Meerut girl part of US team that cracked Zika structure

Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion
Devika Sirohi, born and brought up in Meerut, is a doctoral student at Purdue University in the US. She will submit her thesis by year end
Devika Sirohi, born and brought up in Meerut, is a doctoral student at Purdue University in the US. She will submit her thesis by year end

Meerut :

Devika Sirohi, 29, a doctoral student at Purdue University in the United States, is the youngest member of a team of seven researchers which has, for the first time, determined the structure of the Zika virus. The breakthrough is revealing insights crucial for the development of effective treatments for the deadly disease.

Sirohi, born and brought up in Meerut, spoke to TOI about the intense work that lay behind the breakthrough. “It took us four months to identify the structure of the virus. Out of the seven-member team, three were professors and four students, including me. During the period of the research, we barely slept for two to three hours a day, but our hard work finally paid off. This discovery will help doctors and researchers to find a cure for the deadly disease that has been reported in 33 countries,” she said.

Determining the structure of the virus was a major hurdle for researchers, and the team’s find, Sirohi said, would now make it possible to create effective anti-viral treatments and vaccines. The seven-member team included Sirohi, postdoctoral research associates Zhenguo Chen, Lei Sun and Thomas Klose; biological sciences professor Michael G Rossmann, Purdue Institute for Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Diseases director Richard J Kuhn, and Theodore C Pierson, chief of the viral pathogenesis section of the Laboratory of Viral Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

“When I first arrived in the US, I never expected to achieve this much. It has been five years now since I started my doctoral research and I will submit my thesis by the end of this year. The entire journey of discovering the structure of Zika was full of challenges, but all is well that ends well. Now that the structure has been determined, it will be easier to research further and combat the spread of the disease,” said Sirohi, based in West Lafayette near Chicago and pursuing PhD in ‘Structure and Maturation of Flaviviruses’.

The Meerut girl completed her schooling from the city-based Dayawati Modi Academy. She went on to pursue honours in biochemistry from Delhi University and MSc from Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai. Both her parents are citybased doctors; her mother, Reena, being a pediatrician. Elated by her success, her father, SS Sirohi, a pathologist who lives in Delhi’s Defence Colony, said, “It is a matter of pride not only for my family, because she is my daughter, but for the whole country that an Indian was part of the team that made this breakthrough.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> India / by Ishita Bhatia / TNN / April 06th, 2016

Carpenter gifts Gita carved in wood to PM

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

Kanpur:

A 32-year-old carpenter from the city got an opportunity to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and gift him a unique Bhagvad Gita carved on wood.

Sandeep Soni, who took three years in creating the wooden Gita, had long wanted to meet the PM, but was unsuccessful despite several attempts.

After an invitation by the PMO, Sandeep, his mother Saraswati Soni and a friend met Modi and handed him over the Gita, having all 18 chapters and 706 ‘sholakas’, in Delhi yesterday.

Modi later tweeted a picture of him receiving the Gita from Soni on his official Twitter handle.
“Sandeep Soni presented to me a copy of the Gita, carved on wood. I thank him for his kind gesture,” the PM tweeted.

Soni said he was elated after meeting the PM.

“I got emotional after meeting the Prime Minister because I never thought my dream would come true. He was very impressed by the Gita and praised my work in creating it,” he said.

Soni also conveyed to the PM that he wanted to start his own business under the ‘Make in India’ scheme, following which Modi directed officials to provide all the necessary help.

Soni, who earns a meagre Rs 9,000 a month, had been invited by the Prime Minister’s office (PMO) last month to hand over his creation, but was not able to personally meet the PM.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kanpur / TNN / March 10th, 2016

Country’s second Bhojpuri study centre opens in city

Education, Records, All

Lucknow :

Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University became the second university in the country to start a centre for Bhojpuri studies. The centre, to be operational from this academic session, will promote Bhojpuri literature and language, besides showcasing the lively elements of Bhojpuri culture and civilization across areas of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.

Banaras Hindu University is the only other institution to offer the course.

The centre will have undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral courses.

“Bhojpuri is significant to a large population and has considerable international presence. This linguistic region has been the life line of north India. The study of regional Bhojpuri life, including agriculture, lifestyle, indigenous knowledge and cultural profiles is of immense significance both from epistemological and practical angles,” said university vice-chancellor Nishith Rai, the ex-officio chairman of the centre.

