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WORLD RECORD: SPORT / TENNIS : World No.1 Ranking will Inspire ‘Gen-Next’ of Indian Tennis, says Rohan Bopanna after Achieving the Feat

Bopanna is set to become the oldest tennis player to achieve the world No. 1 ranking in men’s doubles after reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open along with his partner Matthew Ebden of Australia.

Rohan Bopanna feels that his ascent to world No. 1 in doubles rankings at the twilight of his career is perfect boost that Indian tennis needed just when it was falling off the radar.

Bopanna is set to become the oldest tennis player to achieve the world No. 1 ranking in men’s doubles after reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open along with his partner Matthew Ebden of Australia here on Wednesday.

The 43-year-old, who had entered the tournament with a career-high ranking of world No. 3, and Ebden recorded a comfortable 6-4 7-6(5) win over sixth seeded Argentinian duo of Máximo González and Andrés Molteni in the quarterfinals that lasted an hour and 46 minutes here.

Bopanna will be crowned the new numero uno spot on Monday after the end of the tournament.

“It (the feat) means a lot not to just me but for Indian tennis also. You need something to inspire the next generation. Sumit (Nagal) also had a great Australian Open. He won a round,” Bopanna told PTI in an exclusive interview from Melbourne.

And the star player said the feat came with a lot of sacrifices.

“Extremely proud of this (world no.1 ranking in men’s doubles). It’s a special moment. Lot of sacrifices have gone into this. My coaches, family everyone. My family is travelling with me, so different feeling,” he said.

In fact, he is more happy that for the past week, Indian tennis has been in the news.

“Nothing at all was happening in Indian tennis. You (journalists) also did not have much to write about, so this has happened at the right time.” Earlier, Rajeev Ram of the USA was the oldest player to be ranked world no. 1 when he had achieve the top ranking in October 2022 at the age of 38 for the first time in his career.

Ebden, on the other hand, is set to reach the world no 2 spot.

Bopanna twice reached the US Open final but never won a men’s doubles major.

He, however, has a mixed doubles trophy at the French Open when he and his partner Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada won the crown at the 2017 French Open, defeating Anna-Lena Grönefeld and Robert Farah in the final 2–6 6–2 12–10.

But Bopanna’s desire to win a men’s doubles title at the Slam still remains unfulfilled, something which we wants to achieve before hanging up his racquet.

“That’s a personal goal (winning men’s doubles title at a Grand Slam). It’s no one else’s goal,” he said.

For the veteran, it is always one step at a time.

“When you reach second round, next you want is third round then fourth, quarters, semi-final. So, yes I have been in two Slam final and now want to win but it’s a natural. You always try to go one better,” Bopanna said about his future goal.

Bopanna, who had achieved the highest of world No. 3 for the first time in 2013, is the fourth Indian after Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza to take the world number one rank in doubles.

He also didn’t forget to acknowledge the contribution of his long-time coach Scott David of the USA in his breathtaking journey in the game.

“I am probably fifty world number one of coach Scott David. It’s a proud moment for him also. I switched to doubles in 2010 and since then I have been with him only,” Bopanna said.

Bopanna and Ebden have been one of the most consistent pairs on the tour over the last 12 months. The duo reached the final of US Open 2023, their best result so far in Grand Slams.

En route the semifinals here, the second seeded Bopanna and Ebden, had to over come two close contests in the first and third rounds to book their place in the semifinals.

Their first hurdle came in the opening round against wildcards James Duckworth and Marc Polmans of Australia, whom Bopanna and Ebden defeated 6-7(5) 6-4 6-7(2).

Their next steep challenge came in the third round where they overcame 14th seeds Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands and Croatian Nikola Mektić 7-6(8) 7-6(4).

And Bopanna attributed the ability to finish close matches to his experience on the circuit.

“Experience is a great factor in getting those wins. Ever since, I started focussing only on doubles in 2010, it has taken me 13-14 years to reach this. I have been a journeyman,” said Bopanna, who will take over the top position from USA’s Austin Krajicek, who and his Croatian partner Ivan Dodig lost in the second round.

