Category Archives: World Opinion

GLOBAL RECORDS: ENGINEERING, STEEL: India is the World’s #2nd-Largest Producer of Crude Steel. India to Become World’s Number #1- Producer of Steel: Scindia

He was of the view that India has moved from becoming the net importer of steel to the net exporter of steel.

 Union Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia on Tuesday exuded confidence that India will become the number one producer of steel in the world in the days to come. India is the world’s second-largest producer of crude steel after China.

The minister was speaking during a conference on the Indian minerals and metals industry organised by NMDC and Ficci.

He was of the view that India has moved from becoming the net importer of steel to the net exporter of steel.

He said India’s per capita consumption of steel has increased from 57.8 kg in 2013-14 to 78 kg. The government intends to achieve 300 million tonnes (MT) of steel production target by 2030, Scindia said.

Steel across the world is the primary sector which results in economic, capital and infrastructure growth.

“Our target policy and focus also have been to turn India from just another player in the steel sector to becoming a force to reckon with,” he added.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: MANUFACTURING, ENGINEERING, SHIP-BUILDING: India’s Kolkata-based ‘Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) Making Seven Vessels for Foreign Countries’: Defence PSU official

Defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd is making seven vessels for foreign countries, out of the 23 ships that are in the different stages of construction, its chairman and managing director Commodore (retd) P R Hari said.

GRSE, which had bagged the prestigious Rs 19,294-crore order for the construction of three advanced stealth frigates under Project 17A for the Indian Navy, has already launched two of these ships and the construction of the third one is in full swing.

“Of the 23 ships being developed by GRSE, seven are for foreign countries,” Hari told PTI.

The Kolkata-based warship maker is constructing six patrol boats for Bangladesh and an ocean-going passenger and cargo ferry vessel for Cooperative Republic of Guyana, he said.

After having launched P17A advanced frigate INS Himgiri and large survey vessel INS Sandhayak, GRSE is doing outfitting work on these ships at its FOJ (fitting out jetty) unit before handing these over to the Indian Navy, Hari said.

The second stealth frigate Dunagiri made by the shipyard was launched on July 15 by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Among the ships under construction at its sprawling facilities on the bank of the Hooghly river are four large survey vessels, of which Sandhayak is undergoing outfitting.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL PATENT: HEALTH & MEDICAL SCIENCES: ‘Collision Impact Reducer’ Developed by Woman Dentist Dr. Dhanya R.S. in Kerala, gets U.K. patent

Device cuts severity of impact during accidents

Collision Impact Reducer, a device developed by a Thrissur-based woman dentist and intended for reducing the impact of collisions involving automobiles, has received patent granted in the United Kingdom.

The invention by Dhanya R.S. has already been granted patent in India. The device has been developed with an objective of saving lives, reducing injuries and lessening other damage during accidents.

In addition to vehicles, the device can be used on crash guards, pillars of bridges, railway lines, culverts of bridges, road medians, hand rails, ships, harbours, boats, boat jetties, seaports and on most areas with increased probability for collisions.

Dr. Dhanya says everyday reports about accidents and casualties prompted her to develop such a device. “It can be installed on the front, rear and sides of light, medium and heavy vehicles. It effectively reduces the severity of impact by absorbing the intense energy generated during collisions. The system also has technology to prevent the ‘recoil effect’ that occurs when the absorbed energy attempts to get released. Technically, it is a mechanical system, so it is more reliable and relatively inexpensive,” she says.

The dentist had applied for patent in the United States and the United Kingdom after receiving a favourable International Search Report on the application submitted to the World Intellectual Property Organisation.

Dr. Dhanya has also secured a U.S. patent grant for a technology named ‘digitalised high value paper currency’ meant for preventing counterfeiting of currency.

