Latest news with #NationalInstituteofDesign
Pink Villa
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Who is Lekha Washington? Everything you need to know about Aamir Khan's nephew Imran Khan's model-actor girlfriend
Imran Khan recently attended 'mamu' Aamir Khan's Sitaare Zameen Par premiere along with his plus one, Lekha Washington. The two posed for the camera and looked absolutely adorable. Social media has been buzzing since then, and people are enquiring about Imran's new ladylove. Here's everything you would want to know about Lekha Washington. Who is Lekha Washington? Born on April 30, 1984, to a father of mixed ancestry—Burmese, Italian, and Punjabi —and a Maharashtrian mother, Lekha spent most of her childhood in Tamil Nadu, which is why she identifies herself as a South Indian. Her primary language is English, although she is also well-versed in Marathi due to her mother's background. Lekha did her schooling and higher education in Chennai, including a degree in Fine Arts. She later attended the National Institute of Design to pursue a course in Lifestyle Product Design and then re-applied to enroll in the Film and Video Communication course. She created three short films during her studies, which were titled Spoonerism, Catch 22, and Sunn. Lekha Washington's career Lekha is an actor who started with modelling and worked as a music video jockey at SS Music. The actress predominantly worked in South Indian movies and was first seen in a brief role in a song in the 1999-released film Kadhalar Dhinam. She was not even credited for this role. She further starred in Yuva and Unnale Unnale, but had no significant role. Washington got her breakthrough role in the 2008 Tamil movie Jayamkondaan. She later featured in the Telugu multi-starrer Vedam and Pushkar-Gayatri's comedy film, Va. The actress later made a cameo appearance in the Hindi movie Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola, where she was seen as a friend to Imran Khan 's character. She was last seen in Dynamite, a 2015 Telugu movie. Lekha Washington's relationship with Imran Khan The model-actor is currently in a relationship with Imran Khan. According to reports, Lekha and Imran have been dating for over five years. In an earlier podcast, Aamir Khan 's nephew revealed that he has been in a relationship with his girlfriend Lekha since 2020 and mentioned that they are planning to move in together into an apartment. For the uninitiated, Imran Khan parted ways with Avantika Malik in 2019, after being married for over eight years. The two share a daughter, Imara. Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates.
Time of India
07-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Tribal designer sends NID legal notice for erasing authorship
Vadodara: Tribal designer and honorary director of the Tejgadh-based Adivasi Academy, Sudhir John Horo, issued a legal notice to the director of India's premier design institute, the National Institute of Design (NID) in Ahmedabad, alleging erasure of tribal authorship. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Last month, the country's premier design institute was in the spotlight after Horo, an alumnus of NID, alleged that his name had been removed from the records pertaining to his past work and from course materials he presented at the institute as a visiting faculty member. Horo said that considering the continued silence and confirmed tampering of institutional metadata records, authorship attributions and academic file histories at NID, he served the second legal preservation notice to the institute on Saturday. "Following the original legal preservation notice on May 27 and submission of a comprehensive metadata correspondence report, this second notice is being formally issued to hold NID and affiliated institutional actors accountable for any deletion, redaction, renaming or unauthorized alteration of files, course materials, presentation decks, authorship attributions or archival records related to my contributions," the notice states. The notice says Horo was not credited for India's national branding projects, including the "India Future of Change", the "Indiafrica Project", the "Invest India" visual identity, TDF-linked curriculum or elective documentation, other presentations and related frameworks developed between 2010 and 2017. The national branding and public diplomacy projects were carried out with the external affairs ministry, some creations of which were showcased at the World Economic Forum's annual meetings and during the World Expo Dubai. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Jharkhand-born Horo said that instead of giving him individual credit, institutional phrases like "teamwork" were used, effectively erasing his authorship. An NID spokesperson earlier told TOI that the matter is being thoroughly analysed and investigated by an internal committee. The institute said it will be sharing the findings of the committee.
India Today
05-06-2025
- Science
- India Today
A cosmic window: View Indian astronaut will get from Space Station
India is preparing for the historic launch of astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station on June 10. He will become the first Indian to live and work in the flying has released a stunning video of how the Earth looks from space if you lived and worked aboard the International Space video was recorded from the cupola of the Space Station, which acts as a window to the world. The video was recorded as the Space Station continued its orbit around the planet completing one orbit every 92 minutes. advertisement "No big deal, just orbiting our home planet 16 times a day. Glowing gold desserts and blue oceans pass by surrounded by the station in view," Nasa said in a post with the of the launch, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla has said that he is most excited about seeing Earth from space once he reaches the Space Station. "I am most excited about seeing the Earth from space, floating in microgravity, adapting to the unique rhythm of space, and discovering how even everyday activities become extraordinary. These are the moments I eagerly look forward to as part of this life-changing mission," Shukla said during a media briefing ahead of the launch. The Indian astronaut will pilot the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to the ISS. (Photo: SpaceX) advertisementHe added that he will be conducting seven scientific experiments that could contribute significantly to our understanding of microgravity and pave the way for future space research. "In many ways, I see myself as a bridge between Earth and space, and I'm proud to carry artefacts designed by the National Institute of Design, symbolising India's creativity and innovation," Shukla Indian astronaut will pilot the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to the ISS along with three other astronauts. The Ax-4 mission will be led by Commander Peggy Whitson, a veteran of several space launch of the Indian astronaut Group Captain to the International Space Station (ISS) was postponed by two days on Tuesday, as the crew continues their mandatory pre-flight Watch
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Business Standard
04-06-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
