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Schoolgirls had to remotely build payloads (transport of data across a network) and write codes for the satellite to be launched into space.

It seemed like a flight of fancy a year ago for Tanvi Patel. The tenth grader and a science enthusiast from Shri BS Patel Kanya Vidyalaya in Mahesana, Gujarat, was chosen to be part of an ambitious space plan. Called AzaadiSAT, the project involved 750 girls like her from government schools across India.

They had to remotely build payloads (transport of data across a network) and write codes for the satellite to be launched into space. On February 10, as part of the ISRO’s SSLV-D2 launch, the small, eight-kg CubeSat blasted off into space from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. How does Patel wish to celebrate? 

“I want to hug Srimathy ma’am for making me a Space Star,” she says. Dr Srimathy Kesan is the brain behind the communication satellite. The 49-year-old founder and CEO of Space Kidz India (SKI), a Chennai-based science and space technology incubator, made AzaadiSAT the first STEM project in the world comprising all girls.

Founded in 2011 with the mission to help young minds ‘savour space sciences’, SKI runs three-month modules—from the solar system and galaxy to robotics and drones—for various age groups. So far SKI has trained 3,500 kids in space exploration of whom about 100 are already working with companies that are into robotics and drone startups across India.

Incidentally, Kesan herself is neither a space scientist nor an aeronautical engineer. “In school, 
I was an NCC cadet and was chosen as a paratrooper. Paratrooping put me in the sky and the space bug bit me,” she recalls.

The tipping point came in 2009 when her friend mentioned a global conference being held in Miami. “I had to be there,” she says. It was in Florida that she got an opportunity to interact with NASA representatives who had set up a kiosk to talk about their programmes. NASA had several initiatives for young school students and that same year, she managed to fly a batch of 108 students to the US to give them a taste of space.

Since then, Kesan has taken around 3,500 youngsters to various space workshops. In 2013, SKI started the Young Scientist India programme to identify high school students who could be mentored to become space scientists. Kesan herself was part of the one-day astronaut programme in Florida in December 2022 where she was handpicked to join celebrity NASA astronaut Charlie Duke, becoming the first Indian woman to experience zero gravity.

How did a commerce student become a space ninja? “Reading NASA news, attending workshops/seminars at the US space agency, taking copious notes and googling like crazy about anything related to satellites,” she says with a twinkle in her eyes. 

In 2022, Kesan pitched the idea to include 750 girls from government schools to build an indigenous satellite to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a Zoom call where some space startups were meeting. “The PM instructed the government officials to offer me all help needed,” she says.

ISRO gave them technical support and other incidental expenses for the programmes were sanctioned by Hexaware Technologies, a Mumbai-based IT services company. Anna University, Chennai, gave them the space to build the satellite. The students were picked based on their enthusiasm to learn fast. The space lover, wants to take kids to the moon in the next five years. Audacity is, indeed, Kesan’s first name.

newindianexpress.com

The Tamil Nadu government on Saturday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ola Electric Mobility Pvt. Ltd., with an investment potential of ₹7,614 crore, in the presence of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin at the Secretariat.

The project comprises an electric vehicle cell plant and an electric four-wheeler plant to be set up on the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Limited (SIPCOT) premises in Bargur, Krishnagiri district, and generate employment for 3,111 people, according to a release.

Earlier this week, the State government had unveiled the Tamil Nadu Electric Vehicle (EV) policy, 2023. It also signed an MoU with Renault-Nissan alliance with plans for making six models including two electric vehicles at its plant near Chennai with an investment of ₹5,300 crore.

Ola will set up the world’s largest EV hub with integrated two-wheeler, car and lithium cell giga factories in Tamil Nadu. Bhavish Aggarwal, CEO, Ola, thanked Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Twitter for his support.

Ola has indicated that it would provide more jobs for women. The company’s decision to invest in Tamil Nadu shows the confidence they have in the State, Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu, told The Hindu.

“With the revised EV policy and these MoUs, Tamil Nadu is poised to become the EV capital of India,” V. Vishnu, MD and CEO, Guidance Tamil Nadu, said.

