NEW DELHI: March 5, 2026 – TechGig, India’s largest community of over 5.6 million developers and tech enthusiasts, today announced its flagship International Women’s Day initiative: “She Builds the Future: Power, Presence & Progress.” Scheduled for 7–8 March 2026, this two-day virtual leadership summit moves beyond symbolic celebration to address the critical need for robust leadership pipelines in a rapidly evolving global economy.As AI, automation, and hybrid work models redefine the corporate world, TechGig’s initiative focuses on the practical mechanics of leadership. The event brings together a powerhouse lineup of women leaders from global giants including Fiserv, Wipro, Siemens, Wells Fargo, and OpenText to discuss scaling high-performance teams and driving measurable business outcomes.“Leadership today is no longer defined solely by hierarchy; it is characterized by influence, visibility, and measurable progress,”Shalini Tewari, Head of TechGig & Chief Operating Officer – CoolBoots Media. “‘She Builds the Future’ is conceptualized to spotlight the next generation of leaders who are navigating shorter product cycles and distributed teams with vision and resilience.”A two-day roadmap (7–8 March)The initiative, hosted via the Airmeet platform, features three core sessions designed for engineering leads, HR professionals, and aspiring executives:

Continuing the momentum throughout Women’s Day month, TechGig will host an exclusive podcast session on 16th March 2026 featuring Harnidh Kaur. The session, titled “Building AI-Ready, Future-Proof Careers: Why Women Must Lead the AI Shift,” will dive deep into how women can position themselves at the forefront of the technological transition to AI.Why it matters in 2026With the tech ecosystem evolving faster than ever, “She Builds the Future” focuses on three defining pillars:

Registration and participationRegistrations for the summit and subsequent sessions are now open to engineering leaders, HR professionals, and stakeholders across the enterprise ecosystem.To register, visit: https://www.techgig.com/she-builds-the-future-2026

Dehradun, Mar 04 (ANI): Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami celebrates Holi during a Holi Milan Samaroh, at his official residence, in Dehradun on Wednesday. (@pushkardhami X/ANI Photo)

Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday participated in various programmes and celebrated Holi with the people of the state, conveying his commitment to promoting folk culture, faith, and development.The festival of Holi in Uttarakhand this year was not merely a celebration of colours but also reflected the message of the state’s culture, faith, and development.A unique glimpse of Uttarakhand’s rich folk culture was seen during the Holi Milan ceremony organised at the chief minister’s residence in Dehradun. Folk artists from different regions of the state, Garhwal, Kumaon, Jaunsar, and the Terai, presented their traditional performances, creating a festive atmosphere.According to the Uttarakhand CMO, artists from the Jaunsar region performed the traditional Harul dance, while Holyar groups from Kumaon filled the environment with joy through their traditional Holi songs. The beats of drums, manjira, and other traditional musical instruments echoed with folk songs, immersing the chief minister’s residence in the vibrant colours of Uttarakhand’s cultural heritage.During the event, CM Dhami enthusiastically joined the folk artists. He danced with them, played traditional musical instruments, and enjoyed the folk songs. The moment was not only a celebration but also reflected the government’s commitment to preserving the state’s folk culture and traditional art forms.Alongside the Holi Milan ceremony, the chief minister also carried forward the tradition of political courtesy and respect for senior leadership. He visited the residences of former chief ministers Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, and Trivendra Singh Rawat to extend his Holi greetings.The chief minister’s visit to Champawat during the Holi period was also significant in many ways. The large gatherings at various events reflected the public’s strong confidence in the work of the Dhami government.During the visit, the chief minister inaugurated the fair at Maa Purnagiri Dham and informed the public about the ongoing development works in the temple area. Facilities such as parking, drinking water, and crowd management are being modernised for the convenience of devotees.Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also participated in the Kali Kumaon Holi Rang Mahotsav and the Holi Milan ceremony organised in Lohaghat. He interacted warmly with the public. The beats of traditional drums and songs, along with the large crowd present at the events, created a vibrant and festive atmosphere.The Holi Milan ceremony organised in Khatima also became a strong symbol of public support and trust.A large number of people gathered to celebrate Holi with their chief minister. The sound of drums, the colourful atmosphere, and slogans of “Dhami Zindabad” reflected a deep emotional connection between the people and their leader.In his address, the chief minister said that the state government is continuously working for the protection and development of Sanatan culture and religious centres.He emphasised that preserving the original character and cultural identity of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand is the government’s top priority.The programmes organised on the occasion of Holi were not merely festive celebrations but also conveyed a message of harmony between faith, culture, development, and public trust. The large participation of people in these events indicated that the people of Uttarakhand are ready to move forward together with their chief minister towards development, while preserving their cultural identity.

NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday soft-launched four digital tools and unveiled the mascots for Census 2027, “Pragati” (female) and “Vikas” (male).The mascots are meant to symbolise the equal participation of women and men in India’s journey toward becoming a developed nation by 2047.Developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), the new digital platforms are designed to support the enumeration process for what will be the world’s largest census exercise.Scheduled to begin on April 1, 2026, Census 2027 will be conducted in two phases. The first phase, the house-listing and housing census, will run from April to September 2026, followed by the population enumeration phase in February 2027.For the first time, the national headcount will be conducted entirely through digital means. Citizens will also be able to self-enumerate online in 16 languages before enumerators begin door-to-door surveys.At the centre of the exercise will be the Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS), a dedicated digital portal designed to coordinate one of the largest administrative operations in the world.The system will mark a major shift from traditional paper-based enumeration. Instead of clipboards and paper forms, field staff will use handheld devices, geotagged mapping tools and a centralised web-based monitoring platform.More than 3.2 million enumerators, supervisors and other field officials will be involved in the exercise across the country. Using handheld devices, they will collect detailed demographic, social and economic data from hundreds of millions of households.The data collected will be transmitted and processed through the CMMS platform, allowing it to be aggregated, validated and monitored in near real time, significantly reducing the time required for compilation and error correction.Census 2027 will be the 16th national census since Independence and the first to be conducted as a fully digital exercise with a self-enumeration option for citizens.The decadal census was originally scheduled for 2021, but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.According to the Registrar General of India (RGI), citizens will be asked 33 questions during the first phase of the exercise, which focuses on house-listing and housing details.

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NEW DELHI: Just four months after leading the NDA to a sweeping victory in the Bihar elections, chief minister Nitish Kumar has once again rewritten his political script.The veteran leader on Thursday announced his decision to step down from the state’s top job and head to the Rajya Sabha, marking a significant transition for a politician who has dominated Bihar’s politics for most of the past two decades.

Nitish said he had long harboured a desire to become a member of both Houses of the Bihar Legislative Assembly as well as both Houses of Parliament.“For more than two decades, you have consistently placed your trust and support in me, and it is on the strength of that trust that we have served Bihar and all of you with complete dedication,” he said on his social media account.“It was the power of your faith and support that has enabled Bihar today to present a new dimension of development and dignity. For this, I have expressed my gratitude to you on several occasions in the past as well.”The decision comes less than four months after Nitish led the NDA to a sweeping victory in the 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly election, securing a massive majority of 202 seats. On November 20, 2025, he took oath for a record tenth term as chief minister, a milestone that reaffirmed his hold over the state’s politics.

At 75, he now steps away from the chief minister’s chair after what many saw as an emphatic electoral endorsement. His move to the Rajya Sabha is expected once the new term begins after April 9, when outgoing members retire.Within the NDA, the transition is being seen as a carefully timed change of guard that could allow a new leadership team to settle in before the next political cycle. With Nitish shifting to Parliament, the door is open for the Bharatiya Janata Party to appoint its own chief minister in Bihar for the first time.Potential successors include Bihar deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary and Union minister Nityanand Rai, both seen as strong contenders if the BJP takes over the top post.At the same time, speculation has grown over the possible political debut of Nitish’s son, Nishant Kumar. Some within the alliance believe he could be considered for a deputy chief minister’s role, though there is no clarity yet about his position or responsibilities.

