Latest news with #Guwahati


Indian Express
6 days ago
- Science
- Indian Express
IIT Guwahati 2025 Convocation: 2093 graduating students; SreeHari C from BTech bags President's Medal
The Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati (IITG), on July 13, hosted its 27th convocation with 2093 graduating students. The event marked the graduation of 22 students from the inaugural BTech. batch of the Mehta School of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. The graduating cohort comprises a diverse and accomplished group of students across various academic disciplines. A total of 1,005 students have completed their undergraduate programmes in BTech and BDes. While 556 students have earned their postgraduate degrees in MTech and MDes. The institute also celebrates the academic journey of 270 research scholars, including those pursuing PhD and integrated Master's + PhD programmes. In addition, there are 172 MSc graduates, 51 students from the MA stream, 18 from MS (Research), and 21 MBA graduates, as mentioned in the press release. Sreehari C., BTech in Computer Science and Engineering, achieved the top score in the entire Undergraduate batch and was awarded the President of India Gold Medal. Abhishek Gautam, in Engineering Physics, received the Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma Gold Medal. Additionally, Anubhav, M. Tech. in Mechanical Engineering, was awarded the Governor of Assam PG Gold Medal, while Souraja Kundu, in Electronics and Communication Engineering. was awarded the Governor of Assam UG Gold Medal. The Institute also awarded 16 students with Institute Silver medals for their remarkable academic performance. During his address, Prof. Devendra Jalihal, Director, IIT Guwahati, said, 'On the national and global front, IIT Guwahati has retained the 7th position among the best engineering institutions of the country, 9th position in 'Overall' and 10th position in 'Research' categories in the 'India Rankings 2024' declared by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). In QS Rankings 2026, the Institute has secured 42nd rank globally in the Research Citations per Faculty category and 334th position in the World University Rankings 2026.' Over its 31-year history, IIT Guwahati has seen over 24,700 graduates. During the reporting year, the Institute has received 338 Consultancy and 22 Sponsored Research projects. IIT Guwahati has incubated over 60 startups across diverse sectors such as healthcare, agritech, defence, clean technology, and fintech, among others. The Institute has also launched pioneering initiatives including North East Innovators' Catalyst Program, SPARSH, the Startup Seminar Series, and the AquaTech Innovators Hackathon, to strengthen the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Northeast,stated the release.
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Travel + Leisure
11-07-2025
- Business
- Travel + Leisure
Viking Will Sail Its First River Voyages in India—What to Know
If you've ever wanted to see India by river voyage, you'll soon be able to. Viking announced the launch of its new river boat tour of India via the Brahmaputra River on the Viking Brahmaputra . (The Brahmaputra River flows through three countries: northeastern India, Bangladesh, and southwestern China.) The 80-guest vessel with 40 outside staterooms is currently under construction and is scheduled to debut in 2027, when it will set sail between two cities—Guwahati and Nimati Ghat—in the northeastern state of Assam. Guests will be able to enjoy Viking's signature Scandinavian design, staterooms with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors and a veranda, a spa and fitness center, and an open-air bar. On the river voyage, guests will have the opportunity to see Guwahati's temple, search for one-horned rhinos and buffaloes in Assam's Kaziranga National Park, and delve into the cultures of the large river island of Majuli. The launch of the Viking Brahmaputra is part of Viking's brand new 15-day itinerary "Wonders of India," which includes the 8-day Brahmaputra River voyage as well as a fully-guided program on land, with overnight stays in popular destinations like Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra. The "Wonders of India" voyage will begin and end in Delhi, the capital of India, and the hotel stays on land will bracket the river journey in the middle. The itinerary takes guests to as many as 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, immersing travelers in India's cultural treasure and heritages. Participants can learn about the history of India's Golden Triangle by exploring the famous Taj Mahal in Agra, strolling through the tangled streets of Old Delhi, and visiting Jaipur's Palace of the Winds. 'With its rich heritage, deep cultural traditions and fascinating natural wonders, India is a vast and vibrant country that has captured the imagination of explorers for centuries,' Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking, said in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure . 'In recent years, our guests have particularly enjoyed visiting Indian ports on our ocean itineraries. We are now delighted to introduce a new way for curious travelers to explore the heart of this phenomenal country, in-depth and in Viking comfort.' Travelers from North America can save up to $5,000 per couple plus airfare from $999, if they book between now and July 31, 2025. Bookings can be made by contacting Viking toll-free at 1-800-2-VIKING (1-800-284-5464) or by contacting a travel advisor for booking details.


