Category Archives: Amazing Feats

NATIONAL: HEALTH & MEDICAL SERVICES / RESEARCH / ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE(AI) : IIT Guwahati develops AI model to Predict Bone Repair Outcomes after Surgery

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati have developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) model to predict the healing of thigh bone fractures after surgery.

According to the team, the model can be used to assess the healing outcomes of different fracture fixation strategies so that an optimum strategy can be chosen for the patient depending on their personal physiologies and fracture type.

Using such precision models can reduce the healing time, and lighten the economic burden and pain for patients who need thigh fracture treatment, they said.

The results of the research have recently been published in open-source journal, “PLoS One”.

“AI has tremendous potential when it comes to understanding and predicting complex biological phenomena and hence, can play a big role in health sciences applications,” said Souptick Chanda, Assistant Professor, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Guwahati.

The research team has used a combination of Finite Element Analysis and the AI tool “Fuzzy Logic” to understand the healing process of fracture after various treatment methods.

Various bone growth parameters were used along with a rule-based simulation scheme for this purpose.

The study further examined the influence of different screw fixation mechanisms to compare the fracture healing efficacies of each process.

The predictions of healing made by the model agreed well with experimental observations, pointing to its reliability.

“Our simulation model can potentially help a surgeon choose the right implant or technique before a fracture treatment surgery. In addition to various biological and patient-specific parameters, the model can also account for different clinical phenomena, such as smoking, diabetes, etc. The model can also be adapted for veterinary fractures which are, physiologically and in various aspects, similar to those occurring in humans,” Chanda added.

The researchers plan to develop a software or app based on the algorithm that can be used in hospitals and other healthcare institutions as part of their fracture treatment protocols.

The team is presently collaborating with Dr Bhaskar Borgohain and his team of orthopaedists from the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences Hospital, Shillong, for animal studies to validate and fine-tune certain parameters.

“The research is useful because incidences of thigh bone and hip fractures have increased significantly due to the increasing geriatric population in the world. An estimated 2 lakh hip fractures occur every year in India alone, most of which require hospitalisation and trauma care. Treatment for hip fractures traditionally includes bone plates and rods to bridge the fracture site and promote bone healing,” said Pratik Nag, research scholar at IIT Guwahati.

“Fracture treatment methods are intuitively chosen by surgeons based on their experience, and there is no way of predicting the efficacy and success of the treatment method chosen. Our research will help increase the accuracy rate in decision-making in orthopaedics, thereby reducing the cost and disease burden associated with fracture recovery,” he added.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: LEADER/U.K PRIME MINISTER: “Greatest Privilege”: Rishi Sunak, First Indian-Origin UK Prime Minister.

UK is facing an economically toxic combination of recession and rising interest rates. Critics blame the economic downturn on the Conservative Party and what they call its “series of miscalculations”.

Rishi Sunak is the next Prime Minister of UK, tasked to steer the economically floundering nation days after his predecessor Liz Truss stepped down, conceding defeat.

At age 42, he is the youngest and the first person of colour to hold the post.

source/content: ndtv.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL RECORDS: ARTS & CULTURE / GUINNESS WORLD RECORD: Ayodhya sets World Record by Lighting over 15 lakh diyas on Deepotsav Celebrations in Prime Minister Modi’s presence

Modi also offered prayers to Ram Lalla at Ram Janmbhoomi in Ayodhya. This is Modi’s first visit to Ayodhya after a “bhoomi pujan” for the construction of a Ram temple on August 5, 2020.

Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya set a new Guinness World Record for lighting the maximum number of earthen lamps – over 15 lakh- on the banks of the Saryu as Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the historic Deepotsav celebrations on Sunday, on the eve of the festival of Diwali.

Modi and chief minister Adityanath displayed the Guinness Record certificate on the occasion.

Beginning his speech with ‘Jai Shri Ram’, Modi addressed a gathering on the occasion of Deepotsav. “From the holy birthplace of Lord Ram, I pass on Diwali wishes to my countrymen,” Modi said.

Modi also said people have to learn as much as they can from Lord Ram.
“Lord Ram doesn’t leave anyone behind, doesn’t turn away from anyone,” Modi said.

Earlier, Modi offered prayers to Ram Lalla at Ram Janmbhoomi in Ayodhya. This is Modi’s first visit to Ayodhya after a “bhoomi pujan” for the construction of a Ram temple on August 5, 2020.

“I got the opportunity of Lord Ram’s darshan due to his blessings; happy that people across the world watching Deepotsav celebrations in Ayodhya,” Modi said.

Immediately after reaching Ayodhya for the Deepotsav celebrations, the PM went to the makeshift Ram temple and offered prayers to Ram Lalla. He lit an earthen lamp there and performed an “aarti”. Temple chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das applied vermillion on his forehead.

