Parthapratim Dash | পার্থপ্রতিম দাশ | पार्थप्रतिम दाश

Imagine this: you’re scrolling through WhatsApp, and a message pops up from an unknown number with   a photo of a smiling elderly man and a question,  “Do you know this person?”  It seems harmless, so you download the image to take a closer look.   Minutes later, your bank account is lighter by ₹2 lakh*. This isn’t a far-fetched story—it happened to a 28-year-old man in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, and similar incidents are becoming alarmingly common across India.   WhatsApp, the app we all rely on for daily chats, is now a playground for cybercriminals using sneaky techniques like steganography and malicious APKs to turn innocent-looking files into digital traps.   Let’s unpack the risks, understand how these scams work, and learn how to protect ourselves. The Growing Danger of WhatsApp Media Downloads WhatsApp is a lifeline for millions in India—whether it’s sharing memes, family photos, or work documents. With over a third of the world’s population using th...

In a major update for railway passengers across India, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has announced that Aadhaar authentication will be mandatory for all Tatkal train ticket bookings starting 1st July 2025 . This new guideline, issued as part of Government directives, will apply to bookings made through both the IRCTC website and the IRCTC Rail Connect mobile app .  What This Means for Passengers Tatkal tickets, often the last-minute lifeline for many travellers, will soon be available only to users whose IRCTC accounts are linked and authenticated with their Aadhaar number . Without this authentication, users will not be allowed to proceed with Tatkal bookings post the cut-off date. The move is aimed at enhancing transparency, curbing misuse of the Tatkal quota, and streamlining the identification process for ticket buyers. How to Authenticate Your Aadhaar with IRCTC To avoid any disruption in your travel plans, IRCTC advises users to complete t...

Recently, I came across something that truly shocked me—and as a conscious consumer, it was hard to ignore. A well-known Indian newspaper, available in print for ₹9 (clearly printed on the physical copy), was being sold on its official digital platform in PDF format for ₹25 . That's almost three times the printed MRP! Curious and concerned, I immediately contacted the customer support number listed on their site. I asked why the online version was priced more than the printed MRP. The response? “It’s a management decision.” No further explanation . I then checked their Terms and Conditions, Privacy Polic y —every legal and consumer protection section you'd expect from a responsible platform. To my surprise, they were all blank or missing .  So, I took the next logical step. I dialed 1915 , the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), to file a formal complaint. I explained my issue in detail. The executive assured me that the complaint would be taken seriously and action would be ...

In a landmark stride toward the future of secure communication, India has marked a significant milestone in quantum technology. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, has successfully demonstrated free-space quantum secure communication using quantum entanglement over a distance exceeding one kilometer. This pioneering achievement places India firmly on the global map of quantum innovation and opens up new frontiers in cyber security, defense communication, and the much-anticipated quantum internet. Quantum Leap in Secure Communication The demonstration, conducted on the IIT Delhi campus, leveraged a free-space optical link to achieve entanglement-based quantum key distribution (QKD). A secure key rate of approximately 240 bits per second was achieved, with a remarkably low quantum bit error rate of under 7%. This breakthrough isn't just about speed or distance—it’s about fundamentally reimagin...