General Awareness

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - August 2023

Aug 2023

Apr 20, 2026

Odisha to host India’s first advanced 3D semiconductor unit at Info Valley

The foundation stone for India’s first advanced 3D semiconductor packaging unit was laid in Info Valley, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, on 19 April 2026. Promoted by US-based 3D Glass Solutions through its Indian arm HIPSPL, the project costs about ₹1,943 crore and targets next‑generation packaging. The facility will enhance India’s AI, 5G/6G, and defence electronics capabilities by enabling advanced 3D packaging techniques. Located in Khordha district, the project marks a major step toward domestic self-reliance in high-end electronics manufacturing and a stronger position in the global semiconductor value chain.

Foundation stone laid on 19 April 2026 at Info Valley, Odisha.
Promoter: 3D Glass Solutions (HIPSPL).
Investment: ₹1,943 crore.
Facility specializes in 3D heterogeneous integration packaging.
Aims to boost AI, 5G/6G, and defence electronics sectors.

IIT Kharagpur Establishes Vikram Sodhi Centre for AI-Driven Mining Systems

IIT Kharagpur announced the establishment of the Vikram Sodhi Centre of Excellence for AI-enabled geological and mining systems. The center aims to transform India’s mining sector through artificial intelligence and data-driven innovation, combining geology, mining engineering, and computer science into a single research framework. The project carries a funding commitment of ₹15 crore over five years, provided by Vikram Sodhi, a business leader linked with Mineros SA and Sun Valley Investments. Researchers will work on automated ore assessment, predictive maintenance, and safety analytics. The new hub highlights industry-academia collaboration to solve real-world challenges and accelerate responsible mineral extraction and energy efficiency.

New center: Vikram Sodhi Centre of Excellence for AI-enabled mining.
Institution: IIT Kharagpur.
Funding: ₹15 crore over five years.
Funded by: Vikram Sodhi (Mineros SA, Sun Valley Investments).
Focus areas: AI in geology, ore assessment, predictive maintenance, safety analytics.
Goal: Industry-academia collaboration for sustainable mining.

Apr 19, 2026

Punjab Deploys AI System For Real-Time Crime Tracking

The Punjab government, in collaboration with IIT Ropar, is deploying an artificial intelligence-based system for real-time crime tracking and analysis. The project aims to modernise policing by converting scattered data into actionable intelligence and supporting ongoing anti-crime and anti-drug campaigns. IIT Ropar will design a structured data system with analytics, voice recognition, and dashboard monitoring to help law enforcement track criminal activity in real time and generate faster insights. The system will integrate structured and unstructured data, digitising records such as scanned documents and handwritten notes into a single database. Officials expect significant improvements in investigative speed and accuracy.

Partnership: Punjab government with IIT Ropar for AI policing.
Features: data analytics, voice recognition, dashboards for real-time tracking.
Goal: real-time crime tracking; strengthen anti-crime campaigns.
Data integration includes structured and unstructured records into a single database.
Expected outcomes: faster investigations and improved accuracy.

Apr 17, 2026

Infosys signs multi-year AI-driven sports partnership with Carlos Alcaraz

Infosys announced a multi-year partnership with tennis star Carlos Alcaraz, naming him global brand ambassador. The collaboration centers on Infosys Topaz, an AI-first platform used to build match analytics tools and a personalized performance application. The arrangement aims to deliver real-time insights, opponent pattern analysis, and performance metrics to coaching teams, strengthening decision making, training, and tactical planning. For Alcaraz, the partnership provides access to advanced digital tools and data-driven strategies, while Infosys expands its footprint in sport tech and AI-enabled athlete performance services.

Infosys names Carlos Alcaraz as global brand ambassador.
Partnership centers on the Infosys Topaz AI platform.
Focus areas: real-time match analytics, performance applications, and tactical insights.
Mutually beneficial for athlete performance and Infosys’ sport-tech ecosystem.

Apr 16, 2026

Scientists turn plastic waste into Parkinson’s drug levodopa

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have engineered bacteria to convert common plastic waste into levodopa, a key medicine for Parkinson’s disease. In a proof-of-concept study, genetically modified E. coli bacteria were used to break down polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and convert its carbon into levodopa, offering a potential route to sustainable drug production. Levodopa remains a primary treatment for Parkinson’s, which affects more than ten million people globally. By turning discarded plastics into a chemical feedstock, this method could reduce waste and dependence on traditional supply chains while expanding access to essential medicines as populations age. The researchers emphasize scalability and safety testing in future work.

PET plastic is converted into levodopa by engineered bacteria.
Levodopa is a primary treatment for Parkinson’s disease.
Study uses genetically modified E. coli and PET breakdown.
Potential for sustainable, scalable drug production.
Future work includes safety and scalability testing.

Apr 15, 2026

Andhra Pradesh launches India's first sovereign hardware ecosystem in Amaravati

On 14 April 2026, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu unveiled India's first sovereign hardware ecosystem in Amaravati. The announcement introduced the Amaravati Quantum Reference Facility (AQRF), comprising Amaravati 1S and Amaravati 1Q, part of the Amaravati Quantum Valley initiative. The facility hosts open‑access quantum computers designed, assembled and tested within India, backed by a supply chain spanning multiple institutions. The project aims to accelerate indigenous manufacturing of advanced computing systems and strengthen digital sovereignty for the nation. Officials described the move as a milestone for India's hardware ecosystem, inviting industry and academia to participate in home‑grown quantum programs.

AQRF comprises Amaravati 1S and Amaravati 1Q, announced in Amaravati.
Part of the broader Amaravati Quantum Valley initiative.
Open‑access quantum computers to be designed, assembled, tested in India.
Supply chain involvement from multiple Indian institutions.
Aim: accelerate indigenous hardware manufacturing and digital sovereignty.

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