Category: Education

KARNATAKA: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: RESEARCH / NANOENZYMES: Scientists of Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Develop Enzyme Mimetic with potential applications in Wastewater Treatment, Healthcare

The nanozyme can degrade pollutants in wastewater by oxidising them in the presence of sunlight, thereby reducing the toxicity of wastewater.

Scientists at the Materials Research Centre (MRC), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), have developed a new type of enzyme mimetic that can degrade toxic chemicals in industrial wastewater effectively in the presence of sunlight. 

Enzymes are proteins that catalyse a majority of biological reactions in living systems. However, the practical use of natural enzymes is hindered by inherent limitations such as sensitivity to denaturation (breakdown/damage), complex production procedures, high costs, and difficulties in recycling, says Subinoy Rana, Assistant Professor at MRC and corresponding author of the paper published in Nanoscale. 

Mass producing these enzymes is an expensive and time-consuming process. Another problem is storage – most of the natural enzymes are temperature-sensitive and require storage at cooler temperatures, often as low as -20°C. 

Nano-sized enzyme mimetics or “nanozymes” manufactured in the lab can mimic such natural enzymes and overcome these practical challenges.  

In the current study, the IISc team synthesised a platinum-containing nanozyme called NanoPtA, which can be converted into powder form for industrial use. 

When the NanoPtA comes in contact with wastewater, the benzene rings and long alkyl chains present in the molecule form multiple non-covalent interactions. Individual NanoPtA molecules connect together to form tape-like structures that start emitting light, which is the origin of its oxidising capacity. The nanozyme can then degrade pollutants present in wastewater by oxidising them in the presence of sunlight, thereby reducing the toxicity of wastewater. 

The team found that the nanozyme could degrade even small (micromolar) quantities of common effluents like phenols and dyes within ten minutes when placed under sunlight. The researchers also found that the NanoPtA complex was quite stable, lasting for up to 75 days at room temperature.  

The team believes that the nanozyme can also have applications in healthcare and could be a potentially useful diagnostic tool for neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. 

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: ENGINEERING: SPORTS: Unveiling of ‘KX 23’ – Go Kart: A Triumph of Dedication and Innovation at Manipal Insititute of Technology (MIT), Manipal

In a momentous event held at the Innovation Center of Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT), the student project ‘KX 23’ – Go Kart, crafted by the ingenious minds of ‘Team Carting Manipal’, was unveiled today. The project, affectionately dubbed ‘light year’ by the students, represents a remarkable blend of dedication, innovation, and technical prowess.

The unveiling ceremony was graced by the presence of Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh, vice chancellor of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), who expressed immense pride in unveiling this exceptional student project. He stated, “This Go Kart will exude excellence on every track it conquers and is destined for numerous accolades. At MAHE and MIT, student projects hold the utmost priority. The commitment to provide a track facility for such projects reflects the institution’s dedication to nurturing student-led innovations.” He applauded the students’ dedication, sincerity, and technical proficiency, urging them to carry forward the legacy of their predecessors and strive for continuous improvement.

Commander (Dr) Anil Rana, director of Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal, also congratulated the team and highlighted the determination and hard work that students invest in completing innovative projects. He emphasized that success is inevitable when goals are set, and hard work is relentless. Student projects, such as ‘KX 23’, are a testament to teamwork, commitment, leadership skills, effective task management, and the ability to meet deadlines, and MIT consistently excels in achieving these goals.

The journey of ‘KX 23’ – Go Kart began on September 22, 2022, under the leadership of a dedicated team comprising 25 students. This innovative endeavour, with a cost ranging from 7 to 10 lakhs, was spearheaded by Shaun and team manager Mayank.The ‘KX 23’ – Go Kart project represents the epitome of student-led innovation and the unwavering commitment of MIT and MAHE to foster excellence in education. It is expected that this extraordinary creation will leave a lasting mark on the racing circuit, earning accolades and recognition for both the university and the talented students behind it.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL : NATIONAL & KARNATAKA: EDUCATION : IIT gets its First Woman Director. Mysuru-Born Dr. Preeti Aghalayam Is IIT Zanzibar-Tanzania Director

IIT gets its first woman Director

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), the country’s top-ranked educational institution, has achieved the distinction of being the first IIT in India to establish an international campus, set to be located in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

The institute has also set another first by appointing the IIT’s first woman Director.

Heading this initiative is Mysuru-born Dr. Preeti Aghalayam, who is an alumna of IIT Madras. She is also a Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering.

The Zanzibar Offshore  Campus of IIT Madras will be situated on Zanzibar Island, off the East African mainland and is slated to commence its inaugural academic session in October 2023.

