News Desk. News Nation 360: In Bengal's chess world, a magnificent new chapter has begun. The Sara Bangla Daba Sangstha organised it. Aranyak Ghosh, the 12th Grandmaster of West Bengal, received a felicitation event at the Calcutta Sports Journalists' Club in Kolkata. Legendary hockey Olympian Gurbux Singh and Bengal's first Grandmaster, Dibyendu Barua, graced this special occasion. Their participation brought together sports giants from two distinct generations on a single s
News Desk. News Nation 360: August 2026 will see the start of the first academic year at Bengaluru's Ramaiah Institute of Science and Management (RISM), a new deemed-to-be institution founded by the Gokula Education Foundation (Medical) in collaboration with the institution at Albany (SUNY). Undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs in engineering, business, and science will be offered by RISM, which is envisioned as a next-generation STEM and management university. Init
News Desk. News Nation 360: A significant step in the Japanese group's growth inside the Indian loan industry was taken on April 24, 2026, when Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) invested ₹1,075 crore through a rights issue into its subsidiary, SMFG India Credit (SMICC). This capital infusion comes after a time of notable development, with SMICC reporting a 29% increase in disbursements of Rs. 39,500 crore between April and December 2025 and a 21% year-over-year growth in
News Desk. News Nation 360: On April 17, 2026, Desun Hospital and the Election Commission of India (ECI) presented "Care Beyond Hospitals: Empowering Every Voter with Accessibility," an accessibility program, at the Press Club in Kolkata. The purpose of the event, which was organised under the ECI's Systematic Voter Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) program, was to guarantee that people with mobility issues and senior citizens could exercise their right to vote in
News Desk, News Nation 360: In order to increase voter knowledge and engagement for the 2026 Legislative Assembly elections, the Election Commission of India has started a major voter outreach campaign in the Howrah district of West Bengal, utilising the well-known cartoon character Chhota Bheem. The campaign, which goes by the tagline "Chunav Ka Parv, Paschim Bengal Ka Garv," is a crucial part of the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) program, w
News Desk. News Nation 360: On April 20, 2026, Bank of India (BOI), a prominent public sector bank, held a "Cyber Fraud Awareness Programme" at the CRPF Headquarters in New Delhi with the express purpose of equipping CRPF troops against sophisticated financial schemes. The conference, which was chaired by Shri D.S. Negi, DIG (Admn) of the CRPF, and attended by BOI General Manager Sh. Vasudev focused on the particular vulnerabilities of employees who frequently handle their ac
News Desk, News Nation 360: Prof. Yashwant Gupta, a distinguished astrophysicist and the head of the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA-TIFR) in Pune, was conferred the MP Birla Memorial Award for 2025 on March 13, 2026. The event was held at the MP Birla Planetarium in Kolkata. There was a special connection for Prof. Gupta, a distinguished astrophysicist and the head of the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA-TIFR) in Pune, as his interest in the univers
News Desk, News Nation 360 : SIMEST, a CDP Group firm that promotes the international expansion of Italian businesses, has signed an MoU with the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), one of India's oldest and most significant commercial associations. The agreement, signed during the Italy-India Business Forum, aims to strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries while also encouraging new bilateral investment prospects. The MoU was signed in the presence of Antonio
News Desk, News Nation 360 : Malabar Gold & Diamonds, the world's fifth largest jewellery store and one of India's leading advocates for corporate social responsibility, has announced the expansion of its signature Hunger Free World campaign to Ethiopia. Following its transformative success in India and Zambia, the initiative is now entering its next phase of expansion across Africa. The Hunger Free World program's expansion is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Deve
News Desk. News Nation 360: A significant step in the Japanese group's growth inside the Indian loan industry was taken on April 24, 2026, when Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) invested ₹1,075 crore through a rights issue into its subsidiary, SMFG India Credit (SMICC). This capital infusion comes after a time of notable development, with SMICC reporting a 29% increase in disbursements of Rs. 39,500 crore between April and December 2025 and a 21% year-over-year growth in
