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NATIONAL: HEALTH & MEDICINE: FIRST IN INDIA – NEW VACCINE: Indian Immunologicals (IIL) unveils Indigenously Developed ‘Hepatitis A’ Vaccine – ‘Havisure’

MRP set at ₹2,150 per shot for the two-dose Havisure that has been launched after years of R&D, extensive clinical trials as well as a non-inferiority study, says MD K Anand Kumar.


Vaccine maker Indian Immunologicals (IIL) on Friday launched the country’s first indigenously developed Hepatitis A vaccine.

The vaccine ‘Havisure’ represents a significant step forward in India’s fight against Hepatitis A and is poised to make a substantial contribution to public health, the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) subsidiary said in a release on the launch in Hyderabad.

Currently, Hepatitis A vaccines are imported by India. IIL’s vaccine, which comes after eight years of work, is a true meaning of Atma Nirbhar Bharat, managing director K. Anand Kumar said. It was being rolled out following extensive studies ranging from pre-clinical toxicology studies in animals, phase I trial in human beings to phase 2/3 trials in eight centres involving nearly 500 healthy volunteers across various age groups. “We also did a non-inferiority study [comparing it with] GSK vaccine in which our vaccine was found very comparable,” he told The Hindu.

Havisure will be manufactured at IIL’s Gachibowli plant in Hyderabad. “Domestic market is our focus initially… self-sufficiency of the country is important, plan to make 1 million doses a year,” he said, while declining to share the development costs. There is scope to add more capacity, he added.

Exports

“We have our distribution network in India and also export vaccines to 50 countries… will also be exporting [the Hepatitis A vaccine],” Mr Kumar said, adding IIL will be seeking WHO pre-qualification for Havisure since that would give access to many markets abroad.

MRP of the vaccine has been set at ₹2,150 per dose. It is a two-dose vaccine — first dose administered at above 12 months of age and the second at least six months after the first dose. IIL said the vaccine is recommended for children as part of the routine immunization as well as for individuals at risk of exposure or travel to the regions with high hepatitis A prevalence. In addition to this people with occupational risk of infection and suffering from chronic liver diseases also require Hepatitis A vaccination.

A highly contagious viral infection, Hepatitis A primarily spreads through the fecal-oral route, meaning it is transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated food or water. Havisure is the third vaccine launched by IIL in a single year, which Mr.Kumar termed as an achievement giving credit to the team. The measles and rubella vaccine as well as TD vaccine are the other two.

source/contents: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: MANUFACTURING / AVIATION COMPONENTS: Airbus Signs Contracts with Mahindra Aeroscape, 3 others for Manufacturing of Aircraft Components

The latest contracts follow the allocation of the A320neo family cargo and bulk cargo doors manufacturing to Tata Advanced Systems earlier this year, Airbus said.

European aircraft and aerospace major Airbus on Monday said it has signed new contracts with multiple India-based suppliers for the manufacturing of components for commercial aircraft.

Contracts have been signed with Aequs, Dynamatic, Gardner and Mahindra Aerospace for the supply of airframe and wing parts across Airbus’ A320neo, A330neo and A350 programmes, the company said in a statement.

The latest contracts follow the allocation of the A320neo family cargo and bulk cargo doors manufacturing to Tata Advanced Systems earlier this year, Airbus said.

The company already procures components and services worth $750 million every year from India, and the latest round of contracts will add significantly to those volumes, it said.

“Make in India is at the core of Airbus’ strategy in India. We are proud that we are putting in place all the critical building blocks for an integrated industrial ecosystem that will propel India into the front ranks of aerospace manufacturing nations,” said Rémi Maillard, President and Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia.

“For Airbus, India is not just a market but a strategic resource hub for both human capital and aerospace components and services. We are proud to extend our partnership with Aequs, Dynamatic, Gardner and Mahindra Aerospace,” he said.

These contracts will support the ramp-up of Airbus’ commercial aircraft programmes globally, while strengthening capability and capacity in the aviation ecosystem of India across multiple technologies, including sheet metal, machining and extrusion profiles, the company said.

