INTERNATIONAL / NATIONAL – KARNATAKA: Bengaluru-based students get United Nations (UN) Recognition for efforts to tackle poverty on October 17th the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

United Nations (UN) has recognised the efforts of Bengaluru-based students to tackle poverty among internal migrants in India, on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

The United Nations (UN) has recognised the efforts of Bengaluru-based students to tackle poverty among internal migrants in India, on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, October 17.

Kristu Jayanti College, a member institution of the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) in India, introduced an ‘adult literacy and migrant labour’ as a general elective this academic year to create better understanding of community-related issues.

Under the leadership of Assistant Professor Dr Juby Thomas, students analysed employment stability, emotional well-being, financial literacy, substance abuse, digital safety awareness, food and nutrition, among the internal migrants. This research provides a grassroots-level understanding of issues affecting internal migrant communities, emphasising the need for all-round support. “The efforts of these students are a testament to the potential of higher education institutions to drive positive change,” he explained.

In the second phase, students designed awareness campaigns. “Our students started a campaign with the theme Sip Right, Live Bright, to empower internal migrants to access and utilise safe and clean water sources. This initiative seeks to educate migrants on purifying water independently,” Dr Augustine George, Principal of Kristu Jayanti College, said.

Through live demonstrations, students could explain the usage of simple purification methods. Students are designing adult literacy plans in the third phase, understanding how adults equipped to read, write and comprehend information can access opportunities. Rudri Dave, Department of Psychology, said, “Through this course, I have learned that comprehending human behaviour and motivation is essential when tackling social and public health issues.”

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: HEALTH & MEDICAL SERVICES / AMAZING SURGERIES :Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital Celebrates 750 Successful Scoliosis Surgeries on World Spine Day

Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital recently held a special event on World Spine Day to celebrate the achievements of the doctors in their Department of Spine and Joint Surgery. The event marked the completion of 750 successful scoliosis surgeries by the hospital.

The purpose of the event was to not only acknowledge the patients and their families, but also to recognize the medical professionals who have contributed to the success. It served as an opportunity to raise awareness about scoliosis and highlight the importance of early diagnosis and timely intervention. The hospital emphasized the fact that with the right treatment, scoliosis patients can overcome the limitations imposed by the condition.

The Chief Guest at the event, Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dinesh Gundu Rao, praised the hospital for their dedication to excellence in spinal surgeries. He stated that each successful surgery represents a life transformed from suffering to a life free from the limitations of scoliosis.

Scoliosis is a medical condition characterized by an abnormal curvature of the spine. It can cause physical deformity, pain, and discomfort. Early diagnosis and timely intervention are crucial in managing the condition effectively. The Department of Spine and Joint Surgery at Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital has been at the forefront of providing high-quality care to scoliosis patients.

The celebration of 750 successful scoliosis surgeries is a testament to the hospital’s commitment to improving the lives of individuals living with this condition. Through their expertise and dedication, the medical professionals at Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital have made a significant impact in the field of spine and joint surgeries.

Sources:
– Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital
– Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dinesh Gundu Rao

source/content: expresshealthcaremgmt.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL / NATIONAL / KARNATAKA: TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OF MEDICAL RESEARCH: Sepsis Treatment SUR-101 Developed by Researchers in Bengaluru and Bhubaneswar licensed to Dutch Biotech firm SurvivX

The development of the treatment was announced by C-CAMP director Dr Taslimarif Saiyed at an event with Netherlands PM Mark Rutte last month.

A novel sepsis treatment, called SUR-101, developed collaboratively by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), Bengaluru, and the Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, was licensed to Dutch biotech firm SurvivX in the presence of Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Thursday.

The development of the technology, presently at the preclinical stage, was announced by Dr Taslimarif Saiyed, director-CEO of C-CAMP, at an event with Rutte on the latter’s visit to Bengaluru on the sidelines of the G20 summit last month.

Sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency. It happens when an infection that a patient already has triggers a chain reaction throughout the body. According to C-CAMP, existing interventions for sepsis are found to be effective only at the very early onset of sepsis. By modulating the immune response, the current technology allows a longer time window for administering targeted interventions for sepsis.