Mr. Stalin also inaugurated Inox Air Products’s 200 TPD ultra-high pure medical oxygen manufacturing unit in SIPCOT, Hosur. The project, with an investment of ₹150 crore, will provide employment for 105 people.

He also laid the foundation stone for a 4.98-acre mini Tidel Park in Vellore district, to be set up at an estimated cost of ₹30 crore. This is a part of the government’s plan to establish Tidel Park in Tier II and Tier III towns across Tamil Nadu, as announced in the State Budget for 2021-22.

Mr. Stalin also unveiled GX Group’s research and development centre in Chennai. The Group had signed an MoU with the State government in July 2022 for setting up the centre, with an investment of ₹110 crore, to employ 100 people in hi-tech engineering jobs.

thehindu.com

Kohi also has a 53-plus average while making the 25000-plus runs, the highest among the members of the exclusive club with Kallis second at 49.10.

Virat Kohli added another feather in his cap on Sunday as he became the sixth and the fastest batter in the world to score 25,000 runs across formats during the second Test against Australia, which India won by six wickets, in New Delhi.

Kohli achieved the feat when he reached 8 during India’s run chase of 115 as he flicked Nathan Lyon for a boundary in the 12th over in the second innings. He had come into his 492nd match overall with 52 runs needed to reach the milestone. He made 44 in India’s first innings and was out for 20 in the second essay to end at 25012 runs.

“Milestone Unlocked. Congratulations @imVkohli on reaching 25000 runs in international cricket! Simply sensational,” the BCCI tweeted.

“… And heartiest congratulations to @imVkohli on becoming the fastest to get to 25000 international runs,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in his tweet to congratulate the team for winning the Tests.

The other stalwarts to have scored more than 25,000 runs across formats are Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar (34357 from 664 matches), Sri Lankans Kumar Sangakkara (28016 from 594 matches) and Mahela Jayawardene (25957 from 652 matches), Australian Ricky Ponting (27483 from 560 matches) and South African Jacques Kallis (25534 from 519 matches).

The 34-year-old Kohli, who made his India debut in 2008, reached the milestone in his 549th innings, the least among the six batters. Tendulkar had taken 577 innings to reach the 25000-run mark while Ponting did it in 588 innings.

Kohi also has a 53-plus average while making the 25000-plus runs, the highest among the members of the exclusive club with Kallis second at 49.10.

Kohli has 8195 runs from 106 Tests, 12809 from 271 ODIs and 4008 from 115 T20Is.

thehindu.com

This was Tomar’s first senior ISSF World Cup stage medal.

Teenager Varun Tomar bagged a bronze medal in the men’s 10m air pistol competition, opening India’s account at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol in Cairo.

The 19-year-old, competing on day one, got the better of teammate Sarabjot Singh in a shoot-off after both had tied for the third spot with a score of 250.6 in the ranking round.

Seasoned Slovakian shooter Juraj Tuzinsky defeated upcoming Italian talent Paolo Monna 17-15, to win gold in the event.

Earlier, Varun had shot 583 in qualification to make the ranking round in second place, while Sarabjot had shot 581 to qualify fifth. Juraj also topped the qualification with a score of 585.

In the ranking match, Paolo topped with 254.2 to set up the gold medal clash with Juraj, who finished second with 252.8, ahead of the two Indians as names like 50-year-old Turkish veteran Yusuf Dikec fell by the wayside.

This was Tomar’s first senior ISSF World Cup stage medal.

thehindu.com

Four Indian Americans are among 106 new members elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), while three Indians figure among 18 new international members.

The seven Indian origin engineers — Shorya Awtar, Anirudh Devgan, TS Ramakrishnan, Anil Sachdev, Vikram S Deshpande, Aniruddha B Pandit, and Raman Sujith — and others in the newly elected class will be formally inducted during the NAE’s annual meeting on Oct 1, 2023, according to an NAE press release.

