Karnataka First

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) works by detecting tiny magnetic signals from inside the human body, especially the brain.

In a breakthrough that could shrink brain-scanning MRI-like machines from room-sized setups to something that may fit anywhere, scientists at Raman Research Institute (RRI) have developed a compact magnetometer that can detect magnetic fields with extreme precision even in noisy, real-world environments.

This innovation could offer a quieter, portable, and more affordable alternative to MRI-like scans, especially in smaller clinics, mobile units, or rural healthcare settings. MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) works by detecting tiny magnetic signals from inside the human body, especially the brain.

These signals are incredibly weak, which is why MRI machines need heavy shielding and “ultra silent” rooms. But the new device does not need any of that. It’s a fully optical, shield-free magnetometer — a small, light-based tool that can sense magnetic fields in noisy, real-world settings like clinics, outdoor sites, or even spacecraft.

Advanced magnetometers offer accuracy

Magnetometers, in general, are used to measure magnetic fields and have applications in navigation, geology, medical imaging, physics, and space research. But the most accurate types — like Optically Pumped Atomic Magnetometers (OPAMs) and Spin Exchange Relaxation-Free (SERF) magnetometers — come with limitations. While they are extremely sensitive to weak magnetic fields, they only work well in shielded, stable environments and have a narrow dynamic range, which means they can’t handle magnetic fields that are too strong.

RRI researchers developed Raman-Driven Spin Noise Spectroscopy (RDSNS) technique, which works by using laser beams to “listen” to the natural quantum jitters, known as spin noise, in rubidium atoms. These atoms behave like tiny bar magnets.

When they’re exposed to a magnetic field, their spin noise patterns change slightly. By analysing these changes with laser light, the RRI team is able to measure the strength of the surrounding magnetic field without touching or disturbing the atoms. This all-optical method is fully immune to common sources of interference like electricity, vibration, and radio signals.

Most magnetometers have to choose between high sensitivity — the ability to detect extremely weak magnetic signals or wide dynamic range — the ability to measure both weak and strong magnetic fields accurately. Devices with high sensitivity can detect extremely weak fields but only in a narrow range of strength and only in very quiet conditions. Magnetometers with a wide dynamic range can handle various field strengths.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

The Karnataka government has announced its ambitious plan to bring the Arkavati back to life, but people living close to the river have little hope, while experts point out to many challenges.

As the clouds play hide-and-seek and the sun beats down in mid-July, in what has been a dry southwest monsoon for Bengaluru thus far, waters of the Arkavati river, unsettlingly black, flows its course on the outskirts of the city.

Jayaram, 60, a resident of Jogerahalli, close to the Thippagondanahalli (T.G. Halli) reservoir, is walking around in the quaint village as devotional songs play out of a speaker from a nearby temple. Two class 5 students of a government school hang around him as he tells The Hindu, “Until a few years ago, we used to wash clothes in the river. They started letting polluted water in from everywhere. What flows now is acid water. We cannot even step into it. There is an odour and froth. Some are brave enough to use it for agriculture.”

He recalled that, when he was around 30 years old, he would drink water from the river and wash clothes in it. “When it rains, we see some clean water briefly, and then the black water comes again. The water is of no use to anyone, not even to animals,” he says.

Ballyamma, 60, at the nearby Varthur Narasimhapura, was watching over her grazing goats close to a pumping station. “I came here after getting married 40 years ago, and I remember we used to drink this water and cook with it. It has been at least 15 years since we stopped using it. It smells,” she says, adding that they use borewell water for their daily needs.

Once a drinking water source

Once the primary source of drinking water for Bengaluru — from 1936 to 2000, according to the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) — the Arkavati is today what one research called “a ghost river”, a shadow of its former glorious self.

Over two-and-a-half decades later, in June 2025, the Karnataka government announced a high-level committee of experts to spearhead the rejuvenation of the Arkavati through a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The BWSSB, while announcing the plan, said, “Stretching 53 km from Nandi Hills to T.G. Halli, and covering a basin area of 1,400 sq. km, the Arkavati holds immense potential to be reborn as a sustainable lifeline.”

BWSSB Chairman Ram Prasath Manohar, while announcing the plan, said water from the Yettinahole project (which envisages the diversion of west-flowing river water to meet the drinking water needs of seven parched districts in the south Karnataka region) was intended to mix with the Arkavati waters at T.G. Halli, but rapid industrial growth, wastewater discharge, and environmental degradation rendered the reservoir’s water unfit for consumption. While admitting that only 15% of the Arkavati’s river basin falls under the BWSSB’s jurisdiction, he also said that several government agencies, NGOs, and civic bodies were coming together to shape a comprehensive action plan.

