diff --git a/src/components/sections/research-scholars-directory.tsx b/src/components/sections/research-scholars-directory.tsx
index 039c1df..0b3e8ce 100644
--- a/src/components/sections/research-scholars-directory.tsx
+++ b/src/components/sections/research-scholars-directory.tsx
@@ -34,51 +34,38 @@ function initials(name: string) {
     .toUpperCase();
 }
 
-function ScholarImage({ scholar }: { scholar: ResearchScholar }) {
-  const [failed, setFailed] = useState(false);
-
-  if (failed) {
-    return (
-      <div className="bg-primary/10 text-primary grid h-full w-full place-items-center text-2xl font-semibold">
-        {initials(scholar.name)}
-      </div>
-    );
-  }
-
+function InitialsMark({ name }: { name: string }) {
   return (
-    <img
-      src={scholar.image}
-      alt={scholar.name}
-      className="h-full w-full object-cover"
-      loading="lazy"
-      referrerPolicy="no-referrer"
-      onError={() => setFailed(true)}
-    />
+    <div className="bg-primary/10 text-primary grid size-14 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-lg text-lg font-semibold">
+      {initials(name)}
+    </div>
   );
 }
 
 function GalleryCard({ scholar }: { scholar: ResearchScholar }) {
   return (
-    <Card className="overflow-hidden">
-      <div className="aspect-[4/3] bg-muted">
-        <ScholarImage scholar={scholar} />
-      </div>
-      <div className="p-4">
-        <div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-3">
+    <Card className="flex gap-4 p-4">
+      <InitialsMark name={scholar.name} />
+      <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
+        <div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-2">
           <div className="min-w-0">
-            <h3 className="truncate text-base font-semibold">
+            <h3 className="truncate text-sm font-semibold leading-snug">
               {scholar.name}
             </h3>
-            <p className="text-muted-foreground mt-1 text-sm">
-              {PROGRAM_LABELS[scholar.program]} · Joined {scholar.joined}
+            <p className="text-muted-foreground text-xs">
+              {PROGRAM_LABELS[scholar.program]}
+            </p>
+            <p className="text-muted-foreground mt-1 text-xs">
+              Joined {scholar.joined}
             </p>
           </div>
           <a
             href={`mailto:${scholar.email}`}
             className="text-muted-foreground hover:text-secondary shrink-0 transition-colors"
             aria-label={`Email ${scholar.name}`}
+            title="Email"
           >
-            <Mail className="size-4" />
+            <Mail className="size-3.5" />
           </a>
         </div>
       </div>
@@ -89,11 +76,9 @@ function GalleryCard({ scholar }: { scholar: ResearchScholar }) {
 function ListRow({ scholar }: { scholar: ResearchScholar }) {
   return (
     <article className="grid gap-3 border-b py-4 last:border-b-0 md:grid-cols-[1.5fr_1fr_8rem_2rem] md:items-center">
-      <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
-        <div className="size-12 shrink-0 overflow-hidden rounded-lg bg-muted">
-          <ScholarImage scholar={scholar} />
-        </div>
-        <h3 className="font-medium">{scholar.name}</h3>
+      <div className="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-3">
+        <InitialsMark name={scholar.name} />
+        <h3 className="truncate text-sm font-semibold">{scholar.name}</h3>
       </div>
       <p className="text-muted-foreground text-sm">{scholar.program}</p>
       <p className="text-muted-foreground text-sm">Joined {scholar.joined}</p>
diff --git a/src/data/events.ts b/src/data/events.ts
index 33cc328..c99cb04 100644
--- a/src/data/events.ts
+++ b/src/data/events.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ export interface DepartmentEvent {
   collaborators?: string;
   description: string;
   source: "CSE events.xlsx" | "CSE archive";
+  sourceLabel?: string;
+  sourceUrl?: string;
   featured?: boolean;
 }
 
