM3 weighs around 640 tonnes at liftoff. Of the 640 tonnes mass, nearly 555 tonnes or 86 per cent is the propellant or the fuel and oxidiser combination. Of the 555 tonnes of propellant, nearly 70 per cent or 385 tons is oxidiser alone. While the rocket weighs 640 tonnes, the cargo that it carries to space would be just about four to eight tonnes. Effectively, the cargo delivered to space by the LVM3 rocket is anywhere between 0.6-1.25 per cent of the rocket's own liftoff mass. Almost all conventional rockets deliver only 2-4 per cent of their liftoff mass to orbit. However, when air-breathing technologies are incorporated, the avoidance of oxidiser in the atmospheric phase of flight can lead to significant improvement in rocket efficiency, bringing down rocket mass, and reducing rocket costs. What are the types of air-breathing propulsion? Ramjet, Scramjet and Dual Mode Ramjet (DMRJ) are the three concepts of air-breathing engines which are being developed by various space agencies. Ramjet Ramjet engines have no moving parts and rely on the vehicle’s high speed to compress incoming air. The compressed air is mixed with fuel and ignited, producing thrust that propels it. Ramjet cannot fly on its own from the ground. A rocket will have to carry the ramjet engine to a supersonic speed and then the ramjet engine will take over and deliver speeds between Mach 3 and Mach 5. Mach 1 refers to the Speed of sound - 343m/sec or 1,234 kmph. The increase in Mach number denotes a corresponding increase in the speed. For example, the Indo-Russian BrahMos missile uses a Ramjet engine. At launch, the BrahMos' first-stage booster engine would propel the missile upwards and then to supersonic speeds, after which the first-stage booster is separated. Then the Scramjet engine takes over and helps the missile fly at speeds close to Mach 3. Also read | Village boy to ISRO chief to IIT PhD: The inspirational journey of Dr S Somanath Scramjet A Scramjet engine is an advanced version of the ramjet. Scramjet stands for Supersonic Combustion Ramjet. Scramjets operate at hypersonic speeds (Mach 5 and above). Scramjets do not have any rotating parts such as compressors or turbines. Instead, they rely on the high speed of the vehicle to compress incoming air, which is then mixed with fuel and burned to produce thrust. While the vehicle is travelling at hypersonic speeds, air enters the scramjet engine through an inlet where it is compressed due to the vehicle's high velocity. This compression raises the air pressure and temperature. The compressed air is mixed with fuel (usually hydrogen) and ignited. The airflow through the engine remains supersonic throughout the combustion process, making it suitable for very high-speed flight. Scramjets are designed to operate efficiently at speeds typically between Mach 5 and Mach 10. Watch | Gravitas | The 4 astronauts selected for India's Gaganyaan mission × Dual Mode Ramjet A Dual Mode ramjet (DMRJ) is a type of engine where a ramjet transforms into a scramjet over Mach 4-8 range, which means it can efficiently operate both in subsonic and supersonic combustor modes. Simply put, it combines the characteristics of a Ramjet and Scramjet. ISRO's Scramjet engine The Scramjet engine designed and developed by ISRO uses Hydrogen as fuel and oxygen from the atmospheric air as the oxidiser. In August 2016, the maiden short-duration experimental test of ISRO’s Scramjet engine was accomplished with a hypersonic flight at Mach 6 and the Scramjet engines functioned for 5 seconds. ISRO’s Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV), a modified RH-560, served as the solid rocket booster that carried the scramjet test articles to supersonic speeds. The then ATV carrying Scramjet engines weighed 3,277 kg at lift-off. In the maiden test, ISRO successfully demonstrated critical technologies such as the ignition of air-breathing engines at supersonic speed, holding the flame at supersonic speed, air intake mechanism and requisite fuel injection systems. Gradually, ISRO plans to develop an autonomous vehicle powered by Scramjet engine capable of accelerating for a period of 250 seconds. ISRO also intends to develop HAVA - Hyper Sonic Air Breathing Vehicle with Air Integration Systems. Such technologies are of strategic use and prove crucial in the development of advanced, high-speed aerospace vehicles. India is the fourth country to demonstrate the flight testing of a Scramjet engine.

Exclusive: ISRO to test air-breathing hypersonic tech on July 22

<p>One of Maersk Frankfurt's 21 crew members has died in the ongoing fire tragedy on the cargo vessel, that is about 65 kilometres southwest of Mangalore, Karnataka.</p>

<p>For more than 40 hours, Indian Coast Guard(ICG) ships and helicopters have been leading the firefighting efforts.</p>

<p>As of Sunday (July 21)&nbsp;afternoon, the Indian Coast Guard has deployed five vessels - Samrat, Sujeet, Sachet, Varaha and Samudra Prahari, to fight the blaze that has been spreading to different parts of the cargo vessel that is ferrying International Maritime Dangerous Goods(IMDG) from Mundra, Gujarat to Colombo, Sri Lanka.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Massive firefighting operation underway off <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mangalore?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mangalore</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Karnataka?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Karnataka</a>... <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiaCoastGuard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndiaCoastGuard</a> has deployed 5 ships to fight the blaze on <a href="https://twitter.com/Maersk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Maersk</a> Frankfurt..<br />
Ships+ helicopters have been involved in this operation, which has been ongoing for 40+hrs<br />
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1 crew of Maersk Frankfurt has died <a href="https://t.co/kfuE9clnUS">pic.twitter.com/kfuE9clnUS</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1814934165823103153?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>According to the Indian Coast Guard, the fire has reduced in scale, but heavy smoke continues to obscure the flame. The fire has also spread to the right side of the ship and is affecting the containers stacked in that portion of the vessel.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A major fire broke out on Maersk Frankfurt, around 5pm Indian Standard Time(IST), Friday, 19th July, following which Indian Coast Guard began their firefighting operations. The efforts of the ICG ships are being assisted by an Advanced Light Helicopter(ALH Mk3) that is dropping packets of Dry Chemical Powder(DCP), a specialised firefighting chemical. Further, a Dornier short-range Maritime patrol plane is monitoring the situation, keeping a close watch for any signs of an oil spill from the flaming cargo vessel.&nbsp;</p>

<p>WION has learnt that MV Maersk Frankfurt is manned by 21 crew &nbsp;- comprising 17 Filipinos, two Ukrainians, one Russian and one member from Montenegro. One Filipino crew member is reported dead. The cause of fire remains unknown. While the Indian Coast guard assets continue to fight the fire, and there is also a danger posed by the 1,400 metric tons of diesel that the vessel is carrying. ICG assets have been dousing the flames with water and specialised firefighting chemicals such as Aqueous Film Forming Form(AFFF), Dry Chemical Powder(DCP).</p>

<p>An Emergency Towing Vessel(ETV) Water Lily departed from Mumbai on Friday evening and is expected to reach the flaming cargo vessel by Sunday evening. In addition to this, the owner of MV Maersk Frankfurt has also mobilised a salvage team to board the flaming vessel and carry out further actions as necessary. The Indian Coast Guard would be working with the salvage team to expedite containment and recovery operations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As a precautionary measure, the Indian Coast Guard has also deployed a specialised Pollution Control Vessel(PCV) Samudra Prahari. PCVs are meant to perform a wide range of roles including firefighting, responding to oil spills, chemical spills, dispersing special chemicals to minimize the impact of at-sea spills etc.&nbsp;</p>


One of Maersk Frankfurt's 21 crew members has died in the ongoing fire tragedy on the cargo vessel, that is about 65 kilometres southwest of Mangalore, Karnataka.