Together with its supply chain, Airbus said, it supports nearly 10,000 jobs in India, which is expected to go up to 15,000 by 2025.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: WORLD’S BRIGHTEST: 9-year-old Indian-American girl Preesha Chakraborty on ‘World’s Brightest’ Students List by Johns Hopkins Centre

At the age of 6, Preesha secured a lifetime membership in the esteemed Mensa Foundation, the world’s oldest high-IQ society.

Nine-year-old Indian-American student Preesha Chakraborty has been named in the “world’s brightest” students list by the Johns Hopkins Centre for Talented Youth, based on the results of her exceptional performance in the above-grade-level tests, which assessed over 16,000 students from 90 countries. 

Preesha is a Warm Spring Elementary school student in Fremont, California, and took the US-based Johns Hopkins Centre for Talented Youth (JH-CTY) test in Summer 2023 as a Grade 3 student.

The CTY Talent Search evaluates students through various tests, including the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), American College Testing (ACT), and School and College Ability Test. Preesha received recognition for her outstanding performance in these assessments. She excelled in both the verbal and quantitative sections, achieving a level on par with the 99th percentile of advanced Grade 5 performances, earning her the prestigious Grand Honors.

Notably, less than 30% of students each qualify for either High Honors or Grand Honors/SET based on their test scores. This accomplishment opens several doors for Preesha, allowing her eligibility for more than 250 JH-CTY courses. These advanced courses, spanning grades 2-12, encompass a diverse range of subjects such as mathematics, computer programming, chemistry, physics, reading, and writing.

At the age of six, the child prodigy secured a lifetime membership in the esteemed Mensa Foundation, the world’s oldest high-IQ society.

This recognition follows in the footsteps of other Indian-American students like Samedha Saxena and Natasha Perianayagam, who were featured in previous years for their exceptional performances in JH-CTY tests.

The Center for Talented Youth, a non-profit organization affiliated with Johns Hopkins University, has been identifying and rewarding gifted students since its founding in 1979.

(With inputs from agencies)

source/content: ddnews.gov.in / DD News (headline edited)

NATIONAL: DISTRIBUTION & WAREHOUSING LOGISTICS:Boeing Opens Its First India-Focused Distribution Centre In Uttar Pradesh

The aerospace company asserted that the new site is part of its continued commitment to expanding its presence in the country and delivering an efficient, cost-effective and local solution.

Global aerospace major Boeing has opened its first India-focused distribution centre in Khurja, Uttar Pradesh. The 36,000-square-foot parts warehouse will support regional aviation customers in maximising fleet utilisation. 

The aerospace company, in a release issued on Monday, asserted that the new site is part of its continued commitment to expanding its presence in the country and delivering an efficient, cost-effective and local solution. 

“The Boeing India Distribution Center illustrates Boeing’s commitment to supporting the growth of this market, aligned with the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision. This centre will support the emergent needs of spare parts for Boeing aircraft in India, reducing lead times, improving availability and supporting the MRO industry here,” said Salil Gupte, president, of Boeing India. 

The new India location is one of eight distribution centres around the world. 

“The India Distribution Center represents another significant step forward in Boeing’s strategy to provide parts and services when and where customers need them,” said William Ampofo, vice president, Parts and Distribution Services and Supply Chain, Boeing Global Services. 

“It also represents our commitment to delivering efficient, cost-effective solutions for Boeing’s commercial airplane customers in the region.” 

The aerospace company announced its investment in the distribution centre less than a year ago during Aero India 2023 and the first parts were shipped to customers in December 2023. 

The India distribution centre is positioned strategically along India’s Eastern Freight Corridor, with proximity to both Delhi and the upcoming Jewar airport. The warehouse, which prioritises innovation, safety and sustainability, is operated in collaboration with third-party logistics provider DB Schenker. 

These initiatives encompass a partnership with GMR Aero Technic to establish a Boeing Converted Freighter line in Hyderabad and the establishment of a Global Support Center in Gurgaon. 

