Category Archives: Records, All

Big leap in chickpea and pigeonpea research

Agriculture, Green Initiatives / Environment, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

ICRISAT partners with Israel’s genomic big-data company

Developing high nutritional varieties of chickpea and pigeonpea just got easier. With new technology, genomic processes that could have taken years were completed in a few months.

This has been possible with the work of scientists from the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in collaboration with NRGene, Israel, which helped create multiple assembly lines of pigeonpea and chickpea genomes. This means scientists can not only better understand crop traits, they can also significantly speed up work on improved varieties.

With this technology from NRGene, ICRISAT has chickpea and pigeonpea genomes to a reference level quality that researchers can use. This would help maximize favourable nutritional properties of these high-protein legumes.

“The developing world has long faced the pressures of food security with limited farmland,” says Rajeev K. Varshney, research program director of Genetic Gains and director of Center of Excellence in Genomics and Systems Biology, ICRISAT. “For effective use of genomics-assisted breeding, we need reference genomes of several varieties of a given crop. Therefore, new assemblies of chickpea and pigeonpea lines by NRGene and ICRISAT will allow our scientists and partners to better understand plant traits to breed more nutritional varieties,” he adds.

ICRISAT, in partnership with other institutions, has already decoded and documented genomes of pigeonpea and chickpea (Nature Biotechnology 2013, Nature Biotechnology 2012). Traditional methods would have required years to complete each individual assembly. NRGene’s DeNovoMAGICTM 3.0 delivered multiple assemblies in a matter of months.

“While DeNovoMAGIC has been successfully deployed by the world’s leading seed companies and academic institutions, implementing this for organisations like ICRISAT enhances our mission of making an impact on the world food supply,” says Gil Ronen, CEO of NRGene, adding, “Chickpea, pigeonpea, and other protein-rich legumes will be even more critical crops in the years to come and we are glad that our technology can be used to improve the nutrition status of the world.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Telangana / by Staff Reporter / Sangareddy – May 31st, 2018

Chinese Army officer in Hyderabad college

Education, Records, All, World Opinion

First from China to pursue course at College of Defence Management

An army officer from China, for the first time, will be part of the 44-week Higher Defence Management Course (HDMC) that started at the College of Defence Management (CDM) in Secunderabad on Tuesday.

He is among the 154 select officers in the rank of Colonel and their equivalent in the Navy, Air Force and Paramilitary Forces, including 10 officers from friendly foreign countries including Bhutan, Bangladesh, Mozambique, Nigeria, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Uganda and Vietnam.

Lt. General Cherish Mathson, Army Commander, South Western Command, delivered the inaugural address and discussed the importance that the course has in empowering every future leader. The international and tri-service flavour of the course allows varied and unique learning experience for the participating officers.

The course curriculum covers various management subjects related to Behavioural Sciences, Decision Sciences, Resource Management and Research Methodology. The course is pitched at the directional and conceptual level with focus on application of management tools and techniques in operational management. It also includes visit to the field formations in Forward Area, a ‘management education tour’ of private and public sector establishments and an international strategic management tour to understand nuances of geopolitics.

Participants also need to carry out ‘project studies’ to find solutions to challenges faced by the Armed Forces. They are awarded degree of Master of Management Studies (MMS) by Osmania University and a Certificate of Advance Course in Management by All India Management Association (AIMA) on completion of the course.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – May 29th, 2018

Hyderabad-based Icrisat, KeyGene sign pact that will benefit farmers in Asia and Africa

Agriculture, Green Initiatives / Environment, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Hyderabad :

A global partnership on technologies has been signed between ICRISAT, Hyderabad and KeyGene, a Netherlands-based agricultural biotech company which will potentially benefit millions of smallholder farmers across Asia and Africa.

The partnership was entered into on May 25, 2018 in Mumbai by KeyGene and the not–for-profit scientific research organization, the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) with the signing of a Letter of Intent (LoI), for research and co-development on legumes and cereals. The two institutions will work together using novel crop innovation solutions based on KeyGene’s proprietary technologies and know-how.

The signing took place at a high profile trade mission hosted by the High Commission of The Netherlands, in presence of the Dutch Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (The Netherlands) Ms Carola Schouten, in Mumbai. The LoI was signed by Dr. Kiran K Sharma, Deputy Director General Research (Acting), ICRISAT and Dr. Arjen van Tunen, CEO, KeyGene.

KeyGene and ICRISAT will work together on innovative approaches for trait development and gene discovery. KeyGene will share its knowledge and expertise on crops and the use of KeyGene’s crop innovation platforms. This includes KeyGene’s Sequence Based Genotyping (SBG) and mutation breeding technologies. The genetically diverse grain legume resources of ICRISAT will serve as a reservoir for the identification and exploitation of useful traits. These will be used as a starting point for crop breeding and mutagenesis programs. Capacity building and skill development of start-up entrepreneurs is also envisaged in this collaboration through ICRISAT’s BioNEST-Bioincubator “BioNCube”.

