INTERNATIONAL: ‘6th Indian Ocean Conference’ Dhaka May 2023 : Better Connectivity respecting Sovereignty should be priority, says Jaishankar in Dhaka

“Let me underline, for India, an effective and efficient connectivity to ASEAN will be a game changer,” Jaishankar said in his keynote address at the inaugural session of the two-day 6th Indian Ocean Conference in Dhaka.

Improving and enhancing connectivity should be the priority of the countries in the Indian Ocean region; and for India, a land connect to SouthEast Asia and a multi-model one to the Gulf and Central Asia could be challenging but the nations should work collectively for a smooth connectivity, Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday.

“Let me underline, for India, an effective and efficient connectivity to ASEAN will be a game changer,” Jaishankar said in his keynote address at the inaugural session of the two-day 6th Indian Ocean Conference in Dhaka.

“Connectivity is a crucial issue as the era of imperialism disrupted the natural linkages of the continent and created regional silos that served its own end. Restoring and enhancing flows between distinct regions is of utmost priority. Improving and enhancing connectivity should be our priority.

For countries like India, a land connect to SouthEast Asia and a multi-model one to the Gulf and Central Asia offers its own distinct challenges but the more we work collectively on a smooth connectivity, we will be better off.  But we need to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity. So let me underline, for India, an effective and efficient connectivity to ASEAN will be a game changer,” he said.

At the session, addressed also by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Mauritius President Prithviraj Singh Rupun, Maldives Vice President Faisal Naseem among others, Jaishankar stressed on the need for the countries to take the long view of cooperation as any nation disregarding the legal obligation or violating long standing agreements could damage trust and confidence among the member nations.

Over 25 ministers, state ministers or deputy ministers are participating in the conference jointly organised by the Bangladesh foreign ministry and the India Foundation, a New Delhi -based think tank.

There are distinct challenges, aspirations and agenda for each country in the region and that there are their distinctive pathways to progress, he said. Citing the example of the BIMSTEC under which “the members are cognisant of the challenges they have in governance and modernisation  but dealing with them through deeper cooperation and shared efforts,” the Indian foreign minister said the Indian Ocean cooperation should build up by nurturing such building blocks.

According to him, the nations require to simultaneously address the needs of the Indian Ocean, the Indo-Pacific and its constituent regions. “These are not alternatives but actually self-supporting activities. Naturally there are aspects of specificity, but equally there are broader principles that apply to all. For example, the importance of adhering to law, observing norms and respecting rules is a natural convergence point. It is not possible to build a stable international order without these prerequisites. It is especially so in a continent that has seen so much growth, so much change,” he said.

When a nation disregards the legal obligation, violates long standing agreements, it damages the trust and confidence. It is therefore essential for all the nations to take the long view of cooperation, Jaishankar said.

Another concern for the countries in the region is the unsustainable debt generated by unviable projects. “There are lessons from the last two decades. If we encourage opaque lending practices, exorbitant ventures and price points that are unrelated to the market are bound to bite us back sooner than later. Especially so when sovereign guarantees have been proffered,” he said.

Jaishankar  said  while the world has seized the larger domain of the Indo pacific the issues and challenges of each core constituents or each nation in the Indian Ocean cooperation should not be underplayed. Pointing out that many nations at the Indian Ocean still address developmental challenges that may longer be relevant even while impressing the essential coherence of the Indo Pacific, Jaishankar said those in the Indo Pacific should focus determinately on the Indian Ocean nations and their challenges.

He also said many nations in the region today are confronting consequences of our own past choices.

The Indian foreign minister also urged the nations in the Indian Ocean region to see that maritime security is a shared responsibility.

“We must discharge that global good should not be sacrificed at the altar of any national dominance,” he said. “Diplomacy cannot rest merely by articulating a position that equally needs practical action,” he added. The minister also stressed on climate action and counter terrorism initiatives. “We must also be conscious of the threats to social fabrics posed by extremism and fundamentalism taking advantage of democratic openness. Cost of not doing so is also starkly apparent to all of us today.”

Jaishankar said India is committed to the wellbeing and progress of all nations of the Indian Ocean. Pointing out that the country has dedicated bodies like the Indian Ocean Rim Association or the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium with specific mandate, he said: “We expand on that belief through the ‘neighbourhood first’ policy, the SAGAR outlook and our approach to the extended neighbourhood.”

