Category: Business & Economy

Air India gets first Boeing 777-200LR to fly on international route

Air India has received its first Boeing 777-200 LR Vihaan, which means dawn of a new era, is the name given to the aircraft with registration VT-AEF, as per the induction plan.

Vihaan.AI is Air India’s transformational roadmap over five years with clear milestones.

It will be focussing on dramatically growing both its network and fleet, developing a completely revamped customer proposition, improving reliability and on-time performance.

The Boeing aircraft leased from Delta airlines has premium economy class along with standard classes. Sources said that the modified aircraft reached Delhi on Sunday evening.

Sources said that five Boeing 777-200LRs are likely to join the fleet between December and March. These aircraft will be deployed on international routes from Indian cities.

Last week, Air India announced the strengthening and expansion of its global footprint with the launch of new flights connecting Mumbai with New York, Paris and Frankfurt, and the resumption of non-stop flights connecting Delhi with Copenhagen, Milan and Vienna.

This expansion came as the airline continues to make progress in augmenting its fleet with newly-leased aircraft, and the return of existing aircraft to active service.

Air India in September unveiled its comprehensive transformation plan, to establish itself as a world-class global airline with an Indian heart — the absolute best in class in customer service, in technology, in product, in reliability and in hospitality. The plan is titled Vihaan.AI with identified objectives for Air India over the next 5 years.

After 69 years as a government-owned enterprise, Air India and Air India Express were re-acquired by the Tata group in January 2022.

Post the acquisition, time-bound transformation milestones have been laid out and a series of steps have been initiated towards achieving the same in order to ensure Air India once again emerges as a world class airline.

newindianexpress.com

Intranasal vaccine iNCOVACC gets restricted use nod

The nasal delivery system has been designed and developed to be cost-effective in low- and middle-income countries. 

India’s first nasal Covid vaccine iNCOVACC has received approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) under restricted use in an emergency for ages 18 and above, in India, for heterologous booster doses; Bharat Biotech announced on Monday.

The Hyderabad-based pharma company said that the intranasal vaccine, BBV154 or iNCOVACC is a recombinant replication-deficient adenovirus vectored vaccine with a pre-fusion stabilised SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. 

This vaccine candidate was evaluated in phases I, II and III clinical trials with successful results, the company claimed. iNCOVACC has explicitly been formulated to allow intranasal delivery through 
nasal drops. The nasal delivery system has been designed and developed to be cost-effective in low- and middle-income countries.  

The intranasal vaccine was developed in partnership with Washington University, St. Louis, which had designed and developed the recombinant adenoviral vector construct and evaluated it in preclinical studies for efficacy.

The product development related to preclinical safety evaluation, large-scale manufacturing scale-up, formulation and delivery device development, including human clinical trials, were conducted by Bharat Biotech. 

The Indian government partly funded product development and clinical trials through the Department of Biotechnology (DBT)’s Covid Suraksha Program. Dr Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary, DBT, and Chairperson, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC),  said the DCGI’s approval of Bharat Biotech’s intranasal vaccine iNCOVACC to be used as a heterologous booster dose against currently available Covid-19 vaccines is a moment of great pride for our country. 

‘Replication-deficient adenovirus vectored’
The Hyderabad-based pharma company Bharat Biotech said that the intranasal vaccine, BBV154 or iNCOVACC is a recombinant replication-deficient adenovirus vectored vaccine with a pre-fusion stabilised SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

newindianexpress.com

Researcher plugs tech hole to fix power load of Western Odisha

A software developed by a faculty member of Sambalpur University Institute of Information Technology (SUIIT) has been helping the TP Western Odisha Distribution Limited (TPWODL) to bring down power cuts, fluctuations and manage electricity in Western Odisha efficiently.

Under the Odisha University Innovation and Incentivization Plan (OURIIP)-2020 Scheme by Odisha State Higher Education Council, 34-year-old assistant professor (computer science and engineering) of SUIIT Sibarama Panigrahi has created a load forecasting software for getting two days ahead electricity load trend data for the entire region.