The Indo-Australian pair will play unseeded Tomas Machac of Czech Republic and Chinese Zhizhen Zhang in the semi-finals.

His former Davis Cup teammates Mahesh Bhupathi and Somdev Devvarman termed it as one of the greatest stories in Indian sport.

“Rohan Bopanna getting to World Number 1 today after 20 years on tour in my opinion is one of the greatest stories in Indian Sport!!!,” Bhupathi wrote on ‘X’.

“Bops first told me he was contemplating retirement 5 years ago, then 4 years ago, then 3 years ago…Moral of the story is…. Who cares… He’s number 1! Couldn’t be happier for the Bopanna family! rohanbopanna is the best story in indian sport,” Devvarman wrote.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: RESEARCH: National Institute of Technology-Warangal (NIT-W) Faculty Members Develop Innovative Wastewater Treatment System for Textile Industry Effluents

The brains behind this sustainable innovation — Prof Shirish Sonawane, Dr Murali Mohan Seepana, Dr Ajey Kumar Patel and Malkapuram Surya Teja — started working on the project in 2019.

While the textile industry helps many across the state earn their livelihoods, the chemical effluents from the units affect the lives of people living in the vicinity. To address this, a team of faculty members at the National Institute of Technology, Warangal (NIT-W), has developed an environment-friendly hybrid wastewater treatment system for textile industry effluents.

The brains behind this sustainable innovation — Prof Shirish Sonawane, Dr Murali Mohan Seepana, Dr Ajey Kumar Patel and Malkapuram Surya Teja — started working on the project in 2019.

According to Prof Sonawane, conventional methods involve the extensive use of chemicals. However, in order to reduce pollution levels to permissible limits of discharge, the team put forward a combination of coagulation, hydrodynamic cavitation (HC)-based oxidation system and a ceramic membrane (CM)-based filtration process. In the course of the coagulation process, the turbidity of the effluents is removed. Meanwhile, HC, a process involving the generation and collapse of microbubbles in a liquid, is employed afterwards to initiate the breakdown/mineralisation of complex organic compounds.

In place of polymeric membranes, the novel methodology uses ceramic membranes. “After two years, polymeric membranes need to be discarded. It becomes solid waste,” he adds.

As per the innovators, the integrated system achieved an 80% reduction in organic pollutants. The use of ceramic membranes makes the methodology more sustainable, he mentions. The surface-modified CM further improves filtration efficiency, ensuring the removal of even finer particles and impurities.

The team has filed three patents — two for the processes and one for design — for the cost-effective technology.

Elaborating on the hurdles they faced, Surya Teja says the textile pollutants are very stubborn in nature. “To degrade the pollutants, we have to remove the turbidity in the initial phase. That was the challenging task,” he says.

The second hurdle in front of the team was the soluble nature of dyes. “Even after the advanced oxidation process, there will be remnants of dyes in the water,” he adds.

Speaking to TNIE, NIT-W director Prof Bidyadhar Subudhi underlines the need for HEIs to come up with sustainable innovations. “A lot of the research coming from IITs and NITs are primarily on sustainable generation of energy. The expected outcome from different institutes towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals is a big challenge,” he adds.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: ARTS & CULTURE : MUSIC & SINGING RECORD : Indian student Suchetha Satish in Dubai sets Guinness World Record for Singing in 140 Languages at concert

Suchetha Satish performed for 9 hours straight, all from memory, as prelude to COP28.

An Indian expat in Dubai has set a new Guinness World Record for the most languages sung in a concert by singing in 140 languages – for nine hours at a stretch, all from memory.

Suchetha Satish had performed her ‘Concert for Climate’ on November 24, 2023 at the Indian Consulate Auditorium in Dubai as a prelude to COP28 UN climate conference, which concluded in December in Dubai.

The Guinness World Records officially announced the success of her attempt on their website on January 3. She was presented the Records certificate by the Consul General of India in Dubai, Satish Kumar Sivan, who congratulated her. Though Satish could have sung in 150 languages, she preferred to sing in 140 as a tribute to the 140 heads of states invited to COP28.

