Tag Archives: World Record India

NATIONAL: INDIAN AIR FORCE (IAF): Air Marshal Sadhna Saxena Nair, Her Husband Become 1st Couple In IAF To Get 3-Star Rank In IAF

Air Marshal Sadhna Saxena Nair took over as the Director-General Hospital Services (Armed Forces) on promotion to the rank of Air Marshal on Monday. With the promotion, Sadhna Saxena along with her husband achieved a rare feat by becoming the first and only Air Marshal couple in the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Air Marshal Sadhna was previously the Principal Medical Officer at the Training Command of the IAF located at Bengaluru. She is only the second woman officer who has served throughout in the IAF to be promoted to the rank of Air Marshal; the first woman officer to achieve this was Air Marshal Padma Bandopadhyay (Retd).

Air Marshal Saxena’s husband Air Marshal K P Nair, a fighter pilot, retired as the IAF director-general of inspection and flight safety in 2015. Air Marshal Sadhna is from a military background. Her father and brother were also doctors in the IAF. Her son is also a fighter pilot in the Air Force.

Air Marshal Sadhna has trained abroad in CBRN Warfare and in Military Medical Ethics. She was the first and only woman Principal Medical Officer of Western Air Command and Training Command.

She is the recipient of the Vishisht Seva Medal by the Hon’ble President of India and has received CAS and AOC-in-C Commendations as well.

She graduated from the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune and was commissioned into the IAF in Dec 1985. She holds a Post Graduate degree in Family Medicine and has undergone a two-year training Program in Medical Informatics at AIIMS, New Delhi.

In 2020, the Kanitkars became the first couple to have reached the rank of three-star officers in the armed forces after Lt-Gen Madhuri Kanitkar, a doctor in the Indian Army, joined her husband Lt-Gen Rajeev Kanitkar. As per The Times Of India Report, Lt Gen Rajeev Kanitkar served in the armoured corps officer and retired as quartermaster general in 2017.

source/content: timesnownews.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: LEGAL / LAW: Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud Receives Harvard Law School’s “Award for Global Leadership”

Referring to the legal aid clinics, DY Chandrachud stated that law students should be involved in clinical legal models, where they are actively involved in real-time cases in local areas.

Chief Justice Of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud was on Saturday felicitated with the “Award for Global Leadership” by the Harvard Law School.

The Chief Justice was announced as the recipient of the award in January this year in an online ceremony.

The CJI, who was present at the Harvard Law School with David Wilkins, Professor at Harvard Law School and Faculty Director, spoke about the initiatives taken by the Supreme Court during his first year of tenure, which included the use of technology in court processes, the launch of handbook on combating gender stereotypes and others.

He also emphasised the importance of interdisciplinary studies, adding that issues of medical science or technology are connected to the workings of law.

Referring to the legal aid clinics, he stated that law students should be involved in clinical legal models, where they are actively involved in real-time cases in local areas.

Asked whether the legal profession can be democratized, he referred to the new law clerks’ scheme implemented in his tenure, which provides equal access to all to apply for a clerkship at the Supreme Court. He also shared his concern about the mental health of lawyers.

He suggested that apart from senior lawyers and judges, the law schools should also develop a mechanism to train the students in handling stress and mental health.

The CJI, who had obtained an LLM degree and a Doctorate in Juridical Sciences (SJD) from the Harvard Law School, also interacted with the students and faculty members of various departments.

The felicitation comes at a time when the Harvard Law School is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its Graduate Law Program.

source/content: ndtv.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL / REGIONAL: SPORTS / TENNIS: Asian Games Gold Medalist Rutuja Bhosale eyes Olympics berth

I’ve set my sights on the Paris Olympics. Unlike in other sports, winning at the Asian Games doesn’t guarantee a tennis player an Olympic quota, Rutuja said.

 Riding on the success of the Hangzhou Asian Games, Indian tennis star Rutuja Bhosale is now aiming to secure a 2024 Paris Olympics quota and break into top-200 to ensure more Grand Slam presence in her career.

