The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved another leap in its quest for self-reliance in space, successfully launching the heaviest communication satellite ever lifted from Indian soil using its formidable heavy-lift rocket, the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3). Affectionately nicknamed ‘Bahubali’ for its sheer power, the LVM3-M5 mission placed the critical 4,410 kg CMS-03 spacecraft into a precise Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) on Sunday, November 2, 2025, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

7 reasons to appreciate vultures

Doing our dirty jobs of clearing animal carcass for generations, extraordinary scavenging birds of prey, the vultures, deserve our gratitude and attention. Associated with goddesses in Egyptian mythology and revered hero in Indian mythology as Jatayu who sacrificed himself to save Sita, and once commonly seen; today, most species of vultures face extinction worldwide. Four out of nine species of vulture in India are critically endangered; it is now crucial to understand this often overlooked ecologically important bird. Let us learn, be aware and most importantly, share this knowledge before it is too late. 

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