Category Archives: Amazing Feats

WORLD RECORDS: CONSTRUCTION : ROADS & HIGHWAYS : NHAI Enters Guinness World Record for Laying 75 km Highway in 105 Hours: Nitin Gadkari

Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari announced that State-owned National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and Consultants & Concessionaire, Rajpath Infracon Pvt Ltd & Jagdish Kadam has created a Guinness World Record for the longest continuously laid bituminous lane of 75 kilometres in 105 hours and 33 minutes on the national highway between Amravati and Akola districts in Maharashtra.

Mentioning about the record, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said the project was implemented by 720 workers including a team of independent consultants who worked day and night.

The total length of the 75 kilometres of single lane continuous bituminous concrete road is equivalent to 37.5 kilometres of two-lane paved shoulder road and the work started on June 3, at 7:27 am and was completed on June 7, at 5 pm, the minister said in a video message.

The previous Guinness World Record for the longest continuously laid bituminous was for building 25.275 kilometres of road that was achieved in Doha, Qatar in February 2019 and that task was completed in 10 days, Mr. Gadkari said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

WORLD RECORDS: SPORTS, SHOOTING: Avani Lekhara Wins Gold with World Record in Para Shooting World Cup, Chateauroux, France

The 20-year-old shooter broke her own world record of 249.6 to secure her a spot at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

Tokyo Paralympics champion Avani Lekhara won gold at the Para Shooting World Cup with a world record score of 250.6 in women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 in Chateauroux, France on Tuesday.

The 20-year-old shooter broke her own world record of 249.6 to secure her a spot at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INDIA RECORDS: HEALTH & MEDICAL SCIENCES, COVID: Indian Institute of Science (IISC) Scientists Develop Mini Proteins that may Prevent COVID Infection

The mini proteins can not only block the entry of viruses like SARS-CoV-2 into our cells but also clump virus particles together, reducing their ability to infect.

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore have designed a new class of artificial peptides or mini proteins that they say can render viruses like SARS-CoV-2 inactive.

According to the study, published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, the mini proteins can not only block virus entry into our cells but also clump virus particles together, reducing their ability to infect.

The researchers noted that protein-protein interaction is often like that of a lock and a key.

Preventing entry

The team used this approach to design mini proteins that can bind to, and block the spike protein on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which helps it to enter and infect the human cells.

This binding was further characterised extensively by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and other biophysical methods.

These mini proteins are helical, hairpin-shaped peptides, each capable of pairing up with another of its kind, forming what is known as a dimer. Each dimeric ‘bundle’ presents two ‘faces’ to interact with two target molecules.

The researchers hypothesised that the two faces would bind to two separate target proteins locking all four in a complex and blocking the targets’ action.

“But we needed proof of principle,” said Jayanta Chatterjee, Associate Professor in the Molecular Biophysics Unit (MBU), IISc, and the lead author of the study.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

WORLD RECORDS: SPORTS, HOCKEY: Inaugral FIH Hockey 5s | Indian Men’s Hockey Team Emerges Champions, beats Poland 6-4 in Final, Switzerland

India made a stunning comeback from being three-goal down to beat Poland 6-4 to win the summit clash.

A magnificent India made a stunning comeback from being three-goal down to beat Poland 6-4 in a pulsating final to clinch the inaugural FIH Hockey 5s championship here on Sunday.

India, who had topped the five-team league standings with three wins and one draw en route final, ended their campaign with an unbeaten record.

India had topped the five-team standings after the round-robin league stage with 10 points from three wins and one draw. India had beaten hosts Switzerland 4-3 and drawn with arch-rivals Pakistan 2-2 on Saturday.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited0

INTERNATIONAL RECORDS: INDIA RECORDS: International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) Rome, elects Mumbai’s Christine Nathan as its new President for 4 years. She is the First ICMC President ever from Asia.

Christine Nathan / pix: icmc.net/newsroom .

 The Council of the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) has elected Christine Nathan from India as the commission’s new president. She is the first ICMC president from Asia. She belongs to the Archdiocese of Bombay and was nominated to the ICMC Council by the CCBI Migrant Commission.

The ICMC Council has its members from the National Episcopal Conferences. The 58 members representing the Episcopal Conferences all over the world elected her on June 1, 2022 at its meeting held in Rome.

Apart from the Episcopal Conference His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin Secretary of State, Giorgio Bertin O F M Bishop of Djibouti and Fr Fabio Baggio, cs, Co-Undersecretary of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development attended the ICMC Council meeting in Rome.

She is the member of Migrant and Labour Commission of the Archdiocese of Bombay.

Christine is a senior education specialist in Adult and Workers Education with experience over 40 years. Having a strong multi-speciality background Christine has worked with the International Labour Organisation (ILO – UN) with Govts, employers and workers. Regional specialist on adult education, Occupational safety and health.She has engaged herself with NGO’s and Civil Society Organisation’s on several social issues at the National and international levels.

source/content: daijiworld.com (edited)

INDIA RECORDS : SPACE – SATELLITE & LAUNCH VEHICLES: Ananth Technologies Opens the Spacecraft Manufacturing unit at KIADB Aerospace Park in Bengaluru. First Facility in Private Sector.

Ananth Technologies which designs and produces systems for Indian aerospace has set up a 15,000 square metre spacecraft manufacturing unit at KIADB Aerospace Park, Bengaluru, said to be the country’s first such facility in the private sector.

