Students showcase their talents at the Childrens science Congress.
The district-level 25th Children’s Science Congress was organised by the departments of Science and Technology and Education at Rotary Children’s Science Centre here on Wednesday.
The Science Congress was meant for primary and High School students. The students presented project reports on ‘sustainable development through Science and Technology’ based on local issues.
The topics included natural resources, cleanliness and hygiene, agriculture, environmental conservation and waste management.
Inaugurating the convention, District Scouts and Guides Patron K T Mathew called upon students to develop a scientific temper. He added that students should know about the research, inventions and achievements of veteran scientists.
State Pollution Control Board Regional Office Environment Officer G R Ganeshan, Rotary Misty Hills president H T Anil and Vijnana Parishat district committee Secretary T G Premkumar also spoke.
10 best teams in the district-level will take part in the state-level Science Congress to be held in Mysuru from November 29 to December 1. The first 30 teams getting selected in the state-level will be eligible to take part in the National Children’s Science Congress to be held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat between December 27 and 31.
District Committee Vice President M E Mohiddin, Kodagu Vidyalaya Bharatiya Vidya Bhavana, Madikeri, Principal E Shrinivasan and Education Coordinator G Shreeharsha were present.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DH News Service / Madikeri – November 22nd, 2017
Dr Noor Mohammad Mir, former Head of the Plant Pathology department at the Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, passed away on Thursday.
His ‘Rasme Chaharum’ would be held on Monday at 10:30 am at the family’s ancestral graveyard at Chotta Bazar, Kanikadal, in downtown Srinagar. (KNS)
source: http://www.risingkashmir.com / Rising Kashmir / Home / Srinagar – November 25th, 2017
A doctor at the hospital said they performed the operation in four hours without removing the patient’s ovaries or uterus. The previous record was held by an Egyptian woman, who had 186 tumours removed from her body last December.
Mediapersons interview the medical team that conducted the surgical procedure. (HT Photo)
As many as 191 benign tumours were removed from the uterus of an Omani woman at a private hospital in Kozhikode, north Kerala, on Saturday.
Doctors at the city’s Starcare Hospital claimed this was a new world record. They said the previous one was held by an Egyptian woman, who had 186 tumours removed from her body last December.
Dr Abdul Rashid, the hospital’s chief gynaecologist, told Hindustan Times they performed the operation in four hours without removing the patient’s ovaries or uterus. “We blended keyhole and traditional mechanisms to do it. We were expecting 80-odd tumours, not so many,” he said, adding that the woman was now recuperating from the procedure.
The existing record in the country is 84 tumours.
Dr Rashid said the hospital will soon update Guinness World Records authorities on the development. “We did not operate on the 34-year-old woman to break any record. We had initially considered laparoscopic surgery, but decided against it when we realised that the tumour was really big,” he added.
A team of three doctors had performed the surgery.
The chief gynaecologist said a leading medical body has already confirmed that this was a unique case. “The woman seemed to be in an advanced stage of pregnancy when she first came here, but we were keen on protecting her ovaries and uterus. She can now lead a normal life, and even conceive after a couple of years,” he added.
According to Dr Rashid, there has been a significant rise in middle-eastern patients visiting super-specialty hospitals in the state lately. “Our facilities are economical when compared to hospitals in the West, while keeping with similar standards. Kerala has always been a leading tourist destination, but it may soon become a medical hub too,” he said.
source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> India / by Ramesh Babu – Hindustan Times, Thiruvananthapuram / November 19th, 2017
Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) was felicitated at Infotel Awards 2017 at Tagore Hall during a function held on Sunday. The award was given in recognition to the philanthropic work done by DAK during 2016 summer uprising wherein a group of six doctors namely Dr Mir Mushtaq, Dr Yasir Wani, Dr Masood Rashid, Dr Ijtaba Shafi, Dr Masood ul Hassan & Dr Zahid Nasti worked day in and day out and collected Rs 17 lakh which were utilised for the pellet victims in terms of medicines and surgical equipments.
A spokesperson of the DAK said that the award was given by MoS Health & Medical Education Asiea Naqash in presence of MLA Rafiabad Yawar Mir and Abbas Wani, MLA Gulmarg.
On behalf of DAK the award was received by Dr Arshad Hussain Trag (Joint Secretary, DAK).
President DAK, Dr Suhail Naik also received appreciation award in the said function for elevating the Paediatric health care at Sub District Hospital(SDH), Sopore.