@@ -66,6 +68,22 @@ export const departmentEvents: DepartmentEvent[] = [
     source: "CSE events.xlsx",
     featured: true,
   },
+  {
+    id: "history-of-science-engineering-india-2026",
+    title: "Workshop on Doing History of Science and Engineering in India",
+    category: "workshop",
+    year: 2026,
+    displayDate: "23-24 Feb 2026",
+    startDate: "2026-02-23",
+    endDate: "2026-02-24",
+    organizer: "HSS IITGN and History of Mathematics in India (HoMI)",
+    collaborators: "Neeldhara Misra",
+    description:
+      "A workshop on doing history of science and engineering in India from a social-history perspective.",
+    source: "CSE archive",
+    sourceLabel: "Event website",
+    sourceUrl: "https://history-of-science-2026.netlify.app/",
+  },
   {
     id: "modern-80211-wlans-2025",
     title: "Certificate Course on Modern 802.11 WLANs",
diff --git a/src/pages/academics/courses.astro b/src/pages/academics/courses.astro
index 51e9475..67c8095 100644
--- a/src/pages/academics/courses.astro
+++ b/src/pages/academics/courses.astro
@@ -7,5 +7,5 @@ import DefaultLayout from "@/layouts/DefaultLayout.astro";
   title="Courses"
   description="Course catalogue for CSE at IIT Gandhinagar"
 >
-  <CourseCatalog client:only="react" />
+  <CourseCatalog client:load />
 </DefaultLayout>
diff --git a/src/pages/people/postdocs.astro b/src/pages/people/postdocs.astro
index 1421de7..778ebb5 100644
--- a/src/pages/people/postdocs.astro
+++ b/src/pages/people/postdocs.astro
@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
 ---
 import { POSTDOCS } from '@/data/postdocs';
 import DefaultLayout from '@/layouts/DefaultLayout.astro';
+
+const initials = (name: string) =>
+  name
+    .replace(/^Dr\.\s+/i, '')
+    .split(' ')
+    .map((part) => part[0])
+    .join('')
+    .slice(0, 2)
+    .toUpperCase();
 ---
 
 <DefaultLayout title="Post-Docs" description="Postdoctoral researchers and fellows.">
@@ -18,20 +27,25 @@ import DefaultLayout from '@/layouts/DefaultLayout.astro';
     <div class="container">
       <div class="grid gap-4 md:grid-cols-2">
         {POSTDOCS.map((postdoc) => (
-          <article class="rounded-lg border bg-background p-5">
-            <h2 class="text-xl font-semibold">{postdoc.name}</h2>
-            <p class="text-muted-foreground mt-1 text-sm">{postdoc.period}</p>
-            <dl class="mt-5 grid gap-2 text-sm">
-              <div>
-                <dt class="text-muted-foreground">Doctorate</dt>
-                <dd>{postdoc.phd}</dd>
-                <dd>{postdoc.phdInstitute}</dd>
-              </div>
-              <div>
-                <dt class="text-muted-foreground">Working with</dt>
-                <dd>{postdoc.workingWith}</dd>
-              </div>
-            </dl>
+          <article class="flex gap-4 rounded-lg border bg-background p-4">
+            <div class="grid size-14 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-lg bg-primary/10 text-lg font-semibold text-primary">
+              {initials(postdoc.name)}
+            </div>
+            <div class="min-w-0 flex-1">
+              <h2 class="text-sm font-semibold leading-snug">{postdoc.name}</h2>
+              <p class="text-muted-foreground text-xs">Postdoctoral Researcher</p>
+              <p class="text-muted-foreground mt-1 text-xs">{postdoc.period}</p>
+              <dl class="mt-4 grid gap-1.5 text-sm">
+                <div>
+                  <dt class="text-muted-foreground inline">Doctorate: </dt>
+                  <dd class="inline">{postdoc.phd}, {postdoc.phdInstitute}</dd>
+                </div>
+                <div>
+                  <dt class="text-muted-foreground inline">Working with: </dt>
+                  <dd class="inline">{postdoc.workingWith}</dd>
+                </div>
+              </dl>
+            </div>
           </article>
         ))}
       </div>
diff --git a/src/pages/people/staff.astro b/src/pages/people/staff.astro
index 83e9d14..3fdb9ce 100644
--- a/src/pages/people/staff.astro
+++ b/src/pages/people/staff.astro
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 ---
-import { CSE_STAFF, CSE_STAFF_SOURCE } from '@/data/staff';
+import { CSE_STAFF } from '@/data/staff';
 import DefaultLayout from '@/layouts/DefaultLayout.astro';
+import { Mail } from 'lucide-react';
 ---
 