Hailing from Chavakkad in Thrissur, Dr. Dhanya holds an MDS in Public Health Dentistry and is a teaching faculty of Public Health Dentistry at PSM Dental College, Akkikavu, Thrissur.

source/contents: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INDIAN INTERNATIONAL: SPORT, FOOTBALL: Manisha Kalyan becomes the First Indian Woman Footballer to play in UEFA Women’s Champions League

20-year-old became the fourth Indian woman footballer to sign for an overseas club when she landed a multi-year contract with Cypriot top division winners Apollon Ladies

Young striker Manisha Kalyan became the first Indian footballer to play at the UEFA Women’s Champions League when she made her debut for Apollon Ladies FC in the European Club competition in Engomi, Cyprus.

Kalyan replaced Cyprus’ Marilena Georgiou in the 60th minute at the Makareio Stadium, as Apollon Ladies FC beat Latvian top flight club SFK Rīga 3-0 in their UWCL opener on Thursday.

The 20-year-old became the fourth Indian woman footballer to sign for an overseas club when she landed a multi-year contract with Cypriot top division winners Apollon Ladies.

Kalyan had produced impressive performances for the national team and Gokulam Kerala in the Indian Women’s League (IWL).

She was recently awarded the AIFF Woman Footballer of the Year for the 2021-22 season.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL RECORDS: HEALTH, MEDICAL & PHARMACEUTICALS: India Supplies Nearly 60% of Vaccines Used Worldwide. New Book launched ‘India’s Vaccine Growth Story’.

India today is double dosing every citizen and produced COVID-19 vaccines even during the lockdown period, said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said nearly 60% of all the vaccines used in the world are produced in India and over the decades, the country has made remarkable contribution to vaccinating the world.

India today is double dosing every citizen and produced COVID-19 vaccines even during the lockdown period, she added.

Launching the book India’s Vaccine Growth Story by Sajjan Singh Yadav, Additional Secretary, Expenditure Department, Sitharaman said it is in the country’s DNA to be able to contribute to world vaccination.

“Over the decades India has made a remarkable contribution. Nearly 60% of all the vaccines which are used in the world are produced in India. India has a singular contribution to make to the world in terms of vaccination and that which is being produced and supplied to the entire world,” Ms. Sitharaman said.

Today, the country is double dosing every citizen, she said, adding it is not easy to produce and execute COVID vaccination at that scale.

India crossed the target of 200 crore COVID vaccinations in a time-bound manner. So far, 208.57 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered under the nationwide inoculation drive.

sources/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATION: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: India at 75 | High points in Science, Technology and Innovation

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research has undertaken its mission effectively since Independence.

Reflecting on 75 years of independence makes one proud of the socio-economic developments of our country. The long period of colonial rule had robbed India of most of its wealth, and, more importantly, the skills required to sustain economic growth. Starting off as a poor country in 1947, with its GDP a mere ₹2.7 lakh crore, and food grain production a meagre 50 million tonnes, the challenges of educating the people, feeding the population, implementing democracy, promoting industry and trade, and ensuring the country’s security remained daunting. It is against this backdrop that the responsibility of developing the science, technology and innovation ecosystem fell upon the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), which had been founded in 1942.

The immediate priority of the CSIR was to establish a number of national laboratories under its umbrella, and also promote similar organisations independently. The CSIR started five of its own laboratories with support from the government and industry and raising resources through crowdsourcing. Similarly, in collaboration with the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Government of Bombay, the Government of India (through the CSIR) started the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, with the CSIR providing substantial financial support in the initial years.

Among the first examples of finding science and technology-based solutions was the harmonisation of existing varied calendar systems. A committee under the Chairmanship of Meghnad Saha was formed to address this issue. The committee’s report was published by the CSIR in 1955, which then led to its acceptance as the national calendar, now one of the national identity elements. Another example in the early years of Independence was to address the challenges in conducting democratic elections — preventing frauds, including double voting by the same person. The CSIR’s National Physical Laboratory developed the indelible ink made up of silver nitrate to address this concern. The indelible ink is used even today and exported to many countries, undoubtedly remaining one of the prized gifts of the CSIR to the nation.