“Sepsis is a worldwide challenge, with approximately 50 million cases and 11 million sepsis-related deaths worldwide, accounting for 20 per cent of all global deaths. The new compound, called SUR-101, is an immune-stimulating therapeutic in sepsis patients with signs of immune suppression. It could be the first step towards personalization and precision in sepsis medicine that has thus far been treated as a drug discovery problem. The technology presently at the preclinical stage is a discovery by a team of scientists led by Prof Ravindran Balachandran from ILS. It has been translated and co-developed by the translational research group of Dr Saiyed at C-CAMP,” said a media release from the Bengaluru centre, which is an initiative of the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science, Technology and Earth Sciences.

Speaking on the licensing effort, the Dutch ambassador to India, Marisa Gerards, said, “Life sciences & health remains a priority sector for the bilateral cooperation between the Netherlands and India. We have successfully been working in this field for many years, and this new partnership is a great example of what India and the Netherlands can do together. Sepsis is an important global societal challenge, and it is in need of innovative solutions.”

“This is one of the first global technology transfers by C-CAMP of an academic invention developed exclusively in India. We are excited about the partnership with SurvivX, a biotech company in the Netherlands, in the antimicrobial resistance domain. This agreement will be a model in innovation-focused bilateral partnerships that addresses global issues together,” Dr Saiyed said.

SurvivX CEO Remko van Leeuwen said, “Our technology is based on a specific protein excreted by a tropical parasite: the filarial roundworm. The team in India made the remarkable observation that people infected by this parasite typically do not end up at an ICU unit when they develop sepsis. They started studies to find the cause of this protective effect that an infection with this worm seems to have.”

According to Leeuwen, the researchers discovered that a specific protein secreted by the worm was responsible for the effect. “We have already shown that the protein leads to a much better survival of mice with sepsis, confirming the protective effect seen in filaria patients. But mice are not human, Thus, SurvivX needs to show the safety and activity of the protein in humans before it can be tested as a novel therapeutic approach,” he added.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGH: C-CAMP announces Centre of Excellence in Antimicrobial Resistance Innovation with SBI Foundation

According to C-CAMP, AMR has been identified by World Health Organisation (WHO) as one of the top ten global health threats claiming 7,00,000 lives per year globally with a projected fatality rate of 10 million per year by 2050.

The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), a biotech research and innovation hub in Bengaluru, Friday announced the establishment of a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) innovations with SBI Foundation, a CSR subsidiary of the State of India.

This project is aimed at addressing global health threats by providing a structured platform for support systems that include funding and frameworks to advance the development, translation and scale-up of indigenous deep science entrepreneurships in the AMR domain.

According to C-CAMP, AMR has been identified by World Health Organisation (WHO) as one of the top ten global health threats claiming 7,00,000 lives per year globally with a projected fatality rate of 10 million per year by 2050.

“While India is one of the leading nations from the Global South in research towards AMR mitigation, deep science entrepreneurial efforts to deliver these emerging solutions from bench to bedside have shown a serious lacuna. This unaddressed gap is now the focus of a new partnership between C-CAMP and SBI Foundation. The project will establish a CoE in AMR innovation by providing a structured platform for support systems and frameworks to advance the development, translation and scale-up of indigenous deep science entrepreneurships in the AMR domain,” C-CAMP said in a release.

Prof Ajay Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, said, “The AMR poses a grave challenge to public health systems across the world and is a WHO priority. Paradoxically, AMR is one of the least funded domains in biotechnology due to its skewed market economics. Funding and handholding support for this deep science sector by the C-CAMP-SBIF CoE will be a tremendous boost for AMR innovation development.”

C-CAMP Director-CEO Dr Taslimarif Saiyed said, “We are excited to ring in our latest partnership with SBI Foundation. This is a crucial PPP collaboration through which we will address AMR by supporting ventures that develop and commercialise scientific breakthroughs and innovations for on-field impact. As the latest ICMR study on AMR showed, last-resort antibiotics like carbapenems are beginning to fail in hospital-acquired infections in ICUs with signs of locally resistant strains emerging. This implies a dire need for indigenous solutions tailored for Indian conditions which this CoE will help identify and support.”