India Foundation president Ram Madhav made the welcome speech.

The two-day Indian Ocean Conference — with the theme Peace Prosperity and Partnership for a Resilient Future — is being held in Dhaka to discuss how the countries of the Indian Ocean region can promote economic development while maintaining peace and stability.

During the day, there were panel discussions on a roadmap for an economically sustainable future in the Indo Pacific, forging partnership for peace and prosperity, and dealing with non-traditional security challenges for a peaceful and sustainable Indo-Pacific.

source/contents: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: MEDICAL SERVICES / SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: India Emerging as Favourable Destination to Conduct Global Clinical Trials: Report by USA India Chamber of Commerce & PwC India

According to the report, the private sector is a well-suited channel for the top biopharma to conduct more efficient clinical trials with easier and faster access to investigators and patients.

India has the potential to increase global clinical trials in the country by five times in the coming years, a report has said, with experts highlighting the significant opportunities for biopharma companies to leverage India’s rich diversity and robust healthcare infrastructure to develop innovative treatments.

The joint report by the USA India Chamber of Commerce & PwC India titled, “Clinical Trial opportunities in India” which will be released at the virtual edition of the 17th annual BioPharma & Healthcare Summit 2023 to be held on Wednesday in Boston also indicates that through several key drivers, India is emerging as a favourable destination to conduct clinical trials.

According to the report, the private sector is a well-suited channel for the top biopharma to conduct more efficient clinical trials with easier and faster access to investigators and patients.

According to the report, India has the potential to increase global clinical trials in the country by five times in the coming years.

Indian states with high disease prevalence (e.g., cancer) also have the most number of tier-1 cities, with advanced medical infrastructure and availability of investigators. Targeting these states can provide biopharma companies with faster access to patients, sites, and investigators.

The total number of investigators has increased by twice between 2015 and 2020, with the majority of the increase occurring in the internal medicine and oncology specialisations. However, the growth in the number of investigators is largely restricted to tier-1 and 2 cities, the report said.

While the top 20 pharma activity for the major therapy classes in India has remained largely constant in the last decade, growth opportunities exist across key diseases (e.g., pain, epilepsy, cervical cancer) and orphan diseases (ß-thalassemia, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy), it said.

India has an overall clinical trial participation of three per cent but contributes upwards of 15 per cent to the global burden of most high prevalent diseases (e.g., respiratory infections, cardiovascular, diabetes, cervical cancer), representing an untapped potential for top pharma, the report said.

Top biopharma companies should align their strategy towards tier-1 cities (e.g., Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai) where the higher bed capacity, number of doctors, and presence of tertiary care multi-city hospitals can support enablement efforts of running faster and more efficient clinical trials, it said.

“This year, with India on track to become the world’s most populous country, our responsibility to ensure its people benefit from the innovations that improve human health has never been greater,” said Andrew Plump, President of R&D, Takeda and Chair, USAIC BioPharma & Healthcare Summit.

A critical part of this will be addressing the gap in clinical trial activity in India and identifying opportunities to collectively promote clinical research and help build infrastructure to support clinical trials in the country, he added.

Karun Rishi, president of USAIC, said that the growing interest in clinical trials in India presents a significant opportunity for biopharma companies to leverage the country’s rich diversity and robust healthcare infrastructure.

With a large and diverse patient pool, streamlined regulatory processes, and a highly skilled workforce, India offers a favourable environment for biopharma companies to conduct efficient and cost-effective clinical trials.

By tapping into this opportunity, companies can accelerate their drug development timelines, increase the efficiency of their research, and bring innovative treatments to patients in need, ultimately advancing global healthcare, he said.

“It is painful to see India’s share in the ongoing global clinical trials is less than 3.2 per cent. The global BioPharma companies need to do more to correct this situation from the science and ethical point of view,” Rishi said.

He said that with key data in hand, USAIC over the past year worked closely and engaged with the leadership of top BioPharma companies and CROs globally to brainstorm on this issue.