Apart from academic activities, the Centre for Bhojpuri Studies will house a cultural museum to preserve rare manuscripts, art forms. The centre will als provide training for print, electronic media and film production, organise national and international conferences and publish books and journals. The university VC, said officials will soon constitute a committee of experts to work out the modalities for making the Centre functional

Bhojpuri diaspora merits special significance. According to academic advisor to V-C, AP Tiwari, Bhojpuri has worldwide linkages. It is spread not only in metros like Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi but also in erstwhile colonial Islands like Mauritius, Surinam, Trinidad and Fiji, besides USA and UK. “People with Bhojpuri clout are rich businessmen, successful bureaucrats, poor laborers or small shopkeepers but their languages are the same. Despite heterogeneous economic status of Bhojpuri people, it has built in tendency of integration. Hence, the Centre will explore Bhojpuri connections across the world,” said Tiwari.

The Centre, said Tiwari will also endeavour to bring out the philosophical world-view of the Bhojpuri community, its traditional eco-friendly practices and life style, its creative and aesthetic richness and fineness and most significantly its innovative genius. “Let the Bhojpuri (speaking ) people take pride in their language instead of being apologetic about it. It is a great tragedy that very little is known of a language which is the language of the heart for millions of people,” Rai said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / by Isha Jain, TNN / April 01st, 2016

SP Shamli to get fifth gallantry award

Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All

Meerut:

Governor Ram Naik on behalf of President Pranab Mukherjee on April 1 will confer the Shaurya Padak, a gallantry award, to superintendent of police in Shamli district Vijay Bushan.

This will be the fifth gallantry award of Bhushan’s career. He will receive the award for showing “extraordinary courage” during an encounter with five kidnappers who had abducted a businessman’s son. The incident took place in 2007, when Bhushan posted in Lucknow as ASP (Special Forces).

According to SP Bhushan, in February 2007, one Praveen, a student of Class IV had been kidnapped by some miscreants who demanded Rs 50 lakh as ransom to release him. “That time I was ASP in the STF. The news had stunned the entire city and traders kept their shops closed for 10 days in press for the boy’s recovery,” he told TOI.

The STF got a tip-off that the boy was held hostage at Ramnagar of Barabanki district. When Bhushan, a sub inspector and a constable were trying to secure an ebntry into the house through the roof, the kidnappers opened fire at them. However, police countered the attack, rescued the boy after shooting down two of the kidnappers. Three of the kidnappers were nabbed during the encounter.

For showing indomitable courage, the names of Bhushan and a DSP, Shah Raseed Khan, were recommended for gallantry award.

On April 1, he would be honoured by the governor on behalf of the President at a ceremony in Lucknow. Bhushan has bagged the Shaurya Padak four times earlier during his career. He has also led an operation against Naxalites. UP government had sent him to Australia to get training to deal with terrorist attack and similar situations.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Meerut / by Pankul Sharma / TNN / March 26th, 2016

Smriti March to remember first war of independence

Amazing Feats, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All

Varanasi :

Volunteers of a social organization carried out ‘1857 Smriti March’ in the city on Tuesday to mark the March 29, 1857 when Mangal Pandey, a native of Ballia district and soldier in the 34th Bengal Native Infantry (BNI) regiment of the British East India Company, rebelled at Barrackpore and attacked British officers. It was the first major incident known as sepoy mutiny or the first war of independence.

Displaying the portraits of 1857 war heroes with national flags and raising slogans the volunteers carried out the march from Varunanagaram colony to Cultural Complex, Chowkaghat. Recalling the day as the first war of India’s independence, they remembered Mangal Pandey for the great uprising in the country.

According to records, at Barrackpore on the afternoon of March 29, 1857 Mangal Pandey attacked British officers of BNI. At that time the company had introduced new rifles, which used animal fat for greasing the cartridges. Mangal Panday refused to use the greased cartridges and broke into open mutiny and urged his fellow soldiers comrades to join him. Surrounded by guards and European officers, he tried to commit suicide by shooting himself and was seriously wounded. He was court-martialled, and hanged at Barrackpore on April 8, 1857. Indian Posts & Telegraphs Department issued commemorative stamp on him in 1984.