Sanjay Prakash, Managing Director, SBI Foundation, said he is confident that the CoE for AMR Innovation will be the cornerstone in identifying, funding and nurturing startups leading the AMR Innovations.

The CoE will be under the aegis of the global India AMR Innovation hub (IAIH) also anchored by C-CAMP and chaired by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser. The focus of the CoE will be on identifying and supporting through funding and other means, a 360 degree portfolio of cutting-edge deep-science solutions, across AMR and the larger One Health domain spanning Food and Agriculture, Environment and Healthcare.

The CoE plans to kick off its operations by identifying and nurturing up to 12 innovations in the next two years.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

WORLD / NATIONAL/ KARNATAKA: WORLD RECORD SPORTS : Sibling Sisters, 10-year old Ovee Malve and Ruchi Malve from Bengaluru become World’s Youngest Certified Scuba Diver Sisters

Their interest in scuba diving stemmed from those videos and they started swimming and later training for scuba diving.

A day after turning 10, Bengaluru-based Ovee Malve set a world record of becoming the youngest certified scuba diver.

With this, both Ovee and her sister Ruchi, daughters of Bangalore Mountaineering Club founder Neeraj Malve, have become the youngest certified scuba diver siblings in the world. Neeraj himself has been a scuba diver for 16 years now. Ovee achieved the feat in Puducherry at 7.18 am on October 11, becoming the youngest Professional Association of Diving Instructors-certified open water diver. 

Elated and proud, Neeraj said he understands that adventure sports are not easy, especially at a young age. He never pressured his children and ensured that they underwent proper training. The daughters were water babies since they were little and were fascinated with his scuba diving videos.

Their interest in scuba diving stemmed from those videos and they started swimming and later training for scuba diving, he said. Ovee enrolled for a junior open water diver course at Temple Adventures, Puducherry and trained under coach Shreya Mehta. 

Her sister Ruchi (14) trained under Shaurya Tarni of Dive Goa in Goa. Ruchi enrolled for the Junior Open Water Diver certification course on October 27, 2022 and received the Scuba Schools International certificate on October 30, 2022. At the age of 10 and 13, both Malve sisters have become the world’s youngest scuba diver sisters.

Previously, a Mumbai-based boy, Dwit Nandu, at age 10 set the world record around 8 am on August 25, 2023.

Both the sisters underwent two-day rigorous training which included a 200-metre nonstop swimming and floating for 10 minutes without any support. 

They studied five chapters of theory about performing underwater skills in confined waters, passed a written exam and successfully performed four dives in open water up to 18-metre depth to earn their open water diver certification.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: RESEARCH / NANOENZYMES: Scientists of Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Develop Enzyme Mimetic with potential applications in Wastewater Treatment, Healthcare

The nanozyme can degrade pollutants in wastewater by oxidising them in the presence of sunlight, thereby reducing the toxicity of wastewater.

Scientists at the Materials Research Centre (MRC), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), have developed a new type of enzyme mimetic that can degrade toxic chemicals in industrial wastewater effectively in the presence of sunlight. 

Enzymes are proteins that catalyse a majority of biological reactions in living systems. However, the practical use of natural enzymes is hindered by inherent limitations such as sensitivity to denaturation (breakdown/damage), complex production procedures, high costs, and difficulties in recycling, says Subinoy Rana, Assistant Professor at MRC and corresponding author of the paper published in Nanoscale

Mass producing these enzymes is an expensive and time-consuming process. Another problem is storage – most of the natural enzymes are temperature-sensitive and require storage at cooler temperatures, often as low as -20°C. 

Nano-sized enzyme mimetics or “nanozymes” manufactured in the lab can mimic such natural enzymes and overcome these practical challenges.  

In the current study, the IISc team synthesised a platinum-containing nanozyme called NanoPtA, which can be converted into powder form for industrial use. 

When the NanoPtA comes in contact with wastewater, the benzene rings and long alkyl chains present in the molecule form multiple non-covalent interactions. Individual NanoPtA molecules connect together to form tape-like structures that start emitting light, which is the origin of its oxidising capacity. The nanozyme can then degrade pollutants present in wastewater by oxidising them in the presence of sunlight, thereby reducing the toxicity of wastewater. 

