PRINCE CHARLES on Tuesday (18) launched the Tata Motors' Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) innovation centre at the University of Warwick in central England.
The £150-million National Automotive Innovation Centre (NAIC), dedicated to advanced automotive research, design and development, will house up to 1,000 academics, researchers, engineers and designers from across the UK and India to work on cars and vehicles of the future.
The centre is largest automotive research and development facility of its kind in the continent.
The collaboration between Tata Motors, JLR and the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) is aimed at creating sustainable future mobility projects, including electrified and autonomous vehicles.
“This centre in the heart of the United Kingdom brings together from industry and academia some of the brightest minds to tackle some of our society’s toughest problems,” said Prince Charles, who marked the 50th anniversary of his legendary speech on environment.
“In all the years what has always struck me is the need for a cooperative, joint up approach between all those who are pursuing the same goal by whatever means,” he added at the launch attended by Tata Group chairman emeritus Ratan Tata.
“This centre is now pulling together many of the most talented people tackling society’s greatest mobility challenges and is helping to shape the future of the automotive industry.”
The 33,000sq.m centre is designed as an innovative, collaborative workspace and includes cutting-edge workshops, labs, virtual engineering suites and advanced powertrain facilities.
“At Jaguar and Land Rover, we believe in creating a better tomorrow for mobility. A future of zero emissions, zero congestion and zero accidents,” said JLR CEO Ralf Speth.
“We call it ‘Destination Zero’ and the National Automotive Innovation Centre will make sure we get there,” he said.
Speth explained that at the NAIC, academics, manufacturers and suppliers will work towards developing a smart, safe transport infrastructure that integrates autonomous vehicles and public transport, design zero-emission vehicles powered by smart-chargers and renewable energy, and discover material and digital manufacturing innovations that will eliminate waste.
As part of the NAIC’s integrated approach, engineers from Tata Motors’ Pune design team will come to the UK on a temporary basis and colleagues from Britain will also work in India.
Guenter Butschek, CEO and MD of Tata Motors, said: “The National Automotive Innovation Centre brings together our UK-based engineering and design experts to one setting, providing greater synergy on ground-breaking design and technologies with a focus on connected, electric, shared and safe, that will help shape future mobility solutions in India.
“Its virtual engineering suite, powertrain facilities, laboratories and cutting-edge design workshop provide an inspiring, productive and collaborative environment for the future.”
The concept for the NAIC was initiated by the late Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, who founded the Warwick Manufacturing Group, and the building it is housed in is named after him.
“The late Professor Lord Bhattacharyya''s vision was for future generations of designers, researchers and engineers to be inspired to innovate through collaborative research projects with manufacturers, suppliers and academia at the National Automotive Innovation Centre,” said Professor David Mullins, interim head of the WMG.
The WMG said that students and apprentices work alongside experts and leaders in their fields at the new centre, which will also transform university curricula over time to supports emerging technologies and mobility solutions.
“Its location underscores Coventry, Warwickshire and the West Midlands' leading roles in UK and international automotive innovation and research,” said Professor Stuart Croft, the vice-chancellor of the University of Warwick.
The launch event also marked the unveiling of JLR’s new concept vehicle created at the NAIC, Project Vector, as part of the company’s Destination Zero vision of an autonomous, electric, connected future for urban mobility.
The UK’s largest automotive manufacturer JLR said that Project Vector showcases an advanced, flexible, multi-use electric vehicle that is “autonomy-ready”.
“It has been developed at the National Automotive Innovation Centre to gain the advantages of working with agility and close collaboration with academic and external partners,” added JLR.
A 21-year-old man has been sentenced to 14 weeks' imprisonment and a two-year restraining order for sending racist death threats to Rishi Sunak in June last year, when he was the prime minister.
Liam Shaw from Birkenhead in Merseyside, pleaded guilty to sending two threatening and offensive emails to the public parliamentary email address of Sunak, MP for Richmond and Northallerton in Yorkshire, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.
The emails were spotted by Sunak’s personal assistant and reported to the police.
"Liam Shaw took to his phone that night to send racist and threatening messages to a person in an extremely important public office,” said Matthew Dixon, senior crown prosecutor at CPS Mersey Cheshire.
“Racist abuse has no place, anywhere, in this day and age," he said.
Police traced the email, sent via a mobile phone, to Shaw’s email address and to a hostel where he was staying in Birkenhead.
He was arrested by police on September 3, 2024, and when the allegations were put to him, he claimed, “I don’t even remember sending an email. I was probably drunk.”
He was taken to a police station in Liverpool and interviewed, but remained silent throughout, according to the CPS.
Shaw was charged with two counts of sending by a public communication network an offensive, indecent, obscene, or menacing message.