The leather story

At the time of Independence, India did not have well-established industries in many sectors. The informal work sector was also highly unorganised without their skills being developed for any particular industrial segment. A key mandate of the CSIR was, therefore, to help develop local industries by making contemporary technologies available and training requisite manpower. A prominent example of the CSIR’s contributions in this context has been in developing the leather industry. The making of finished leather products had remained elusive in the absence of a well-established leather industry and relevant technologies. Consequently, the leather industry employed less than 25,000 people at the time of Independence. In the 1970s, the Government took the decision of banning the export of raw hides and skins, and also imposing 25% export duty on semi-finished leather products. These decisions were a major turning point as far as the development of the leather industry in India was concerned.

In more than 50 years since then, the leather industry now has a workforce of more than 4.5 million, a large percentage of them being women, and a thriving market for Indian leather products around the world. Indian exports in this sector are close to $6 billion. The CSIR’s footprint in this sector has been transformative. First, when the CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) was established in 1948, it developed technologies for finished leather products, such as the first ever indigenous manufacture of leather chemicals, making the transition from semi-finished to finished leather possible. Further, the CSIR-CLRI routinely trained the next generation manpower for the leather industry. As a result, more than 40% personnel employed in the leather industry have been trained directly or indirectly in the CSIR-CLRI. Human resource development across all sectors, dominantly that in science, technology and innovation, has been the hallmark of CSIR.

Successes in technologies

The Green Revolution has been one of the crowning glories of science, technology and innovation. Similarly, the emergence of the generic pharmaceutical industry in India also has a fascinating history.

During the Green Revolution, the CSIR’s footprint could be seen in the development of agrochemicals and the mechanisation of agriculture. The chemicals industry needed the necessary thrust for its maturation although the Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd. had been formed by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray long before Independence. Two public sector companies were founded, post-Independence, based on technologies developed in the CSIR’s laboratories — the Hindustan Insecticides Ltd. and Hindustan Organic Chemicals Ltd., the former to make agrochemicals. Similarly, production of anti-HIV drugs by processes developed in CSIR laboratories provided the necessary impetus to the growth of generic pharmaceutical companies. These indeed represent fine examples of academia-industry interactions from the early days of Independence.

The mechanisation of agriculture was achieved through the indigenous development of the Swaraj tractor at the CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI), leading to the formation of Punjab Tractors Ltd. in 1970. Notably, the technical team of CSIR-CMERI shifted to this company, presenting one of the first successful models of a spin-off company from academia in the country.

Path to self-reliance

A significant impact of the CSIR is also seen in the food and nutrition industry, in the aerospace sector, in the health and biotechnology industry, in protecting India’s traditional knowledge systems, and in promoting crops for enhancing farmers’ incomes. For example, in the 1950s, when solving the infant food problem appeared impossible, the CSIR successfully developed technologies to convert buffalo milk into powder and commercialised it with the help of Amul Industries. The Aroma Mission of the CSIR in recent times has been transforming the lives of thousands of farmers across the country. The cultivation of lavender in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has been attracting attention worldwide as India’s ‘Purple Revolution’. Thus, there are many examples of science, technology and innovation, which have allowed India to take definitive steps towards becoming an Atmanirbhar country. True Atmanirbharta will however emerge only if we remain at the forefront of futuristic technology development — a task clearly cut out for the CSIR.

Even as we attribute the growing affluence of Indian society to science, technology and innovation-led developments, the challenges for the future remain intimidating. Reducing dependence on natural resources, making all industrial processes circular so that no footprint of human activity is left, making technologies environmentally friendly, providing sufficient opportunities to all for living either in cities or in villages will remain priorities of science and technology. Moreover, the ancient wisdom of integrating science and spirituality by enhancing our understanding of nature in association with that of the human mind and spirit will be the fond hope of the science and technology community of India.

