Category: Records, India

INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL & KARNATAKA : SILK INDUSTRY: Sericulture And Silk Industry International Training Session Begins, Mysuru

Over 30 foreign delegates attend month-long programme at Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute in Mysuru city.

A month-long international training programme on ‘Sericulture and Silk Industry’ began at the Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute (CSRTI) in the city this morning.

More than 30 delegates from countries including Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Kenya, Myanmar, Nigeria, Philippines, Uganda, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, Laos, Thailand and Bangladesh are participating.

This training programme is conducted under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC), sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. The trainees will undergo 30 days of practical training in mulberry silkworm rearing, complemented by classroom teaching and exposure visits to all sectors of sericulture.

The event was inaugurated at CSRTI premises on Manandavadi Road here by Dr. C. Meenakshi, Director (Finance) and Member-Secretary of the Central Silk Board, in the presence of Dr. Gandhi Doss, Director of CSRTI and R. Dileep Kumar, Executive Director of the International Sericulture Commission.

Dr. Meenakshi emphasised the importance of sericulture technologies and training for the development of the silk industry. She highlighted India’s unique position in the world’s premium silk production and the role of the International Sericulture Commission in conducting the international training.

Dr. Meenakshi stated that the trainees would receive hands-on training in mulberry silkworm rearing for four weeks and be exposed to the latest technologies developed by CSRTI. They will also visit progressive sericulture farmers and allied sectors of sericulture in and around Mysuru, with the goal of increasing silk production worldwide.

She informed the delegates that CSRTI Mysuru, as a pioneering Sericultural Research Institute under the Central Silk Board, is dedicated to research and development of technologies to enhance silk productivity and quality in India.

The institute also conducts training programmes on various aspects of sericulture for national and international participants. She encouraged the trainees to share the knowledge gained from quality silk cultivation in their respective nations.

According to CSRTI, the main objectives of this training programme are to support the introduction and development of sericulture activities in third-world countries, generate skilled manpower in sericulture, provide training in extension management and technology transfer, and impart knowledge in post-cocoon technology and successful commercial sericulture practices for replication in other developed countries.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL & KARNATAKA: SPACE TECHNOLOGY: Udupi Ramachandra Rao (U.R. Rao) – The Man who Built a Satellite in a Shed

Let us shift our attention away from the lander to Chandrayaan-3, the satellite that carried it there, and to the story of India’s satellite dream, which began in 1972 in six rough industrial sheds outside Bengaluru.

Last week, as the Vikram lander descended into a graceful, precise, soft landing on the dark side of the moon, Indian hearts exploded in pride. This week, let us shift our attention away from the lander to Chandrayaan-3, the satellite that carried it there, and to the story of India’s satellite dream, which began in 1972 in six rough industrial sheds outside Bengaluru.

The problem with space technology is that countries guard their knowhow fiercely – there’s very little, and very sketchy, information available in the public domain. In 1966, therefore, Vikram Sarabhai, then director of the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) invited one of his former PhD students at Physical Research Laboratories (PRL) Ahmedabad, who had been researching solar cosmic-ray phenomena while working with Pioneer space probes and Explorer satellites at MIT, to return and head the satellite engineering team he was putting together. The brilliant young man who bought into the dream and would later be hailed as India’s Satellite Man was 34-year-old Udupi Ramachandra Rao.

When UR Rao took over the satellite program, he was the only one on the team to have ever seen a satellite. At that time, the satellite engineering team was divided between the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) near Trivandrum, and PRL in Ahmedabad. The untimely death of Sarabhai in 1971 brought Satish Dhawan to the helm of ISRO (INCOSPAR became ISRO in 1969). Unwilling to give up his job as Director of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Dhawan negotiated for ISRO to move to Bengaluru, providing the perfect opportunity for Rao, who had spent his boyhood in Ballari and the little village of Adamaru in Udupi, to decide to move the satellite centre here as well.

It wasn’t easy. The unionized labour force at TERLS went on the warpath, refusing to allow any equipment to be moved out. In Bengaluru itself, premises had to be found. At first, the IISc gymkhana was co-opted; later, the Karnataka government offered Rao a few sheds at the brand-new (read: entirely lacking facilities) Peenya Industrial Area outside town. In a dazzling feat of jugaad, involving thermocol, vinyl, and, presumably, duct tape, one of those dusty, asbestos-roofed sheds was converted into the ‘clean room’ required for satellite activity.

In those sheds, between 1972 and 1975, a young and inexperienced but passionate team of scientists and engineers – average age: 26 – put together, under Rao’s dynamic, inspiring. impatient leadership, India’s very first satellite, Aryabhata. It was a magnificent feat – no other country had built a satellite in under three years. The famous picture of Aryabhata being transported on a bullock cart was scoffed at in the American press, which questioned a poor country’s need for a space program. Rao explained it years later as another brilliant example of jugaad. The spacecraft had to be tested for electromagnetic capability and interference in an open area, but metal trucks threw off reflections that interfered with the satellite’s antenna. Someone came up with the brilliant idea of using a wooden bullock cart to transport it instead – et voila!

