Category Archives: Business & Economy

NATIONAL: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & ENERGY: GREEN INNOVATION:India’s First Saline Water Lantern ‘Roshini’ launched, by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT)

Union Minister Jitendra Singh has launched India’s first saline water lantern, which uses seawater to power LED lamps.

The Minister of State for Science and Technology launched the “first-of-its kind lantern named Roshini” during a visit to SAGAR ANVESHIKA, a coastal research vessel operated and used by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai, a PIB release on Saturday said.

“Dr Jitendra Singh has launched India’s first Saline Water Lantern which uses seawater as the electrolyte between specially designed electrodes to power the LED lamps,” it said.

He was quoted as saying that the lantern will bring “ease of living to the poor and needy, particularly the fishing community living along the 7,500 km long coastal line of India.

“Singh said the saline water lantern will also boost and supplement Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s UJALA scheme launched in 2015 for distribution of LED bulbs across the country.

“Roshini Lamps along with Power Ministry’s schemes like Solar Study Lamps will be driving a vibrant renewable energy programme aimed at achieving energy security, energy access and reducing the carbon footprints of the national economy,” he said.

He further pointed out that this technology can also be used in hinterlands, where seawater is not available, as any saline water or normal water mixed with common salt can be used to power the lantern.

It is not only cost-effective but very easy to operate.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: DEFENCE & ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY: MANUFACTURING: In a First, Indigenous Artillery Gun the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) to be part of 21-gun salute on Independence Day

It will stand as a testament to India’s growing capacity of developing arms and ammunition, says Defence Secretary.

In a first, an indigenous artillery gun, the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), will be used along with the usual 25-Pounders for the 21-gun salute during the Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort this year.

“The initiative to use this indigenously developed gun will stand as a testament to India’s growing capacity of developing arms and ammunition indigenously. The gun has been specifically customised both in terms of blank firing and sound attributes so that it will be useful for ceremonial purposes,” Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar said, briefing the media on this year’s celebrations.

Since Independence, the ceremonial 21-gun salute is accorded by seven vintage Quick Fire 25 Pounder guns which fire blank rounds as the National Anthem is played after the hoisting of the National Flag by the Prime Minister.

This year, in addition to the 25-Pounders, as they are popularly known, one ATAGS will be used, Mr. Kumar said. 

The ATAGS is a 155 mm, 52 calibre heavy artillery gun jointly developed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), the Pune-based laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), in partnership with Bharat Forge and Tata Group. In May, the gun successfully completed validation trails towards meeting the specifications of the Army and is now ready for induction.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: SCIENCE & VETERINARY SCIENCES : VACCINE: Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Develops Vaccine for Lumpy Skin Disease in Cattle

As of August 08, the disease has spread to Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar and Uttarakhand.

In a major breakthrough, two institutes of Agri research body ICAR have developed an indigenous vaccine for Lumpy Skin Disease in cattle which has spread across many States in the last few months.

The Centre plans to commercialise this vaccine, developed by the two institutes of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), at the earliest in order to control the Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), which has led to the death of cattle in six States.

As of August 8, Rajasthan has reported 2,111 deaths of cattle, followed by Gujarat at 1,679, Punjab at 672, Himachal Pradesh at 38, Andaman & Nicobar at 29 and Uttarakhand at 26.

ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines (ICAR-NRCE), Hisar (Haryana), in collaboration with ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh has developed a homologous live-attenuated LSD vaccine “Lumpi-ProVacInd”.

The new technology was released by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Union Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Parshottam Rupala at an event held in the national capital.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: ENGINEERING SERVICES: In a First, the U.S. Navy Ship ‘Charles Drew’ Arrives in India for Repairs and Maintenance at L&T Shipyard, Chennai

It will undergo maintenance activities at L&T’s Shipyard in Chennai for 11 days.

In a first, a U.S. Navy Ship, Charles Drew, arrived in India for carrying out repairs and allied services at Larsen & Toubro’s (L&T) Shipyard at Kattupalli, Chennai, on Sunday adding a new dimension to the fast expanding Indo-U.S. strategic partnership.

“This is the first ever repair of a U.S. Navy ship in India.

The U.S. Navy had awarded a contract to L&T’s Shipyard at Kattupalli for undertaking maintenance of the ship. The event signifies the capabilities of Indian shipyards in the global ship repairing market,” a Defence Ministry statement said. 

The USNS Charles Drew will be at the Kattupalli shipyard for a period of 11 days and undergo repairs in various areas.

At the India-U.S. 2+2 in April, both sides agreed to explore the possibilities of utilising Indian shipyards for the repair and maintenance of ships of the U.S. Maritime Sealift Command to support mid-voyage repair of U.S. Naval ships.

source/contents: thehindu.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: BUSINESS & ECONOMY: Recently listed Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) Breaks into the Fortune 500 List Ranked at 98 and is one of 9 Indian Companies on the List.

The list, topped by US retailer Walmart, has nine Indian companies — five of them state-owned, and four from the private sector.

Recently-listed Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) has broken into the latest Fortune Global 500 list, while Reliance Industries has jumped 51 places.

The nation’s biggest life insurer with revenue of USD 97.26 billion and a profit of USD 553.8 million, was ranked 98th on the just released Fortune 500 list.

Reliance Industries jumped 51 places to 104 on the 2022 list.

This is the first outing of LIC on the list, which ranks listed companies by sales. Reliance, with revenue of USD 93.98 billion and a net profit of USD 8.15 billion in the latest year, has been on the list for 19 years.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: ARTS & CRAFTS, CINEMA: Vijay Sethupathi-starrer ‘Maamanithan’ Wins Gold Medal in the ‘Best Asian Film Category’ at the Tokyo Film Awards 2022

Maamanithan’ won the gold in the Best Asian Film category, while Takahiro Kawabe’s ‘Love Song at 5 pm’ won the silver and Mart Bira’s ‘Nomadic Doctor’ took the bronze.

