Tag Archives: World Record India

INTERNATIONAL: BEAUTY : Indian American medical student Rijul Maini from Michigan crowned Miss India USA 2023

Rijul Maini, a medical student from Michigan, has been crowned Miss India USA 2023 at the annual pageant held in New Jersey.

During the event, Sneha Nambiar from Massachusetts was declared as Mrs India USA and Saloni Rammohan from Pennsylvania won the title of Miss Teen India USA.

This year marks the 41st anniversary of the pageant which is the longest running Indian pageant outside of India.

It was started by New York-based Indian Americans Dharmatma and Neelam Saran under the banner of ‘Worldwide Pageants’.

Maini, a 24-year-old Indian American, is a medical student and model. She aspires to be a surgeon and hopes to serve as a role model to women everywhere, a press release said.

Greeshma Bhat of Virginia was declared first runner-up and Ishita Pai Raikar of North Carolina was the second runner-up.

According to the organisers, 57 contestants from over 25 states participated in three different pageants – Miss India USA, Mrs. India USA and Miss Teen India USA.

Winners of all three categories will be getting complimentary air tickets to take part in Miss- Mrs.-Teen India Worldwide organised by the same group.

“I am very much thankful to Indian community around the world for their support over the years,” said Dharmatma Saran, founder and chairman of ‘Worldwide Pageants’.

source/content: millenniumpost.in (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: RESEARCH – CANCER: Berhampore boy Anirudha Chatterjee runs a lab finding Solutions to Cancer in New Zealand

An awardee of the prestigious Rutherford Discovery Fellowship, the epigenetics expert aims to spread his research for the welfare of cancer patients

When Aniruddha Chatterjee, assistant professor at the University of Otago, Dunedin, was named as one of the 10 recipients to be awarded a 2017 Rutherford Discovery Fellowship, the first thought was to help cancer patients across the globe including his home country India.

Aniruddha has been working on the Methylation of DNA, which can control the behaviour of DNA code in a cell, crucial for cancer treatment. For someone dreaming of research to support the medical fraternity, the breakthrough in research is no mean feat.

As a 25-year-old intern at an IT (Information Technology) company in Coimbatore, Aniruddha realised his heart lies in research. Not satisfied with the routine IT job, Aniruddha started to explore opportunities in research, with multiple offers pouring in from Europe. The volume of research conducted at the University of Otago and the attractive scholarship prompted him to work in serene Dunedin for his PhD in 2009. “Prof Ian Morrison was the main reason to finalise my decision. He was reassuring and showed complete faith in me. I was allowed to do clinically relevant human projects,” Aniruddha tells Education Times.

The combination of Informatics computers which was new back then was exciting, he says. Furthermore, a scholarship to work with Prof Mike Nicholas and at the New Zealand Cancer Institute were irresistible offers that followed.

For a boy born in a family with modest means in Berhampore, West Bengal, who studied in Bengali-medium government schools, the journey was glorious. Aniruddha’s father, a government school headmaster, ensured a strong academic environment in the house, resulting in brilliant academic achievements of his children.

Aniruddh worked on a few projects after completing his BTech (Biotechnology) from Osmania University, and master’s from VIT (Vellore Institute of Technology), Vellore. After facing the initial struggles involving adjustment to the local culture, battling homesickness, and embracing the research process, Aniruddha went on to achieve Rutherford Discovery Fellowships administered by Royal Society Te Aparangi in 2017, which offered funding of $800,000 to be used for research for five years.

The fellowship fund helped him set up the Chatterjee labs at the University, which is now a platform focusing on epigenetic alterations in cancer metastasis. The lab consists of 15 researchers from India, Iran, and Nigeria, working on tackling bowel cancer which is a dreaded disease not only in New Zealand but also all over the world. Aniruddha along with Dr Euan Rodger and Dr Rachel Purcell had their findings published in iScience, which explains the research that identified a feature that allows bowel cancer to spread to the liver.

“It is a very promising area to work on as it tackles cancer in many ways. I am happy that the research is of great significance in India and other parts of the world,” says Aniruddha. Population-specific epigenetic data is very limited and the more we generate, the more we can understand disease (cancer in this case). The research is of significance as it will help the patients in early detection, monitoring and timely treatment, adds Aniruddha.

“Our lab combines cutting-edge next-generation sequencing, computational analysis, and experimental work to decipher the role of epigenetic code in cancer, focusing on DNA methylation,” says Aniruddh.