The team found that the nanozyme could degrade even small (micromolar) quantities of common effluents like phenols and dyes within ten minutes when placed under sunlight. The researchers also found that the NanoPtA complex was quite stable, lasting for up to 75 days at room temperature.  

The team believes that the nanozyme can also have applications in healthcare and could be a potentially useful diagnostic tool for neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. 

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL & KARNATAKA: SPORTS / CRICKET: Siddaramaiah felicitates Gold Medal-Winning Indian Blind Women’s Cricket Team

 Chief Minister Siddaramaiah felicitated the members of the Indian blind women’s cricket team and the blind men’s cricket team from Karnataka at the Home Office Krishna on Friday.

The Indian blindwomen’s cricket team won the gold medal, and the blind men’s cricket team won silver medal in the IBSA World Cricket Tournament (Cricket for Bind) .

The Chief Minister felicitated the captain of the Indian blind women’s cricket team Varsha.U and team players, Deepika, Gangavva, and Prakash J, Sunil Kumar, Basappa Voddgol of the men’s team from Karnataka.

The visually challenged Indian women’s cricket team in August scripted history by winning a gold medal beatingAustraliaby nine wickets at the IBSA World Games.

The team of medal winning players led by Govinda Raju, the president of the Karnataka State Olympic Organisation and political secretary to the Chief Minister, met the Chief Minister and presented their demands.

The Chief Minister responded positively and assured tohold a separate discussion with Govindaraju and to takeappropriate decisions to fulfill their demands.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah interacted with the players and asked them interesting questions about the training the players get, how they recognize a ball, how many matches have they played, etc..

The Chief Minister’s Political Adviser Naseer Ahmed, Life President of Cricket Association for Blind India Mahantesh, CABI President Boosagowda and representatives of Samarthanam Trust were also present.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL / NATIONAL & KARNATAKA: INFORMATION TECHNOLGY: Bengaluru’s Infosys Only Indian Firm in TIME Magazine’s World’s Best 100 Companies list

The list, curated by TIME and Statista, is dominated by global Big Tech companies like Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet and Meta Platforms which were the top four companies on the list.

IT major Infosys is the only Indian company featured in TIME Magazine’s top 100 ‘World’s Best Companies 2023’ list, dominated by Big Tech.

The Bengaluru-based professional services firm has been ranked 64th spot in the top 100 list.

“Infosys has been featured in TIME World’s Best Companies 2023 list. We are among the top 3 global professional services firms and the only brand from India in the Top 100 global rankings,” the company said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The list, curated by TIME and Statista, is dominated by global Big Tech companies like Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet (Google’s parent company) and Meta Platforms which were the top four companies on the list.

Other top companies in the coveted list are Accenture, Pfizer, American Express, BMW Group, Dell Technologies, Louis Vuitton, Delta Air Lines, Starbucks, Volkswagen Group, General Motors, Ford and others.

The list is based on a formula of revenue growth, employee-satisfaction surveys, and rigorous environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG, or sustainability) data. Big Tech had a tough year, laying off tens of thousands of workers since January.

But the world’s biggest tech companies are also the ones doing best for investors, employees, and the planet.

“Microsoft, for example, the top company in the global rankings, made $72 billion in its most recent fiscal year, a 63 per cent increase from 2020, while also reducing overall emissions by 0.5 per cent,” said TIME.

Accenture, based in Dublin, had the highest ESG ranking of any company on the list.

“The rankings show just who dominates the world economic order, with fast-moving tech and business-services companies unseating the manufacturers and consumer-goods companies that once drove the global economy,” the magazine said.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: September 15th: Millions participate in Karnataka Govt’s Event of ‘Reading Constitution’s Preamble’as a part of ‘International Day of Democracy’ Celebrations

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said anti-Constitutional forces are trying to destroy the Constitution and implement Manusmriti again. He called on the state to be alert and aware about this.

The Karnataka government on Friday organised a mega event of reading the Constitution’s preamble as part of the ‘International Day of Democracy’ celebrations, with tens of lakhs of people participating in the programme from the country and abroad at the same time.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah led the celebrations, along with Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and several other guests, by reading the preamble in Kannada from the grand steps of ‘Vidhan Soudha’ here with a large number of school students and others joining in unison in front of them.