Arkavati river

Originates at Nandi Hills in Chickballapur district

Joins the Cauvery at Sangama in Bengaluru South (formerly Ramanagara) district

Length of the river: 170 km

It traverses through four districts

Chickballapur, Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru Urban, and Bengaluru South

It has three tributaries

Kumudavati, Suvarnamukhi, Vrishabhavati

Source: BWSSB

The BWSSB also announced that Infrastructure Development Corporation (Karnataka) Ltd. has already begun an integrated study covering areas such as Hesaraghatta, Madanayakanahalli, and parts of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), laying the groundwork for rejuvenation.

Stakeholder meeting

According to a BWSSB document on the ‘Rejuvenation of Arkavathy River up to TG Halli’, from the origin of the river at Nandi Hills, till Doddaballapur town, the stream is less polluted, barring drain water entry and dumping of solid waste.

“Municipal sewage from Doddaballapur town enters into the Nagara Kere (lake) and polluted industrial wastewater enters from Bashettyhalli Industrial Area at Veerapur into the river,” says the document, adding that once the river crosses Doddaballapur town and enters Bengaluru Rural, the river is in “a highly stressed state due to pollution from rapid urbanisation and industrialisation”.

The document also acknowledges that as the river traverses, it accumulates various pollutants, including untreated sewage and industrial waste, leading to poor water quality in T.G. Halli, and that the water is not useful for drinking or any other domestic purposes.

The BWSSB has planned to take up the rejuvenation of the Arkavati from Nandi hills to T.G. Halli (54 km) “to make the river pollution-free”.

The document lists views and recommendations from multiple stakeholders of the river, one of which is the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), as the Dr. Shivaram Karanth Layout is in the Arkavati catchment area. “It is necessary to know the disposal scheme of the wastewater generated from the layouts developed by the BDA in the Bengaluru region,” it says.

Questionable policy decisions

But is it going to be possible? Experts who have conducted studies on the river say it is not going to be easy. Sharachchandra Lele, Distinguished Fellow in Environmental Policy and Governance, Centre for Environment and Development, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, says “rejuvenation” is a tricky concept.

“If it means the natural flow should come back, that will require major changes in groundwater use in the upstream, which looks very difficult. If it means making the river flow ‘anyhow’, then the idea of putting Yettinahole water into T.G. Halli will make it look like the Arkavati has been ‘rejuvenated’, but will it really solve any problem? We must also ask, ‘rejuvenation for whom?’ Do we want the Arkavati to be a ‘boating place’ or a ‘scenic riverside’ for urban folks, or a source of water and cultural value for agricultural households?” he asks.

In a study published in January 2013, titled ‘Water management in Arkavathy basin: A situation analysis’, of which Lele was one of the authors, it was stated that the decline of the Arkavati’s flow into T.G. Halli reservoir was directly caused by the expansion of eucalyptus cultivation and increased groundwater pumping in the T.G. Halli catchment area.

“It has been aggravated by the construction of an excessive number of check dams and other structures on the various streams that feed the Arkavati, which resulted in further reductions in surface flows, but did not augment baseflows as the groundwater withdrawal remained unregulated,” explains Lele. The changes in cropping, such as the growth of eucalyptus and shift to groundwater-irrigated horticulture and vegetable farming, are the result of government incentives, as well as market pressures (rising demand from Bengaluru), and also the result of changing labour availability as labour migrated to Bengaluru, he says.

“While many of the changes are expected in an area close to a city, lack of a governance mechanism around groundwater and, in fact, around integrated management of water resources as a whole is the key missing policy piece. The benefits of groundwater over-exploitation have gone disproportionately to the rich farmers, as poorer farmers could not afford to dig borewells, or abandoned them after they failed, as groundwater levels dropped,” he says, adding that the State agency in charge of T.G. Halli reservoir (the BWSSB) lost interest in the inflow decline problem, because it shifted to the Cauvery as the only source that they think will serve all of Bengaluru’s water needs.

Results of pollution testing

A more recent report, ‘Uncovering the hidden pollution in the Arkavathi – Emerging contaminants impacting Bengaluru & beyond,’summarises the results of pollution testing along the river conducted by Paani.Earth, in collaboration with the International Centre for Clean Water, IIT Madras, in February and March 2024. Paani tested samples for 65 unique water and 20 unique sediment pollution parameters and compared the testing results to national and international standards and guidelines for freshwater and sediment pollution.