One of Maersk Frankfurt's 21 crew members has died in the ongoing fire tragedy on the cargo vessel, that is about 65 kilometres southwest of Mangalore, Karnataka. For more than 40 hours, Indian Coast Guard(ICG) ships and helicopters have been leading the firefighting efforts. As of Sunday (July 21) afternoon, the Indian Coast Guard has deployed five vessels - Samrat, Sujeet, Sachet, Varaha and Samudra Prahari, to fight the blaze that has been spreading to different parts of the cargo vessel that is ferrying International Maritime Dangerous Goods(IMDG) from Mundra, Gujarat to Colombo, Sri Lanka. Massive firefighting operation underway off #Mangalore #Karnataka... @IndiaCoastGuard has deployed 5 ships to fight the blaze on @Maersk Frankfurt.. Ships+ helicopters have been involved in this operation, which has been ongoing for 40+hrs 1 crew of Maersk Frankfurt has died pic.twitter.com/kfuE9clnUS — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) July 21, 2024 × According to the Indian Coast Guard, the fire has reduced in scale, but heavy smoke continues to obscure the flame. The fire has also spread to the right side of the ship and is affecting the containers stacked in that portion of the vessel. A major fire broke out on Maersk Frankfurt, around 5pm Indian Standard Time(IST), Friday, 19th July, following which Indian Coast Guard began their firefighting operations. The efforts of the ICG ships are being assisted by an Advanced Light Helicopter(ALH Mk3) that is dropping packets of Dry Chemical Powder(DCP), a specialised firefighting chemical. Further, a Dornier short-range Maritime patrol plane is monitoring the situation, keeping a close watch for any signs of an oil spill from the flaming cargo vessel. WION has learnt that MV Maersk Frankfurt is manned by 21 crew - comprising 17 Filipinos, two Ukrainians, one Russian and one member from Montenegro. One Filipino crew member is reported dead. The cause of fire remains unknown. While the Indian Coast guard assets continue to fight the fire, and there is also a danger posed by the 1,400 metric tons of diesel that the vessel is carrying. ICG assets have been dousing the flames with water and specialised firefighting chemicals such as Aqueous Film Forming Form(AFFF), Dry Chemical Powder(DCP). An Emergency Towing Vessel(ETV) Water Lily departed from Mumbai on Friday evening and is expected to reach the flaming cargo vessel by Sunday evening. In addition to this, the owner of MV Maersk Frankfurt has also mobilised a salvage team to board the flaming vessel and carry out further actions as necessary. The Indian Coast Guard would be working with the salvage team to expedite containment and recovery operations. As a precautionary measure, the Indian Coast Guard has also deployed a specialised Pollution Control Vessel(PCV) Samudra Prahari. PCVs are meant to perform a wide range of roles including firefighting, responding to oil spills, chemical spills, dispersing special chemicals to minimize the impact of at-sea spills etc.

Maersk Frankfurt fire, 1 dead; 5 Indian Coast Guard ships battle fire

<p>In a sign of the growing defence cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia,&nbsp;76 trainees from the King Fahd Naval Academy of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) completed their Afloat Training Course at the First Training Squadron (1TS) of the Indian Navy on Thursday (Jul 18).</p>

<p>The instructions&nbsp;were&nbsp;imparted at India's Southern Naval Command, Kochi, which is the training command of the Indian Navy. This is the second batch of Saudi Naval cadets who are undergoing training in India. The first batch completed their training in 2023.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Spanning three weeks, the training at Kochi comprised a harbour phase and a sea phase. The harbour phase focussed on simulator-based training on navigation, firefighting and damage control. During the sea phase, the trainees were introduced to nuances of life at sea, which included first-hand experience in ship handling, communication procedures and seamanship.</p>

<p>Besides this, the trainees were introduced to sail training at the Watermanship Training Centre and onboard INS Tarangini.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Participation of RSNF trainees alongside Indian Naval trainees of 107 Integrated Officers Training Course (IOTC) has immensely contributed towards enhanced&nbsp;bonhomie and friendship amongst the trainees of both maritime nations. The training program also facilitated cultural exchange and engagements through organised visits to historical and local places of interest and friendly sports fixtures with Indian trainees.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiWhu6Ug7OHAxWT3TgGHfDgGioQxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabias-petrodollar-deal-with-us-expired-with-no-new-agreement-in-place-731514" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabias-petrodollar-deal-with-us-expired-with-no-new-agreement-in-place-731514&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiWhu6Ug7OHAxWT3TgGHfDgGioQxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE">Saudi Arabia`s petrodollar deal with US expires with no new agreement in place</a></strong><br />
&nbsp;<br />
Marking the culmination of the training, Rear Admiral Upal Kundu, Chief of Staff, Southern Naval Command, interacted with the trainees and Directing Staff of RSNF. During the interaction, the trainees shared their at-sea experiences and the directing staff expressed their appreciation for the high-quality training imparted by the Indian Navy.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Indian national in Saudi Arabia to be freed from prison, Abdul Rahim to return to Kerala</strong></p>

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<p>During the valedictory function onboard the sail training ship INS Tir, course completion certificates and alumni badges were presented to the trainees. A course memoir highlighting the journey of the trainees was also unveiled during the occasion.</p>


In a sign of the growing defence cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia, 76 trainees from the King Fahd Naval Academy of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) completed their Afloat Training Course at the First Training Squadron (1TS) of the Indian Navy on Thursday (Jul 18).

In a sign of the growing defence cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia, 76 trainees from the King Fahd Naval Academy of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) completed their Afloat Training Course at the First Training Squadron (1TS) of the Indian Navy on Thursday (Jul 18). The instructions were imparted at India's Southern Naval Command, Kochi, which is the training command of the Indian Navy. This is the second batch of Saudi Naval cadets who are undergoing training in India. The first batch completed their training in 2023. Spanning three weeks, the training at Kochi comprised a harbour phase and a sea phase. The harbour phase focussed on simulator-based training on navigation, firefighting and damage control. During the sea phase, the trainees were introduced to nuances of life at sea, which included first-hand experience in ship handling, communication procedures and seamanship. Besides this, the trainees were introduced to sail training at the Watermanship Training Centre and onboard INS Tarangini. Participation of RSNF trainees alongside Indian Naval trainees of 107 Integrated Officers Training Course (IOTC) has immensely contributed towards enhanced bonhomie and friendship amongst the trainees of both maritime nations. The training program also facilitated cultural exchange and engagements through organised visits to historical and local places of interest and friendly sports fixtures with Indian trainees. Also read: Saudi Arabia`s petrodollar deal with US expires with no new agreement in place Marking the culmination of the training, Rear Admiral Upal Kundu, Chief of Staff, Southern Naval Command, interacted with the trainees and Directing Staff of RSNF. During the interaction, the trainees shared their at-sea experiences and the directing staff expressed their appreciation for the high-quality training imparted by the Indian Navy. Watch: Indian national in Saudi Arabia to be freed from prison, Abdul Rahim to return to Kerala × During the valedictory function onboard the sail training ship INS Tir, course completion certificates and alumni badges were presented to the trainees. A course memoir highlighting the journey of the trainees was also unveiled during the occasion.

Saudi Naval cadets complete training in India for second year in a row

<p>Since 5 PM, Friday (July 19), three Indian Coast Guard ships have been fighting a fire on board cargo ship MV Maersk Frankfurt, which is positioned 190kms off the Western Indian state of Goa. The vessel was sailing from Mundra, Gujarat to Colombo, Sri Lanka, when a major fire broke out on the vessel carrying International Maritime Dangerous Goods(IMDG).&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">As much of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/India?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#India</a> is asleep, 3 ships of <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiaCoastGuard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndiaCoastGuard</a> are fighting the Fire on cargo ship <a href="https://twitter.com/Maersk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Maersk</a> Frankfurt, that's ~190kms off <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Goa?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Goa</a><br />
<br />
The ship with 21crew was sailing Mundra-Colombo, carrying dangerous goods..explosions have been occurring.. SW monsoon <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/weather?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#weather</a> is harsh <a href="https://t.co/fttMzUXUCA">pic.twitter.com/fttMzUXUCA</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1814364482904400275?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>On receiving information regarding the fire, the Indian Coast Guard deployed one ship and a Dornier short-range maritime patrol aircraft towards the distressed merchant vessel.</p>

<p>On assessing the fire situation and understanding that explosions have been occurring in the frontal portion of the merchant ship,&nbsp;the Indian Coast Guard&nbsp;deployed two additional ships to augment the firefighting efforts. The firefighting is being carried out amid harsh weather conditions, rough seas caused by the active southwest monsoon.&nbsp;</p>

<p>WION has learnt that MV Maersk Frankfurt is manned by 21 crew, comprising 17 Filipinos, two Ukrainians, one Russian and one&nbsp;member from Montenegro. Initial reports indicate that one Filipino crew member is missing.</p>

<p>As it stands, the cause of fire remains unknown.</p>

<p>While the Indian Coast guard assets continue to fight the fire, there is&nbsp;danger posed by the 1,400 metric tons of diesel that the vessel is carrying. ICG ships have been dousing the flames with water and specialised firefighting chemicals such as Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF).</p>

<p><em>This is a developing story. More information will be added as further details of the ongoing operation emerge</em></p>


Since 5 PM, Friday (July 19), three Indian Coast Guard ships have been fighting a fire on board cargo ship MV Maersk Frankfurt, which is positioned 190kms off the Western Indian state of Goa.