Reuters
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
India intensifies expulsion of suspected foreigners to Bangladesh
GUWAHATI, India, June 10 (Reuters) - India has started to push people it considers illegal immigrants into neighbouring Bangladesh, but human rights activists say authorities are arbitrarily throwing people out of the country. Since May, the northeastern Indian state of Assam has "pushed back" 303 people into Bangladesh out of 30,000 declared as foreigners by various tribunals over the years, a top official said this week. Such people in Assam are typically long-term residents with families and land in the state, which is home to tens of thousands of families tracing their roots to Muslim-majority Bangladesh. Activists say many of them and their families are often wrongly classified as foreigners in mainly Hindu India and are too poor to challenge tribunal judgements in higher courts. Some activists, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisal, said only Muslims had been targeted in the expulsion drive. An Assam government spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Assam, which has a 260 km (160 mile) border with Bangladesh, started sending back people last month who had been declared as foreigners by its Foreigners Tribunals. Such a move is politically popular in Assam, where Bengali language speakers with possible roots in Bangladesh compete for jobs and resources with local Assamese speakers. "There is pressure from the Supreme Court to act on the expulsion of foreigners," Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told the state assembly on Monday. "We have pushed back 303 people. These pushbacks will be intensified. We have to be more active and proactive to save the state." He was referring to the Supreme Court asking Assam in February why it had not moved on deporting, opens new tab declared foreigners. Bangladesh's foreign affairs adviser, Touhid Hossain, did not immediately reply to an email seeking comment. Last week, he told reporters that people were being sent to his country from India and that the government was in touch with New Delhi over it. Aman Wadud, an Assam-based lawyer who routinely fights citizenship cases and is now a member of the main opposition Congress party, said the government was "arbitrarily throwing people out of the country". "There is a lot of panic on the ground - more than ever before," he said. Sarma said no genuine Indian citizens will be expelled. But he added that up to four of the people deported were brought back to India because appeals challenging their non-Indian status were being heard in court. One of them was Khairul Islam, a 51-year-old former government school teacher who was declared a foreigner by a tribunal in 2016. He spent two years in an Assam detention centre and was released on bail in August 2020. He said police picked him up on May 23 from his home and took him to a detention centre, from where he and 31 others were rounded up by Indian border guards and loaded into a van, blindfolded and hands tied. "Then, 14 of us were put onto another truck. We were taken to a spot along the border and pushed into Bangladesh," he said. "It was terrifying. I've never experienced anything like it. It was late at night. There was a straight road, and we all started walking along it." Islam said residents of a Bangladeshi village then called the Border Guard Bangladesh, who then pushed the group of 14 into the "no man's land between the two countries". "All day we stood there in the open field under the harsh sun," he said. Later, the group was taken to a Bangladesh guards camp while Islam's wife told police in Assam that as his case was still pending in court, he should be brought back. "After a few days, I was suddenly handed back to Indian police," he said. "That's how I made my way back home. I have no idea what happened to the others who were with me, or where they are." It is not only Assam that is acting against people deemed to be living illegally in the country. Police in the western city of Ahmedabad said they have identified more than 250 people "confirmed to be Bangladeshi immigrants living illegally here". "The process to deport them is in progress," said senior police officer Ajit Rajian.


CTV News
31-05-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
India's monsoon floods kill at least 22 people in the country's northeast
A member of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) distributes drinking water to a resident after heavy rains flooded the area around her home, in Guwahati, India, Saturday, May 31, 2025. (AP Photo) GUWAHATI, India — Landslides and flash flooding triggered by days of torrential monsoon rains in India's northeast have killed at least 22 people, officials said Saturday. Five people, including three from a single family, were killed on Saturday when their homes were buried in a mudslide in Assam state's Guwahati city, an official flood bulletin said. In neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh state, which borders China, seven people were killed on Friday when their vehicle was swept away by floodwaters. Two others drowned in a separate incident in the state. Eight people were killed in the states of Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya in the last 24 hours due to floods and mudslides brought on by the rains, according to official figures. Meanwhile in Assam, authorities disconnected the electricity in several areas to reduce the risk of electrocution, state Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. Heavy rains also led to flooding in many urban areas of Assam's capital city of Guwahati, leading to long power outages Friday night and prompting authorities to shut schools and colleges on Saturday. India's weather agency has forecast more heavy rains in the region in the coming days. India's annual June-September monsoon season offers respite from intense summer heat. But the rains that are crucial for crops planted during the season often cause extensive damage, particularly in the northeast, which is considered one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change. Scientists say monsoons are becoming more erratic because of extreme weather and global warming, leading to frequent landslides and flash floods in India's Himalayan north. Wasbir Hussain, The Associated Press

Associated Press
31-05-2025
- Climate
- Associated Press
India's monsoon floods kill at least 22 people in the country's northeast
GUWAHATI, India (AP) — Landslides and flash flooding triggered by days of torrential monsoon rains in India's northeast have killed at least 22 people, officials said Saturday. Five people, including three from a single family, were killed on Saturday when their homes were buried in a mudslide in Assam state's Guwahati city, an official flood bulletin said. In neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh state, which borders China, seven people were killed on Friday when their vehicle was swept away by floodwaters. Two others drowned in a separate incident in the state. Eight people were killed in the states of Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya in the last 24 hours due to floods and mudslides brought on by the rains, according to official figures. Meanwhile in Assam, authorities disconnected the electricity in several areas to reduce the risk of electrocution, state Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. Heavy rains also led to flooding in many urban areas of Assam's capital city of Guwahati, leading to long power outages Friday night and prompting authorities to shut schools and colleges on Saturday. India's weather agency has forecast more heavy rains in the region in the coming days. India's annual June-September monsoon season offers respite from intense summer heat. But the rains that are crucial for crops planted during the season often cause extensive damage, particularly in the northeast, which is considered one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change. Scientists say monsoons are becoming more erratic because of extreme weather and global warming, leading to frequent landslides and flash floods in India's Himalayan north.