The report states that every single test site exhibited pollution values above national and international standards and guidelines. “Even remote areas with no visible pollution had high levels of persistent pollutants, highlighting the river’s vulnerability to long-range contamination. Across test sites, Paani observed notable spikes in pollution levels, frequently downstream of industrial areas or other zones with known pollution discharges. Additionally, the results demonstrated that high levels of pollutants from Urban Bengaluru enter the Arkavati via the Vrishabhavati and degrade water quality. Many of the river sites had high phosphorus levels, causing eutrophication,” states the report.

“Currently, our rivers are graded A to E based on just a handful of parameters like pH, dissolved oxygen, coliform bacteria, and a few others to decide if the water is ‘fit’ for drinking, bathing, irrigation, or industrial use. But these grades don’t take into account many persistent and harmful chemicals that remain in the water and soil. As a result, water can still be carrying dangerous contaminants like hexavalent chromium and yet be reported as ‘safe for irrigation’ just because it meets those limited criteria,” says Madhuri Mandava, who, along with Khushbu K. Birawat, both from Paani, accompanied The Hindu on the site visit to the Arkavati.

She adds that the instruments used are not sensitive enough to pick up dangerous chemicals in lower concentrations, which means harmful contamination can go completely unnoticed and unreported, while the same water continues to irrigate the food we eat.

First things first

Lele says it is unlikely that the river will ever flow again “as it did in the past”, and that this “past flowing river” itself is a myth. “We must remember that even 200 years ago, there were probably 400 irrigation tanks blocking streams in the T.G. Halli catchment and that water was used to cultivate sugarcane/paddy. It is best to aim for sustainable and equitable water use in the T.G. Halli catchment and avert water pollution in the reservoir, because the Kumudavati is still contributing inflow. Bengalureans really do not stand to benefit from its rejuvenation, unless the idea is for T.G. Halli dam to start supplying water again, which seems very unlikely,” he says.

Birawat is more optimistic. “The first step to healing our rivers is to see what is really hurting them and identify the sources. The Central Pollution Control Board’s 2017 guidelines for water quality monitoring laid out a robust framework to help understand pollution sources, trends, and the effectiveness of control measures. But on the ground, implementation by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board falls short of this intent. Monitoring has been reduced to a simplistic grading exercise, with little evidence of meaningful classification of stations or comprehensive testing. As a result, the programme fails to guide corrective action or improve water quality, and risks, leaving the most critical pollution sources unaddressed,” she says.

She also says no matter how much we clean the Arkavati, it will not make a real difference if the Vrishabhavati keeps pouring pollution into it.

A river, she points out, is just not water; it is a living ecosystem. “A river is so much more than just a line of water between two banks. It reflects everything around it — the forests, the lakes, the built-up areas, the storm-water drains, the floodplains, the fields, the hills, and the aquifers underground. It does feel too little and too late, when you see the pathetic state of the river, but better late than never. If we truly wish to rejuvenate the Arkavati, we must also protect its catchment. It feels deeply counterintuitive when, on one hand, committees are set up to revive the river, yet on the other, the government proposes to dilute its buffer zones and weaken the T.G. Halli preservation notification,” she adds.

(Edited by Giridhar Narayan)

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal an Institution of Eminence Deemed-to-be-University, Manipal College of Dental Sciences (MCODS), Manipal, a constituent unit of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), successfully hosted the fourth edition of the Manipal Dental Conference (MDC 4.0) — an undergraduate scientific meet that has steadily gained prominence since its inception. The two-day event, held on July 14 and 15 at the MCODS, Manipal campus, saw the enthusiastic participation of budding dental professionals from across the country.

Welcoming over 350 delegates from 25 dental colleges across six states, the conference reinforced its reputation as a student-led initiative that seamlessly blends academic excellence with hands-on learning. Despite heavy monsoon showers, participants arrived in Manipal eager to immerse themselves in the vibrant scientific and educational atmosphere.

The inauguration ceremony was graced by several distinguished dignitaries. Dr Dilip G Naik, pro vice chancellor of MAHE (Mangalore campus), presided over the event, while Dr Shivsharan Shetty, Karnataka State Representative to the Dental Council of India, attended as the chief guest. The conference began with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp and a soulful invocation.

Dr Gopalakrishnan Dharmarajan, dean, MCODS, Manipal, extended a warm welcome to the gathering, followed by an overview of the conference presented by Dr Shashi Rashmi Acharya, associate dean. In his address, Dr Shivsharan Shetty emphasized the importance of lifelong learning and continued education in dentistry. Dr Dilip G Naik, in his remarks, highlighted MAHE’s strong commitment to fostering a culture of continuous academic growth and innovation. The inauguration ceremony concluded with a vote of thanks delivered Dr Nihal Shetty, president of student’s council, MCODS, Manipal.

