Category Archives: Science & Technology

Tender coconut, fair and lovely

November 19, 2014Business & Economy, Green Products, Science & Technology, World Opinionmpositiveone@gmail.com

Kaja Mohideen. PHOTO: GNANAVEL MURUGAN / The Hindu

The strong pith is removed using a machine and weight is reduced to 800 gm.

Innovation in marketing tender coconut has been his watchword. He has designed special machinery for peeling off the strong pith before despatching them to market.

The new shape of the tender coconut appears white all around – a value-addition with a new look. Its weight gets reduced from about 2 kg to less than 800 grams or so.

“The value addition mainly aims at attracting the consumers besides ensuring environment-friendly ambience at the retail sales outlets,” says Kaja Mohideen (50), referring to the growing demand for the produce in the city in the last one week since he introduced his sales.

With lightweight, it could be stocked at commercial complexes and medical shops. Using his experience of three decades in the trade, he had devised the plan of using a machinery for ‘clean coconut’.

Mr. Mohideen procures about 6,000 coconuts a week from Pollachi and a group of six workers work on the machinery peeling off the pith. Explaining the functioning of the machinery designed at Pollachi, he says adequate training had been imparted to all the workers on the task.

At the retail outlets on the pavements, the pavement vendors would be spared of the problem of collecting and disposing the waste pith.

White tender coconuts kept ready for sale. PHOTO: GNANAVEL MURUGAN / The Hindu

Export-oriented

Apart from local market, he has explored the possibility of exporting it the tender coconut to Australia. “There has been a growing demand for coconut in Australia. The container with a capacity for 6,000 tender coconuts would reach Australia by sea within 20 days from Chennai,” he says.

To attract customers, he has fixed the price per coconut at Rs. 20. “My investment on the machinery is Rs. 90,000 and I have to incur a huge expenditure for purchasing the coconut from Pollachi,” Mr. Mohideen added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Tiruchirapalli / by Special Correspondent / Tiruchi – November 10th, 2014

This centre of medicine has unique ‘Urdu tehzeeb’ museum

November 18, 2014Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, Science & Technology, Uncategorizedmpositiveone@gmail.com

Aligarh :

The Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine and Sciences was founded by Padma Shri Hakim Syed Zillur Rehman in the year 2000. It is well known for its vast library and the museum of medieval science and medicine. Few people know, however, that it also houses a museum that showcases “Muslim culture, steeped in Urdu tehzeeb”.

Rehman says this museum “chronicles Muslim culture through objects”. He says the attempt is to preserve, before these cultural artefacts are lost entirely.

Why would a centre dedicated to medicine and science preserve a “chogha” (an earlier form of the sherwani)? Where else, in a centre like this one, would you expect to see a three-metre dupatta studded with diamonds and laced with gold and silver? Step into this museum to see crockery that sat on the dining tables of Muslim households in times gone by.

“Times are changing. Sixty-seven years after independence, many families now have a second generation that is acquiring a modern education. They will then go out in search of work and money, and a time will come when they will feel nostalgia and return in search of their roots and their traditions. People want to know of their virasat,” he said, adding, “That is when some of my efforts to conserve our heritage through these things will matter”.

Some of the objects on display were part of his own inheritance. Some were gifted by people who saw that he had the wherewithal to preserve priceless items for posterity.

An NGO “Heritage Restore” has now started work on documenting the objects in Rehman’s collection. So far, over 4,500 objects are recorded as stored in this repository.

Heritage Restore president Azfar Ahmad said, “People think Muslim culture is about maqbara and madarsa. But look here – you find gramophones, harmoniums, costumes for weddings and trays for biryanis, all uniquely designed.”

Some of these objects, in some years, will be so alien that few will understand without explanation what a paandaan (a box for preserving items used to make paan), ugaldaan (spittoon for the pan user), haath ka pankha (a hand fan), batua (wallet), chogha (a form of the sherwani), gharara (a dress item) look like.”

