They hailed from different family backgrounds, belonged to different academic streams, some even pursued a comfortable career path, but what led them to change their path and later united them was the will and patriotic fervour to serve their Motherland - India.

They hailed from different family backgrounds, belonged to different academic streams, some even pursued a comfortable career path, but what led them to change their path and later united them was the will and patriotic fervour to serve their Motherland - India. The prestigious Army Officer’s Training Academy in Chennai is renowned for being the only training institution of the Indian Army that trains women officers. The Academy admits candidates aged between 21 -28, and train them for the Short Service Commission after they clear the tests that are stipulated as per the Services Selection Board. While 153 Gentlemen Cadets and 30 Lady Cadets were commissioned into the Indian Army as Lieutenants, there were 12 Gentlemen cadets and nine Lady cadets from friendly foreign countries that graduated from the academy. They would be commissioned into the forces of their respective countries, on returning. The cadets who hailed from Bhutan, Fiji, Seychelles, Maldives and Uganda were trained on par with their Indian counterparts during their 11-month course at the academy. “Anderson S, a cadet from the Seychelles Army told WION, “Our coursemates very helpful, helped us adapt to India much quicker than we expected. The weapons training we received here was great exposure, we go to fire the 84mm rocket launcher and the 5.56mm INSAS Rifle”. Lt Gen. S K Saini, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command, reviewed the parade and addressed the cadets who were over 200 in number. On the external challenges faced by the Army, he said, “weapons proliferation, expansionist global ideologies and cross-border terrorism are the major issues faced and we must strive hard to keep pace and uphold rule of law and rise up to the challenge.” He also mentioned the dynamic role of a soldier in an era when technology is growing at a rapid pace, while also stressing that the man behind the weapon always retains the prime importance. Speaking on the intense training offered at the OTA, Major General A Arun told WION, “in about 46-weeks we transform the civilian boys and girls into capable and confident leaders. We want our Officers to be scholar-soldiers, they are given intense physical and academic training. There are Foreign cadets here offered the same training as our Indian cadets, they happily greet us with a Jai Hind, salute the Tricolor and they are essentially like Indians.” “I am glad the better-educated youth of our country have finally have started making the right choice, there is no doubt, that this is the best job that there is. I have the best job in the world, if you want my job 25 years from now, join us today, we just don’t give you a job, we complete your life, he exuded, hen asked about the students from varied, elite academic institutions joining the Army. Adventure-seekers, Path-breakers - India’s Lady Cadets The Lady cadets that passed out of the academy were a mix of first-generation soldiers and also those that followed the path of their parents. WION spoke to the Lady cadets to understand their choices, sacrifices and gruelling routine. Khushboo Jain (Post Graduate from London School of Economics) “I was a studious kid, I did my under graduation in Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi and a Masters in Comparative Politics from London School of Economics. I returned from London and didn’t want to work for a corporate or join the family’s textile business, I knew that I wanted to do something for the nation. I was motivated to join the Army as it is the noblest and honourable profession, it made me a better person in all aspects. Initially, my parents were apprehensive, they asked me to leave the house, but today they were the proudest in the audience”, she told WION. There is not a single soldier in 7 generations of my family, perhaps not even in my entire Jain community, she beams with pride. Anjali Narayan (IT Professional) “I’ve always loved to do challenging roles, an IT Job was not part of my plan. I always wanted to be part of defence forces, but I went with the flow, pursued my B.Tech, then worked in an Indian IT firm in Bengaluru for 3 years. It was then that I got to know about the SSC and OTA. In the SSB Exam, I got through in 4th attempt with an All India First Rank. Earlier I was in a 9 to 5 job and within Air Conditioned confines and here we are drenched in sweat, I love this transformation. IT life was boring for me, I was wasting my life there, she told WION, standing beside her elated parents. Deeksha Yadav (Second-Generation Soldier) “It is indeed a proud feeling to be an Army officer’s daughter and then to be an army officer myself. My natural choice was to join the army. Here our training is on par with the gentlemen cadets, whether its running or other exercises. We are also the champion company, so we are ahead of the Gentlemen companies also. So there’s nothing that women can’t do, we set our own limits, but there is so much more beyond that”, she told WION.

Women cadets shine at Indian Army's Officer’s Training Academy's passing out parade

A day ahead of the Passing out Parade(POP) at the prestigious Army Officer’s Training Academy in Chennai, the cadets, their trainers and teams from the Indian Army showcased their spectacular skills and daredevilry - ranging from Equestrian, Para-motor, Gymnastics followed by the Gatka, a Sikh Martial art.

A total of 204 cadets are to pas out of the OTA in Chennai for the batch of 2019. They include 153 Gentlemen Cadets, 30 Lady cadets, and 21 Foreign cadets (12 men and 9 women) from friendly countries.&nbsp;

Speaking to WION, Major General A Arun, Deputy Commandant and Chief Instructor said, “The Passing Out Parade is a Red-letter day in the life of cadets, as they get commissioned into the Army as Officers, the same applies to the foreign cadets that train here and return to their respective armies. 46 weeks back they were young men and women.”

“What we have witnessed today in the form of a Combined display are the Co-curricular activities of the cadets, it was being performed by the trainers, cadets and also other teams from our Army” added the Major General.
<img alt="Army Officer’s Training Academy in Chennai" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f41fbdf6-7990-4549-8a4d-97239e231d6f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Equestrian2.JPG" />
Equestrian - Physical Training Instructors and cadets from the OTA in Chennai enthralled the audience by performing tent-pegging, six-bar jump, jumping through a ring of fire etc.
<img alt="Gatka" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="28872439-7b72-4273-901d-d7ed104e758a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Gatka%200.JPG" />
Gatka - An Indian Army team form the Punjab Light Infantry display acts of daredevilry that are part of the Sikh Martial Art Gatka.&nbsp;
<img alt="Gymnastics" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bccfa7d3-0a4d-4713-ad2c-fa057c008f26" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Gymnastics1.JPG" />
Gymnastics - Cadets and their Physical Training Instructors showcase their prowess and agility and perform a variety of jumps, rolls, synchronized acts of team gymnastics.

<img alt="Paramotor" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="af9945c8-3eac-44f3-adf5-64bb52368c2e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Paramotor%201.JPG" />

A team from the Para Regimental Centre Bengaluru soared to the skies and showcased a range of aerial maneuvers.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

A day ahead of the Passing out Parade(POP) at the prestigious Army Officer’s Training Academy in Chennai, the cadets, their trainers and teams from the Indian Army showcased their spectacular skills and daredevilry - ranging from Equestrian, Para-motor, Gymnastics followed by the Gatka, a Sikh Martial art.

