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Infosys-backed GalaxEye plans new satellite to meet global demand for geospatial data

Infosys-backed GalaxEye plans new satellite to meet global demand for geospatial data

Time of India2 days ago

Infosys-backed space tech startup
GalaxEye
said it will develop another
imaging satellite
given the growing demand for
geospatial data
globally for agriculture, mining, and defence. The new satellite will have a near 0.5 metre resolution for quality insights needed in critical sectors. The Bengaluru-based startup said its first satellite, Mission Drishti, scheduled for launch later this year from SpaceX, has a resolution of 1.25 metres.
For both the satellites, GalaxEye will be using its proprietary technology by combining synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and optical multi-spectral imaging (MSI), aiming to provide all-weather information. The startup said the second satellite will not only deliver improved spatial resolution but also reduce revisit time to under three days, improving the responsiveness and utility of its constellation.
'The world's first SyncFusion SAR-Optical satellite, originally designed in India, will now also be fully built in-house, highlighting GalaxEye's growing manufacturing and systems integration capabilities,' the startup said in a statement, adding that it will also expand its current manufacturing capabilities.
IIT-Madras
alumnus and CEO of the startup, Suyash Singh, said the two satellites will give a big boost to data collection and the evolving needs of defence customers.
'Our sensor stack has already been tested on over 500 aerial test flights, backed by a proprietary signal processing toolchain, the success of the POEM payload, the Drishti (1.25 m) launch, and purpose-built software to extract actionable insights,' the CEO said. Singh added that the startup will also focus on vertical integration as the clients demand more persistent eyes in the sky, expecting detailed analytics data.
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'GalaxEye's vision to bring reliability and Service Level Agreements to satellite imagery—all-time, all-weather imagery—is a game changer. We've believed in their mission from the start, and with the technology now de-risked, it's time to scale,' said Vishesh Rajaram, Managing Partner at Speciale Invest, an early investor in the startup.
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To date, the startup has raised $22.09 million over six rounds, with
Infosys
owning a minority stake worth $17 crore. The firm is currently undergoing mission concept and preliminary design reviews and is strategically positioning itself to expand into high-priority international defence markets, including the United States, West Asia, and Europe.

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Less than 100 days to go, Kumartuli readies Durga idols for foreign shores
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Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Less than 100 days to go, Kumartuli readies Durga idols for foreign shores

1 2 Kolkata: The festive fervour of Durga Puja may still be a little over three months away, but the idol makers' enclave in Kumartuli is already abuzz with activity. The artisans are racing against time, giving finishing touches to several idols — not for local pujas, but to meet the international demand. Several batches of idols have already been shipped to United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, and Australia, among other countries where the Bengali diaspora organises Durga Puja celebrations. According to the Kumartuli Mritshilpi Sanskritik Samity, more than 200 idols have already been sent abroad this season, and dozens more are at various stages of completion. The first idol was dispatched as early as Jan this year, to Sydney. "This year, I have already dispatched five large idols to various cities in the US and the UK," said Bikash Pal, an idol maker. "It takes time to pack the idols securely and get the necessary customs clearances. The shipping itself can take weeks, so we begin much earlier," he added. Some idols are sent by air, too. Mintu Pal, another artisan, has dispatched several idols to Canada, Germany, France, Poland, and Italy. "The price starts from Rs 1 lakh . by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Florida New Policy For Senior Drivers The Quote General Learn More Undo This is excluding the expenses for packaging and travel," said Pal, who was busy giving finishing touches to an idol. Potters admit that the number of orders has increased over the past decade. "Earlier, we would only get a handful of overseas orders. Now, the international orders come months in advance," said Koushik Ghosh, who dispatched an idol to Sydney in Jan. The increasing number of orders has not only changed the production timeline but also the economic dynamics of Kumartuli. Artisans say that overseas clients are often willing to pay more as the idols have to be customised. The increased income has led to more stable employment for workers and assistants, who previously relied only on seasonal work. However, the international orders also come with specific challenges. "We have to follow strict guidelines for height, weight, and materials due to shipping constraints," explained Bikash Pal, adding that some idols need to be assembled on-site. Preparations for local pandals have also begun. Full-scale activity for Kolkata-based pujas is expected to pick up by first week of July.