Panigrahi, also an engineer who specialises in machine learning, said the software is assisting TPWODL in knowing how much electricity is required on a daily basis for the region and accordingly, it can either buy or sell excess electricity. According to reports, the region requires at least 1,800 MW of electricity daily which is sourced from Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. 

He added that since the region is an industrial hub with rural and urban consumers, electricity load forecasting for Western Odisha had remained challenging so far. “Traditionally, investigators depended on physical and statistical based forecasting models that used unit consumption and load density from buildings, industries, etc. and geographic distribution of consumers to predict the electricity load. But in the current times as these structures are being changed or upgraded frequently, these models are neither reliable nor efficient,” said Panigrahi who is a BPUT and VSSUT alumni. 

Realising the need for a better forecasting model, Panigrahi as a research fellow under the OURIIP scheme proposed the council to work in this direction. He decided to use machine learning (data driven) based models that can approximate any nonlinear function to a desired level of accuracy, for the purpose. Subsequently, TPWODL signed an MoU with the SUIIT in February this year to implement the project that would forecast the next two days of electricity load (with a measuring interval of 15 minutes) for better energy planning. 

“After studying the electricity load data of the region for the years 2019, 2020, 2021, we used a model called machine learning stacking regressor that uses algorithms to correlate multiple input variables like weather conditions and data such as meter point loading, to construct a forecast model. We used 192 stacking regressor models (1 model per 15 minutes) to build the software which turned out to be more effective than those used by the discom,” he informed. 

Since August this year, TPWODL has been using the software to predict two days ahead electricity needs of the region. As a result, the discom officials said, they are able to maintain a balance between actual power consumption and daily power drawal, reduce deviation of electricity frequency besides, ensure power scheduling.

Currently, Panigrahi and his team are working on further improving the efficiency of the software by considering external factors like holiday effects, temperature and humidity of an area. The team has also been approached by discoms in other regions of Odisha to build a similar software.

newindianexpress.com

Narendra Modi Stadium gets Guinness record for highest T20 attendance: BCCI

The Narendra Modi Stadium has a capacity of 1,10,000 which is nearly 10,000 more than Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for the maximum spectator attendance during the 2022 IPL final, BCCI secretary Jay Shah said on November 27.

Earlier known as Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) Stadium, Motera the stadium has a capacity of 1,10,000 which is nearly 10,000 more than Melbourne Cricket Ground with an official capacity of 1,00,024.

“Extremely delighted & proud to receive the Guinness World Record for the largest attendance at a T20 match when 101,566 people witnessed the epic IPL final at @GCAMotera’s magnificent Narendra Modi Stadium on 29 May 2022. A big thanks to our fans for making this possible,” Mr. Shah tweeted.

thehindu.com

Agnikul Cosmos sets up India’s first private space vehicle launchpad at Sriharikota

The launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre makes Agnikul the first private player to operate such a facility; it was executed in support with ISRO; the company has planned a tech demonstrator mission.

Chennai headquartered space-tech start-up Agnikul, has set up India’s first-ever launchpad that will be operated by a private player, at Sriharikota. The facility was inaugurated by S. Somanath, chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Secretary, Department of Space, recently.

“The first exclusive launch pad for a private launch vehicle has come up at the Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC). Now India can travel to space from one more space platform. Thanks to Agnikul,” Mr. Somanath said.

The facility, which was designed by Agnikul and executed in support with ISRO and IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center) has two sections to it: the Agnikul launchpad (ALP) and the Agnikul mission control center (AMCC).

All critical systems connecting these two sections, which are 4 km away from each other, are redundant to ensure 100% operationality during countdown.

The launchpad is specifically built keeping in mind the necessity to support liquid stage controlled launches, while also addressing the need for ISRO’s range operations team to monitor key flight safety parameters during launches. Additionally, it has the ability to, as necessary, share data and other critical information with ISRO’s Mission Control Center.

Srinath Ravichandran, co-founder & CEO, Agnikul said, “The ability to launch from our own launchpad while still working with ISRO’s launch operations teams is a privilege that we have been granted by ISRO & IN-SPACe.” Moin SPM, co-founder, Agnikul said, “The new reforms that have been brought in by the Department of Space truly accommodate everyone’s dream of going to space.”