A day ahead of the Passing out Parade(POP) at the prestigious Army Officer’s Training Academy in Chennai, the cadets, their trainers and teams from the Indian Army showcased their spectacular skills and daredevilry - ranging from Equestrian, Para-motor, Gymnastics followed by the Gatka, a Sikh Martial art. A total of 204 cadets are to pas out of the OTA in Chennai for the batch of 2019. They include 153 Gentlemen Cadets, 30 Lady cadets, and 21 Foreign cadets (12 men and 9 women) from friendly countries. Speaking to WION, Major General A Arun, Deputy Commandant and Chief Instructor said, “The Passing Out Parade is a Red-letter day in the life of cadets, as they get commissioned into the Army as Officers, the same applies to the foreign cadets that train here and return to their respective armies. 46 weeks back they were young men and women.” “What we have witnessed today in the form of a Combined display are the Co-curricular activities of the cadets, it was being performed by the trainers, cadets and also other teams from our Army” added the Major General. Equestrian - Physical Training Instructors and cadets from the OTA in Chennai enthralled the audience by performing tent-pegging, six-bar jump, jumping through a ring of fire etc. Gatka - An Indian Army team form the Punjab Light Infantry display acts of daredevilry that are part of the Sikh Martial Art Gatka. Gymnastics - Cadets and their Physical Training Instructors showcase their prowess and agility and perform a variety of jumps, rolls, synchronized acts of team gymnastics. A team from the Para Regimental Centre Bengaluru soared to the skies and showcased a range of aerial maneuvers.

Combined display of Indian army from the Officers Training Academy in Chennai

A Chennai-based NGO Sevalaya has come up with the concept of ‘Seed Ganesha’, which is just like any other Ganesha idol made of clay, but is mixed with vermicompost and has few seeds embedded in it. Unlike its clay and Plaster-of-Paris (PoP) counterparts, this one need not be dumped in water bodies or the beaches.&nbsp;

After the prayers and festivities, these 9-inch tall idols can be lowered into flower pots or small pits in the soil and when watered regularly until they dissolve, the seeds sprout and what was once the Ganesha idol becomes the same with the environment, leaving no trace.

Speaking to WION on the idea behind the project, V Muralidharan, Founder and Managing Trustee, Sevalaya said, “During Ganesh Puja a lot of people dump the Ganesha idols in the water bodies and end up polluting them, so we wanted to ensure that people kept the idol at home, instead of dumping it. So we came up with an idea where we can have a clay Ganesha with seeds embedded in it so that it can be kept in a pot, when watered regularly the plant grows. This way we are growing a plant every year and doing a great service by not disposing of the idols.”

“We source the clay, seeds and vermicompost from our organic farm and are able to produce hundreds of idols that sprout into plants such as tulsi, papaya, leafy greens, ladies finger etc. The idols are also made by the villagers who live near our organic farm”, said R. Ganesh, Associate Vice President Sevalaya.

While such small initiatives do make a positive impact, most of the widely used idols are made of clay or Plaster of Paris (PoP) with a generous coat of glossy paints and end up being dumped or immersed in the nearby rivers, lakes and beaches.&nbsp;

Speaking to WION on the impact of the dumping of idols into water bodies, Arun Krishnamurthy, Founder, Environmentalist Foundation of India said, “We are dumping harmful waste (Plaster of Paris) into the waters and it will have a long-term ill effect and will keep releasing chemicals for a long time. It contaminates the groundwater and affects the biodiversity in the region.”

"Even when it comes to clay idols, when we extract clay from a certain lake or pond and make idols out of it, the idols should be immersed in same water body from where the clay was extracted. It is important to keep in mind that while embracing and celebrating our culture, we must always keep the traditions intact and live in harmony with nature, " he added.&nbsp;

A Chennai-based NGO Sevalaya has come up with the concept of ‘Seed Ganesha’, which is just like any other Ganesha idol made of clay, but is mixed with vermicompost and has few seeds embedded in it.

A Chennai-based NGO Sevalaya has come up with the concept of ‘Seed Ganesha’, which is just like any other Ganesha idol made of clay, but is mixed with vermicompost and has few seeds embedded in it. Unlike its clay and Plaster-of-Paris (PoP) counterparts, this one need not be dumped in water bodies or the beaches. After the prayers and festivities, these 9-inch tall idols can be lowered into flower pots or small pits in the soil and when watered regularly until they dissolve, the seeds sprout and what was once the Ganesha idol becomes the same with the environment, leaving no trace. Speaking to WION on the idea behind the project, V Muralidharan, Founder and Managing Trustee, Sevalaya said, “During Ganesh Puja a lot of people dump the Ganesha idols in the water bodies and end up polluting them, so we wanted to ensure that people kept the idol at home, instead of dumping it. So we came up with an idea where we can have a clay Ganesha with seeds embedded in it so that it can be kept in a pot, when watered regularly the plant grows. This way we are growing a plant every year and doing a great service by not disposing of the idols.” “We source the clay, seeds and vermicompost from our organic farm and are able to produce hundreds of idols that sprout into plants such as tulsi, papaya, leafy greens, ladies finger etc. The idols are also made by the villagers who live near our organic farm”, said R. Ganesh, Associate Vice President Sevalaya. While such small initiatives do make a positive impact, most of the widely used idols are made of clay or Plaster of Paris (PoP) with a generous coat of glossy paints and end up being dumped or immersed in the nearby rivers, lakes and beaches. Speaking to WION on the impact of the dumping of idols into water bodies, Arun Krishnamurthy, Founder, Environmentalist Foundation of India said, “We are dumping harmful waste (Plaster of Paris) into the waters and it will have a long-term ill effect and will keep releasing chemicals for a long time. It contaminates the groundwater and affects the biodiversity in the region.” "Even when it comes to clay idols, when we extract clay from a certain lake or pond and make idols out of it, the idols should be immersed in same water body from where the clay was extracted. It is important to keep in mind that while embracing and celebrating our culture, we must always keep the traditions intact and live in harmony with nature, " he added.

Chennai: NGO comes up with eco-friendly 'Seed Ganesha' idol

For 26-year-old Laxman Muthiyah, a Chennai based independent security researcher, every scroll through his social media feed has a different significance. He thinks deeply to understand the working of the websites and the functions performed by the millions of lines of code. It is followed by thinking of possible loopholes and also spotting and identifying them.&nbsp;

In digital space, there are many prying to take control of our accounts, hack and misuse them. Laxman, over the past 5 years, has won bug bounty amounting to over a whopping $62,000 for spotting bugs that could overthrow online hacking attempts.

Most of his rewards came from Facebook and Facebook-owned Instagram. His most recent earning amounted to a whopping $40,000 Instagram.&nbsp;

“It all began after I attended an ethical hacking workshop when I was in college. In 2013, I won my first bug bounty from Facebook - a princely sum of $1500 for a student”, recalls Laxman.&nbsp;

Although Laxman has completed a degree in computer science engineering, he considers himself a self-taught ethical hacker who learnt the tricks of the trade from workshops, free online content and months of trial and error.

His latest find involved proving to Facebook that multiple accounts could be hacked within 10 minutes.&nbsp;

“When we choose the forget password option, they send us a 6-digit code to authorize our login. Since it is a 6-digit code, there are 1 million possibilities. We could enter between 50-200 random codes every minute and attempt login, and it could be tried for 10 minutes. With multiple IP addresses, we could use lakhs of codes to attempt logging-in and take control of an account. I sent a video of this method to Facebook and after verifying it, they sent me the payment of $30,000 as this method has a high rate of success,” Laxman told WION.

Subsequently, he spotted another bug where the success rate was relatively lower and received a payment of $10,000.

If you’re getting ready to put your bug-hunting skills to use, remember that only a few websites encourage and reward it, whereas it is considered illegal when done without the knowledge of the website owner.&nbsp;

When asked if bug-hunting was a popular profession in India, Laxman said, “there is quite a community of bug hunters in India and some companies support it, but it isn’t so in the West, where there are many more opportunities. In the West, techies work full-time jobs and also take up bug-hunting assignments in their spare time. The work-life balance we have in India does not permit that”.