Chatterjee lab is studying DNA methylation levels in cancer cells and patient tumour samples and it has the potential to understand the aggressive nature of cancer and utilise the knowledge for patient benefit. The researchers are working to assign function to every single methylation change that could occur in a cancer cell so that ultimately epigenetic changes could be used to predict and prevent disease. “Our work will contribute to detecting cancer early, predicting treatment response and providing new ways of treating cancer to improve patient outcome,” says Aniruddha, who aims to expand his work by collaborating with Indian researchers.

source/content: timesofindia.indiatimes.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: UN COP28: Two Indian Women Sangitaben Rathod and Jasumatiben Jethabai Parma Illuminate at Global Climate Talks in Dubai with Traditional Solutions to Fight Climate Change

Wearing desi clothes, Sangitaben Rathod and Jasumatiben Jethabai Parmar have boldly stepped into the limelight at the global climate talks here, bringing with them potent traditional solutions to tackle climate change.

The two women — Rathod, from Naganamoth, and Parmar from Simej, both in Gujarat – who had never ventured beyond their home state before, showcased practical climate resilience solutions that are making waves on the international stage.

heir traditional wisdom involves using neem leaves and cow urine to create organic fertilizers and insecticides – an innovative practice that has not only sustained their crops for years but is now being adopted by women farmers across India, offering a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers.

“I decided to look for local solutions after incurring huge losses due to climate change. I lost over Rs 1.5 lakh in wheat crops in 2019. After that, we started looking at the problem and we realised pest attacks had considerably increased due to the changing climate and commercial insecticides were failing. It was then that we thought of turning to the traditional solutions our forefathers used – neem leaves and cow urine,” Rathod, 28 said.

“Then the solution we shared with the Self Employed Women’s Association and they empowered us to train communities based on our solution,” Parmar, 63, added.

On what they wish to expect on the global platform, Rathod said she hopes the solutions they have implemented can be shared with a wider audience and also make the negotiators realise the impact women in India are bearing due to climate change and how we need help.

Alongside her, Jasumatiben said, “Our seemingly simple traditions hold the key to a sustainable future.”

Amidst the formal suits of international bureaucrats, Sangitaben and Jasumatiben actively participated, and passionately advocated for reduced insecticide and pesticide usage by integrating cow urine and neem leaves into farming practices during the gender-themed discussion that took place during the UN COP28 on Monday.

Sangitaben and Jasumatiben also shared their insights with former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, shedding light on the challenges faced by Indian women workers due to climate shocks.

Reema Nanavaty, Director of Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), highlighted the challenges faced by Indian women workers due to climate shocks.

Nanavaty elaborated on the difficulties encountered by those involved in street vending, construction, and other labour-intensive occupations.

“I think there’s an urgent need for this Global Climate Resilience Fund for women, especially in India. This will be the first of its kind, a fund for the Global South, and this is a bottom-up fund,” Nanavaty emphasised, aligning with Clinton’s call for a targeted and comprehensive initiative to address the impact of extreme heat on women workers in India.

Nanavaty pointed out the urgent need for actionable solutions and advocated for a unified appeal for global collaboration to create a sustainable and resilient future for women in India and beyond.

The global climate talks are taking place in Dubai and have seen participation from over 100,000 people from 198 countries. PTI UZM NSA AKJ

(This story was produced as part of the 2023 Climate Change Media Partnership, a journalism fellowship organized by Internews’ Earth Journalism Network and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security.) NSA

source/content: ptinews.com (headline edited)

Odia IAF Officer Sqn Ldr Manisha Padhi becomes India’s First 1st Woman Aide-De-Camp (ADC)

Daughter of Bhubaneswar-based Meneka Padhi and Manoranjan Padhi who retired as an IAF officer, Manisha hails from Berhampur.

Odisha’s Manisha Padhi, a 2015 batch IAF Squadron Leader, has been appointed as India’s first woman Aide-De-Camp (ADC). Mizoram Governor Dr Hari Babu Kambhampati appointed her as his ADC on Wednesday. Padhi, currently serving as a Squadron Leader in the IAF, hails from Berhampur. Governor Kambhampati shared a video of appointing the officer to the key post on his ‘X’ handle.