The establishment of this offshore campus aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020, which encourages high-performing Indian Universities to establish campuses abroad.

Dr. Preeti grew up on 13th Main Road in Saraswathipuram and attended Demonstration School (DMS School) in Mysuru. After completing her Pre-University, she made it to IIT Madras and chose Chemical Engineering as her field of study.

According to Meena Mysuru, a retired officer from the Indian Information Service (IIS) and resident of city, a close friend of the family, Dr. Preeti hails from a family of educators.

Her father, late Dr. Janardhan, was a Chemistry Professor at the Regional Institute of Education (RIE), Mysuru, while her mother, Dr. Rama, taught linguistics. Both her parents held Ph.Ds and her grandfather was a renowned historian.

Professional journey: Dr. Preeti Aghalayam completed her B.Tech in Chemical Engineering at IIT Madras in 1995 and later earned her Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2000. Her professional journey includes a stint as a post-doctoral researcher at MIT in Cambridge and a faculty position at IIT Bombay.

Dr. Preeti joined IIT Madras as a faculty member in 2010 and is actively involved in the Office of Global Engagement at the institute, where she oversees international academic programmes.

Her contributions led to her recognition as one of the 75 Women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) by the Principal Scientific Advisor’s office.

Running enthusiast

Beyond her academic pursuits, Dr. Preeti has a strong sports background and was an avid basketball player during her school days. She is also an accomplished marathon runner.

In an interview, she said, “Running is everything for me as it helps me shred off the stress. If I am under a lot of stress, my family asks me to run and come back. Running makes me feel human again.”

In the initial plans, faculty members for the Zanzibar campus will be either deputed from IIT Madras or recruited from India. Presently, the institute will operate from a temporary campus in the Bweleo district of Zanzibar, with the permanent 200-acre campus on Zanzibar Island set to be completed by 2026.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: ARTS & CRAFTS / MUSIC: Indian Institute of Science’s (IISc) Classical Music Group ‘Geetanjali’ is 150 members strong and to perform ‘The Myriad Colours of Indian Music’

The classical music wing was started by Geeta in 2015. She is a Hindustani singer. Her husband is a faculty member at IISc. She holds music classes at her home, which is located on the IISc campus.

Research scholars and faculty members of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) will put up a 90-minute music show on their campus next week.

The show is called ‘The myriad colours of Indian music’ and will be held on the sidelines of ‘The International Conference on Fracture Mechanics of Concrete and Concrete Structures’. “A lot of foreign delegates come to IISc for conferences. We want to give them a glimpse of Indian music,” says Geeta Ananth, who has conceptualised the show.

The performance will be a mix of Hindustani and Carnatic music, Kannada bhavageethe, folk songs, bhajans, ghazals and other genres. A folk dance is also scheduled.

These research scholars and faculty members are part of Geetanjali, the classical music wing of the institutes’s Music Club.

The classical music wing was started by Geeta in 2015. She is a Hindustani singer. Her husband is a faculty member at IISc. She holds music classes at her home, which is located on the IISc campus.

Explaining why she started Geetanjali, she says, “There was no forum to promote classical music and showcase talent on the campus.”

The group has more than 150 members now and the music classes have become a stress-buster for students, she shares.

The group will perform alongside professional artistes like Raghavendra Nakod, Niranjan Hegde and Surya Upadhyaya.

 ‘The myriad colours of Indian music’ on September 11, 6.30 pm, at J N Tata Auditorium, C V Raman Road. Entry free.

source/content: deccan herald.com (headline edited)

KATNATAKA: 05 September: Teacher’s Day 2023: Inchal, the Karnataka Village with a Tutor in almost every house

In Inchal, teaching is regarded as the most honourable profession. Over 500 people from this village are teaching in various parts of the state.

Inchal village in Savadatti taluk of Karnataka’s Belgaum district is a teachers’ village as there is an educator in almost every house here. Teaching is considered the noblest profession as the choice of every parent in this village is to make their child a teacher. Residents of this village are working as teachers in different parts of Karnataka.

There are more than 500 people from Inchal who have opted for teaching and are working across the state. It was because of the efforts of Dr Shivananda Bharati Swamiji of Siddhasansthan Math here that people gained interest in teaching and took it as their profession. Shantananda High School, a school funded by the Math, has been established in Bengaluru.

Dr Sivananda Bharati Swamiji, started a Teacher Certificate Higher (TCH) College in Sri Math in 1986 after he was influenced by the village camp conducted by KLE Institute, Belgaum in 1983-84 in Inchal. According to the villagers, students were encouraged to enroll in TCH because of the free admission it offered.

