Month: October 2021

** Wipro’s Azim Premji donated Rs 27 crore per day in FY21, retains top giver rank

Wipro’s Azim Premji donated Rs 9,713 crore or Rs 27 crore a day to retain his top rank among Indian philanthropists in FY21.

** L&T chosen for first part of Central Secretariat

The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) on Wednesday awarded its largest-ever contract at ₹3,141.99 crore, handing over the letter of award for construction of three buildings of the new Common Central Secretariat to Larsen and Toubro Ltd.

The CPWD opened the financial bids of three bidders — L&T, Tata Projects Ltd. and NCC Ltd. — on October 18. L&T was the only one to submit a bid below the estimate of ₹3,254 crore. The project includes construction of the three buildings.

** Fruit tree from the Ghats set to take root in farmlands

Called Moottilpazham, this plentiful wild fruit is soon set to make its way to our gardens as well as diet, thanks to an initiative by the Kerala Forest Department. An 11-minute documentary film that propagates the lesser-known tale of this fruit and its potential for cultivation is slated for a release next week.

According to G. Prasad, Assistant Conservator of Forest (Social Forestry), who conceptualised the movie, Moottilpuli, the tree, is endemic to the southern region of the Western Ghats that extends from South Canara to Kanyakumari. “The tree, Baccaurea courtallensis, is a member of Euphorbiaceae family and the fruit derives its name from the way it bunches up at the base of the tree and even touches the ground. It blooms in February and March while the fruit matures between June to August,” he explained.

Kerala

** M. Krishnan Nair, founder of RCC, passes away

Oncologist was instrumental in setting up the first modern and affordable cancer-care centre in Kerala’s public sector

M. Krishnan Nair, renowned oncologist and founder-director of Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), passed away here on Thursday. He was 81.

Having single-mindedly pursued the dream of setting up the first modern and affordable cancer care centre in the State’s public sector, Dr. Nair’s name was synonymous with the institution he founded in 1981 and nurtured till his retirement in 2003.

** Meet Savita Singh, the ‘camera ma’am’

Savita Singh’s film not only won the National Award for Best Cinematography, it is also India’s short film entry for the Oscars

If cinematography is the art of making the invisible visible, then Savita Singh has mastered it. Her short film Sonsi is not only winner of this year’s National Award for Best Cinematography, it is India’s entry for the Oscars in the short film category.

Savita, who hails from a family of farmers in Hisar and is the first female graduate from her village, has gradually emerged as an ambassador of the growing tribe of women cinematographers in the country.

** UAE: Two innovative teens are helping peers ‘learn on the go’, gain financial literacy

Two Dubai students are aspiring to revolutionise education for their fellow peers through their innovative platforms.

Ahad Khot and Rishi Shah, from Dubai International Academy — Emirates Hill, aren’t just empowering local teens — they’ve created a movement for hundreds of thousands of students around the world.

Khot, a Grade 12 student, launched a non-profit online platform last year that now has a reach in five countries, where clubs have been set up. The platform can also be accessed from anywhere online.

** IISc test can now detect adulteration in milk

Virkeshwar Kumar, a postdoctoral researcher, and Susmita Dash, an assistant professor at IISc, developed the method, and believe it can be revolutionary in its cost effectiveness, and the lack of equipment needed to conduct the test.

The method is able to detect when milk has been contaminated with water and urea, two of the most common contaminants in the dairy product. The team had found differences in the structure of evaporated, undiluted, diluted, and urea contaminated milk that led to the breakthrough.

** JNCASR-Bengaluru scientists devise way to convert carbon dioxide to methane without toxicity

Bengaluru scientists have devised a toxic-free method that converts the most common greenhouse gas (GHG) carbon dioxide (CO2) to methane (CH4) – known to be the cleanest fossil fuel – a process that can effectively help in reducing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels which is a major climate change concern.

The scientists from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru, achieved this using non-metal catalysts, unlike procedures that are in use, which are found to release toxic gases in the process.

In doing so, the scientists, led by Professor Tapas Kumar Maji from the Chemistry and Physics of Materials Unit of JNCASR, have designed a cost-effective metal-free catalyst to achieve the conversion by absorption of visible light.

** ‘Znehazandram’ award presented

Honour for display of inspirational talent despite odds

Cherupuzha native Elizabeth S. Mathew was presented with the maiden Znehazandram Excellence Award instituted by the Kozhikode-based Zmart Foundation for inspiring personalities.

Ms. Mathew was chosen for the honour comprising a purse of ₹50,000 and memento considering her inspirational musical talent despite her continuing struggle to overcome the neurological disorder Tourette syndrome.

Kerala