“Hearty congratulations to Sqn Leader Manisha Padhi for being appointed as Aide-De-Camp (ADC) to the Governor of Mizoram. Sqn Leader Manisha is India’s first Woman Indian Armed Forces officer to be appointed as Aide-De-Camp (ADC) to the Governor in the country. My best wishes to her and may she excel in the sector with the expertise she has earned over the years,” the Governor wrote.

He further added that Manisha Padhi’s appointment is not just a milestone but a testament to the power of women breaking gender norms and excelling in different fields.“Let’s celebrate this remarkable achievement and continue to champion women’s empowerment in every sphere,” the Governor further stated. An ADC is a personal assistant or secretary to a person of high rank, including head of state.

Daughter of Bhubaneswar-based Meneka Padhi and Manoranjan Padhi who retired as an IAF officer, Manisha hails from Berhampur. An alumnus of CV Raman College of Engineering, she served in three different postings at Air Force stations in Bidar, Pune, and Bhatinda before her appointment as the ADC.
“She always drew inspiration from her father as a child and wanted to join the IAF,” said Meneka.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL / NATIONAL: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: Scientist Prof Urbasi Singh, 1st Indian Scientist to get Canadian Excellence Research Chair (CERC) Award, Wins USD 8 million grant

Prof Urbasi specialises in quantum science and her research interests span cutting-edge topical areas such as quantum communication, quantum computation, quantum optics and quantum fundamentals.

Prof Urbasi Singh from the Quantum Information and Computing (QuIC) laboratory at the Raman Research Institute (RRI), Bengaluru, is the first Indian scientist to be awarded Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Photonic Quantum Science and Technologies.

She won a grant worth $8 million, opening possibilities for international interactions in academia, industry and other sectors developing lab-to-market innovative models — for building a future ecosystem based on quantum technologies.

Prof Urbasi specialises in quantum science and her research interests span cutting-edge topical areas such as quantum communication, quantum computation, quantum optics and quantum fundamentals and information processing.

Her lab is one of the first in India to manufacture and establish the usage of heralded and entangled photon sources towards various applications in quantum technologies. 

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: ARTS & CRAFTS / CINEMA: FIRST INDIAN: Ektaa R Kapoor Creates History, set to become 1st Indian Filmmaker to Receive International Emmys Directorate Award

Indian producer Ektaa R Kapoor is poised to make history as the first Indian filmmaker to secure the International Emmys Directorate award at the upcoming 51st Emmys. Kapoor’s name resonates strongly in the entertainment industry, where she is hailed as a Content Czarina, demonstrating her prowess across television, films, and OTT platforms. Boasting an insightful and targeted understanding of audience preferences, Kapoor has reigned over the industry for over a decade, amassing a myriad of accolades. This year, her exceptional win at the Emmys serves as a crowning achievement, elevating the jubilation surrounding her remarkable career.

Known for her versatile contributions to entertainment, Kapoor’s influence extends seamlessly across diverse platforms. From shaping compelling narratives on television to producing impactful films and embracing the digital realm with OTT endeavors, she has become a stalwart force in the industry.

Ektaa R Kapoor’s ability to connect with audiences on a profound level has been a cornerstone of her success, culminating in this groundbreaking recognition on the global stage. As the anticipation builds for the 51st Emmys, the industry awaits with bated breath to witness Ektaa R Kapoor etch her name in history as she claims the International Emmys Directorate award.

On the professional front, Ektaa is gearing up for the release of The Buckingham Murders, which is directed by Hansal Mehta and features Kareena Kapoor Khan in a lead role. She last bankrolled Thank You For Coming, which garnered critical acclaim for its bold content. It featured Bhumi Pednekar, Shehnaaz Kaur Gill and others in prominent roles.

source/content: firstpost.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIOAL: SPORTS : Indian Para Athletes Create History, Bag 111 Medals in 2023 Hangzhou Asian Para Games, making it the Biggest Ever Haul in its History

Paralympic Committee of India president Deepa Malik says ‘..our para athletes have done the country proud. We will win more medals in the Paris Paralympics than in Tokyo”

Indian para athletes created history on Saturday, October 28, 2023, as they ended their Hangzhou Asian Para Games campaign with an unprecedented 111 medals, the biggest haul for the country in any major international multi-sport event.

With 29 gold, 31 silver and 51 bronze in their kitty, the Indian para athletes won four medals more than the record tally of 107 won by the able-bodied athletes in the Hangzhou Asian Games held from September 23 to October 8.