While bug-hunting is more lucrative than a full-time IT job, one must realize that the practice is pretty much like fishing where one could end up with a really good catch or none and we could go without a catch for months, Laxman says laughingly.&nbsp;

For 26-year-old Laxman Muthiyah, a Chennai based independent security researcher, every scroll through his social media feed has a different significance. He thinks deeply to understand the working of the websites and the functions performed by the millions of lines of code.

For 26-year-old Laxman Muthiyah, a Chennai based independent security researcher, every scroll through his social media feed has a different significance. He thinks deeply to understand the working of the websites and the functions performed by the millions of lines of code. It is followed by thinking of possible loopholes and also spotting and identifying them. In digital space, there are many prying to take control of our accounts, hack and misuse them. Laxman, over the past 5 years, has won bug bounty amounting to over a whopping $62,000 for spotting bugs that could overthrow online hacking attempts. Most of his rewards came from Facebook and Facebook-owned Instagram. His most recent earning amounted to a whopping $40,000 Instagram. “It all began after I attended an ethical hacking workshop when I was in college. In 2013, I won my first bug bounty from Facebook - a princely sum of $1500 for a student”, recalls Laxman. Although Laxman has completed a degree in computer science engineering, he considers himself a self-taught ethical hacker who learnt the tricks of the trade from workshops, free online content and months of trial and error. His latest find involved proving to Facebook that multiple accounts could be hacked within 10 minutes. “When we choose the forget password option, they send us a 6-digit code to authorize our login. Since it is a 6-digit code, there are 1 million possibilities. We could enter between 50-200 random codes every minute and attempt login, and it could be tried for 10 minutes. With multiple IP addresses, we could use lakhs of codes to attempt logging-in and take control of an account. I sent a video of this method to Facebook and after verifying it, they sent me the payment of $30,000 as this method has a high rate of success,” Laxman told WION. Subsequently, he spotted another bug where the success rate was relatively lower and received a payment of $10,000. If you’re getting ready to put your bug-hunting skills to use, remember that only a few websites encourage and reward it, whereas it is considered illegal when done without the knowledge of the website owner. When asked if bug-hunting was a popular profession in India, Laxman said, “there is quite a community of bug hunters in India and some companies support it, but it isn’t so in the West, where there are many more opportunities. In the West, techies work full-time jobs and also take up bug-hunting assignments in their spare time. The work-life balance we have in India does not permit that”. While bug-hunting is more lucrative than a full-time IT job, one must realize that the practice is pretty much like fishing where one could end up with a really good catch or none and we could go without a catch for months, Laxman says laughingly.

Meet Indian techie Laxman Muthiyah - Chennai guy who has won over $62,000 from Facebook

In about six months time, a ‘temple of rationality’ for Tamil Nadu’s former five-time chief minister M Karunanidhi, a self-proclaimed atheist, is expected to be ready, after the groundbreaking ceremony was performed last week.

In about six months time, a ‘temple of rationality’ for Tamil Nadu’s former five-time chief minister M Karunanidhi, a self-proclaimed atheist, is expected to be ready, after the groundbreaking ceremony was performed last week. Members of the Arunthathiyar community are behind the initiative of building the temple, which is to be constructed on a 10,000 square feet parcel of land at Kuchikadu village in Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu. The community wishes to express their gratitude to the departed leader, whom they consider their God, for having provided their community reservation and other welfare schemes. Speaking to WION, K Chinnasamy, Head of the Tamil Nadu Arunthathiyar Munnetra Peravai said, “Kalaignar Karunanidhi gave us 3 per cent reservation within the then existing 18 per cent reserved for Scheduled Castes. He deplored and tried to eradicate manual scavenging besides ensuring in Tamil Nadu people of any caste could become priests in the temples. We have pooled in money and resources from our community to construct this temple, while we have not approached other communities for donations, we would be willing to accept if they offer donations”. The land acquired for the temple costs over 12 lakh Rupees and the temple is to be constructed at around 30 lakh Rupees. The members of the Arunthathiyar community that has over 1000 families living in the village also plan to have a library, garden and a community hall within the premises. “Arunthathiyars were a very backward community living below the poverty line and were struggling economically and education-wise. In the last decade, the community has had over 200 doctors and thousands of engineers who have started serving, and they all benefited from the reservation. People from the community have made it to posts like deputy collectors, deputy registrars and also university professors. Kalaignar is a rationalist, but the Arunthathiyar community members are worshipers of Perumal (Krishna), so they wanted to show their gratitude to him by constructing a temple” former Deputy Speaker of Tamil Nadu Assembly and DMK Rajya Sabha MP VP Duraisamy told WION, when asked about the temple. Villagers say that the groundbreaking ceremony or the ‘bhumi puja’ of the temple was attended by people from their community, irrespective of their different political affiliations and ideological beliefs. “For someone who has fallen down, the person who picks him up is God. Our community was majorly involved in manual scavenging, and Kalaignar put an end to it. His schemes are God-like for us. While Karunanidhi himself was a rationalist, he didn’t object to other people worshipping. In DMK there are a lot of people who go to the temple and worship”, said DMK ward secretary, C Dhavamani, justifying a temple for a self-proclaimed rationalist.

Tamil Nadu villagers to build temple for self-proclaimed atheist, ex-CM Karunanidhi

Tamil Nadu Police are on high alert following intelligence inputs which had warned that up to six terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Taiba may have infiltrated the state. It is suspected that one of the six is a Pakistani National whereas the other members are Sri Lankan nationals.&nbsp;

Security in the state capital Chennai and the second-largest district Coimbatore has been tightened, with an increased vigil and police deployment at sensitive areas, religious gatherings, places of worship, public places, and places of transit.&nbsp;

Around 2000 police personnel have been deployed in Coimbatore where a red alert has been sounded. Check posts have been set-up at entry and crucial borders to check the incoming and outgoing vehicular traffic.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Speaking to WION, Sumit Sharan, Commissioner of Police, Coimbatore said, "the intelligence agencies are closely monitoring the developments and the police force is maintaining a strict vigil at the airport, railways stations, sensitive areas and vital installations".

Earlier in the day, Chennai Police Commissioner, A K Viswanathan told reporters, "Chennai Police are on heightened alert to avoid any untoward incidents and storming operations are also in progress".

Meanwhile, the neighbouring state Kerala was also on high alert after the report.

Taking cognizance of the alert, Kerala Director General of Police (DGP) Lokanath Behera has sent a directive to all district police chiefs to take caution.

In 1988, Coimbatore was struck by terrorism when over 50 people were killed due to serial blasts that occurred in various parts of the city.&nbsp;

In July this year, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had conducted searches at the residences of 14 men who were deported to India from the UAE. They were arrested on July 15 for owing allegiance to the proscribed terrorist organisations Islamic State/Daesh, Al-Qaeda and SIMI, while being within and beyond India. They had allegedly conspired and made preparations to wage war against the government of India by forming the terror gang Ansarulla. After the interrogation of the initial 14 members, the agency also arrested two more members from Nagapattinam, hence taking the toll to 16.

Meanwhile, the neighbouring state Kerala was also on high alert after the report.