“Response from sponsors and CROs has been very encouraging. They are ready and want to do more in India. We see the potential to increase global trials in India by 5x in the coming years. This is India’s moment to capture this great opportunity. Three triggers which are under play in India’s favour are diversity, equity, access and inclusiveness in clinical trials; Russia-Ukraine conflict and China’s zero Covid policy,” Rishi said.

India, he said, has made good progress in streamlining the clinical trials regulatory processes.

“We encourage India to continue to focus on stable and transparent clinical trials regulations particularly involving clinical trial execution in India under International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) guidelines. India should enhance its clinical trial infrastructure including skills development and incentivize global BioPharma companies to conduct trials,” he said.

“Large-scale ethical clinical trials with high-quality data will lead to collaborations, investments, skill development, translational research, startups, employment generation of high paying jobs leading to GDP growth. Entire innovation ecosystem will be created in India and ultimately enhance Indian patients’ access to innovative medicines,” Rishi said.

Sujay Shetty, a partner and global health industries leader, at PwC, said that the clinical trial activity in India has been increasing steadily since 2014 due to several key regulatory reforms aimed towards global harmonisation, enabling open access to clinical trials in India.

The country’s diverse population, combined with its rapidly advancing healthcare infrastructure, provides a fertile ground for clinical trials to flourish.

This is an opportunity for top biopharma companies to develop a long-term strategy that focuses on the key enablers of innovation and strategic partnerships in India, he said.

Dr Naresh Trehan, CMD Medanta and USAIC advisory board member believes that India’s healthcare landscape is poised for transformation, with its vast and diverse population in need of innovative solutions to address a range of health challenges.

“The country’s potential for clinical trials presents a unique opportunity to leverage cutting-edge research and technology to drive meaningful improvements in patient outcomes and advance the frontiers of medical science.

By fostering a collaborative and dynamic ecosystem, India can lead the way in shaping the future of healthcare for the benefit of all,” he said.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Goa a Success. Security Cooperation Top Priority: Secretary General Zhang Ming

Besides, a country with “splendid civilisation” and time-honoured history, India also treasures innovation and science and technology, he said.

The recent SCO Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Goa was a success and will lay a new mark on the growth of the eight-member bloc, its Secretary General Zhang Ming has said, asserting that security cooperation remains the top priority of the grouping.

India hosted the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers’ meeting at a beach resort in Goa’s Benaulim on May 4 and 5.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who chaired the meeting, said the session gave an opportunity to dwell on the state of multilateral cooperation in SCO, to address regional and global issues of interest and talk about the reform and modernisation of the organisation.

SCO consists of China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. India holds the rotating Presidency of the organisation this year.

“The recent Foreign Ministers meeting held in Goa was a success. We have reason to believe that the New Delhi summit will lay a new mark on the growth of the SCO,” said Mr. Zhang, who was a senior Chinese diplomat before taking over as the Secretary General of the Beijing-based grouping.

He said the purpose of the Goa meeting was to prepare the ground for the upcoming summit.

“It is fair to say that our ministers had an in-depth exchange of views and they have completed all the items of the meeting agenda,” he said on May 10, adding that their conclave laid a good foundation for the leaders’ meeting.

The Ministers also had a number of bilateral meetings and candid exchanges on the sidelines of the meeting and discussed issues of common interest, he said.

“So, I believe the Foreign Ministers meeting has achieved the anticipated goals,” he said.

Security cooperation remains the top priority within the SCO, he said.

“So, we address various challenges including terrorism, extremism, separations and drug threat, cross border crimes use of IT for illicit purposes,” he said.

The meeting was attended by Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, China’s Qin Gang, Pakistan’s Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Uzbekistan’s Bakhtiyor Saidov and SCO Secretary-General Zhang.

“Since taking over the Presidency India has come up with a lot of initiatives on culture and people-to-people exchanges. Their proposals were received and echoed by other member states,” Mr. Zhang told a media briefing here on Wednesday, highlighting the outcomes of the Goa meeting.

Besides, a country with “splendid civilisation” and time-honoured history, India also treasures innovation and science and technology, he said.

The SCO summit was expected to be held in early July this year, according to informed sources. Chinese President Xi Jinping along with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin are expected to attend.

In his speech at the Goa meeting, Jaishankar said, “As the chair of the SCO, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has articulated India’s priorities as moving towards a ‘SECURE’ SCO.”

