Tag Archives: Records of India

NATIONAL: OLYMPICS: P.T. Usha creates History, becomes First Woman President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOC). Making her the 1st Indian Olympian and 1st International Medallist Heading the IOA.

P.T. Usha, fondly known as the ‘Payyoli Express’, is being seen as a candidate of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, which had nominated her as a Rajya Sabha member in July.

Ushering in a new era in the country’s sports administration, the legendary P.T. Usha was on December 10 elected as the first woman president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

The 58-year-old Ms. Usha, a multiple Asian Games gold medallist and fourth-place finisher in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics 400m hurdles final, was declared elected unopposed for the top post in the polls.

The elections were held under the supervision of Supreme Court-appointed retired SC judge L Nageswara Rao.

The election of Ms. Usha to the top job marked an end to the long drawn crisis in the faction-ridden IOA, which was warned of a possible suspension by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) if elections are not held this month.

The polls were originally due to be held in December 2021.

Ms. Usha’s anointment to the top post was a forgone conclusion late last month after she emerged as the lone candidate for the top post.

Nobody was willing to fight against Ms. Usha, who was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in July.

Ms. Usha, fondly known as the ‘Payyoli Express’, is being seen as a candidate of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, which had nominated her as a Rajya Sabha member in July.

She also became the first Olympian and first international medallist to head the IOA in its 95-year-old history, adding another feather in her cap after dominating Indian and Asian athletics for two decades before retiring in 2000 with a bagful of international medals.

Ms. Usha is the first sportsperson to have represented the country and also become IOA chief since Maharaja Yadavindra Singh, who played a Test match in 1934. Singh was the third IOA president who held office from 1938 to 1960.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: BUSINESS LEADER : Sundar Pichai, CEO Google & Alphabet, Awarded with Padma Bhushan, says, ‘India is a part of me…’

India’s Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu handed over the award to Pichai.

Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai was awarded the Padma Bhushan – India’s third-highest civilian award – for 2022 in the Trade and Industry category on Friday in the presence of his close family members in San Francisco. India’s Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu handed over the award to Pichai and said that his “inspirational journey reaffirms Indian talent’s contribution to global innovation”.

“Delighted to hand over Padma Bhushan to Google CEO Sundar Pichai in San Francisco. His inspirational journey from Madurai to Mountain View, strengthening India-America economic and tech ties, reaffirms Indian talent’s contribution to global innovation,” Sandhu wrote on Twitter.

Upon receiving the prestigious award, Pichai in his blog said India is a part of him.

“India is a part of me and I carry it with me wherever I go. I was fortunate to grow up in a family that cherished learning and knowledge, with parents who sacrificed a lot to make sure I had opportunities to explore my interests,” he said.

Pichai added, “I am deeply grateful to the Indian government and the people of India for this immense honour. It is incredibly meaningful to be honoured in this way by the country that shaped me.”

Pichai also recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of technology to combine the 3s -speed, simplicity, and service.

“We recently announced that we’ll be investing USD 10 billion in India’s digital future, working to enable more affordable internet access, building products for India’s unique needs, helping businesses of all sizes in their digital transformation, and using AI to tackle big societal challenges,” the Google CEO said.

“I look forward to continuing the great partnership between Google and India, as we work together to bring the benefits of technology to more people,” Pichai added.

(With inputs from agencies)

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL RECORDS : SPORTS / WEIGHT LIFTING: Mirabai Chanu Wins Silver Medal at ‘World Weightlifting Championships 2022’ Bogota, Colombia

Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu bagged a silver medal in the 2022 World Weightlifting Championships in Bogota, Colombia.

Mirabai lifted a total of 200kg (87kg snatch + 113kg clean & jerk), 2kg more than the Olympic champion from China Hou Zhihua (198kg) and 6kg behind another Chinese, Jiang Huihua (206kg: 93+113) who won the gold medal.

Hou Zhihui of China took bronze with 198 (89kg plus 109 kg). 

Mirabai’s wrist problem became apparent when she struggled with the overhead lift in her second clean-and-jerk attempt, but she recovered fast to finish with the best lift of 113kg. She had the best attempt of 87kg in the snatch event. Mirabai took home the silver in the clean and jerk category with her 113kg attempt.

This was Mirabai’s second Worlds medal, having previously won gold at the 2017 World Championships with a lift of 194kg (85kg plus 109kg). She came in fourth place in the 2019 edition.

Olympic champion Hou appeared to be labouring on the day, lifting significantly below her personal bests of 96 kg in snatch and 118kg in clean and jerk (Mirabai holds the world record in that, at 119kg).