In 2017, at the age of 85, after overseeing the design of 18 more satellites, accelerating the development of satellite launch vehicles like the ASLVs and PSLVs during his decade-long tenure as Chairman of ISRO, and becoming the first Indian to be inducted into the International Astronautical Federation’s ‘Hall of Fame’, the much-decorated UR Rao died with his boots on. Since then, the ISRO Satellite Centre in Bengaluru, which he so capably raised on the wings of a dream and a prayer, and where all the Chandrayaan satellites were built, has carried his name, and now goes by UR Rao Satellite Centre.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL & KARNATAKA: SCEINC & TECHNOLOGY: Indian Institute of Science (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 & NATIONAL: DEFENCE SERVICES / INDIAN NAVY: Navy Chief Inaugurates 600 residential buildings at Naval Base Karwar

The 10 residential towers have been provisioned with modern amenities, improved interiors, landscaping and external services.

Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar inaugurated residential buildings comprising 600 flats at Amadhalli and Arga Naval Base each during his visit to Naval Base Karwar in Karnataka on Monday, a press note from the Navy read.

The 10 residential towers have been provisioned with modern amenities, improved interiors, landscaping and external services.

These infrastructure developments are part of ongoing Phase IIA of Project Seabird which will house around 10,000 uniformed and civilian personnel with families, the release said.

The ongoing construction has created numerous direct and indirect jobs. The project aligns with the ‘AatmaNirbharBharat’ initiative of the central government, sourcing over 90 per cent of material domestically.

The CNS praised the Project Seabird effort in the creation of high-quality defence infrastructure and urged expeditious completion of remaining facilities, the release read.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL & KARNATAKA: Scientists from Gadag and Shivamogga part of Chandrayaan-3 Mission

Shivamogga:

Ramu said to TNIE that it was a moment to cherish for a lifetime and was proud to be part of the Chandrayaan-3, a successful mission to the moon.

When the entire country sang praises and rejoiced over the success of Chandrayaan-3, Shivamogga city puffed up with extra pride as it is home to C Ramu, the Deputy Project Director (DPD) of the Propulsion System, Propulsion Module. Ramu said to TNIE that it was a moment to cherish for a lifetime and was proud to be part of the Chandrayaan-3, a successful mission to the moon.

Ramu did his primary education at RC school in the city. He did his Mechanical Engineering course at Jawaharlal Nehru National College of Engineering. Later, he did his MS in Aerospace Engineering from IISc, Bengaluru.  He joined ISRO in the year 2004 and is presently working as a scientist/ engineer in the Liquid Propulsion System Centre, Bengaluru.   

Gadag: The mission also has a Gadag connection. One of the lunar mission’s scientists is a native of Gadag. Sudhindra Bindagi, who joined ISRO in 1986, retired only last month. He is said to be one the main engineers behind the success of Chandrayaan -3. An alumnus of VDS Boys High School in Gadag, the scientist had a video conference session with the students of his alma mater on Thursday. Bindagi completed his primary education in Kannada medium in Gadag. His photographs with Prime Minister Narendra Modi have gone viral on social media platforms. Bindagi, a resident of Veeranarayana Temple area in Gadag, completed his B.Tech from Surathkal Engineering College. He worked as a satellite thermal designer in 1992 and as a project manager for communication satellite INSAT-LE.  

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited) 

INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL & KARNATAKA: CM Siddaramaiah visits ISRO, to felicitate scientists in Vidhana Soudha

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced on Thursday that the scientists of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) would be felicitated officially by the government for the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission.

Speaking to reporters after paying a visit to ISRO in Bengaluru to meet and felicitate scientists, Siddaramaiah stated that the felicitation function will be held at the Banquet Hall of Vidhana Soudha after September 2. He had given directions for his staff to coordinate with ISRO in this regard, he added.

“The achievement of ISRO by landing Vikram on the Moon safely is hailed by the entire country. The achievement has made the whole world look towards India. Our country is fourth after Russia, America, and China to achieve a safe landing on the Moon. We are the first country to land safely on the South Pole. Hence, all of us should acknowledge the achievement of ISRO and appreciate it,” CM Siddaramaiah explains.

ISRO Chairman S. Somnath and his team of 500 scientists have actively taken part in the programme from Karnataka. 3,84,000 kilometres were travelled by the Vikram and for so many years efforts have been made for the achievement. “All our cooperation and support is with ISRO for its future programmes as it is a pride of our nation,” CM Siddaramaiah maintained.

When asked about how he felt after watching the event live on Wednesday, CM Siddaramaiah stated, “I became very happy as our country has achieved this.

“It’s a historical achievement and a big achievement. They worked for many years round the clock. They have nearly 500 scientists from Bengaluru involved in this and in total more than 1,000 scientists have worked across the country.” DyCM D.K. Shivakumar visited ISRO on Wednesday evening and felicitated the team.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL & KARNATAKA: Chandrayaan-3: How indigenous amplifier played a crucial role in communication

In the case of space missions, amplifiers are instrumental in getting the message from the Lander and Rover to the satellite orbiting on the Moon’s surface, which is about four lakh km from Earth.

