All posts by wellnmed@gmail.com

Woman biker rides high with 4 world records

Amazing Feats, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Sports, Travel, World Opinion
CM with awardees at a function in Lucknow on Thursday

Lucknow :

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath gave away the prestigious Rani Laxmi Bai Veerta awards in Lucknow on Thursday. As many as 129 women and girls were awarded. The CM said his government was committed towards the security and welfare of women and all necessary steps have been taken in this regard.

Among the awardees was Pallavi Fauzdar Mishra, a solo lady biker, who is also fashion and jewellery designer. Pallavi made four back-to back world records by covering 3,500 km ride, more than 5,000 metre above sea level, from Delhi to Ladakh.

Speaking to TOI, 38-year old Pallavi, a resident of Lucknow now living in Delhi, who started riding a bike when she was nine, said, “Ek zindagi kam pad jaati hai bahut kuchh karne ko.”

With just a pack of inhaler, drinking water and some clothes, Pallavi started her journey in July 2015 from Delhi to Leh, Ladakh. It took her over seven days to cross eight high passes 5,000 metre above sea level and braved seven avalanches.

In September 2015, Pallavi drove up to 54 km ahead of Badrinath, Uttarakhand, crossing passes at 18,774 feet near Indo-Tibetan border, her world record.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Lucknow News / by Urooj Khan / TNN / March 30th, 2018

Meet bravehearts who fought big cats

Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All

Faizabad :

Women bravehearts who saved their loved ones in tiger and leopard attacks in Katarniya Ghat forest reserve were honoured with Rani Laxmi Bai Bravery Award by state government on Thursday.

“The area is infamous for big cat attacks. In last eight months, big cats killed 10 humans and injured 30,” said district forest officer GP Singh.

Tara (40): A resident of Mukeriya village in Ramgaon police station area of Bahraich was working in fields on March 6, 2018 when a tiger attacked her 6-year-old daughter. Tara fought with the till people working nearby rushed in.

Pushpa ( 40): The unarmed woman from Chandpaiya village of Mahsi tehsil, Bahraich, district fought with a leopard that had attacked her daughter (4) on March 7, 2018. Pushpa picked up a stick and rained blows on the leopard while raising alarm. The leopard fled as villagers rushed in.

Sindhu (30): The mother from Rampurva Bankati village of Sujauli block, Bahraich, freed her daughter Khushbu (10) from a leopard’s jaws on February 28, 2018. The leopard fled as people gathered.

Sunita (35): The mother from Rajaram Tanda village, Nishangara, Bahraich, was serving dinner on October 16, 2011 when a leopard pounced on her daughter Laxmi (10) who had gone to fetch water from hand pump. Sunita jumped on the leopard. Her husband and neighbours rushed on hearing noise. Both were seriously injured.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Lucknow News / by Arshad Afzal Khan / TNN / March 30th, 2018

First stem cell transplant performed at KGMU

Records, All, Science & Technology

Lucknow :

A 38-year-old blood cancer patient has become the first patient to undergo a successful stem cell transplant at KGMU.

The transplant was carried out by the clinical hematology department with support from departments of pathology and blood transfusion. The patient, Panne Lal of Sant Kabirnagar, will be discharged by Saturday.

Lal was diagnosed with blood cancer about 18 months ago.

After initial treatment, his condition relapsed within a year. “We planned a repeat therapy followed by stem cell transplant. He was first given growth factor that increased the stem cells present in his bone marrow which then flowed in his blood after five days. The stem cells were then extracted from his blood through a machine and then injected back,” said head of the clinical hematology department, Prof AK Tripathi.

The white blood count (WBC) levels of Lal that had dropped to around 50, then reached within normal limits of 4,000 -11,000 within 10 days.

“In a private setup the transplant costs around Rs 12 lakh, while here it cost around Rs 2 lakh.