“I have trained my eyes on the Paris Olympics. In tennis, one cannot book an Olympic quota despite winning at the Asian Games like other sports. I have to better my ranking and make my way up from 320 to top-200 to ensure a berth as well as secure entry in Grand Slams,” Rutuja commented after being felicitated by Punit Balan Group (PBG) Chairman Punit Balan in the presence of Janhavi Dhariwal Balan, former captain of Maharashtra Ranji cricket team and Rutuja’s husband Swapnil Gugale and her mother upon her arrival in India.

Bhosale has made significant progress in her world ranking resulting in a career-high ranking of 313 in singles. She has also clinched seven ITF titles in the last two years including six in the doubles category.
“It was a proud moment for me and Rohan (Bopanna) to represent India and win an Asian Games gold medal in mixed doubles after 13 long years. I am thankful for all the help and support that has gone into making us stand at the podium,” Rutuja added.

On the other hand, the financial assistance made her more relaxed and helped her to focus on her game rather than worrying about a shortage of funds and various other challenges.

“Rutuja is a role model for many young aspiring athletes in the country. PBG as a group is committed to supporting talented sportspersons like Rutuja and provide them with the necessary financial help. I am certain Rutuja will continue with her hard work and quest for competing at the Olympic and ensure Grand Slam appearances,” Punit Balan said on the occasion.

source/content: telanganatoday.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL / REGIONAL: First Indian Diplomat Indra Mani Pandey named Secretary General of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical & Economic Cooperation) becoming the First Indian Diplomat to hold the position

Indra Mani Pandey, an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of the 1990 batch, is currently the country’s permanent representative to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva.

Indra Mani Pandey will be the first Indian official to hold the post of secretary general of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

Pandey, an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of the 1990 batch, is currently the country’s permanent representative to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva.

A statement from the external affairs ministry on Friday said he will be the next secretary general of BIMSTEC.

“This is the first time that an Indian will hold the position of the secretary general of BIMSTEC,” the statement said.

Pandey will take up the assignment shortly.

BIMSTEC is a regional organisation established in June 1997. Its secretariat was established in the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka to provide an institutionalised framework for deepening and enhancing cooperation.

“India has attached a high importance to BIMSTEC with a view to expanding regional cooperation in the Bay of Bengal region. Having an Indian diplomat, with long experience in multilateral diplomacy, as secretary general of BIMSTEC will contribute to India’s endeavours in strengthening the grouping,” a person familiar with the matter said.]

Cooperation within BIMSTEC initially focused on six sectors – trade, technology, energy, transport, tourism and fisheries – and this was expanded in 2008 to incorporate agriculture, public health, poverty alleviation, counter-terrorism, environment, culture, people-to-people contacts, and climate change.

The member states of BIMSTEC are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: SPACE INFORMATION / I.T. : Union Minister launches Web Portal ‘Apna Chandrayaan’ on ‘Mission Chandrayaan-3’ for School Children

Developed by NCERT under the aegis of the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), the Ministry of Education, Dharmendra Pradhan also released 10 special modules on Chandrayaan-3.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday launched a web portal ‘Apna Chandrayaan’ having activity-based support material, including colouring books, online quizzes, and jigsaw puzzles for school students on Mission Chandrayaan-3.

Developed by NCERT under the aegis of the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), the Ministry of Education, Pradhan also released 10 special modules on Chandrayaan-3.

This offers a comprehensive overview of its various facets, including scientific, technological, and social aspects, as well as the emotional journey and team spirit of the scientists involved.

On the lines of the Mission Chandrayaan-3 module, the ministry plans to come up with more such modules on 14 different topics, including women empowerment, COVID-19 vaccination, India’s G20 Presidency, etc.

“Success of Chandrayaan 3 is one of the most significant achievements of the 21st century that has inspired the children of the country the most,” he said.

He suggested the development of the app of the web portal to make it more accessible in facilitating self-learning among students.

“Chandrayaan 3 has ignited confidence among students and inspired them to understand technology, which will help in developing scientific temperament among them,” Pradhan said.

