University Rankings, Aero Startup, Beach

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It’s March 13. Today, we’re covering India’s top-ranked universities, Zomato’s CEO betting on aerospace, and the world’s fifth-best beach. Plus, job openings at Sarvam, Groww, Philips, and more in Who’s Hiring at the end.

Policy & Governance

> Concerns Rise Over Mandatory APAAR Student IDs
Parents and advocacy groups have raised concerns about the Ministry of Education's APAAR student ID system, citing data privacy risks and unclear guidelines on voluntary participation. Although not mandatory, a recent CBSE directive urging schools to achieve "100% saturation" has created confusion. Issues with Aadhaar linking have also emerged. (The Hindu)

> Railways Mandates Menu Display, Improves Food Quality
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed Lok Sabha that displaying menus and rates for food served on trains is mandatory. Passengers can view menus online, via printed cards, or through SMS links. Measures to enhance food quality include modern base kitchens, branded ingredients, regular cleaning, routine food sampling among others. (Financial Express)

> Government Assists U.S. in Serving Summons to Gautam Adani
The Indian government, following procedures under the Hague Convention, forwarded a U.S. court summons notice for Gautam Adani to an Ahmedabad court last month. The summons pertains to the U.S. SEC lawsuit alleging Adani concealed bribes to secure energy contracts at favorable rates. (Outlook Business)

Society

> Delhi to Launch Eco-Friendly Boat Tourism on Yamuna
The Delhi government and the Centre have signed an MoU to introduce eco-friendly boat tourism on a 4-kilometer stretch of the Yamuna River between Sonia Vihar and Jagatpur. This initiative aims to decongest city roads and enhance travel options. The project will feature electric-solar hybrid boats with bio-toilets and life jackets. (Tribune India)

> Indian Universities Shine in QS Subject Rankings
Nine Indian universities secured spots in the world's top 50 in the latest QS subject-wise rankings. ISM Dhanbad ranked highest at 20th globally for Engineering-Mineral and Mining. IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay saw improvements as well, ranking 26th and 28th, respectively. Meanwhile, IIM Ahmedabad (27th) and IIM Bangalore (40th) remained in the top 50 for Business and Management Studies. (India Today)

Business

> Lilavati Hospital Trust Alleges ₹1,200 Crore Fraud
The trust managing Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital has lodged a complaint with the Enforcement Directorate against former trustees, alleging financial embezzlement of over ₹1,200 crore. The Lilavati Kirtilal Mehta Medical Trust claims funds were siphoned off through fraudulent investments, kickbacks, and offshore transactions. (Business Standard)

> Bessemer Closes $350M India Fund
Bessemer Venture Partners (BVP) has closed its second India-focused fund at $350 million, aiming to invest in AI, SaaS, fintech, digital health, consumer brands, and cybersecurity startups. This follows its first India fund of $220 million in 2021. Since starting operations in India in 2006, BVP has invested in over 80 startups. (Economic Times)

> Jaguar Land Rover Drops Plans to Build EVs at Tata’s India Plant
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has scrapped plans to produce electric vehicles at Tata Motors' upcoming $1B factory in southern India, sources said. Challenges cited were sourcing cost-effective, high-quality EV parts locally and slowing demand for electric cars. JLR had initially planned to manufacture over 70,000 EVs at the plant. (Reuters)

Tech, Media & Telecom

> Jio Pulls an Airtel
Jio Platforms has partnered with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to offer Starlink’s satellite broadband services in India, pending regulatory approvals. Under the deal, Jio will integrate Starlink into its offerings and sell its equipment via retail and online channels. The announcement comes just hours after Airtel revealed a similar partnership. (TechCrunch)

> Zomato CEO Backs Aerospace Startup
Deepinder Goyal has invested $20 million in LAT Aerospace, a stealth-mode startup co-founded with former Zomato COO Surobhi Das. LAT Aerospace aims to develop low-cost short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft with up to 24 seats, focusing on regional air connectivity. The startup is aiming to raise $50 million in seed funding and is hiring engineers across aerodynamics, material sciences, and hybrid propulsion systems. (Economic Times)

> AI Firms Expand in India Amid Growing Talent Shortage
AI companies, including major tech firms like Meta and Microsoft, are expanding their presence in India, particularly in Bangalore, to leverage the country’s deep AI talent pool. However, a talent shortage poses a challenge, with India expected to face a shortfall of one million skilled AI workers by 2027, according to Bain & Co. (Bloomberg, Bain)

> Political Apps Fuel Unchecked Digital Mobilization
During the 2024 election season, several political and community apps emerged as alternative platforms for political organizing, operating outside the oversight of the Election Commission and watchdogs. These platforms, run by political strategists, entrepreneurs, and obscure entities, spent heavily on digital advertising and created insulated online spaces where political content spread unchecked. A deeper investigation into these apps revealed that hate speech and disinformation have proliferated beyond mainstream social media platforms. (Reporters’ Collective)

Environment

> Opposition Questions Great Nicobar Project
On March 12, 2025, Opposition MPs in the Rajya Sabha sought clarity from the Union government regarding environmental and forest clearances for the ₹72,000 crore Great Nicobar Island infrastructure project. They highlighted the Tribal Council's November 2022 withdrawal of consent and objections from tribespeople documented by anthropologist Vishvajit Pandya. Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram declined to comment. (The Hindu)

> ICMR Links High Cancer Risk to River Drain Pollution
An ICMR study revealed that residents living near river drains face significantly higher cancer risks due to elevated lead, iron, and aluminium levels exceeding permissible limits. Minister Prataprao Jadhav highlighted government actions, including establishing advanced cancer institutes, expanding AIIMS cancer treatment facilities, and offering affordable cancer care under Ayushman Bharat. (India Today)

Quick Hits

> The Centre has allocated ₹500 crore to establish a contingency fund for crisis-hit Manipur, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced.

> Radhanagar Beach on Havelock Island has been ranked the fifth-best beach in Asia in TripAdvisor's 2025 list.

> Neobanking startup Zolve raised $251 million in equity and debt funding, bringing its total funding to $406 million. The startup provides FDIC-insured US bank accounts and credit cards to immigrants without requiring a Social Security number.

> PM Narendra Modi will be conferred Mauritius’ highest award, “The Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean,” becoming the first Indian to receive the honor.

> Temasek is acquiring a 10% stake in Haldiram Snacks for ₹8,500 crore, valuing the company at $10 billion (₹85,000 crore).

> IndiGo will commence daily direct flights between Bengaluru and Krabi, Thailand, starting March 30, 2025, enhancing connectivity between the two cities.

Worth a Look

Anand Mahindra shared a great ice-skating routine by Tara Prasad, a national figure skating champion who switched her U.S. citizenship to an Indian one in 2019. Mesmerizing stuff.

Who’s Hiring

> Sarvam is hiring a marketing manager to drive growth—a solid opportunity to shape India’s AI ecosystem.

> Groww is hiring a corporate lawyer for debt and regulatory work as it builds up to its IPO.

> Philips is hiring for a marketing role. The position is open to candidates with an MBA or a masters in marketing.

> Masters’ Union is hiring for strategy and operations roles. The startup is building a new-age business school.

> LAT Aerospace is hiring engineers, designers, and builders. The early-stage startup is designing small aircraft to transform travel.

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