But Lal has been treated for free since he cannot afford the surgery cost. The chances of success in this method are 98% with mortality rate of just 1%. Chances of relapse are also bleak since it is the body’s own stem cells that are used for treatment,” added Prof Tripathi.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Lucknow News> Civic Issues / TNN / March 29th, 2018

When special kids become inspiration

Amazing Feats, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Lucknow :

Saahil Singh has just taken his spot in the room and started to perform a yoga asana with the agility of a gymnast. It’s no wonder because the 21-year-old has represented India as a swimmer in the Special Olympics Asia Pacific in Australia in 2013, winning a silver. A gold in the national championships had come in the same year.

On his birthday in January, he was made the station officer of a police station-a long cherished wish-and is now training to be an assistant teacher in sports at a school for special children.

His achievements are undoubtedly grand for a regular 21-year-old but Saahil is even more special. He has a genetic chromosomal dysfunction called Down Syndrome but is never pulled back by it.

In between colouring flowers on a paper bag and teaching yoga asanas to other specially abled children, Saahil said, “Mai kuch banna chahta hoon (I want to become somebody). I want to be a singer.”

He continued, “I will take my XII standard exam in April and then my yoga exam.”

Spending their time at Dosti-a school for the specially abled-children like Saahil have become role models for their peers with special needs.

Rishi Agarwal, 14, does not have clear speech but it is computers and technology that the young boy finds his calling in.

“He works on the system effortlessly. He is helping out his father in his business. He works on MS Excel and waits to be paid every month for it,” said his mother Bhawna, who is also a special educator at the school.

Class VI student Rishima Srivastava and class V student Abhishri Uniyal, who were in this class, have added a feather to their caps. Both have been integrated into mainstream education and study with other children.

For their parents, it is society’s role towards them that is of utmost importance.
“Society needs to be aware towards such children, deal with them patiently, let them be free and receive unconditional love from them in return,” said Surbhi Kapoor, principal of Dosti.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Lucknow News> Schools & Colleges / by Yusra Hussain / March 21st, 2018

Meerut youth bags Gandhian Young Technological Innovation Award for developing ‘black box’ of cars

Education, Records, All, Science & Technology

Meerut:

A 23-year-old Meerut youth has bagged this year’s prestigious Gandhian Young Technological Innovation Award for developing “black box” for vehicles, a low-cost device which will alert emergency services at the time of accident.

On Board Diagnostic Data Analysis System (OBDAS) will not only send the location of the vehicle to the emergency services at the time of accident, but will also help automobile and insurance companies to track “real-time data” of the vehicle which can further be used in knowing the performance evaluation of the car to settle claims.

Archit Agarwal, a fourth year engineering student of University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), Uttarakhand was given the award on March 19 at Festival of Innovations (FOIN) organised in Rashtrapati Bhavan. He was chosen for this award under the ‘Most Innovative Product’ category.

According to Archit, the device will help in preventing deaths in vehicular accidents.

A resident of Meerut’s Sadar area, Archit is pursuing B.Tech in Electronics Engineering from UPES. He has four patents published in the field of automotive electronics and consumer electronics.

“After carefully examining the data of accidents in India, I found that majority of deaths took place because emergency services could not reach the spot on time. So, I planned to make OBDAS. It has a black box, which will be fitted below the steering wheel and another device that will be fitted on the dash board,” he told TOI.

“In case of an accident, the moment the air bags open, it will send an SMS alert to the emergency services and police with the location of the accident, name of the owner and the car number, thereby reducing the response time for them,” he said.

“The device will also fetch all the performance parameters of the car from over 200 sensors already fitted in the vehicle. It will convert them into information, which can be accessed from the cloud server,” Archit added.

The device will also reduce the number of fake claims that people make, he said.

Archit completed his schooling from Dewan Public School, Meerut and went on to pursue engineering from UPES.

Talking about his experience, Archit said, “To be at the Rashtrapati Bhavan was an overwhelming experience for me.