Message of preservation

She told Gulf News: “I’m delighted and humbled by the fact that the Record has been reported and applauded by media across India and rest of the world. And more importantly the Concert for Climate and the message for climate preservation has spread far and wide, which really justifies the whole effort. We have to do everything possible to make this world a better place to live in.”

She tries to emulate her role model Shreya Ghoshal in rendering the songs “perfectly”.

Award-winning music composer M Jayachandran, who was present at Satish’s concert, said: “It was so heartening to see her smile as she was journeying through these songs. I felt so proud to be there. Suchetha is indeed an extra-ordinary artist. She sang the songs with total dedication, understanding the inner meanings of each word she was singing and at the same time not compromising on the musicality or nativity of each song.”

The first-year digital media student at Middlesex University Dubai – who also learns carnatic, hindustani and western vocals from teachers Asha Menon, Jerry Amaldev and Hanna Nielazina – aims to become an accomplished international performer and playback singer.

source/content: gulfnews.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: REPUBLIC DAY : Tri-services Women Contingent, C-295 Transport Aircraft to make Debut at Republic Day parade

A total of 51 aircraft comprising 29 fighters and eight transport aircraft of IAF, 13 helicopters and one heritage aircraft will participate in this year’s Republic Day flypast.

A 144 personnel tri-service women contingent would be participating in Republic Day Parade this time for the first time with 48 personnel from each service. Also the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) latest induction, the C-295 medium transport aircraft will make debut over kartavya path during the Republic Day flypast this year.

“A total of 48 Agniveervayu Women would be part of this contingent. Flight Lieutenant Shrishti Verma would be marching as supernumerary Officer of the (tri-service) contingent,” said Wg Cdr Manish Sharma briefing the media on IAF’s participation in the Republic Day parade this year.

A total of 51 aircraft comprising 29 fighters and eight transport aircraft of IAF, 13 helicopters and one heritage aircraft will participate in this year’s Republic Day flypast. This includes four helicopters of the Army and one P-8i maritime patrol aircraft of the Navy which will fly in two separate formations.

A C-295 aircraft flanked by two C-130 aircraft in echelon, will fly as the Arjan formation during Republic Day fly past, said IAF Spokesperson Wg Cdr Ashish Moghe.

The IAF induced the first C-295 in September last year, which will replace the legacy HS-748 Avro transport aircraft in service.

The IAF marching contingent of 144 personnel will be led by Squadron Leader Rashmi Thakur with Squadron Leader Sumita Yadav, Squadron Leader Pratiti Alhuwalia and Flight Lieutenant Kirti Rohil as supernumerary Officers. They will be marching to the tune ‘Sound Barrier’ played by 72 lAF musicians and three drum majors. The band will be led by Sergeant CA Daniel.

For the Beating Retreat ceremony on January 29 at Vijay Chowk, the IAF Band comprising of 121 musicians would be participating in the event. The band will be led by Warrant Officer Ashok Kumar. 

In line with theme of the 75th Republic Day Parade-2024 “Samridh Bharat Sashakt Bharat”, the theme of the IAF tableau is “Bharatiya Vayu Sena: Saksham, Sashakt, Atmanirbhar”, said Wg Cdr Sharma. Flight Lieutenant Ananya Sharma and Flying Officer Asma Sheikh, both Su- 30 pilots, would be present on the tableau, he added.

On the tableau, Wg Cdr Sharma said the IAF has been at the forefront of rendering humanitarian aid, both within and across borders. In Operation Kaveri launched on April 24, 2023 to evacuate Indian nationals from strife-torn Sudan, the IAF’s C-130J aircraft were used extensively towards rescuing 3,862 Indians from the country, he noted. “The rear element of the tableau depicts one specific sortie of this mission during which an IAF C-130 extricated Indian nationals from Wadi Sayyidna in Sudan under extremely adverse conditions at night.”

