APDTI Network convened the Cognetix IoT Summit 2026, here on Thursday, bringing together industry stalwarts, startups, academic minds, and policymakers.

The flagship event underscored a definitive shift: the Internet of Things is rapidly evolving from basic device connectivity into a sophisticated layer of artificial intelligence, edge intelligence, and autonomous decision-making.

Held under the aegis of Cognetix—an ecosystem platform championing Industrial IoT, Robotics, Autonomous Systems, and DeepTech—the summit laid bare the roadmap for positioning Visakhapatnam and Andhra Pradesh as powerhouse hubs for emerging technologies.

Inaugurating the summit, Sreedhar Kosaraju, chairman of the APDTI Network, emphasised that India’s next technological leap hinges on converging IoT, Edge Computing, and AI. He noted that machines are moving past mere data collection into systems capable of understanding and action.

Vijay Kumar Sahu, Regional Head of NRDC and Chief Guest of the event, stressed the critical need to bridge knowledge with wealth creation. He called for rigorous protection of intellectual property and indigenous innovations to fuel India’s wider technology momentum.

Adding an operational perspective, Ravi Eswarappu, CEO of RTIH, highlighted the local rollout of high-end incubation infrastructure—including GPU and prototyping laboratories—designed to fast-track startups and student innovators.

Talent AP President Suresh Narra spotlighted grassroots initiatives like hackathons and the Professor of Practice program to ready the workforce for future demands.

The technical sessions dove deep into real-world applications, moving past boardroom theories. Experts from Infosys, Bosch, and Dharanova dissected how Edge AI, TinyML, and Agentic AI are transforming manufacturing, port logistics, aquaculture, and energy grids. Key sessions also spotlighted predictive operations in heavy industries, featuring heavyweights from NSTL, HPCL, and RINL (Vizag Steel).

A major highlight was the celebration of regional trailblazers at the IoT Awards. Recognition went to AVN Agrobharat (MilkPro) for IoT Innovation of the Year, PRAGYA (MBEI) for Best Industrial IoT Deployment, and NcCode Vend Systems as the Best IoT Startup in Vizag/AP.

Visakhapatnam District Collector M. Abhishikth Kishore on Wednesday inspected arrangements at the Andhra university Engineering College grounds where Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is set to attend a house-site distribution programme on September 19 and handover house documents to 26,426 beneficiaries.

The Collector inspected the main stage, beneficiary galleries, parking areas, entry and exit routes, drinking water points, toilets and food arrangements. He directed officials to complete preparations in advance to avoid inconvenience to beneficiaries.

He discussed transport and food arrangements for beneficiaries arriving from distant areas and asked officials to provide guidance and staff to help them reach their designated areas.

Mr. Kishore also reviewed security, traffic management and parking. He directed the police, district administration and other departments concerned to work in coordination. MP M. Sribharat, legislators Ganta Srinivasa Rao, Palla Srinivasa Rao, Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu and Vishnu Kumar Raju, and Police Commissioner Shankhabrata Bagchi were also present.

The Andhra Pradesh government has issued orders for administrative division and restructuring of Zilla Parishads following the formation of new districts.

As per the new directives, the Zilla Parishad offices will now function from their respective new district headquarters in Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, and Alluri Sitharama Raju districts.

The restructuring process addresses administrative bottlenecks that arose after new districts were carved out in April 2022. At that time, Zilla Parishad elections had concluded under the unified setup, and administrative hurdles initially prevented the division of elected bodies to match the new geographical boundaries.

Consequently, elected panels continued functioning on a unified district basis, attended jointly by Collectors and officials from Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, and Alluri Sitharama Raju districts.

With the current term of the local body governing councils scheduled to expire on September 24, the government accelerated the division. The existing staff members are being reallocated across the three newly created district administrations, based on population density and the relative count of mandals.

According to the allocation framework, Anakapalli district—comprising 24 mandals—will receive 60% of the existing personnel. Alluri Sitharama Raju district, encompassing 11 mandals, has been allocated 30% of the workforce, while Visakhapatnam, which now retains four rural mandals, accounts for the remaining 10%.