Since 5 PM, Friday (July 19), three Indian Coast Guard ships have been fighting a fire on board cargo ship MV Maersk Frankfurt, which is positioned 190kms off the Western Indian state of Goa. The vessel was sailing from Mundra, Gujarat to Colombo, Sri Lanka, when a major fire broke out on the vessel carrying International Maritime Dangerous Goods(IMDG). As much of #India is asleep, 3 ships of @IndiaCoastGuard are fighting the Fire on cargo ship @Maersk Frankfurt, that's ~190kms off #Goa The ship with 21crew was sailing Mundra-Colombo, carrying dangerous goods..explosions have been occurring.. SW monsoon #weather is harsh pic.twitter.com/fttMzUXUCA — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) July 19, 2024 × On receiving information regarding the fire, the Indian Coast Guard deployed one ship and a Dornier short-range maritime patrol aircraft towards the distressed merchant vessel. On assessing the fire situation and understanding that explosions have been occurring in the frontal portion of the merchant ship, the Indian Coast Guard deployed two additional ships to augment the firefighting efforts. The firefighting is being carried out amid harsh weather conditions, rough seas caused by the active southwest monsoon. WION has learnt that MV Maersk Frankfurt is manned by 21 crew, comprising 17 Filipinos, two Ukrainians, one Russian and one member from Montenegro. Initial reports indicate that one Filipino crew member is missing. As it stands, the cause of fire remains unknown. While the Indian Coast guard assets continue to fight the fire, there is danger posed by the 1,400 metric tons of diesel that the vessel is carrying. ICG ships have been dousing the flames with water and specialised firefighting chemicals such as Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF). This is a developing story. More information will be added as further details of the ongoing operation emerge

Cargo ship catches fire: Indian Coast Guard deploys 3 ships for firefighting

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<p>For more than 24 hours, Indian Coast Guard (ICG)&nbsp;assets have been attempting to put out the fire that has engulfed the cargo ship MV Maersk Frankfurt, which had been sailing along India's southwestern coast. The commercial vessel carrying International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG), was sailing from Mundra, Gujarat to Colombo, Sri Lanka, when a major fire broke out around 5:00 pm Indian Standard Time (IST) on Friday (Jul 19). At the time of writing, the vessel is approximately 140 kilometres south of the western Indian state of Goa, and at a safe distance from the coast.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">An ALH-Mk3 chopper of the <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiaCoastGuard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndiaCoastGuard</a> hovers right above the flaming frontal portion of <a href="https://twitter.com/Maersk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@maersk</a> Frankfurt and drops bags/packs of a firefighting chemicals- Dry Chemical powder..<br />
<br />
Ships are using water cannons, Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) to control the fire... <a href="https://t.co/BA71nv8HNn">https://t.co/BA71nv8HNn</a> <a href="https://t.co/wjgRwM0hjE">pic.twitter.com/wjgRwM0hjE</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1814650666650116148?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>At present, three Indian Coast Guard ships- Sujeet, Sachet and Samrat are carrying out the firefighting operation. The efforts of the ships are being assisted by an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH Mk3) that is dropping packets of Dry Chemical Powder (DCP), a specialised fire-fighting chemical. Furthermore, a Dornier short-range Maritime patrol plane is monitoring the situation, keeping a close watch for any signs of an oil spill from the flaming cargo vessel.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/cargo-ship-fire-off-goa-indian-coast-guard-deploys-3-ships-for-firefighting-742541"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Cargo ship catches fire: Indian Coast Guard deploys 3 ships for firefighting</strong></a></p>

<p>Upon receiving information regarding the fire, the Indian Coast Guard on Friday deployed one ship and a Dornier short-range maritime patrol aircraft towards the distressed merchant vessel. On assessing the fire situation and understanding that explosions have been occurring in the frontal portion of the merchant ship,&nbsp;the ICG deployed two additional ships to augment the firefighting efforts. The firefighting is being carried out amid harsh weather conditions, and rough seas caused by the active southwest monsoon.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">For more than 24hrs, 3 ships of the <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiaCoastGuard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndiaCoastGuard</a> are fighting the blaze on board <a href="https://twitter.com/Maersk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Maersk</a> Frankfurt, a cargo ship that is off <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Karnataka?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Karnataka</a> coast..<br />
The cargo ship is ferrying dangerous goods from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gujarat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gujarat</a> to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Colombo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Colombo</a><br />
Fire cause unknown.. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/India?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#India</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/defence?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#defence</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/maritime?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#maritime</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/shipping?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#shipping</a> <a href="https://t.co/BA71nv8HNn">https://t.co/BA71nv8HNn</a> <a href="https://t.co/Y7j8AC8xX5">pic.twitter.com/Y7j8AC8xX5</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1814649653461459166?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p><em>WION</em> has learnt that MV Maersk Frankfurt is manned by a 21-man crew&nbsp;comprising 17 Filipinos, two Ukrainians, one Russian and one member from Montenegro. One Filipino crew member is missing and a search operation is underway.</p>

<p>As it stands, the cause of the fire remains unknown. While the ICG assets continue to fight the fire, there is also a danger posed by the 1,400 metric tonnes of diesel that the vessel is carrying. ICG assets have been dousing the flames with water and specialised firefighting chemicals such as Aqueous Film Forming Form (AFFF) and Dry Chemical Powder (DCP).</p>

<p>An Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) Water Lily departed from Mumbai on Friday evening and is expected to reach the flaming cargo vessel by the evening of Sunday (Jul 21).</p>


For more than 24 hours, Indian Coast Guard (ICG) assets have been attempting to put out the fire that has engulfed the cargo ship MV Maersk Frankfurt, which had been sailing along India's southwestern coast.

For more than 24 hours, Indian Coast Guard (ICG) assets have been attempting to put out the fire that has engulfed the cargo ship MV Maersk Frankfurt, which had been sailing along India's southwestern coast. The commercial vessel carrying International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG), was sailing from Mundra, Gujarat to Colombo, Sri Lanka, when a major fire broke out around 5:00 pm Indian Standard Time (IST) on Friday (Jul 19). At the time of writing, the vessel is approximately 140 kilometres south of the western Indian state of Goa, and at a safe distance from the coast. An ALH-Mk3 chopper of the @IndiaCoastGuard hovers right above the flaming frontal portion of @maersk Frankfurt and drops bags/packs of a firefighting chemicals- Dry Chemical powder.. Ships are using water cannons, Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) to control the fire... https://t.co/BA71nv8HNn pic.twitter.com/wjgRwM0hjE — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) July 20, 2024 × At present, three Indian Coast Guard ships- Sujeet, Sachet and Samrat are carrying out the firefighting operation. The efforts of the ships are being assisted by an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH Mk3) that is dropping packets of Dry Chemical Powder (DCP), a specialised fire-fighting chemical. Furthermore, a Dornier short-range Maritime patrol plane is monitoring the situation, keeping a close watch for any signs of an oil spill from the flaming cargo vessel. Also read | Cargo ship catches fire: Indian Coast Guard deploys 3 ships for firefighting Upon receiving information regarding the fire, the Indian Coast Guard on Friday deployed one ship and a Dornier short-range maritime patrol aircraft towards the distressed merchant vessel. On assessing the fire situation and understanding that explosions have been occurring in the frontal portion of the merchant ship, the ICG deployed two additional ships to augment the firefighting efforts. The firefighting is being carried out amid harsh weather conditions, and rough seas caused by the active southwest monsoon. For more than 24hrs, 3 ships of the @IndiaCoastGuard are fighting the blaze on board @Maersk Frankfurt, a cargo ship that is off #Karnataka coast.. The cargo ship is ferrying dangerous goods from #Gujarat to #Colombo Fire cause unknown.. #India #defence #maritime #shipping https://t.co/BA71nv8HNn pic.twitter.com/Y7j8AC8xX5 — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) July 20, 2024 × WION has learnt that MV Maersk Frankfurt is manned by a 21-man crew comprising 17 Filipinos, two Ukrainians, one Russian and one member from Montenegro. One Filipino crew member is missing and a search operation is underway. As it stands, the cause of the fire remains unknown. While the ICG assets continue to fight the fire, there is also a danger posed by the 1,400 metric tonnes of diesel that the vessel is carrying. ICG assets have been dousing the flames with water and specialised firefighting chemicals such as Aqueous Film Forming Form (AFFF) and Dry Chemical Powder (DCP). An Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) Water Lily departed from Mumbai on Friday evening and is expected to reach the flaming cargo vessel by the evening of Sunday (Jul 21).