The scientific programme at MDC 4.0 included seven engaging lectures delivered by renowned experts, covering contemporary topics. Complementing the lectures were a series of academic competitions and five hands-on workshops, which offered practical training in various aspects of dentistry. A dynamic dental quiz added a competitive edge to the conference, testing students’ theoretical knowledge and critical thinking.

The resounding success of MDC 4.0 reaffirms its place as one of the most awaited student-driven dental conferences in the region. By encouraging collaboration, peer learning, and exposure to cutting-edge advancements, the conference continues to play a vital role in shaping the academic and clinical acumen of undergraduate dental student.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

Fashion entrepreneur Sharada Narayanan became the first Indian contestant to win Mrs Classique Globe Choice of the People title, with Mrs India Globe Classique 2017 Veena Jain as her mentor.

When fashion entrepreneur Sharada Narayanan stood on stage with her counterparts from across the world, waiting with sheer anticipation and racing hearts for the announcement of Mrs Classique Globe Choice of the People, she took a moment to process that her name had been called out.

“I was in a complete shock. I don’t think I reacted the way everybody usually does – the awe, the crying or hands thrown up in the air,” she recalls. While winning the title with 50 other contestants competing for it might have been a surprise for Narayanan, her mentor, Veena Jain, the winner of Mrs India Globe Classique 2017, had complete confidence. “When we started from Bengaluru, I had a feeling that we were going to make it this year. It may have been a surprise for Sharada, but for me, I was very confident that she was going to come out with the title – her confidence and elegance made me believe so. I’m especially proud because this is the first time an Indian delegate has won such an honour,” says Jain.

Achieving the highly coveted Swarovski crystal-studded crown was no easy feat with Narayanan’s schedule being jam-packed with rehearsals and galas from the moment she arrived at Palm Springs on June 16 to the moment she was crowned on June 21.

“Once we went there, it was a complete grind – it’s like a boot camp. We get up early in the morning and go on late into the night on some days. You go through one regiment after the other, but there were a lot of fun times in between practice and exercise too, when we got to bond with women from different countries and cultures,” says Narayanan, explaining the preparations that went into the three final rounds – national costume, swimsuit, and evening gown – as well as the Bollywood-themed welcome party, charity galas, and preliminary rounds that preceded them.

She credits Jain with helping her through the whole process, saying, “She was the first person who told me ‘Yes, you should do this. I see a lot of potential in you.’ She has hand-held me in multiple places – with picking the best colours to wear, the right outfits, even with picking fabrics and shopping. Her belief in me was with me from the start till the time that we wrapped up the event and we came back.”

Apart from being a mom and fashion entrepreneur with her boutique ‘Metamorphosis’, Narayanan has years of experience working in top corporates and also runs an NGO, Virya Trust, which empowers women by teaching them tailoring skills, marketing housing products, and hosting bazaars. The main reason she decided to try her hand at pageantry was Mrs Globe’s association with the WIN Foundation, which helps women who have faced abuse.

Apart from supporting a cause, the highlight for Narayanan was the national costume round, where she sported a blue gown with intricate traditional hand-embroidery and eye-catching peacock feathers for a sleeve.

“You come out carrying your country’s flag, which brings with it a lot of pride, but you also have a responsibility to ensure that you don’t let your country down, and make sure you are doing your best,” she says.

Jain notes the importance of an Indian contestant winning the Mrs Classique Globe Choice of the People title for the first time, stating that beauty is more than Euro-centric standards. “Every time I saw girls from Europe, Belarus, and Russia winning, I used to think: why not us? European skin is not the beauty standard in every region – we are all different and beautiful in our way.” She adds that Indian candidates bring something special to every pageant, “Indian candidates are good at communication. They bring a special warmth and friendliness with them.”

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

Nitin Gadkari inaugurated India’s second-longest cable-stayed bridge in Karnataka amid political tensions.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Monday inaugurated India’s second-longest cable-stayed bridge, the 6-km-long Sharavathi Bridge built across the Sharavathi backwaters in Karnataka’s Malnad region.

Constructed at a cost of ₹472 crore, the bridge is expected to significantly improve regional mobility and enhance connectivity in the Western Ghats region. Sharing the update on X, Gadkari said, “Inaugurated India’s second-longest cable-stayed bridge, the 6-km-long Sharavathi Bridge in Karnataka, built at a cost of ₹472 crore to enhance regional connectivity and boost mobility across the Malnad region.”