President DAK Dr Suhail Naik has expressed his gratitude to the organizers and has assured that DAK will be continuing social work endeavors under various programmes.
source: http://www.kashmirlife.net / Kashmir Life / Home> Latest News / by KL News Network / November 13th, 2017
Dr. Parveen Akhter Lone, Prof. & Head of the Department of Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Indira Gandhi Government Dental College, Jammu has been conferred with Award of Excellence at Golden Jubilee Celebrations of King George Medical University, Lucknow .
Dr Lone is a distinction-holder and gold medalist during her BDS and was awarded with ‘Outstanding Student of BDS’ by International College of Dentists in 1991.
She has completed advanced course in trauma and attended various Workshops and conferences along with presentation of research papers & posters at national and international level.
She is also the Vice-President of J&K Chapter of the Association of Oral and Maxillo-facial Surgeons of India (AOMSI).
Recently, for her consecrated achievements in Dental field, she was awarded with Women Achievers Award – 2017 by Times of India Group.
source: http://www.dailyexcelsior.com / Daily Excelsior.com / Home / by Excelsior Correspondent / November 10th, 2017
Government has appointed IAS officer Parmod Jain as Chairperson of Jammu and Kashmir State Water Resources Regulatory Authority (JKSWRRA).
The SRO-458 issued by the Government today reads: “In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 139 of the J&K Water Resources (Regulation and Management) Act, 2010, the Government hereby appoints the new Chairperson and Members of the J&K State Water Resources Regulatory Authority”.
Parmod Jain is presently Vice-Chairman and DG IMPA.
The members of the Authority are Kaneez Fatima, former Principal District and Sessions Judge, Ravi Magotra, former Director General Accounts and Treasuries and Ahmed Muzaffar Lankar, retired Executive Director Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation.
source: http://www.dailyexcelsior.com / DailyExcelsior.com / Home / by Excelsior Correspondent / Jammu – October 27th, 2017
The Vice Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University, Professor Tariq Mansoor has appointed Professor Tabassum Shahab as the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University, till further orders, in addition to his own duties. Prof Mansoor has made this appointment in exercise of the powers vested in him under Section 19(3) of AMU Act 1920.
Prof. Tabassum Shahab, a senior faculty member in the Department of Paediatrics, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College passed MD (Pediatrics) in 1981 from Madhya Pradesh and joined the Department of Pediatrics in March 1984.
Prof Shahab has published a number of research papers in important national and international journals such as Indian Pediatrics, Indian Journal of Pediatrics, Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, etc. He has also supervised 16 theses for MD Pediatrics and delivered lectures on important developments in the field of paediatric research at national level conferences and seminars. He has also served as a nodal officer of WHO and UNICEF’s global polio eradication programme.
Prof Shahab has also proved his mettle in administrative capacities as Nodal Officer, Minority Students’ Affairs, President, Gymkhana Club in University Games Committee, Chairman of Department of Pediatrics and Provost, Hadi Hasan Hall.
source: http://www.twocirlces.net / Two Cirlces / Home> Indian Muslim / TCN News / October 29th, 2017
In a development that is something Bihar should be proud of, Dr Mumtaz Naiyer, a UK-based scientist from Kishanganj district, has come up with an ‘exciting’ discovery on path to develop new type of vaccine to treat global viruses.
He along with other scientists from the University of Southampton has made a significant discovery in efforts to develop a vaccine against Zika, Dengue and Hepatitis C viruses that affect millions of people around the world.
In a study published in Science Immunology, researchers have shown that natural killer cells (NK cells), which are a fundamental part of the body’s immune system, can recognise many different viruses including global pathogens such as Zika, Dengue and Hepatitis C viruses, through a single receptor called KIR2DS2.
The Southampton team have shown that this NK cell receptor is able to target a non-variable part of the virus called the NS3 helicase protein, which is essential in making the virus work properly. Unlike other proteins, the NS3 helicase protein does not change, which allows the immune system to grab hold of it and let the NK cells deal with the threat.
Lead researcher Salim Khakoo, professor of hepatology, said the findings are very exciting and could change the way viruses are targeted by vaccines but warned that the research is still at an early stage, and animal studies/clinical trials will be needed to test the findings.
It is very exciting to discover that other viruses similar to Hepatitis C, such as Zika virus, dengue virus, yellow fever virus, Japanese encephalitis virus and in fact all flaviviruses, contain a region within their NS3 helicase proteins that is recognised by exactly the same KIR2DS2 receptor.