The middle section of the tableau depicts Tejas and SU-30 fighters flying over the Indian Ocean Region which depicts the ever-expanding reach of the lAF- over land, as well as over the sea, he added.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: HEALTH & MEDICINE: FIRST IN INDIA – NEW VACCINE: Indian Immunologicals (IIL) unveils Indigenously Developed ‘Hepatitis A’ Vaccine – ‘Havisure’

MRP set at ₹2,150 per shot for the two-dose Havisure that has been launched after years of R&D, extensive clinical trials as well as a non-inferiority study, says MD K Anand Kumar.


Vaccine maker Indian Immunologicals (IIL) on Friday launched the country’s first indigenously developed Hepatitis A vaccine.

The vaccine ‘Havisure’ represents a significant step forward in India’s fight against Hepatitis A and is poised to make a substantial contribution to public health, the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) subsidiary said in a release on the launch in Hyderabad.

Currently, Hepatitis A vaccines are imported by India. IIL’s vaccine, which comes after eight years of work, is a true meaning of Atma Nirbhar Bharat, managing director K. Anand Kumar said. It was being rolled out following extensive studies ranging from pre-clinical toxicology studies in animals, phase I trial in human beings to phase 2/3 trials in eight centres involving nearly 500 healthy volunteers across various age groups. “We also did a non-inferiority study [comparing it with] GSK vaccine in which our vaccine was found very comparable,” he told The Hindu.

Havisure will be manufactured at IIL’s Gachibowli plant in Hyderabad. “Domestic market is our focus initially… self-sufficiency of the country is important, plan to make 1 million doses a year,” he said, while declining to share the development costs. There is scope to add more capacity, he added.

Exports

“We have our distribution network in India and also export vaccines to 50 countries… will also be exporting [the Hepatitis A vaccine],” Mr Kumar said, adding IIL will be seeking WHO pre-qualification for Havisure since that would give access to many markets abroad.

MRP of the vaccine has been set at ₹2,150 per dose. It is a two-dose vaccine — first dose administered at above 12 months of age and the second at least six months after the first dose. IIL said the vaccine is recommended for children as part of the routine immunization as well as for individuals at risk of exposure or travel to the regions with high hepatitis A prevalence. In addition to this people with occupational risk of infection and suffering from chronic liver diseases also require Hepatitis A vaccination.

A highly contagious viral infection, Hepatitis A primarily spreads through the fecal-oral route, meaning it is transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated food or water. Havisure is the third vaccine launched by IIL in a single year, which Mr.Kumar termed as an achievement giving credit to the team. The measles and rubella vaccine as well as TD vaccine are the other two.

source/contents: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: MANUFACTURING / AVIATION COMPONENTS: Airbus Signs Contracts with Mahindra Aeroscape, 3 others for Manufacturing of Aircraft Components

The latest contracts follow the allocation of the A320neo family cargo and bulk cargo doors manufacturing to Tata Advanced Systems earlier this year, Airbus said.

European aircraft and aerospace major Airbus on Monday said it has signed new contracts with multiple India-based suppliers for the manufacturing of components for commercial aircraft.

Contracts have been signed with Aequs, Dynamatic, Gardner and Mahindra Aerospace for the supply of airframe and wing parts across Airbus’ A320neo, A330neo and A350 programmes, the company said in a statement.

The latest contracts follow the allocation of the A320neo family cargo and bulk cargo doors manufacturing to Tata Advanced Systems earlier this year, Airbus said.

The company already procures components and services worth $750 million every year from India, and the latest round of contracts will add significantly to those volumes, it said.

“Make in India is at the core of Airbus’ strategy in India. We are proud that we are putting in place all the critical building blocks for an integrated industrial ecosystem that will propel India into the front ranks of aerospace manufacturing nations,” said Rémi Maillard, President and Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia.

“For Airbus, India is not just a market but a strategic resource hub for both human capital and aerospace components and services. We are proud to extend our partnership with Aequs, Dynamatic, Gardner and Mahindra Aerospace,” he said.

These contracts will support the ramp-up of Airbus’ commercial aircraft programmes globally, while strengthening capability and capacity in the aviation ecosystem of India across multiple technologies, including sheet metal, machining and extrusion profiles, the company said.