The district authorities noted that independent institutional spaces are critical for streamlining rural development schemes and ensuring localised governance.

“Preparations are being done to set up full-fledged administrative machinery at the respective headquarters before the incumbent board’s tenure officially expires later this month,” a senior official told The Hindu on Tuesday.

Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) has docked the Indian Navy’s largest amphibious warship, INS Jalashwa, into its premier building dock here.

It is the first time in HSL’s history that such a massive military platform has been accommodated for dry-docking, signalling a major leap forward for indigenous ship maintenance capabilities on the country’s eastern seaboard.

INS Jalashwa, an Austin-class amphibious transport dock acquired from the U.S.A., measures approximately 175 metres in length and over 28 metres in width. The warship played a major humanitarian role during Operation Samudra Setu launched by the Indian Navy in May 2020. Alongside other vessels, INS Jalashwa was deployed to successfully repatriate hundreds of stranded Indian citizens from foreign shores during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Comprehensive docking analyses were performed beforehand, factoring in the ship’s precise weight distribution, hull geometry, and specialised structural nuances. Safety standards and clearance parameters were strictly monitored to ensure the vessel was securely guided into the dock.

With the warship now safely secured inside the facility, HSL is undertaking a comprehensive package of complex structural repairs, overhauls, and modernisation works.

While specific financial figures for individual operational refits are classified, high-value defence undertakings at the yard—such as the Ministry of Defence’s ₹934-crore contract for the normal refit of INS Sindhukirti submarine or the massive ₹19,000-crore project for indigenous Fleet Support Ships (FSS)—reflect the heavy-duty financial and technical scale at which the Miniratna shipyard operates.

Previously, heavy amphibious platforms requiring extensive dry-docking support often faced logistical constraints, occasionally needing transit to distant alternative facilities.

Having such robust repair and maintenance infrastructure readily available at HSL significantly cuts down turnaround times, ensuring that critical fleet assets remain combat-ready and operational with minimal downtime.

“This achievement demonstrates HSL’s evolving technical capability to handle outsized naval assets, transforming the shipyard into a formidable hub for heavy warship maintenance and commercial shipbuilding alike,” an HSL official said.

The shipyard features robust infrastructure, including a covered building dock designed to accommodate vessels up to 80,000 Dead weight Tonnage (DWT).

Its facilities have handled diverse maritime traffic, ranging from bulk carriers and offshore patrol vessels to major submarine overhauls. Industry experts note that with the successful docking of INS Jalashwa, HSL is strongly positioned to undertake future complex projects for the Indian Navy, including upcoming multi-role support vessels and heavy carrier maintenance initiatives.

“It is the first such large vessel in HSL refitting. We don’t disclose the price of refitting and the date of release or completion. It is confidential,” an official spokesperson told The Hindu.

VISAKHAPATNAM:

The Institution of Engineers (India) (IEI) Visakhapatnam Local Centre has announced the unanimous election of its new leadership committee for the 2026–2028 term.

Ch. Raju and Dumpala Bhujanga Rao have been unanimously elected as Chairman and Honorary Secretary, respectively, following a smooth electoral process adhering to the institution’s guidelines.

Corporate members participated in the proceedings. Senior engineers expressed confidence that the new leadership will advance regional engineering education, professional development, and industry-institute collaboration. Both newly elected office-bearers are senior academicians with long-standing ties to the Institution of Engineers (India).

The newly elected team is scheduled to officially assume office in October 2026.

A six-year-old boy died on Thursday (August 20, 2026) after his teacher allegedly tried to strip him and also slapped him in his classroom in the One Town area of Visakhapatnam. Pranay Teja, a UKG student at Little Gardens School, was declared brought dead at the King George Hospital.

His family and relatives protested outside the hospital, alleging the assault killed him.

The case came to light after CCTV footage from the classroom surfaced on social media. It appears to show the teacher pulling the boy closer while trying to strip him, apparently to shame him during a check of homework. He cries and waves his hands to stop her. She pauses, appears to say something to him, and slaps him across the cheek. He stands frozen for a moment. Then he collapsed on her.