Additionally, Boeing has committed a USD 100 million investment in infrastructure and pilot training programs to support India’s growing demand for pilots in the coming two decades. (ANI) 

source/content: businessworld.in / BW Business World (headline edited)

Why an Indian Princess’s memorial in Ayodhya is a big draw for South Korean tourists

South Korea has a special connection with Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram. No, it has nothing to do with Lord Ram.

Every year, hundreds of South Koreans visit the holy city of Ayodhya to pay tribute to Queen Huh Hwang-ok. It is believed that several South Koreans have their ancestral roots in Ayodhya.

Who was Queen Huh Hwang-ok?

Legend has it that Queen Huh Hwang-ok, also known as Princess Suriratna, was the princess of Ayodhya before she went to South Korea and married King Kim Suro of Karak Clan in 48 AD.

As per a research paper by Dr Uday Dokras, “Ancient Korean text Samguk Yusa chronicles King Suro’s wife to have been a princess of a distant kingdom called Ayuta, which people relate to be the holy city of present-day Ayodhya.”

Queen Huh Hwang-ok has a memorial in Ayodhya

The South Korean queen’s memorial was first inaugurated in 2001 in Ayodhya.

In 2015, PM Narendra Modi and former South Korean President Moon Jae-in signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) during the PM’s visit to South Korea for expansion of the memorial.

Later, the memorial was beautified to honour the queen’s legacy, and the memorial park was inaugurated in 2022.

According to UP tourism’s official website, around 60 lakh people of the Karak clan consider Ayodhya as their maternal home.

In 2019, commemorative Rs 25 and Rs 5 postage stamps for the queen were also issued by India. 

From Ayodhya to South Korea by boat

As per the UP government website, it is believed that Princess Suriratna reached Korea on a boat. She was only 16 when she got married.

She is believed to be the first queen of King Suro of Geumgwan Gaya.

According to some Chinese-language texts, the then King of Ayodhya was ordered by god to send his 16-year-old daughter to South Korea to marry King Kim Suro in a dream, says a BBC report.

The same publication mentioned that the king and queen had ten sons, adding that they both lived over 150 years.

Back in 2020, the then South Korean Ambassador to India, Shin Bong-kil, told ANI, “Ayodhya has important relations with Korea.” 

Shin Bong-kil mentioned that in Korea’s ancient history book, it’s written that a princess from Ayodhya married a Korean king, adding that in archaeological findings from Kim Suro’s tomb, artefacts belonging to Ayodhya have been discovered.

Where is Queen Huh Hwang-ok’s memorial?

  • The memorial park portrays the journey of Princess Suriratna from Ayodhya to Korea.
  • The legend is inscribed on a stone structure that was shipped from South Korea.
  • The park has been built on the bank of the Sarayu River, on a reported budget of Rs 21 crore.
  • The south-east corner of the memorial features a statue of Queen Huh Hwang-ok.
  • The north-east corner has a statue of King Kim Suro.
  • The princess’s sea journey has been recreated at the memorial with the help of a pond and footbridge.
  • The park also features an egg made of granite. It is believed that Princess Suriratna took a golden egg along during her journey to Korea.

INSTA

Queen Huh Hwang-ok’s Tamil connection 

There is another theory about the queen by Dr Kannan Narayan, a retired professor and former Scientific Advisor and Coordinator of Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology.

In his theory, based on Chinese legends, Kannan Narayan stated that the queen’s name points to the South Indian kingdom of Pandya – the Pandyas of Madurai, says a Deccan Herald report.

He added that the twin fish symbol seen on the walls of Ayodhya possibly dates back to a time when it was a part of the United Provinces. He mentioned that it was also the national symbol of the Pandya Dynasty.

The retired professor said that it’s a possibility that the queen left the port of Athiyuthu from Tamil Nadu and not Ayodhya and the same has been modified over time to ‘Ayutha’.

source/content: indiatoday.in (headline edited)

INDIA: INFRA-STRUCTURE : INDIA’s LONGEST: Atal Setu: Mumbai gets India’s Longest Sea Bridge, operations begin today

PM inaugurates the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link project.

The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), perhaps the most anticipated infrastructure project in the city, is set to open for regular traffic this Saturday, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s longest sea bridge on Friday. 

