Category: Records, India

INTERNATIONAL: NATIONAL: KARNATAKA: ARTIC RESEARCH: Raman Research Institute Scientists head to Arctic to study ‘Cosmic Dawn’

The 4-member team will be working in the vicinity of the Himadri research station in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago.

A team of scientists from Bengaluru’s Raman Research Institute has been sent to the Arctic Circle for a research expedition. The four-member team, which is led by Girish B S of RRI’S Electronics Engineering Group, will be working in the vicinity of the Himadri research station, located in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago.

The mission, which was flagged off from Delhi on Monday, is set to last until January 15, under the aegis of the Ministry of Earth Sciences. The mission will seek to deploy instruments near Himadri to study radio signals in the 5 to 500 megahertz range. It will assess whether Svalbard is “radio-quiet” enough to deploy Shaped Antenna measurement of the background Radio Spectrum (SARAS) radio telescopes.

The radio telescopes are used in the study of the ‘cosmic dawn’, an era in the development of the universe which saw the formation of the first stars and galaxies.

According to a statement from the RRI, these ancient signals are easily drowned out by modern cell phone towers and other interference.

Girish B S stated that due to rampant urbanisation in recent years, the space for the deployment of scientific experiments for cosmological studies is fast shrinking. “Several places, where low frequency astronomical observations were conducted in the past, are no longer suitable for carrying out precision measurements. And the biggest limitation in achieving the required sensitivity is RFI (radio frequency interference),” he said.

SARAS has previously been deployed in remote parts of Karnataka and Ladakh.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL / NATIONAL/ KARNATAKA: GREEN-ENVIRONMENT / SPORTS : Bengaluru’s Ultra-Marathoner Aakash Nambiar runs 104Km barefoot in Dubai to raise ‘Awareness for Climate Change’

Aakash Nambiar’s initiative was inspired by the momentum generated by COP28, the climate change conference held earlier in December.

Aakash Nambiar, a 34-year-old ultra-marathoner from Bengaluru, took to the streets of Dubai barefoot, covering a staggering 104Km in just over 17 hours and 20 minutes. Known as ‘Barefoot Mallu’ on Instagram, Nambiar’s feat was not just a test of physical stamina but also a call to action against climate change.

Starting his journey at the break of dawn from Love Lake in Al Qudra, Nambiar traversed some of Dubai’s most iconic landmarks, including the Palm Jumeirah, Burj Al Arab, Kite Beach, Jumeirah Beach, La Mer Beach, Etihad Museum, and the Museum of the Future. His final destination was the towering Burj Khalifa, which he reached by midnight. Throughout this extraordinary marathon, Nambiar ran without shoes, braving the hot Middle Eastern terrain, save for the last few stretches at night.

Nambiar’s initiative was inspired by the momentum generated by COP28, the climate change conference held earlier in December. Through his run, he aimed to engage with community members, discussing the collective effort needed to combat climate change. His message was clear: “WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME” to act on this global issue.

“A 100KM inside Dubai, the city of skyscrapers!! The run started after the sun rise from Love, Lake to finish at the tallest building in the world Burj Khalifa covering Palm Jumeirah, Burj Al Arab, Kite Beach, Jumeirah Beach, La Mer beach, Etihad museum and Museum of future with a total of ~ 104KMs,” Nambiar wrote.

As reported by Khaleej Times, Nambiar expressed that running through the streets and meeting people made him feel alive and provided a powerful platform to spread his message on environmental conservation.

source/content: indiatoday.in (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: AGRICULTURE: Farmer Kumar of Puttur Taluk Sets World Record, Braves Bee Swarm For Agricultural Advancements

Hailing from Pernaje in Puttur Taluk, Dakshina Kannada District, Kumar engages in agriculture, primarily betel nut cultivation, and has included beekeeping as his main source of income. Despite the challenges involved in handling and separating queen bee families, Kumar indulges in the unique practice of braving a swarm of bees in his beard and moustache to set a Guinness World Record.

Kumar in Pernaje collects beehives from his garden and takes them home, caring for them in special boxes. He sets up and shares bee colonies generously with those who need them. Kumar sees valuable life lessons in observing these social creatures, finding their intricate workings a unique insight into agriculture.

Farmer Kumar, hailing from Puttur taluk in Dakshina Kannada district, garners recognition for his innovative initiatives. Following the development of a new machine for pest control in monkeys, he introduces a low-cost beehive, underscoring his dedication to inventive farming solutions.

Residing on a small plot in his name, he is a dedicated farmer and a progressive agriculturist cultivating various crops such as groundnut, coconut, banana, black pepper, coffee, and honey. Innovating his farming equipment, he initially introduced a simple technique for dispensing medicine to his nut plantations by standing under a tree.

To ward off monkeys from his plantations, he built a firecracker gun inspired by the Kovi. Currently, he has unveiled a novel approach for his beekeeping by-product. Shifting away from traditional wooden construction, he prioritises durability by employing cement sheets to craft beehive boxes.