'Maersk Frankfurt' cargo ship fire rages for more than 24 hours, Indian Coast Guard in action

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<p>"When I stand here, I look at a young village boy. After having been a state topper in the science stream, I had no courage to write the IIT entrance examination...but I kept a dream to once graduate from such an institution. I had the fortune of completing my Masters degree from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and now my PhD comes from IIT-Madras," said Indian&nbsp;space agency (ISRO)&nbsp;chief Dr S&nbsp;Somanath while reminiscing&nbsp;his humble journey, as he earned his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from IIT-Madras on Friday (Jul 19).&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>In his stellar career that has spanned four decades, Dr Somanath has been conferred with multiple honorary doctorates, but the PhD from IIT-Madras is special, as this is a result of his determination to earn a doctorate in a subject close to his heart.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">"I was a village boy... I was a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kerala?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kerala</a> state topper in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/science?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#science</a> stream... But I did not have the courage to write <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IIT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IIT</a> entrance.. But I dreamt of graduating from such an institution" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/isro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#isro</a> Chief Dr. SOMANATH, after earning his PhD in Mechanical <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Engineering?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Engineering</a> from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IITMadras?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IITMadras</a> <a href="https://t.co/IL7xyMPGq2">pic.twitter.com/IL7xyMPGq2</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1814281253622886501?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISRO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ISRO</a> Chief S. Somanath receives his PhD in Mechanical <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/engineering?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#engineering</a> from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IITMadras?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IITMadras</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/chennai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#chennai</a><br />
Aged 60+, ~40yr career, he is already is a recipient of multiple honorary doctorates and now he's earned a very special one...<br />
Congrats Dr. S. SOMANATH...<br />
What an inspiration! ❤️🚀🇮🇳 <a href="https://t.co/78gR0L0pyp">pic.twitter.com/78gR0L0pyp</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1814267039651094536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>"I joined here (IIT-M) as a student when I was doing the GSLV Mk3 rocket design and development. I got immersed in that. So, I couldn't further this task of completing my PhD. It's a good fortune that after assuming the office of chairman of ISRO, I could complete it and get graduated. It is really a great honour. I thank the Department of Space and ISRO, who sponsored me to study while working for the organization," Dr Somanath&nbsp;said in a short address after receiving his PhD at the 61st Convocation of IIT-M.</p>

<p>According to IIT-M, 2,636 students graduated on this occasion.</p>

<p>The ISRO chief thanked his mentors and research guides - Prof Shankar Krishnapillai, Prof Narayanan, and his close friend and colleague Dr Unnikrishnan Nair, who heads ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre.</p>

<p>Notably, Dr Nair had also completed his PhD from IIT-Madras, and so did Dr Veeramuthuvel, project director of Chandrayaan-3.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/less-than-1-iitans-in-isro-iitans-dont-want-to-join-isro-chief-645276"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Less than 1% IITians in ISRO, they don't want to join: ISRO Chief Somanath</strong></a></p>

<p>While top officials of ISRO have completed their PhDs from IITs, it must also be remembered that IITians don't prefer to join the Indian space agency. Perceptions of low pay in the government-run ISRO, the style of functioning of government organisations, preference for corporate jobs, high-paying domains, and the lure of foreign employment are a few reasons that are said to deter IITians from pursuing careers at ISRO.</p>

<p>"Our (country's) best talents are supposed to be engineers from IITs. But, they are not joining ISRO. If we go and try to recruit from IIT, no one joins," Dr Somanath said in a television interview last year. He also mentioned that the Indian space agency was not getting the best of talent and that IITians comprise less than one&nbsp;per cent of those working at ISRO.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Following the successful lunar soft-landing of India's Chandrayaan-3, parliamentarian from Thiruvananthapuram Dr&nbsp;Shashi Tharoor had said in the Lok Sabha: "If IITians went to Silicon Valley, CETans (alumni of College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram) took us to the moon."</p>

<p>He was referring to the alumni of unsung engineering colleges from various parts of India, and how such people from humble backgrounds worked on the Chandrayaan-3 mission and continue to work for several government-run science and technology organisations in India.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">"I joined <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IITMadras?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IITMadras</a> as a student when I was designing &amp; developing India's largest rocket GSLV-Mk3..<br />
I was immersed in my work and couldn't proceed with PhD.. It's an honour that I've completed PhD while being <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/isro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#isro</a> Chief..<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Indian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Indian</a> Govt sponsored my PhD" Dr. SOMANATH <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/chennai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#chennai</a> <a href="https://t.co/KLMUgV5ACu">pic.twitter.com/KLMUgV5ACu</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1814284193129484428?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Referring to the exceptional cases of IITians joining ISRO, Dr Somanath said in a TV interview, "Few passionate IITians who think space is important, such people join."</p>

<p>Sharing an example of an ISRO team that went to recruit talent from an IIT, Dr Somanath mentioned that 60 per cent of students left the hall after seeing the highest pay that they could earn at the Indian government-run space agency.</p>

<p>"The career ambitions of those joining IITs are different."</p>

<p>While he said that ISRO was not attracting the best talent, the Indian space agency chief admitted that the organisation has adequate talent to carry out the work they are performing. He also referred to the diversity and vast availability of scientific talent in India, given the massive human resource pool.</p>


"When I stand here, I look at a young village boy. After having been a state topper in the science stream, I had no courage to write the IIT entrance examination.

"When I stand here, I look at a young village boy. After having been a state topper in the science stream, I had no courage to write the IIT entrance examination...but I kept a dream to once graduate from such an institution. I had the fortune of completing my Masters degree from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and now my PhD comes from IIT-Madras," said Indian space agency (ISRO) chief Dr S Somanath while reminiscing his humble journey, as he earned his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from IIT-Madras on Friday (Jul 19). In his stellar career that has spanned four decades, Dr Somanath has been conferred with multiple honorary doctorates, but the PhD from IIT-Madras is special, as this is a result of his determination to earn a doctorate in a subject close to his heart. "I was a village boy... I was a #kerala state topper in the #science stream... But I did not have the courage to write #IIT entrance.. But I dreamt of graduating from such an institution" #isro Chief Dr. SOMANATH, after earning his PhD in Mechanical #Engineering from #IITMadras pic.twitter.com/IL7xyMPGq2 — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) July 19, 2024 × #ISRO Chief S. Somanath receives his PhD in Mechanical #engineering from #IITMadras #chennai Aged 60+, ~40yr career, he is already is a recipient of multiple honorary doctorates and now he's earned a very special one... Congrats Dr. S. SOMANATH... What an inspiration! ❤️🚀🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/78gR0L0pyp — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) July 19, 2024 × "I joined here (IIT-M) as a student when I was doing the GSLV Mk3 rocket design and development. I got immersed in that. So, I couldn't further this task of completing my PhD. It's a good fortune that after assuming the office of chairman of ISRO, I could complete it and get graduated. It is really a great honour. I thank the Department of Space and ISRO, who sponsored me to study while working for the organization," Dr Somanath said in a short address after receiving his PhD at the 61st Convocation of IIT-M. According to IIT-M, 2,636 students graduated on this occasion. The ISRO chief thanked his mentors and research guides - Prof Shankar Krishnapillai, Prof Narayanan, and his close friend and colleague Dr Unnikrishnan Nair, who heads ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre. Notably, Dr Nair had also completed his PhD from IIT-Madras, and so did Dr Veeramuthuvel, project director of Chandrayaan-3. Also read | Less than 1% IITians in ISRO, they don't want to join: ISRO Chief Somanath While top officials of ISRO have completed their PhDs from IITs, it must also be remembered that IITians don't prefer to join the Indian space agency. Perceptions of low pay in the government-run ISRO, the style of functioning of government organisations, preference for corporate jobs, high-paying domains, and the lure of foreign employment are a few reasons that are said to deter IITians from pursuing careers at ISRO. "Our (country's) best talents are supposed to be engineers from IITs. But, they are not joining ISRO. If we go and try to recruit from IIT, no one joins," Dr Somanath said in a television interview last year. He also mentioned that the Indian space agency was not getting the best of talent and that IITians comprise less than one per cent of those working at ISRO. Following the successful lunar soft-landing of India's Chandrayaan-3, parliamentarian from Thiruvananthapuram Dr Shashi Tharoor had said in the Lok Sabha: "If IITians went to Silicon Valley, CETans (alumni of College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram) took us to the moon." He was referring to the alumni of unsung engineering colleges from various parts of India, and how such people from humble backgrounds worked on the Chandrayaan-3 mission and continue to work for several government-run science and technology organisations in India. "I joined #IITMadras as a student when I was designing & developing India's largest rocket GSLV-Mk3.. I was immersed in my work and couldn't proceed with PhD.. It's an honour that I've completed PhD while being #isro Chief..#Indian Govt sponsored my PhD" Dr. SOMANATH #chennai pic.twitter.com/KLMUgV5ACu — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) July 19, 2024 × Referring to the exceptional cases of IITians joining ISRO, Dr Somanath said in a TV interview, "Few passionate IITians who think space is important, such people join." Sharing an example of an ISRO team that went to recruit talent from an IIT, Dr Somanath mentioned that 60 per cent of students left the hall after seeing the highest pay that they could earn at the Indian government-run space agency. "The career ambitions of those joining IITs are different." While he said that ISRO was not attracting the best talent, the Indian space agency chief admitted that the organisation has adequate talent to carry out the work they are performing. He also referred to the diversity and vast availability of scientific talent in India, given the massive human resource pool.