In June, the Karnataka government made it mandatory for all students of schools and colleges, whether government, aided or private, to read the preamble daily.

It also made it compulsory to have a portrait of the preamble of the Constitution put up at all government and semi-government offices in the state.

Addressing the gathering, Siddaramaiah said the government has fulfilled four of the five ‘guarantees’ (pre-poll promises of the Congress) and “walked the talk”.

“Protection of the Constitution is the duty of every citizen – Our Constitution opens with We the people of India. If the wishes of the Constitution are not effectively understood and followed, it is not possible to build an equal society,” the chief minister said.

As per the aspiration of the Constitution which calls for equal society and highlights secular principles, Siddaramaiah said his government has implemented schemes for the prosperity of all and their purpose was to return money back to the public to improve their lives.

“Our government has implemented programmes for the prosperity of all, as per the aspirations of equal society and secular principle of the Constitution,” he said.

The chief minister said anti-Constitutional forces are trying to destroy the Constitution and implement Manusmriti again.

He called on the state to be alert and aware about this.

“Destroying the Constitution and enforcing Manusmriti means 90% Indians will be forced back into slavery,” he said and warned that a lot of conspiracies are going on for this.

Siddaramaiah said that after the adoption of the Constitution, the democratic system was officially implemented in India.

“The democratic system has been formed in our land since the time of Buddha and Basavanna (12th-century social reformer). The debates held in the Parliament during the promulgation of the Constitution seem to reflect the importance of our Constitution and the mindset of the opponents of the Constitution,” the chief minister added.

Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa, and several other Ministers and Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma also attended the event.

Mahadevappa had said on Wednesday that nearly 2.28 crore people from all walks of life within the country and abroad, have registered to read the Constitution’s preamble.

“From within the country and abroad, 2, 27, 81,894 people have made online registration. We had expected 5 or 10 lakh people to register, but this has become a movement,” Mahadevappa had said.

He had said that those from corporate, private, government and banking sectors, people from industries and NRIs from several countries have come forward to participate, and have registered.

“The intention is to make people, especially the youth, understand the idea of the democracy and the Constitution, and thereby they know the main purpose of the preamble, to lead a life with dignity, freedom and equality,” Mahadevappa added.

The Social Welfare department had said that anyone who wants to read the Constitution on the same day (September 15) and at the same time of the main event, and get a participation certificate issued by the Government of Karnataka, needs to register.

On September 15, they can upload a video or picture of them reading the preamble, upon which they will be approved to download participation certificates from the same website, it said.

The minister spoke about the importance of making it mandatory to read the preamble at all formal functions of the state government, besides all schools, colleges and educational institutions.

Meanwhile, in view of the mega event, Bengaluru Traffic Police also issued an advisory suggesting diversion of vehicles to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

ASIA RECORDS: INDIA & KARNATAKA: SPORTS / CRICKET: India vs Pakistan: Kohli, Rahul Record Highest-ever Partnership in Asia Cup History

Virat Kohli and KL Rahul registered the highest-ever partnership in the history of Asia Cup during the Super 4 match between India and Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Monday.

Virat Kohli and KL Rahul registered the highest-ever partnership in the history of Asia Cup during the Super 4 match between India and Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Monday.

The Indian duo had a sedate start and took a couple of overs to settle down before they began their onslaught. They ended up scoring 233 off 194 deliveries, nine higher than previous record-holders Nasir Jamshed and Mohammad Hafeez. They help India reach a daunting 356/2 in their 50-over quota.

On the way to this record, Kohli became the fastest batter to reach 13,000 ODI runs. He took just 277 innings and betterd the record of fellow Indian great Sachin Tendulkar (321 innings).

Highest partnerships in Asia Cup history:

PlayersRunsWicketTeamOpposition
Virat Kohli-KL Rahul233*3rdIndiaPakistan
Mohammed Hafeez-Nasir Jamshed2241stPakistanIndia
Younis Khan-Shoaib Malik2143rdPakistanNepal
Iftikar Ahmed-Babar Azam2145thPakistanBangladesh
Ajinkya Rahane-Virat Kohli2133rdIndiaPakistan

source/content: sportstar.thehindu.com (headline edited)