The manufacturing unit would be able to conduct assembly, integration and testing of four large spacecraft simultaneously, the company said in a statement.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Subba Rao Pavuluri, Chairman & Managing Director, Ananth Technologies, said, “India is on the cusp of revolutionising the spacecraft industry. As a nation, we are capable of manufacturing world-class spacecrafts.’‘

“Over the years, Ananth Technologies has successfully contributed to major launches of ISRO. Our technology acumen is such that none of the sub-systems supplied by Ananth Technologies has ever failed in orbit,’‘ he claimed.

Since its inception in 1992, Ananth Technologies has contributed to the manufacturing of 89 satellites and 69 launch vehicles built/launched by ISRO, including two satellites for European customers that ISRO had built in collaboration with Airbus, France.

source/content: thehindu.com (edited)

INTERNATIONAL: ASIA RECORDS: Asia Cup Hockey: Young Indian Hockey Team Defeats Japan 1-0 To Clinch Bronze Medal, Hero Asia Cup, Jakarta 2022

pix: Twitter/@TheHockeyIndia

Indian men’s hockey team defeated Japan 1-0 in the third place play-off match to win the bronze medal.

The young Indian men’s hockey team produced a spirited performance to beat Japan 1-0 and clinch the bronze medal in the Asia Cup in Jakarta on Wednesday.

After missing out of a place in the title clash on goal difference following an exciting 4-4 draw with South Korea on Tuesday, defending champions India came out with purpose and scored a field goal through Raj Kumar Pal as early as in the seventh minute of the game and then defended in numbers to seal the deal.

source/content: sports.ndtv.com (edited)

GLOBAL RECORDS: FIRST INDIAN: Michelin Star Celebrity Chef Vikas Khanna First Indian to make Gazette Review’s Top 10 Global Chefs

Indian celebrity chef Vikas Khanna was ranked sixth in Gazette Review’s rankings of the top 10 global chefs. The list is topped by Gordon Ramsay.

Michelin star celebrity chef Vikas Khanna has been ranked among the top 10 global chefs in the world by Gazette Review, becoming the only Indian chef who has made it to the prestigious list. Gazette Review ranked Mr. Khanna sixth, with British chef Gordon Ramsay leading the list.

The 50-year-old Amritsar-born and New York-based Khanna is known for taking Indian cuisine across the globe and on the world food map. He is the only Indian origin chef who has made it to the list along with great names in the industry.

Mr. Khanna, who also wears other caps including that of being a writer, filmmaker and philanthropist, took to social media on Tuesday and shared his joy on being listed.

In elite company

Others on the list include Anthony Bourdain, Paul Bocuse, Alain Ducasse, Emeril Lagasse, Marco Pierre White, Heston Blumenthal, Wolfgang Puck and Jamie Oliver.

Mr. Khanna is one of the first Indian chefs to receive international acclaim. Since 2011, his main restaurant Junoon in New York City has received a Michelin star, a hallmark of fine dining.

Mr. Khanna has served food to the former U. S. President Barack Obama, the Dalai Lama, Pope Francis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and many other world leaders and celebrities.

Mr. Khanna is known for creating the most expensive cookbook in the world.

From 2011, Khanna hosted five seasons of Master Chef India, a series based on the original British version.

source/content: thehindu.com (edited)

INDIA RECORDS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLGOY : SPACE : S. Geetha, Female Scientist the First Woman Programme Director of Space Transportation Systems at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC)

S Geetha, the first woman programme director of space transportation systems at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram, will retire after 33 years of service on Tuesday.

She was heading 64 engineers at the centre across seven teams.

Geetha is an alumnus of Vattiyoorkavu Government High School, Thiruvananthapuram, where she studied in the Malayalam medium.

Back then, a young Geetha would have never thought she would be one of the best space scientists in the country years later.

She vividly remembers coming to know about Valentina Tereshkova, the first and youngest woman to fly a solo mission to space on the Vostok 6 in 1963. Valentina was Geetha’s inspiration to pursue bachelors degree in electrical and electronics engineering from College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram (CET).

source/content: thehindu.com (edited)

GLOBAL HONOUR: FIRST INDIAN: Prabhakar Kore, Chairman, KLE Society the First Indian to be Conferred Honorary Degree of PhD from USA’s Thomas Jefferson University

Philadelphia, USA-based Thomas Jefferson University (TJU) conferred an honorary degree of Doctor of Science to Prabhakar Kore, KLE society chairman.

Richard Haverstick Jr. Interim President and CEO, Thomas Jefferson University and Mark L. Tykocinski, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Vice Chancellor gave the honorary degree at the University Convocation held on May 25.

It is a matter of pride for India as such an award is the first for any Indian, said a release by KLE society, Bengaluru, Karnataka.

KLE has multiple academic collaborations with international institutes like Thomas Jefferson University, University of North Carolina, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Kings college and others.

The key focus of the TJU collaboration has been on reduction in the burden of mortality/morbidity during pregnancy, childbirth and early childhood development.

The TJU-JNMC Research Unit funded by NICHD Global Network, has led community-based, multi-centre, multi-country trials for prevention of pre-term birth and mortality during childbirth. The results have had far reaching impact at the grassroot levels and have been incorporated in the guidelines by the Ministry of Health, Govt of India and the World Health Organization.

Furthermore it is now a “WHO Collaborating Centre for Research in Maternal and Perinatal Health”.

The Academic and Research collaboration between KAHER and TJU in the areas of Public Health, Urology and Integrative Medicine commenced in July 2017 and has been expanded to include specialties of Neurology, Radiology, Neonatology, Psychiatry, Nursing and Physiotherapy.

The Faculty and student exchange, research grants as well as the upcoming establishment of the India Centre at Thomas Jefferson University on 26th May 2022 is a testimony of the strong academic bond between KLE and TJU, said the release.

source/contents: thehindu.com (edited)