This brings the total US membership to 2,420 and the number of international members to 319.

Election to the NAE, a private, independent, nonprofit institution that provides engineering leadership in service to the nation, is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer, according to the release.

Academy membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to “engineering research, practice, or education, including, where appropriate, significant contributions to the engineering literature” and to “the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education.”

NAE’s mission is to advance the welfare and prosperity of the nation by providing independent advice on matters involving engineering and technology, and by promoting a vibrant engineering profession and public appreciation of engineering, the release said.

Four new Indian American members are:
Shorya Awtar, chief executive officer, Parallel Robotics LLC, Ann Arbor, Michigan. For inventing and commercializing game-changing surgical products that have made minimally invasive surgery affordable and accessible around the world.

Anirudh Devgan, president and CEO, Cadence Design Systems, San Jose, California. For technical and business leadership in the electronic design automation industry.

TS Ramakrishnan, senior scientific adviser, Schlumberger-Doll Research Center, Cambridge, Massachusetts. For contributions to petrophysics, reservoir characterization, abandonment of production wells, and carbon sequestration and storage.

Anil Sachdev, principal technical fellow and lab group manager, General Motors Co, Warren, Michigan. For the research, development, and commercialization of lightweight materials to improve vehicle fuel economy.

Three new Indian origin international members are:
Vikram S Deshpande, professor, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. For contributions to mechanics of microarchitected solids with applications to structures under extreme dynamic loading.

Aniruddha B Pandit, vice chancellor and UGC Professor, Chemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, India. For contributions to cavitational reactors from concept to commercialization, and engineering solutions to improve the lives of underserved people.

Raman Sujith, chair professor, Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India. For applications of dynamical systems theory to the understanding and control of instabilities in engineering systems.

americanbazaaronline.com

Apsara Iyer, first Indian woman president of the prestigious student publication, tells us why restoration of stolen antiques to their rightful countries is her mission.

In February, first generation Indian-American Apsara Iyer claimed another milestone for the Indian community already standing on an Everest of spelling bee wins, and so many more exemplary academic achievements—she became the first Indian woman to be appointed president of the prestigious Harvard Law Review.

The journal is published by an independent student group at Harvard Law School, and is said to stand first among 143 student law journals for its impact factor. It is among the oldest student-run legal scholarship publications. Iyer is the first Indian woman in its 136-year history to hold the position, and follows such prestigious names as former US president Barack Obama and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Pudhil station, White House.

Iyer grew up in Indiana, born  to Tamil parents raised in Wadala; the couple’s parents had moved to India’s financial capital in the 1930s and ’40s from Kerala. The 29-year-old joined the prestigious law school after four-and-a-half-years at the Antiquities Trafficking Unit in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, where she helped restore over 1,100 antiquities to 15 different countries. “Several of these objects were from India,” she says over e-mail, “and I was the lead analyst on many investigations concerning trafficking networks operating in India and Southeast Asia.”

Iyer’s interest in history and antiquities was seeded in high school, when she worked on an archaeological excavation site in Peru. “I began to pursue my studies at Yale with a research focus on the value of cultural heritage,” she says. “During one of my field research projects in India, I had the opportunity to visit a site that had been the victim of looting. I distinctly remember that while I was at the site, someone asked me, ‘What are you going to do about this?’ This wake-up call led me to work in law to address the issue of antiquities trafficking.” Iyer graduated from Yale majoring in Math, Economics and Spanish, and went on to pursue an MPhil in Economics from the University of Oxford.

The destruction of cultural heritage and its effect on people occupied her mind. “This kind of destruction—by looting or other means—is an attack on the identity of a community and, in turn, our common humanity. Cultural heritage represents a shared history, roots, and beliefs.” Her favourite memories from working at the District Attorney’s Office surround organising repatriation ceremonies to return stolen objects to their lawful owners. “Each repatriation ceremony, whether with India or Iraq or Greece, is incredibly moving,” she says. “Although the return of the objects will not recover their original archaeological context, the repatriation allows for a piece of history to journey back to its lawful owner.” One case of satisfying avengement must have been that of hedge fund billionaire and philanthropist Michael Steinhardt. In 2021, he surrendered $70 million of stolen antiquities and was banned for a lifetime on acquiring antiquities. Iyer worked on the case in which 180 antiquities, stolen from 11 countries, were returned to rightful owners in Bulgaria, Egypt, Greece, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Syria and Turkey.

