Priya Sharmaa
Priya Sharma writes on the intersection of science, policy, and society. A former researcher at the Indian Institute of Science, she covers climate, space, and the human dimension of technological change from Bangalore.
Recent stories
India's Federalism Is Being Quietly Centralised. States Must Resist.
Finance Commission transfers, GST council decisions, and Governor controversies all reflect a decade-long tightening of central authority that the constitution's framers explicitly sought to prevent.
The Caste Census Must Trigger Reform, Not Just Redistribution
Updated caste data is necessary but insufficient. What India needs is a time-bound pathway out of reservation politics and towards universal quality public services.
NEP 2020 Is Six Years Old. Where Are the Outcomes?
The National Education Policy promised a transformation of Indian schooling. Implementation has been patchy, underfunded, and inconsistent — and no one in government seems particularly bothered.
POSHAN Abhiyaan Cuts Childhood Stunting Rate from 35% to 26% in Four Years
A multi-ministry nutrition mission combining fortified food distribution, behaviour change communication, and convergent service delivery has achieved significant outcomes among children under five.
National Mental Health Policy 2026: India Triples Mental Health Budget to ₹18,000 Crore
The updated policy mandates mental health services in all district hospitals and launches a community mental health worker programme drawing from the ASHA network.
India Adds 26 New Ramsar Wetland Sites, Takes Tally to 100
The world's largest Ramsar site network now includes mangroves, flamingo breeding grounds, and river delta ecosystems spanning from Kashmir to Kerala.
India's Pharmaceutical Exports Hit Record $35 Billion, Generics Drive 70% of Volume
Indian drug manufacturers supply 60% of WHO vaccine procurement and 40% of US generic prescriptions, cementing India's role as the world's pharmacy.
India Crosses 300 GW of Renewable Energy Capacity, Solar Leads at 195 GW
Ahead of its 2030 targets, India has built the world's most rapidly growing solar power base, with nine new large-scale solar parks added in the last quarter alone.
India Launches Universal Cancer Screening for Women Under Ayushman Arogya Mandirs
Free cervical and breast cancer screening will be available at 1.7 lakh health and wellness centres, targeting early detection for 200 million women.
India Launches Deep Ocean Mission, Aims to Reach 6,000 Metres Depth
The ₹4,077 crore mission will develop a submersible vehicle capable of carrying three personnel to the deep ocean floor, study polymetallic nodules, and explore hydrothermal vents.
India Reports 75% Reduction in Malaria Cases, Eyes WHO Elimination Certification
The National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme's data shows India achieved 1.8 million cases in 2025, down from 7.5 million a decade ago, with six states now reporting zero indigenous transmission.
Ayushman Bharat Extended to Cover 60 Million Families from the Middle Class
The PM-JAY scheme now extends free hospitalisation coverage of ₹5 lakh per family to middle-income households earning up to ₹12 lakh annually.
India's National Clean Air Programme Cuts PM2.5 Levels by 21% in Target Cities
Over 130 cities under India's national air quality programme have recorded statistically significant reductions in fine particulate matter concentration over three years.
IIT Madras Demonstrates 50-Qubit Quantum Processor, First in South Asia
Researchers have built a superconducting quantum processor that achieves 99.1% gate fidelity — a milestone that opens doors to quantum advantage for specific computational problems.
India Releases National Cybersecurity Policy 2026 with Zero-Trust Mandate
All critical infrastructure operators — power, telecom, banking, defence — must implement zero-trust architecture within 24 months under the new framework.
DRDO Tests Hypersonic Strike Missile with 1,500 km Range Successfully
India joins an exclusive club as the Defence Research and Development Organisation confirms a successful test of a domestically developed hypersonic missile from the Odisha coast.
India's Private Space Sector Attracts $4 Billion Investment in Eighteen Months
Following the IN-SPACe policy liberalisation, over 200 private space startups have emerged, with Agnikul, Pixxel, and Skyroot leading a new commercial space ecosystem.
800 Million Indians Now Have Digital Health ID, PM-ABHIM Goes National
The Ayushman Bharat Health Account has enrolled its 800 millionth citizen, with records covering vaccination, diagnostics, prescriptions, and hospital stays in a unified portable health record.
5G Smart Agriculture: How Indian Farmers Are Using Connectivity to Double Yields
In Punjab and Maharashtra, pilot programmes using 5G-connected sensors, precision irrigation, and AI-driven advisory services have boosted crop productivity by 35-45%.
India Launches ₹10,000 Crore National AI Mission to Build Sovereign Capability
The mission will establish a national AI compute grid, fund foundational model development in Indian languages, and deploy AI applications across agriculture, health, and governance.
India's First Domestic Semiconductor Fabrication Plant Inaugurated in Gujarat
The ₹22,500 crore facility, developed by Tata Electronics in partnership with Taiwan's Powerchip, will produce chips at 28nm process nodes for automotive and consumer electronics.
ISRO Confirms Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight Mission for December 2026
India's first crewed space mission will carry three astronauts to a 400 km orbit for a three-day mission, marking the culmination of a ₹9,000 crore programme.
Adani Green Commissions Asia's Largest Hybrid Renewable Park in Rajasthan
The 5,000 MW combined solar-wind facility at Khavda will supply power to seven states under long-term purchase agreements, transforming India's renewable energy mix.
Tata Group Launches ₹12,000 Crore Aerospace Components Manufacturing Hub
The conglomerate is betting that India's defence indigenisation drive and global aerospace supply chain realignment will make aerospace manufacturing its next major business vertical.
UPI Expands to 15 New Countries, Cumulative International Transactions Top ₹50,000 Crore
The National Payments Corporation of India has extended UPI access to Southeast Asia, the Gulf, and parts of Europe, making it the world's fastest-growing real-time payment rail.
Supreme Court Orders Elections to Municipal Bodies in Six States Within 90 Days
Several state governments have delayed urban local body polls citing delimitation and ward reservation processes — the court calls this unconstitutional.
Lokpal Receives Record 42,000 Complaints Against Government Officials
The anti-corruption ombudsman's annual report documents a surge in complaints from citizens, though investigation rates and conviction outcomes remain limited.
Congress Begins Nationwide Campaign Targeting 2027 State Polls
The party will contest eight state elections over the next 18 months with a messaging platform centred on unemployment, price rise, and constitutional rights.
India Signs 10,000 MW Hydropower Agreement with Nepal
The deal will see Indian investment in three major Nepali hydroelectric projects, transforming Nepal into a significant exporter of clean energy to the Indian grid.
India Begins Commercial Cargo Shipments Through Iran's Chabahar Port
The first batch of Indian wheat for Afghanistan has transited Chabahar under the bilateral port operation agreement, sidestepping Pakistan's transit restrictions.
India Launches Economic Connectivity Corridor with Sri Lanka
A new framework for energy grids, ferry services, and undersea cable links will bind the two economies more closely than at any point since independence.