 <DefaultLayout title="Staff" description="Administrative and technical staff of the CSE department">
-  <section class="from-primary/5 bg-gradient-to-b to-transparent py-16 md:py-20">
+  <section class="from-primary/5 bg-gradient-to-b to-transparent pb-8 pt-16 md:pb-8 md:pt-20">
     <div class="container">
       <p class="text-secondary text-sm font-medium uppercase tracking-wider">People</p>
       <h1 class="mt-3 text-3xl md:text-4xl">Staff</h1>
@@ -14,44 +15,53 @@ import DefaultLayout from '@/layouts/DefaultLayout.astro';
     </div>
   </section>
 
-  <section class="section-padding">
+  <section class="pb-10 pt-6 md:pb-14 md:pt-8 lg:pb-16">
     <div class="container">
       <div class="grid gap-4 md:grid-cols-2">
         {CSE_STAFF.map((member) => (
-          <article class="rounded-lg border bg-background p-4">
-            <div class="flex gap-4">
-              <img
-                src={member.image}
-                alt={member.name}
-                class="size-24 shrink-0 rounded-lg bg-muted object-cover"
-                loading="lazy"
-                referrerpolicy="no-referrer"
-              />
-              <div class="min-w-0">
-                <h2 class="text-lg font-semibold">{member.name}</h2>
-                <p class="text-muted-foreground mt-1 text-sm">
-                  {member.designation}
-                </p>
-                <dl class="mt-4 grid gap-1 text-sm">
-                  <div>
-                    <dt class="text-muted-foreground inline">Email: </dt>
-                    <dd class="inline">{member.emailUser}@iitgn.ac.in</dd>
-                  </div>
-                  {member.office && (
-                    <div>
-                      <dt class="text-muted-foreground inline">Office: </dt>
-                      <dd class="inline">{member.office}</dd>
-                    </div>
-                  )}
-                </dl>
+          <article class="flex gap-4 rounded-lg border bg-background p-4">
+            <img
+              src={member.image}
+              alt={member.name}
+              class="size-14 shrink-0 rounded-lg bg-muted object-cover"
+              loading="lazy"
+              referrerpolicy="no-referrer"
+            />
+            <div class="min-w-0 flex-1">
+              <div class="flex items-start justify-between gap-2">
+                <div class="min-w-0">
+                  <h2 class="text-sm font-semibold leading-snug">
+                    {member.name}
+                  </h2>
+                  <p class="text-muted-foreground text-xs">
+                    {member.designation}
+                  </p>
+                </div>
+                <a
+                  href={`mailto:${member.emailUser}@iitgn.ac.in`}
+                  class="text-muted-foreground hover:text-secondary shrink-0 transition-colors"
+                  aria-label={`Email ${member.name}`}
+                  title="Email"
+                >
+                  <Mail className="size-3.5" aria-hidden="true" />
+                </a>
               </div>
+              <dl class="mt-3 grid gap-1 text-sm">
+                <div>
+                  <dt class="text-muted-foreground inline">Email: </dt>
+                  <dd class="inline">{member.emailUser}@iitgn.ac.in</dd>
+                </div>
+                {member.office && (
+                  <div>
+                    <dt class="text-muted-foreground inline">Office: </dt>
+                    <dd class="inline">{member.office}</dd>
+                  </div>
+                )}
+              </dl>
             </div>
           </article>
         ))}
       </div>
-      <p class="text-muted-foreground mt-6 text-sm">
-        Source: <a class="underline underline-offset-2" href={CSE_STAFF_SOURCE} target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">IITGN staff directory</a>
-      </p>
     </div>
   </section>
 </DefaultLayout>
diff --git a/src/pages/research/projects.astro b/src/pages/research/projects.astro
index ec7b25c..cffa5f5 100644
--- a/src/pages/research/projects.astro
+++ b/src/pages/research/projects.astro
@@ -10,6 +10,13 @@ type Project = {
   source: string;
 };
 