Modi was also briefed by officials on the construction going on for a grand Ram temple at the site. Modi also performed the Rajyabhishek of the symbolic Bhagwan Ram in Ayodhya.

“Shri Ram Lalla’s ‘Darshan’ and then ‘Rajyabhishek’ of King Ram, this good fortune is obtained only by the grace of Lord Ram. This Deepawali has come at a time when we have completed 75 years of independence. ‘Sankalp Shakti’ of Lord Ram will take India to new heights,” the PM added.

Earlier, Modi was welcomed by governor Anandiben Patel and chief minister Yogi Adityanath. He attended the Deepotsav celebrations.

Ayodhya divisional commissioner Navdeep Rinwa had earlier said more than 15 lakh earthen lamps will be lit as part of the Deepotsav celebrations by over 22,000 volunteers at Ram ki Paidi near the Saryu bank. The rest will be placed at important intersections and spots in the town.

Five animated tableaux and 11 Ramlila tableaux showcasing dance forms from different states will also be presented during the Deepotsav.

“Deepotsav of Ayodhya started 6 years ago with the guidance and inspiration of PM Narendra Modi. This festival of UP became a festival of the country. Today, it is touching new heights of success,” Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on the occasion.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: SPACE/SATELLITE: Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Dedicated Commercial Satellite Mission ‘LVM3-M2/OneWeb India-1’ lifts off for UK’s OneWeb LEO Satellites

The heaviest rocket of the Indian Space Research Organisation– LVM3-M2/OneWeb India-1 blasted off from this spaceport on Sunday to place 36 broadband communication satellites into the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) for a UK-based customer.

NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a central public sector enterprise under the Department of Space, had earlier signed two launch service contracts with the London-headquartered Network Access Associated Limited (OneWeb) for launching OneWeb LEO satellites on board ISRO’s LVM3.

OneWeb is a private satellite communications company, in which India’s Bharti Enterprises is a major investor and shareholder.

On Sunday, the 43.5 metre tall rocket soared majestically at 12.07 am from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre here at the end of the 24-hour countdown.

The vehicle is also dubbed as one of the heaviest for its ability to carry satellites upto 8,000 kg.

The mission assumes significance as this was LVM3’s maiden commercial mission and also NSIL’s first with the said launch vehicle.

According to ISRO, the mission has the heaviest payloads with 36 satellites of OneWeb, becoming the first Indian rocket with a payload of 5,796 kg.

The launch is also first for LVM3-M2 to place the satellites in the Low Earth Orbit (up to 1,200 kms above the earth) unlike Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

ISRO scientists have rechristened the launch vehicle its present name from GSLV-MKK III as the newest rocket is capable of launching 4,000 kilogram class of satellites into GTO and 8,000 kgs of payloads into LEO.

GSLV-Mk III had four successful missions in the past. LVM3-M2 is a three-stage launch vehicle consisting of two solid propellant S200 strap-ons on its sides and core stage comprising L110 liquid stage and C25 cryogenic stage.

OneWeb Ltd is a global communication network powered from space, enabling internet connectivity for governments and businesses.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: INDIA’s ROLE: UN Chief Antonio Guterres says India taking Leading Role in providing Aid and Relief, increasing Impact on the International Stage

India has increased its impact of humanitarian assistance globally by providing aid to countries that need it, said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. “From India’s donations of medicines, medical equipment and vaccines at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, to humanitarian assistance and development finance to Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, India has been increasing its impact on the international stage. India is today a partner of choice of the UN,’’ said Guterres while addressing students while giving an address in Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mumbai.

complimented India for stepping up its efforts to supply vaccines to many countries during the peak of Covid 19. Meanwhile, Guterres complimented India as being the biggest contributor in UN Peacekeeping.

“India is also the biggest provider of military and police personnel to UN missions, including the first all-women UN police contingent to a peacekeeping mission. Over 200,000 Indian men and women have served in 49 peacekeeping missions since 1948, a remarkable contribution to peace in the world,’’ he added.

He also said that as a member of the UNSC for two years, India’s contributed significantly to promoting multilateral solutions and addressing crises. “India was a founding member of the United Nations. The drafters of the UN Charter took great inspiration from Gandhiji’s message of peace, non-violence, and tolerance,’’ he added.

Earlier, UN Chief paid tributes to the victims of the 26/11 terror attacks at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel in Mumbai. “Terror is absolute evil. There are no reasons, no pretext, no causes, and no grievances that can justify terrorism. terrorism is absolute evil. It has no room in today’s world,” Guterres added.