First launch to be technology demonstrator

Agnikul’s first launch, which will be a controlled and guided mission, a vertical launch, using its patented engine will happen from this launchpad. The mission will be a technology demonstrator that will mirror Agnikul’s orbital launch but at a reduced scale.

Agnibaan is Agnikul’s highly customizable, two-stage launch vehicle, capable of taking up to 100 kg payload to orbits around 700 km high (low Earth orbits) and enables plug-and-play configuration.

Agnilet is the world’s first single-piece 3-D printed engine fully designed and manufactured in India and was successfully test-fired in early 2021, making Agnikul the first company in the country to test its engines at ISRO. Agnibaan and Agnilet will be used in the Agnikul’s first launch.

Founded in 2017 by Srinath Ravichandran, Moin SPM and Professor S.R. Chakravarthy from IIT Madras, Agnikul is an IIT Madras incubated startup. It became the first Indian company to sign an agreement with ISRO in December 2020.

The agreement signed under the IN-SPACe initiative sanctioned Agnikul access to the Indian space agency’s expertise and facilities to build Agnibaan and its launchpads.

N-SPACe was conceived in June 2020 following the Central government’s decision to open up the space sector and enable the participation of Indian private sector in the gamut of space activities. It acts as a single-window, independent, nodal agency which functions as an autonomous agency in Department of Space.

thehindu.com

PSLV-C54 carrying earth observation satellite and co-passenger satellites lifts off

The eight nanosatellites include ISRO Nano Satellite-2 for Bhutan (INS-2B), Anand, Astrocast (four satellites), and two Thybolt satellites.

A polar satellite launch vehicle carrying earth observation and eight co-passenger satellites successfully lifted off from this spaceport at 11.56 a.m. on Saturday, the Indian Space Research Organisation said.

ISRO Chairman S. Somanath said, “The Performance were excitingly good in this mission.” The mission is said to be the last one undertaken by ISRO this year.

PSLV-C54 carries an Earth Observation Satellite (EOS-06) or Oceansat as its primary payload and eight co-passenger satellites are expected to be placed into sun synchronous orbits in over a two-hour time frame.

The entire separation of satellites is expected to take place in two hours after lift-off.

The Earth Observation Satellite-6 is the third-generation satellite in the Oceansat series. This is to provide continuity services of Oceansat-2 spacecraft with enhanced payload specifications as well as application areas.

The eight nanosatellites include ISRO Nano Satellite-2 for Bhutan (INS-2B), Anand, Astrocast (four satellites), and two Thybolt satellites. The INS-2B spacecraft will have two payloads namely NanoMx and APRS-Digipeater.

While the NanoMx is a multi-spectral optical imaging payload developed by Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad, the APRS-Digipeater payload has been jointly developed by the Department of Information Technology and Telecom-Bhutan and the U.R. Rao Satellite Centre, Bengaluru.

The Anand nanosatellite developed by Bengaluru-based space start-up, Pixxel, is a technology demonstrator to demonstrate the capabilities and commercial applications of miniaturized Earth-observation cameras for Earth observation using a microsatellite in Low Earth Orbit.

Astrocast, developed by Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space, is a 3U spacecraft. It is a technology demonstrator satellite for the Internet of Things (IoT).

The U.S.-based Spaceflight has developed Thybolt which is a 0.5U spacecraft bus that includes a communication payload to enable rapid technology demonstration and constellation development for multiple users.

This is the 56th flight of PSLV and 24th Flight of PSLV-XL version with 6 PSOM-XLs. PSLV-C54 launch is planned from First Launch Pad (FLP), SDSC, SHAR.

Thousands of school students from Tamil Nadu, Hyderabad and Bengaluru gathered at ISRO to watch this rocket take off.

(With inputs from PTI)

thehindu.com

Telangana scores a double win at Unesco heritage conservation awards

The 17th century stepwells inside the Qutb Shahi tombs complex were in a state of ruin and were disused until the Aga Khan Trust for Culture signed an agreement with the State Government that the wells were restored.