Dr. Shekhar Mande is former Director-General, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INDEPENDENCE DAY OF INDIA: 75 YEARS : Today August 15th, 2022 :India @75: 100 events that shaped India

As Independent India marks 75 years, take a tour through 100 events that mark flashpoints and turning points, wars won and battles lost, new beginnings and realised ambitions.

How does one tell the story of a nation? How does one capture a billion tales that are, eventually, one? As Independent India marks 75 years, take a tour through 100 events that mark flashpoints and turning points, wars won and battles lost, new beginnings and realised ambitions — from the creation of a Constitution to the rise of political stalwarts, from pitched battles on the cricket field to dreams captured on celluloid, from events that challenged us to responses that elevated us. We, the people of India, have a lot to remember, and a lot to celebrate…

1. India gains Independence (1947)

2. Partition rocks the new nation (1947)

3. Kashmir accedes to India (1947)

4. Mahatma Gandhi is assassinated (1948)

5. India gets a Constitution (1950)

6. Ever Onward with the first Asian Games (1951)

7. The first IIT comes up in Kharagpur (1951)

8. The Bharatiya Jana Sangh is founded (1951)

9. India votes for the first time (1951)

10. Pather Panchali is released (1955)

11. The States Reorganization Act is passed (1955)

12. Kerala gets the first elected communist government in the world (1957)

13. The Dalai Lama seeks asylum (1959)

14. ISI is declared an institute of national importance (1960)

15. Mughal-e-Azam is released (1960)

16. Milkha Singh flies, but comes fourth (1960)

17. The First Non Aligned Summit is held (1961)

18. Goa is finally free, and part of India (1961)

19. China shocks India (1962)

20. Jawaharlal Nehru dies (1964)

21. The anti-Hindi agitation breaks (1965)

22. The Second India-Pakistan War (1965)

23. The arrival of Indira Gandhi (1966)

24: The Congress starts to weaken (1967)