News Desk. News Nation 360: According to a recent NCAER study done for MFIN, West Bengal has become a crucial microfinance market, showing a notable shift toward formal credit and productive loan utilisation. With an average yearly household income of ₹3.14 lakh, the survey shows that 78% of borrowers in the state actively contribute to home income, highlighting the crucial economic role that women and their families play. Interestingly, West Bengal has the greatest percentag
News Desk. News Nation 360: Manipal Hospitals Kolkata showed its dedication to inclusive democracy and social responsibility by helping senior folks cast ballots in the general elections of 2026. The hospital group established a complete support system that included MARS ambulances stationed at polling places and specialised SPOCs for end-to-end transportation throughout all five units (EM Bypass, Mukundapur, Dhakuria, Salt Lake, and Broadway). Even bedridden or mobility -imp
News Desk. News Nation 360: Gen Z is being warned against a "shortcut culture" that ignores the real causes of dental decline—bacterial accumulation and plaque—in a time when social media trends frequently place an emphasis on aesthetics like teeth whitening over basic cleanliness. Prominent health expert Dr. Sonia Datta advocates for a return to Ayurvedic principles that have been proven by contemporary clinical standards, emphasising that a bright smile does not necessarily
News Desk. News Nation 360: In Bengal's chess world, a magnificent new chapter has begun. The Sara Bangla Daba Sangstha organised it. Aranyak Ghosh, the 12th Grandmaster of West Bengal, received a felicitation event at the Calcutta Sports Journalists' Club in Kolkata. Legendary hockey Olympian Gurbux Singh and Bengal's first Grandmaster, Dibyendu Barua, graced this special occasion. Their participation brought together sports giants from two distinct generations on a single s
News Desk. News Nation 360: On April 21, 2026, the All India Seishinkai Shito-Ryu Karate Do Federation, in partnership with the Japan Education Centre and Information Foundation, held a historic workshop in Kolkata to promote martial arts as a worldwide employment catalyst. The program, which is attended by more than 400 karate students from all across West Bengal, attempts to stop youth migration by connecting athletic success with direct career prospects, internships, and
News Desk, News Nation 360 : "ITI: The Beginning," the debut short film of renowned career counsellor and first-time director Abhishake De Sarkar, continued its incredible journey across esteemed platforms with a special screening at the 11th Bengal Short Film Festival. Along with other members of the cast and crew, renowned actresses Debleena Dutt and Biswanath Basu graced the occasion. ITI: The Beginning, the first short film by career coach turned filmmaker Abhishake De Sa
News Desk, News Nation 360 : Recently, Chabi Films produced and Pabitra Goswami directed the political satire, Bhoot Ji Kar. The "witch queen" and her network of political ghosts who dominate the system through corruption and threat culture are at the focus of this allegorical investigation of contemporary societal decay, which employs a cast of theatre-trained actors. The story has a strong contemporary connection; in particular, it reflects the widespread unrest and judicia
News Desk, News Nation 360 : Kartikeya Vajpai, who happens to be a novice author, recently launched his novel, The Unbecoming, at the prestigious Oxford Bookstore in Kolkata. Written by Kartikeya Vajpai and published by Penguin Random House India, The Unbecoming delves into big philosophical and spiritual questions; what can be a more relevant theme for a city that boasts about itself for its laid-back demeanour and reflective nature? He also had a casual chat with Jimmy Tang
News Desk, News Nation 360 : Dr Bhaskar Mitra's book "From Seals to Survival: Echoes of the Unspoken Crusade Against TB in India" was formally introduced by the Bengal Tuberculosis Association (BTA) in Kolkata. It provides a unique and captivating look into India's protracted and changing battle against tuberculosis. The book details the government-issued postal seals and stamps that are produced every year on October 2 to raise awareness of tuberculosis, as well as India's p
News Desk. News Nation 360: On April 21, 2026, Tulir Taane, a dance and music academy close to Kasba, South Kolkata, successfully held its 26th annual cultural event at Madhusudan Mancha. The event, which brought together mainstream kids and children with special needs on the same stage under the theme of "Samanway" (Harmony), included a potent blend of inclusivity. A student of Pt. Birju Maharaj and Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra, founder and principal, Dr Nupur Mukherjee spearhe
News Desk. News Nation 360: On May 2, 2026, at 6:00 PM, Gyan Manch in Kolkata will host The Farewell Letter, a dramatised English reading of Rabindranath Tagore's classic work Sesher Kobita. The production, which is presented by Two Dots Entertainment and SPC Kraft, is directed by seasoned actor Sohag Sen and conceived by Sujoy Prasad Chatterjee. The performance challenges conventional cultural conceptions of love and marriage by examining the intellectual and emotional subtl