IIT makes learning 1 AI, machine learning course for UG, PG students mandatory
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The Hindu

time2 hours ago

  • The Hindu

IIT makes learning 1 AI, machine learning course for UG, PG students mandatory

Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) has recently made at least one course in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) mandatory for each of the 19 undergraduate and 42 postgraduate programmes. The courses will begin from the next academic session in July, said an administrative official of the institute. This introduction, a part of a larger curriculum review which has taken place after 12 years, is aimed at giving students a 'structured pathway to using AI' and 'keeping up with industry trends'. Each of the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes will have its own AI-related paper. Although some AI and ML courses are being taught at the institute, this is the first time the institute has mandated that every student take these courses. 'Every department has been asked to ensure that there is at least one paper related to AI and ML so that every graduate knows the subject,' IIT-Delhi Director Rangan Banerjee told The Hindu. The initiative has been introduced after taking feedback from students and alumni, he added. The courses vary from 'Introduction to Artificial Intelligence', and 'AI for Computational Biology' to 'Applied Mechanics to Textile and Fibre Engineering in the Engineering Sciences'. Prof. Narayanan D. Kurur, the Dean of Academics, said that students will be taught AI in their respective fields of study to give them an 'introduction to AI'. 'For instance, in the postgraduate course titled 'Machine Learning for Textile and Fibre Engineering', students would be able to apply ML in yarn and fabric engineering and textile chemical processing,' said Mr. Kurur. Associate Dean of Curriculum Prof. Shouri Chatterjee said that students will also be taught how to use AI ethically. 'AI expanding rapidly' 'The scale of AI is expanding rapidly, and students are already working with it. This will give them a structured pathway and show students how to use it productively and ethically,' he said. In 2024, the Director formed a committee to develop guidelines for the use of AI in teaching, research, and examinations. The report, released in October 2024, showed that 80% of students (out of 427 surveyed) have used Generative AI tools, with nearly 81% reportedly using the tools several times a week.

What is CBI's case against Tata firm, Nehru Port Trust officials booked in Rs 800 cr dredging ‘scam'
What is CBI's case against Tata firm, Nehru Port Trust officials booked in Rs 800 cr dredging ‘scam'

The Print

time2 hours ago

  • The Print

What is CBI's case against Tata firm, Nehru Port Trust officials booked in Rs 800 cr dredging ‘scam'