“We look forward to this collaboration with ICRISAT to combine scientific expertise from both organizations. The applications of KeyGene technology in the germplasm of ICRISAT’s mandate crops can help develop highly productive and resilient crops for food and nutrition security of the poorest populations in India and Africa,” said Arjen van Tunen, CEO KeyGene.

“As part of this partnership, we are hopeful to see rapid improvements in the applications of technology and its translation into next-generation agricultural products to benefit smallholder farmers in the drylands. We also believe that the combined knowledge will enable building capacity to foster innovation in agriculture,” said Peter Carberry, Director General (Acting), ICRISAT.

The collaborative efforts are aimed at improvement of the crops such as chickpea, pigeonpea, and groundnut. It reflects the mission of both institutions – where KeyGene has been supporting organizations for R&D challenges in agriculture and ICRISAT has been partnering private sector capabilities for public good.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> India News / by Ch. Sushil Rao / TNN / May 28th, 2018

Farmer awarded, gives Governor a gift that grows

Agriculture, Amazing Feats, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology

Tuber Man’s ‘seed pen’ germinates into tree after pen is disposed of

Shaji N.M., a farmer who was conferred the Biodiversity Award under special mention category by the National Biodiversity Authority, attracted many eyeballs during the award ceremony on Tuesday.

After receiving the award, he presented seed pens as return gift to the dignitaries, including Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan from whom he received the prize. “It is made of paper. You can use it as a normal disposable pen, and when the ink is exhausted, you can just throw it away. It contains a seed, which will give birth to a tree in future,” he explained.

Making seed pens is more like a hobby for Mr. Shaji, whose major occupation is conserving tuber species.

Started 20 years ago as a response to the drought conditions in Wayanad district where he lives, his passion has taken him places across the country, in search of newer tuber species. “I have a collection of 200 edible tuber species, including the rarest ones, besides herbs and medicinal plants on my four-acre land,” he says proudly.

He has shared the germplasm of the tubers with institutions such as Central Tuber Crop Research Institute and Kerala University.

Recipient of many awards, including National Plant Genome Saviour Award, Mr. Shaji’s conservation efforts are not limited to tubers; they extend to rice. He grows 17 traditional varieties of rice on the meagre plot, besides dabbling in fish farming, bee keeping and horticulture.

There were nine winners and 13 special mentions in total at the biodiversity award ceremony, among whom two were from Telangana.

Sangham Women Farmers Group from Medak won the award for ‘Sustainable use of Biological Resources’ for its efforts in traditional and organic methods of seed processing.

The Biodiversity Management Committee of Modi (Jheri) village of Kerameri mandal in Asifabad district won under special mention category, for conserving 26 native varieties of pulses and cereals. Among them, two varieties ‘Erra Machala Kandulu’ (a variety of pigeon pea) and ‘Vayunowka Jonna’ (a variety of sorghum) have been registered with the Plant Varieties and Farmer’s Rights Authority of India, while the recognition of another variety, ‘Balintha Pesalu’, is under way.

Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve Management Committee from West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh won the award for protecting the community reserve, while Lemsachenlok Organization ( Y.NukuluPhom), Longleng, Nagaland, received it in the Institutions category.

Awards were also given under Special Mention category to corporates such as Godrej & Boyce, Mumbai, and Coromandel International, Kakinada. Coringa BMC of East Godavari too won under this category.

There were five categories of awards — conservation of wild species, conservation of domesticated species, sustainable use of biological resources, replicable mechanisms for access and benefit sharing, and best biodiversity management committees.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Swathi Vadlamudi / Hyderabad – May 24th, 2018

This woman found her calling in servicing auto parts

Business & Economy, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All

Vidya Nambirajan is ready to break all gender barriers to pursue the career she enjoys

Paramount Auto Bay Services in Secunderabad, Telengana looks like any other four-wheeler auto service outlet, but for the fact that it is owned and managed by its CEO Vidya Nambirajan. A 30-year-old business that was handed down to her from her father turned into her passion when she took over it in 2001, and became the first woman in the city to own an automobile service outlet.

As someone who was initiated into the business with no knowledge of auto parts servicing (she worked in marketing before), what kept her going? When she had to manage the garage due to her father’s illness, surprisingly, the same friendly staff who worked with her dad didn’t respond well to her because they didn’t want to report to a woman in a male-driven set-up. That was when her resolve to learn the job strengthened. “I wanted to prove that I could do it much better, and that drove me,” says Vidya.