Last month, when Shaw appeared before Liverpool Magistrates’ Court to face those charges, he pleaded guilty to both counts.
He was sentenced last Wednesday (13) at the same court to 14 weeks' imprisonment for both counts to run concurrently, with the sentence suspended for 12 months under strict stipulations.
Shaw must also complete 20 days of a rehabilitation activity and a six-month drug rehabilitation course.The CPS had also applied for a restraining order, which the court imposed for two years.
It states that Shaw must have no contact with Sunak or his constituency office for at least that period of time.
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First Hindu chaplin Bhanu Attri (C) on the parade ground with fellow passing out cadets (Photo: Royal Navy)
AN ASIAN officer has spoken of his “profound honour” after he was appointed as the first-ever Hindu chaplain in the Royal Navy.
Bhanu Attri, originally from Himachal Pradesh in north India, took over his new role last week and will offer spiritual support to fellow naval officers, based on the tenets of Hinduism.
“As a Hindu brought up in India, the chance to represent individuals from other diverse religions brings meaningful representation for the Hindu community and reflects the Navy’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and spiritual care for all,” said the 39-year-old.
“To become the first-ever Hindu chaplain in the fleet is a profound honour.
“My family feels immense pride, a pride grounded in generations of faith, service, and resilience,” he added.
Attri went through six weeks of officer instruction, including four weeks at sea aboard the warship HMS Iron Duke, and three weeks focused on the role of a military chaplain.
He was among 148 new officers among the so-called “leaders of tomorrow”, including warfare specialists, engineers, overseas and all cadets who joined from civilian life who completed their “Initial Officer Training” last week.
After up to 29 weeks of demanding instruction at Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) in Dartmouth, they transformed from civilian to sailor and formally passed out at a BRNC ceremony in front of friends, family and senior naval officers.
“We live in a perilous world and as a service we must respond to the challenges to our nation’s security, also with confidence – and that means we need people like you that can offer leadership of the highest quality,” said Andrew Burns, vice-admiral and the Royal Navy’s senior operational commander who was the guest of honour at the ceremony.
“There is no greater commitment than to serve your country, and to lead others to do the same,” he said.
The training is designed to teach the basics of serving in the military, such as drill and uniform, through the fundamentals of leadership, seafaring, naval history and strategy.
Bhanu Attri addresses fellow cadets and staff in BRNC's chapel (Photo: Royal Navy)
In addition to extensive time in the classroom and on the parade ground, cadets head out on to Dartmoor to learn and develop leadership and teamwork skills, spend time at sea aboard an operational warship, and conduct training on specialist Vahana boats on the River Dart and in the English Channel.
“Commissioning into the Royal Navy is a moment none of us forget, and it has been a privilege to follow these officers through their training. What awaits is a life of duty and frontline service,” said Captain Andy Bray, Captain Britannia Royal Naval College.
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The victims, believed to be in their 60s and 70s, were taken to hospital after the incident and later discharged. (Photo for representation: iStock)
THREEmen have been arrested following a shocking attack on two elderly Sikh men outside Wolverhampton Railway Station, which is now being investigated as a racially-aggravated hate crime.
British Transport Police (BTP) confirmed on Monday (18) that the assault took place on Friday (15). The victims, believed to be in their 60s and 70s, were taken to hospital after the incident and later discharged.
A disturbing 20-second video, widely circulated on social media, shows one of the Sikh men lying on the ground without his turban, while the other is kicked and punched. The video has been viewed over a million times and has sparked outrage both in the UK and abroad.
In a statement, BTP said: "We’re aware of a video on social media and understand the concern this will have caused in the community. We will not tolerate this sort of behaviour on the railway network and have launched a full investigation."
The suspects, aged 17, 19 and 25, have been arrested on suspicion of racially-aggravated assault and have been released on bail while investigations continue.
The Sikh Federation UK, which spoke directly to the victims, described the attack as "vicious". According to the Federation, both men are local taxi drivers who were working outside the station when the assault happened.
"A group of three white men exited the station and approached one of the drivers, demanding to be taken to Oldbury," the organisation said. "They were rude, abusive, and ignored instructions to use the proper taxi rank. When the driver refused, they attacked him, and the second driver was assaulted when he tried to help."
The video also featured a bystander, believed to be a woman recording the incident, shouting: "These two men have just gotten beaten up by these white men!" before yelling at the attackers to stop.
The incident has drawn strong condemnation from Sikh leaders and political figures. India's Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal said on social media: "This racist hate crime targets the Sikh community, which always seeks Sarbat Da Bhala – the well-being of all." He added that one of the men's turbans was "forcibly removed", calling it a deeply disrespectful act.