Later, Ballia became popular as ‘Bagi Ballia’ when it declared itself independent in 1942. To mark the occasion every year on August 19, people assemble at the gate of district jail and carry out a procession across the town. The procession culminates at Bapu Bhawan, Town Hall where a public meeting is held.

Known for rebellious nature, people of Ballia took active part in Quit India movement of August 9,1942. According to district records, during this period local natives and students took out processions, attacked the Bilthara Road Railway Station, Rasra treasury and Bairia police station.

Chittu Pandey headed the national government declared and established on August 19, 1942 for a few days before it was suppressed by the British. The parallel government succeeded in getting the Collector to hand over power and release all the arrested Congress leaders.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Varanasi / by Binay Singh / TNN / March 29th, 2016

Guv felicitates six oldest city schools

Education, Records, All

Kanpur :

Virendra Swarup Education Centre (Kidwai Nagar) celebrated its silver jubilee function in the school premises here on Saturday.

Governor Ram Naik, who was the chief guest on the occasion, felicitated six oldest schools of the city for their outstanding services in the field of education.

The principals and representatives of Methodist High School, St Mary’s Convent College, St Aloysius’ School, Huddard High School, Sheiling House and Seth Anandram Jaipuria School received trophies from the governor.

Naik also felicitated teachers and staff of Virendra Swarup Education Centre in recognition of their 25 years of service to the school.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kanpur / TNN / March 28th, 2016

10 kg wood apple attracts all at AgriHorti Tech fair

Agriculture, Education, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All

Kanpur:

A 10 kg wood apple, popularly known as bel, remained the centre of attraction on the second day of AgriHorti Tech international fair in Saifai, Etawah.

The wood apple has been displayed at the stall of Chandra Shekhar Azad Agriculture university of Kanpur.

The farmers visiting the fair also showed interest in ‘Rabi’ crop seeds, saplings, farming literature, agriculture equipment and new technologies, at various other stalls.

“During ‘Rabi’ season, the farmers should go for maize instead of sowing wheat crop as it’s yield is quite high as compared to latter,” said Dr Athar Husain Warsi, a scientist, Agriculrure department, Etawah.

Chief development officer Anil Kumar Singh said visitors are showing interest in farm machinery developed by various institutes and ‘chukandar’ and wood apple plantation, stalls of which have been put up by the CSA University of Kanpur authorities.

Scientists from the university said the seeds of the 10 kg wood apple are available at the university. Farmers are being trained on cultivating onion and garlic.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kanpur / TNN / March 29th, 2016

Scientists at IVRI develop vitamin-rich ‘chocolates and ladoos’ for cattle

Science & Technology

Bareilly:

As most farmers are unable to provide “nutritious meal to ruminants, including cows, buffaloes, goats and sheep”, scientists at the prestigious Indian veterinary research institute (IVRI) have developed chocolates and ladoos for them which will complete the requirement of proteins, minerals and vitamins.

The scientists have also developed a machine that will make these chocolates, which they say will eventually increase the milk production capacity of animals.

Principal scientist, animal nutrition division, Dr Putan Singh told TOI, “Most of the famers are not in a position to feed nutritious meals to ruminants and provide them just straw. Though wheat or paddy straw is rich in energy, other nutrients, like protein, vitamins and minerals, are missing from their diet.”

The scientists have developed these chocolates and ladoos after four years of extensive research. The power-packed meal, rich in protein, vitamin and minerals, contains molasses, wheat bran, oil cakes, minerals and non-protein nitrogen.

Explaining how these chocolates and ladoos will work, Singh said, “These animals have four parts in their stomach. In one of the parts, animals do not digest food, but it is microbes which digest the fibre and remaining products like volatile fatty acids and ammonia are used by animals.” The scientist added, “The chocolates and ladoos have been prepared considering the requirement of both microbes and animals. When animals will lick these chocolates or eat ladoos, it will increase the digestion of fibres among microbes and hence, animals will feel hungrier and eat more straw.”

According to the scientists, consumption of this superfood will also increase the milk production capacity of the animals. “If a cattle is given 500 gram of these chocolates or ladoos daily in two meals, it will increase the milk production capacity of the animal by 0.5 to 1 litre. However, this increase depends on the breed and capacity of cow,” Singh added.

The scientist, however, warned against the overuse of this superfood. “In greed of increasing milk production, people should refrain from giving excess amount of these chocolates or ladoos as it will cause harm to animal,” he said.