According to the Paris Olympics qualifying system, a lifter needs to compete in two compulsory events – the 2023 World Championships and the 2024 World Cup. The 2022 World Championships are the first qualifying event for the 2024 Paris Olympics, where weightlifting events will be cut from 14 at Tokyo Games to 10. (ANI)

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: HEALTH & MEDICAL SCIENCES: National Drugs Regulator Approves Mylab’s PathoDetect™ kit, making it India’s First Indigenous Tuberculosis (TB) Detection Testing Kit

TB is an infectious disease, and according to the government data, India reported 1.93 million new TB cases in 2021.

India’s national drugs regulator has approved Pune based Mylab’s test kit to detect tuberculosis (TB) , making it the first made in India test kit to be approved for TB diagnosis, the company announced on Tuesday.

The kit simultaneously detects drug resistance to the two most commonly used drugs in TB treatment— Rifampicin and Isoniazid, the company added.

TB is an infectious disease, and according to the government data, India reported 1.93 million new TB cases in 2021, making it one of the major public health concerns in the country. India currently uses imported test kits; most of them come from US and Europe.

Apart from the central drugs standard control organization (CDSCO), the kit has also received approval from the national TB expert committee and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

“We are addressing several problems simultaneously here. First being able to speed up testing by automated systems that can do multiple tests at one time. Secondly, there is scarce trained manpower for RT-PCR testing, which India can now overcome with fully automated system which does not need highly technical person to handle samples and reagents,” said Hasmukh Rawal, managing director, Mylab.

According to people familiar with the matter, this kit is more automated that others in the market and reduces the need for high expertise to run the test. Also, the kit can be stored at Indian room temperature; thus catering to look temperature requirements.

The kit is priced around ₹650 per unit, which is almost comparable to the prices of others in the market.

“We have technology to detect TB and drug resistance in the form of genexpert that’s a cartridge based nucleic acid amplification test. But this is an expensive test in the private sector and the advantage of made-in-India kit will be its low cost. We will still have to be sure how reliable the technology is,” said Dr Vikas Maurya, director, department of Pulmonology, Fortis Healthcare.

According to the company, the kit has been approved after rigorous and large scale field trials and recommended by TB Expert Committee under the aegis of ICMR. Multicentre centre evaluation study and field feasibility testing studies were also carried out for the test kit.

Emphasizing on the important point of drug resistance, Rawal said, “There is a huge problem of resistance to drugs when it comes to TB.

Until now, India had to conduct 2 tests: one to detect TB first and to check drug resistance – that against only one drug (Rifampicin). With Mylab’s PathoDetect™ kit, in a single test – patients can know their active TB infection as well as drug resistance to 2 most common drugs – Isoniazid and Rifampacin – so that they take treatment that will actually work. This is a milestone moment in India’s TB Testing.”

The test kits have been designed to work in ambient temperatures compared to existing PCR options which need 2-8 degree cold storage. Mylab Compact device systems do not require special infrastructure for operations and feasibility studies done on mobile van in rural areas indicate them to be very robust, said the company.

sources/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: INDIA’S HUMANITARIAN AID : India’s ‘Generous Humanitarian Support’ for Afghanistan draws US envoy’s praise

The US envoy also mentioned about meeting Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, the chairman of the National Reconciliation Committee.

India’s support for Afghanistan – at a time when the neighboring country is struggling with multiple civic and economic concerns under the Taliban rule – has drawn praise from an envoy from the United States. New Delhi had re-established its presence in Kabul, months after pulling out.

Thomas West, the US special representative for Afghanistan, during his India visit discussed issues related to the conflict-ridden country that evoke global concerns. He met Deputy National Security Advisor Vikram Misri and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Joint Secretary (PAI) JP Singh. “1/2 Great to see @VikramMisri, @MEAIndia JP Singh and other Indian colleagues in Delhi to discuss shared interests in Afghanistan.

As fellow friend of Afghan ppl, US deeply appreciates India’s generous humanitarian support and commitment to Afghans’ fundamental rights. (sic),” Thomas West wrote in one of the tweets. While this is West’s third visit to the country, it is his first visit after India re-established its diplomatic presence in the country.

The US envoy also mentioned about meeting Dr. Abdullah, the chairman of the National Reconciliation Committee, in Afghanistan. “Also valuable to meet with @DrabdullahCE about urgent need for national political dialogue among Afghans. There is consensus in int’l community on this imperative, which Afghans must lead and shape,” he further added.