Rehman’s collection also has a fruit tray from the dining table of Begum Sultan Jahan of Bhopal, her brooch made of precious stones, with her name inscribed in gold, a chogha that belonged to the Qazi Shamsuddin of Rewari, dating back to 1830, a paandaan weighing over 5 kg and a betel stand.

There are original royal orders of Mughal emperors that have come to Rehman from his father, and a paper weight made of shells that was used by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan.

There are also silver-lined razais (quilts), dinner sets with plates having a vacuum so that hot water poured in them keeps the curry warm till the last bite.

Rahman has earlier served as professor and chairman, department of Ilmul Advia at the Ajmal Khan Tibbiya College, Aligarh Muslim University. After a 40-year stint, he retired as dean, faculty of Unani medicine.

He is the author of 45 books and several papers on different aspects of Unani. He boasts of being the possessor of the largest collection of books on Unani medicine. He was conferred the Padma Shri in 2006 for his contribution to the field of Unani medicine.

The museum grew out of his penchant for all things unique, some of which were also priceless — coins from ancient times, stamps, pens and other artefacts.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home > City> Agra / by Eram Agha, TNN / November 12th, 2014

Prez’s doc recalls days at GSVM

November 17, 2014Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, Science & Technologympositiveone@gmail.com

An alumnus of Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Memorial Medical College, Padma Shri Dr Mohsin Wali needs no introduction.

He has the distinction of serving three presidents, including Pranab Mukherjee, as physician.

At the age of 33, he became the youngest ever physician to the then president R Venkataraman and later Shankar Dayal Sharma.

Besides, he was also appointed to serve the family of former president Zakir Hussain. He was in the city to deliver a talk in the national conference — Wellness Con-2014 – organized by CSJM University’s Institute of Health Sciences on Saturday. Later, he spoke at length with TOI about his days spent in the city, his selection as President’s physician in 1990 and his experiences in the Rashtrapati Bhawan. “In 1990, I was working with Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi. One day hospital CMS called me to inform that he has recommended my name as physician to the then President Venkataraman.

I was shocked. But the biggest surprise was my appointment for the same.

Even my wife Naaz did not believe me and said that I cannot be appointed to such a high post and I merely said that it is an exception,” said Dr M Wali with a broad smile on his face.

During interview, the then president Venkatraman asked him as to how would he treat him and Dr Wali replied, “Sir, I will treat you like any other patient while maintaining dignity for you in my heart.”

This clinched his selection, added Dr Wali, who also had to appear before another president Shankar Dayal Sharma for an interview before been appointed as his physician.

Dr Wali also claimed that he took care of medical problems of former prime minister VP Singh for 15 years.

Recalling his days at GSVM Medical College, Dr Wali said, “I used to stay in room number 108 on the third floor. I was interested in surgery so I used to lurk around operation theatres even at 2am. My sincerity attracted the attention of my seniors and I got a chance to get involved in operations despite being a third year MBBS student.” His hard work earned him seniors’ respect and he was allotted a hostel room with PG students despite pursuing MBBS (graduation course).

Dr Wali is the first doctor in his family. “My maternal uncle motivated me into becoming a doctor,” he said.

A meritorious student since school days, he cleared medical entrance exams of Agra and AMU medical colleges too but opted for GSVM for his MBBS and MD courses.

Dr Wali has been discharging his service since June 1980 and is known for working beyond the call of duty. He also treats staff of the Rashtrapati Bhawan which he is not entitled to. “I treat them because they come to me. That’s my duty and I cannot run away from it,” said Dr Wali.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kanpur / by Abhinav Malhotra / November 17th, 2014

‘Vocational Training has a bright Future’

November 9, 2014Education, Leaders, Science & Technologympositiveone@gmail.com

Says Syed Amanulla, ‘National Brand Ambassador’ from Mysuru

Amanulla is seen receiving the award from Alok Kumar, Director General of Employment and Training, Ministry of Labour & Employment, GOI.