The competition was extremely tough with close to 13,000 projects from over 500 colleges across India. OBDAS is a low-cost universal solution for vehicles and it has many benefits.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Meerut News / by Ishita Bhatia / TNN / March 27th, 2018

Lucknow: KGMU develops customised, cost-effective knee braces

Education, Records, All, Science & Technology

The department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the King George’s Medical University has developed cost-effective knee braces for patients suffering from joint problems due to osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis can cause knee joints to become weak and bent, giving one’s leg bow-shaped appearance.(Representative image)

The department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the King George’s Medical University (KGMU) has developed cost-effective knee braces for patients suffering from joint problems due to osteoarthritis.

“These braces correct joint deformity too. We developed these on the basis of patient feedback. One brace costs just about Rs1,000, while those being sold in the market are priced at around Rs20,000,” said Arvind K Nigam, in-charge arthrotec and prosthetics at the department.

Explaining how the braces work, he said, “The key benefit of these braces is their three-point pressure mechanism, which gives immediate relief from pain.”

Osteoarthritis can cause knee joints to become weak and bent, giving one’s leg bow-shaped appearance. Injuries can also impact the performance of the knee joint. Experts say when the gap between the femur and the tibia gets disturbed at the joint, it causes pain and discomfort while walking.

A common solution suggested by orthopedic surgeons is knee replacement that can sustain for up to 20 years. However, not all patients can afford the procedure, which costs around Rs2.5 lakh per knee.

On the other hand, knee braces can help patients recover faster from their injuries or function better in their everyday lives despite osteoarthritis.

“The load of the body gets shared at different points in the limb. So, the deformity is corrected, bringing relief to the patient,” said Nigam.

“I am not comparing knee braces with knee replacement surgery. But what I can say is that our knee braces are custom made, cost-effective and bring quick relief to patients. They can also support quality life for years,” he said, adding, “Moreover, if the patient is aged over 80 and a major surgery is considered risky, knee braces are the best solution.”

Story behind the Innovation

Nigam said he had been working on a knee brace model for some time when one of his acquaintances called on him last week. “He had come to seek consultation regarding his knee pain. I improvised the model I was working on and created a customised knee brace for him in just a day,” he said.

“With the help of this brace, the patient could walk for over 2.5 hours in our department. Before that, he was hardly able to walk for any appreciable length of time,” he added.

Nigam said that looking at his acquaintance’s improved condition, he thought of making customised knee braces for others too. “At present, 45 patients are registered with our department for these braces,” he said, adding that he would now start compiling patient data for research and development purposes.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Cities> Lucknow / by Gaurav Saigal,Hindustan Times, Lucknow / March 26th, 2018

Allahabad: First Researcher’s Day observed at IIIT-A

Education, Records, All, Science & Technology

Allahabad :

The Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad (IIIT-A) celebrated its first ever Researcher’s Day at its Jhalwa campus here on Saturday.

Eminent academicians and former director of the institute Prof Somenath Biswas from IIT-Kanpur along with Prof BN Chatterjee from IIT-Khargpur and Prof P Nagabushanam, director, IIIT-A jointly inaugurated the event by lighting the ceremonial lamp in a ceremony held in the main auditorium.

On this occasion, director of the institute Prof P Nagabhushan announced that from next year onward, ‘Researcher’s Day’ would be celebrated at IIIT-A on the first Saturday of the month of March which would follow the celebrations of the National Science Day, which is on February 28.

Addressing the students of the institute, the director asked the students to develop their scientific attitude to promote science in India. He asked the students to learn ‘how to answer?’ rather than ‘what to answer?’. He further said that researches should be for scientific purposes, but not for positions or to make money. Everyone should feel free to ask questions and have passion on researches. One should respect their own feelings and work according to them.