India ended at fifth place in the medals tally, a remarkable achievement in itself, below China (521 medals: 214 gold, 167 silver, 140 bronze), Iran (44 gold, 46 silver, 41 bronze), Japan (42, 49, 59) and Korea (30, 33, 40).

The first Para Asian Games was held in 2010 in Guangzhou, China, where India had finished 15th with 14 medals, including one gold.

In the 2014 and 2018 editions, India had finished 15th and ninth respectively.

The only instance India had crossed the 100-medal mark in a major international multi-sport event (Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games) was the 101 won during the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.

“We have made history, our para athletes have done the country proud. We will win more medals in the Paris Paralympics than in Tokyo,” Paralympic Committee of India president Deepa Malik told PTI.

“However, it is not a surprise for us. We have expected between 110 to 115 medals and we ended at 111, the auspicious number (Angel Number),” she added.

On Thursday, India had gone past the earlier highest Asian Para Games tally of 72 medals (15 gold, 24 silver, 33 bronze) achieved in the 2018 edition.

India won 39 more medals than the 2018 edition with athletics contributing 55 (18 gold, 17 silver, 20) out of India’s total of 111.

Shuttlers shine well

Indian shuttlers contributed the second most medal with 21, including four gold. Chess and archery gave eight and seven medals respectively while shooting contributed six.

On the concluding day on Saturday, India added 12 medals, including four gold. Seven medals came from chess, four from athletics and one from rowing.

Neeraj Yadav began the day for India with a gold in men’s javelin throw F55 with a Games record of 33.69m. Compatriot Tek Chand clinched a bronze with a personal best of 30.36m in the same event.

Dilip Mahadu Gaviot added another athletics gold by winning the men’s 400m T47 race with a time of 49.48 seconds.

Pooja then picked up the last athletics medal by bagging a bronze in women’s 1500m T20 race with a time of 5:38.81s.

Chess players saved the best for the last with a seven-medal rush, including two gold, on the final day.

India swept all the three medals in men’s individual rapid VI-B1 event with Satish Inani Darpan winning gold while Pradhan Kumar Soundarya and Ashwinbhai Kanchanbhai Makwana bagged silver and bronze respectively. The trio also bagged the team gold.

Kishan Gangoli won a bronze in men’s individual rapid VI-B2/B3 event. Gangoli, Somendra and Aryan Balchandra Joshi won a team bronze in the same event.

The trio of Vruthi Saganlal Jain, Himanshi Bhaveshkumar Rathi and Sanskruti Vikas More won a bronze in women’s rapid VI-B1 team event.

On Saturday, India also won the lone medal in rowing with Anita and Konganapalle Narayana picking up a silver in PR3 mixed double sculls event.

India had sent 313 athletes at the Hangzhou Para Asian Games, the biggest in any edition with 51 Tokyo Paralympians in the team.

India competed in 17 out of 22 sports, with the country fielding athletes for the first time in rowing, canoeing, lawn bowl, taekwondo and blind football.

Nearly 4,000 athletes from 43 countries are competing across 22 sports in 566 gold-medal events in the Hangzhou Asian Para Games.

The Hangzhou Asian Para Games were originally scheduled to take place from October 9-15, 2022 but were postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: TELECOMMUNICATION / INTERNET: INDIA’s FIRST: Reliance Jio Launches Jio SpaceFiber- India’s First Satellite-based GigaFiber Internet Service

At the India Mobile Congress 2023 New Delhi, Reliance Jio demonstrated India’s first satellite-based GigaFiber service called Jio SpaceFiber in the presence of PM Narendra Modi. The new Jio SpaceFiber service aims to provide high speed broadband services to previously inaccessible geographies within India.

The service will be available across the length and breadth of the country at highly affordable prices. Right now, the Jio SpaceFiber is now available across four of the remotest locations in India– Gir Gujarat, Korba Chattisgarh, Nabrangpur Odissa and ONGC-Jorhat Assam.

“Jio has enabled millions of homes and businesses in India to experience broadband internet for the first time. With JioSpaceFiber, we expand our reach to cover the millions yet to be connected. JioSpaceFiber will allow everyone, everywhere, to fully participate in the new digital society with gigabit access to online government, education, health, and entertainment services,” said Akash Ambani, Chairman Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited.