Telangana scored a double win at the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation with a Distinction of Merit for the restoration of the stepwells inside the Qutb Shahi Tombs Complex in Hyderabad and an Award of Merit for the conservation work on the Domakonda Fort in Kamareddy district. The awards were announced today at Bangkok.

The 17 th century stepwells inside the Qutb Shahi tombs complex were in a state of ruin and were disused. It was only after the Aga Khan Trust for Culture signed an agreement with the State Government that the wells were restored, beginning with the Badi Baoli. The latest restoration was that of the eastern baoli whose restoration function was attended by Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development K.T. Rama Rao.

“It is an incredible feeling that AKTC has won an award for the third year in running. There is a nature and culture linkage that heritage sites demonstrate. They can address climate change with net-zero water requirement. The restoration of wells show how conservation of heritage sites can have multiple objectives,” said Ratish Nanda, CEO of Aga Khan Trust for Culture which is restoring the Qutb Shahi Tombs Complex with a private-public partnership model which includes the Department of Archaeology and Museums, Tata Trusts, US Ambassadors Fund and other partners.

In contrast, the Domakonda Fort is a private property and was built in the 18 th century with an amalgam of styles including stucco work, arched pillars, flat ceiling, and a courtyard with a water garden pond. The fort was part of the celebration of the marriage function of Upasana Kamineni (a scion of the family that built the fort) and actor Ram Charan in 2012.

“I am feeling very proud as it was a challenging project and its has been a rewarding experience. I worked with local craftsmen, sourced local materials, so that it is a sustainable project with low-carbon footprint. We trained the craftsmen and had workshops from the time I began working on the project in 2011,” said conservation architect Anuradha Naik about the award for Domakonda Fort.

The citation for Domakonda fort recognises: “The project applied original construction techniques and authentic materials and trained local artisans in traditional building skills. The involvement of villagers during the restoration process and in the operations of the fort ensures direct benefit for the community.”

thehindu.com

Himalayan yak gets FSSAI food animal tag

The categorisation is expected to check the decline in the population of the high-altitude bovine, the National Research Centre on Yak said.

The Himalayan yak has earned the food animal tag from the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI).

The categorisation is expected to help check the decline in the population of the high-altitude bovine animal by making it a part of the conventional milk and meat industry.

Mihir Sarkar, the director of the National Research Centre on Yak (NRC-Y) based in Arunachal Pradesh’s Dirang, said his institution had submitted a proposal to the FSSAI in 2021 for considering the yak as a food animal.

The FSSAI responded with an official approval a few days ago after a recommendation from the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

“The yak plays a multidimensional socio-cultural-economic role for the pastoral nomads who rear it mainly for earning their nutritional and livelihood security due to the lack of other agricultural activity in the higher reaches of the Himalayan region where it is difficult for animals except the yak to survive,” Mr. Sarkar said

Yaks are traditionally reared under a transhumance system which is primitive, unorganised and full of hardship. But the yak population in the country has been decreasing at an alarming rate, data provided by the NRC-Y said.

According to a census carried out in 2019, India has some 58,000 yaks – a drop of about 25% from the last livestock census conducted in 2012. Apart from the government and the local users, the drastic drop in the yak’s number has become a major cause of concern for animal genetic diversity conservationists.

The drastic decline in yak population could be attributed to less remuneration from the bovid, discouraging the younger generations from continuing with nomadic yak rearing. It is mainly because yak milk and meat are not a part of the conventional dairy and meat industry, their sale is limited to local consumers.

NRC-Y scientists believe the commercialisation of yak milk and meat products will lead to entrepreneurship development. But for that the yak has to be included as a food producing (milk and meat) animal in the Food Safety and Standards Regulation, 2011, they said.

“The FSSAI’s recognition will help farmers rear the yak economically and open up several vistas of economic benefits for both farmers and food processors,” Mr. Sarkar said.