Taking cognizance of the alert, Kerala Director General of Police (DGP) Lokanath Behera has sent a directive to all district police chiefs to take caution. 
&nbsp;

Tamil Nadu Police are on high alert following intelligence inputs which had warned that up to six terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Taiba may have infiltrated the state.

Tamil Nadu Police are on high alert following intelligence inputs which had warned that up to six terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Taiba may have infiltrated the state. It is suspected that one of the six is a Pakistani National whereas the other members are Sri Lankan nationals. Security in the state capital Chennai and the second-largest district Coimbatore has been tightened, with an increased vigil and police deployment at sensitive areas, religious gatherings, places of worship, public places, and places of transit. Around 2000 police personnel have been deployed in Coimbatore where a red alert has been sounded. Check posts have been set-up at entry and crucial borders to check the incoming and outgoing vehicular traffic. Speaking to WION, Sumit Sharan, Commissioner of Police, Coimbatore said, "the intelligence agencies are closely monitoring the developments and the police force is maintaining a strict vigil at the airport, railways stations, sensitive areas and vital installations". Earlier in the day, Chennai Police Commissioner, A K Viswanathan told reporters, "Chennai Police are on heightened alert to avoid any untoward incidents and storming operations are also in progress". Meanwhile, the neighbouring state Kerala was also on high alert after the report. Taking cognizance of the alert, Kerala Director General of Police (DGP) Lokanath Behera has sent a directive to all district police chiefs to take caution. In 1988, Coimbatore was struck by terrorism when over 50 people were killed due to serial blasts that occurred in various parts of the city. In July this year, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had conducted searches at the residences of 14 men who were deported to India from the UAE. They were arrested on July 15 for owing allegiance to the proscribed terrorist organisations Islamic State/Daesh, Al-Qaeda and SIMI, while being within and beyond India. They had allegedly conspired and made preparations to wage war against the government of India by forming the terror gang Ansarulla. After the interrogation of the initial 14 members, the agency also arrested two more members from Nagapattinam, hence taking the toll to 16. Meanwhile, the neighbouring state Kerala was also on high alert after the report. Taking cognizance of the alert, Kerala Director General of Police (DGP) Lokanath Behera has sent a directive to all district police chiefs to take caution.

Kerala, Tamil Nadu on high alert after suspected infiltration of six Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists

'Palani panchamirtham', the holy offering at the Arulmigu Dhandayuthapaniswamy temple in Tamil Nadu's Palani hill town, is well known for being one of the oldest forms of jam or fruit mix, but making it sweeter is the successful registration of the geographical indications (GI) tag for the same.&nbsp;

The application for the same was filed by the joint commissioner/executive officer of the temple on June 15, 2016.&nbsp;

While the GI has been registered successfully and it reflects on the intellectual property India website, it could take a couple of days more until the certificate is available, said officials.

According to the GI application, the panchamirtham is classified under foodstuff and its ingredients include- banana, jaggery, cow ghee, honey, and cardamom.&nbsp;

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For additional flavour diamond sugar candy and dates are added. It also mentions that the holy offering is prepared under the guidance given by the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), the government of India undertaking.

Interestingly, panchamirtham finds mention in the ancient Tamil texts and this offering is said to be dating back to the 9th-century AD. In Tamil, ‘Pancha’ means five and 'amirtham' refers to divine nectar.

While the whole process of producing Palani panchamirtham in Palani is automated to cater to the increasing demand, it is also doubly ensured that hygienic aspects are highly maintained.&nbsp;

Despite the Palani panchamirtham being prepared in huge quantities, it is prepared in a natural method without the addition of any preservatives or artificial ingredients.

Speaking to WION, a senior examiner of trademarks and GI Prashanth Kumar Bhirappanavar, said, ''The concerned people register their products so that others do not misuse its name for profit-making and other purposes. To get a GI certificate there is a long procedure ranging from application, evaluation, notification in the gazette etc. In this case it has taken a little over three years for the registration to be successful, but there are also cases where it has taken longer due to the submission of all necessary documents and other procedures.''&nbsp;

The Palani panchamirtham is first produced in large quantities and a part of it taken to the perform ‘abhishegam’ (anointing) to the idol of lord Dhandayuthapani.&nbsp;

This is then later mixed with the larger portion and served to the public.&nbsp;

Even a single drop of water is not added during the preparation process of the Palani panchamirtham. This gives the Palani panchamirtham the semisolid state and makes it possible for the person who tastes to get the actual taste of the raw materials used.&nbsp;

According to historical accounts, the idol of lord Dhandayuthapani on which the abhishegam of the panchamirtham is performed is a ‘navapashana’ constitution of herbs that are of high medicinal value.&nbsp;

When the Palani panchamirtham runs over the medicinal idol, it attains curing effects.&nbsp;

It is also believed to cure the diseases of the devotees when consumed.&nbsp;

'Palani panchamirtham', the holy offering at the Arulmigu Dhandayuthapaniswamy temple in Tamil Nadu's Palani hill town, is well known for being one of the oldest forms of jam or fruit mix, but making it sweeter is the successful registration of the geographical indications (GI) tag for the same.

'Palani panchamirtham', the holy offering at the Arulmigu Dhandayuthapaniswamy temple in Tamil Nadu's Palani hill town, is well known for being one of the oldest forms of jam or fruit mix, but making it sweeter is the successful registration of the geographical indications (GI) tag for the same. The application for the same was filed by the joint commissioner/executive officer of the temple on June 15, 2016. While the GI has been registered successfully and it reflects on the intellectual property India website, it could take a couple of days more until the certificate is available, said officials. According to the GI application, the panchamirtham is classified under foodstuff and its ingredients include- banana, jaggery, cow ghee, honey, and cardamom. Also read: Puri beach becomes first in Asia to get Blue Flag tag For additional flavour diamond sugar candy and dates are added. It also mentions that the holy offering is prepared under the guidance given by the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), the government of India undertaking. Interestingly, panchamirtham finds mention in the ancient Tamil texts and this offering is said to be dating back to the 9th-century AD. In Tamil, ‘Pancha’ means five and 'amirtham' refers to divine nectar. While the whole process of producing Palani panchamirtham in Palani is automated to cater to the increasing demand, it is also doubly ensured that hygienic aspects are highly maintained. Despite the Palani panchamirtham being prepared in huge quantities, it is prepared in a natural method without the addition of any preservatives or artificial ingredients. Speaking to WION, a senior examiner of trademarks and GI Prashanth Kumar Bhirappanavar, said, ''The concerned people register their products so that others do not misuse its name for profit-making and other purposes. To get a GI certificate there is a long procedure ranging from application, evaluation, notification in the gazette etc. In this case it has taken a little over three years for the registration to be successful, but there are also cases where it has taken longer due to the submission of all necessary documents and other procedures.'' The Palani panchamirtham is first produced in large quantities and a part of it taken to the perform ‘abhishegam’ (anointing) to the idol of lord Dhandayuthapani. This is then later mixed with the larger portion and served to the public. Even a single drop of water is not added during the preparation process of the Palani panchamirtham. This gives the Palani panchamirtham the semisolid state and makes it possible for the person who tastes to get the actual taste of the raw materials used. According to historical accounts, the idol of lord Dhandayuthapani on which the abhishegam of the panchamirtham is performed is a ‘navapashana’ constitution of herbs that are of high medicinal value. When the Palani panchamirtham runs over the medicinal idol, it attains curing effects. It is also believed to cure the diseases of the devotees when consumed.