As a general trend, pass-outs from education system do not take admission in ITIs as their first choice. They mostly end up in ITI after exhausting all other options for higher education. This is because the blue collar work is not respected and regarded in society. But there are many who have excelled professionally after passing ITI.

Meet A. Syed Amanulla, who passed ITI course in ‘Fitter’ trade in the year 1975 at his native, Kolar Gold Fields. He is presently serving as Principal-cum-Deputy Director of Government ITI, Srirangapatna. He was awarded ‘National Brand Ambassador of Vocational Training-2014’ in the Service Sector (Salaried Employee) by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, at a National-level Programme held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Oct.16, 2014 for his exceptional achievements and excellence in Vocational Training. He received the award from Alok Kumar, Director-General, Department of Employment and Training, New Delhi and was honoured by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

After passing ITI and getting a job, Amanulla did not stop his education. Along with his job, he completed Diploma in Mechanical Engineering and B.E, both with a first class by attending evening college. He is an example for the saying “Education has nothing to do with age” because at the age of 50, he did his Master’s in Business Administration (MBA). Throughout his education, he has been a topper and received many merit scholarships.

Amanulla is married to Shaheen. He has two children, who are married and well settled in Bangalore. Amanulla resides in Rajivnagar, Mysuru, with his mother and wife.

Star of Mysore caught up with this ‘Brand Ambassador’ and spoke to him regarding vocational training sector and his professional achievements. Excerpts…

by Arafat Ahmed Aizaz

SOM: What got you the ‘National Brand Ambassador of Vocational Training-2014’ award?

Amanulla: I have provided 100% placement to all my students who have passed ITI course. They are working in reputed firms and drawing high salaries. I am in good terms with companies and factories in India as well as abroad because of which they contact me to get ITI pass-outs for their firms. My students are highly skilled and sought after by the companies. I have consistently maintained pass percentage of 95% at Government ITI, Srirangapatna. I have personally met wealthy people and NGOs and made them to donate for poor meritorious students of Government ITI, Srirangapatna. Regarding my career success, academically I have grown from ITI-level to Master degree and professionally from Instructor to Deputy Director. Considering all these achievements, the Government has honoured me with the ‘National Brand Ambassador of Vocational Training-2014.’

SOM: Recently you were featured in Doordarshan Channel. Tell us about it.

Amanulla: Doordarshan TV channel crew had come all the way from Delhi to Mysuru to interview me on my achievements. The interview was telecast in DD’s ‘Hunarbaaz’ programme on Aug. 31, 2014.

SOM: What are your other achievements?

Amanulla: I was selected as Hajj Officer by Ministry of External Affairs during 2001-02 and 2005-06; I was appointed as Wakf Board Administrator in Hassan district. I was also honoured with “Eminent Engineer Award” by the Institution of Engineers (India) on Sept.15, 2013 during 46th Engineer’s Day. I have met Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at his office in the year 2006, when he was the President of India and apprised him about improving Vocational Training in India.

SOM: Do Vocational Training (ITI) pass-outs have better career opportunities?

Amanulla: Yes. Just by studying for two years after 10th, ITI pass-outs can get jobs in both Government and Private sectors. They can even establish their own Industries. ITI pass-outs get jobs quickly because of shortage of skilled labour in India. After ITI, along with earning through a full-time job during day, one can upgrade his qualification by pursuing courses such as diploma in Engineering and Bachelor of Engineering in evening colleges.

SOM: Even PU course pass-outs can get jobs. What advantage does ITI have over PUC (12th)?

Amanulla: Blue-collar job requirement for any industry is more compared to white-collar jobs. For example in a factory, there will be hundreds of workers who indulge in production but there will be few Administrative staff. Blue-collars’ salaries are high these days because there is shortage of workers of this class. So, ITI pass-outs have an edge over Pre-University Course (12th standard) pass-outs. And even promotion chances are more for blue-collar jobs.

SOM: Usually in Government ITIs, faculties are not punctual. You being the Principal-cum-Deputy Director of Government ITI, how do you check on their attendance and discipline?