Apart from India, Japan and the United Arab Emirates are also included in his three-nation visit. He is said to be engaging with the Afghan diaspora, including human rights, business, political, and media leaders on how to address these challenges, news agency ANI reported.

This visit comes as the UN mission in Afghanistan has urged the Taliban to take immediate steps to end violence against women.

Meanwhile, security concerns linked to Afghanistan also remain on top of agenda as National Security Adviser Ajit Doval meets his counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan on Tuesday.

(With inputs from ANI)

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: Navy Day, November 04th. Spectacular Show of Prowess marks Navy Day Celebration in Vizag

The Indian Navy showcased its mighty combat prowess in a spectacular fashion through an Operational Demonstration on the occasion of Navy Day here on Sunday.

President of India and the Supreme Commander of Armed Forces Droupadi Murmu was the chief guest at the event organised at Ramakrishna Beach here.

This was the first time the Navy Day was celebrated outside New Delhi.

Sailors aboard the submarine INS Sindhukeerthi and INS Tarangini, the sail ship that circumvented the world, welcomed the President as they sailed past the venue.

The Navy commandos carried out a slithering operation from the Sea King helicopter, followed by a demonstration of the combat skills of the Marcos (Marine Commandos) who, after a rescue operation, demolished an oil rig.

The Hawk aircraft were also on show, as also the MiG 29 K aircraft.

The Navy’s warships Missile Corvette INS Khanjar, INS Kadmat and INS Kirch, Destroyer INS Delhi, Frigate INS Sahyadri and Destroyer INS Kochi were on display.

A search and rescue operation was demonstrated with the commandos lowering themselves from Naval helicopter Chetak and the Advanced Light Helicopter ALH Mach-3 and carrying out the mission.

Four helicopters then demonstrated a precision landing onboard the warships lined offshore.

Firing of rockets from the warships was another attraction at the event, along with a fly-past by the Naval aircraft.

Skydiver Anup Singh presented a book the ‘History of Indian Navy’ to the President, after he performed a free fall from an aircraft.

A special song on the Indian Navy composed by the famous musical trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and penned by noted lyricist Prasoon Joshi was released on the occasion.

Shankar (Mahadevan) enthralled the audience by a live performance as his partners Ehsaan, Loy and Joshi accompanied him on the stage.

The President, Chief of Naval Staff, Union Minister of State for Defence joined the Navy officers, men and their family members in cheering Shankar as he rendered the song with full fervor.

The Indian Navy Band rendered instrumental support to the song.

Illumination of the ships lined up in a formation provided a visual treat to the thousands of people gathered along the Vizag beach to witness the Navy Day celebrations.

Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, Union Minister for Tourism G Kishan Reddy, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt and others attended the event.

The President inaugurated, in virtual mode, the National Open Air Range in Kurnool district and the Advanced Night Vision Products Factory of the Bharat Electronics Limited at Nimmakuru in Krishna district.

She also inaugurated National Highway projects worth over Rs 925 crore, including the Rayachoti-Angallu section of the NH-340, a four-lane Road-over-Bridge on NH-205 and six-lane grade-separated structures on roads in Kurnool city, Dhone and service roads on NH-44.

She also laid the foundation stone for widening of Mudigubba-Puttaparthi stretch of NH-342 in Sri Satya Sai district.

Murmu also inaugurated four Ekalavya Model Residential Schools in the Agency (tribal) areas of the state. PTI DBV ROH ROH

This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.

source/content: theprint.in (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: SOUTH ASIA: ARTS & CULTURE : 1st ‘Sylhet-Silchar Festival’ Celebrating Indo-Bangla Ties opens in Barak Valley, Assam

The first Sylhet-Silchar Festival celebrating the close cultural ties between the neighbouring regions of India and Bangladesh was inaugurated in Assam’s Barak Valley on Friday. Being celebrated as a two-day festival, it coincided with the 75th year of India’s independence and the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan. 

The first Sylhet-Silchar Festival celebrating the close cultural ties between the neighbouring regions of India and Bangladesh was inaugurated in Assam’s Barak Valley on Friday. Being celebrated as a two-day festival, it coincided with the 75th year of India’s independence and the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan. 

In an attempt to boost bilateral relations between the two countries, the festival is being organized by the India Foundation under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Culture in association with the Bangladesh Foundation for Regional Studies.

