8th BRICS OPST Meeting Held in Goa, August 12–14, 2026
The 8th BRICS Working Group Meeting on Ocean and Polar Science and Technology (OPST) convened in Goa from 12 to 14 August 2026 during India’s BRICS Presidency. Hosted by the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the gathering brought scientists and officials from BRICS member nations to discuss cooperation in ocean research, polar studies, capacity building, and scientific innovation. Delegates reviewed data sharing, joint research planning, and training programs to enhance collaborative work. The meeting underscored BRICS commitment to advancing marine and polar science, with a focus on practical, long-term partnerships and knowledge exchange.
Location and dates: Goa, 12–14 August 2026.
Host: NCPOR under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Participants: BRICS scientists and officials.
Key topics: ocean research, polar studies, data sharing, capacity building.
Aim: strengthen multilateral collaboration and joint research initiatives.
JSW Group Tops Hurun India 2026 Most Valuable Family Businesses List
The Hurun India Most Valuable Family Businesses List 2026 places the Jindal family group JSW Group at the top. The business empire reached an estimated valuation of around ₹8 lakh crore in FY2026. The list highlights the growing influence of Indian family-owned enterprises in the economy, with heavy industries, engineering, and manufacturing cited as key wealth creators. The ranking underscores how Indian conglomerates are expanding their footprint domestically and internationally, reflecting the resilience and scale of family-controlled groups in the current market environment. Analysts expect continued growth driven by infrastructure, energy, and industrial sectors.
Top ranking: Jindal family for JSW Group on Hurun 2026 list.
Valuation: approximately ₹8 lakh crore in FY2026.
Sectors driving wealth: heavy industry, engineering, manufacturing.
Significance: reflects growing influence of Indian family-owned firms.
Implication: continued expansion in infrastructure and energy sectors.
L&T Vyoma.AI to Build Nvidia B300 AI Factory at Chennai Campus
Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T) through its data-centre arm Vyoma.AI has won India’s largest single-cluster AI infrastructure project for the US-based startup Together AI. The plan involves establishing a Nvidia B300 AI Factory on Vyoma.AI’s Chennai data-centre campus in Tamil Nadu. The facility is valued at about ₹10,000 crore to ₹15,000 crore and will support large-scale AI training, model fine-tuning, and high-throughput inference workloads. The Chennai campus is being developed as a gigawatt-scale AI infrastructure hub with expansion capacity to meet rising compute demands. This project marks a significant step in India’s drive to build domestic AI infrastructure and attract global tech talent.
Vyoma.AI selected to host Nvidia B300 AI Factory for Together AI.
Facility location: Vyoma.AI data-centre campus, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Project value: ₹10,000 crore–₹15,000 crore.
Intended uses: large-scale training, fine-tuning, and inference.
Chennai campus designed as a gigawatt-scale AI hub with future expansion.
Part of India’s strategy to expand domestic AI infrastructure.
India’s 80th Independence Day on 15 August 2026 with Theme 'Yuva Shakti'
India will celebrate its 80th Independence Day on 15 August 2026, under the national theme 'Yuva Shakti' (Youth Power). The slogan emphasizes contribution by young Indians to nation-building in science, entrepreneurship, sports, and social development. The theme aligns with the broader Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, focusing on how youth can help achieve development goals. Preparations will showcase achievements and future aspirations of India's younger generation, with events at the Red Fort and across the country. The government has coordinated youth-led initiatives to highlight innovation and social progress as part of the Independence Day celebrations.
Date: 15 August 2026; 80th Independence Day.
Theme: Yuva Shakti (Youth Power).
Focus: youth contributions in science, entrepreneurship, sports, social development.
Alignment: Viksit Bharat 2047 goals.
Celebrations: national events and youth-led programs.
Seven mahouts from the Jaldapara Wildlife Division in West Bengal were honoured with the Gaj Gaurav Award 2026 for their work in elephant care and wildlife rescue operations. The award recognises dedication to wildlife conservation and animal protection, highlighting the frontline role played by mahouts in caring for elephants and coordinating rescue efforts. Jaldapara Wildlife Division, renowned for its biodiversity including elephants and endangered species like the one-horned rhinoceros, was celebrated for humanely handling complex wildlife situations. The ceremony showcased the important link between traditional hands-on care and modern wildlife management practices.
Recipients: Seven mahouts from Jaldapara Wildlife Division, West Bengal.
Award: Gaj Gaurav Award 2026 for elephant care and rescue work.
Significance: Recognition of frontline wildlife conservation efforts.
Location context: Jaldapara’s biodiversity, including elephants and rhinoceros.
Impact: Highlights traditional expertise in modern wildlife management.
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