Since 1988, an average of more than 20 teachers have been selected from every batch. Out of the total seven thousand teachers trained here, 99 per cent of the teachers are appointed in different schools across the state. At least seven teachers from the Karigara family were recruited in the 1997 batch. In the same year, 50 people from Inchal village were appointed as teachers, which is a record.

Also, the Karigara family has a total of 15 teachers along with Ganagi, Raya Naykara, Mirjannavar, Badli, Jambagi and other families of the village who also have the highest number of teachers.

In conversation with ETV Bharat, retired lecturer SM Badli said, “It was Dr Sivananda Bharati Swamiji who brought the educational revolution by starting affiliated institutions from primary school to Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya in the village.” Another retired Headmaster Somalinga Shivappa Metagatti said, “Before Dr. Sivananda Swamiji’s arrival, only a limited number of people received secondary education here.”

Metagatti also said that it was a matter of pride for them that their village is known as the teacher’s village. Retired lecturer RC Roy Naykar said that it was because of Dr Sivananda Bharati’s decision to establish a TCH course institution in the village that so many people are working as teachers.

source/content: etvbharat.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: EDUCATION: Kundapur’s Maranakatte Krishnamurthi Manja Selected for ‘District-level Govt Schools Development Award

Maranakatte Krishnamurthy Manja, entrepreneur and recipient of Karnataka Rajyotsava award has been selected for the district-level government schools development award being presented by the forum of Karnataka State School Development and Management Committees, Udupi,” stated coordination forum district president Abdul Salam Chittoor in a press release.

“The award will be presented considering his valuable contribution to the development of government schools. The awards function will be held on September 10 at Koteshwara Saraswathi Kalyana Mantapa. District and sessions court and taluk judge will present the award. Education scholar Dr V P Niranjan Aradhya and coordination forum office-bearers of various districts in the state and well-wishers of education will take part,” he stated.

“CRPs of the education department who offered valuable service in schools with no teachers will be honoured. Retired teacher Nadoor Vishwanath Shetty who is teaching even after his retirement will be felicitated. Shanker Aithal Amasebail will be presented an award for valuable contribution towards the development of rural schools,” he stated.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: INDIA-FRENCH CONNECTION: Check out the ‘Indo-French International Festival 2023’ in Bengaluru

The upcoming Indo-French International Festival commemorates five decades of friendly relations between India and France and highlights culture of both countries.

This weekend, Alliance Française de Bangalore is showcasing the rich traditions of art and culture of India and France in a three-day-long event. The Indo-French International Fest, which is a preview to the larger festival scheduled to be held in October, will feature film screenings, art exhibitions, music and dance performances and much more.

“It’s a celebration of the arts and culture of both nations. In a sense, the festival commemorates the more than 50 years of friendly relations between India and France,” says Ravindra Kumar, an architect and chief convener of the Indo-French International Festival.

The festival will kick off with a curtain-raiser performance by the French band Midnight Poppies on August 25 and will conclude on August 27. “We also have the Indo-French international fashion show, a wildlife exhibition by a French photographer and we have some amazing artworks by Indo-French artists, all with some connection to France,” says Kumar adding that the fest will also host a career fair for people who would like to go and study in France.

The highlights of the three-day fest will be a curated selection of French and regional Indian films. “The film festival opens with the Kannada film Edegarike by Sumana Kittur. Apart from a few French films, we have decided to focus on regional Indian films, from Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada industries. We have some national award-winning films, around 12 of them,” Kumar adds.

Meanwhile, the city-based foundation Art Mantram Trust is also holding an exhibition of curated artworks by artists with some connection to France. “We have works by Sujata Bajaj, Paresh Hazra, Gurudas Shenoy, Ramesh Terdal, Rajesh Baderia and more,” says Jija Harisingh, founder, Art Mantram, adding that the trust will also hold a silent auction of artworks by artist Kantharaj.

Harisingh says the festival will be a transformational experience for visitors, offering them unique perspectives. “Cultural exchange is not only an exposition of culture, but also offers fresh perspectives that transform individuals. Different sensibilities and energies have the power to change how we view the world. France, especially Paris, has been the centre of art and art patronage for centuries. Some of the best artists in the world worked in the city, creating some truly amazing works of art,” she adds.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: NATIONAL & KARNATAKA : Udupi’s Dr Naveen Salins is New Commissioner of Lancet Commission; to Lead Study on Cancer Crisis

The Lancet Commission has proudly announced the appointment of Dr Naveen Salins as their new Commissioner. Dr Salins, known for his exceptional contributions to the field of Palliative Medicine and Cancer Care, will spearhead a comprehensive study addressing the humanitarian crisis of cancer in low-resource regions across the globe. The commission has a distinguished body of experts hailing from Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and Oceania as its members.