Nutrient-loaded

Research at the NRC-Y has revealed yak milk is highly nutritious, rich in fat, contains essential minerals and has medicinal values. According to the nutritional analysis, yak milk contains 78-82% water, 7.5-8.5% fat, 4.9-5.3% protein, 4.5-5.0% lactose and 12.3-13.4% solids-not-fat. The products which are traditionally produced from yak milk are churkum, churpi, ghee and paneer.

Mostly consumed locally, yak meat is known to be lean. The meat contains 74.8% moisture, 21.7% protein, 1.5% crude fat and 1.2% ash.

Specialists said yak husbandry needs to be more remunerative for attracting the younger generations.

“NRC-Yak has developed a semi-intensive model of yak-rearing in which yaks are maintained in an open area as well as in paddock round the year. Now that the yak is a food animal, this model can go a long way in making yak-rearing a commercial success,” Mr. Sarkar said.

thehindu.com

TVS Motor Company expands its global footprint; launches its first TVS Experience Centre in Singapore

TVS Motor Company, a reputed manufacturer of two-wheelers with sales of over three million units globally, today inaugurated its first state-of-the-art TVS Experience Centre in Singapore.

This launch is in line with the company’s global expansion plans. The new TVS Experience Centre will offer a range of TVS Motor’s premium motorcycles including the flagship model, TVS Apache RR310 for racing enthusiasts, and the TVS Apache RTR range for the performance seekers.

The company will introduce diverse products offerings, catering to both personal commuting as well as the delivery premium segment in Singapore. This centre will additionally have vehicle servicing facility, spare parts, and the full range of merchandise to choose from.

The TVS Apache series was born on the racetrack, incorporating learnings from more than 40 years of TVS Racing experience-the factory racing team of TVS Motor Company with a history of 40 years in motorsports. Offering superior products into the market that connect with customers who are also racing enthusiasts, TVS Apache series have always been at the forefront of technology and innovation since its launch in 2005. Through the years, the brand has introduced first-in-segment features & technology to the customers, recording strong year on year export volumes across 80 countries.

TVS Apache has redefined the sports segment by focusing on race performance, making it a highly desirable product for sports enthusiasts. This has resulted in creating a customer base of over 4.8 million across the globe.

Speaking at the occasion, Vimal Sumbly, Head Business-Premium at TVS Motor Company said, “The TVS Apache Series have always been at the forefront of technology & innovation since its launch in 2005 and continue to set a benchmark in the performance segment. The vehicles under the stable of TVS Apache series have offered multiple first-in-segment & best-in-class features & technology to the customers, starting from Fuel injection, ABS, Dual Channel ABS, Slipper Clutch, to the most recent SmartXonnectTM, Ride Modes, LED Headlamp, and democraticing racing. Our expansion into Singapore, with the launch of the TVS Apache series, is instrumental in our premiumisation story and we are confident of widening our community of Apache owners in the country.”

Commenting on the Singapore launch, Rahul Nayak, Vice President-International Business, TVS Motor Company, said, “With many years of commitment to building the international business portfolio, TVS Motor Company has set the benchmark in catering to diverse needs of buyers across the globe. Our launch in Singapore is one step further in expanding globally in achieving our global ambitions.”

Commenting on the showroom launch, J Thangarajan, President Director-PT TVS Motor Company, said, “We are delighted to expand our presence in the ASEAN region, with our new TVS Experience Centre in Singapore with Motorsport Pte Ltd. They have a rich experience in the region and share our values of keeping customers at the core of our offerings. This state-of-the-art experience centre inaugurated here in Singapore will further consolidate our presence in the region. It will pave the way for us to explore newer opportunities in the world of mobility, as we introduce our premium range of two-wheelers: the flagship model TVS Apache RR310 and the TVS Apache RTR series along with a slew of other experiences for the auto enthusiasts in Singapore.”

Herbert Teh, Director- Motorsport Pte Ltd. said, “We will be representing TVS Motor Company with great pride to cater to the Singapore customers. With the product technology and quality of TVS Motor products, combined with our market presence and reach, we are confident that we will meet the customer expectation in the country.”