“With the aim of revisiting the common values and shared heritage of the twin cities and their people separated by international borders, the festival will showcase tribal culture, cuisine, arts, crafts and local produce, entertainment and bring together eminent people from both sides to discuss and deliberate on issues of mutual growth and opportunity,” the organisers said in a statement. 

In addition, the festival will provide a platform to explore multi-disciplinary trade opportunities in sectors such as healthcare, tourism, education and digital infrastructure. With the support of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, Assam government and in association with the Bangladesh India Friendship Society and India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the festival will mark the first step towards creating potential opportunities for all involved.

It will be addressed by personalities including Mizoram Governor Dr Kambhampati Hari Babu, Union Minister for Culture, Tourism & Development of North Eastern Region G KIshan Reddy, Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs and Education Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh and Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Md Mustafizur Rahman.

The delegation from Bangladesh is led by Momen and it comprises the members of parliament, representatives of trade organisations, political and social leaders, academics, artists and practitioners.
In his speech, Silchar MP Dr Rajdeep Roy spoke about undivided Sylhet which also had Assam’s Barak Valley. 

“We are at the cusp of history. It is by a stroke of providence that this beautiful land got divided into two. After the Liberation War, India was one of the first states to recognise Bangladesh. Today, we see that the relationship between the two countries has gone far and wide,” Roy said.

He said during the two days of the festival, the two sides would reminisce their olden history, civilisation, art and culture. Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said such engagements would further consolidate the bilateral relations. “Assam and India occupy a special place in my heart and memory because my grandfather was in the Assam Civil Services and he served in many cities of Assam,” Dr Momen said.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: UN : India assumes the Rotating UN Security Council (UNSC) Presidency for December 2022

India assumed the monthly rotating presidency of the UN Security Council on Thursday.

This is the second time in its two-year tenure as an elected member of the UN Security Council (2021-2022) that India will assume the presidency of the Council, having assumed it earlier in August 2021.

“This presidency will be marked by two major events at the ministerial level – on reformed multilateralism and on counter-terrorism. Both will be chaired by the external affairs minister,’’ sources said. The first event, ‘New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism’, envisages reforms in the current multilateral architecture with the UN at its centre to make it more representative and fit for purpose.

This open debate is intended to encourage UN member states to take this conversation forward by deliberating on the elements of a new orientation for multilateralism. 

The second event is titled ‘Threats to International Peace and Security Caused by Terrorist Acts: Global Approach to Counter Terrorism Challenges and Way Forward’.

“Realising that the threat of terrorism is grave, universal and transnational in character, this briefing intends to underscore the necessity of collective and coordinated efforts to combat the menace of terrorism,’’ as per sources.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: G20 PRESIDENCY: December 01st, 2022 :  India to Assume G20 Presidency from Today; 100 Monuments to be Illuminated for a Week

India will assume the presidency of the G-20 grouping today. The Group of 20 (G20) is a premier forum comprising 19 of the world’s largest advanced and developing economies, as well as the European Union, which meets every year to discuss their most pressing global issues.

On this occasion, 100 monuments including UNESCO world heritage sites bearing the G-20 logo will be illuminated for seven days from December 1 to 7 including Srinagar’s Shankaracharya temple to Delhi’s Red Fort to Thanjavur’s Great living Chola temple.

Apart from this, Humayun’s Tomb and Purana Quila in Delhi to Modhera Sun Temple in Gujarat, and Konark Sun Temple in Odisha to Sher Shah Suri’s Tomb in Bihar, are in the list of these 100 sites.

During the course of this year’s presidency, India will host 200 meetings across the nations in over 50 cities and in 32 different sectors.

For next year’s Summit, India’s objectives include the supply of affordable technology for sustainable environmental development, highlighting the digital transformation of the country.

The G-20 was founded back in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis as a forum for Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to discuss global economic and financial issues.

The Group of Twenty (G-20) comprises 19 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States) and the European Union.

The G-20 members represent around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

The group’s focusses on policy coordination between its members in order to achieve global economic stability, sustainable growth; to promote financial regulations that reduce risks and prevent future financial crises and to create a new international financial architecture.

India will host the G-20 leaders’ summit in New Delhi on September 9 and 10 in 2023 under its Presidency, said the Ministry of External Affairs press release.

As per the sources, the meetings will take place in less explored parts of the country at very exotic locations of India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision is to connect all districts and blocks with G-20 so that the message will reach to masses through Jan Bhagidari initiatives.

“Jan Bhagidari” refers to the participation of people in governance at the local level. The government of any country can stand on its feet only when the people of the nation consider themselves to be indispensable organs of it. Hence the involvement of people in governance at all levels is of utmost importance.