Among the first cases she was assigned at the DA’s office was the one involving a Nataraja stolen from the Punnainallur Temple in Thanjavur. “Over the next three years,” she says, “I worked tirelessly with the lead prosecutor to uncover new evidence, witnesses, and investigative leads. Our work single-handedly resulted in the return of the Nataraja to the Government of India. In such cases, I have seen first-hand how the communities maintained hope and prayed for years that the relics will return.”

Another inspiring moment was being able to work on a case involving a mother goddess statue stolen from a site in Udaipur that she had visited in 2013 for research as a student at Yale.“I photographed the temple post-theft,” she says, “and met with local witnesses who still remembered the statues. Finally, in 2022 nine years later, we were able to recover one idol and it is awaiting repatriation to India.” 

On the personal front, Iyer enjoys looking at art and boxing, a sport she trained in for a charity event while living in New York. 

mid-day.com

India is set to organise World Hindi Conference between February 15-17 in Fiji. A 270-member delegation from India will visit Fiji for the event.

Representatives from 50 countries will participate in the event and representatives from South and Northeast India will be presenting papers at the conference.

“Hindi has made limited progress in the United Nations. U.N. press releases are now available in Hindi. We are trying to get Hindi its rightful place at the U.N.” said Saurabh Kumar, Secretary (East), MEA.

thehindu.com

This honor bestowed upon me is totally unexpected, though of course it will stay high in my mind on reaching this status that was one of the goals on my list that I wanted to achieve.

New Delhi: 

Golden Excellence in Entertainment was presented in gratitude to Satish Sanpal under the Patronage of H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Cabinet Minister of Tolerance & Coexistence UAE that were held at Grand Hyatt Al Garhoud, Dubai, UAE.

“This honor bestowed upon me is totally unexpected, though of course it will stay high in my mind on reaching this status that was one of the goals on my list that I wanted to achieve. I believe in law of attraction. If you really want something, set your goals and go for it,” remarked Satish Sanpal after being honored with this award.

“What ultimately rewards you sooner or later is the never ending efforts of faith, determination and perseverance one puts in his objective,” added Sanpal who is widely known in upper crest circle of UAE as the most stylish and Iconic entrepreneur and mentor to many. He is well-known for his immaculate contribution to the hospitality sector in Dubai by establishing VII Dubai and much lesser known virtue about him is that he is also a philanthropist.

“I believe that it is our contribution towards the economy that is focused to developing the luxury Buildings at prime locations of Dubai as well as urbanization across the Emirates and Middle East, that has been one of the objectives of receiving this merit,” further reveals this who has paved the path of opportunity for many youngsters in various sectors such as digital marketing, information technology, and hospitality.

Satish Sanpal founded VII Dubai is one of the most enchanting night clubs in Dubai was quoted in one of the leading newspapers saying, “I never dreamed about success, I worked for it. Apart from destiny, one has to have a determination and back it with hard work.” It is evidently visible that he is an entrepreneur par excellence who successfully owns and runs a group of companies in not just Dubai but all across the Emirates.

Responding to another query about the uniqueness of VII Dubai, Sanpal replied, “It is the best in terms of quality, variety, the performers at our club and we have always brought in the best DJs to take over the stage. The presentation of food and beverages is impeccable. VII Dubai is divided into three parts a terrace, lounge and club. Each section boasts of a different ambience, giving guests a one-stop destination for a memorable evening.”

When asked about what is so magical about the UAE that he stays focused in this region for the moment, this widely traveled business magnet feels that there’s no place as comfortable and safe for entrepreneurs such as the UAE and Dubai in particular is known for its innovative development and architecture, and its shopping scenes incredible transportation options and well-developed infrastructure.