Village boy to ISRO chief to IIT PhD: The inspirational journey of Dr S Somanath

<p>On the third day of a multi-agency rescue operation, the mortal remains of Joy, a sanitation worker has been recovered from a canal, located about a kilometre away from the Central station in Kerala's capital city, Thiruvananthapuram.</p>

<p>Joy is said to have ventured into the underground canal around Saturday noon to conduct routine cleaning, when he was washed away by a sudden current of water, amid heavy rain during the ongoing Southwest monsoon in Kerala's Southernmost district.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Joy, a sanitation worker(who did not have safety gear) was washed away while cleaning an underground canal (beneath <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kerala?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kerala</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Thiruvananthapuram?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Thiruvananthapuram</a> central station tracks)<a href="https://twitter.com/NDRFHQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NDRFHQ</a>, Cops, Navy divers tried for 3days..They found slush, tons &amp; tons of plastic waste...Body found today <a href="https://t.co/ur6fmoId7V">pic.twitter.com/ur6fmoId7V</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1812763728829411668?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>In the immediate aftermath of Joy being washed away, fellow workers who were gathered in the vicinity threw a rope into the canal, hoping that Joy could hold on to it. However, knowing that he was unable to grab the rope, the Fire Service personnel were called in to attempt a rescue. The Fire Service personnel were joined by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel in the late hours of Saturday.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/hidden-treasure-unearthed-by-laborers-women-in-kerala-740709">India: Hidden treasure unearthed by women labourers in Kerala</a></strong></p>

<p>Through Sunday, the NDRF personnel and their scuba divers, assisted by the Fire Service, had been attempting to rescue Joy. Personnel who had been carrying out the rescue told WION that there were multiple obstacles in navigating through the underground canal.</p>

<p>"The canal is around 117 meters in length and 1.8 metres high (6 feet). The bottom layer of the canal is filled with slush, and on top of that there is water and massive quantities of plastic waste," an NDRF official elaborated to WION. This was among the reasons why the rescue dragged on into the third day.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/divine-intervention-viral-claim-links-trump-assassination-survival-with-his-1976-gesture-for-lord-jagannath-740814">'Divine intervention': Viral claim links Trump assassination survival with his 1976 gesture for Lord Jagannath</a></strong></p>

<p>On Monday, there were a total of 100 personnel from the Indian Navy, NDRF and Fire Service, involved in this rescue operation. Scuba divers from the Indian Navy and NDRF were deployed in the search operation. However, the mortal remains were spotted at a canal that was nearly a kilometre away from the Railway Station. The mortal remains were later identified as those of Joy, following which the search operations were suspended around noon.&nbsp;</p>


On the third day of a multi-agency rescue operation, the mortal remains of Joy, a sanitation worker has been recovered from a canal, located about a kilometre away from the Central station in Kerala's capital city, Thiruvananthapuram.

On the third day of a multi-agency rescue operation, the mortal remains of Joy, a sanitation worker has been recovered from a canal, located about a kilometre away from the Central station in Kerala's capital city, Thiruvananthapuram. Joy is said to have ventured into the underground canal around Saturday noon to conduct routine cleaning, when he was washed away by a sudden current of water, amid heavy rain during the ongoing Southwest monsoon in Kerala's Southernmost district. Joy, a sanitation worker(who did not have safety gear) was washed away while cleaning an underground canal (beneath #kerala #Thiruvananthapuram central station tracks)@NDRFHQ, Cops, Navy divers tried for 3days..They found slush, tons & tons of plastic waste...Body found today pic.twitter.com/ur6fmoId7V — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) July 15, 2024 × In the immediate aftermath of Joy being washed away, fellow workers who were gathered in the vicinity threw a rope into the canal, hoping that Joy could hold on to it. However, knowing that he was unable to grab the rope, the Fire Service personnel were called in to attempt a rescue. The Fire Service personnel were joined by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel in the late hours of Saturday. Also read | India: Hidden treasure unearthed by women labourers in Kerala Through Sunday, the NDRF personnel and their scuba divers, assisted by the Fire Service, had been attempting to rescue Joy. Personnel who had been carrying out the rescue told WION that there were multiple obstacles in navigating through the underground canal. "The canal is around 117 meters in length and 1.8 metres high (6 feet). The bottom layer of the canal is filled with slush, and on top of that there is water and massive quantities of plastic waste," an NDRF official elaborated to WION. This was among the reasons why the rescue dragged on into the third day. Also read | 'Divine intervention': Viral claim links Trump assassination survival with his 1976 gesture for Lord Jagannath On Monday, there were a total of 100 personnel from the Indian Navy, NDRF and Fire Service, involved in this rescue operation. Scuba divers from the Indian Navy and NDRF were deployed in the search operation. However, the mortal remains were spotted at a canal that was nearly a kilometre away from the Railway Station. The mortal remains were later identified as those of Joy, following which the search operations were suspended around noon.

Kerala: Sanitation worker's body found after 3-day search in canal below railway tracks

<p>Two Indian astronauts from the existing pool of four astronaut designates (specially selected test pilots of the Indian Air Force) will be training at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Texas, from early August, ISRO Chief,&nbsp;Dr. S. Somanath told WION.</p>

<p>He added that one of the two NASA-trained Indian astronauts would later fly on the upcoming Indo-US mission to the International Space Station.</p>

<p>The NASA training of Indian astronauts and the Indo-US mission to the International Space Station (ISS) was&nbsp;announced by US President Joe Biden, during Indian Prime Minister Modi's state visit to the US in June 2023.</p>

<p>The NASA training and the joint ISS mission are meant to serve as precursors to India's homegrown Human Spaceflight programme:&nbsp;Gaganyaan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">“Collaboration on Human Spaceflight, including sending an <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Indian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Indian</a> astronaut to the International <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/space?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#space</a> station in 2024” says <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> as he lists out areas of bilateral cooperation between <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/india?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#india</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USA</a><br />
<br />
Travel to <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a> &amp; working there will prep astronauts for Gaganyaan <a href="https://t.co/mJfcX4sKdP">pic.twitter.com/mJfcX4sKdP</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1672074359031361537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Responding to a query from WION, US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti expressed confidence that the Indo-US crewed mission to the ISS would take place by 2024-end.</p>

<p>The question was raised based on recent reports that this&nbsp;mission would be pushed to early 2025. In&nbsp;fact, President Biden had specifically announced in June 2023 that the joint crewed mission would be executed in 2024.</p>

<p>Ambassador Garcetti was speaking at the&nbsp;US-India Defence Conclave organised by CUTS International.</p>

<p>Incidentally, this Indo-US astronaut mission comes forty years after India's first and only astronaut Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma flew on a Soyuz T-11 rocket to the Soviet Salyut-7 Space station in April 1984.</p>

<p><img alt="Indian Air Force's Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, flight engineer Gennady Strekalov and commander Yury Malyshev alongside screengrabs of the-then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's interaction with Rakesh Sharma" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-07-09T123411.047.png" /></p>

<p><em>Indian Air Force's Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma (centre), flight engineer Gennady Strekalov (L) and commander Yury Malyshev (R) alongside the screengrabs of the-then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's interaction with Rakesh Sharma |&nbsp;spacefacts.de/YouTube via Indian National Congress</em></p>