Amanulla: They are Government employees and they can take their leave for which they are entitled. But I don’t spare the teachers who are lazy and those who are not punctual. I visit all the classes daily and take the feedback from students regarding classes and teachers. When a staff goes on leave, I engage the classes myself.

SOM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi honoured you recently when you were awarded ‘National Brand Ambassador of Vocational Training-2014.’ What is Modi doing to improve Vocational training?

Amanulla: Narendra Modi has a good view for Vocational training. He is giving priority for the improvement of Vocational Training in India. Modi has said “ITIs are shishu mandir of technical education. Those who may have knowledge other than that of books, that of skills, must be respected. The talented among the ITI graduates must get new opportunities.” To fulfill ‘Make in India’ vision Modi believes in skill development among the youths in India.

SOM: Why are they calling ITI pass-outs as ITI graduates these days?

Amanulla: Western countries consider ITI pass-outs as ITI graduates. According to me, not only persons who have passed 10+2+3 is a graduate, but also those who pass ITI after 10th should be called ITI graduates in India hereafter because graduate means “a person who has successfully completed a course of study or training and acquired some skill.” Even Narendra Modi has called them as ‘ITI graduates’ in his speech at New Delhi recently.

SOM: Your message to students and parents?

Amanulla: China has improved because of skilled labour. India has shortage of skilled labour. I request the parents to admit their wards into ITI courses so that India can get more skilled labours and become a developed country soon. Vocational Training too has a bright future and more youth should opt for this stream.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Tuesday, November 04th, 2014

‘Explore BioTechnology to Enhance Quality Silk Production’

November 9, 2014Business & Economy, Leaders, Science & Technologympositiveone@gmail.com

Says Dr. Mohammad Aslam, Advisor, Dept. of Bio-technology

A section of delegates at the Brain-storming Session on Mulberry and Silkworm at CSR&TI.

Mysuru :

“Explore networking technology to enhance quality silk production,” said Dr. Mohammad Aslam, Advisor, Department of Bio-technology (DBT), New Delhi.

He was speaking during the one-day Brain-storming Session on Mulberry and Silkworm sponsored by DBT and organised at the Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute, (CSR&TI), Mysuru, on Oct. 31.

He recalled the 20-year association of DBT with CSB in this area. He informed that during this period, DBT has organised a series of brainstorming sessions at different places across the country including North – Eastern States.

Speaking about the major objectives, he said application of biotechnology for increasing the productivity, improving the host plants, enhancing the silk quality, productivity utilisation and developing areas like silkworm seeds should be focused.

“The expert group had decided to have a separate session on silkworm and mulberry to develop the road map for the next 3-5 years and review the research outcome generated so far,” he informed and hoped to develop some transgenic network programmes in both on silkworm and mulberry.

He further added that DBT has taken up collaborative work with CSR&TI in this area. He appreciated Dr. Sivaprasad, Director, CSR&TI, Mysuru, for his initiative to organise this session.

Dr. L. Shashidhara of IISER, Pune, in his address, felt that research goals have already taken an in road in agriculture and now, it is the turn of sericulture to join and explore the possibilities of utilising it by working together with other institutes for the betterment of the industry.

Mentioning about the brisk technology activities of the world, he evinced keen interest in the collaborative studies in the field of sericulture.

Appreciating the phenomenal growth of silk industry, Dr. M. Uday Kumar, UAS, Bengaluru, spoke about few major constraints like irrigation and yield gap. He said that there is a need for genetic enhancement to improve the quality and the productivity. “The transgenic technology could be of immense use in this area,” he felt.

