General Awareness

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - March 2026

Mar 2026

Aug 20, 2026

QpiAI inaugurates indigenous QPU manufacturing facility in Bengaluru

In August 2026, the deep‑tech startup QpiAI inaugurated an indigenous Quantum Processing Unit QPU manufacturing facility in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The new plant will support end‑to‑end development, testing and production of quantum processors and related hardware in India. QpiAI, active in Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing, says the facility will strengthen the country’s quantum technology ecosystem by building local capability, boosting supply chains and reducing dependence on imported hardware. The project is expected to catalyse collaboration with universities, research institutes and industry partners, promoting tech self‑reliance and accelerating commercialisation of quantum solutions across sectors.

Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka
Facility focuses on QPU development and manufacturing
Part of India’s national quantum technology push
Aims to reduce imports of quantum hardware
Plans for academia–industry collaboration
Supports AI and quantum computing research

SEMICON India 2026 to be held 17–19 September in New Delhi

SEMICON India 2026, one of the largest semiconductor events in South Asia, is scheduled for 17–19 September 2026 at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi. The event is organized by the India Semiconductor Mission ISM and SEMI, with collaboration from industry and government partners. It will bring together global participants to discuss manufacturing, design, supply chains and policy support. The conference aims to accelerate India’s semiconductor ecosystem, attract investment, and foster collaborations across academia, startups and industry. Attendees can expect keynotes, workshops and exhibitions highlighting the latest trends in silicon technology and electronic systems.

Dates: 17–19 September 2026
Venue: Yashobhoomi, New Delhi
Organizers: ISM and SEMI
Focus: manufacturing, design, supply chains
Objectives: attract investment and foster collaboration
Format: keynotes, workshops, exhibitions

Aug 19, 2026

Himalayan Plant Named after Nirmal Purja

A newly identified Himalayan flowering plant species was named Impatiens nimspurjai in honour of Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Nimsdai Purja. The naming recognises Purja’s achievements in Himalayan exploration, including climbing all 14 eight-thousanders in the shortest recorded time. The discovery adds to India’s biodiversity records and highlights ongoing field work in high-altitude ecosystems. Purja’s mountaineering feats have gained international acclaim, and the plant name serves as a tribute to his contribution to adventure sports and exploration.

New Himalayan plant named Impatiens nimspurjai
Named after Nirmal Nimsdai Purja
Purja known for climbing all 14 eight-thousanders
Discovery contributes to biodiversity records
Recognises exploration achievements

Aug 18, 2026

Simhadri Power Plant to host iron-air battery pilot project

Simhadri Super Thermal Power Station in Andhra Pradesh has been selected for India’s first utility-scale pilot of an indigenous rechargeable iron-air battery. The project is led by NTPC and aims to test a long-duration energy storage technology that could help integrate renewable energy into the grid and improve reliability during peak demand. If successful, iron-air batteries may offer low-cost storage with long discharge durations compared with other chemistries. The pilot will evaluate performance under real grid conditions, including charging and discharging cycles, safety, and lifecycle costs. The siting at Simhadri underscores India’s push for domestic energy-storage solutions and energy-security resilience.

First utility-scale iron-air battery pilot in India at Simhadri, Andhra Pradesh.
Led by NTPC to test long-duration storage for renewables.
Aims to improve grid reliability and reduce storage costs.
Evaluates charging, discharging, safety, and lifecycle costs.

Aug 17, 2026

China Launches 24th Batch of LEO Internet Satellites

On 16 August 2026, China launched the 24th batch of low-Earth-orbit internet satellites from a commercial launch site in Hainan province. The satellites were placed into preset orbits to join China’s expanding LEO network, aimed at strengthening space-based broadband and connectivity. The deployment supports high-speed communications for consumers and industry, particularly in remote areas. This move underscores China’s ongoing efforts to diversify its space capabilities and broaden access to fast internet through satellite technology, contributing to national digital infrastructure and potential international services.

Launch date: 16 August 2026
Payload: 24th batch of LEO internet satellites
Launch site: commercial facility in Hainan province
Purpose: strengthen space-based broadband and connectivity
Impact: improved access to high-speed internet, including remote regions

Aug 16, 2026

IISc Develops SraVaani Speech Recognition Model

IISc Bengaluru has developed SraVaani, an open‑source multilingual speech recognition model. The project is led by IISc’s SPIRE Lab, developed in collaboration with ARTPARK and supported by Google. SraVaani can convert speech to text across 65 Indian languages and dialects and supports 10 scripts, making it a versatile tool for many communities. The model aims to improve accessibility and digital inclusion by enabling language‑inclusive AI solutions for education, governance and everyday use. Researchers emphasize responsible use, open access and ongoing expansion to new languages. The release highlights India’s growing role in language technology and public‑sector AI research. Experts say it could support local language education and government services in rural areas.

SraVaani is an open‑source multilingual speech recognition model developed by IISc Bengaluru.
Collaboration includes ARTPARK and Google support.
Covers 65 Indian languages/dialects and 10 scripts.
Aims to enhance accessibility and digital inclusion through AI.
Open access with ongoing expansion to more languages.

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