<p>Queried on the specifics of the Indo-US mission, Ambassador Garcetti told WION that it would be executed by American private firms SpaceX and Axiom.</p>

<p>SpaceX's Falcon9 rocket would be the launcher and the Crew Dragon would be the capsule, whereas Axiom will serve as a facilitator of this effort.</p>

<p>For the last four years, SpaceX has been the lone US option to ferry astronauts to the space station and back. Boeing Starliner is meant to be the other American offering in this lucrative segment but the ongoing technical issues with Starliner and its overstaying in space would further delay routine missions by Starliner.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What is India's Gaganyaan?</strong>&nbsp;</h2>

<p>India has revealed the names of four astronaut candidates who are to fly on the country's homegrown 'Gaganyaan' programme that aims to fly an astronaut-carrying capsule to earth orbit (400kms above the planet's surface) and bring them back safely for an oceanic splashdown landing.</p>

<p>Gaganyaan would be carried out by the Indian Space Agency ISRO, with test pilots of the Indian Air Force, serving as the crew members.</p>

<p>The four candidates have already completed their training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Moscow, and are presently undergoing training at ISRO and Indian Air Force facilities, while also assisting ISRO teams in designing and developing some systems required for Gaganyaan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">India's best-kept secret of the last 5yrs - <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/indian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#indian</a> astronaut candidates who have been training for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/isro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#isro</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/gaganyaan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#gaganyaan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/india?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#india</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/space?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#space</a> <a href="https://t.co/j9Uxd2qyXD">pic.twitter.com/j9Uxd2qyXD</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1762370086571327716?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Gaganyaan is the first step in a series of sustained human spaceflight missions that India wants to carry out in a phased manner. By the end of this decade, India hopes to put an uncrewed space station in Earth orbit. By 2035, it would be used as a crewed Indian outpost that's circling the earth.</p>

<p>India also plans to land its astronauts on the moon by 2040.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Coming as&nbsp;a precursor to Gaganyaan, the Indo-US Astronaut mission would help India gain contemporary spaceflight experience, something that only Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma has from his Soviet-era spaceflight in 1984.</p>

<p>With spaceflight technologies having drastically changed, the contemporary spaceflight experience would offer valuable technological and experiential insights.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At present, India is in the process of gradually testing various systems and technologies required to execute an uncrewed Gaganyaan mission, slated for later this year or in early 2025. After a couple of flawless uncrewed missions, India will embark on the astronaut-carrying mission, perhaps, by 2026.&nbsp;</p>

<p>ISRO Chief Dr S.Somanath had earlier told WION that human spaceflight is a highly challenging endeavour and how India only had the minimal experience of Rakesh Sharma's flight in 1984.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;</strong><strong>Indian astronauts to train at NASA from August</strong></p>

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<p>He added that the Indian astronauts have to "touch, feel, and experience space" and how the mission to Space station would help ISRO in its own Gaganyaan efforts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In another significant collaborative effort, India's GSLV Mk2 rocket will be launching an Indo-US satellite known as NISAR - NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR).</p>

<p>NISAR is an all-weather earth observation satellite that will help study the vital signs of the earth, such as the temperature, ice melting, deforestation, and many more important parameters that help better understand climate change, natural calamities etc.</p>

<p>NISAR was to launch by mid-2024 but has been delayed owing to technical glitches in the satellite components. NISAR is expected to launch by 2024-end or early 2025.&nbsp;</p>


Two Indian astronauts from the existing pool of four astronaut designates (specially selected test pilots of the Indian Air Force) will be training at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Texas, from early August, ISRO Chief, Dr.

Two Indian astronauts from the existing pool of four astronaut designates (specially selected test pilots of the Indian Air Force) will be training at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Texas, from early August, ISRO Chief, Dr. S. Somanath told WION. He added that one of the two NASA-trained Indian astronauts would later fly on the upcoming Indo-US mission to the International Space Station. The NASA training of Indian astronauts and the Indo-US mission to the International Space Station (ISS) was announced by US President Joe Biden, during Indian Prime Minister Modi's state visit to the US in June 2023. The NASA training and the joint ISS mission are meant to serve as precursors to India's homegrown Human Spaceflight programme: Gaganyaan. “Collaboration on Human Spaceflight, including sending an #Indian astronaut to the International #space station in 2024” says @POTUS as he lists out areas of bilateral cooperation between #india & #USA Travel to @Space_Station & working there will prep astronauts for Gaganyaan pic.twitter.com/mJfcX4sKdP — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) June 23, 2023 × Responding to a query from WION, US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti expressed confidence that the Indo-US crewed mission to the ISS would take place by 2024-end. The question was raised based on recent reports that this mission would be pushed to early 2025. In fact, President Biden had specifically announced in June 2023 that the joint crewed mission would be executed in 2024. Ambassador Garcetti was speaking at the US-India Defence Conclave organised by CUTS International. Incidentally, this Indo-US astronaut mission comes forty years after India's first and only astronaut Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma flew on a Soyuz T-11 rocket to the Soviet Salyut-7 Space station in April 1984. Indian Air Force's Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma (centre), flight engineer Gennady Strekalov (L) and commander Yury Malyshev (R) alongside the screengrabs of the-then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's interaction with Rakesh Sharma | spacefacts.de/YouTube via Indian National Congress Queried on the specifics of the Indo-US mission, Ambassador Garcetti told WION that it would be executed by American private firms SpaceX and Axiom. SpaceX's Falcon9 rocket would be the launcher and the Crew Dragon would be the capsule, whereas Axiom will serve as a facilitator of this effort. For the last four years, SpaceX has been the lone US option to ferry astronauts to the space station and back. Boeing Starliner is meant to be the other American offering in this lucrative segment but the ongoing technical issues with Starliner and its overstaying in space would further delay routine missions by Starliner. What is India's Gaganyaan? India has revealed the names of four astronaut candidates who are to fly on the country's homegrown 'Gaganyaan' programme that aims to fly an astronaut-carrying capsule to earth orbit (400kms above the planet's surface) and bring them back safely for an oceanic splashdown landing. Gaganyaan would be carried out by the Indian Space Agency ISRO, with test pilots of the Indian Air Force, serving as the crew members. The four candidates have already completed their training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Moscow, and are presently undergoing training at ISRO and Indian Air Force facilities, while also assisting ISRO teams in designing and developing some systems required for Gaganyaan. India's best-kept secret of the last 5yrs - #indian astronaut candidates who have been training for #isro #gaganyaan #india #space pic.twitter.com/j9Uxd2qyXD — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) February 27, 2024 × Gaganyaan is the first step in a series of sustained human spaceflight missions that India wants to carry out in a phased manner. By the end of this decade, India hopes to put an uncrewed space station in Earth orbit. By 2035, it would be used as a crewed Indian outpost that's circling the earth. India also plans to land its astronauts on the moon by 2040. Coming as a precursor to Gaganyaan, the Indo-US Astronaut mission would help India gain contemporary spaceflight experience, something that only Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma has from his Soviet-era spaceflight in 1984. With spaceflight technologies having drastically changed, the contemporary spaceflight experience would offer valuable technological and experiential insights. At present, India is in the process of gradually testing various systems and technologies required to execute an uncrewed Gaganyaan mission, slated for later this year or in early 2025. After a couple of flawless uncrewed missions, India will embark on the astronaut-carrying mission, perhaps, by 2026. ISRO Chief Dr S.Somanath had earlier told WION that human spaceflight is a highly challenging endeavour and how India only had the minimal experience of Rakesh Sharma's flight in 1984. Also watch | Indian astronauts to train at NASA from August × He added that the Indian astronauts have to "touch, feel, and experience space" and how the mission to Space station would help ISRO in its own Gaganyaan efforts. In another significant collaborative effort, India's GSLV Mk2 rocket will be launching an Indo-US satellite known as NISAR - NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR). NISAR is an all-weather earth observation satellite that will help study the vital signs of the earth, such as the temperature, ice melting, deforestation, and many more important parameters that help better understand climate change, natural calamities etc. NISAR was to launch by mid-2024 but has been delayed owing to technical glitches in the satellite components. NISAR is expected to launch by 2024-end or early 2025.