He also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has requested Dr. Sreedhara Panicker Somanath, Chairman, of ISRO, and Secretary of the Department of Space, to take Chandrayaan 3 stories to the children of the country.

He also urged him to make science fun for the students.

“India will be the Viswa Guru sharing knowledge for the global good,” he said.

He suggested to the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to bring out social stories that will make education accessible, affordable, and qualitative, and help in bringing gender parity.

At the occasion, Dr Somanath said India completed the Chandrayaan 3 Mission by using indigenous technologies and requested students to watch the launch of Gaganyaan on October 21.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: AGRICULTURE / VEGETABLES : ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR) helps Grow Multiple Vegetables in One Plant

 Imagine planting one plant and getting multiple vegetables from it for your kitchen needs.

Scientists at ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), Varanasi are now working on a new single plant that will yield three vegetables simultaneously- brinjal, tomato and chilli.

The new plant is yet to be named.

The scientists had earlier developed ‘Pomato’ that yields potatoes and tomatoes on a single plant and ‘Brimato’ that yields brinjal and tomatoes together.

Using the grafting technique, the scientists at ICAR-IIVR, first developed ‘Pomato’.

Under the guidance of IIVR director Dr T.K. Behera, Dr Anant Bahadur, principal scientist (vegetable) and head division of crop production at ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi is now working on developing this unique single plant to yield three veggies.

“The grafting of chilli and tomato plants has been done on the brinjal rootstock and the plant is growing well. We are quite hopeful that it will start yielding chilli, brinjal and tomatoes by the end of January 2024,” said Dr Bahadur.

He said that he would analyse the feasibility of its cultivation.

Speaking about ‘Pomato’, Dr Bahadur said, “Potato tubers were germinated. Then grafting of tomato plants was done on the germinated potato tubers. As per the need, the plant was irrigated from time to time. It grew well and bore tomatoes above ground and potatoes below the ground.”

‘Pomato’, as a single plate, yielded around three kg of tomatoes and around 1.25 kg of potatoes, he added.

Thereafter, in 2019, Dr Anant Bahadur with his team grafted both the brinjal and tomato hybrids on the Brinjal root stock tolerant to waterlogging and salinity.

In 2019, his team succeeded in getting the desired result. He said the ‘Brimato’ is capable of surviving in waterlogged conditions for four days, whereas a normal plant wilts and gets destroyed in such conditions within 24 hours.

In October, the plant was transplanted, and brinjals and tomatoes were harvested till March.

A single plant yields around 3 kg of tomatoes and 2.5 kgs of brinjals, said Dr Bahadur.

Dr Bahadur said, “The special plant, ‘Brimato’, yields tomatoes and brinjals. It can be grown in kitchen gardens, backyards and also in small fields.”

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

WORLD / NATIONAL: WORLD RECORD SPORTS : Sibling Sisters, 10-year old Ovee Malve and Ruchi Malve from Bengaluru become World’s Youngest Certified Scuba Diver Sisters

Their interest in scuba diving stemmed from those videos and they started swimming and later training for scuba diving.

A day after turning 10, Bengaluru-based Ovee Malve set a world record of becoming the youngest certified scuba diver.

With this, both Ovee and her sister Ruchi, daughters of Bangalore Mountaineering Club founder Neeraj Malve, have become the youngest certified scuba diver siblings in the world. Neeraj himself has been a scuba diver for 16 years now. Ovee achieved the feat in Puducherry at 7.18 am on October 11, becoming the youngest Professional Association of Diving Instructors-certified open water diver. 

Elated and proud, Neeraj said he understands that adventure sports are not easy, especially at a young age. He never pressured his children and ensured that they underwent proper training. The daughters were water babies since they were little and were fascinated with his scuba diving videos.

Their interest in scuba diving stemmed from those videos and they started swimming and later training for scuba diving, he said. Ovee enrolled for a junior open water diver course at Temple Adventures, Puducherry and trained under coach Shreya Mehta. 