A wooden honey box, priced between Rs 3 and Rs 3,500, faces competition from the more affordable cement sheet, costing only Rs 1,000. The cement boxes, apart from being cost-effective, are resistant to termite and ant issues prevalent in their wooden counterparts. He asserts that these cement boxes demonstrate resilience against rainwater, especially during the monsoon season.

Back in 2020, Nature MS, a beekeeper, set a world record by spending over four hours with his head entirely covered in bees. According to Guinness World Records, the 24-year-old accomplished this feat, lasting four hours, 10 minutes, and five seconds to secure the record.

source/content: news18.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL : KARNATAKA: ‘Gadinada Ratna’ Award conferred on multifaceted Social Entrepreneur Joseph Mathais, Dubai

During the second anniversary celebration of Dubai Gadinada Utsava on December 10, Gadinada Academy UAE bestowed the esteemed Gadinada Ratna award upon Joseph Mathais, a NRI entrepreneur, versatile social worker, singer, and actor. The award was presented by Basavaraj Horatti, the speaker of Karnataka Vidhan Parishad, in a ceremony held at the Woodlem Park School Auditorium.

Presiding over the colourful event was Sarvotham Shetty Abu Dhabi.

Distinguished guests of honour included former Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, Rajya Sabha member Dr L Hanumanthaiah, and Manjeshwar Lok Sabha member A K Ashraf.

Joseph Mathais, the recipient of the Gadinada Ratna award, is the founder of Merit Freight Systems, with business branches in the Gulf and India. Known for his extensive social contributions, Mathais has created job opportunities for numerous individuals. He is also recognized for initiatives such as providing uniforms to school children, sarees and dhotis to senior citizens, bicycles to the self-employed, sewing machines, and medical aid to the needy through the Ashoknagar Yuvaka Sangha, an organization awarded on Karnataka Rajyotsava.

Beyond his business endeavours, Joseph Mathais, a prominent singer and actor, has sponsored cultural programmes in Konkani, Kannada, and Tulu held both in India and abroad.

His dedication to social causes has earned him various accolades, including the Mayoora award from Sharjah Kannada Sangha and the Vishwa Kannadiga award from Gulf Kannadigara Sangha. Mathais continues to be a significant contributor to both the cultural and philanthropic landscape.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL / KARNATAKA: Bengaluru girl Veruschka Pandey showcases her skills at UN summit

Further, she stated that it is our responsibility to save people from untimely death by educating them about CPR.

A tenth grader from Bengaluru showcased her skill at the 1-Million 1-Billion (1M1B) summit held at the United Nations recently.

Veruschka Pandey, a youth changemaker from The International School, Bengaluru participated in the 1M1B Activate Impact Youth Summit held at the United Nations. It was hosted by the 1M1B Foundation on November 30 in New York. She presented her project Surya Nayak, which showcased her contribution to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in India. 

Veruschka has been working on giving CPR training to ASHA workers, bus drivers, factory workers and security personnel in Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka. She has been creating awareness, spreading information and training people.

“I not only want to create awareness but a mass movement among health workers and the Indian youth to achieve the SDGs by 2030,” she said at the summit, adding that our hearts are like vessels that have space for empathy, love and life. Further, she stated that it is our responsibility to save people from untimely death by educating them about CPR. 

Her thoughts and works were also showcased through a documentary ‘Heart is a Vessel’ at the UN, followed by a panel discussion that included her mentor Manav Subodh and Amit Madheshiya, an award-winning movie maker at the Cannes Film Festival. A documentary on Veruschka by Madheshiva was also screened at the event. 

PR/ Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj met the youth changemaker at the Permanent Mission of India, where she engaged on a broad spectrum of issues, including Agenda 2030 and SDG implementation in India.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL / KARNATAKA: US firm Waters Corporation opens Global Capability Center in Bengaluru with $16 mn investment

US firm Waters Corporation, an analytical laboratory instrument and software company, inaugurated its new Global Capability Center (GCC) in Bengaluru’s RMZ Ecoworld technology park on Wednesday.

The new $16 million facility will employ more than 300 for roles enabling leading-edge software engineering, technology and product development, data analytics, and IT.

“India continues to be one of our fastest growing markets and a key location for the talent that we need to drive global customer success and innovation forward,” Waters Corporation President and CEO Udit Batra said.

“The Waters India GCC is an integrated extension of our global team, serving as a centre of excellence across areas such as software engineering, technology and product development. This is an exciting day for Waters as the future holds many possibilities.

“Opening the Waters GCC is a significant milestone for our team in India. We chose Bengaluru because of the availability and depth of talent, the friendly business environment, and its close proximity to our customers,” Waters India Pvt. Ltd General Manager T. Anilkumar said.

“Our GCC in Bengaluru will allow us to access and develop exceptional talent within Waters to accelerate our technological capabilities, operational excellence and productivity in support of our customers in India and around the world,” he added.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL / KARNATAKA: ELECTRONICS & AVIATION: HAL to host Avionics Expo in Delhi on December 7, 8 

The expo will unveil a comprehensive range of avionics products deployed in various aircraft platforms, including advanced flight control systems, communication systems and navigation systems.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will showcase its rich legacy in the design, development and production of a diverse range of avionics systems during Avionics Expo-2023, to be held at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, on December 7 and 8.