Gadkari was accompanied by senior BJP leaders including former Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa, Shivamogga MP BY Raghavendra, and BJP state president BY Vijayendra.

Sharavathi bridge inauguration sparks political row

The inauguration, however, stirred political tensions in the state, with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah publicly expressing displeasure over the timing of the event.

In a post on X, the CM stated that he had requested a postponement of the function as he had a pre-scheduled engagement in Vijayapura. Despite the Union Minister reportedly agreeing to the request, Siddaramaiah alleged that local BJP leaders went ahead with the event “under pressure”, without informing him.

“Although the Union Minister had agreed to postpone the program, local BJP leaders succumbed to pressure and organised the program today without bringing it to my attention,” he wrote.

The CM also criticised the BJP for violating protocol and excluding the state government from a centrally sponsored infrastructure event.

“In protest of this move by the BJP, no government ministers or local MLAs are participating in the program… There has been no adherence to protocol here. State governments also have a role in centrally sponsored projects,” he added.

In addition to the bridge inauguration, Gadkari laid the foundation stone for nine National Highway projects spanning 99 kilometres and collectively worth over ₹2,000 crore, according to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).

Widening of the Bidar-Humnabad section (NH-367): A 47-km stretch expected to reduce travel time between Bidar and Kalaburagi.

Restoration works on the Shiradi Ghat section (NH-75): A vital link on the Mangaluru–Bengaluru corridor, especially critical during monsoon season.

The Union Minister also visited the Sri Sigandur Chowdeshwari Ji Temple in Shivamogga, accompanied by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and BS Yediyurappa.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

Political leaders from Karnataka, including CM Siddaramaiah and DCM D.K. Shivakumar, remember Kannada cinema’s first female superstar.

Karnataka leaders, including CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, condoled the death of veteran actor B. Saroja Devi, who passed away owing to age-related ailments on July 14, 2025.

“I am deeply pained by the news of the passing of veteran Kannada actress B. Saroja Devi. Having performed in approximately 200 films across Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi languages, she became popular as ‘Abhinaya Saraswathi’,” he said in a post on X.

Recalling her captivating performances in films like Kittur Chennamma, Babruvahana, and Anna Thangi, he said her departure “is a significant loss to Indian cinema.”

Bidding a fond farewell to the ‘Goddess of Performance’, Mr. D.K. Shivakumar also expressed sorrow at her passing. Speaking to the media near her home in Sadashivanagar in Bengaluru, he said her demise felt like a personal loss as she hailed from his home district. “She has the distinction of having acted as the female lead in 161 films. Even the Tamil film industry used to call her the “Kannada Sundargini”. This is a small example of her artistic ability,” he said.

Karnataka BJP State unit president B.Y. Vijayendra mourned the Kannada film industry’s irreparable loss with the death of the Padmashri and Padmabhushan recipient.

“Having acted alongside legendary actors like Rajkumar, Kalyan Kumar, and others, she not only contributed to the Kannada film industry but also left an indelible mark as a multilingual actress in the world of art. Her performances in films across multiple languages, including Amarashilpi Jakanachari, Mallammana Pavada, Bhagyavantharu, and Babruvahana, will remain eternal in the hearts of art lovers,” he said.

Induestries Minister M.B. Patil and Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Wadiyar also expressed their condolences. Calling Saroja Devi “a timeless icon Indian cinema”, he said, “A proud daughter of Karnataka, she captivated audiences across languages with grace and brilliance. From Mahakavi Kalidasa to Nadodi Mannan, her journey defined an era in Indian cinema. With over 200 films to her name, she remains an eternal inspiration. Her contributions to art and culture will always be remembered. Om Shanti.”

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Dr Vijayalakshmi Deshmane, the first woman professor at Kidwai Memorial Cancer Hospital in Bengaluru, has been honoured with Padma Shri in 2025.

In 1994, Dr Vijayalakshmi Deshmane stood in the hallowed halls of Kidwai Memorial Cancer Hospital, Bengaluru, facing a room of sceptical male colleagues. As the first woman professor at the institute, she was met with raised eyebrows and murmurs questioning her place in the male-dominated world of surgical oncology.

Undeterred, she recalled her father’s words from childhood, “Vijay, put up a surgeon’s board at our house.” With a scalpel in hand and resolve in her heart, she silenced doubters by performing flawless surgeries, earning the nickname ‘Kittur Rani Chennamma’ for her fierce determination. This marked a transformative journey that culminated in her being honoured with Padma Shri in 2025 for reshaping cancer care and philanthropy.