 Director Seenu Ramasamy’s critically acclaimed entertainer, ‘Maamanithan’, featuring actors Vijay Sethupathi and Gayathrie in the lead, has won a Gold medal at the Tokyo Film Awards this year.

The story of ‘Maamanithan’ is about a simple man who longs to provide good education to his children by getting them admitted to a private school. To increase his income, he enters into a deal with a real estate developer and in the process gets conned. The problems he faces is what the film is all about.

The film, which garnered huge praise from various quarters soon after its release, has ace director Shankar calling it a ‘realistic classic’.

Shankar had even said that Vijay Sethupathi’s brilliant performance in the film deserved a National Award.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INDIA GLOBAL: ARTS & CULTURE, MUSIC: United Colours of ‘Berklee Indian Ensemble’, Boston

Shuruaat, the Boston-based multi-cultural collective’s debut album, tracks its decade-long journey across genres.

“Are you jet-lagged?” asks Annette Philip. “Not at all. How can I be when I am in this musically charged environment,” replies Shreya Ghoshal. “Actually I see myself in these youngsters and wish I had the opportunity to be at such a place. It’s so much fun and an open and inclusive space to learn music. You are all blessed,” she smiles, looking at the students attending the residency that she conducted at the Berklee College of Music in Boston in 2017.

The singer is now part of the Berklee Indian Ensemble’s debut album  Shuruaat, which marks the music collective’s first decade together.

‘Sundari Pennae’, one of the tracks in the album, was originally sung by Shreya for composer D. Imman for the Tamil film  Oru Oorla Rendu Raja. Presented in a grunge-inspired version, the song, recorded during her residency, fuses progressive rock, konnakol and jazz over intricate Indian classical rhythms. “Till date, it is the most collaboratively re-arranged cover that the ensemble has produced,” says Annette, the first Indian musician to be appointed as a faculty at Berklee, and the founder of the ensemble.

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What started out as a class in 2011 is today among the well-known global acts to emerge from Boston that organically transitioned into a 11-member professional band in 2021. It hosts productions, headlines international music festivals, and creates YouTube content. Their success on YouTube can be traced to their interpretation of A.R. Rahman’s ‘Jiya Jale’ (from  Dil Se). The ensemble’s version became viral, garnering over 50 million views. It led to a sold-out concert of new arrangements of Rahman’s music, featuring 109 Berklee musicians onstage at Boston Symphony Hall. This also paved the way for the ensemble to work with some of the biggest names in South Asian music.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

PATENT: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: ENVIRONMENT, RECYCLING: Prof. Nand Gopal Sahu receives Patent for Creating Supercapacitors & Energy Storing Devices from Used Tyres

Professor Nand Gopal Sahu of the Rajendra Singh Nano Science and Nanotechnology Centre of Kumaun University’s Chemistry department has obtained a patent for making supercapacitors and energy storage devices from tyre waste.

Talking to Sahu, he said that Tyre waste can be used to synthesize graphene, which is a vital industrial material.

This graphene is used to make supercapacitors that can be used for the manufacture of a variety of devices, including electric vehicles.

Sahu acknowledges Professor AB Melkani, research scholars Gaurav Tatari, Dr Chetna Tiwari, Dr Sandeep Pandey, Dr Manoj Kadakoti, and Dr Himani Tiwari for their contributions to the study.

Nainital, Uttarakhand

source/content: thetimesbureau.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: INDIA HOSTS the INTERNATIONAL CHESS OLYMPIAD, SPORTS: Gala Opening of ’44th FIDE Chess Olympiad 2022′ at Chennai, July 28th. First Time Ever Outside of Moscow, Russia. PM Modi says Tamil Nadu is the Chess Powerhouse of India

A gala opening of the 44th FIDE Chess OIympiad took place at the Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai on July 28, 2022. The international event was integrated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the presence of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.

The world’s biggest team chess championship, featuring players from 187 countries, takes place at Hotel Four Points by Sheraton, Mamallapuram, starting July 29 and is to conclude on August 10. The Olympiad is being held in India for the first time ever, after being moved out of Moscow in Russia following the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who declared open the 44th FIDE Chess Olympiad said that in a short period of time, the organisers had made outstanding arrangements.

The grand inaugural was also attended by the Union Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Anurag Thakur, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan and Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

RECORDS: MANUFACTURING / DEFENCE: Historic day for India as Cochin Shipyard (CSL) Delivers First Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) to Indian Navy. India Joins Select Group of Nations to Indigenously Design and Build an Aircraft Carrier.

Scripting history, the Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) handed over India’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) to the Indian Navy on Thursday.

The aircraft carrier, which was designed by the Navy’s in-house Directorate of Naval Design and built by the CSL, will be christened after INS Vikrant, India’s first aircraft carrier, which played a crucial role in 1971 war against Pakistan.

With the delivery of Vikrant, India has joined a select group of nations having the niche capability to indigenously design and build an Aircraft Carrier.

Sources said the vessel will be commissioned and formally inducted into the Indian Navy by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after Independence day. The Navy is planning to make the induction ceremony a mega event to commemorate the 75th anniversary of India’s independence.

The 262 m long aircraft carrier has a full displacement of close to 45,000 tonnes which is much larger and more advanced than her predecessor. The ship is powered by four gas turbines totalling 88 MW power and has a maximum speed of 28 Knots. Built at an overall cost of Rs. 20,000 crores, the IAC has been built in three phases of a contract between the Ministry of Defence and the CSL, concluded in May 2007, December 2014 and October 2019 respectively.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)