The police have begun an investigation into the cause of death. They are examining the footage and the circumstances, including whether the boy had any underlying health condition, and said further details would come after the investigation is completed and the post-mortem report is received.

The grieving family has demanded a thorough inquiry and stringent action against those responsible for the child’s death. Police officials said that further details will be disclosed after the investigation is completed and the post-mortem report is received.

District Collector Abhishikth Kishore has directed officials to make strong security and protocol arrangements for the BRICS Sports Ministers’ Meeting-2026, comprising the Sports Working Group meeting and the Sports Ministers’ meeting, to be held in Visakhapatnam on August 22 and 23.

Chairing a meeting with officials at the Collectorate on Monday evening to review arrangements for the meeting, Mr. Kishore said the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports would organise the event at the Novotel hotel in Visakhapatnam on August 22 and 23. With Ministers and officials from 11 countries expected to participate, he directed officials to make arrangements befitting an international event.

Ministers and delegates from other countries are scheduled to arrive in the city on August 21 and 22 and leave on August 24, he added.

Strengthening cooperation

The meeting would focus on strengthening cooperation among BRICS member countries in areas including sports development, sports technology, the sports industry, capacity building, and the promotion and preservation of traditional and indigenous sports, the district administration said.

The BRICS member countries are Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. About 50 to 70 dignitaries, including Sports Ministers and official representatives of the member countries and the Union Sports Minister, are expected to attend.

The district administration said the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, and the Education Minister N. Lokesh were likely to participate in the inaugural and other programmes.

Mr. Kishore directed officials to complete accommodation arrangements for the visiting delegations at the Radisson Blu and Novotel hotels and to put security and protocol arrangements in place. He asked officials to coordinate with Vizianagaram district authorities for reception and transport arrangements at the airport and to deploy liaison officers.

The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation was asked to oversee sanitation, the Tourism Department to arrange cultural programmes, and the Police department to make strong security arrangements. The Collector directed all departments to work in coordination.

According to the programme, a gala dinner will be held at the Novotel on the night of August 22. On August 23, delegates are scheduled to take part in a cycle rally at Rama Krishna Beach, visit the glass bridge at Kailasagiri, participate in a tree-plantation programme, and attend programmes at Thotlakonda and Rushikonda beaches. The Sports Working Group meeting is scheduled to be held at the Novotel on the morning of August 23.

Mr. Kishore instructed officials concerned from the Revenue, Police, GVMC, Tourism, SETVIS, Sports, and Forest departments, to work in coordination and complete the arrangements according to the minute-to-minute programme.

Eastern Naval Command (ENC) were crowned champions of the Visakhapatnam District Cricket Association’s (VDCA) Institutional League 2025–26, defeating Visakhapatnam City Police by 96 runs in the final at the ACA-VDCA International Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Monday.

Batting first, ENC posted 222 for five in 20 overs, with Sanath Kelath scoring 78 off 36 balls and Bhankti S. Nayak playing a second fiddle with his contribution of 58 off 27 balls. Saurabh Rana remained unbeaten on 41. V. Eswar was the pick of the City Police bowlers, returning figures of 3 for 19.

In reply, Visakhapatnam City Police were bowled out for 126 in 14.1 overs, with T. Raju (38) and M. Santosh Kumar (29) the top scorers. Sumith Yadav (3 for 8) and Deepak S.H. (3 for 21) shared six wickets.

Marking the 80th Independence Day, Eastern Power Distribution Company of Andhra Pradesh (APEPDCL) Chairman and Managing Director Immadi Prudhvitej hoisted the National Flag at the corporate office in Visakhapatnam on Saturday.

Mr. Prudhvitej said the APEPDCL has ensured reliable power supply to over 7.5 million consumers across 12 districts, reducing distribution losses to a historic low of 5.61%. He noted that the discom secured the top spot statewide under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana by installing solar rooftops on 92,000 homes, alongside 70,000 systems for SC/ST families.

He pointed out that free electricity was extended to nearly 40,000 households in PVTG and tribal habitations under the PM-JANMAN and DA-JGUA schemes. The CMD also commended the workforce, presenting appreciation certificates to 100 outstanding employees during the celebrations.