Exclusive: Indian astronauts' US training from August; spaceflight by year-end

<p>As Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin of Russia visit the Rosatom pavilion in Moscow, a permanent exhibition of the history, progress, and future concepts of Russia's nuclear power technology, nuclear energy solutions are to be a key aspect of the bilateral discussions.</p>

<p>Given that India is the biggest customer of Russian nuclear technology exports, it would be interesting to see if India would consider the Russian Floating Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP), a niche civilian technology that only Russia has demonstrated so far.</p>

<p>Notably, during his Russia visit in May this year, the Indian Atomic Energy Commission Chief and his Russian counterpart discussed floating nuclear power plants and larger nuclear power plant projects for India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We are ready for serious expansion of our cooperation with India in the field of using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. This include, first of all, serial construction of the Russian-designed high-capacity nuclear power units at a new site in India, implementation of land-based and floating low-power generation projects, cooperation in the nuclear fuel cycle area, as well as in the field of non-power applications of nuclear technologies,"&nbsp;Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation, had said in May 2024, as he hosted India's Atomic Energy Commission Chairman&nbsp;Ajit Kumar Mohanty in Russia's Tomsk region.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For more than four years, Russia has been operating the world's first and only FNPP. This author had recently reported from on-board the ship-like FNPP that is placed by the Russian Arctic port town of Peek, in the country's lesser-developed Far East region.</p>

<p>Located above the Arctic circle, Pevek is a town that witnesses winter temperatures of minus 40 degrees Celsius and even the summer temperatures don't exceed 8 degrees Celsius, with chances of sub-zero weather even in the summer months.</p>

<p>The power generated by the FNPP is distributed to Pevek and the adjoining towns through the local power grid.</p>

<p>According to Russia's Nuclear power agency Rosatom, such a solution can offer reliable, all-weather power supply in the remotest parts of the world, in island territories, and in regions where it is not feasible to build a conventional Nuclear power plant.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;WION Reports from Russia's far-east | On-board world's only floating nuclear power plant</strong></p>

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<p>A conventional nuclear power plant takes decades to build and operationalise, it requires vast tracts of land and other resources. In contrast, an FNPP can be built to order in four or five years and can be towed to the destination.</p>

<p>Rosatom mentions that an FNPP can have an operational life of 40 years or more. Once decommissioned, it can be towed back, dismantled, and disposed safely. In comparison, a land-based powerplant plant leaves behind its traces even after it is decommissioned.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Built like a ship, the FNPP "Akademik Lomonosov" measures 144 metres in length and 30 metres wide, stands 30&nbsp; metres tall, and has a displacement of 21,000 tonnes.</p>

<p>It houses two KLT-40S nuclear reactor systems, each of which generate 35 megawatts of energy. The total 70MW power output of the FNPP is sufficient to provide power and heat for one lakh people.</p>

<p>The nuclear reactors used on the FNPP are similar to the ones used on Russian icebreaker ships that cut through the frozen Arctic ice and clear a passage for shipping. For several decades, Nuclear reactors have been powering and propelling submarines and aircraft carriers. However, the Nuclear reactors on the FNPP only provide power and heat, as the FNPP is not a moving ship and does not have propellors. When necessary, the FNPP is towed using tug boats.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When&nbsp;queried about the safety track record of the FNPP and its ability to withstand tsunamis, hurricanes, and similar natural calamities, Viktor Nikolayevich, Deputy Chief Engineer, FNPP, told this author that the floating plant is designed and built with safety features that can help it withstand all natural calamities.</p>

<p>He added that the plant is designed to operate safely and without any radiation leaks or risks to the people and environment, even if a medium-sized helicopter (similar to Russian Kamoc-32s) were to crash on it from an altitude of 50 metres.</p>

<p>Since the reactors of the FNPP are based on those used in the Russian Nuclear icebreaker vessels, Rosatom maintains that they are totally rated for handling the horizontal and vertical accelerations (similar to an earthquake) that occur when breaking through the ice. In the worst case scenario, if needed, the FNPP can also be towed far away from habitation.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Russia floating nuclear power plant 'Akademik Lomonosov' caters to energy in Russia's far east</strong></p>

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<p>As per data shared in 2023 by the Indian Atomic Energy Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh,&nbsp;the share of nuclear power in the total electricity generation in the country was about 2.8% in the year 2022-23.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added that installed nuclear power capacity in the country is 7480 MW, comprising of 23 nuclear power reactors. He also mentioned that India's nuclear power generation would nearly triple by the year 2031, on progressive completion of projects under construction and accorded sanction.</p>

<p>This would mean that India's nuclear power plants would go from presently generating 7480 MW to 22480 MW by 2031. The government has also accorded ‘in principle’ approval for new sites to set up nuclear reactors in the future, Dr. Singh said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>India has a 7,500 kms long coastline and is flanked by the Andaman &amp; Nicobar, Lakshadweep archipelagos. India has been looking at boosting tourism and also enhancing the presence of its military on many of these islands, given their strategic location in the larger Indian Ocean region.</p>

<p>Considering the export potential of FNPPs to friendly-foreign nations, Russia is also developing larger floating reactors that can each generate 53MW of power. When two such reactors are coupled and placed in an FNPP, they can generate in excess of 100MW power, which is significantly higher than the present FNPP that generates 70MW.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Russia and India have remained all-weather partners for decades and this is a partnership that was built from the Soviet-era. India-Russia ties span various strategic domains including Defence, Nuclear Energy, Space, Science and technology etc.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP), India's largest nuclear power generating facility is the flagship project of Russian-Indian technology and energy cooperation. Located in the state of Tamil Nadu, KKNPP comprises six Russian-designed power units equipped with pressurized water reactor plants with a capacity of 1000MW each.</p>

<p>At present, two of these reactors are active and generate 2000MW, whereas the remaining four reactors are under different stages of construction. Once fully ready, all six plants would generate 6000MW.</p>


As Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin of Russia visit the Rosatom pavilion in Moscow, a permanent exhibition of the history, progress, and future concepts of Russia's nuclear power technology, nuclear energy solutions are to be a key aspect of the bilateral discussions.