SECURE stands for security, economic development, connectivity, unity, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity and environmental protection.

He said India has successfully concluded over 100 meetings and events including 15 ministerial-level meetings in the run-up to the summit which received enthusiastic participation from member states, observers and dialogue partners.

“The New Delhi summit will take up these topics on priority too. To summarise the Indian Presidency over the past several months features highly intensive and effective preparations,” Mr. Zhang said.

“The Indian side has proposed a substantive agenda for the summit,” he said.

About a question on differences between some of the member states, Mr. Zhang said bilateral differences made no difference to the organisation.

“After India and Pakistan joined the organisation in 2018, the SCO’s efficiency has not been affected. We did not encounter any difficulties,” he said, adding that the SCO’s pursuit of the principles of non-interference in the member countries’ affairs has strengthened cooperation among its members.

“The SCO indeed has no mechanism to resolve differences between member states. No member state has called on SCO to resolve their issues with other member states,” Mr. Zhang said while responding to a question on border tensions between some Central Asian States which are the members of the grouping.

“Thanks to SCO’s basic principles we have been able to create a good atmosphere with cooperation,” he said.

“This environment helps our member states to find commonality and common interests between them which enables them to overcome their differences,” he said.

The SCO had developed over the years a strong anti-terror force called Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS).

RATS formation was regarded significant as the security concerns in the South and Central Asian region increased after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan following the sudden withdrawal of the U.S. troops.

SCO pays more attention to issues like energy, food security, public health, climate change and other issues and established cooperation on those fronts, besides trade and economic fronts, Mr. Zhang said.

The organisation is also working on promoting local currency payment mechanisms among member states, besides setting up a development bank of its own, he said. “The SCO is working on this issue on cross border payment mechanism. We would like to promote free-flowing goods and technology,” he said.

The organisation has established a number of cooperation mechanisms working to create necessary legal and institutional arrangements for this, he said, pointing to various meetings by officials of the finance ministries of member states.

Experts are carefully analysing the differences in regulatory legislation and current settlement in local currencies. They are working to identify restrictive factors, its development and prospect for the expansion of the use of local currency in the payment settlement, Zhang said.

“Also, member states are discussing how to establish SCO Development Bank. We are discussing to set up such a bank and special account,” he said.

He said SCO’s popularity is on the rise as more countries have applied for its membership.

Iran is in the process of becoming an SCO new members, he said, adding that the organisation has 14 dialogue partners and six more countries have applied for its observer status.

With Saudi Arabia joining as an observer in the SCO, the organisation is set to make forays into the Middle East as a number of Gulf countries have expressed interest in joining the grouping, Mr. Zhang said.

He sought to dismiss the contention that China, as the founder member of the SCO, is using the organisation to challenge the U.S. and NATO, saying it is just media speculation.

“SCO will not compare itself with NATO. SCO is not a political and military bloc and its aim is about cooperation,” he said.

The groping is also in talks with UN peacekeeping forces, Zhang said.

Some SCO members are taking part in pace-keeping operations. Discussing how to step up cooperation with UN peacekeeping participation, he said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL / NEIGHBOURHOOD / SHIPPING & TRANSPORT: Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Inaugurates Sittwe Port in Myanmar; receives first Indian Cargo Vessel

The Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways highlighted the close historical, cultural and economic ties between India and Myanmar, particularly the Rakhine State of Myanmar.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Myanmar’s Deputy Prime Minister Admiral Tin Aung San on Tuesday jointly inaugurated the Sittwe Port in Myanmar and received the first Indian cargo ship, according to an official statement.

The cargo ship was flagged off from Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata.

With the development of Sittwe Port, the cost and time of transportation of goods between Kolkata and Agartala and Aizwal will decrease by 50%, the statement said.

“This will promote trade connectivity and people-to-people ties between India and Myanmar and the wider region, and will help boost the economic development of NE states under Act East Policy of the government,” the statement quoted Mr. Sonowal as saying.

In his remarks at the inauguration ceremony, the Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways highlighted the close historical, cultural and economic ties between India and Myanmar, particularly the Rakhine State of Myanmar.

He reiterated India’s longstanding commitment towards the development and prosperity of the people of Myanmar through developmental initiatives like the Sittwe Port.