Born to a freedom fighter father, Baburao Deshmane, and mother Ratnamma in a marginalised community, Dr Vijayalakshmi Deshmane faced hardships early on. Growing up in a slum near Gajipur in Kalaburgi, she helped her mother sell fruits and vegetables under a neem tree after school. Despite a devastating drought in Kalaburgi that left even millionaires destitute, her parents prioritised her education. Her father, a social worker and leader at M S K Mill, instilled in her a passion for learning and service.

Dr Deshmane’s educational journey began at the Chakkarghatta school and continued at Gangambika High School in Kannada medium. Despite initial struggles with English in medical school, she kept going, inspired by supportive teachers and friends.

“When I failed physiology, I packed my bags and went home, thinking it was over,” she recalls. “But my youngest sister, Jayashree, said, ‘I failed in first grade, but I didn’t cry like you.’ That hit me.”

She returned to Hubballi Medical College, where she excelled, eventually securing an MS in General Surgery from Bellary Medical College in 1984, becoming the first woman to do so at the institution.

Her career took a pivotal turn when she joined Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology in Bengaluru as a resident doctor. In 1994, she made history as the first woman professor at Kidwai, later serving as dean, head of department, and director. Her dedication to oncology transformed the field, reducing fear around cancer.

“Now, cancer is like diabetes or hypertension. Even stage-four patients go home smiling, thanks to the advancement of research and technology in curing cancer,” she says.

Navigating a male-dominated field was no small feat. During her MS at Bellary, peers questioned, “What surgeries will she do?” Yet, under Professor C R Raghu’s mentorship, she thrived, running from the blood bank to the operation theatre with zeal. “The boys called me Kittur Rani Chennamma,” she says. At Kidwai, as the first woman resident and surgeon, she faced resistance.

“During my interview, they offered gynaecology, assuming it suited girls. I insisted, ‘Give me surgery’,” she says. ” My persistence did pay off. At 38, I became a professor, which gave me the capacity to spearhead global breast cancer research,” she adds.

Dr Deshmane’s life was not without lows. The loss of a patient from Bidar, who died on the operating table due to uncontrollable bleeding, haunted her for days. “It was a dreadful experience. I couldn’t sleep for eight days,” she says.

Personal tragedies also struck—her mother and sister Nagaratna succumbed to cancer. Yet, these losses fueled her commitment to early detection and research, particularly in familial breast and thyroid cancers, using artificial intelligence at institutions like the Indian Institute of Information Technology Design and Manufacturing, Kurnool.

Further, as president of Avala Ashram in Bengaluru, she empowered orphaned girls with life skills. In 2016, she also led the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research in Mohali, Punjab.

Dr Deshmane’s spiritual connection to Lord Krishna guides her life. “I work closely with Krishna. He gives me exactly what I need, not more,” she says. Her unmarried status reflects her dedication to her calling. “In cancer, you give everything to patients. I saw this at Adyar Cancer Institute in Chennai and Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai —doctors who forgot the world, to serve,” she adds.

Reflecting on her journey, she says, “When patients go home smiling, that smile is something you will not find anywhere else in the world. Early detection saves lives—why let cancer progress?”

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

The Father Muller Research Center (FMRC), a pioneering hub for academic innovation under the Father Muller Charitable Institutions (FMCI), has proudly attained two significant patents, highlighting the institution’s steadfast commitment to impactful, low-cost healthcare innovation.

Patent 1: Revolutionizing Auscultation Training with Low-Cost Simulation

A transformative device for simulation-based auscultation training has been successfully patented by Dr Reena Wilma Frank, Pradeep D’Souza, Sandra Saldanha, and Dr Lulu Sherif—faculty members of FMCI. Auscultation, a vital clinical skill in medical and nursing education, often requires access to costly high-fidelity simulators.

In response to this challenge, the innovators have ingeniously repurposed a condemned stethoscope by embedding a Bluetooth earpiece into the diaphragm. The device syncs seamlessly with smartphones or tablets to deliver real-time auscultation sounds during training. Its adaptability allows integration with low-fidelity manikins or Simulated Patients (SPs), offering a cost-effective and reusable learning tool.

This homegrown innovation stands out for its accessibility and affordability—especially in resource-limited educational settings—making it an exemplary model of frugal innovation in healthcare education.