Dr. Sivaprasad, Dr. Mohd.Aslam, Prof. L. Shashidhara, Prof. Paramjit Khurana, UDSC, New Delhi, Prof. M. Udaya Kumar, UAS, Dr. S.K. Ashwath, CSR&TI, Mysuru, Dr. K.P. Arun Kumar, CDFD, Hyderabad, Dr. A.K. Awasthi, SBRL, Bengaluru, Dr. V. Satyavathi, CDFD, Hyderabad, Dr. P.J. Raju, APSSRDI, Hindupur, Dr. Nataraja Karaba, UAS, Bengaluru, Dr. Girishi Naik, CSR&TI, Mysuru, Dr. Jhansi Lakshmi, CSB, Dr. M.S. Sheshashayee, UAS, Bengaluru, Dr. B. Rita, CSB, Dr. T. Mogili, V.Kota, Dr. Rajashekar, CSR&TI, Mysuru were the invited speakers on the subject.

Various areas of networking and its applications in sericulture were discussed and the vital areas to be focused for the improvement of silk industry were earmarked in the session.

Eminent scientists from DBT, New Delhi, IISER Pune, CCMB, Hyderabad, CDFD, Hyderabad, UAS, Bengaluru and several Universities, R&D Institutes of Central Silk Board and State Governments participated.

Dr. Thippeswamy, Dr. Girish Naik and Dr. Ashwath co-coordinated the programme.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Tuesday, November 04th, 2014

Medical tourism explored in first forum

October 31, 2014Business & Economy, Leaders, NRI's / PIO's, Science & Technology, Travel & Tourismmpositiveone@gmail.com

Quality care stepping stone for medical tourism

Dubai:

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has rolled out the first phase of the medical tourism pacakges which caters to the domestic market.

UAE residents and those already in the country such as delegates to the conference can avail of discounts of up to 70 per cent in areas such as wellness, weight loss, dentistry, orthopaedics, breast cancer screening and fertility treatments. The domestic packages do not offer visa and hotel stay.

Delegates from around the globe attended the first day of a two-day inaugural health regulation conference in Dubai which looked at major efforts by Dubai to become a medical tourism hub.

Medical tourism packages aimed at tourists will be rolled out soon, marking the second phase. A host of partners such as DHA, Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), and members of the private health-care and hospitality sector, among others, are working in tandem to make this possible shortly. These packages will be made available to DTCM-approved tour operators who will be allowed to market these.

According to Dr Layla Marzouqi, acting head of DHA’s health regulation committee, everything has been worked out and the second phase of the medical tourism packages will become a reality in the coming months.

One of the ideas explored was plans by Dubai health authorities to rate hospitals similar to the hotel industry which bases gradings on customer service and satisfaction.

Public-private partnerships are also seen as key to unifying efforts to draw investment to new projects that will attract those interested in medical travel, said experts examining the issues in panels and workshops.

Eisa Al Maidour, DHA Director-General, inaugurated the conference which has drawn more than 1,000 professionals from the field of health regulation and medical tourism and key stakeholders in the public and private health care sector.

Other stakeholders such as pharmaceutical companies and health care providers are also attending.

Enhancing the quality of health care to augment medical tourism was discussed, said the director-general in his inaugural speech.

“Health regulation is fundamental to achieve quality health services and protect patient safety; a strong health regulatory system leads to sustained growth of the health sector which in itself is a catalyst for medical tourism. This conference provides an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss the latest advances as well as share their experiences in the field of health regulation and medical tourism,” he said.

How public private partnerships could promote investment and take medical tourism to the next level is key, he added.

Dr Layla said, “Public private partnerships (PPP) are a very important concept in medical tourism in all the countries that have a robust health sector. In India, for example, it is the private sector which is partnering with the government to strengthen the infrastructure while the government is ensuring quality control, thus complementing each other. In the UAE we are very aware of this as more than 70 per cent of our hospitals are in the private sector. In Dubai, out of the 20 hospitals we have only four are government. Of the 2.700 health-care facilities in the emirate, only 17 are government. We want the private sector to collaborate with us, come forward with investments and take medical tourism to the next level.”

Dr Layla said that DHA’s health regulation department was in the process of creating a grading protocol for hospitals where hospitals would have hotel-like gradings beginning from five-star based on certain criteria.