“We believe that by targeting this NS3 helicase region, we can make a new type of vaccine based upon natural killer cells, which can be used to help protect people from these infections,” said Khakoo.
In an exclusive interview with MuslimMirror, Dr Naiyer, a postdoctoral scientist at the University of Southampton who the first author of the paper, talked at length about his roller coaster journey from Bihar to the United Kingdom and study.
Here are the excerpts:
MM: Please tell us about your journey from Bihar’s one of the most backward districts of Kishanganj to the University of Southampton, United Kingdom?
Dr Naiyer: I was born in one of the remotest village of Kishanganj in Bihar. The place earlier was referred to as ‘Kala Pani’ because of sheer backwardness and no access to mainland India. You can consider my small village as ‘Kala Pani’ with no access to schools etc. So much so, electricity in my village arrived in 2016 after 70 years of independence.
I was born in the 80s in a humble family of farmers. My parents were illiterate but had great quest for education. I was youngest among my siblings with five elder brothers and two sisters. The eldest brother did not attend school, one studied up to class V and three attended college. One of them did masters and later PhD in English literature.
My father passed away when I was 8 years old. It was extremely difficult for my mother to support us. As madarsas are cheaper, my mother even asked me to attend the Islamic seminary and become an ‘Aalim’ (Islamic scholar). After my father’s demise, one of my eldest brothers Mr Zainul Abedin had to discontinue his studies to support the education of two younger brothers.
As there were no schools nearby, I studied at home and a single teacher used to teach all the children in the village. I was directly admitted to standard three in a government school, which was 4 km away from my village. There were no roads and the situation in rainy season was like a nightmare. There was a strict discipline in our family for education. No matter how bad the day, one cannot miss the school.
I studied up to high school in my village. After that, I moved to Patna. Since my medium of instruction was Hindi till high school, it was difficult to switch to English books at 10+2. Contrary to my elder brothers who studied arts, I choose science with biology, physics and chemistry. I had a dream to become a doctor as I had seen young children die in my village without medical facilities.
However, after repeated attempts I could not clear Premedical Test (PMT) conducted by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Bihar Combined Entrance Examination (BCEE). I moved to Delhi from Patna in the year 2000. I cracked BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) entrance examination of Karnataka and B.Pharm (Bachelor of Pharmacy) entrance examination of Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi. Unfortunately, I could not afford any of these two. Then, I decided to do a simple B.Sc. course.
I appeared in the entrance test of B.Sc. (Biosciences) at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, and I got selected for the course. That year, Jamia had lauched B.Sc. (Biotechnology) programme. The central university gave us an option to choose either of the programme. In addition, those who were top in the merit list have an option to choose biotechnology. I choose biotechnology.
Teachers were very supportive. Till that time, I had no predefine goals for an academic career like this. But later, I attended lectures of prominent academicians and scientists in my university. That changed my attitude completely towards higher education.
Surviving in a metro city like Delhi was not an easy job. The money I used to get from my family was not enough. I used to give tuitions in the posh colonies of Delhi to earn some bucks and support myself. Apart from that, I received Merit Scholarship by Central Wakf Board, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India, for consecutive two years at bachelors level. I must say my brothers tried their best to support me throughout my academic journey.
After my bachelors, I joined Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi in its master’s programme in biotechnology, which was one of the best in the capital. Here too, my teachers were very supportive and encouraged me to do pursue research. I got training in institutions like Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi. I got an exposure to quality research at my masters level. I was the recipient of Tasmia Merit Scholarship for best academic performance at masters level university exams in Jamia Hamdard.
My M.Sc. final year was full of turmoil. I lost my mother just a month before my final year’s examination and my family was going through financial crisis. Somehow, I managed to continue my studies.
I appeared in national level exams like National Eligibility Test (NET) jointly conducted by CSIR-UGC. I was awarded NET -Lectureship and Junior Research Fellowship by the UGC to pursue Ph.D. I also cleared GATE with 97 percentile.
After my masters, I joined National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune, an autonomous institution of the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, for my Ph.D. This is one of the top biotechnology research institutes in India. It is also a national cell repository. One of the best Immunologists in the country Dr Bhaskar Saha who is also a Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar Awardee mentored me.
During my Ph.D., I gained knowledge in molecular immunology and cell signaling. I worked on Human Visceral Leishmaniasis also called Kala-azar. My research work ‘Identification and Characterisation of Interleukin-10 Receptor Antagonist’ was published in the journal ‘Human Immunology’. The financial support was provided by the UGC for five years in which I was awarded Junior Research fellowship (JRF) for two years and senior research fellowship (SRF) for three years.