According to the statement, this project was conceptualised to provide alternative connectivity of Mizoram with Haldia / Kolkata / any Indian ports through the Kaladan river in Myanmar.

The project envisages highway/road transport from Mizoram to Paletwa (Myanmar), thereafter from Paletwa to Sittwe (Myanmar) by Inland Water Transport (IWT) and from Sittwe to any port in India by maritime shipping, it added.

Sittwe Port has been developed as a part of the $484 million Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP) funded under grant-in-aid assistance from the Indian government.

“The seaport with maximum capacity of 20,000 deadweight tonnage (DWT) will make Sittwe the maritime hub of Myanmar, drastically reduce transportation cost of cargo from other parts of India to our #NorthEast and open unprecedented avenues of economic growth in the region,” Mr. Sonowal said in a series of tweets.

The Minister further said a vibrant Sittwe Port can catapult Myanmar’s Rakhine State into a major connectivity hub.

Once fully operationalised the waterway and road components of KMTTP will link the east coast of India to the north-eastern states through the Sittwe port, the statement said. The operationalisation of Sittwe Port would enhance bilateral and regional trade as well as contribute to the local economy of Rakhine State of Myanmar.

The greater connectivity provided by the Port will lead to employment opportunities and enhanced growth prospects in the region, it added.

The operationalisation of Sittwe Port would enhance bilateral and regional trade as well as contribute to the local economy of Rakhine State of Myanmar.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: DEFENCE SERVICES / HERITAGE Rajnath Singh Inaugurates Country’s First Air Force Heritage Centre in Chandigarh

The heritage centre highlights the IAF’s role in various wars. It houses five vintage aircraft and will provide visitors with cockpit exposure and an experience with flight simulators.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Monday inaugurated the nation’s first Indian Air Force Heritage Centre in Chandigarh’s Sector 18.

Spread across 17,000 sqft at the Government Press Building, the heritage centre highlights the IAF’s role in various wars. It houses five vintage aircraft and will provide visitors with cockpit exposure and an experience with flight simulators. It also houses the first IAF-made patent aircraft Air Force ‘Kanpur-1 Vintage Prototype Aircraft’, a single-engine indigenous flying machine designed and built by the late Air Vice Marshal Harjinder Singh in 1958 at Base Repair Depot Kanpur.

Singh is accompanied by Chandigarh Union Territory (UT) Administrator Banwarilal Purohit, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari, Member of Parliament (MP) Kirron Kher and other officers of the administration.

A souvenir shop equipped with the IAF’s memorial and scale models has been set up at the centre. A theme-based cafe will also be operational for the public.

The Defence Minister, who is on a one-day visit to Chandigarh, will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for a few other projects in the city as well.

Subhead: What is in store for visitors at the Air Force Heritage Centre

A beautiful one-foot wall that has pictures of 58 vintage and retired aircraft will serve as a visual treat to visitors.

Gradually, this centre will also be updated about various rescue operations being undertaken by the IAF all over the country and at the world level. The initiatives undertaken by the Air Force Family Welfare Association for the benefit of the families of air warriors at the station, regional and central levels will also be shown through projectors.

A memorandum of understanding on the heritage centre was signed between the Chandigarh administration and the Indian Air Force in the presence of Banwarilal Purohit in June 2022.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: EDUCATION / ARTS & CULTURE: 10 Indian Languages to get Technical-Term Dictionaries

The Union government is now rushing to create vocabulary in scientific terminology for languages such as Bodo, Santhali, Dogri and Kashmiri, so that textbooks can be developed in these tongues.

The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT), which works under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Education, is rushing to create technical and scientific terminology in 10 Indian languages underrepresented in the learning landscape.

The CSTT will bring out what it calls fundamental (basic) dictionaries with 5,000 words per language, in three to four months. These will be in digital, searchable format, and free of cost. About 1,000-2,000 copies will be printed in each language.

Bodo, Santhali, Dogri, Kashmiri, Konkani, Nepali, Manipuri, Sindhi, Maithili, and Sanskrit are a part of the list of 22 official languages of India’s Eighth Schedule. However, there is a paucity of study material created in them, primarily because of a lack of words to describe scientific phenomena and technical terms. The sparse content available was confined to the primary school level that used English words when regional vocabulary was unavailable.