Her sister Ruchi (14) trained under Shaurya Tarni of Dive Goa in Goa. Ruchi enrolled for the Junior Open Water Diver certification course on October 27, 2022 and received the Scuba Schools International certificate on October 30, 2022. At the age of 10 and 13, both Malve sisters have become the world’s youngest scuba diver sisters.

Previously, a Mumbai-based boy, Dwit Nandu, at age 10 set the world record around 8 am on August 25, 2023.

Both the sisters underwent two-day rigorous training which included a 200-metre nonstop swimming and floating for 10 minutes without any support. 

They studied five chapters of theory about performing underwater skills in confined waters, passed a written exam and successfully performed four dives in open water up to 18-metre depth to earn their open water diver certification.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / HEALTH & MEDICAL SERVICES: IIT Madras develops Steam-based method to Sterilise Medical Equipment

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras have developed a solar-thermal steam-based system that can help sterilise medical equipment in remote and rural areas, where access to electricity and water could be an issue.

The project, funded by the Department of Science and Technology, uses portable steam cylinders charged by renewable energy-based stations (like solar energy) that are placed strategically in rural areas for power generation, steam generation and other uses.

The team also designed special sterilisation chambers to utilise such portably stored steam and effectively sterilise the tools.

“A portable steam storage canister can be a great contribution by facilitating minor medical interventions in the developing world by sterilising surgical instruments and combating infections in rural areas,” said Prof. Sathyan Subbiah, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, in a statement.

“The portable canister is developed with multi-layer insulation, which can retain useful heat of steam, generated via solar plants for longer duration thus making it a viable option to sterilise equipment in remote areas. The steam that is produced in the solar plant or any other means can be stored in the portable canister which can be transported to remote locations to carry out the sterilisation activities,” he added.

Safe sterilisation of surgical instruments and other medical tools are important aspects in the health care sector. It involves cleaning and disinfecting the previously-used contaminated surgical tools before subsequent use. Steam sterilisation is one of the best disinfecting methods.

Currently, doctors carry with them a set of sterilised tools, which limits the number of patients they can see at the camp.

The project was demonstrated during a medical camp at IIT Madras campus on October 14, and is all set for further trials, following which it is intended to be deployed in the field.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: DEFENCE & AVIATION: Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) hands over First LCA Tejas Twin Seater Aircraft to Indian Air Force (IAF)

HAL said the twin seater variant has all the capabilities to support the training requirements of the IAF and augments itself to the role of fighter as well in case of necessity.

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) handed over the first LCA Tejas twin seater to the Indian Air Force in the presence of Union Minister of State for Defence & Tourism Ajay Bhatt at a ceremony in Bengaluru on Wednesday, October 4.

The LCA Tejas Twin Seater is a lightweight, all-weather multi-role 4.5 generation aircraft. It is designed to support the training requirements of the IAF and augment itself to the role of a fighter in case of necessity.

It is a huge boost to self-reliance, said the minister in his address to the audience. “I am proud to be part of this historic occasion and salute the spirit of HAL which has been spearheading Swadeshi manufacturing in defence,” he said.

Mr. Bhatt unveiled the twin seater LCA. “In all, the development of LCA Tejas has also brought about a shift in our approach to defence procurement. It has demonstrated that India has the talent, knowledge and capability to design, develop and manufacture world-class fighters,” he added.

More LCAs to be procured

Speaking on the occasion, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari said that IAF would be going ahead to procure 97 more LCAs, and with this it will have 220 LCAs in its inventory.

C.B. Ananthakrishnan, CMD (Addl. Charge), HAL said that the company is committed to deliver all the twin-seater aircraft pertaining to Initial Operational Configuration (IOC) and Final Operational Configuration (FOC) contract to IAF in the current financial year.

“With this, we are moving one step closer towards achieving self-sufficiency on the fixed wing segment. These trainers also ensure smooth transition for the pilots from trainer to fighter aircraft in this class,” he added.

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, HAL CMD (Addl. Charge) C.B. Ananthakrishnan, Director General, ADA, Girish S. Deodhare, A.P.V.S Prasad, CE (A), CEMILAC, officials from IAF, MoD, DGAQA, DRDO, HAL and production partners attended the event.