In his address, Prof Somenath Biswas presented his research work namely Computational Lens and Natural Algorithm. He stated that computational lens is used to model a phenomenon. He explained about natural algorithm that the myriad of algorithmic processes evolved by nature. He gave a short note on virus evolution.

Prof B N Chatterjee gave a power point presentation on planning and implementation of researches. He gave a short note on types of researches and stressed on academic researches. He said that one should select their research area according to their interest, passion and experience. He also explained importance of planning in research field.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Allahabad News / by Rajiv Mani / TNN / March 24th, 2018

Artisan prepares Banarasi crafts for German president

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leaders, World Opinion

Varanasi :

A beautiful wooden replica of Buddha’s stone image, which was sculpted during Gupta period and kept at the archaeological museum in Sarnath, has been prepared by a wood carving artisan Chandra Prakash Vishwakarma for the German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier visiting Varanasi on March 22. Besides, a handloom stole displaying Buddhist mantra ‘Buddham sharnam gachhami’ with peepal leaves has also been made by Bachchelal Maurya.

Since the German president will first go to Sarnath, where Buddha preached his first sermon after attaining enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, the artisans chose to make Buddhist crafts for him. According to the itinerary received here by the district administration, after reaching here on March 22 morning, he will first visit Sarnath to see Buddhist sites including Dhamekha Stupa, temples and monasteries.

“It took seven days to complete the carving of Buddha’s image on Kaima wood,” said Vishwakarma, a resident of Ramkatora area, adding that he created this piece of demand of Maha Bidhi Society of India. According to him, the 18×12-inches wooded carved image of Buddha is the replica of the 5th century stone statue put on display at Sarnath museum. According to the museum record, the stone image (155x87x27) of preaching Buddha is dated to Gupta period of 5th century. This image is remarkable example of the form of compassionate one in its spirituality and inner- bliss. The wheel (dharmachakra) occupies the central position on the pedestal. Figure of deer are placed on either side of wheel denoting the place as deer park. The figures of five disciples to whom Buddha preached first sermon are depicted along with a lady and child on the lower part of the image.

Similarly, master weaver Maurya, a native of Chhahi village, worked for 10 days to weave a stole using calligraphy technique showing –“Buddham sharnam gachhami, Dhammam sharnam gachhami, Sangham sharnam gachhami” with the images of peepal leaves. He said that he wanted to showcase the Banarasi art before the world leaders during their visits to the city. Germany is one of the big importers of traditional crafts of Varanasi and eastern UP, he said adding that during his visit to the city the French President Emmanuel Macron also appreciated handloom and other crafts.

Earlier, local craftsmen had also prepared exquisite artifacts during the visit of French President who along with Prime minister Narendra Modi visited the city on March 12. The artisans had prepared several exclusive art pieces of famed Gulabi Meenakari (Pink enameling), wood craft, soft stone craft undercut work, zari-zardozi art and handloom weave. They had also prepared beautiful gift items for the Japanese PM Shinzo Abe during his visit to the city on December 12, 2015. “Main objective of preparing traditional items for the international guests is to catch their attention towards the richness Banarasi crafts so that they could make place in international markets,” said an expert of Geographical Indication (GI) Rajni Kant of Human Welfare Association engaged in promotion of local art and crafts. He said that the art of Banarasi wood carving would get GI certification soon.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India/ News> City News> Varanasi News / by Binay Singh / TNN / March 20th, 2018

Teen inventer of garbage collection machine dines with minister

Amazing Feats, Education, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Science & Technology

Agra :

Shikanto Mandal, 15, from Mathura, who had developed a unique machine to collect garbage, was invited by the President for dinner on Tuesday. However, it was cancelled at the last moment and the dinner was hosted by science and technology minister Dr Harsh Vardhan at the CSIR centre at Lodhi Gardens in New Delhi.

Mandal, who hails from West Bengal, had showcased his innovative machine at the Festival of Innovation being held in Delhi from March 19 to 23. Earlier speaking with TOI while on his way to New Delhi, Mandal said he had dined with then President Pranab Mukherjee during the Festival of Innovation.