15 subjects

The immediate focus is to cover 15 disciplines: journalism, public administration, chemistry, botany, zoology, psychology, physics, economics, Ayurveda, mathematics, computer science, political science, agriculture, civil and electrical engineering. These will enable textbook formulation at the middle- and senior-school as well as university levels.

The dictionaries will be distributed to State education boards, universities, engineering institutes, and the National Testing Agency that conducts entrance examinations such as the Common University Entrance Test (CUET), Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main, and University Grants Commission (UGC)-National Eligibility Test (NET) to aid in preparation of content.

The national language list, when created in 1950 had 14 languages. Sindhi was added in 1967; Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali in 1992; and Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali in 2004.

“There is a lack of content and linguistic resources in these 10 languages, leading to a lack of availability of learning material in these languages,” Prof. Girish Nath Jha, chairperson of the CSTT, Ministry of Education, said.

The CSTT, which was set up in 1961, has the mandate of evolving technical terminology in all Indian languages. The organisation is finalising several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with prominent institutes, including IIT Bombay, for quick online dissemination.

The move assumes importance as the National Education Policy 2020 has espoused the use of regional languages as a medium of education in both school and college.

Following this, the government has taken several initiatives such as introducing engineering and medical courses in regional languages in several States. The UGC has also said that it will soon release a road map to introduce undergraduate and postgraduate courses in regional languages in all disciplines, including commerce, humanities, and science.

In June, the Bar Council of India (BCI) also constituted a panel to formulate recommendations on how to introduce courses in regional languages in law colleges.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

WORLD RECORD: Arts & Culture: 1,600 Bharathanatyam Dancers Create a New Record in Puducherry

About 1,600 Bharatanatyam students performed a mass exposition of the ‘Ananda Thandavam’ in a world record bid to recreate the divine dance of bliss associated with Lord Shiva on the Beach Promenade on Friday.

The event hosted by the Sangamam Global Academy was supported by the Department of Tourism and the regional unit of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.

Adjudicators of the Unique World Records later declared a world record for the show as it passed the criteria of Bharatanatyam technicalities, especially, having a minimum participation of 1,000 dancers and extending for a duration of at least four minutes.

The event was officially recorded to have featured 1,626 dancers and lasted about eight minutes.

A spokesman for Unique World Records said 56 stewards were deployed as observers. Sababbi Mangal, Yuktha (Chandigarh), and Rahman Basha of Unique audited the show. Chinnamannur A. Chitra, assistant professor, Music Department, Annamalai University, and Athishta Balan, both Guinness record holders, were special witnesses. Chief Minister N. Rangasamy and other dignitaries witnessed the spectacle.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL : ARTS & CULTURE / DANCE: Visakhapatnam Girl Shreya makes it to ‘International one-on-one Breaking Competition’

B-Girl Shreya is all set to represent Visakhapatnam at the international breaking championship Redbull BC One – India finals on May 7.

When B-girl Shreya headspins, backflips and sways in swag, a circle of dancers cheer her along as they witness an incredible energy unfold in the room throbbing to the beats of hip-hop music. The 21-year-old from Visakhapatnam has been steadily making her way to the top in the breaking scene of India.

Shreya has now been selected among the top eight B-Girl finalists from India and will be representing Visakhapatnam at the international breaking championship Red Bull BC One – India finals on May 7. She is the only dancer from Andhra Pradesh to reach this stage for two years in a row. Earlier, Shreya had bagged the runner-up position in the West India qualifiers, which happened in Mumbai on March 26. The event was judged by B-Boy Lilou from France, B-Boy Victor from the USA and B-Boy Zoopreme from the Netherlands.

Trained under coach Sohail Gill of Destiny Breakers International School in Visakhapatnam, Shreya has been learning breaking since 2015 and has brought many laurels to the city. Currently ranked among the top eight B-Girls in India, she is all set for the nationals. “The dance floor is where I found a way to express myself and face my fears,” she says.

Earlier this year, in the second National Breaking Championship at Tirupati, Shreya was the only person from Andhra Pradesh to compete and made it to the quarterfinals in the B-Girl senior category. The event was judged by B-Boy Bojin from World Dance Sport Federation, B-Boy Bobby from Malaysia Dance Sport Federation and B-Boy G1 from Thailand. 