+type GrantAnnouncement = {
+  scheme: string;
+  faculty: string;
+  note: string;
+  source: string;
+};
+
 const projects: Project[] = [
   {
     title: 'Approximate Shortest Paths in Graphs',
@@ -27,6 +34,22 @@ const projects: Project[] = [
     period: 'July-September 2026',
     source: 'https://iitgn.ac.in/newsletter/projects/q3_2026',
   },
+  {
+    title: 'Scalable Detection of Brick Kilns from Low-Resolution Satellite Imagery for Environmental Compliance',
+    faculty: 'Nipun Batra',
+    sponsor: 'Anusandhan National Research Foundation',
+    category: 'ANRF/SERB',
+    period: 'Announced in 2026',
+    source: 'https://www.linkedin.com/school/indian-institute-of-technology-gandhinagar-iitgn-/posts/',
+  },
+  {
+    title: 'iGazeBuddy: Multimodal gaze-controlled learning system for dyslexia support',
+    faculty: 'Yogesh Kumar Meena',
+    sponsor: 'Anusandhan National Research Foundation (PMECRG)',
+    category: 'ANRF/SERB',
+    period: 'Announced in 2026',
+    source: 'https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ykmeena_hiring-research-assistivetechnology-activity-7406640584490336256-wDnH',
+  },
   {
     title: 'Fair Federated Learning Framework in the Presence of Heterogeneous, Strategic, and Malicious Clients',
     faculty: 'Manisha Padala',
@@ -126,6 +149,27 @@ const projects: Project[] = [
 ];
 
 const categories = ['ANRF/SERB', 'International', 'Sponsored', 'Industry/Research Lab', 'Consultancy'];
+
+const recentGrantAnnouncements: GrantAnnouncement[] = [
+  {
+    scheme: 'ANRF Prime Minister Early Career Research Grant',
+    faculty: 'Manisha Padala, Shouvick Mondal, Yogesh Kumar Meena',
+    note: 'Recent CSE announcement listing department awardees under PMECRG.',
+    source: 'https://www.linkedin.com/posts/cse-iitgn_anusandhan-national-research-foundation-activity-7419330427775115265-v86v',
+  },
+  {
+    scheme: 'ANRF Advanced Research Grant',
+    faculty: 'Mayank Singh, Nipun Batra, Abhishek Bichhawat',
+    note: 'Recent CSE announcement listing department awardees under ARG.',
+    source: 'https://www.linkedin.com/posts/cse-iitgn_anusandhan-national-research-foundation-activity-7419330427775115265-v86v',
+  },
+  {
+    scheme: 'ANRF ARG MATRICS',
+    faculty: 'Bireswar Das, Manoj Gupta, Balagopal Komarath',
+    note: 'Recent CSE announcement listing department awardees under ARG MATRICS.',
+    source: 'https://www.linkedin.com/posts/cse-iitgn_anusandhan-national-research-foundation-activity-7419330427775115265-v86v',
+  },
+];
 ---
 
 <DefaultLayout title="Projects" description="Funded research projects, collaborations, and consultancies.">
@@ -159,7 +203,42 @@ const categories = ['ANRF/SERB', 'International', 'Sponsored', 'Industry/Researc
         }
       </div>
 