The Expo will be inaugurated by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.

“We will demonstrate HAL’s capabilities and contributions toward self-reliance in avionics, to our stakeholders, including the Indian Armed Forces, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Civil Aviation, DRDO and other important institutions,” said CB Ananthakrishnan, CMD (Additional Charge), HAL.

The expo will unveil a comprehensive range of avionics products deployed in various aircraft platforms, including advanced flight control systems, communication systems and navigation systems. Several panel discussions will feature experts from the Armed Forces, HAL, partner organisations, and academia, providing a holistic view of the sector. 

“The event will serve as a hub for professionals, industry leaders and stakeholders from the aviation sector. They will have ample networking opportunities to establish meaningful connections, foster collaborations and explore potential business partnerships. It is a testament to HAL’s commitment to advancing aerospace technology in India,” said DK Sunil, Director (Engineering and R&D).

A section for live demonstrations will allow visitors to witness the performance and reliability of HAL’s avionics solutions in realtime scenarios. Engineering students from in and around Delhi have also been invited to gain the experience. HAL’s Avionics Expo aims to achieve self-reliance in avionics and is a testament to its commitment to advancing aerospace technology in India.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: INDIA / KARNATAKA: GUINNESS RECORD: Kundapur’s Students of Hattiangadi Siddivinayaka School Register Guinness Record in Mosaic Painting

Students of Hattiangadi Siddivinayaka School on the threshold of celebrating their silver jubilee have achieved Guinness record by creating the mosaic picture of H Ramachandra Bhat, founder of the residential school and spiritual leader.

As many as 1,228 people participated to complete the task at 3 pm on December 3 and got a new record registered in the Guinness Book of World Records.

The principal, administrative official, teachers, staff and well-wishers joined in the school premises on December 1 to create the 7.75 feet long and 5.625 feet wide picture with an area of 42.78 square feet using 1,228 rotating rubix cubes. The Rotating Rubik’s Cube creation in the participation of 308 people by U K’s Rubik brand limited was holding the record so far.

Rishinath from Guinness organization who was stationed as adjudicator for the last four days verified and confirmed the achievement, announced the record and handed over the certificate to H Sharankumar, principal of the school. Siddi educational institute’s Ramadevi R Bhat, vice president H Balachandra Bhat, management official Veena Rashmi, Guinness record guide Prathwish K, management board’s Dr N P Narayana Shetty and vice principal Rama Devadiga were present.

As many as 50 students of the school had created on November 30 the picture of national Hockey player major Dhyanchand in an area of 19.198 square meters using 6,000 cubes on one side and dual sided rotating Rubik’s cube mosaic picture of international badminton player P V Sindhu on the other side and broken the record of Zengis Aitzanov who had created the picture with an area of 15.878 square meters using 5,100 cubes.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL/ NATIONAL/ KARNATAKA: Bengaluru Scientist Prof Urbasi Singh, 1st Indian Scientist to get Canadian Excellence Research Chair (CERC) Award, Wins USD 8 million grant

Prof Urbasi specialises in quantum science and her research interests span cutting-edge topical areas such as quantum communication, quantum computation, quantum optics and quantum fundamentals.

Prof Urbasi Singh from the Quantum Information and Computing (QuIC) laboratory at the Raman Research Institute (RRI), Bengaluru, is the first Indian scientist to be awarded Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Photonic Quantum Science and Technologies.

She won a grant worth $8 million, opening possibilities for international interactions in academia, industry and other sectors developing lab-to-market innovative models — for building a future ecosystem based on quantum technologies.

Prof Urbasi specialises in quantum science and her research interests span cutting-edge topical areas such as quantum communication, quantum computation, quantum optics and quantum fundamentals and information processing.

Her lab is one of the first in India to manufacture and establish the usage of heralded and entangled photon sources towards various applications in quantum technologies. 

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

Airbus, HAL tie up for commercial aircraft maintenance

French aerospace manufacturer Airbus said on Thursday that it was partnering with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for commercial aircraft service support.

Under the agreement, Airbus will provide the A320 family tool package and offer specialised consulting services to HAL to set up an MRO. Airbus will also offer HAL access to AirbusWorld, a digital platform that offers support, technical data and training solutions.

HAL’s Nashik division has capabilities in civil MRO, which include three Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)-approved hangars and skilled manpower from their defence activities.

“HAL has a vision to establish an integrated MRO hub in the country and provide airlines with an effective MRO solution. This step by HAL Nashik is also aligned to civil-military convergence and the Make in India mission of the Government of India,” said Saket Chaturvedi, CEO (MiG Complex), HAL.

“An indigenous MRO infrastructure will not only help airlines streamline their aircraft operations, but also support the government’s aim of making India a global aviation hub,” said Rémi Maillard, President and Managing Director, Airbus India and South Asia.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)