“The competition was intense and they were six rounds including a qualifier; I just moved ahead focussing on my strengths,” says Shreya, who was the only participant from Andhra Pradesh to be selected for the BRICS Games 2022 in China and was ranked 9th in the world championship. “Stamina and speed, with a little bit of style, are my strengths. I felt like I can play around when I want to and can also fluctuate my speed according to the beats. My strength is the structure of my rounds which are carefully planned with my coach while working our way around the trivium system (an Olympic judging system),” she adds.

According to coach Sohail, Shreya’s biggest strength from the day she started training has been her perseverance. “Being a chubby kid who joined the breaking class at the age of 13, she faced difficulties catching up to the simplest of moves. Today, she has the physique of an athlete and is among the top eight B-Girls in the country. Her ability to be consistent with her training over the last eight years and her never give up attitude have helped her come a long way,” says Sohail. 

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / RESEARCH: Novel Diagnostic Test Developed for Global Pandemic in Frogs by Researchers of CSIR & CCMB in India and in collaboration with Researchers in Australia and Panama.

Researchers from CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in collaboration with researchers in Australia and Panama have established a new test for successful diagnosis of Chytridiomycosis in amphibians.

Chytridiomycosis is an infectious disease in amphibians caused by two fungal pathogens: Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal). It has driven more than 90 amphibian species to extinction globally.

Due to the unprecedented loss of amphibian diversity it has caused, the disease is referred to as the driver of ‘amphibian apocalypse’ and its status is being closely monitored globally.

The researchers have developed and validated a new marker for the disease, and has been now published in the journal Transboundary and Emerging Disease.

The team consisting of Ph. D. Scholars, researchers and scientists from CCMB, Bangalore University, Padmaja Naidu Zoological Park, Ashoka University in India; University of New SouthAAWales, James Cook University in Australia: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama have tested the new marker on several amphibian species including frogs, toads, caecilians (limbless amphibians) and Salamanders (tailed amphibians).

The study reported 70 per cent amphibians with Chytridiomycosis infection; an almost 8 times higher prevalence than the previous reports from India.

Surveillance and monitoring must be in order to track infection in amphibian populations, especially in region where Bd fungus has become enzootic that is where the pathogen is restricted and does not cause death.”Our previous work on Bd fungus in India had shown that existing diagnostic assays are not sensitive. A universal, sensitive, specific, repeatable, and affordable diagnostic test is, thus, required to perform surveillance of Chytridiomycosis in an efficient manner. Our new diagnostic test works well in India, Australia and Panama. Its efficiency is comparable to the gold-standard test recommended for Chytridiomycosis in different parts of the world, and it might lead to new insights into the pathway transmission and infection,” said Dr Karthikeyan Vasudevan, the lead scientist from CCMB in the study.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: SPORTS / ATHLETICS: Murali Sreeshankar Wins Gold in Long-Jump at the ‘MVA High-Performance Athletics Meet’, Chula Vista, USA

Competing in only his second event of the season, the 24-year-old, who had won a silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, produced a creditable effort which was just 0.07m off his personal best of 8.36m made last year.

Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar claimed the gold medal with a leap of 8.29m at the MVA High Performance athletics meet 1 held in Chula Vista, USA.

Competing in only his second event of the season, the 24-year-old, who had won a silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, produced a creditable effort which was just 0.07m off his personal best of 8.36m made last year.

China’s Ma Weidong secured the silver medal with a 7.99m leap, while his compatriot Huafeng Huang claimed the bronze with an effort of 7.61m.

The qualifying standard of World Athletics Championships 2023, which is scheduled in Budapest this August, is 8.25m and Sreeshankar’s effort was over it but was not considered as tailwinds were over permissible limits.

The maximum permissible wind speed is +2 m/s, while Sreeshankar’s effort came with wind speed of 3.1m/s.


Sreeshankar had a 7.94m jump at the Indian Grand Prix in Bengaluru earlier this month.

Sreeshankar held the men’s long jump national record in India with his 8.36 jump but it was surpassed by Jeswin Aldrin with an effort of 8.42m at the second Indian Open Jumps Championships in March.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)