During the last Maan Ki Baat address, PM Modi had said, “the G20 has a partnership comprising two-thirds of the world’s population, three-fourths of world trade, and 85% of world GDP. You can imagine – India is going to preside over such a big group, such a powerful group, 3 days from now i.e. from December 1.” 

During the G-20 presidency, India will kick off with celebrations at the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland. Recently, G-20 Chief Coordinator, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, discussed the opportunities to showcase the festival with Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphu Rio, reported The Border Lens.

In adherence to PM Modi’s recommendation to not limit G-20 to major urban cities and to use the opportunity to display India’s rich and diverse cultural landscape, Shringla is reaching out to various states to identify opportunities to showcase the country’s cultural heritage through G-20 events. “India’s G-20 is an opportunity for the state of Nagaland to showcase its cultural diversity, uniqueness, and tourism potential,” Shringla said.

Previously, for the year 2021, Indonesia officially handled the G-20 presidency. Before India assume the G-20 presidency, the G-20 Indonesia took Twitter and said, “The #G20BaliSummit marks the conclusion of the 2022 #G-20Indonesia Presidency. India will serve as the next holder of the G20 Presidency. G20 will continue to move forward to realize a global recovery as well as strong and inclusive growth under India’s G20 Presidency.”

The website G20.org has changed for India and it now reads ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’ One Earth. One Family. One Future. Meanwhile, the username of Twitter is still G-20 Indonesia which will soon change with India’s presidency.

Earlier this month, the prime minister unveiled the logo, theme and website of India’s G-20 Presidency via video conferencing. The lotus in the logo symbolises India’s ancient heritage, faith and thought.

The Philosophy of Adwait, the Prime Minister said, emphasises the oneness of all creatures and this philosophy will be a medium of resolution of today’s conflicts.

This logo and theme represent many key messages from India. “Message of Buddha for freedom from war, Mahatma Gandhi’s solutions in the face of violence, through G-20, India is giving them a new height”, he said.

The Prime Minister remarked that India’s G-20 presidency is coming at a time of crisis and chaos. He said that the world is dealing with the aftereffects of a disruptive once-in-a-century global pandemic, conflicts, and economic uncertainty.

(With inputs from ANI)

source/content: livemint.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / STEM : 3 Indian-origin Women – Dr Ana Baburamani, Neelima Kadiyala & Dr Indrani Mukherjee among Australia’s Superstars of STEM

Three Indian-origin women among 60 scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians have been selected as ‘Australia’s Superstars of STEM’.

Dr Ana Baburamani, Neelima Kadiyala and Dr Indrani Mukherjee will undertake a two-year program in 2023 and 2024 to step into the media spotlight as STEM experts.

“The new Superstars reflect the strong diversity of women and non-binary people in Australian science and technology,” a Science & Technology Australia (STA) press note stated.

The Superstars of STEM initiative is supported by STA, which is a peak body in science and technology, representing more than 105,000 scientists and technologists.

As a biomedical researcher, Dr Ana Baburamani seeks to piece together the complex process of brain development and the mechanisms contributing to brain injury.

She is presently a Scientific Advisor in the Department of Defence — Science and Technology Group.

In addition to her research, she supports early career researchers, making science accessible and promoting wider participation in and uptake of STEM careers.

She is a member of the Royal Society of Victoria and volunteers with BrainSTEM.

Dr Indrani Mukherjee, Deep time geologist at the University of Tasmania, says her “research questions key concepts, and explores links between early Earth evolution, the origin of complex life and formation of precious mineral deposits”.

“Geology has offered me a wonderful medium (the rock record) to travel as far as 3.5 billion years ago,” she said.

Neelima Kadiyala, an IT Program Manager with Challenger Limited, has over 15 years of experience delivering extensive transformation programs across multiple industries including Financial Services, Government, Telco and FMCG.

“I want to further extend my voluntary services for broader IT community across Australia,” Kadiyala, who came to Australia in 2003, said.

The programme, since its inception in 2017, selects 60 women and non-binary STEM experts and gives them the training, networks and experience to become experts in their fields as media commentators.

It also seeks to smash gender assumptions about who can work in science, technology, engineering and maths.

“The need to boost diversity in our science, technology, engineering and mathematics sector is urgent,” said Australia’s Minister for Industry and Science, Ed Husic.

“I just know these talented experts and communicators will play their part inspiring Australia’s young people, from all backgrounds – into science and technology,” Husic added.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)