25. The Green Revolution starts (1967)

26. The Naxalbari movement emerges (1967)

27. Ravi Shankar wins a Grammy (1968)

28. The West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar (1971)

29. The West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar at all (1971)

30. Bangladesh is born (1971)

31. The basic structure doctrine is articulated (1973)

32. The tree-hugging movement begins – in India (1973)

33. Indian enterprise gets its flagbearer (1973)

34. The angry young man emerges (1973)

35. Amul is born (1973)

36. India goes nuclear: Pokhran 1 and 2 (1974)

37. JP launches total revolution (1974)

38. India reaches for the stars (1973)

39. Indian democracy’s darkest moment (1975)

40. Sholay releases on Independence Day (1975)

41. The retrograde 42nd amendment is passed (1976)

42. India gets its first non-Congress government (1977)

43. Prakash Padukone wins the All-England championship (1980)

44. Sanjay Gandhi dies in an air crash (1980)

45. Asiad, and in colour (1982)

46. India win the cricket world cup (1983)

47. Everyman’s wheels, the Maruti 800 is launched (1983)

48. An Indian goes where no Indian had gone before (1984)

49. India gets its first soap, Hum Log (1983)

50. Usha soars (1984)

51. Indira Gandhi is assassinated (1984)

52. December 2, 1984 India experienced its worst ever industrial accident, Union Carbide plant in Bhopal

53. One step forward, two steps back with Shah Bano (1985)

54. The Assam Accord is signed (1985)

55. A (big) smoking gun (1986) – Bofors

56. A judgement reaffirms the power of the floor-test (1989) – The Bommai Judgement

57. Boy wonder Sachin Tendulkar makes his debut (1989)

58. The home minister’s daughter is kidnapped (1989)

59. Mandal redefines Indian politics (1989)

61. India opens up (1991)

62. Star TV launches (1991)

63. The Big Bull and a big scam (1992)

64. A rape results in some reforms (1992)

65. The Babri Masjid falls (1992)

66. Infosys IPO heralds the equity culture (1993)

67. Bombay witnesses bomb blasts, but they also take down the underworld (1993)

68. Mayawati becomes India’s first Dalit CM (1995)

69. Internet on Independence Day (1995)

70. DDLJ (1995)

71. The BJP’s first government (1996)

72. Arundhati Roy wins the Booker (1997)

73. Amartya Sen wins the Nobel (1998)

74. The Kargil War (1999)

75. IC814 hijack (1999)

76. Tata buys Tetley (2000)

77. The rest begins with Clinton’s India visit (2000)

78. The Match fixing scandal (2000)

79. India’s population touches a billion (2000)

80. The seat of democracy comes under attack (2001)

81. Gujarat is wracked by riots (2002)

82. Delhi gets a world-class metro (2002)

83. The Congress springs a surprise (2004)

84. Rights and entitlements in focus with RTI and MGNREGA (2005)

85. Cricket goes pop with IPL (2007)

86. India wins first individual gold at Olympics (2008)

87. Terror ravages Mumbai (2008)

88. One India; One ID (2009)

89. The movement against corruption (2011)

90. The nation weeps for Nirbhaya (2012)

91. Modi! Modi! Modi! (2014)

92. The activist as politician (2015) – Arvind Kejriwal

93. Money is for nothing (2016) – Demonetisation

94. One country, one tax (2017)

95. The court legalizes consensual gay sex (2018)

96. Another terror strike and a muscular response (2019) – Pulwama

97. Jammu & Kashmir is completely integrated with India (2019)

98. The Ram temple becomes a reality (2019)

99. China flexes its muscles, but India holds its own (2020)

100. Neeraj Chopra’s javelin soars (2021)

source/content : hindustantimes.com (headline and captions edited)

GLOBAL: New Guinness World Record by Chandigarh University for ‘World’s Largest Human Formation of Waving National Flag’ 

The Chandigarh University on Saturday set a new Guinness World Record for the world’s largest human formation of a waving national flag here.

As many as 5,885 students from the Chandigarh University and other schools and colleges along with volunteers of the NID Foundation and other dignitaries gathered for the flag formation at the Chandigarh Cricket Stadium here, according to a release issued by the university.

The feat was achieved by breaking the previous record made by an institution in the United Arab Emirates.

Swapnil Dangarikar, Guinness World Records official adjudicator, said, “The previous world record for the ‘largest human image of a waving national flag’ achieved by GEMS Education in Abu Dhabi, UAE has been broken and a new world record has been created by NID Foundation and Chandigarh University in today’s event.”

The UAE had achieved the record for the largest human image of a waving national flag with 4,130 people in 2017, it said.

Chandigarh Administrator and Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakashi Lekhi, NID chief patron and Chandigarh University Chancellor Satnam Singh Sandhu and other senior officials of the Union Territory administration were present in the event.

Dangarikar handed over a copy of the GWR certificate to the governor and the university chancellor.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: SPORTS / GOLF: Gaganjeet Bhullar Walks Away with his 10th career Win in the ‘Mandiri Indonesia Open’ 2022

Golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar shot a superb 7-under 65 to be 20-under and win the $5,00,000 Mandiri Indonesia Open.

Golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar produced one of the best rounds of his career when he needed it most to end India’s four-year long title drought on the Asian Tour.

Bhullar shot a superb 7-under 65 to be 20-under and win the $5,00,000 Mandiri Indonesia Open.

He won the tournament by two shots over countryman Rashid Khan (68) and Steve Lewton (64).

The last Indian win had come at the Panasonic Open by Khalin Joshi in 2018.

It was his 10th Asian Tour win, the most by an Indian as he extended his own record. He also became the first player to win the event three times, following his wins in 2013 and 2016.

source/content: thehindu.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)