The young inventor said hopes to become a successful engineer one day and fulfil all wishes of his parents and give them every comfort of life. Mandal’s parents are daily wagers. Talking with TOI, Mandal’s teacher Manoj Kumar, who helped him in his project and under whose guidance he built the machine, said he had developed the manual waste lifting and dumping machine when he was in Class IX at Jai Gurudev Balya Balak Vidyadan Higher Secondary School in 2016. He is presently studying in Class XI at KR Inter College, Mathura.

Mandal’s invention, inspired by Swacch Bharat Mission, was chosen for display at the district-level exhibition organized by the department of science and technology in 2016. His machine’s model was then showcased at a state-level exhibition held in Lucknow and later, at the national level.

His model has been patented by a Gujarat-based company, where he holds a 50% stake of the market share.

In January, Mandal was invited by film star Akshay Kumar his movie, “Padman”, screened at the Innovation conclave in which 16 innovators from across the country participated and received Rs 5 lakh each for their innovation.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Agra News / TNN / March 21st, 2018

Know the man behind the camera Abhinav Khare, a young lad and owner of Tasvir in Lucknow!

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy

“Happy is the man who can make a living by his hobby”, this line by GB Shaw, completely fits in the life of this young lad who is a photographer by profession. Abhinav Khare, a pass-put of Amity University, is the proud owner of a fantastic studio in Lucknow, known as- Tasvir.

Right at the beginning of the three years Journalism program, Abhinav took to photography. What he started as a hobby, soon became his passion. Generally, it takes time for people to find out what their true love lies in. But, Abhinav got lucky here and found out that his hobby is also his future. After passing-out from college he took separate photography projects and after a couple of years, he established Tasvir in Lucknow.

Knocksense: What were the initial challenges you faced while establishing Tasvir?

Abhinav: In our industry, there are many competitors and its good to have competition but in our industry people doesn’t want to work together they just want to cut you down and hence to establish such a studio in Lucknow was a bit difficult.

Knocksense: Why the name Tasvir?

Abhinav: Tasvir is a Hindi word for Picture. I really like that word, and it directly relates to the work and also clicks with the people.

Knocksense: How has Lucknow’s market evolved in the last few years?

Abhinav: Lucknow’s market is evolving slowly, but that’s also good actually. Market ethics, in this business particularly need to be established. The major problem is, there are a lot of freelancers, who would do the work for free. Now, nobody is ever going to question the work, that has been done for free. Even if it is bad. However, some people totally take a chance because of lack of knowledge and awareness, since everyone loves on saving some bucks.

Knocksense: Was it tough to get funding initially?

Abhinav: It was tough, but me and my partner Shivaa Shukla are into this field for past 4 years and it is our parents who have helped us out since the very beginning.

Knocksense: Are people willing to spend on pre-wedding shoot In Lucknow?

Abhinav: Yes, slowly people are more getting interested in pre-wedding shoots that too concept based. It takes time for people to understand and follow the trends.

Knocksense: How big is your team?

Abhinav: My team consists of 10 people, 5 cinematographer and 5 photographers as of now.

Knocksense: What is the vision and motto of Tasvir?

Abhinav: The vision and motto of Tasvir are to change the thinking of people living in Lucknow about photography. People do understand photography but there are a lot of things which are new for them. Some people are totally up for it, while others need more convincing. It is challenging and going good, so far.

Knocksense: Are you looking to expand in other cities?

Abhinav: Yes, definitely I’m looking forward to expand my business soon in another metro cities

Knocksense: Any words for Amity University?

Abhinav: Amity has given me the confidence and potential, which helps me stand out in the business world. So ya Amity helped a lot in building my personality.

source: http://www.knocksense.com / KnockSense / Home> Experience India> Cities> Lucknow / by KnockSense Staff / March 22nd, 2018