Patent 2: Biodegradable Toe Separator for Interdigital Infections

In a major advancement in dermatological care, a biodegradable toe separator designed to aid in the treatment of interdigital infections has been applied for patent and published. This innovation is the result of a collaboration between Dr Ramesh Bhat and his team from Father Muller Medical College and Srinivas University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Mukka.

Crafted using Autodesk Fusion 360 and 3D-printed with eco-friendly Polylactic Acid (PLA), the device ensures an open, ventilated interdigital space—crucial for healing and infection prevention. Anatomically tailored for the Indian population, it is particularly beneficial for diabetic patients and those in humid climates, providing comfort, durability, and orthopaedic support.

A Thriving Hub of Research Excellence

Under the dynamic leadership of Dr Ramesh Bhat, head of research & professor and unit head (department of dermatology, venereology and leprosy), FMRC continues to be a beacon of academic advancement. The centre currently oversees:

• 20 RGUHS undergraduate research projects
• 16 ICMR STS student research grants
• 4 faculty ICMR grants
• 3 IADVL grants
• 4 DERMLINK projects
• 3 DST grants
• 2 DBT grants

Annual events such as Muller Research Week, Medithon and the FMRC Research Day further bolster research culture among students and faculty, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and patient-centered innovation.

Fr Faustine Lucas Lobo, director, FMCI, lauded the accomplishments, urging the FMRC team to continue their mission in the quest for ‘better understanding and better healing of humankind’.

Dr Antony Sylvan D’Souza, dean, Father Muller Medical College, congratulated the inventors and emphasized that such innovations bring merit and global recognition to the institution, setting new standards in education and healthcare delivery.

With these landmark achievements, the Father Muller Research Center cements its position as a forerunner in healthcare innovation, dedicated to making research work not just for academia—but for the betterment of patients across the world.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

Says Padma Shri Dr. Prahlada Rama Rao, Architect of Akash Missile Systems.

Akash, the surface-to-air missile used in Operation Sindoor, is a true epitome of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Dr. Prahlada Rama Rao, the Architect of Akash Missile Systems, was in Mysuru recently as the guest of honour at Mysuru Literature Festival-2025. 

Padma Shri Dr. Rao recounted a journey that began with uncertainty but ended with one of India’s proudest defence achievements in an exclusive conversation with Sujata Rajpal, on behalf of Star of Mysore.

Dr. Rao, who is currently writing a book on his experience of working on this landmark project, said: “Dr. Kalam chose the name Akash from ten team proposals, aptly symbolising the sky and capturing the project’s vision and mission.” 

Star of Mysore (SOM): Please take our readers through the journey of Akash.

Dr. Prahlada Rama Rao: The journey of Akash Missile Systems began in 1984 when I was hand-picked by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, then the Chairman of Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Policy Affairs, to lead the project as its Director. The objective was to indigenously develop a surface-to-air missile system for India. Until then, India had been importing such equipment from Europe and Russia. At the time, I was only 34 and was apprehensive.

It was a massive responsibility involving huge money, high stakes, immense technical challenges and innumerable gaps. However, once the project was set in motion, I threw myself into the work, drawing on my solid foundation in rockets and missiles.

I had completed my Master’s from IISc. Bangalore in aeronautical engineering with a specialisation in rockets and missiles, and was comfortable working across interdisciplinary domains. Before Akash, I had around ten years of experience, particularly in rockets and radar systems, and had already worked closely  with Dr. Kalam for a year. The project spanned nearly 15 years — 10 years in development and another 5 in testing.

SOM: How strong was the Akash team?

Dr. Rama Rao: We were a team of 50, a thousand scientists from across the country and 200 industries working on this arduous journey. Despite the vast collaboration, the buck stopped with me. Dr. Kalam was my greatest support, mentoring, guiding and advising me throughout.

Many thought it was impossible to build a missile system capable of intercepting multiple incoming threats. That level of coordination and precision had never been attempted in India. But I was confident, it had to work. The stakes were incredibly high. Once the missile is on the launcher and the command is given, it is out of our hands —  it either launches successfully or crashes; even the minutest of errors would set us back to the drawing board. Every glitch forced us to investigate deeply, to understand exactly what went wrong.

SOM: How did you feel when you learnt that Akash was used during Operation Sindoor?

Dr. Rama Rao: The Government had deployed the launchers across various strategic locations, but the timing of their use was unknown to us. I first learnt about it through the news on television when India had launched Operation Sindoor. I was completely frozen.