At the end of my Ph.D., I received offers for postdoctoral fellowships from University of Montreal, Canada; John Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; National Institute of Health, Bethesda, USA; and Imperial College London, UK. Previously, Khakoo lab was in Imperial College London, which was later shifted to University of Southampton where I work now since March 2012.
Although I had options to join other labs in the USA and Canada, I decided to join Professor Khakoo’s lab for my postdoctoral research as my research goals were best matched with the objectives of Khakoo lab.
At University of Southampton, I started working on clinically important viruses such as Hepatitis C virus, Dengue, Zika, etc. and tried to understand how Natural Killer cells – which are fundamental part of body’s immune system – can clear the viruses.
MM: Tell us about your research.
Dr Naiyer: This is a well-presented study and a significant advancement in this field that identifies the important role of the receptor KIR2DS2. Since I come from India, which has thousands of cases of dengue each year, I can understand the suffering of patients with dengue. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to ease the suffering of these dengue-affected patients.
Natural Killer Cells play important role in fight against cancer and viral clearance. Our study focuses on how a single vaccine can be effective against multiple viruses. Our findings, which was recently published in prestigious journal “Science Immunology” also suggests that this strategy for virus therapeutics could be easily translated into the field of cancer.
2. What kind of encouragement did you find from your family and friends?
Dr Naiyer: My family was supportive. My brothers would often say, ‘Do not think about money, you just focus in your studies and leave rest to us’.
I had a very healthy competition with my friends and some of them genuinely motivated me.
MM: given the literacy rate of your area, what did inspire you to select this stream in higher studies?
Dr Naiyer: During my growing up years in the 90s, the sentence I often hear in my surrounding was “padh likh kar kuch nahi hota” (education gives you nothing). Most of the parents would send their school going to children to Delhi, Mumbai, Punjab and other metro cities of India to earn money and livelihood. That was such a discouraging period for education in my area called Seemanchal, which resulted in very high number of unskilled labour force.
Nevertheless, I was never tempted to leave my school or studies and determined to prove that education is the most powerful tool. Despite hardship, I keep going systematically. Even during my bachelors and masters in Delhi, people from my area would say “kab tak padhte rahoge miyan” (how long would you study)?
MM: Why did not you go for engineering and other short-term professional courses like others belonging to humble family background do to support their families?
Dr Naiyer: As I said before, I wanted to become a medical doctor, so engineering or any other short-term courses were never in my mind.
MM: What are your future plans?
Dr Naiyer: I want to contribute more to science and use my knowledge and expertise against the serious threats to humankind posed by dangerous viruses such as Zika, Dengue, Ebola, etc.
I would like to establish my own lab and become a principal investigator. If given the opportunity, I would like to return to India and want to contribute to the Indian science.
MM: Is there anybig project in your mind?
Dr Naiyer: I am contemplating to write grants for my own funding to support my research work. I shall apply for grants in Medical Research Council, UK, and Wellcome Trust, UK.
MM: Where do you want to see yourself 10 years down the line?
Dr Naiyer: After 10 years, I want to see myself as a successful scientist who has contributed a bit for the welfare of humankind by doing high-level science. I want to become an expert in my field.
Do you have any plan for the educational upliftment of your area, especially for Muslim youth?
Dr Naiyer: This is interesting question. I would definitely plan and would happy to contribute for the educational upliftment of my area. I along with some other friends from Bihar are trying to develop a unique platform where we can support meritorious students from Seemanchal (Bihar) irrespective of their financial conditions.
I have a dream to establish school/colleges, hospitals and healthcare in every block of Seemanchal. I would also focus in girls/women education. I would share the road map at appropriate time.
MM. Do you want to give any message to the youth of the community?
Dr Naiyer: Our community has some deeper problems and the youth are looking for microwave solutions. Our community has limited resources, please use them effectively. You must work hard, and should not waste time and resources.
The message I would pass to the youths is that there is no short cut for success. You cannot bypass the stairs of education and reach on the top through a side-lift. If you try, it would be disastrous for your career. Do not fear failures as failures are there to make you strong.
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Health / by admin – Muslim Mirror Staff / October 10th, 2017
Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Farasat Hussain was honoured at a special function today.
Sports and culture minister Renu Devi felicitated Dr Hussain at the function organised to honour people associated with sports.