“I feel deeply moved to be here where barbaric terrorist acts took place where that led to the loss of 166 lives. I want to pay tribute to the victims they are heroes of all world and I want to express my deepest condolences to their families, to their friends, to the people of India, and to all those that are coming from other parts of the world that have lost their lives in Mumbai,” he said. He also said that “fighting terrorism must be a global priority for every country on earth and fighting terrorism is a central priority for the UN”.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: SPORTS / CRICKET: Roger Binny, First World-Cup Winner, Elected as President – Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) at its 91st Annual General Meeting, Mumbai

Roger Binny becomes the first World Cup-winner to become the president of the BCCI.

Former Indian cricketer Roger Binny has been appointed as the new president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The 67-year-old was elected unopposed during BCCI’s annual general meeting (AGM), which was held on Tuesday, 18 October, at the Taj Hotel in Mumbai.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah, departing president Sourav Ganguly, treasurer Arun Dhumal and vice-president Rajeev Shukla were all present at the 91st annual general meeting of the board. With his appointment, Binny becomes the first-ever former World Cup-winning to become BCCI’s president.

Jay Shah has been re-inducted as the secretary of the board, while it now remains to be seen whether the BCCI will field a candidate for the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) elections.

Among the other decisions taken during the meeting, Arun Singh Dhumal vacated his position as the treasurer of the board and was appointed as a member of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council. Avishek Dalmiya, the president of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), was also appointed as an IPL Governing Council member.

Ashish Shelar, the former chief of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), took over as the new treasurer, with former secretary of the Assam Cricket Association (ACA), Devajit Saikia was appointed as the joint-secretary. Assam M Khairul Jamal Majumdar was appointed as an Apex Council member.

Besides confirming the new appointments, the BCCI also approved to conduct the inaugural edition of the Women’s IPL in 2023.

source/content: thequint.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION / DEFENCE: PM Modi Unveils HTT-40, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd’s (HAL) Indigenously Designed and Developed ‘Trainer Aircraft’ at DefExpo-2020, Gandhinagar, Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled HTT-40, the indigenous trainer aircraft designed and developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at the India Pavilion during DefExpo-2020 in Gandhinagar, on Wednesday.

The Basic Trainer Aircraft would be used for basic flight training, aerobatics, instrument flying and close formation flights, whereas its secondary roles would include navigation and night flying.

HTT-40 has cutting-edge technology designed to meet primary training requirements of the Indian defence services. Built around a meticulously tested, turbo-prop engine, it is equipped with the latest avionics, an air-conditioned cabin and ejection seats. HTT-40 boasts of unique features like running changeover of pilots, hot-refuelling and short turnaround time.

HAL receives DcPP certificate

Hal  also received a Development – cum -Production Partner (DcPP)/Production Agency (PA) certificate for ABHYAS – High Speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) System from DRDO at a programme held on the sidelines of DefExpo-2022.

The Aircraft Division of HAL is the first DcPP/PA identified organisation under ADE-DRDO’s new scheme for the procurement of a complex system.

HAL had formally handed over the first batch of two units of High-Speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) System ABHYAS, an indigenous target aircraft, to Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) recently. HAL CMD CB Ananthakrishnan received the certificate from DRDO Chairman and secretary of the Department of Defence R&D Dr Samir V Kamat

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: SPORTS / WRESTLING: Sajan Bhanwala Wins Bronze, Becomes First-Ever Indian Greco-Roman Wrestler to Win a Medal at ‘U23 World Championships 2022’, Pontevedra, Spain

Sajan Bhanwala became the first Indian Greco-Roman wrestler to win a medal at the Under-23 World Championship when he edged past Ukraine’s Dmytro Vasetskyi on ‘criteria’ to emerge winner in the bronze play-off, here.

It was the Ukrainian who pulled off a four-pointer on the edge of the circle for a solid start but Bhanwala bounced back immediately with a strong move that got him into a position from where he could pin his rival.

Though he could not pin his rival, it was good enough to earn four points. Bhanwala lost two more points and got into defensive mode.

For staying passive, Bhanwala put on a ‘Par Terre’ position, something Indian wrestlers are very poor at defending and the Ukrainian pulled off another four-pointer from the ground position for a handsome 10-4 lead.

Bhanwala scored two points with a take-down move and with 35 seconds left in the bout, managed to push his rival on the back to level the scores.

The bout ended at 10-10 but since the Indian had scored the last point he was declared winner on criteria.

Bhanwala had begun with a 3-0 win over Lithuania’s Aistis Liaugminas but lost his pre-quarterfinal bout to Moldova’s Alexandrin Gutu.

As Gutu made the final, Bhanwala bounced back into medal contention via the repechage route and he made full use of that with a 9-6 win over Kazakhstan’s Rassul Zhunis.