-      <div class="mt-8 grid gap-4 md:grid-cols-2">
+      <div class="mt-8 rounded-lg border border-border bg-muted/30 p-5">
+        <div class="max-w-3xl">
+          <p class="text-sm font-medium text-secondary">Recent ANRF announcements</p>
+          <h2 class="mt-2 text-2xl font-semibold">
+            Department faculty have secured multiple recent ANRF grants
+          </h2>
+          <p class="mt-3 text-sm leading-relaxed text-muted-foreground">
+            Recent public announcements list CSE faculty awardees across ANRF
+            PMECRG, Advanced Research Grant, and ARG MATRICS schemes. Project
+            titles are included below where they are publicly available.
+          </p>
+        </div>
+        <div class="mt-5 grid gap-4 md:grid-cols-3">
+          {
+            recentGrantAnnouncements.map((grant) => (
+              <article class="rounded-lg border bg-background p-4">
+                <h3 class="font-semibold">{grant.scheme}</h3>
+                <p class="mt-3 text-sm font-medium">{grant.faculty}</p>
+                <p class="mt-2 text-sm leading-relaxed text-muted-foreground">{grant.note}</p>
+                <a
+                  href={grant.source}
+                  class="mt-4 inline-flex text-sm font-medium text-primary underline-offset-4 hover:underline"
+                  target="_blank"
+                  rel="noreferrer"
+                >
+                  Announcement -&gt;
+                </a>
+              </article>
+            ))
+          }
+        </div>
+      </div>
+
+      <h2 class="mt-10 text-2xl font-semibold">Selected project listings</h2>
+
+      <div class="mt-5 grid gap-4 md:grid-cols-2">
         {
           projects.map((project) => (
             <article class="rounded-lg border border-border bg-card p-5 shadow-sm">
diff --git a/src/pages/updates/events.astro b/src/pages/updates/events.astro
index 4bc4503..9da133a 100644
--- a/src/pages/updates/events.astro
+++ b/src/pages/updates/events.astro
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import {
   type EventCategory,
 } from "@/data/events";
 import DefaultLayout from "@/layouts/DefaultLayout.astro";
-import { CalendarDays, Search, Sparkles } from "lucide-react";
+import { ArrowRight, CalendarDays, Search, Sparkles } from "lucide-react";
 
 const categoryOrder: EventCategory[] = [
   "conference",
@@ -167,6 +167,20 @@ const groupedPastEvents = Object.entries(
                 <p class="text-muted-foreground mt-2 text-sm">
                   {event.description}
                 </p>
+                {event.sourceUrl && (
+                  <a
+                    href={event.sourceUrl}
+                    class="group mt-4 inline-flex items-center gap-2 text-sm font-medium text-secondary"
+                    target="_blank"
+                    rel="noreferrer"
+                  >
+                    {event.sourceLabel ?? "Event website"}
+                    <ArrowRight
+                      className="size-4 transition group-hover:translate-x-1"
+                      aria-hidden="true"
+                    />
+                  </a>
+                )}
                 {(event.organizer || event.collaborators) && (
                   <dl class="mt-4 grid gap-1.5 text-sm">
                     {event.organizer && (
@@ -238,6 +252,20 @@ const groupedPastEvents = Object.entries(
                 <p class="text-muted-foreground mt-2 text-sm">
                   {event.description}
                 </p>
+                {event.sourceUrl && (
+                  <a
+                    href={event.sourceUrl}
+                    class="group mt-4 inline-flex items-center gap-2 text-sm font-medium text-secondary"
+                    target="_blank"
+                    rel="noreferrer"
+                  >
+                    {event.sourceLabel ?? "Event website"}
+                    <ArrowRight
+                      className="size-4 transition group-hover:translate-x-1"
+                      aria-hidden="true"
+                    />
+                  </a>
+                )}
               </article>
             ))
         }
@@ -298,6 +326,20 @@ const groupedPastEvents = Object.entries(
                       <p class="text-muted-foreground mt-1 text-sm">
                         {event.description}
                       </p>
+                      {event.sourceUrl && (
+                        <a
+                          href={event.sourceUrl}
+                          class="group mt-3 inline-flex items-center gap-2 text-sm font-medium text-secondary"
+                          target="_blank"
+                          rel="noreferrer"
+                        >
+                          {event.sourceLabel ?? "Event website"}
+                          <ArrowRight
+                            className="size-4 transition group-hover:translate-x-1"
+                            aria-hidden="true"
+                          />
+                        </a>
+                      )}
                     </div>
                     <div class="text-sm">
                       {event.organizer && (