The ‘nirantar’ Nitish

For years, Nitish Kumar has remained the central figure in Bihar’s politics- a leader who repeatedly returns to the top despite doubts, criticism and shifting alliances.His image as “Sushasan Babu,” associated with development, stability and restored law and order, has long shaped his political identity, even as critics argued that policy stagnation and political fatigue had begun to dull that sheen.Yet in 2025, the verdict was emphatic.Despite being written off many times, Nitish once again emerged victorious with what supporters described as a “lion majority”, reaffirming his place at the centre of the state’s politics.

From engineer to political strategist

Born on March 1, 1951, in Bakhtiarpur, Nitish Kumar did not begin with political ambition. Trained as an electrical engineer, he eventually found his calling in public life.His political roots were shaped during the Emergency in India imposed during the era of Indira Gandhi. As part of the movement led by Jayaprakash Narayan, Nitish was among the thousands jailed during that period.He won his first assembly election in 1985 from Harnaut and briefly supported Lalu Prasad Yadav in 1989 before breaking away, beginning a rivalry that would define Bihar politics for decades.In 1994 came a decisive turning point. Fourteen MPs broke away under George Fernandes in the first major rebellion against Lalu. Insiders widely saw Nitish as the strategist behind the move.The group soon formed the Samata Party, marking a decisive shift in his political trajectory.Two years later, Nitish made another major move by aligning with the BJP in 1996, the beginning of a partnership that would form, break and reform repeatedly over the next three decades.He later entered the cabinet of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, holding the railway ministry and other portfolios between 1998 and 2004. His administrative approach and emphasis on law and order gradually helped build his technocratic image.His first attempt at becoming chief minister came in 2000, but the NDA lacked numbers and his government fell in just seven days.

Era that shaped Bihar

In 2005, Nitish returned to power, ending Lalu Prasad Yadav’s 15-year rule- a period often described by critics as “jungle raj”.His victory in 2010 further consolidated his political dominance and established him as the face of development-oriented politics in the state.Women-centred welfare initiatives including bicycles, uniforms, prohibition, jobs and cash transfers became a major pillar of his governance model, creating what some scholars describe as a maternal welfare state.Yet Nitish Kumar’s political career has been defined not only by governance but also by dramatic shifts in alliances.Since 1999, he has switched between the National Democratic Alliance and opposition formations such as the UPA or Mahagathbandhan multiple times.The frequent realignments earned him the nickname “Paltu Kumar”.Now, with his move to the Rajya Sabha, another chapter in that long and unpredictable political journey begins.

NEW DELHI: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday announced his decision to step down from the state’s top job and head to the Rajya Sabha.In a social media post on X, Nitish said he had long harboured a desire to become a member of both Houses of the Bihar Legislative Assembly as well as both Houses of Parliament.

“For more than two decades, you have consistently placed your trust and support in me, and it is on the strength of that trust that we have served Bihar and all of you with complete dedication. It was the power of your faith and support that has enabled Bihar today to present a new dimension of development and dignity. For this, I have expressed my gratitude to you on several occasions in the past as well,” Nitish said.“From the very beginning of my parliamentary journey, I have harboured a desire to become a member of both Houses of the Bihar Legislative Assembly as well as both Houses of Parliament. In keeping with that aspiration, I seek to become a Member of the Rajya Sabha in the elections taking place this time. I wish to assure you with complete honesty that my bond with you will endure in the future as well, and my resolve to work alongside you to build a developed Bihar will remain steadfast as ever. The new government that will be formed will have my full cooperation and guidance,” he added.The post came less than four months after Nitish led the National Democratic Alliance to a sweeping victory in the Bihar polls. The veteran leader, who recently turned 75 and took oath for a record tenth term in November, is now set to move to the Rajya Sabha.With Nitish joining the Upper House, the door is open for the Bharatiya Janata Party to appoint its own chief minister in Bihar for the first time. According to leaders familiar with the discussions, Nitish will formally enter the Upper House once the new Rajya Sabha term begins after April 9, when outgoing members retire. The transition is seen within the NDA as a carefully timed change of guard that would allow a new leadership team to settle in before the next political cycle.Speculation has also grown over the political debut of Nitish’s son, Nishant Kumar, who is expected to enter public life soon. While some within the alliance believe he could be considered for a deputy chief minister’s role, there is no clarity yet about his position or responsibilities.Potential successors include Bihar deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary and Union minister Nityanand Rai, both seen as strong contenders if the BJP takes over the top post, TOI earlier reported.