“The most important criteria is that of quality health care. This will cover the quality of doctors and other health-care professionals at the hospital, the number of surgeries carried out, the incidence of surgical errors and the number of customer complaints. The next criteria was of ambience which will take into account patient care, the presence of a translator, food and nutrition facility to support the needs of the patient, among other things,” she said.

“The focus of medical tourism is good quality and reasonable pricing. The regulation department will work closely with the funding department to determine the prices that graded hospitals can charge and we will make sure we freeze those. If a hospital is found lowering its standards, it will not be able to increase its prices and that will create healthy competition among such facilities,” she said.

Dr Azad Moopen, Chairman and Managing Director of Aster and DM Healthcare, said his group was keen to take up PPP projects and added that the private sector needed to raise the bar on quality health care and make investments in good doctors to attract medical tourists.

His organisation, he said, was ready to work with DHA to bring those standards to the emirates.

“There are three main reasons why people around the world seek medical travel. They are looking for expertise that is available, the cost of the procedure and the turnaround time to carry out the procedure. If we can provide them with high-quality medical care at reasonable costs and within a short period of time, it will attract people from around the world.” He recommended that the private sector needed to focus on further increasing the number of hospitals, specialist medical centres, hospital beds, diagnostic centres and pharmacies, state-of-the-art surgical and trauma care facilities, wellness and cosmetic care centres along with introduction of cutting-edge medical technologies.

Dr Jameel Ahmad, Managing Director of Prime Healthcare Group, felt PPP was a welcome move, benefiting both the public and private sector. “We are ready for this kind of a collaboration as we tie in the concept of hospital and hospitality very well, being situated next to two major hotels and the Dubai airport. We are in a position to offer medical tourism packages in the area of orthopaedics, sports medicine, dentistry and cosmetic surgery,” he said.

source: http://www.gulfnews.com / Gulf News / Home> UAE> Health / by Suchitra Bajpai Chaudhry, Senior Reporter / October 22nd, 2014

Two Mysoreans Awarded Brand Ambassadors of Vocational Training

October 25, 2014Education, Science & Technologympositiveone@gmail.com

Seen in the pictures are A. Syed Amanulla and H.R. Nagendra Rao, receiving the Brand Ambassador awards from Alok Kumar, Director General of Employment and Training, Ministry of Labour and Employment, at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi recently .

Mysore :

City’s A. Syed Amanulla, Principal and Deputy Director, Govt. ITI, Srirangapatna, a resident of Rajivnagar and H.R. Nagendra Rao, Managing Director, DMS Technology Pvt. Ltd., Belavadi Industrial Area and a resident of Vasu Layout in city were awarded with ‘Brand Ambassador of Vocational Training-2014’ by Ministry of Labour and Employment at a function held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi recently.

While, Syed Amanulla received the award in Salaried Employee category, Nagendra Rao received the award in Entrepreneurship category. Amanulla, passed ITI in Fitter Trade at Kolar Gold Fields, Diploma in Mechanical Engineering through correspondence and B.E from SJCE Evening College, Mysore. Nagendra Rao passed Mechanical Draughtsmanship from NIE ITI, Mysore and runs his own unit which provides jobs to ITI passed candidates.

Among hundreds of applications, a total of 25 candidates from all over India were selected for the award under the programme ‘Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Shramev Jayate Karyakram’. The awardees were honoured by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Sunday , October 19th, 2014

Ismail Ali Khan to Head TSERC

October 22, 2014Leaders, Science & Technologympositiveone@gmail.com

Hyderabad :

Ismail Ali Khan has been appointed as the chairman of the newly created Electricity Regulatory Commission of Telangana state here on Tuesday. L Manohar Reddy and H Srinivasulu have been made other members of the ERC.

Ali Khan, who hails from Asifabad in Adilabad district, is presently member of the Bihar State Electricity Regulatory Commission. He earlier worked as member of the Planning Commission.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / October 22nd, 2014