'Panchamirtham' the holy offering of Tamil Nadu's Palani temple gets GI tag

Baby Nethran was born in a Chennai hospital on November 9, 2018, as a pre-term baby. He was born in 32 weeks of conception as opposed to the usual 40 weeks and weighed only 1.2kg at birth.&nbsp;

It took over 8 months for the infant to battle various medical complications ranging from a hole in the heart to recurrent lung collapses, a cancerous tumour in the liver and early fusion of the skull bones before he could go home.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Soon after birth, the infant was put on ventilator as his lungs were still in the development stage and he was found to have a hole in the heart. Doctors said that his lungs were very delicate and kept collapsing repeatedly.&nbsp;

He also developed the first sepsis attack which was curtailed with antibiotics. A routine ultrasound revealed an abnormal mass in the liver, which kept enlarging during the course of the treatment. On further investigation, a CT scan showed the possibility of a malignant tumour or a benign vascular mass, which turned out to be a Hepatoblastoma (a rare cancerous tumour) post-biopsy.

“We started chemotherapy, as we aimed to shrink the tumour before the liver surgery. Unfortunately, the congenital hole in the heart was causing additional problems. The blood entering the heart was flowing too much into the lungs through the hole, increasing the pressure to dangerous levels. We had to interrupt the chemotherapy, and the child had to immediately&nbsp;undergo open-heart surgery. Post-surgery, the lungs were still fragile and were continually collapsing. To worsen the situation, the child developed sepsis again, which put the baby in a life-threatening situation.”&nbsp;Said,&nbsp;Dr Latha Kanchi Parthasarathy, Consultant Neonatologist, Apollo Children’s Hospitals.

Doctors added that a month after his cardiac surgery, we removed the right lobe of his liver along with the tumour. It was important that the liver recovered and started functioning normally. Later, he again suffered a third sepsis attack which we cured by antibiotics. Continuous treatments gave us a very positive improvement in the baby’s condition.&nbsp;

But there was a further setback, his skull started fusing prematurely, causing an abnormal head shape (like a cone) increasing the pressure within his brain.&nbsp;To cure this we performed&nbsp;a cranial surgery.

His last cycle of chemotherapy was completed on 4th of July and ever since there have been positive results and Nethran was discharged.

Speaking on the course of treatment adopted and the medical complications that the infant battled, doctors said, a pre-term birth could happen due to maternal health issues and some infants could have congenital tumours, while some develop it after birth. They added that, cancers in infants and children are curable but the kid must be monitored for at least five years to ensure that he is normal.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Baby Nethran was born in a Chennai hospital on November 9, 2018, as a pre-term baby. He was born in 32 weeks of conception as opposed to the usual 40 weeks and weighed only 1.

Baby Nethran was born in a Chennai hospital on November 9, 2018, as a pre-term baby. He was born in 32 weeks of conception as opposed to the usual 40 weeks and weighed only 1.2kg at birth. It took over 8 months for the infant to battle various medical complications ranging from a hole in the heart to recurrent lung collapses, a cancerous tumour in the liver and early fusion of the skull bones before he could go home. Soon after birth, the infant was put on ventilator as his lungs were still in the development stage and he was found to have a hole in the heart. Doctors said that his lungs were very delicate and kept collapsing repeatedly. He also developed the first sepsis attack which was curtailed with antibiotics. A routine ultrasound revealed an abnormal mass in the liver, which kept enlarging during the course of the treatment. On further investigation, a CT scan showed the possibility of a malignant tumour or a benign vascular mass, which turned out to be a Hepatoblastoma (a rare cancerous tumour) post-biopsy. “We started chemotherapy, as we aimed to shrink the tumour before the liver surgery. Unfortunately, the congenital hole in the heart was causing additional problems. The blood entering the heart was flowing too much into the lungs through the hole, increasing the pressure to dangerous levels. We had to interrupt the chemotherapy, and the child had to immediately undergo open-heart surgery. Post-surgery, the lungs were still fragile and were continually collapsing. To worsen the situation, the child developed sepsis again, which put the baby in a life-threatening situation.” Said, Dr Latha Kanchi Parthasarathy, Consultant Neonatologist, Apollo Children’s Hospitals. Doctors added that a month after his cardiac surgery, we removed the right lobe of his liver along with the tumour. It was important that the liver recovered and started functioning normally. Later, he again suffered a third sepsis attack which we cured by antibiotics. Continuous treatments gave us a very positive improvement in the baby’s condition. But there was a further setback, his skull started fusing prematurely, causing an abnormal head shape (like a cone) increasing the pressure within his brain. To cure this we performed a cranial surgery. His last cycle of chemotherapy was completed on 4th of July and ever since there have been positive results and Nethran was discharged. Speaking on the course of treatment adopted and the medical complications that the infant battled, doctors said, a pre-term birth could happen due to maternal health issues and some infants could have congenital tumours, while some develop it after birth. They added that, cancers in infants and children are curable but the kid must be monitored for at least five years to ensure that he is normal.

How a pre-term baby remained in hospital for over 8 months and won his battle for life 

Former Maldivian Vice President Ahmed Adeeb has been secured mid-sea near Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu for alleged illegal entry.

Adeeb came on a ship and planned to enter Tuticorin on a boat said Tamil Nadu Police sources, adding that&nbsp;Adeeb has come to India seeking political asylum.

When asked about the development, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "We are ascertaining the facts."

"The district police have no information to ascertain if his visit has the sanction of competent authorities and the vessel was permitted to berth and there were nine crew members,"&nbsp;he added.

A statement from the ministry read, "In the instant case since he was not entering India through a designated entry point and did not possess the valid document, he has not been permitted entry into India."

Adeeb is being questioned by Central government agencies, said officials.

Recently a tug carrying coal left for the Maldives from the Tuticorin Port in southern Tamil Nadu. The vessel had a nine-member crew of which eight were Indonesians and the other individual was an Indian citizen.

The same tug reportedly returned to Tuticorin with an additional crew member, thus raising suspicion.&nbsp;

Former Maldivian Vice President Ahmed Adeeb has been secured mid-sea near Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu for alleged illegal entry. Adeeb came on a ship and planned to enter Tuticorin on a boat said Tamil Nadu Police sources, adding that Adeeb has come to India seeking political asylum.

Former Maldivian Vice President Ahmed Adeeb has been secured mid-sea near Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu for alleged illegal entry. Adeeb came on a ship and planned to enter Tuticorin on a boat said Tamil Nadu Police sources, adding that Adeeb has come to India seeking political asylum. When asked about the development, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "We are ascertaining the facts." "The district police have no information to ascertain if his visit has the sanction of competent authorities and the vessel was permitted to berth and there were nine crew members," he added. A statement from the ministry read, "In the instant case since he was not entering India through a designated entry point and did not possess the valid document, he has not been permitted entry into India." Adeeb is being questioned by Central government agencies, said officials. Recently a tug carrying coal left for the Maldives from the Tuticorin Port in southern Tamil Nadu. The vessel had a nine-member crew of which eight were Indonesians and the other individual was an Indian citizen. The same tug reportedly returned to Tuticorin with an additional crew member, thus raising suspicion.