The Release to Service Document (RSD) and the Signalling out Certificate (SOC) were also handed over during the event.

Entering the elite club

The LCA Tejas twin seater boasts of technologies such as relaxed static-stability, quadraplex fly-by-wire flight control, carefree manoeuvring, advanced glass cockpit, integrated digital avionics systems and advanced composite materials for the airframe.

The production of the LCA twin seater variant adds India to the list of very few elite countries who have created such a capability and have them operational in their Defence Forces.

IAF had earlier placed orders for 20 IOC standard aircraft and 20 FOC standard aircraft, including eight twin seater trainers. Thirty two Mk-1 single seater aircrafts have already been inducted by the IAF.

In 2021, the Defence Ministry had signed a ₹48,000 crore deal with HAL to supply 83 LCA-Mk1A, a more capable fighter than the current LCA-MK1 in service.

As per contract, three LCA-MK1A are scheduled to be delivered to the IAF in February 2024 and 16 aircraft per year for the subsequent five years.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL : ARTS & CRAFTS / PHOTOGRAPHy: Photographer Gauri Gill Wins the Prestigious 10th Annual ‘Prix Pictet Photography and Sustainability Award’

Gill was selected from the shortlist of 12 photographers for her series ‘Notes from the Desert’.

Photographer Gauri Gill has won the prestigious 10th Annual Prix Pictet Photography and Sustainability Award, securing the massive prize of 100,000 Swiss Francs (approximately $109,219). This award is recognised as one of the world’s most significant, if not the largest, prizes in the realm of photography.

The award was announced on Thursday, September 28.

“On my many visits to rural Rajasthan, I have witnessed a complex reality I knew nothing about as a city dweller. To live poor and landless in the desert amounts to an inescapable reliance on oneself, on each other, and on nature,” said Gill.

The Prix Pictet is described as the world’s leading award for photography and sustainability. Founded in 2008 by the Pictet Group – a Swiss multinational private bank and financial services company – the award’s goal is to harness the power of photography to draw global attention to critical environmental issues.

Entry to this competition is only allowed to individuals nominated through Prix Pictet’s  global network of over 300 nominators which includes critics, curators, and other specialists in the visual arts.

Nominators are asked to recommend portfolios that have the power and artistic quality demanded by the prize.

Since it was founded, the organisation says that more than 5,000 photographers have been nominated, “all of whose work in one way or another testifies to the fragile state of our planet.”

“In a world facing unprecedented challenges, from social inequality to environmental crises, it was crucial to turn the lens towards humanity itself. The theme Human provides a platform to explore the complexities, vulnerabilities, and strengths of the human condition. It allows the artists to capture and communicate the stories, struggles and triumphs of individuals and communities around the globe,” Executive Director of Prix Pictet, Isabelle von Ribbentrop, said.

“Through this theme, Prix Pictet aims to foster a deeper understanding of our shared humanity and inspire meaningful conversations about the issues that impact us all. Especially when thinking about the theme Human, I strongly believe that instead of the future of photography, we should think about photography of the future. The power of the image lies in its ability to foreground critical and urgent environmental issues in a visually impactful yet direct way.”

Gill’s work emphasises her belief in working with and through community, in what she calls ‘active listening’. For more than two decades, she has been closely engaged with marginalised communities in the desert of western Rajasthan, Northern India and for the last decade with Indigenous artists in Maharashtra.

Her winning series ‘Notes from the Desert’ began in April 1999 when she set out to photograph village schools in Rajasthan. Having grown up mainly in cities, she soon realised that rural schools were a microcosm of a complex reality she knew nothing about.

Visiting the same people and places over decades, she witnessed the whole spectrum of life: drought years and great monsoon; dust storms leading to widespread fevers and floods leading to the rebuilding of homes; epidemics; overwhelmed hospitals and understaffed school; festivals, feuds, celebrations, and prayers.

source/content: thewire.in (headline edited)