The ministry of external affairs has refuted reports which claimed that US is using India’s ports to strike Iran amid the ongoing escalation in Middle East.This comes after former US Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor during an interview with a US-based channel claimed that US was using Indian naval bases in its war against Iran.

“All of our bases have been destroyed. Our harbour installations are destroyed. We are actually having to fall back on India and Indian ports, which is less than ideal; that is what the navy says,” Macgregor has said.MEA fact-check account on X rejected the claims, calling them “fake and false.”“Claims being made on OAN, a US based channel, that Indian ports are being used by the US Navy are fake and false. We caution you against such baseless and fabricated comments,” MEA said.India voiced “deep concern” over the escalating tensions in the Middle East, calling on all parties involved to exercise restraint, avoid further escalation and ensure the safety of civilians.Chaos erupted in the Middle East after the joint forces of US and Israel carried out coordinated airstrikes on Iran, killing the country’s 86-year-old Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.Iran retaliated by launching missiles at Israel and targeting American military bases located across Gulf countries.Earlier on Wednesday, a torpedo fired from a US submarine sank the Iranian warship IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean, killing 87 personnel. The vessel had recently been on a friendly visit to India. The strike marked the first instance since World War II in which an American submarine attacked a surface warship.The war entered its sixth day on Thursday with no indication of de-escalation.Reports indicate that the conflict has already claimed more than 1,000 lives in Iran, while about a dozen people have been killed in Israel. At least six US troops have also died in the fighting.US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have defended the offensive, arguing that Iran posed an imminent threat.“If we didn’t do it first, they would have done it to Israel and give us a shot, if that was possible,” Trump said.

MUMBAI: Airlines have stepped up evacuation efforts with more special flights as the crisis in the Middle East continued to disrupt air travel for the fourth day in a row on Wednesday.Up to Tuesday, 1,221 international flights by Indian carriers and 388 by foreign carriers were cancelled, the civil aviation ministry said. It said Indian carriers had planned 58 flights to be operated on Wednesday, which included 30 by IndiGo and 23 by Air India and Air India Express. IndiGo has been among the worst-affected carriers, cancelling over 500 flights since Feb 28, according to a disclosure it made to the stock exchange on Wednesday. Amid surging passenger demand, Air India announced it is increasing capacity on key long-haul routes, including services to Toronto, Frankfurt and Paris.The airline said the extra flights are intended to offer flyers greater flexibility and smoother connections through Delhi to destinations across its domestic and SE Asian network.Air Canada has scheduled an additional frequency between Toronto and Delhi between March 7 and March 21. The Canadian carrier will also deploy a larger aircraft on its Toronto-London-Mumbai route to accommodate higher passenger loads.Indian airlines continue select services to West AsiaOther Indian airlines, including Akasa Air, SpiceJet and IndiGo, are continuing to operate select services to destinations across West Asia.Airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are currently managing only limited repatriation flights. Meanwhile, passenger services at Bahrain, Doha and Kuwait airports remain suspended.Emirates and Air Arabia confirmed on Wednesday that all regularly scheduled flights to and from Dubai will stay suspended until midnight Saturday. Emirates posted on X that passengers affected by recent cancellations could send them a direct message on X, phone the airline only if they are in need of urgent assistance and when they do so, expect a wait on hold for up to 2-3 hours. Passengers can request a refund for their booking if it is on or before March 12 without contacting the airline, it said.On February 28, day one of the disruption, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had issued an advisory to all Indian carriers asking them to avoid airspace in high-risk zones including Tehran, Tel Aviv, Beirut, Jeddah, Bahrain, Muscat, Baghdad, Amman, Kuwait and Doha.