Former Maldivian Vice President secured mid-sea on his way to India

Doctors at Chennai’s Saveetha Dental College, Institute of Medical and Technical Science were in for a shock as they extracted 526 teeth from a 200gram non-cancerous tumour that was surgically removed from the lower-right jaw of their 7-year-old patient Ravindran.&nbsp;

According to the doctors, this is the maximum number of teeth extracted from a patient and the hospital has applied for a place the Guinness and Limca Book of Records.&nbsp;

Over four years ago, Prabhu and Rajakumari had taken their then 3-year old son Ravindran for a medical checkup for to his swollen jaw. As the doctors at the Government Hospital were said to have not diagnosed the condition, the parents left it unattended as the boy did not seem to face any pain or discomfort and was unable to cooperate with the medical examination.&nbsp;

This year, as the swelling in the jaw, had increased the parents got Ravindran medically examined by the Doctors at Chennai’s Saveetha Dental College, Institute of Medical and Technical Science.&nbsp;

<img alt="Saveetha Dental College" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="72a68fe7-9b06-4088-87b7-fad850e4fcbb" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%285%29_9.jpg" />

Doctors of Saveetha Dental College with the 7-year old patient Ravindran and his parents at the media interaction.

Doctors had observed that despite the boy being seven years old his permanent tooth had not erupted. An X-Ray and CT Scan revealed that a lot of small rudimentary tooth in the lower-right jaw. The Doctors then decided to perform surgery.

Dr Senthilnathan, Professor, Dept of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery said, “Under general anaesthesia, we removed a sack-like, non-cancerous tumour that weighed about 200 grams and measured 4cm wide and 3.5cm tall. In medical terms, this condition is referred to as Compound Composite Odontone. Our surgical procedure took over an hour and a half”.

He added that, if the patient were to be an adult, the jaw would have to be surgically reconstructed post the surgery, but in this case, an operative procedure called ‘Conservative management’ was employed to ensure that the jaw remained intact.&nbsp;

While the surgery was completed in less than two hours, the Pathologists that examined the tumour post its removal had to do their precise, delicate work for nearly five hours to extract the tooth from the tumour.&nbsp;

“Normally for such a big tumour we perform a bread-loaf section to vertically slice and study the specimen, but in this case, we decided to cut it open like a bag. As we cut it open we spotted multiple teeth, and this continued even as we went deeper and more pearls were emerging. Every bit of tissue was a tooth, and tissue had the enamel of the tooth, said Dr Pratibha Ramani, Professor and Head, Dept of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.&nbsp;

Speaking on the probable causes of the tumour, Doctors said, “It is usually believed that it is genetic, but the siblings of the boy do not have this condition. It could be from radiation, chemical or other environmental influences”. Quoting from an ongoing study the doctors also mentioned that mobile phone radiation could also be a minor factor among others, in causing such disorders.

“Right side lower was only affected and Permanent tooth might not grow there, whereas the growth in all other regions of the jaw is normal. When the boy turns 16, we might have to replace some teeth in the lower right jaw with implants. However, there is no chance of relapse of this tumour”, elaborated the Doctors on the way ahead for the boy.

Speaking to reporters, the boy’s parents said, “We are very happy that he is fine now, initially we were really worried that we had to take a CT scan for something like a jaw swelling and we were also in a dilemma about the course of treatment.”

Responding to queries on the possible use of Local Anesthesia instead of General Anesthesia, Doctors said, “Local anaesthetic is for single tooth removal, whereas a Tumor involves the jaw and we are removing an anatomical part of the body. If the tumour is less than 1cm in size, then we could use a local anaesthetic, but clearly, we were dealing with a bigger tumour.”

Doctors also emphasized the need for counselling the young patient and his parents on an oral, maxillofacial surgical procedure. They said that counselling is important to make the young child and the parents understand the significance of the course of treatment and are mentally prepared for it.

While the surgery was performed on July 11th, the boy had completely recovered within three days and there are no scars on his face as the surgery was performed completely in the jaw, Doctors added.&nbsp;

Doctors at Chennai’s Saveetha Dental College, Institute of Medical and Technical Science were in for a shock as they extracted 526 teeth from a 200gram non-cancerous tumour that was surgically removed from the lower-right jaw of their 7-year-old patient Ravindran.

Doctors at Chennai’s Saveetha Dental College, Institute of Medical and Technical Science were in for a shock as they extracted 526 teeth from a 200gram non-cancerous tumour that was surgically removed from the lower-right jaw of their 7-year-old patient Ravindran. According to the doctors, this is the maximum number of teeth extracted from a patient and the hospital has applied for a place the Guinness and Limca Book of Records. Over four years ago, Prabhu and Rajakumari had taken their then 3-year old son Ravindran for a medical checkup for to his swollen jaw. As the doctors at the Government Hospital were said to have not diagnosed the condition, the parents left it unattended as the boy did not seem to face any pain or discomfort and was unable to cooperate with the medical examination. This year, as the swelling in the jaw, had increased the parents got Ravindran medically examined by the Doctors at Chennai’s Saveetha Dental College, Institute of Medical and Technical Science. Doctors of Saveetha Dental College with the 7-year old patient Ravindran and his parents at the media interaction. Doctors had observed that despite the boy being seven years old his permanent tooth had not erupted. An X-Ray and CT Scan revealed that a lot of small rudimentary tooth in the lower-right jaw. The Doctors then decided to perform surgery. Dr Senthilnathan, Professor, Dept of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery said, “Under general anaesthesia, we removed a sack-like, non-cancerous tumour that weighed about 200 grams and measured 4cm wide and 3.5cm tall. In medical terms, this condition is referred to as Compound Composite Odontone. Our surgical procedure took over an hour and a half”. He added that, if the patient were to be an adult, the jaw would have to be surgically reconstructed post the surgery, but in this case, an operative procedure called ‘Conservative management’ was employed to ensure that the jaw remained intact. While the surgery was completed in less than two hours, the Pathologists that examined the tumour post its removal had to do their precise, delicate work for nearly five hours to extract the tooth from the tumour. “Normally for such a big tumour we perform a bread-loaf section to vertically slice and study the specimen, but in this case, we decided to cut it open like a bag. As we cut it open we spotted multiple teeth, and this continued even as we went deeper and more pearls were emerging. Every bit of tissue was a tooth, and tissue had the enamel of the tooth, said Dr Pratibha Ramani, Professor and Head, Dept of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Speaking on the probable causes of the tumour, Doctors said, “It is usually believed that it is genetic, but the siblings of the boy do not have this condition. It could be from radiation, chemical or other environmental influences”. Quoting from an ongoing study the doctors also mentioned that mobile phone radiation could also be a minor factor among others, in causing such disorders. “Right side lower was only affected and Permanent tooth might not grow there, whereas the growth in all other regions of the jaw is normal. When the boy turns 16, we might have to replace some teeth in the lower right jaw with implants. However, there is no chance of relapse of this tumour”, elaborated the Doctors on the way ahead for the boy. Speaking to reporters, the boy’s parents said, “We are very happy that he is fine now, initially we were really worried that we had to take a CT scan for something like a jaw swelling and we were also in a dilemma about the course of treatment.” Responding to queries on the possible use of Local Anesthesia instead of General Anesthesia, Doctors said, “Local anaesthetic is for single tooth removal, whereas a Tumor involves the jaw and we are removing an anatomical part of the body. If the tumour is less than 1cm in size, then we could use a local anaesthetic, but clearly, we were dealing with a bigger tumour.” Doctors also emphasized the need for counselling the young patient and his parents on an oral, maxillofacial surgical procedure. They said that counselling is important to make the young child and the parents understand the significance of the course of treatment and are mentally prepared for it. While the surgery was performed on July 11th, the boy had completely recovered within three days and there are no scars on his face as the surgery was performed completely in the jaw, Doctors added.

