Category Archives: Amazing Feats

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)

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)

Ayodhya to get world’s largest ‘solar powered street lights line’ , set Guinness record

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s vision to transform Ayodhya into a solar city is about to get a boost through establishment of the world’s largest ‘solar powered street lights line’, with the installation of 470 solar street lights over an area of 10.2 km city between Guptar Ghat and Nirmali Kund.

The unique feat will also see Ayodhya find entry into the the Guinness Book of World Records once again, with the earlier one taking place during Deepotsav with the lighting of the highest number of earthen lamps.

Under the guidance of CM Adityanath, the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) has already completed approximately 70 per cent of the installation work, while the remaining 160 solar street lights will be installed before January 22.

Ayodhya UPNEDA project officer Praveen Nath Pandey said here on Tuesday that by January 22, a world record will be set in the temple city with the installation of 470 solar street lights in a 10.2 km stretch from Lakshman Ghat to Guptar Ghat, extending up to Nirmali Kund.

He added that under the project, 310 solar lights have been installed from Lakshman Ghat to Guptar Ghat, while work is ongoing to install 160 solar-powered street lights in the stretch between Guptar Ghat and Nirmali Kund, covering a distance of 1.85 km. All these solar-powered street lights are LED-based, operating at 4.4 watts, and equipped with smart technology. Through their installation, the 10.2 km stretch from Lakshman Ghat to Nirmali Kund will be illuminated with a radiant glow.

The world record that the state government aims to break through a solar energy-powered project is currently registered in the name of Malham of Saudi Arabia, where 468 solar-powered lights were installed over a stretch of 9.7 km in 2021. Now, the Yogi government is gearing up to surpass this record in Ayodhya by installing 470 solar-powered lights in an area spanning 10.2 km.

Earlier, Ayodhya got listed in the Guinness Book of World Records during Diwali in 2023, when 25,000 volunteers from Avadh University lit 22.23 lakh lamps together at the ghats of river Sarayu.

Discussions are underway between the local administration, officials of UPNEDA, and representatives of the Guinness Book of World Records in this context.

source/content: thestatesman.com (headline edited)

IIT Kanpur’s landmark research offers new hope in cancer, brain disorder treatment

The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur has achieved a breakthrough in biomedical research with their study of G protein-coupled receptors and chemokine receptor D6 shedding new light on the potential treatment of cancer and brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and schizophrenia.

he Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur has achieved a breakthrough in biomedical research with their study of G protein-coupled receptors and chemokine receptor D6 shedding new light on the potential treatment of cancer and brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and schizophrenia.

“The path-breaking research opens the doors to a new era in targeted medicine that can deliver solutions for cancer and neurological conditions for millions across the world. These diseases, which cause immense suffering and economic burden, could see a new era of effective treatment developed based on these findings! The success of this research project is also a testament to our successful collaboration with scientists across the world,” Prof S Ganesh, Director, IIT Kanpur said here on Friday.

“This project saw the team from IIT Kanpur working with researchers from Japan, the Republic of Korea, Spain, and Switzerland. Hearty Congratulations to Prof Arun Shukla and team, who have been doing outstanding research in GPCRs (G protein-coupled receptors) biology,” he said.

GPCRs are like tiny antennas on the surface of brain cells which help them to communicate and play a key role in many brain functions. When these receptors do not work properly, there are issues with communication between the brain cells leading to diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. This leads to symptoms and progression seen in these diseases.

Similarly, the chemokine receptor D6 functions in the immune system and is involved in the response to inflammation. In cancer, the receptor can influence the tumour environment, affecting how the cancer cells grow and spread.

The findings of the new research from IIT Kanpur will help in a greater understanding of the working of these receptors and lead to the development of new therapeutic approaches and targeted treatments for conditions such as Alzheimer’s, which affects over 50 million people worldwide, and cancer, responsible for over 10 million deaths annually.