Jio already delivers high speed broadband fixed line and wireless services to over 450 million Indian consumers. To accelerate digital inclusivity for every household in India, Jio has added JioSpaceFiber to its premier lineup of broadband services, JioFiber and JioAirFiber. With Jio, consumers and businesses have unprecedented access to reliable, low latency and high-speed internet and entertainment services, regardless of location. The satellite network will also support additional capacity for mobile backhaul, further enhancing the availability and scale of Jio True5G in the remotest parts of the country.

Jio is partnering with SES to access the world’s latest in medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite technology, the only MEO constellation capable of delivering truly unique Gigabit, fiber-like services from space. With Jio having access to a combination of SES’s O3b and new O3b mPOWER satellites, it is the only company that offers game-changing technology, providing scalable and affordable broadband across all of India with a level of guaranteed reliability and service flexibility that is a first in the industry.

Network18 and TV18 – the companies that operate news18.com – are controlled by Independent Media Trust, of which Reliance Industries is the sole beneficiary.

source/content: news18.com (headline edited)

WORLD RECORD: ARTS & CRAFTS / FILM (movie) RECORD: This 1932 Hindi Bollywood Film ‘Indrasabha’ holds World Record for most Songs, had 72 of them, it’s not Hum Aapke Hain Koun, DDLJ, Taal, Devdas

This Bollywood film from before Independence, holds the world record for most songs with 72 musical numbers.

Song and dance is an integral part of Indian cinema. While the West has a separate genre called musicals, most Indian films are by default musicals. Whether it’s a thriller, murder mystery, romantic comedy, or family drama, songs find a place in most Indian films. Yet, some films go the extra mile when it comes to including songs with the sheer number setting records. In fact, it is an Indian film that holds the world record for including most songs with a jaw-dropping 72 musical numbers in its run. And its not one of the usual suspects.

Bollywood film with 72 songs

While Hum Aapke Hain Koun created a flutter with 14 songs back in 1994, there have been a few before it as well that included over a dozen songs. Even Hollywood musicals like Chicago and Moulin Rouge had as many songs. Yet, none of them compare with the 1932 Hindi film Indrasabha, based on the play Inder Sabha. The 3 and a half-hour film was conceptualised and shot almost entirely in verse, comprising of 72 songs in total with most characters, big or small, receiving their own entry song. The mythological drama was one of the first Indian talkies, released just a year after Alam Ara.

Indrasabha’s 72 songs

Indrasabha was an adaptation of a 19th century Urdu play called Inder Sabha, written by Agha Hasan Amanat. The play was first brought to screen in 1925 but as a silent film. When Alam Ara brought the talkie revolution in India, Madan Theatre decided to bring back the film but with sound. The 1932 release utilised almost all of the plays 31 ghazals, 9 thumris, 4 holis, 15 songs, and seven other musical numbers. The film added a few of its own as well, giving it 72 songs in total. The feat earned Indrasabha a place in several record books.

source/content: dnaindia.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: SCIENTISTS AWARDED: U.S. President Joe Biden Honours 2 Indian-American Scientists Ashok Gadgil and Subra Suresh with National Medal of Technology & Innovation and National Medal of Science respectively for Remarkable Medical Discoveries

Two Indian American scientists were awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation by US President Joe Biden at the White House on Tuesday.

The two Indian-Americans — Ashok Gadgil and Subra Suresh — were awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation and the National Medal of Science, respectively.

President Biden also honoured leading American scientists, technologists, and innovators at the award ceremony.

The scientists, who were honoured at the event, made discoveries enabling lifesaving medical treatments, helping fight the opioid epidemic, improving food security, advancing accessibility, and much more.

“Today, President Biden is awarding the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation to a number of Americans who have made exemplary achievements in science, technology, and innovation to strengthen our nation’s well-being, ” the White House said in a statement.

The National Medal of Science is the nation’s highest scientific honour, established by the US Congress in 1959 and administered by the US National Science Foundation. “It is bestowed by the President of the United States on individuals deserving of special recognition for their outstanding contributions in biology, computer sciences, education sciences, engineering, geosciences, mathematical and physical sciences, and social, behavioural, and economic sciences, in service to the Natio,” the statement added.

“Those who earn these awards embody the promise of America by pushing the boundaries of what is possible,” it added.

Further, according to the official statement, these trailblazers harnessed the power of science and technology to tackle challenging problems and deliver innovative solutions for Americans and communities worldwide.

The accomplishments made by the awardees have advanced American leadership in science, technology, and innovation and their work inspires the next generation of American minds, it added.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)