Chennai doctors pull 526 teeth from 7-year-old boy's mouth

With barely a week for the July 15 launch of India’s second Moon Mission (Chandrayaan- 2) WION had an Exclusive conversation with Dr Mylswamy Annadurai who is currently serving as Vice President, Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology

WION: Chandrayaan 1 was launched almost 40 years after the Apollo 11 mission, what was our major finding and breakthrough?

Dr Mylswamy Annadurai: In 2008 we were considered as also-rans, as about 69 missions had gone to the moon by then. But all the missions that went to the moon prior to Chandrayaan 1 declared that the moon’s surface was barren. While some missions found traces of hydrogen, it was not in the H20 form of water, thus the evidence was not conclusive. However, it was India’s Lunar Mission, which in its maiden attempt showed evidence for water in the exosphere of the moon, on the surface and sub-surface of the moon. The discovery of water is what re-started the race for Lunar Exploration.

WION: What has changed between ISRO’s first Lunar mission and Chandrayaan 2?

Dr Mylswamy Annadurai:&nbsp;Chandrayaan 2 is meant to consolidate the findings of Chandrayaan 1 and we are also landing at the South Pole of the Moon, which is an unexplored region. While the PSLV rocket was used for the previous mission, we will be using India’s most powerful rocket the GSLV Mk III for this mission. This time, in addition to landing on the moon and the orbiter studying the moon from an altitude, a rover also will be deployed to study the moon’s surface for about 14 days(1 moon day noon). Although we are using a more powerful rocket this time, what remains the same as Chandrayaan 1, will be the orbit-raising manoeuvres to get closer to the moon and inject into lunar orbit.

WION: Despite having had a slow and humble beginning in the 1960s, how did we master various crucial technologies and keep innovating?

Dr Mylswamy Annadurai:&nbsp;At the initial stages, various foreign agencies provided us basic support and training, but when the seed called ISRO sprouted, they abandoned it. We were denied high-end technology and were pushed to the wall, so in order to succeed, we had to indigenously develop all the major, sophisticated technologies indigenously to ensure the success of our Indian Space Programme.

WION: ISRO is globally reputed for frugal engineering in all missions, how do we achieve more with less?

Dr Mylswamy Annadurai:&nbsp;It all lies in our grooming, upbringing and mentality. If one were to be educated in America and trained at NASA, his/her projects would use abundant resources, but here we try to attain the same by using the least amount of resources. We are all from very humble backgrounds, so we think big with our limited resources. It is just like giving the same assignment to a Government school student and an International School student, both will accomplish it. But the method is what makes all the difference. The classic case is that Western agencies have powerful rockets that can directly reach the moon and other planets, whereas we use our PSLV and GSLV (less powerful in comparison to Western rockets) to attain similar objectives. We use a technique called orbit-raising manoeuvre to slingshot the satellite into the desired orbit/planet. This is what cuts down the cost drastically.

WION: What are the major areas that ISRO must focus on in the coming years?

Dr Mylswamy Annadurai:&nbsp;We must consolidate on our strengths of using space for societal applications such as agriculture, communication, earth observation, resource mapping, navigation etc. Given that we have been fabricating world-class satellites, with further Government permissions, we should be able to commercialize and build satellites for foreign customers. As there are very few players in launching satellites that weight below 1.5 tons, we could focus on that market segment as well.

WION: How can collaboration with private firms and academia enhance ISRO’s capabilities?

Dr Mylswamy Annadurai:&nbsp;Already a couple of satellites are made by the industry collaborators, when satellite-fabrication was opened up for private players there was heavy competition. When more launch-related processes are outsourced to industry, ISRO can focus on the core research and development areas. When more private players and academia offer support, we can achieve more in less time. Ideally, we would require that military-industry-academia collaboration /nexus that drove the science and technology sector in America during the 1960s.

WION: As advances in rocket technology furthers the reach, does the moon play a more significant role?

Dr Mylswamy Annadurai:&nbsp;Currently the International Space Station(ISS) is our outpost in Space. But as the ISS is nearing the end of its operational life, we may need a new stopover for exploring deep space. It would be more prudent to develop infrastructure on the moon rather than develop another Space Station. The moon could be used as an outpost on a journey to Mars. We could also explore options for installing telescopes on the moon. Such a Lunar Space Station should also involve the active participation of countries like India, as we are not a part of the few countries that control the ISS. Commercial players also will get encouraged if space tourism leads to the moon.

WION: Foreign Media has tried to belittle our progress when India succeeds in ambitious missions. How do you react to them as a veteran Indian Scientist?

Dr Mylswamy Annadurai:&nbsp;As Swami Vivekananda says, any great thing you do, first others will neglect us, then they will laugh at us, oppose us and eventually they will recognize us. Either way, Indian scientists are motivated to work for the progress of our country.

With barely a week for the July 15 launch of India’s second Moon Mission (Chandrayaan- 2) WION had an Exclusive conversation with Dr Mylswamy Annadurai who is currently serving as Vice President, Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology WION: Chandrayaan 1 was launched almost 40 years after the Apollo 11 mission, what was our major finding and breakthrough?