Together with its supply chain, Airbus said, it supports nearly 10,000 jobs in India, which is expected to go up to 15,000 by 2025.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: WORLD’S BRIGHTEST: 9-year-old Indian-American girl Preesha Chakraborty on ‘World’s Brightest’ Students List by Johns Hopkins Centre

At the age of 6, Preesha secured a lifetime membership in the esteemed Mensa Foundation, the world’s oldest high-IQ society.

Nine-year-old Indian-American student Preesha Chakraborty has been named in the “world’s brightest” students list by the Johns Hopkins Centre for Talented Youth, based on the results of her exceptional performance in the above-grade-level tests, which assessed over 16,000 students from 90 countries. 

Preesha is a Warm Spring Elementary school student in Fremont, California, and took the US-based Johns Hopkins Centre for Talented Youth (JH-CTY) test in Summer 2023 as a Grade 3 student.

The CTY Talent Search evaluates students through various tests, including the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), American College Testing (ACT), and School and College Ability Test. Preesha received recognition for her outstanding performance in these assessments. She excelled in both the verbal and quantitative sections, achieving a level on par with the 99th percentile of advanced Grade 5 performances, earning her the prestigious Grand Honors.

Notably, less than 30% of students each qualify for either High Honors or Grand Honors/SET based on their test scores. This accomplishment opens several doors for Preesha, allowing her eligibility for more than 250 JH-CTY courses. These advanced courses, spanning grades 2-12, encompass a diverse range of subjects such as mathematics, computer programming, chemistry, physics, reading, and writing.

At the age of six, the child prodigy secured a lifetime membership in the esteemed Mensa Foundation, the world’s oldest high-IQ society.

This recognition follows in the footsteps of other Indian-American students like Samedha Saxena and Natasha Perianayagam, who were featured in previous years for their exceptional performances in JH-CTY tests.

The Center for Talented Youth, a non-profit organization affiliated with Johns Hopkins University, has been identifying and rewarding gifted students since its founding in 1979.

(With inputs from agencies)

source/content: ddnews.gov.in / DD News (headline edited)

NATIONAL: DISTRIBUTION & WAREHOUSING LOGISTICS:Boeing Opens Its First India-Focused Distribution Centre In Uttar Pradesh

The aerospace company asserted that the new site is part of its continued commitment to expanding its presence in the country and delivering an efficient, cost-effective and local solution.

Global aerospace major Boeing has opened its first India-focused distribution centre in Khurja, Uttar Pradesh. The 36,000-square-foot parts warehouse will support regional aviation customers in maximising fleet utilisation. 

The aerospace company, in a release issued on Monday, asserted that the new site is part of its continued commitment to expanding its presence in the country and delivering an efficient, cost-effective and local solution. 

“The Boeing India Distribution Center illustrates Boeing’s commitment to supporting the growth of this market, aligned with the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision. This centre will support the emergent needs of spare parts for Boeing aircraft in India, reducing lead times, improving availability and supporting the MRO industry here,” said Salil Gupte, president, of Boeing India. 

The new India location is one of eight distribution centres around the world. 

“The India Distribution Center represents another significant step forward in Boeing’s strategy to provide parts and services when and where customers need them,” said William Ampofo, vice president, Parts and Distribution Services and Supply Chain, Boeing Global Services. 

“It also represents our commitment to delivering efficient, cost-effective solutions for Boeing’s commercial airplane customers in the region.” 

The aerospace company announced its investment in the distribution centre less than a year ago during Aero India 2023 and the first parts were shipped to customers in December 2023. 

The India distribution centre is positioned strategically along India’s Eastern Freight Corridor, with proximity to both Delhi and the upcoming Jewar airport. The warehouse, which prioritises innovation, safety and sustainability, is operated in collaboration with third-party logistics provider DB Schenker. 

These initiatives encompass a partnership with GMR Aero Technic to establish a Boeing Converted Freighter line in Hyderabad and the establishment of a Global Support Center in Gurgaon. 

Additionally, Boeing has committed a USD 100 million investment in infrastructure and pilot training programs to support India’s growing demand for pilots in the coming two decades. (ANI) 

source/content: businessworld.in / BW Business World (headline edited)