(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PNN and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.).

siasat.com

KTR said that the Hyderabad E-Mobility Week would be held regularly to foster collaboration by bringing together the thought leaders.

Hyderabad: 

Telangana today announced India’s first new mobility-focused cluster, Telangana Mobility Valley (TMV), at the first edition of Mobility Next Hyderabad Summit – part of the Hyderabad E-Mobility Week, to further accelerate the growth of sustainable mobility in India.

Sharing the details of the TMV, KT Rama Rao, Minister for IT E&C, MA&UD and Industries & Commerce, in his inaugural address, said, “Telangana Mobility Valley will create best-in-class infrastructure making Telangana the most competitive destination for both manufacturing and E R&D in India.”

“TMV aims to attract investments of around Rs 50,000 crore and generate more than 4 lakh jobs in the next 5 years. For this, the State is developing 4 Mega clusters in and around Hyderabad- EV Manufacturing cluster in Zaheerabad, an EV Manufacturing cluster in Seetharampur, Energy storage system (ESS) cluster in Divitipally and Innovation cluster at Yenkathala.

Each of the clusters will be equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure to reduce the cost of operations for their tenant,” the Minister added.

Rama Rao said, “Further, investments aggregating Rs 3,000+ Cr are in advanced stages and will be announced in the next 2 weeks. These investments will further strengthen Electric 3-wheeler, Electric 2-wheeler and charging equipment manufacturing ecosystem in Telangana.”

“TMV aims to facilitate companies across all segments of sustainable mobility including Electric 2Wheelers/ 3 wheelers/ 4 wheelers, Advanced Cell Chemistry and Hydrogen fuel cells, Tier 1 and Tier 2 Component manufacturers and Auto Engineering R&D companies among others,” the Minister added.

Rama Rao said that the Hyderabad E-Mobility Week would be held regularly to foster collaboration by bringing together the thought leaders, experts, and global automotive ecosystem players to chart a course for sustainable mobility.

As part of the event, the State also announced three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) — ATS-TUV Rheinland MoU with Telangana Government; Bosch Global Software Technologies MoU with BITS Hyderabad, and Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge’s (TASK) MoU with Shell.

Delivering the keynote address, Hizmy Hassen, Chief Digital Officer, Apollo Tyres Ltd, said, “The E-Mobility Week along with other investments by the Government of Telangana is another show of great public sector commitment.

The broader automotive industry should take advantage of these incentives and excellent infrastructure to accelerate sustainability in mobility. The industry needs to come together along with policymakers towards the common goal of making it more sustainable for decades to come.”

Talking about the future of sustainable mobility, Christian Cahn von Seelen, Executive Director, Sales, Marketing & Digital, Volkswagen Group India, said, “Sustainable mobility is achievable through the right cooperation between all stakeholders, including the supportive government policies in India.

The G20 presidency of India offers a huge opportunity and there is a strong drive from various industries to address the challenges of climate change. With hard work and dedication, we can remain optimistic and see the realization of sustainable mobility in the future.”

Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Information Technology, Electronics & Communications, and Industries & Commerce Departments, Govt. of Telangana gave the vote of thanks.

The summit saw participation from government, academia, and industry including Kamal Bali, President and MD, Volvo Group India, Nikolaus Lang, Sr. Partner & MD, Global Leader- Global Advantage Practice, BCG, Prabhjeet Singh, President, Uber India & South Asia, Shrikant Sinha, CEO, Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge – TASK, Suman Mishra, CEO, Mahindra Last Mile Mobility Division, Dirk Adamczyk, SVP, Engineering Solutions ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Mamatha Chamarthi, SVP Business & Product Management, Stellantis, and Dr. Amaresh Chakrabarti, Chair, Centre for Product Design & Manufacturing, Indian Institute of Science, among others.

For more information and to register for Mobility Next Hyderabad 2023, please visit the event’s website at www.evhyderabad.in/mobility-next.

siasat.com