Named the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, the 21.8 km-long, six-lane engineering marvel, of which 16.5 km is in the sea, has been built at a cost of Rs 17,840 crore, and will cut the distance between the Mumbai island city and its satellite city Navi Mumbai shorter. 

“The inauguration of Atal Setu exemplifies India’s infrastructural prowess and underscores the country’s trajectory toward a ‘Viksit Bharat’,” Modi after inaugurating the bridge. He arrived at the programme in Navi Mumbai in the evening, after his convoy drove across the sea bridge – the foundation stone of which the PM had laid around seven years ago.  

The prime minister also laid foundation stones for other development projects in the state worth more than Rs 12,700 crore. “…a budget of Rs 44 trillion for infrastructure has been presented in the 10 years of the present government. In Maharashtra alone, the central government has either completed infrastructure projects worth about Rs 8 trillion or work on them is in progress,” he said. 

The MTHL project is one of the four main infrastructure projects in the city that are likely to become operational this year — an election year for both country and Maharashtra.  

The other three, along with MTHL, are estimated to cost upwards of Rs 84,000 crore.

The MTHL project — 80 per cent of which has been funded through a debt from Japan International Cooperation Agency, where the MMRDA is the borrower – is expected to spur further economic development in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. The MMRDA, or Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, is the nodal agency for the project.

Sanjay Mukherjee, the Metropolitan Commissioner of MMRDA, anticipates “a consistent uprising in business opportunities and economic growth in the surrounding regions” as one of the many positive outcomes of the project.

“The Atal Setu will be a huge contributor to the steady escalation of the MMR’s humongous share in our nation’s GDP in the forthcoming years,” he said.

Sanjay Sethi, chairperson for Jawaharlal Nehru Port Agency (JNPA), located in Navi Mumbai, said: “The increased connectivity, especially in the JNPA vicinity, will open up new trade opportunities, attracting investments in warehousing and logistics infrastructure, further boosting JNPA SEZ’s economy.”

The MTHL project — first conceived in the 1970s and finally awarded in 2017 – was to be completed in the early part of 2022. However, its execution saw delays, partly because of pandemic-related supply chain woes.


source/content: business-standard.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: EQUINES: Bhimthadi Horses get stamp of Independent Breed

The pride of the cavalry of the Maratha Army in the 17th and 18th centuries, Bhimthadi horses to get the status of an independent breed.

Ranjeet Pawar, founder, All India Bhimthadi Horse Association, in a joint announcement with Sharad Mehta, head, regional station, National Research Centre of Equines, Bikaner, Rajasthan at Deccan Gymkhana on Tuesday, said that authorities will soon issue a gazette notification officially recognising the indigenous breed.

According to Pawar, Bhimthadi breed of horses originated on the banks of Bhima River in Maharashtra and “thadi” means a riverbank. The breed is found on the plateau of Deccan, including some parts of Pune, Satara, Solapur, Ahmednagar, Sangli and Kolhapur districts.

The breed was part of the cavalry of the Maratha Army in its fight against the Mughals

“As this indigenous breed was not officially recognised in India, with the support of the Agricultural Development Trust (ADT) at Baramati, a team was formed in association with the National Research Centre for Equines, Bikaner to fulfil the administrative and scientific requirements for its inclusion in the national list. A delegation of scientists led by Dr Sharad Mehta visited Baramati and surrounding areas where they interacted with farmers and horse keepers to understand the hardiness and utility of the breed,” Pawar said.

According to Mehta, blood samples of over 1,000 Bhimthadi horses were tested at the National Research Centre on Equines, Bikaner while DNA testing of over 500 samples was done to ensure that the animal does not share its DNA with any of the established breeds in India.

“The process took about three years. Of the 66 applications received for getting the recognition, eight have been approved by the committee and Bhimthadi horse is one of them. The gazette notification is expected in a month’s time,” Mehta said.

“As per the government records, the current population of Bhimthadi horses in India is 5,134,” he said.