Meanwhile, Vikas will fight for a bronze in the 72kg after losing his semifinal by technical superiority to Croatia’s Pavel Puklavec.

He will be up against the winner of the repechage contest between Georgios Theodoros Sotiriadis and Jpana’s Daigo Kobayashi.

Before losing his semifinal clash, Vikas beat Kyrgyzstan’s Adilkhan Nurlanbekov and home team rival Marcos Sanchez Silva Mejias by technical superiority, losing just one point across bouts.

In the 60kg category, Sumit got back to medal reckoning when he made the repechage round. He will be up against Kazakhastan’s Olzhas Sultan.

In the 67kg competition, Ashu bowed out after losing his qualification bout by technical superiority to Georgia’s Diego Chkhikvadze.

Six Greco-Roman wrestlers travelled to the Spanish city for the championship along with two women and one free-style wrestler while visas of 21 other Indians were rejected by the Embassy of Spain.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: SCIENCE & MEDICAL SERVICES: ORS Therapy Pioneer Bengal’s Dr. Dilip Mahalanabis who gave Oral Rehydration Life-Saving Solution During the 1971 War no more

ORS therapy pioneer Mahalanabis passes away.

Dilip Mahalanabis, the doctor who helped prove the effectiveness of oral rehydration solution (ORS) by administering it to a large number of cholera patients at a refugee camp in Bongaon during the 1971 war, passed away at a private hospital on Sunday. He was 88.

The doctor had donated his life’s savings of Rs 1 crore to the Institute of Child Health at Park Circus. A new ward for children was built with the money, and it was named after him and his wife Jayanti, said Apurba Ghosh, director of the Park Circus institute.

Mahalanabis was admitted at Apollo Multispeciality Hospital on October 1, an official of the hospital said. He passed away at 2.45am on Sunday, the official said.

Abhijit Chowdhury, a public health expert, said Mahalanabis was “an epoch-making doctor from Bengal”.

“Another doctor from Bengal, S.N. De, had demonstrated the efficacy of ORS experimentally but Mahalanabis was the one who proved its efficacy by administering it to a large number of people in the refugee camp in Bongaon. Years later, the WHO (World Health Organisation) acknowledged the benefits of ORS,” Chowdhury said.

“This is one of the greatest inventions of medical science and two doctors from Bengal were behind it.”

There was a shortage of saline in the Bongaon refugee camp. Mahalanabis prepared a solution of sugar, salt and water and kept it in a drum, Chowdhury said. To convince people about its usefulness, he called it “oral saline”, Chowdhury added.

“He told people in the refugee camp to drink the water until they felt hungry or until they did not feel weak any longer. This way, he cured many from cholera,” he said.

A book, Eksho Tarar Alo, which showcases the sterling achievements of 105 doctors from Bengal has an essay on the contributions of Mahalanabis. Chowdhury and Ashokananda Konar, another doctor, are the book’s editors.

The essay says the 1971 camp where Mahalanabis worked had far fewer deaths compared with other camps where intravenous saline was given to the patients. In Mahalanabis’s camp, people drank the oral solution.

Mahalanabis had begun researching oral rehydration therapy (ORT) in 1966 as a research investigator for the Johns Hopkins University International Center for Medical Research and Training.

In 2007, when Mahalanabis was honoured by Thailand, the doctor recalled: “I started my research in ORT under controlled conditions using cholera as the model. But it was only in 1971 that we used it on a large scale.”

The Johns Hopkins research centre was based out of the Institute of Child Health at Park Circus, Apurba Ghosh said. “He had a connection with our hospital, which is probably why he chose to donate his savings to us,” he added.

In 1983, Mahalanabis was made a member of the WHO’s Diarrhoeal Diseases Control Programme. He remained in that role for over five years. The programme’s objectives included travelling across the world to take part in discussions and prove the efficacy of the use of the salt-sugar-water mixture, and promoting research in laboratories.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / TRANSPORT: India’s First Indigenous Aluminium-Made Freight Rail Rake Flagged off in Bhubneshwar, Odisha

Union Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday flagged off the country’s first aluminium-made freight rail rake at Bhubneshwar in Odisha. The Ministry of Railway through a statement said that the first aluminium-made freight rail rake has been made with higher corrosion and abrasion resistance capacity, which will reduce the maintenance cost to the railway.

After flagging off the rake, Vaishnaw said: “This is a proud moment for the country and our drive for indigenisation as lightweight aluminium wagons are a big innovation for Indian Railways.”


Speaking about the features of this aluminium, rail rake, the minister further said that these wagons save 14,500 tonnes of CO2 emissions and have more carrying capacity.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)