As for the customers, “I found that if my mechanic, a male colleague, said some part needed replacement, the customer would readily agree without a question. But a series of whys and hows would be shot at me if I had to deal with the same customer,” she says, of the earlier years. Even today, almost 18 years later, it’s not always business as usual: “People look at me with either apprehension or in awe,” she says.

Paramount Auto Bay Services, Secunderabad | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Over the years, she has hired both men and women, and finds that the difference is that women are more process-oriented and committed, because they don’t take the job for granted. “It’s easier to train women, but more difficult to retain them, as they lack family support,” she says. She herself is process-oriented, and has ensured that her garage is ISO-certified.

She has also set up a Skill Development and Placement Centre, a service that she extends free of cost to women. Her students are placed in India and abroad as automotive service technicians. In a first, she has tied up with DUALpro, Germany, in conjunction with the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC). A three-month on-the-job German Certification Course equips technicians to work anywhere in the world. She has also ensured the institute is DAkkS-certified, a German certification for quality management.

Affiliation to the Automotive Skills Development Council, another first in Telangana, qualifies her trainees as Automotive Service Technicians, assisting them to advance in their career. Vidya has also tied up with major on-road assistance services like MyTVS, India Assistance, and Allianz. She has plans to expand her business all over South India.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Life & Style> Motoring / by Girija K / May 22nd, 2018

Excellence awards given to 43 civil servants

Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All

Focus needed on result-oriented administration: CS

Telangana Excellence Awards for 2017 and 2018, instituted by the State government, were presented to 43 civil servants for innovation, general and flagship schemes under individual, group and organisation categories here on Monday.

Deputy Chief Minister Kadiyam Srihari said civil servants would be doing complete justice to their coveted positions only when they were proactive in understanding problems of the people and put their best foot forward in finding enduring solutions. He complimented their contribution towards outstanding success of such innovative interventions such as reorganisation of districts, purification of land records, welfare of farmers, nutritious food for poor students and development of all sections of society. Mr. Srihari said swift decision making was the need of the hour in order to measure up to the rising expectations of people. Minister for Industries K. Taraka Rama Rao underlined the importance of 3D mantra to enrich the quality of governance – decentralisation of administration, extensive use of information and communication technology in service delivery and democratic style of functioning.

“TS-iPASS has resulted in a number of beneficial outcomes including issuance of about 66,000 permissions to industries in an expeditious manner resulting in inflow of investment to the tune of over US$20 billion besides creation of about 3 lakh jobs”, he said.

He stated that similar initiatives were in the pipeline for issuing time-bound permission for building plans. He suggested that the pursuit of excellence by civil servants should continue unabated but cautioned them receiving the Awards should not lead to a sense of complacency.

Chief Secretary S.K. Joshi said while process-oriented administration was important in its own right, equal focus should be laid on result-oriented administration. He underlined the need for overhauling all manuals and re-engineering of all processes in order to improve the quality of governance.

Director General of Dr. Marri Channa Reddy HRD Institute B.P. Acharya said there were multiple avenues of recognition in the uniformed services but similar opportunities in the civil services leave much to be desired. “In this scenario, presenting these Awards, is a step in the right direction”, he noted.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – May 22nd, 2018

Award for hospital founder

Business & Economy, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinion

Continental Hospitals founder and Director Guru N. Reddy was conferred the ‘UK & Asia Inspirational Business Leaders award 2018’ in London by Ambassador and Deputy High Commissioner of UK Dinesh K. Patnaik, Lord Swaraj Paul and Lord Karan Billimoria on May 17.

Dr. Reddy was chosen from among 200 leaders by a distinguished jury of ibrands 360 and editorial team of Leaders Asia Magazine.

Other recipients of this award in the past include Apollo Hospitals chairman Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Biocon chairperson and MD Kiran Mazumdar Shaw and Tata Sons chairman Ratan Tata, a release said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – May 19th, 2018

CSR award for NMDC

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Its initiatives support education, health and skill development

Public sector iron ore miner NMDC Ltd has bagged S&P Global Platts Global Metals Award 2018 in the corporate social responsibility category.

Chairman-cum-Managing Director N. Baijendra Kumar and Director (Personnel) Sandeep Tula received the award at a function held on Thursday in London on Thursday. The honour S&P Global Platts Global Metals Award recognises top performers – industry leaders and innovators. It corporate social responsibility (CSR) award recognises the organisation that best demonstrates leadership, commitment to action and real-world social impact on social responsibility of corporate business entity, a release from NMDC said.

The public sector firm is the largest iron ore mining company in India. With iron ore production of around 35 million tonnes per annum, it has a domestic market share of about 25% (non-captive category). NMDC also extracts diamonds through its mine in Panna, which is the only mechanised diamond mine in Asia.

