Month: March 2022

** Meet Dr Soma of Moscow, he’s been helping evacuate Indian students from Ukraine

In the last 25 years since Madurai-born Somasundaram Subramanian became a doctor, he has built extensive contacts with educational institutions across the former Soviet republic and European Union.

Now, he wants to help students who wish to resettle and continue their studies

The Moscow-based cancer surgeon, educationist and philanthropist began working the phone lines to help evacuate Indian students and other citizens caught in the war zone.

He has worked extensively across the region these last 30 years, especially through the various non-profits he has initiated to fight cancer such as the Eurasian Federation of Oncology (EAFO) in Europe, the EAFO Educational Research Centre in Russia and the Eurasian Cancer Research Council (ECRC) in India.

He has founded the Eurasian Global Peace Mission which aims to offer emergency aid to anyone still left behind in Ukraine as well as resettlement support to students and expats of all nationalities, including Russians who have been expelled from some institutions in the Western nations. Affected persons can register on the website. Soma intends to help students to relocate to other institutions to continue their studies.

Madurai / Russia

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** CJI lauds UAE expats for sending aid in crores to flood-hit Kerala

hief Justice of India N.V. Ramana on Thursday lauded the expatriate community in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for sending aid worth crores to flood-hit Kerala, saying it showed their deep sense of fraternity.

He was was speaking at a reception hosted by the Indian community in Abu Dhabi. “I remember a few years back when the State of Kerala faced devastating floods, it was our brothers and sisters in the Gulf who were the first to send immediate relief in crores to help those in need,” the CJI saiid.

** 19 firms in India to make Pfizer’s oral COVID-19 antiviral drug

They have signed sublicence agreements with United Nations-backed Medicines Patent Pool

Nineteen drugmakers in India have signed sublicence agreements with the United Nations-backed Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) to manufacture the generic version of Pfizer’s oral COVID-19 antiviral nirmatrelvir, which is to be used in combination with ritonavir.

They are among the 35 companies across 12 countries to have entered into such agreements with MPP for manufacturing and supplying to 95 low and middle income countries, including India. The non-exclusive sublicences allow the generic manufacturers to produce raw ingredients for nirmatrelvir and/or the finished drug itself co-packaged with ritonavir.

** Dhruva Space signs commercial launch deal

Dhruva Space Private Limited has signed a commercial launch services agreement with public sector NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), for an in-orbit demonstration of various technologies developed by it.

The agreement is the first step to facilitate future integration and launch services by Dhruva Space using DSOD Deployers on the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV).

The agreement between NSIL and Dhruva Space will enable the qualification of the products in space environment and increase potential to serve customers globally, according to a press release by Dhruva.  

Dhruva Space is a full-stack space engineering solutions provider based in Hyderabad, and in Graz, Austria, while NewSpace is a public sector undertaking under the Department of Space.

** A robot to help surgeon during laparoscopy launched

It can hold the laparoscopic camera and provide tremor-free images

The British Deputy High Commission in Chennai on Thursday unveiled Freehand Robot, first of its kind laparoscopic surgical equipment. Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ma. Subramanian inaugurated the equipment.

“Tamil Nadu has always been ready to adapt and use advanced technology in the field of medicine. We are happy to launch the Freehand Robot here, and encourage doctors to be trained to use the equipment as well,” Mr. Subramanian said. 

The robot, which acts as a laparoscopic camera holder providing tremor-free images and the option of performing solo surgery without the need for a camera-holding assistant, has been developed by Freehand, a healthcare solutions company based in the U.K. The equipment is being introduced to Tamil Nadu as a part of the #TamilNaduFirst Initiative. 

** Defence Minister Rajnath Singh opens R&D facility for stealth jet in Bengaluru

A seven-storeyed, 1.3 lakh sqft Flight Control System (FCS) complex for research and development of the public sector HAL’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) has been built in just 45 days. 

The construction started on February 1. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday inaugurated the facility, housed at the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), alongside Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

** Shivraj Singh Chouhan breaks Raman Singh’s record to become longest-serving BJP CM

This year’s Holi is special for Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as he has achieved the distinction of being the longest-serving BJP chief minister.

On Thursday, he broke a record which had been held by former Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh.

While Raman Singh, who was chief minister for three consecutive terms, remained in the post for fifteen years and ten days, 63-year-old Chouhan has now surpassed him.

The Madhya Pradesh CM’s tenure, however, has not been unbroken: he was out of power for fifteen months as Congress formed government under Kamal Nath’s leadership after the 2018 Assembly polls.

As far as Madhya Pradesh is concerned, Chouhan has another record under his belt.

On November 19, 2015, when he completed ten years in office, he became the first non-Congress chief minister of the state to do so.

Then he went on to become the longest-serving chief minister of MP by breaking the record of Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh who had ruled from 1993 to 2003.

** Indian-American Dr Ashish Jha to take over as US President’s COVID-19 Response Coordinator

Biden’s statement announcing Jha’s appointment praised him as one of the leading public health experts in America and “a well-known figure to many Americans from his wise and calming public presence.

” Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.”..And as we enter a new moment in the pandemic – executing on my National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan and managing the ongoing risks from COVID – Dr Jha is the perfect person for the job,” Biden said.

** ‘Green Triangle’ named after Mahatma Gandhi inaugurated in Madagascar’s capital as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav

Indian Ambassador Abhay Kumar said Gandhi was the “greatest Pravasi” who returned to India from South Africa, led India’s freedom struggle and changed the lives of Indians.

As part of the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ to commemorate India’s 75th year of independence, a “Green Triangle” named after Mahatma Gandhi was jointly inaugurated in Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo.

Mayor of Antananarivo Naina Andriantsitohaina and India’s Ambassador to Madagascar Abhay Kumar inaugurated the green space on Wednesday at a special ceremony in Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo.

** Wayanad Seed Fest begins today

The Wayanad Seed Fest, a community event to assess the seed diversity in Wayanad district, will be held at Puthurvayal here on Friday and Saturday.

The festival, being organised by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in association with Seed Care, an organisation of traditional rice farmers in the district, will take place at the Community Agro-Biodiversity Centre of the foundation.

Kerala