Dredging of ports involves removal of marine rocks and clay from beneath the water surface to increase the depth of the navigation channel. In the case of JNPT, the process started in May 2003. The plan was to accommodate large-size cargo ships. According to the agency, alleged irregularities inflicted a loss of Rs 365.9 crore on JNPT during the first phase of dredging, which was conducted between 2010 and 2014, and Rs 438 crore in the second phase, which was said to have been conducted between 2012 and 2019. New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked Tata Consulting Engineers, a Tata Group company, other private firms, and some officials with Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), a public sector undertaking, for allegedly causing losses of nearly Rs 803 crore to the Nhava Sheva Port. In its FIR, the agency attributed said losses to alleged cartelisation in contracts and inflated bills for port dredging. On Wednesday, the CBI booked Tata Consulting Engineers project director Devdutt Bose; Sunil Kumar Madabhavi, a chief manager-level officer of the JNPT; two other firms in the marine engineering field, Mumbai-based Boskalis Smit India LLP and Chennai-based Jan De Nul Dredging India; and some unidentified public servants in the case. The CBI FIR, filed Wednesday, came more than three years after the probe agency, in June 2022, opened a preliminary enquiry (PE) into the allegations of collusion between JNPT officials and some private companies, leading to inflated estimates and restricted competition aimed at extending benefits solely to the colluding companies. Moreover, the CBI said it found that suppression of reports of independent experts and abuse of positions by JNPT officials resulted in excess payment for dredging beyond the Design Dredge Level (DDL). During the inquiry, 'the criminal conspiracy between the JNPT officials and other private persons, resulting in the wrongful loss, amounting to Rs 365.90 crore for phase-I and Rs 438 crore for phase-II to JNPT due to over-dredging has surfaced,' a CBI official noted in the complaint, which formed the basis of the CBI FIR. Also Read: What court said while acquitting former coal secretary & joint secretary in Mahuagarhi coal block case CBI FIR on conflict of interest, excess payment Nearly seven years after receiving a detailed report to increase the depth of the navigational channel at the port, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) roped in the Tata Consulting Engineer (TCE) for a final report on the dredging plan and cost estimate. The TCE and Dredging Solution, another firm, prepared the final report in December 2010, the CBI FIR has documented. The TCE was also awarded the work of the project management consultant for the first phase. So, it was responsible for preparing tender documents and supervising project execution, the CBI FIR has further stated. Moreover, the TCE recommended three alternative dredging proposals and the modalities for each. It also recommended a second phase of the exercise to cater to the expected increased traffic at the port in 2020. Then, TCE, jointly with E&Y and Howe Engineering Project (India), prepared a final report. Similar to the final report of the first phase, Howe Engineering Project (India) suggested three alternatives for dredging to accommodate 20-foot-size ships, which have a capacity of 12,500 20-foot equivalent units. TCE was also made the project management consultant for the second phase, ignoring the conflict of interest. In the complaint to the agency, leading to an FIR, a CBI official noted a 'significant delay' in the dredging work from 2010 onwards, without proper assessment of prevailing dredging requirements since the detailed project report was prepared way back in May 2003. The investigators further noted that while the first phase was in progress, JNPT management led by Sunil Kumar Madabhavi had already assigned TCE the work to write the final report for the second phase. The second phase of the project began and the payment for it made based on the TCE report in violation of the JNPT board-adopted project note, which explicitly mentioned that the two phases of dredging would be taken up separately. The CBI FIR has noted that in the first phase, the excess dredging, 14.85 million cubic metre beyond the DDL, resulted in a Rs 365.90 crore excess payment, a loss for the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust. 'JNPT officials, in connivance with the PMC (project management consultant) and contractor, have also made an excess payment of Rs.430 crores to the contractor for over dredging made in Phase-II,' the FIR has stated. According to the CBI FIR, two different software were used to conduct the survey before and after the second phase of dredging. The pre-dredging survey used one software known for accuracy and widely accepted globally. However, the post-dredging survey used software patented by one of the parties in the deal on the behest of one Devdutt Bose, the project director on behalf of TCE, the FIR has claimed. Additionally, the CBI FIR alleged that Bose, along with JNPT chief manager in the planning, projects, and development (PP&D) department Sunil Kumar Madabhavi, hatched a conspiracy to allow shadow bidding by a joint venture between Boskalis Smit India LLP and Jan De Nul Dredging India and extended undue financial favours, including payments amounting to Rs 348 crore to the companies in the second phase for work already executed in the first phase, without any such work taking place. 'The above acts of commission and omission on the part of 1) Shri Sunil Kumar Madabhavi, the then Chief Manager (PP&D), JNPT, 2) Shri Devdutt Bose, Project Director with M/s TCE, 3) M/s Tata Consulting Engineers, 4) M/s BoskalisSmit India LLP, 5) M/s Jan De Nul Dredging India Pvt. Ltd. and 6) other unknown public servant and private persons, disclose commission of offences punishable U/s 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC r/w 420 (cheating) of IPC and Section 13 (2) r/w 13(1) (d) of PC Act, 1988 (un-amended) and substantive offences thereof. Therefore, it is requested that a regular case may be registered against the above mentioned persons,' the CBI official documented. (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Another closure report in 2010 CWG 'scam'. Here's what happened to the 19 FIRs filed since 2010

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