The scientists have also developed a machine that will make these chocolates. The ladoos, however, can be prepared manually. The shelf life of these chocolates or ladoos is one year. It will approximately cost Rs 20/kg each.

Even farmers can learn the process of making these chocolates or ladoos at IVRI for a nominal fee. However, for selling these products commercially, people can enter into an agreement with IVRI for training and technology.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Bareilly / Priyangi Agarwal / TNN / March 30th, 2016

City biker becomes first solo woman to cross Mana Pass

Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Sports, Travel

Agra :

She did not stop after scaling eight Himalayan mountain passes, all above 5,000 metre, last year.

Pallavi Fauzdar, 35, from Agra became the first woman solo biker in the Limca Book of Records to reach the tip of Mana pass in Uttarakhand, arguably the world’s highest motorable mountain pass.

Mana rises to a staggering altitude of 5,638 m (18,497 ft) above sea level, on the border between India and Tibet, and is reckoned as one of the most difficult biking trails.

“I received the acknowledgement and a certificate from Limca earlier this week”, said an elated Pallavi.

Mother of two kids, Pallavi is married to Parikshit Mishra, an Army officer, who has been extremely supportive of her passion for biking. “My family do have apprehensions whenever I set off for my expeditions alone but they also have confidence in my abilities,” she said.

Pallavi rides an Avenger and said she had been passionate about biking for several years and the travel bug had bitten her early. Packed with a pepper spray to ward off miscreants and a GPS device to ensure she is not lost, Pallavi set off for her Himalayan journey of seven days.

Describing the expedition as ‘arduous’ involving inclined boulder tracks, numerous water crossings, snow-covered roads and low oxygen levels, Pallavi said biking has always given her an adrenaline rush.

“As a child, I was passionate about motorcycling and I’m lucky to be married to Parikshit who has been always supportive of my endeavours”, she said, while adding that the toughest part of the long and tiring road trips was leaving her kids and family. She also attributes a ‘divine intervention’ in her success.

Pallavi is also the first female rider to reach Deo Tal Lake, located at 17,950 ft, one of the world’s highest.

When not biking, this adventure lover is also an accomplished fashion designer, a social worker and a Rekki practitioner.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Agra / Anju Jaswal / TNN / March 27th, 2016

Lucknow: Bureaucrat makes Bollywood debut

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leaders
Hari Om, 40, currently serving as commissioner consolidation, has made an entry into Bollywood with his first composition. (HT Photo)
Hari Om, 40, currently serving as commissioner consolidation, has made an entry into Bollywood with his first composition. (HT Photo)

His position in office and the workload of the designation don’t deter him from living his passion. And that’s what made him a singer, lyricist and composer in addition to being a bureaucrat.

Hari Om, 40, currently serving as commissioner consolidation, has made an entry into Bollywood with his first composition. The song has already been recorded in Mumbai and the film would be released soon.

“I would not tell much about the song and the film is yet to be named. But the song has been written, composed and sung by me,” said Hari Om.

An IAS of 1997 batch, Hari started learning music after being selected for the services. “Wherever I got posted, I learnt music. But each time due to transfers, my teachers kept changing. However, my passion continued and I made it a point to continue learning music,” he said.

He has been district magistrate of 11 districts, including Kanpur, Gorakhpur, Moradabad, Allahabad, Saharanpur etc.

Already into performances and compositions, Hari Om feels that this is just the beginning. “Film music is a big platform. But this is just the beginning. There are bigger things to come,” he said.

Hari Om has written three books and the fourth one would soon be released. These include ‘Bhoot Ka Parcham’ (a collection of ghazals released in 2002), ‘Amrica Meri Jaan’ (collection of stories released in 2009), ‘Kapaas ke Agley Mausam Mein’ (a collection of poetry released in 2011). The upcoming book is a collection of ghazals.

Om has also sung two songs for Moxx Music Company – ‘Yaara Ve’ and ‘Socha Na Tha Zindagi’. Even in the busy office schedules, the officer makes it a point to do his ‘riyaz’ for at least two hours every day. The rest of the free time is spent in writing and compositions, he added.

A PhD in Hindi, Hari Om isn’t the lone music lover and singer at home. His wife, Malvika is also a singer and their two daughters – students of Class 10 and 6 respectively, also sing

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Lucknow / HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times,Lucknow / March 14th, 2016