Pawar plans to introduce Bhimthadi horses in sports like endurance and polo after getting the official stamp. Breed shows and educational workshops would also be conducted through the state to retain the breed characteristics and to improve the breeding practices of the animal.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

Navy gets its first MALE drone made by Adani as Army awaits next, larger order in play

The Indian Navy Wednesday took delivery of its first India-made Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone, acquired under emergency procurement mechanism, to augment India’s ability to keep a close eye on the waters of the Indian Ocean.

Manufactured by Adani Defence and Aerospace in partnership with the Israeli firm Elbit, in Hyderabad, the Drishti 10 StarLiner, with an endurance of 36 hours, satellite connectivity and the ability to carry a payload of 450 kg, is the Indian version of the original Hermes StarLiner.

Navy chief Admiral R. Hari Kumar, who took the delivery of the first Drishti 10 Starliner Wednesday, said: “True to its name, (the drone) has seen the light of the day in just ‘10 months’ post the conclusion of the contract.”

The UAV will fly from Hyderabad to Porbandar in Gujarat to be pressed into naval maritime operations.

Both the Navy and the Army have gone in for two drones each, with a service ceiling of 30,000 feet, under emergency procurement which allows them to bypass tardy bureaucratic procedures for deals up to Rs 300 crore. 

Asked about the indigenous content on the drone, sources involved with the project said that it stood at 70 percent and the company plans to scale it up.

ThePrint first reported how Adani Group in January 2019 wrote to the defence ministry to offer its Hermes 900 UAV under the Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured (IDDM) category of the Defence Procurement Procedure — which allows equipment with 40 or 60 percent indigenous content to be considered for acquisition.

While only four of these UAVs have been ordered for now, the military is looking at acquiring about 150 MALE drones.

“Indian Navy and Indian Army have placed orders for two each of these Drishti-10 drones to meet our emergent requirement for satellite communication-enabled drones,” Lt Gen Ajay Suri, Director-General of Army Aviation, said at the event in Hyderabad Wednesday.

Underlining the importance of drones in modern warfare, Admiral Kumar said autonomous systems are becoming a preferred choice in the ‘order of battle’ for countries across the globe. 

“Both our immediate neighbours collectively hold a very large inventory of UAVs. Therefore, it is only prudent that we, as a nation, and as armed forces, continue to harness our resident expertise in this domain, by remaining agile, adaptable and ahead of the curve,” he said.

The navy chief, meanwhile, added that with state-of-the-art sensors, enhanced endurance, advanced communication capabilities as well as new-age technologies like automatic take-off and landing (ATOL), Drishti would be a potent force multiplier, adding more capability and credibility to Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions across the Indian Ocean region. 

He added that, additionally, the versatility and flexibility offered through modularity and mobility of ground support equipment would enable us to operate it from any naval air stations across “Bharat”.

The drone is qualified for flight in civilian non-segregated airspace and in adverse weather conditions thanks to its unique and unlimited deicing mechanism. According to the company, the drone also has Starliner features over-the-horizon, persistent multi-mission, multi-sensor capabilities with a class-leading payload carrying capacity.

The Navy currently operates tactical drones in addition to the four High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drones called ‘Sea Guardians’.

The Army, which has procured a number of drones of varying capabilities, has already bought four Satellite Communication-enabled Israeli Heron Mark-II drones. The Indian military plans to upgrade the existing fleet of Heron Mark-I with similar capabilities that will allow it to operate them with longer endurance and capabilities, as reported earlier.

The Herons currently have an endurance of about 24 hours and can transmit back live video feed and images within a range of about 200-250 km. With satellite-link, they will have almost unlimited range of transmission and can be fully exploited to their endurance capabilities. 

While it was earlier planning to arm these upgraded drones in the next phase, the idea was later dropped, as reported first by ThePrint. 

Meanwhile, the Army, Navy and the Air Force are looking at the acquisition of 31 HALE (MQ-9B) drones which will be inducted into the Indian military over the next three-four years. Of the 31, Navy will get 15 MQ-9B drones in maritime and anti-submarine warfare kits, while the Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF) will get eight each of the land version.

(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)

source/content: theprint.in (headline edited)