Even now, talking about it, I am getting goosebumps. I thought of Dr. Kalam. We had worked together on Akash for 15 long years; if he were alive to see this moment, he would have been proud. It wasn’t just a missile launch; it was the culmination of a vision we had nurtured through years of relentless effort. It was the happiest moment of my life. To see something you’ve built from scratch, through decades of uncertainty, finally serving the nation.

SOM: What lessons did you learn from working with Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam?

Dr. Rama Rao: Dr. Kalam had an extraordinary ability to recognise people’s strengths and assign responsibilities accordingly. He believed in recognising talent publicly, which motivated people to give their best. Despite all his achievements, he remained incredibly humble.

He wouldn’t hesitate to approach anyone, whether junior or senior, to ask for help or seek an opinion. He was a true team player. He knew how to unite people behind a shared vision. And perhaps the most powerful lesson he taught was to never lose sight of your vision. We need more Kalams in our country.

SOM: What is your advice to young scientists and aspiring innovators?

Dr. Rama Rao: Young scientists must build a strong foundation in Science. Believe in yourself even when others don’t. Always keep the bigger picture in mind. You are not just doing a job; you are solving a real-world problem, often one that impacts the nation so challenges are inevitable. Don’t let minor setbacks discourage you. Learn to work with all kinds of people — professional jealousies, ego clashes and power struggles are part of any project. Don’t let them distract you. Shed your ego, stay grounded and stay focused on the mission.

SOM: How about your family support?

Dr. Rama Rao: Nothing big has been achieved without family support. My wife and daughter have suffered the most (he laughs). In this entire journey, I have taken only one day’s leave for my daughter’s wedding, and thankfully, I’ve only one daughter (he laughs again). I have never attended any of the family functions or parent-teacher meetings, but these were the small prices to pay for the bigger mission, and my family understood it.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

The initiative attempts to leverage behavioural science and technology to help public agencies lower emissions, reduce traffic congestion, and encourage commuters to shift from personal vehicles to shared and sustainable modes of transport.

The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), and the Electronics City Industries Association (ELCIA), in collaboration with Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) and WRI India, have announced the winners of the Station Access and Mobility Program’s (STAMP) innovation challenge.

The winners, selected from a pool of 32 applications, are CommuteVerse, Nippon Koei, Orbit Wallet, and Tummoc. They will receive a combined grant of $100,000 to demonstrate their solutions. Pilot demonstrations are set to be rolled out in August 2025 in and around Electronics City.

The initiative attempts to leverage behavioural science and technology to help public agencies lower emissions, reduce traffic congestion, and encourage commuters to shift from personal vehicles to shared and sustainable modes of transport.

Developing mobility interventions

The broader STAMP initiative was launched in 2016 by Toyota Mobility Foundation and WRI India to promote better multimodal integration with the metro.

The innovation challenge, as part of the broader initiative, was launched on April 11, 2025, inviting startups, technology firms, and solution providers to co-develop scalable mobility interventions that can increase metro ridership, especially in last-mile segments. 

It focused on solutions incorporating gamification (offering rewards and incentives for choosing low-carbon commuting options), real-time nudges (deploying contextual, time-sensitive messaging to promote shared and efficient mobility) and inclusive access (improving first- and last-mile connectivity, affordability, and safety using commuter-centric behavioural cues.)

“In this iteration of STAMP, we aim to demonstrate how behavioural science can be seamlessly integrated into transport planning to create practical commuter-first solutions that are sustainable,” said Pras Ganesh, Executive Program Director, Toyota Mobility Foundation Asia.

“Through this challenge, we have seen innovative ideas that can encourage community focused decision-making, and are excited to see these solutions piloted in a real-world setting which sets the stage for replication across Bengaluru and thereafter in other cities,” he added.

Winners

CommuteVerse BLR is a mobile-based platform designed to create a gamified commuting experience by aligning individual behaviour, employer participation, and transit system feedback, while Tummoc offers features that allow users to discover, plan, and pay for daily commutes involving buses, metro systems, suburban trains, and last-mile services through a single platform.

Orbit Wallet integrates transit, payments, and access services into a single card and mobile application. Nippon Koei Business Partners Co., Ltd. (Singapore Branch), part of ID&E Holdings, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, collaborates with regional mobility platforms on road safety initiatives and has developed a ‘Healthy City Framework.’

Srinivas Alavilli, Fellow, Integrated Transport and Road Safety, WRI India, noted that the challenge offered a data-driven, locally relevant, and scalable model for effective public-private collaboration .

The finalists will receive tailored tools for pilot design, business model development and stakeholder engagement, access to mentors, experts, and government stakeholders, and financial support for prototype development and implementation.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)