TVS Motor Company has partnered with ‘Motorsport Pte Ltd (part of the Chong Aik Group)’ who will be the distributors for Singapore Market. Motorsport has strong presence in the region with 6 retail outlets and 8 warehouses. Established in 1994, they currently have exclusive distributorship for more than 40 brands, whilst also being the stockiest for genuine parts, apparels, and motorcycle accessories.

TVS Motor Company is a reputed two and three-wheeler manufacturer globally, championing progress through Sustainable Mobility with four state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Hosur, Mysuru and Nalagarh in India and Karawang in Indonesia. Rooted in our 119-year legacy of Trust, Value, and Passion for Customers and Exactness, we take pride in making internationally aspirational products of the highest quality through innovative and sustainable processes.

We are the only two-wheeler company to have received the prestigious Deming Prize. Our products lead in their respective categories in the J.D. Power IQS and APEAL surveys. We have been ranked No. 1 Company in /the J.D. Power Customer Service Satisfaction Survey for consecutive four years. Our group company Norton Motorcycles, based in the United Kingdom, is one of the most emotive motorcycle brands in the world. Our subsidiaries in the personal e-mobility space, Swiss E-Mobility Group (SEMG) and EGO Movement have a leading position in the e-bike market in Switzerland. TVS Motor Company endeavours to deliver the most superior customer experience across 80 countries in which we operate.

For more information, please visit www.tvsmotor.com.

This story has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)

theprint.in

Prototypes of world’s highest rail bridge among others displayed at Indian International Trade Fair

The ongoing Indian International Trade Fair (IITF) at Delhi’s Pragati Maidan, witnessed the Ministry of Railway setting up a sprawling pavilion showcasing all of the railway’s technical advancements.

India’s first underwater (subaqueous tunnel) rail system and the world’s highest railway arch bridge, built across the Chenab Bridge in J&K has sparked curiosity among the public.

The ongoing Indian International Trade Fair (IITF) at Delhi’s Pragati Maidan, witnessed the Ministry of Railway setting up a sprawling pavilion showcasing all of the railway’s technical advancements on the ironic rail bridge over Chenab and water tunnels. The ministry has highlighted many first-of-its-kind and marvellous facets of Indian Railways, which are attracting crowds of curious visitors.

Exhibiting prototypes of various mega projects, the railway has also exhibited the prototype of the re-developed ‘Ayodhya city railway station, of which the designs are inspired by the Ram Janambhoomi temple’s design.

Sharing details with the media on Tuesday, the Ministry of Railway claimed that various themes have been exhibited with their technological and structural advances through photos, translates and models.

“The model showing the world’s highest rail bridge on Chenab and India’s first underwater rail system, which is being built as part of the East-West Metro corridor of the metro railway in Kolkata, has been drawing huge crowds of curious visitors”, said a senior railway official.

The sports gallery exhibits awards won by the railway teams and an earmarked space showing the historic march of Indian Railways from the old days to the days of manufacturing and running high-speed Vande Bharat trains to the working of bullet trains, has also gathered a lot of onlookers.

“Another most interesting part of the railway’s pavilion is that it has made side walls based on the theme of ‘Azadi Ki Rail Gadi aur Station’ which throws light on the strong connection between freedom struggle and association of railways”, said a railway official. They also added adding that the redeveloped Ayodhya railway station with the design inspired by Lord Rama Janambhoomi temple has proved to be one of the huge crowd-pulling parts at the pavilion.

Besides this, the Ministry of Railways has also displayed the prototypes of its mega Sabarmati multimodal passenger hub and the casting yard of India’s first Bullet train project as part of the Mumbai-Ahmadabad high-speed rail corridor.

Not only this but the country’s first-of-its-kind solar plant at Bina in MP that generates solar power directly to 25 kV overhead electrical equipment to haul trains was displayed apart from the country’s first indigenous semi-high speed Vande Bharat train.

To make the visit of people at the railway pavilion memorable, the Ministry has created a special selfie booth titled ‘I am at Railway station’ for people to click pictures.

newindianexpress.com