India’s First Runway on ‘Sea Bridge’ in Lakshadweep

India is all set to get its first runway on a ‘sea bridge’, as the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has been given a nod to extend Lakshadweep’s Agatti Airport. The task will be carried out by building an RCC platform on the beach and shallow area which will allow bigger ATRs to operate on the island. The Project is likely to cost about Rs 1,500 crore.

Bengali film actor Partha Mukhopadhyay passes away

Famed Bengali film actor Partha Mukhopadhyay had passed away. He was 70. Mukhopadhyay portrayed a number of memorable roles in the 1960s after getting a break as a child artiste in the film Maa directed by Chitto Basu in 1958. The state government had conferred Mukhopadhyay with a special award for his contribution to Bengali films. Balika Bodhu (1967), Dhonyi Meye (1971), Agnishwar (1975), Amar Prithivi (1985), Baag Bandi Khela (1975) are some of his popular movies.

Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik creates world’s biggest sand Santa face at Puri beach

On the eve of Christmas celebrations, international sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created the world’s biggest sand Santa-face with the message “world peace” on the Puri beach of Odisha. The Santa face is 25 feet high and 50 feet wide and will be placed in the Limca Book of World Records. He has also created a sand sculpture of Jesus Christ in front of the Santa face.

UP govt launches free household power connection scheme ‘Prakash hai to vikas hai’

Uttar Pradesh government has launched a free household power connection scheme ‘Prakash hai to vikas hai’ for the poor in the state to mark former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birthday on 25th December. Under the news scheme the government has a target of covering 16 million by the end of 2018.

Bengaluru becomes First Indian City to have its own Logo

Karnataka’s capital city Bengaluru has become the first Indian city to have its own logo after the state government launched it. The logo was designed by a design start-up and uses both English and Kannada alphabets. The red and black logo is part English and part Kannada. With this, Bengaluru joins a select group of global cities like New York City, Melbourne and Singapore to have a tourism logo of its own.

Singapore’s Dy PM to join Sushma Swaraj at ASEAN-India PBD in Singapore

International Affairs Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean will join India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for a two-day ASEAN-India Pravasi Bharatiya Divas to be held in Singapore next month. Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Assam, N Chandrababu Naidu and Sarbananda Sonowal, will also attend the function on 6-7 January 2018. The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated every year to mark the contribution of overseas Indian community in the development of India.

India to become fifth largest economy in 2018: Report

According to recently released report titled 2018 World Economic League Table, India is set to overtake the United Kingdom and France to become the world’s fifth largest economy in 2018. The report was released by Centre for Economics and Business Research, an economics consultancy based in Britain.