Mr. Kumar said the company’s CSR initiatives adopt a “flexible, inclusive, non-perspective, process-oriented approach to enable the stakeholders to determine the scope of our programmes and activities. NMDC has shown that it is possible to be profitable, while being socially and environmentally responsible”.

NMDC’s CSR spend has increased from ₹86 crore ($13.25 million) in 2011-12 to an average of ₹190 crore ($30 million) during the last three years. The company has been supporting initiatives on education, health, skill development, infrastructure creation, drinking water with a view to enhance the quality of life and empower the local population, the release said.

source:http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / May 18th, 2018

TTWREIS students excel at karate championship

Education, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Students of TTWREIS who bagged gold and silver medals at the International Karate Championship held in Dubai.

Five tribal students bring home four gold and six silver medals

Five tribal students of Telangana Tribal Welfare Residential Educational Society (TTWREIS) schools clinched four gold and six silver medals in various categories at the International Karate Championship held in Dubai on May 10 and May 11, in which contestants from 49 countries had participated.

Sridivya bagged a gold medal in Kata category and silver medal in Kumite category (Under 14 years), Pavanika won silver medals in Kata category and Kumite categories (Under 16), B. Ganesh got gold in Kata and silver in Kumite categories (Under 16), P. Harshith received the gold medal in Kata category and silver in Kumite category (Under 16) and B. Ramesh was awarded the gold medal in Kata and silver medal in Kumite categories (Under 16).

An elated Sridivya said, “Winning the medals is a huge morale booster as I am preparing for major international championships like the Tokyo Olympics. I am excited and humbled.” Another student Pavanika, an orphan at the Kothaguda school in Mahabubabad, said, “I never even dreamt I would cross the Indian borders and go to Dubai to participate in an International Karate Championship considering my background.”

Secretary R.S. Praveen Kumar, speaking during the felicitation function on Monday, said the institutions were encouraging and training thousands of girl students in martial arts to defend themselves in challenging times. He expressed happiness that tribal boys and girls have been breaking the barriers by excelling in IIT, NEET, mountaineering and now karate competitions.

He said these achievements were possible because of support from CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao, Tribal Welfare Minister A. Chandulal and the State govt. for providing quality English medium education and a world of new opportunities to the marginalised children.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – May 14th, 2018

Stoves that are not just poor-friendly, but fuel-efficient

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Science & Technology
The stoves created by environmental chemist Sai Bhaskar N. Reddy.

Hyderabad-based chemist creates over 50 designs that help in reducing smoke

More than 50 designs, painted in hues of blue and red that adorn the walls of a one-room museum located amid wilderness in Jangaon, were created for a single purpose – to efficiently burn.

The stoves of Sai Bhaskar N. Reddy, a city-based environmental chemist, are a result of years of travel, discovery experimentation with biomass and material to produce designs that are replicable, cheap and can improve fuel efficiency by reducing smoke.

“In 2005 at a village in Mahabubnagar, I found people cooking on three-stone stoves, but could send their children to convent schools and had dish connectivity. The biogas stoves subsidised by the government were not functional. I sought the government’s assistance to intervene, but nothing happened,” he said explaining his resolve to make biomass stoves. Dr. Reddy’s designs have been uploaded on the Internet for free use. Every design, he says, is an improvement over the previous one, to achieve improved burning of multiple types of biomass fuels. Though a large number of rural households now use LPG, a stove that burns biomass, often wood, is also used in rural homes, mainly for heating water.

The WHO estimates that nearly four million people are killed worldwide annually due to indoor pollution caused by inefficient combustion. Stoves at Dr. Reddy’s museum at Peddamadduru in Jangaon are made from low-cost aluminium boxes in which cooking oil is conventionally sold or cast iron. The gasifier variety of stoves is fitted with small fans used as exhaust in computers.

“This, I would say, is the most iconic design,” he says pointing to a stove that looks more like a traditional grill. “The 3G stove allows inflow of air at various levels during combustion. It also helps easy loading of biomass and allows for production of biochar.” Biochar, a charcoal produced from plant material, has found in use many applications, including those of environmental decontamination to agriculture. Dr. Reddy’s stoves have been used by the homeless in Mumbai, in the villages of Mahabubnagar and even possibly by refugees in Europe. “After October 2015, traffic from European nations, including Germany, to my website where I have uploaded designs has surged,” Dr. Reddy says adding that cooking apart, his stoves could also be used for heating.

A proponent of open source knowledge, Dr. Reddy says he does not monetise his designs. He believes that low-cost solutions made available online free of cost for other purposes like treating water, sanitation and makeshift houses could greatly help the poor, refugees and the homeless and help achieve the goals of development that govt.s have been striving to achieve.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Rohit P.S. / Hyderabad – May 13th, 2018