Wikimedia, PM Modi Podcast, Mangroves

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It’s March 20. Today, we’re covering Wikimedia’s lawsuit, PM Modi’s podcast with Lex Fridman, and shrinking mangroves. Plus, job openings at Google, Swiggy, Deloitte, and more in Who’s Hiring at the end.

Policy & Governance

> EC Appointment Law Hearing Moved to April 16
The Supreme Court has moved the hearing on a law granting the Centre greater control over the appointment of Election Commissioners from March to April. The law in question replaces the Chief Justice of India with a Union Minister in the selection panel, sparking concerns over executive dominance. (The Hindu)

> Defence Chief Says Tech Only an Enabler
At the Raisina Dialogue, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan emphasized that technology cannot replace ground forces but will serve as an enabler. He highlighted long procurement cycles in India echoing his US counterpart who phrased the military procurement as “buying yesterday’s equipment for fighting tomorrow’s wars”. (ANI News)

> Madras HC: Law Empowering Senior Citizens
The Madras High Court ruled that senior citizens can cancel gift or settlement deeds if their children or relatives fail to provide care, even if not explicitly stated in the deed. The court upheld the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, dismissing an appeal by a woman who neglected her mother-in-law. (Economic Times)

> Fresh Clashes in Manipur
A 53-year-old man was killed and several injured in renewed violence between the Hmar and Zomi communities in Manipur’s Churachandpur district over a flag-hoisting dispute on March 18. Despite a peace agreement, tensions remain high. The Zomi Students’ Federation declared an indefinite shutdown, and officials urged dialogue for peace. (India Today)

Environment

> Study Reports Shrinking Mangroves and Seagrasses
India has lost 7.43 sq km of mangrove cover since 2021, with Gujarat and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands seeing major declines, according to the Shields of the Shore report. Seagrass meadows (516.59 sq km) and salt marshes (290 sq km) are also shrinking due to pollution, fishing, and climate change. Experts warn these ecosystems are critical for climate resilience and biodiversity but face severe degradation from urbanization and industrial expansion. (Deccan Herald)

Business

> 2x India-UAE Air Capacity Could Save Billions
A joint report by the UAE Embassy and ORF suggests that doubling airline capacity under a liberalized air service agreement could save Indian consumers over $1.05 billion in high airfares. The study urges dynamic seat allocation, increased access to tier-2 cities, and India-UAE aviation hub collaboration to strengthen global connectivity. (The Hindu)

> High Cost of Delhi Traffic Jam
VIP movements in central Delhi on March 17 caused severe traffic disruptions, delaying commuters by 30 minutes at key congestion points. An estimated 46,000 litres of fuel was wasted, costing drivers ₹44 lakh and releasing 107 metric tons of CO₂ into the air. With 200,000 vehicles affected, the jam resulted in 100,000 lost man-hours, exacerbating Delhi’s pollution crisis. (Economic Times)

Tech, Media & Telecom

> Vodafone Plays Catch-Up
Vodafone Idea is in talks with global satellite operators, including Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper, as it looks to strengthen its connectivity offerings. Meanwhile, the telco will finally begin rolling out 5G services this week, aiming to curb subscriber losses to Jio and Airtel, both of which have completed nationwide 5G rollouts. The company plans to scale 5G across India over the next three years, backed by a ₹50,000-55,000 crore investment. (Economic Times)

> Wikimedia Fights India's Takedown Order
The Wikimedia Foundation has asked India's Supreme Court to overturn an order forcing it to remove a Wikipedia page about its legal dispute with news agency ANI. Wikimedia argues the directive threatens free speech. ANI sued Wikimedia for defamation over edits labeling it a "propaganda tool," leading a lower court to order the takedown. Wikimedia now contends this ruling infringes on its right to document court cases. (Reuters)

> AI Makes Lex Fridman-Narendra Modi Podcast Accessible
The Modi-Fridman podcast gained global attention for its AI-dubbed multilingual versions, powered by London-based AI voice synthesis company ElevenLabs. The episode is currently available in English, Hindi, and Russian, with more languages to follow. Meanwhile, Indian AI startup Sarvam AI’s co-founder has shared snippets in nine Indian languages and offered the full version to ElevenLabs. (Moneycontrol)

Quick Hits

> UIDAI has partnered with Sarvam AI to introduce AI-powered voice support for Aadhaar services, enhancing resident interactions from March 18.

> Rural fintech Navadhan raised ₹111 crore in Series A funding to expand its AceN platform, which provides working capital financing to small businesses in rural India.

> Ice cream brand Go Zero raised ₹30 crore in its Series A round to expand its range of low-calorie, high-protein, and vegan ice creams

> The Supreme Court questioned the contradiction between high per capita income claims and 70% of some states’ populations living below the poverty line.

> Declassified US records reveal that CIA operated secret bases in New Delhi and Kolkata during the Cold War.

> U.S. employers must download visa and labor certification records before March 19, 2025, as the DOL will delete records older than five years starting March 20.

> RBI Ombudsman complaints surged 50% annually with private banks seeing a 37% rise in grievances. Mobile banking and loan issues topped complaints.

Worth a Look

Sunil Chhetri scored a stunning goal against the Maldives in his comeback match. At 40, he’s still going strong.

Who’s Hiring

> Google is hiring a legal specialist (corporate). Great for lawyers looking to move into tech.

> Jindal Stainless is hiring a chief of staff to help with project management, meeting management, and more.

> Intel is hiring a business strategy manager in the Sales and Marketing organization.

> Swiggy is hiring a senior product manager who is excited about using AI to transform how people order food, grocery, and utilities.

> Deloitte is hiring a legal analyst (office of general counsel) to assist US-based attorneys with client engagement, tax, and more.

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