'Stars attainable', says Shubhanshu Shukla as Ax-4 liftoff set for June 10
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will soon join the ranks of spacefarers as part of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Alongside three international crewmates, Shukla is scheduled to lift off on June 10 at 5.52 pm IST — a two-day delay from the initial June 8 target. Axiom Space confirmed the revised schedule on Tuesday, citing no specific reason for the postponement. The launch will take place from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex in Florida. Ahead of the mission, Shukla delivered an inspiring message, saying, 'Even stars are attainable'. Reflecting on his training experience, he said, 'The last few months have been nothing short of extraordinary — of discovery and unshakable resolve. From diverse systems to advanced platforms, across continents and cultures. This training has been intense but deeply rewarding.' Bridging Earth and orbit Shukla will conduct seven experiments designed by Indian research institutions, which includes stem cell cultures and the behaviour of crop seeds in microgravity. 'These experiments will pave the way for India's progress in microgravity science,' Shukla said. 'I am proud to be the bridge between Earth and orbit for this pioneering research.' In a nod to India's artistic heritage, Shukla will carry artefacts crafted by students at the National Institute of Design. 'I will carry them with deep pride,' he said. Commander Peggy Whitson, leading the Ax-4 mission, praised the crew's dedication and highlighted the cultural diversity they bring to space. She introduced their zero-gravity indicator — a swan named Joy — symbolising 'Wisdom in India', 'Resilience in Poland', and 'Grace in Hungary'. Shukla paid tribute to Wing Commander (retd) Rakesh Sharma, India's first astronaut, calling him a mentor and inspiration. 'I am carrying something to honour him, but I cannot reveal it yet — I haven't told him, and I want that to be a surprise,' Shukla shared. His payload will also include Indian treats like mango nectar, moong dal halwa, and carrot halwa. Axiom-4 mission The Ax-4 mission is set to conduct around 60 scientific studies and activities representing 31 countries during its 14-day stay on the ISS. According to news agency PTI, India's experiments will include studying the sprouting of fenugreek (methi) and green gram (moong) in microgravity — an initiative led by Isro. As the mission's pilot, Shukla is poised to make history as the first Indian to visit the ISS and only the second Indian in space, following Rakesh Sharma's historic 1984 flight. His fellow crew members include Commander Peggy Whitson, a senior Nasa astronaut, and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, both representing their countries' inaugural trips to the ISS. Final preparations Since May 25, the crew has been in a mandatory two-week pre-launch quarantine at Kennedy Space Centre. Known as 'health stabilisation', this protocol ensures that astronauts remain free from infectious diseases that could compromise the mission or the health of the ISS crew. Strict hygiene measures, daily health checks, and restricted contact with outsiders are all part of this standard process to safeguard the success of the mission.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom-4 mission postponed to June 10
BENGALURU: Group Captain and three other crew members of the Axiom-4 mission (Ax-4) to the International Space Station (ISS) will now launch at 5.52pm, IST, on June 10, pushed by two days from the earlier launch date of June 8. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'The Ax4 crew is scheduled to launch to the ISS on June 10 at 8:22am (Eastern Time) from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Centre,' Axiom Space said Tuesday, without elaborating on the cause for postponement. With just a few days to go for launch, Shukla addressed the world with a stirring message of resolve, gratitude and vision—one firmly rooted in science and proudly anchored in India's cultural heritage. He spoke as part of the crew's final interaction before lift-off. Stating that he feels deeply inspired, prepared and confident going to the International Space Station (ISS), he said: 'Even stars are attainable.' 'The last few months have been nothing short of extraordinary, of discovery and unshakable resolve. From diverse systems to advanced platforms, across continents and cultures. This training has been intense but deeply rewarding,' he said. He reiterated that he won't be carrying just instruments and equipment, but the 'hopes and dreams of a billion hearts', and said he will conduct seven Indian-designed experiments developed by research institutions from across the nation. 'These investigations will explore how microgravity affects everything from stem cell cultures to crop seeds, advancing India's footprint in space-based science. These experiments will pave the way for India's progress in microgravity science. And I am proud to be the bridge between Earth and orbit for this pioneering research,' he said. 'Joy' in Orbit Ax-4 commander Peggy Whitson, stating that every mission is different as every crew brings something new to the table and that she has been incredibly impressed by the dedication, the work ethic, and the passion of her team, she said: '.... Tired of too many ads? go ad free now And then, there's 'Joy'—the crew's chosen zero-gravity indicator, and a symbol of the cultural mosaic onboard.' The swan, named Joy, represents 'Wisdom in India', 'Resilience in Poland', and 'Grace in Hungary'. 'More than just a companion, Joy will signal our arrival in microgravity shortly after launch. Through Joy, we'll celebrate our diversity and our unity in the shared journey of space exploration,' she said. NID Souvenirs The mission isn't just scientific. To mark India's artistic and cultural spirit, Shukla is carrying souvenirs crafted by students from the National Institute of Design — artefacts that represent the spirit of India. 'I carry them with deep pride.' On whether he would have a live interaction with PM Modi from ISS, he said: '...We have several planned live events from orbit, including interactions with Indian VIPs, students, academia, and the space industry to share my experiences with people back home.' Reiterating that India's first astronaut, Wing Commander (retd) Rakesh Sharma has been a great mentor, Shukla said: 'I am carrying something to honour him, but I cannot reveal it as I still haven't told him what it is and I want that to be a surprise.' Sharma won't be travelling to view the launch. 'I am carrying a few delicacies from India. We have a very rich culinary culture, so some of the items I'm bringing include mango nectar, moong dal halwa, and carrot halwa. Some of these are my favorites, and I'm so happy to be able to carry them to share with my colleagues and the astronauts who are currently on the station,' Shukla said. He called upon the youth of India to invest in the country's future in space. 'Space is not a distant dream, but a future they can shape… Bharat, with missions like Gaganyaan and space station, will need the young generation to be invested in space exploration. Hence, I call upon every Bharatvasi to join us, participate, engage and dream boldly,' he said.