News Desk. News Nation 360: In collaboration with PayU, WhatsApp has introduced a new service that enables Indian customers to finish prepaid cell recharges for Jio, Airtel, and Vi from within the app. The feature, which allows users to top up their own numbers or those of friends and relatives without navigating between several programs, was announced in April 2026 and is currently being rolled out in phases across Android and iOS. WhatsApp has added a specific rupee (₹) ico
News Desk. News Nation 360: The Kolkata-based Shyam Metalics and Energy Limited (SMEL) has announced a strategic extension of its manufacturing capacity at the Pakuria facility in West Bengal. The company successfully commissioned and started commercial production from two new Annealing Furnaces with 25 MT and 30 MT annual capacities on April 21, 2026. By streamlining the annealing process, these changes are intended to increase production efficiency and guarantee consistent
News Desk. News Nation 360: In honour of Akshaya Tritiya 2026, which is celebrated on April 19, Malabar Gold & Diamonds has introduced their East India-only collection, Chitrangi, throughout West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand. The collection, which aims to bridge the gap between traditional temple jewellery and contemporary wearability, draws inspiration from the cultural legacy of the area and includes elements from temple carvings, alpana art, and shankh (conch) forms. Thro
News Desk, News Nation 360: The Calcutta Times Fashion Week 2026 in Kolkata had the Indian Institute of Fashion and Design (IIFD) Kolkata as the Title Partner for the event, which featured a new student display called “ROOT CODE.” This combines India’s rich cultural legacy with the world’s fashion trends. Expect to see Indo-Western styles with a touch of modernity through the use of the latest styles in clothing, including corset-style blouses, stacked jackets, and daring asy
News Desk. News Nation 360: August 2026 will see the start of the first academic year at Bengaluru's Ramaiah Institute of Science and Management (RISM), a new deemed-to-be institution founded by the Gokula Education Foundation (Medical) in collaboration with the institution at Albany (SUNY). Undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs in engineering, business, and science will be offered by RISM, which is envisioned as a next-generation STEM and management university. Init
News Desk. News Nation 360: The Apple AI Innovation Center, a cutting-edge facility devoted to improving artificial intelligence research and immersive learning, has opened at Narula Institute of Technology (NiT), a prestigious JIS Group educational project in Kolkata. The center, which was formally opened in April 2026 (after the institute's historic AI Utkarsh 2026 conference), is intended to give students practical experience with machine learning, deep learning, and intel
News Desk. News Nation 360: Until April 30, 2026, Maple, The Conclave Verde, situated in the Upohar complex at Chak Garia, Kolkata, is holding "The Pasta & Risotto Affair," a specially designed à la carte festival that is open every day from 12:00 PM to 10:45 PM. Rich pasta dishes like Arrabiata Orzo with Pesto Bread and Spinach & Ricotta Open Faced Ravioli coexist with decadent non-vegetarian options like Lamb Lasagne Verde and Vermicelli Alla Borbonica with Chicken at this
News Desk. News Nation 360 : With delectable meals and the sense of community, Poila Boishakh unites families in joyful celebration. As people greet each other with a happy and hopeful new year, it signifies the start of the Bengali New Year. The city's IHCL hotels have put up a bouquet of exclusive deals this year that showcase traditional Bengali culture. With a wonderful display of traditional tastes, this Poila Boishakh, Taj Bengal Kolkata, offers the cosiness of fresh st
News Desk. News Nation 360: On April 26, 2026, inDrive, a worldwide mobility and community platform, successfully held its Driving Partner of the Month Winner Distribution Event in Kolkata to recognise the outstanding efforts of its driving partners. 25 top-performing drivers in the autorickshaw, moto, and cab categories were honoured by the initiative for their commitment to the platform's "fair pricing" approach and high calibre of service. High-value prizes, such as a bran
News Desk. News Nation 360: In an effort to restore the custom of fresh stone grinding into contemporary Indian households, SOFTEL, a kitchenware company with over 35 years of manufacturing experience based in Ahmedabad, has introduced its small Ghar Ghanti (domestic flour mill). The device, which was unveiled on April 18, 2026, is made to fit easily on kitchen platforms while still having enough power to grind dry spices, wheat, and millets. With a capacity of 7.5 to 10 kg p