Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

British Indian, industry champion Lord Bhattacharyya passes away

BRITISH-INDIAN engineer, educator, and government advisor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya - who helped to save Jaguar Land Rover from 2008 global recession - passed away today (1).

He was aged 78.


Lord Bhattacharyya breathed his last at home after suffering from a short illness.

India-born Lord Bhattacharyya was a high-profile figure in the West Midlands business and higher education community.

He founded the research institute, Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), at the University of Warwick in 1980s; it now has a global reputation for its collaborative approach by combining educational excellence with practical relevance to industry.

Lord Bhattacharyya was the first professor of manufacturing in the UK and was a huge champion for the industry sector.

He was also a regular commentator on issues affecting the industry and was best known for lending his support to broker the 2008 deal for the Indian business giant Tata to acquire JLR from Ford as it teetered on the edge of collapsing.

Lord Bhattacharyyawas was also worked in the acquisition of Corus to form Tata Steel Europe.

Prof Dr Ralf Speth, chief executive officer, Jaguar Land Rover said: "It is with great sadness that we have been informed of the passing of Professor Lord Bhattacharyya.

“He was an exceptional mentor to many people at Jaguar Land Rover and will be greatly missed. Through his clear vision, strong sense of purpose and his warm charismatic personality, he energised people of all ages and backgrounds and created momentum for creativity and positive change.”

Sir David Normington, chairman of council and pro-chancellor of University of Warwick, said: "Long before I joined the University of Warwick Council, I knew of Professor Lord Bhattacharyya as an adviser to successive prime ministers and secretaries of state and a tireless advocate for UK manufacturing industry.”

More For You

Tesco Clubcard Changes: Update Your App Before the Deadline

The digital Clubcard offers convenience and flexibility

Getty

Tesco Clubcard changes: Customers urged to update app before Monday deadline

Tesco has issued an urgent call for action to millions of its Clubcard users, advising them to update their Tesco Shopping & Clubcard app before Monday, 31 March 2025. The supermarket giant is rolling out an important update to improve data protection and online security, and failure to update the app by the deadline will leave customers unable to access their digital Clubcard benefits.

Update to ensure enhanced security

The upcoming changes are being implemented to enhance the security of customer data and improve overall protection. Tesco has highlighted the importance of this upgrade, as it seeks to safeguard customer information and keep their online shopping experiences secure.

Keep ReadingShow less
OpenAI Restricts ChatGPT’s Image Feature After Viral Ghibli Trend

Altman addressed the impact of the popular Ghibli-style image trend on OpenAI’s resources

Getty

OpenAI limits ChatGPT’s image generation feature amid viral Ghibli image trend

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has announced temporary limitations on the company’s image generation feature in response to overwhelming demand driven by a viral trend. On Thursday, Altman addressed the impact of the popular Ghibli-style image trend on OpenAI’s resources, particularly its reliance on GPUs (graphics processing units). Altman revealed that the surge in demand for ChatGPT’s image generation tool has led to significant strain on the company’s infrastructure, prompting the introduction of temporary speed limits for users.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Altman shared the company’s response to the unexpected demand, stating, “It’s super fun seeing people love images in ChatGPT, but our GPUs are melting. We are going to temporarily introduce some rate limits while we work on making it more efficient. Hopefully won’t be long! ChatGPT free tier will get 3 generations per day soon.”

Keep ReadingShow less
UK-business-district-Getty
The Canary Wharf business district including global financial institutions in London. (Photo: Getty Images)

Economic growth in 2024 slightly higher than estimated: ONS

THE UK economy grew slightly more than first estimated in 2024, according to official data released on Friday, providing a small boost for the government after it revised down its growth forecast for 2025.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said gross domestic product expanded by 1.1 per cent in 2024, up from an initial estimate of 0.9 per cent.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sri Lanka posts five per cent GDP growth as it ends years of economic decline

Sri Lanka's president Anura Kumara Dissanayake

Sri Lanka posts five per cent GDP growth as it ends years of economic decline

CASH-STRAPPED Sri Lanka’s economy grew by five per cent in 2024, marking the first full year of expansion since its unprecedented meltdown in 2022, official data showed last Tuesday (18).

The last quarter of 2024 saw the economy expand by 5.4 per cent, bringing the full calendar year’s GDP growth to five per cent, compared to a contraction of 2.3 per cent in 2023.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said, 'What we’re going to be doing is a 25 per cent tariff on all cars that are not made in the US.'

Getty Images

Trump imposes 25 per cent tariffs on foreign-built cars

US president Donald Trump has announced a 25 per cent tariff on imported cars and auto parts, escalating trade tensions with key partners.

The new duties take effect on 3 April and apply to foreign-made cars and light trucks, with additional levies on key auto parts set to follow within the month.

Keep ReadingShow less