The researchers used a high-tech method called cryogenic-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to create detailed three-dimensional images of the receptors. This allowed them to study the 3D images of the receptors at the molecular level in great detail, helping to identify and design new drug-like molecules to correct problems with these receptors that cause disease conditions.

The research team from the Laboratory of GPCR Biology, IIT Kanpur included Prof Arun K Shukla, Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering and Principal Investigator GPCR Lab; Ramanuj Banerjee, Post-Doctoral Fellow; Manish Yadav, Post-Doctoral Fellow; Ashutosh Ranjan, Post-doctoral fellow, currently Faculty at Lucknow University; Jagannath Maharana, PhD scholar now heading to the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology as a post-doctoral fellow; Madhu Chaturvedi, PhD scholar now heading to UCSF as a post-doctoral fellow; Parishmita Sarma, PhD student; Vinay Singh, Project JRF, now headed to IMPRS on Cellular Biophysics, Frankfurt as a PhD student; Sayanatan Saha, Project Research Fellow; and, Gargi Mahajan, Project Research Fellow.

source/content: thestatesman.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: FOOD & CUISINE: Three Indian Restaurants among the World’s Top 10 Legendary ones. They are…

hree Indian restaurants have made it to the list of top 10 legendary eateries in the world.

Taste Atlas, an experiential travel online guide, unveiled the list of restaurants that are “not just places to grab a meal, but destinations in their own right, comparable to the world’s most famous museums, galleries and monuments.”

Paragon in Kozhikode, Kerala, immensely popular for its biryani, occupied the 5th rank on the list. Lucknow’s famous Tunday Kababi, known for mouth-melting galouti kebabs, grabbed 6th spot.

“Paragon in Kozhikode, Kerala, is an emblem of the region’s rich gastronomic history, celebrated for its mastery of traditional Malabar cuisine,” Taste Atlas noted.

The travel guide called Tunday Kababi “a jewel in the crown of Lucknow’s culinary scene in India” that has “gained widespread acclaim for its Mughlai cuisine”. The star offering, the galouti kebab, is a culinary masterpiece featuring finely minced meat tenderised with raw papaya and an assortment of spices.

Another proud entry in the top legendary restaurants is Peter Cat, Kolkata, occupying the 10th spot. Found in 1975, the iconic eatery is best known for chelow kebabs.

Apart from these three Indian entries in the top 10, several other restaurants made it to the elaborate list of 100 legendary restaurants in the world. Murthal’s Amrik Sukhdev Dhaba grabbed the 16th spot while Mavalli Tiffin Rooms, Bengaluru, occupied 32nd rank. Also on the list is Karim’s, Delhi, occupying the 84th spot.

See the full list here:

How many of these Indian restaurants have you visited so far?

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source/content: indiatoday.in (headline edited)

NATIONAL: PATENT: Madhya Pradesh’s Science & Innovation: SGSITS’s Professor Satish Jain Created ‘Radiator Miniaturization’ To Be Used By ISRO, DRDO

Government of India recognized and granted the patent for the invention of ‘Noble and Optimized-Effective Ground Structural for Radiator Miniaturization’ created by Shri Govindram Seksaria Institute of Technology and Science (SGSITS) professor Satish Jain. He registered a patent for the same.

“I have reduced the size of the antenna to be installed on the nano satellite,” Jain said. He added that due to this, the quality of the satellite will improve.

“This has become possible after my hard work of the last 7 years,” Jain said. The invention is expected to be useful for the sky related satellite activities of the Government of India (Indian Space Satellite Research Center ISRO, DRDO)!

“Due to the smaller size of the antenna, the possibility of expanding the service by installing more modules in the satellite increases,” Jain said.

Director of the institute Rakesh Saxena said, “Nano satellite is a small satellite platform with very high density technology, which must use reliable design.” The invention can help in reliable and efficient nano satellites, he added.

source/content: freepressjournal.in (headline edited)