Laxmi Devi

Senior journalist with Press Trust of India.

[Press Trust of India @PTI_News]

VIDEO | An Indian entrepreneur who lost his entire crop to drought a decade ago is investing Rs 214 crore in artificial intelligence-enabled hydroponic farming to grow high-value spices and medicinal plants in Karnataka.

Vivek Raj, founder and CEO of Mangalore-based Panama Hydro-X, says, "We have been doing research in hydroponics farming over the last 10 years has been focused on saffron and medicinal plants. My company is launching the hydroponic division. I've been doing research for saffron and 67 different medicinal plants and we are starting this facility in India by next year, 2027."

#PTIAtAIImpactSummit #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026
#AIImpactSummit2026

(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/bIyFWTfmBd)

[Press Trust of India @PTI_News]

STORY | Skilled blue-collar workers fly to work sites as infrastructure boom narrows class divide

Love Kush, a 19-year-old construction worker from Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh, is fiddling with his smartphone onboard the aircraft from Delhi to Bengaluru, only the second time he is travelling by air, as he looks forward to report for duty.

READ: https://t.co/q7f7KAS70W

[Press Trust of India @PTI_News]

VIDEO | Speaking on the adoption of Nano Urea and Nano DAP, amid concerns raised over inconsistent results and long-term soil and food chain safety, Fertiliser cooperative major IFFCO Managing Director KJ Patel says, "I am not satisfied, as although IFFCO's initial assumptions were based on trial results from agricultural universities, research centres and field trials that showed nano fertilisers to be effective, the market growth within the country has not met expectations. And for that reason, we need to give more attention, which we are giving now, that is towards training to the farmers. So, we have engaged additional SFA's, the field assistants, who are now moving from village to village. We are going door-to-door to explain the farmers that how they can improve the utilisation of nano fertilizers in a right way to reap the benefits of this innovative fertilizer. Unfortunately, we need to put in more efforts because we have not been yet satisfying our manufacturing capability."

(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/bIyFWTfmBd)

[Press Trust of India @PTI_News]

VIDEO | Speaking on whether IFFCO's profits will grow, remain flat or decline in 2025–26 after the fertiliser cooperative posted a 16 per cent profit growth last year despite falling subsidies and high gas prices, Fertiliser cooperative major IFFCO Managing Director KJ Patel says, "Our profits come from our joint ventures - those in Oman and Jordan, as well as our trading house in Dubai. These ventures are helping us generate profits. We also have subsidiaries and business associates in India, such as IPL and several other wholly owned or partially owned investments of IFFCO, from which we receive substantial dividends. Taken together, all this means that IFFCO will continue to make profits. To what extent, I can say our target is around 10 per cent more than the previous year, and so far, we have been successful."

(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/bIyFWTeOLF)

[Press Trust of India @PTI_News]

VIDEO | Speaking on criticism that nano fertilisers benefit the subsidy bill more than farmers' yields and on the absence of comprehensive independent multi-year third-party data even four years after launch, Fertiliser cooperative major IFFCO Managing Director KJ Patel says, "Third-party independent studies are not of primary importance to us; what matters most is the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). We have been in discussions with the fertiliser and agriculture ministries, and since there are multiple companies producing nano fertilisers using different manufacturing processes, it was felt that all such products should be tested at a single location rather than in separate private laboratories. Accordingly, ICAR or ICAR-appointed laboratories will conduct these tests, with costs being shared... The laboratory is being developed under ICAR's supervision as per the directions of the Departments of Fertilisers and Agriculture, and the ministries will monitor the process and ensure that the quality of nano fertilisers from different manufacturers is assessed and the results are published publicly, with the labs expected to be ready within the next six months."

(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/bIyFWTfmBd)

[Press Trust of India @PTI_News]

STORY | Sambalpur's 160-year-old sweet shop wants GI tag for rare 'Sarsatia' dessert

A 160-year-old sweet shop in Sambalpur, Odisha, is seeking Geographical Indication (GI) tag protection for 'Sarsatia', a rare dessert made from 'Ganjer' tree resin that the owner Prabhu Lal claims is available nowhere else in the country.

READ: https://t.co/pVH3x35qM7

(PTI Photo)

[Laxmi Devi @pen2laxmi]

Your #PressClub needs a fresher start
Where every member plays their part
Not bound by groups or old alliances
But standing firm in self-reliance

Your ballot holds the power today
For Press Club's future, make your choice
Stand with us - your free, fresh voice

Vote for #change

[Manvendra Jha @MANVENDRAJHA]

Vote for #Change We #Guarantee to make #PressClub a vibrant platform for exchange of views between newspersons and newsmakers, not a congregation of profiteers. Please vote for Laxmi and Atul

[Manvendra Jha @MANVENDRAJHA]

Vote for #change We #Guarantee to make @PCITweets the most affordable club in Delhi. More footfall, no profiteering

[Manvendra Jha @MANVENDRAJHA]

Vote for #change; not for profiteers @PCITweets

[Barun Jha @barunjha]

Let's vote for change @PCITweets

[Laxmi Devi @pen2laxmi]

The #Janasena Party, which won two seats in Andhra Pradesh as a constituent of the NDA, is likely to get the deputy speaker's post in the Lok Sabha.

https://t.co/g8OdiuEZhy

[Laxmi Devi @pen2laxmi]

In Andhra’s silk hub, weavers’ cry for help echoes through election season. #BJP #TDP @TexMinIndia

https://t.co/0dFgpHJc9c

[Laxmi Devi @pen2laxmi]

BJP National General Secretary Y Satya Kumar tries to weave a future for himself in the saree weaving town of Dharmavaram assembly constituency, Andhra Pradesh. For more details, read my story.

https://t.co/Md1dwnH3sS

[Press Trust of India @PTI_News]

STORY | TDP's priority is to 'rebuild' Andhra Pradesh, take it out of debt trap: Kanakamedal Ravindra Kumar

READ: https://t.co/NaDIZHvyno

[Laxmi Devi @pen2laxmi]

Will take Delhi model school to Telangana: CM K Chandrashekar Rao after visiting a school in the national capital. @TelanganaCMO @MinisterKTR @TSEduDept

[Rama Subrahmanyam (MODI KA PARIVAR) @ramug0137]

@_pallavighosh All the Best

[PVSN Murty @PARNANDYMURTY]

@_pallavighosh All the best @_pallavighosh for your Panels success

[pallavi ghosh @_pallavighosh]

We are ready- for the change. .. are you ? ☺️

[pallavi ghosh @_pallavighosh]

Thanks @sanket and brave of u 😜