Badal urged West Midlands Police and the UK Home Office to act swiftly, and also appealed to India’s external affairs minister S. Jaishankar to take up the matter with the British government to ensure the safety of the Sikh diaspora.
India's opposition Congress party's Punjab state chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring also condemned the incident, calling it a “disturbing setback for inter-community harmony” and demanded diplomatic action.
BTP said it is continuing to appeal for witnesses and further video evidence. Anyone with information is urged to contact them directly.
The Sikh community, both in the UK and internationally, has called for justice and greater protection for minorities following the incident.
BRITAIN needs more talented migrants who can create jobs and wealth in this country, a media expert has said, citing evidence from the latest edition of Eastern Eye’s Asian Rich List 2025.
Writing in the Independent on Saturday (16), Chris Blackhurst argued that “against the present backdrop of protests against immigration, the Asian Rich List illustrates that the UK has so much to be thankful for.” He added, “It is hard to imagine where the economy, wider society, would be without the loyalty, tenacity and public spirit of those on the list and the ones ascending fast. We urgently need more like them, not less.”
Blackhurst is an experienced business journalist and was previously the editor of the Independent from 2011-2013.In his comment piece, he noted how businessman Surinder Arora is one the leading hoteliers in the UK, having arrived in this country with very little money.
Arora owns Renaissance Hotel at Heathrow, where he was employed as a waiter, as well as the Fairmont Windsor Park, the InterContinental in east London, near the O2, and Luton Hoo, which he is developing as a luxury golf and health spa. “Arora’s story typifies the members of this year’s Asian Rich List,” Blackhurst said, adding, “what characterises many is a strong work ethic, coupled with relentless drive and determination to succeed.”
He also cited the examples of former prime minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty, whose father NR Narayana Murthy co-founded Infosys, the Indian IT giant.
Among other insights, Blackhurst noted the younger generation of Asian immigrants stepping up to take over the business empires built by their parents, such as the Arora’s son Sanjay and the Hinduja family. This year’s Asian Rich List includes 17 billionaires, while it is estimated the combined wealth of the 101 richest British Asians in the country is £126.26 billion, an increase of £6.22bn from the previous year.
Many Asians have made their mark in the hospitality and hotels sector. It was reported on Monday (18) that Arora has acquired the Ministry of Justice’s £245 million, with a view to revamping it into a luxury hotel in central London.
“Arora Group, owned by the billionaire Surinder Arora, has bought Queen Anne’s Mansions, near Buckingham Palace, from Land Securities, the FTSE 100 landlord,” the Times said, adding “the fourteen-storey building is fully let to the MoJ, which is due to move out in 2028 when its £15 million-a-year lease expires.”
The Hinduja family restored the former Old War Office Building in Whitehall into a luxury 120-room Raffles Hotel and with 85 serviced apartments.Another Asian businessman making headlines is Sharan Pasricha whose Estelle Manor, a country house hotel in Oxfordshire, was the venue for the wedding of Eve Jobs (the daughter of Steve Jobs) for her recent wedding.
Pasricha bought The Hoxton in London, in 2012 as well as Gleneagles in Scotland before transforming the hotel and golfing complex. While growing their wealth, many Asians are also committed to philanthropy, Blackhurst noted, among them Nirmal Sethia and Cyrus and Priya Vandrevala. Sethia provided funds for victims of the Grenfell fire and supports the Museum of London, while the Vandrevala couple are known for their work in mental health and are also patrons of Elephant Family.
London. A five-day Shiv Katha has begun at the International Siddhashram Shakti Centre to honour the victims of the tragic Air India crash, with prayers offered for their eternal peace. The programme, running from 18 to 22 August, is being led by HH Shri Rajrajeshwar Guruji with recitations by PP Shri Jogi Dada, and attended by devotees and dignitaries from India and abroad.
Opening the Katha, Shri Jogi Dada called it both a spiritual gathering and a heartfelt tribute to the passengers of the Ahmedabad–London flight. “Mahadev’s darshan equals a pilgrimage. It is inspiring to see the younger generation engaging in bhakti, which is vital for preserving our heritage."
Guruji spoke on the eternal energy of Shiv Shakti and chetna (consciousness). “Shiva is not just a deity but the ultimate consciousness. Through Shiv Katha we awaken inner energy and spread vibrations of peace across the world. May the departed souls attain eternal peace, and may their memories guide us towards compassion and unity,” he said.
The inaugural day saw the presence of Chaitanya Shambhu Maharaj, Shri Maheshbhai Bhatt, Dhruvbhai Bhatt and Rajendrabhai Thakkar. The evening concluded with Aarti and a sacred Rudrabhishek, performed in memory of the crash victims.