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin of Russia visit the Rosatom pavilion in Moscow, a permanent exhibition of the history, progress, and future concepts of Russia's nuclear power technology, nuclear energy solutions are to be a key aspect of the bilateral discussions. Given that India is the biggest customer of Russian nuclear technology exports, it would be interesting to see if India would consider the Russian Floating Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP), a niche civilian technology that only Russia has demonstrated so far. Notably, during his Russia visit in May this year, the Indian Atomic Energy Commission Chief and his Russian counterpart discussed floating nuclear power plants and larger nuclear power plant projects for India. "We are ready for serious expansion of our cooperation with India in the field of using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. This include, first of all, serial construction of the Russian-designed high-capacity nuclear power units at a new site in India, implementation of land-based and floating low-power generation projects, cooperation in the nuclear fuel cycle area, as well as in the field of non-power applications of nuclear technologies," Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation, had said in May 2024, as he hosted India's Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Ajit Kumar Mohanty in Russia's Tomsk region. For more than four years, Russia has been operating the world's first and only FNPP. This author had recently reported from on-board the ship-like FNPP that is placed by the Russian Arctic port town of Peek, in the country's lesser-developed Far East region. Located above the Arctic circle, Pevek is a town that witnesses winter temperatures of minus 40 degrees Celsius and even the summer temperatures don't exceed 8 degrees Celsius, with chances of sub-zero weather even in the summer months. The power generated by the FNPP is distributed to Pevek and the adjoining towns through the local power grid. According to Russia's Nuclear power agency Rosatom, such a solution can offer reliable, all-weather power supply in the remotest parts of the world, in island territories, and in regions where it is not feasible to build a conventional Nuclear power plant. Also watch | WION Reports from Russia's far-east | On-board world's only floating nuclear power plant × A conventional nuclear power plant takes decades to build and operationalise, it requires vast tracts of land and other resources. In contrast, an FNPP can be built to order in four or five years and can be towed to the destination. Rosatom mentions that an FNPP can have an operational life of 40 years or more. Once decommissioned, it can be towed back, dismantled, and disposed safely. In comparison, a land-based powerplant plant leaves behind its traces even after it is decommissioned. Built like a ship, the FNPP "Akademik Lomonosov" measures 144 metres in length and 30 metres wide, stands 30 metres tall, and has a displacement of 21,000 tonnes. It houses two KLT-40S nuclear reactor systems, each of which generate 35 megawatts of energy. The total 70MW power output of the FNPP is sufficient to provide power and heat for one lakh people. The nuclear reactors used on the FNPP are similar to the ones used on Russian icebreaker ships that cut through the frozen Arctic ice and clear a passage for shipping. For several decades, Nuclear reactors have been powering and propelling submarines and aircraft carriers. However, the Nuclear reactors on the FNPP only provide power and heat, as the FNPP is not a moving ship and does not have propellors. When necessary, the FNPP is towed using tug boats. When queried about the safety track record of the FNPP and its ability to withstand tsunamis, hurricanes, and similar natural calamities, Viktor Nikolayevich, Deputy Chief Engineer, FNPP, told this author that the floating plant is designed and built with safety features that can help it withstand all natural calamities. He added that the plant is designed to operate safely and without any radiation leaks or risks to the people and environment, even if a medium-sized helicopter (similar to Russian Kamoc-32s) were to crash on it from an altitude of 50 metres. Since the reactors of the FNPP are based on those used in the Russian Nuclear icebreaker vessels, Rosatom maintains that they are totally rated for handling the horizontal and vertical accelerations (similar to an earthquake) that occur when breaking through the ice. In the worst case scenario, if needed, the FNPP can also be towed far away from habitation. Also watch | Russia floating nuclear power plant 'Akademik Lomonosov' caters to energy in Russia's far east × As per data shared in 2023 by the Indian Atomic Energy Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, the share of nuclear power in the total electricity generation in the country was about 2.8% in the year 2022-23. He added that installed nuclear power capacity in the country is 7480 MW, comprising of 23 nuclear power reactors. He also mentioned that India's nuclear power generation would nearly triple by the year 2031, on progressive completion of projects under construction and accorded sanction. This would mean that India's nuclear power plants would go from presently generating 7480 MW to 22480 MW by 2031. The government has also accorded ‘in principle’ approval for new sites to set up nuclear reactors in the future, Dr. Singh said. India has a 7,500 kms long coastline and is flanked by the Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep archipelagos. India has been looking at boosting tourism and also enhancing the presence of its military on many of these islands, given their strategic location in the larger Indian Ocean region. Considering the export potential of FNPPs to friendly-foreign nations, Russia is also developing larger floating reactors that can each generate 53MW of power. When two such reactors are coupled and placed in an FNPP, they can generate in excess of 100MW power, which is significantly higher than the present FNPP that generates 70MW. Russia and India have remained all-weather partners for decades and this is a partnership that was built from the Soviet-era. India-Russia ties span various strategic domains including Defence, Nuclear Energy, Space, Science and technology etc. Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP), India's largest nuclear power generating facility is the flagship project of Russian-Indian technology and energy cooperation. Located in the state of Tamil Nadu, KKNPP comprises six Russian-designed power units equipped with pressurized water reactor plants with a capacity of 1000MW each. At present, two of these reactors are active and generate 2000MW, whereas the remaining four reactors are under different stages of construction. Once fully ready, all six plants would generate 6000MW.

Will Modi-Putin discuss floating nuclear power plants for India?

<p>At a time when space agencies and private firms are looking to rake in billions of dollars by offering space tourism options, an American firm claims to offer a "free ride to space" for willing civilian candidates.</p>

<p>India is among the partner nations chosen by Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA), which has tied up with Jeff Bezos' firm Blue Origin to offer an 11-minute ride past the Karman Line (100 km above the earth's surface). The Karman line is widely regarded as the entry point to space.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We want to make space exploration open to all. We have raised funds to sponsor this mission, through which we will fly a six-membered crew, including an Indian," Joshua Skurla, Co-Founder, SERA, told WION.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
According to SERA, Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket would be used to ferry the candidates past the Karman line and then bring them back to earth for a controlled landing.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Want a free ride to space?<br />
<br />
SERA, an <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/American?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#American</a> firm is offering a ticket to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/space?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#space</a> for an <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Indian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Indian</a> citizen, on a Blue-Origin New Shepard 🚀 that'll fly to 100kms altitude and land back<br />
<br />
Regn fee: $2.5<br />
Final candidate'll be chosen based on public voting <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/science?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#science</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tech?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tech</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/india?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#india</a> <a href="https://t.co/qEHd8Oor8q">pic.twitter.com/qEHd8Oor8q</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1807656732300358009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>“We’re excited to have India as part of our human spaceflight programme. We want to make space accessible for everyone and are happy to offer this unique opportunity to an Indian citizen (above the age of 18) who wants to experience the wonders of space travel," said Joshua Skurla, CO-Founder, SERA.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-and-spacex-collaborate-to-address-dragon-spacecraft-debris-concerns-736748">NASA and SpaceX collaborate to address dragon spacecraft debris concerns</a></p>

<p>According to the firm, the lone Indian candidate would be selected based on public voting, and each willing Indian citizen could register for the programme by paying a fee of $2.50 (approx. Rs. 200), which would cover the costs of verification that would ensure fair voting.</p>

<p>Each potential candidate can garner votes by telling their story to the public using their mission profile pages, social media, and other resources. Voting will progress through candidate elimination across three phases. The public will vote only for candidates from their nation or region, the firm said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-backs-plan-to-make-homes-with-fungi-on-moon-and-mars-736407">NASA backs plan to make homes with fungi on Moon and Mars</a></p>

<p>According to Sam Hutchison, Co-Founder, SERA, the minimal physical requirements and training for New Shepard’s flight lowers the barrier to entry by allowing more diverse and inclusive participation in space. The final crew members selected for the flight would train for three days in the run up to the flight.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Gravitas | Defunct Russian satellite generated space debris, threatening astronauts, space station</strong></p>

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<p>Queried on the purpose of this flight and if it would be similar to space tourism, Sam Hutchison, Co-Founder, SERA, told WION that this would be a science experiment flight, where they would be partnering with a leading institute to develop the experiments that would focus on human physiology. "When we sent an astronaut from Brazil in 2022 to space through Blue Origin, we saw the social impact it created. Now we want to do the same through this mission for other nations," he added.</p>


At a time when space agencies and private firms are looking to rake in billions of dollars by offering space tourism options, an American firm claims to offer a "free ride to space" for willing civilian candidates.

At a time when space agencies and private firms are looking to rake in billions of dollars by offering space tourism options, an American firm claims to offer a "free ride to space" for willing civilian candidates. India is among the partner nations chosen by Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA), which has tied up with Jeff Bezos' firm Blue Origin to offer an 11-minute ride past the Karman Line (100 km above the earth's surface). The Karman line is widely regarded as the entry point to space. "We want to make space exploration open to all. We have raised funds to sponsor this mission, through which we will fly a six-membered crew, including an Indian," Joshua Skurla, Co-Founder, SERA, told WION. According to SERA, Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket would be used to ferry the candidates past the Karman line and then bring them back to earth for a controlled landing. Want a free ride to space? SERA, an #American firm is offering a ticket to #space for an #Indian citizen, on a Blue-Origin New Shepard 🚀 that'll fly to 100kms altitude and land back Regn fee: $2.5 Final candidate'll be chosen based on public voting #science #tech #india pic.twitter.com/qEHd8Oor8q — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) July 1, 2024 × “We’re excited to have India as part of our human spaceflight programme. We want to make space accessible for everyone and are happy to offer this unique opportunity to an Indian citizen (above the age of 18) who wants to experience the wonders of space travel," said Joshua Skurla, CO-Founder, SERA. Also Read | NASA and SpaceX collaborate to address dragon spacecraft debris concerns According to the firm, the lone Indian candidate would be selected based on public voting, and each willing Indian citizen could register for the programme by paying a fee of $2.50 (approx. Rs. 200), which would cover the costs of verification that would ensure fair voting. Each potential candidate can garner votes by telling their story to the public using their mission profile pages, social media, and other resources. Voting will progress through candidate elimination across three phases. The public will vote only for candidates from their nation or region, the firm said. Also Read | NASA backs plan to make homes with fungi on Moon and Mars According to Sam Hutchison, Co-Founder, SERA, the minimal physical requirements and training for New Shepard’s flight lowers the barrier to entry by allowing more diverse and inclusive participation in space. The final crew members selected for the flight would train for three days in the run up to the flight. Watch | Gravitas | Defunct Russian satellite generated space debris, threatening astronauts, space station × Queried on the purpose of this flight and if it would be similar to space tourism, Sam Hutchison, Co-Founder, SERA, told WION that this would be a science experiment flight, where they would be partnering with a leading institute to develop the experiments that would focus on human physiology. "When we sent an astronaut from Brazil in 2022 to space through Blue Origin, we saw the social impact it created. Now we want to do the same through this mission for other nations," he added.

An Indian will get a free ride to space on Jeff Bezos' rocket

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