The Lancet Commission will convene its inaugural meeting in London from November 15-17, 2023, followed by a subsequent gathering in Toronto in 2024. Over the next two years (2023-2025), Dr Salins and his esteemed team will diligently analyse the underlying factors contributing to the disparity between the biomedical and humanitarian aspects of cancer care. Their mission encompasses devising strategic approaches to rectify this imbalance while examining the intricate interplay of political economy, value systems, and commercial drivers that impact resource allocation for cancer research, education, and clinical care.

As a professor and head of the Palliative Medicine Department at Kasturba Medical College Manipal, coordinator of Manipal Comprehensive Cancer Care Centre, and associate dean of Research, Dr Naveen Salins brings a wealth of expertise and experience to this critical endeavour. His recent receipt of the prestigious international palliative care award from the European Association of Palliative at Rotterdam, Netherlands, underscores his immense clinical impact of research in the field.

This initiative marks a pivotal moment in addressing the global health burden imposed by cancer and presents a unique opportunity for India to lead and guide international efforts in mitigating the suffering caused by this debilitating disease. His leadership and the collective efforts of the Lancet Commission are poised to significantly influence international health policies concerning cancer care, resource allocation, and the alleviation of financial strains associated with cancer treatment.

Dr H S Ballal, pro-chancellor of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) and Dr M D Venkatesh, vice-chancellor of MAHE, have congratulated Dr Naveen Salins on this remarkable achievement. Dr Sharath Rao, pro vice Chancellor – Health Sciences, MAHE, Manipal and Dr Padmaraj Hegde, dean of Kasturba Medical College, Manipal have commended Dr Salins’s for his dedication and expertise in advancing cancer care and research. They have expressed confidence that Dr Salins’s role as the commissioner of the Lancet Commission will yield transformative outcomes in the field of cancer care and beyond.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL & KARNATAKA: AIRBORNE TECHNOLOGIES: IISc Develops Autopilot System for Drones

The reason for India’s slow progress in this sector is due to the non-availability of essential indigenous electronics components like microcontrollers and sensors at a reasonable cost.

With the exponential rise in drone usage across sectors like industrial applications, agriculture, logistics and defence, the need for indigenous avionics systems has become crucial. In order to reduce dependence on foreign drone technology, the Indian Institute of Science (IISC) has made a significant achievement in the field of unmanned aerial systems. 

The Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Laboratory (AIRL) at IISC announced that the team has successfully developed an indigenous industrial-grade autopilot system for drones. The team said this achievement is the initial step towards the indigenization of avionics systems for drones in India. This feat was possible through the utilization of Indian-made Vega Microcontrollers, developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC), as part of the Digital India RISC-V Program (DIR-V). 

The indigenously developed technology will help reduce the reliance on microcontrollers in future drone avionics projects. Professor Suresh Sundaram, Associate Professor at the Department of Aerospace Engineering, who headed the project said, “Our autopilot system, powered by Vega Microcontrollers, showcases the immense potential of homegrown solutions in the unmanned aerial systems domain. We are confident that this breakthrough will pave the way for further advancements in this field and contribute to the growth of the drone ecosystem in India.” 

India’s most used drone technologies which include an unmanned aerial system (UAV) that can help run a basic operation system and forward data to a navigation control unit, are imported from China, US, Israel, and several European countries.

The reason for India’s slow progress in this sector is due to the non-availability of essential indigenous electronics components like microcontrollers and sensors at a reasonable cost. The country also lacks a skilled workforce working on the UAV systems. Using imported tech comes with major security concerns such as hacking and data manipulation.

The country has been on a steady growth towards chip manufacturing and CDAC is a ray of hope in developing world-class microcontrollers. “This move will cut millions of dollars worth of electronics import over the years and make India self-reliant in terms of UAV technology,” said the laboratory. 

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: Lifetime Achievement Award For Dr. H. Basavanagowdappa, Physician & Principal/Dean of JSS Medical College, Mysuru

The Association of Physicians of India, Karnataka Chapter, presented the “Lifetime Achievement Award” to Dr. H. Basavanagowdappa, a Senior Physician, Principal of JSS Medical College and Dean, Faculty of Medicine at JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Mysuru, at the awards ceremony held on Aug. 11 at Vijayanagara Institute of Medical Sciences, Ballari, during the Annual State Conference of the Association of Physicians of India, Karnataka State Chapter. 

The award was given in recognition of his 36 years of dedicated teaching experience in Medical education and his commitment to health services to several thousands of needy patients.

He was honoured with a plaque and a citation.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)