Dr Hussain, national president of Sports Medicine Association of India, received the honour for his contribution in the field of sports medicine and for promoting sports among physically challenged persons, including polio patients. Other members of sports fraternity were also felicitated at the function organised at the Sri Krishna Memorial Hall in Patna. Renu Devi came on behalf of chief minister Nitish Kumar, who, due to some reason could not attend the function.
Dr Hussain has represented India at several international conferences on sports medicine at Muscat, Darussalam (Brunei), Bangkok (Thailand), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) and Tehran (Iran). Presently, he is associated with the Commonwealth Games.
Dr Hussain is also associated with Arpan, a Gaya-based organisation for physically challenged persons. He has motivated boys and girls in Magadh division to overcome their challenges and turn them into opportunities to participate in activities as equal partners in society.
Krishna Murari is one such member of Arpan. Encouraged by Dr Hussain, he represented India recently at the sitting volleyball competition held in the USA.
Dozens of other Arpan members have also made it to several national level sporting events, including cricket and cycling.
An expert in corrective surgery, Dr Farasat Hussain has operated on nearly 3,000 polio-affected children in different areas of Magadh division over the years.
President of a Gaya-based orphanage, Dr Hussain has also been associated with several other social, professional and charitable organisations, including Red Cross, IMA, Lions Club and Gaya District Sports Association.
Dr Hussain, after being honoured, told The Telegraph he would be continue on his mission to promote sports medicine for the larger benefit of the sporting community and would encourage physically challenged persons to find new meaning in their life through games and sport. Games, he believes, are the best levellers in society.
“This honour has given me a fresh impetus to carry forward my work. I hope that now the government will take more initiatives to promote sports among the physically challenged persons and give them jobs,” Dr Hussain said.
source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph, Calcutta, India / Front Page> Bihar> Story / by Farhana Kalam / Monday – August 30th, 2010
Abdul Wajid, a jobless village boy, built a plane from scratch to prove that he is not worthless!
The youth of this country have to face one huge challenge – that of unemployment. Whatever the government waxes on about all day, the fact of the matter is that the educated and even brightest of the youth sometimes have to settle for less than satisfactory jobs or just stay at home because there are no takers or no vacancies. While for those in metro cities the situation is relatively easier, for those in the rural areas, it is extremely terrible. They do not even have access to technology or means to reach out and if they do not leave their village, the chances of them getting a job in the village itself are negligent. While many disillusioned youth give up and go back to their village and take up the family profession, there are some like Abdul Wajid who decide to take matters in their own hands.
Image Credit: The Times of India
Abdul Wajid is a 26-year old youth residing in Muzaffarnagar village in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. He completed his National Cadet Corps (NCC) training and since then has been hunting for a job but so far, has been unsuccessful in all his attempts. While training for the NCC, he had completed a course in aero-modelling at Safdarjung airport and used the skills he learned at the course to desgin and fashion his own aircraft! His one-seater plane was built entirely by himself at the cost of Rs 5 lakhs! How did a jobless youth get the amount? With the help of family, friends and the generous villagers! His plane is completely designed and made by him – from metal scraps and engines of old cars and Abdul Wajid is confident that it will definitely run.
He has already applied for a request and approval from the aviation board to try test-flying the plane. The plane he has created is made of wood and weighs a whopping 350 kgs. The plane is meter long in structure and is supported by steel frames and the engine is that of an old Maruti van he purchased specifically for this purpose. The plane was initially fitted with 2 bike engines but they had to be changed as the engines would not be adequate to give the required thrust. The plane uses petrol for fuel and comes fitted with a 25 litre fuel tank which is expected to carry Wajid Abdul through a distance of up to 10 kms. The only obstruction in front of him is how to get the permission to fly the air-craft!
The first request was placed at the Muzaffarnagar council where just like the villagers, everyone was stumped. The local civic body visited Abdul Wajid and even they were confused as they could not provide the permission. They then asked Abdul to write to the aviation ministry and Abdul has vowed to do just that. Although people in his village earlier mocked him, now everyone is proud of him. He is filled with hope that if he can make a plane all by himself, then he can definitely get a green signal from the aviation ministry! Also, he hopes that once he flies his plane, people will take notice of his abilities and offer him atleast a decent job. He also expects to get some monetary compensation from the Chief Minister for his efforts.
source: http://www.india.com / India.com / Home> News> India / by Rutu Ladage / May 26th, 2016