 Chandrayaan-3 – India’s ambitious Moon Mission is a team work with several scientists, technicians, and entrepreneurs among others joining hands to make it a success.

Associate Director, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) headquarters, Dr BHM Darukesha and his team had developed the 5-watt signal amplifier (for communication) which is an important part of Chandrayaan-3’s Lander and Rover when no other country came forward to provide it to India since amplifiers are mostly used by the military for defence operations. Darukehsa hails from Kottur in Vijayanagara district.

In the case of space missions, amplifiers are instrumental in getting the message from the Lander and Rover to the satellite orbiting on the surface of the Moon, which is about four lakh km from the Earth. ISRO was looking for a 5-watt signal amplifier for its Moon missions.

According to informed sources, a Japanese firm had agreed to provide its own 12-watt amplifier. “However, it was not suitable for use in space travel and Isro had to develop its own amplifier. This responsibility was assigned to Darukesha, who headed the Integrated Circuit (IC) design team.

The 5-watt amplifier developed by him and his team has won various awards by ISRO. These amplifiers were fitted in the Lander and Rover of Chandrayaan-1 & 2, Mangalyaan and now Chandrayaan 3,” 
added sources.

“An amplifier is required to know the operational status of a satellite or spacecraft that is launched from the Earth. It was an opportunity and privilege for me and my team to develop it at a time when other countries had backed out,” Daurkesha told this newspaper. 

Born on August 6, 1974, to Suvarnamma and Mahadevaiah – a government primary school teacher in  Shivpura Gollarahatti in Kudligi taluk. Darukesha was appointed as a scientist in ISRO in 1998.

CTTC scientists’ hard work pays off

A team of 150 scientists, engineers and technicians, who toiled hard for the last two years to mould different types of components used in the lander, erupted in joy when lander module Vikram landed on the dark side of the Moon’s surface. It was the lander that had crashed during the Chandrayaan-2 mission in 2019. CTTC delivered over 75,000 components for Chandrayaan-3.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: NATIONAL & KARNATAKA / ARTS & CULTURE / PHOTOGRAPHY : Mysuru’s N.G. Sudheer Wins Gold Medals in Intl. Photography Salon by The Photographic Society of America

The Photography Society of America, an internationally recognised organisation, in association with JSP, Foto Soul and Vibrant Shades organisations, had organised an International Photography Salon (Competition) in the month of May.

The competition was held in three stages in different countries.

Mysuru’s photographer N.G. Sudheer has won two gold medals in two different stages for his photograph of Mahamastakabhisheka in Shravanabelagola.

source/content: starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Photo News / August 22nd, 2023

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: MANUFACTURING / DEFENCE & NAVAL AIR FORCE / : Maiden flight of LCA Naval Trainer NP5 from HAL Airport Successful in Karnataka

The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Naval Trainer Prototype NP5 successfully completed its maiden flight.

The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Naval Trainer Prototype NP5 successfully completed its maiden flight on Friday. The aircraft, which took off from HAL airport, was airborne 57 minutes with all parameters normal, according to Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)..

The aircraft, which incorporates the production standard airframe and rainwater compliance, maintainability improvements as well as futuristic system advancement, was captained by Capt Amit Kawade (Indian Navy) with Wg Cdr Siddarth Singh (Retd) in the rear cockpit.

Capt Kawade said the handling qualities were extremely satisfactory and all test points envisaged have been successfully completed. LCA Navy is designed and developed jointly by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bangalore.

The first trainer prototype NP1 was flown on April 27, 2012, and the fighter prototype NP2 on February 7, 2015. Both Naval Prototypes (NP1 and NP2) have achieved major milestones such as ski-jump take-off and arrested landing demonstrations on Shore Based Test Facility at Dabolim Airport, Goa, and operations from indigenous aircraft carriers. 

LCA Navy can operate day and night

“The aircraft demonstrated 18 arrested landings and ski-jump takeoffs from INS Vikramaditya in January 2020, including hot refuelling capability. Recently, LCA Navy participated in the carrier trials from INS Vikrant and performed 10 ski-jump take-offs and arrested landings on February 6.

LCA Navy has completed the landmark achievement of being the first indigenous fighter aircraft landing on the indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant,” DRDO said in a statement. Equipped with state-of-the-art technologies such as a fly-by-wire flight control system, glass cockpit and advanced mechanical systems, LCA Navy can be operated seamlessly day and night.

It features advanced hands-free ski-jump take-off and landing flight control modes. LCA Navy Prototypes are carrier compatible and can operate with Air-to-Air weapons for combat missions. “The new prototype NP5 will soon undertake field and carrier operations from INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant. LCA Navy NP5 incorporates all improvements identified during the testing of NP1 and NP2 is a production-ready aircraft,” the statement added.

The addition of NP5 aircraft to the LCA Navy prototype fleet will help accelerate flight testing activities which will provide designers vital inputs towards the design and development of the Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF), the country’s prestigious futuristic carrier aircraft programme. LCA Navy can also serve as an effective training platform for Indian Navy pilots for operations from the aircraft carriers, the release said.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)