With barely a week for the July 15 launch of India’s second Moon Mission (Chandrayaan- 2) WION had an Exclusive conversation with Dr Mylswamy Annadurai who is currently serving as Vice President, Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology WION: Chandrayaan 1 was launched almost 40 years after the Apollo 11 mission, what was our major finding and breakthrough? Dr Mylswamy Annadurai: In 2008 we were considered as also-rans, as about 69 missions had gone to the moon by then. But all the missions that went to the moon prior to Chandrayaan 1 declared that the moon’s surface was barren. While some missions found traces of hydrogen, it was not in the H20 form of water, thus the evidence was not conclusive. However, it was India’s Lunar Mission, which in its maiden attempt showed evidence for water in the exosphere of the moon, on the surface and sub-surface of the moon. The discovery of water is what re-started the race for Lunar Exploration. WION: What has changed between ISRO’s first Lunar mission and Chandrayaan 2? Dr Mylswamy Annadurai: Chandrayaan 2 is meant to consolidate the findings of Chandrayaan 1 and we are also landing at the South Pole of the Moon, which is an unexplored region. While the PSLV rocket was used for the previous mission, we will be using India’s most powerful rocket the GSLV Mk III for this mission. This time, in addition to landing on the moon and the orbiter studying the moon from an altitude, a rover also will be deployed to study the moon’s surface for about 14 days(1 moon day noon). Although we are using a more powerful rocket this time, what remains the same as Chandrayaan 1, will be the orbit-raising manoeuvres to get closer to the moon and inject into lunar orbit. WION: Despite having had a slow and humble beginning in the 1960s, how did we master various crucial technologies and keep innovating? Dr Mylswamy Annadurai: At the initial stages, various foreign agencies provided us basic support and training, but when the seed called ISRO sprouted, they abandoned it. We were denied high-end technology and were pushed to the wall, so in order to succeed, we had to indigenously develop all the major, sophisticated technologies indigenously to ensure the success of our Indian Space Programme. WION: ISRO is globally reputed for frugal engineering in all missions, how do we achieve more with less? Dr Mylswamy Annadurai: It all lies in our grooming, upbringing and mentality. If one were to be educated in America and trained at NASA, his/her projects would use abundant resources, but here we try to attain the same by using the least amount of resources. We are all from very humble backgrounds, so we think big with our limited resources. It is just like giving the same assignment to a Government school student and an International School student, both will accomplish it. But the method is what makes all the difference. The classic case is that Western agencies have powerful rockets that can directly reach the moon and other planets, whereas we use our PSLV and GSLV (less powerful in comparison to Western rockets) to attain similar objectives. We use a technique called orbit-raising manoeuvre to slingshot the satellite into the desired orbit/planet. This is what cuts down the cost drastically. WION: What are the major areas that ISRO must focus on in the coming years? Dr Mylswamy Annadurai: We must consolidate on our strengths of using space for societal applications such as agriculture, communication, earth observation, resource mapping, navigation etc. Given that we have been fabricating world-class satellites, with further Government permissions, we should be able to commercialize and build satellites for foreign customers. As there are very few players in launching satellites that weight below 1.5 tons, we could focus on that market segment as well. WION: How can collaboration with private firms and academia enhance ISRO’s capabilities? Dr Mylswamy Annadurai: Already a couple of satellites are made by the industry collaborators, when satellite-fabrication was opened up for private players there was heavy competition. When more launch-related processes are outsourced to industry, ISRO can focus on the core research and development areas. When more private players and academia offer support, we can achieve more in less time. Ideally, we would require that military-industry-academia collaboration /nexus that drove the science and technology sector in America during the 1960s. WION: As advances in rocket technology furthers the reach, does the moon play a more significant role? Dr Mylswamy Annadurai: Currently the International Space Station(ISS) is our outpost in Space. But as the ISS is nearing the end of its operational life, we may need a new stopover for exploring deep space. It would be more prudent to develop infrastructure on the moon rather than develop another Space Station. The moon could be used as an outpost on a journey to Mars. We could also explore options for installing telescopes on the moon. Such a Lunar Space Station should also involve the active participation of countries like India, as we are not a part of the few countries that control the ISS. Commercial players also will get encouraged if space tourism leads to the moon. WION: Foreign Media has tried to belittle our progress when India succeeds in ambitious missions. How do you react to them as a veteran Indian Scientist? Dr Mylswamy Annadurai: As Swami Vivekananda says, any great thing you do, first others will neglect us, then they will laugh at us, oppose us and eventually they will recognize us. Either way, Indian scientists are motivated to work for the progress of our country.

Chandrayaan’s discovery of water on moon’s surface re-started race for lunar exploration: Padma Shri Mylswamy Annadurai

Chennai is known as "Detroit of India" since it is the automobile hub of the country. But faced with a severe water crisis, the auto firms are now coming up with newer ways to cut down on water consumption.

Automobile service centres in the city are avoiding the use of water to wash the vehicles. But this doesn't mean that the job is shoddy - vehicles are returned spic and span. What these service centres are using is called the dry wash method.

"For water wash we spend a minimum 50 litres of water per vehicle. On an average, 35 vehicles are water washed resulting in wastage of 1500 liters of water. Whereas in dry wash, we use 700ml of water and 300ml of dry wash liquid. This mixture can be used to clean seven to eight vehicles," said Prabhu Jayaraj, service manager at a Royal Enfield outlet in Chennai.

Even car makers are adopting the new method to service customers’ vehicles. "The water crisis in Chennai needs to be proactively addressed and Nissan is doing its bit by temporarily stopping the water wash facility across our dealerships," said Atul Aggarwal, General Manager, after sales, Nissan India.

Watch: Auto industry in Chennai innovates to combat water crisis

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In dry wash, compressed air is blown on the vehicles at high speed which clears the dust away. Then the solution is sprayed, after which it can be wiped clean. The method requires less time and manpower.

"If I want to wash my bike at home I usually waste a lot of water. Dry washing is good, especially as we are suffering a water crisis in Chennai. I am really happy to give my bike here for a dry wash," said Deshvar, a Royal Enfield owner.

With hardly any summer rains, availability of water is getting scarce and all four reservoirs that supply Chennai have run virtually dry. But the government says it is taking all the measures necessary to resolve the issue.

"We have seen protests in some areas. Protesters should not disturb the public. Our government is taking steps to solve the water issue soon," Tamil Nadu Water Minister SP Velumani said on Wednesday.

The acute water shortage has forced some schools to shut, companies to ask employees to work from home and hotels to ration water for guests.

The Kancheepuram district to the southeast of the city, which includes the factories of many foreign automakers, saw groundwater levels deplete more than 6 ft (1.88 metres), or three times the state average, to about 20 ft during the year ended May 2019, the data showed.

Chennai is known as "Detroit of India" since it is the automobile hub of the country. But faced with a severe water crisis, the auto firms are now coming up with newer ways to cut down on water consumption.

Chennai is known as "Detroit of India" since it is the automobile hub of the country. But faced with a severe water crisis, the auto firms are now coming up with newer ways to cut down on water consumption. Automobile service centres in the city are avoiding the use of water to wash the vehicles. But this doesn't mean that the job is shoddy - vehicles are returned spic and span. What these service centres are using is called the dry wash method. "For water wash we spend a minimum 50 litres of water per vehicle. On an average, 35 vehicles are water washed resulting in wastage of 1500 liters of water. Whereas in dry wash, we use 700ml of water and 300ml of dry wash liquid. This mixture can be used to clean seven to eight vehicles," said Prabhu Jayaraj, service manager at a Royal Enfield outlet in Chennai. Even car makers are adopting the new method to service customers’ vehicles. "The water crisis in Chennai needs to be proactively addressed and Nissan is doing its bit by temporarily stopping the water wash facility across our dealerships," said Atul Aggarwal, General Manager, after sales, Nissan India. Watch: Auto industry in Chennai innovates to combat water crisis In dry wash, compressed air is blown on the vehicles at high speed which clears the dust away. Then the solution is sprayed, after which it can be wiped clean. The method requires less time and manpower. "If I want to wash my bike at home I usually waste a lot of water. Dry washing is good, especially as we are suffering a water crisis in Chennai. I am really happy to give my bike here for a dry wash," said Deshvar, a Royal Enfield owner. With hardly any summer rains, availability of water is getting scarce and all four reservoirs that supply Chennai have run virtually dry. But the government says it is taking all the measures necessary to resolve the issue. "We have seen protests in some areas. Protesters should not disturb the public. Our government is taking steps to solve the water issue soon," Tamil Nadu Water Minister SP Velumani said on Wednesday. The acute water shortage has forced some schools to shut, companies to ask employees to work from home and hotels to ration water for guests. The Kancheepuram district to the southeast of the city, which includes the factories of many foreign automakers, saw groundwater levels deplete more than 6 ft (1.88 metres), or three times the state average, to about 20 ft during the year ended May 2019, the data showed.

Automobile service centres use dry wash to cut down on water use in parched Chennai

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Sidharth MP

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