Category: RECORDS, ALL OTHER excl. Asia & India

** Watch | Sela Tunnel, world’s longest bi-lane road tunnel

A video on Sela tunnel, the world’s longest bi-lane road tunnel situated near the Indo-China border in Arunachal Pradesh

This is the Sela Tunnel, the longest bi-lane road tunnel in the world. The Sela tunnel is being constructed by the Border Roads Organisation at an altitude of 13,800ft near the Indo-China border.

It is being built on the 317km long Balipara-Charduar-Tawang (BCT) road which connects West Kameng, East Kameng and Tawang districts of Arunachal Pradesh to the rest of the country.

The Sela tunnel will provide all weather connectivity to Tawang. It will also ensure better movement of troops and weaponry to various locations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

Arunachal Pradesh

** Chennai’s Chef Damu gets a lifetime achievement award in London

Chef Damu is the first recipient of the prestigious award instituted by World Tamil Organisation, U.K.

Chef K. Damodaran, affectionately known as Chef Damu, is characteristically warm and chatty, despite being in a London taxi en route to the airport.

On his way home to Chennai, undeterred by airport lounges and transfers, the popular TV show host and cook book author, enthusiastically chats on the phone about his latest triumph: The Culinary Legend Lifetime Achievement Award at the Global Food, Hospitality and Tourism Achievements Award 2021.

** Bharat Biotech’s US partner Ocugen files EUA request with FDA for paediatric use of Covaxin

The submission is based on results of a Phase 2/3 paediatric clinical trial conducted by Bharat Biotech in India with 526 children 2-18 years of age, which bridged immunogenicity data to a large, Phase 3 safety and efficacy clinical trial in nearly 25,800 adults in India, Ocugen said in a regulatory filing.

** WHO panel finally recommends EUL status for Covaxin

The Technical Advisory Group (TAG), an independent advisory committee of the World Health Organisation (WHO), has recommended Emergency Use Listing (EUL) status for Bharat Biotech COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, sources in the know of the development said.

The WHO is in the process of evaluating Covaxin’s clinical trial data for use of EUL.

** Days after losing mother to lung infection, Akash punches his way to World Championship medal

National champion, who entered the semifinal of the 54kg category, beat Yoel Finol, the 2016 Rio Olympics bronze medalist, to advance.

On Tuesday, Akash Kumar became only the seventh Indian boxer to win a medal at the World Championships. The 21-year-old did so in his debut senior tournament, dominating an Olympic medalist to enter the 54 kg semifinals in Belgrade. His relatives back home in Paluwas, Haryana though felt no nerves watching, only bittersweet joy afterwards.

** Ganga most visited pilgrim site in world, attracts over 2 crore people every year, says Union Minister

Union Tourism and Culture Minister G.Kishan Reddy on Tuesday said Ganga is the most visited pilgrim site in the world and over 2 crore people come to pay their respect every year to it.

“Hinduism teaches that Ganga is not just a river for bathing, it is a sacred river that is why cleaning it is our prime responsibility. People should make it a custom to keep Ganga clean,” he said at the Ganga Utsav.

** Indian-origin Hollywood actor Kal Penn comes out as gay; engaged to longtime boyfriend

Actor and comedian Kal Penn has come out as gay and has also stated that he is engaged to his partner Josh. The couple has been together for 11 years and is planning on a grand wedding soon.

Penn, known for his role portraying Lawrence Kutner on the hit television program House, as well as the character Kumar Patel in the Harold & Kumar film series, shared his story during an interview with CBS Sunday Morning programme on which he was promoting his new memoir, “You Can’t Be Serious”

** Rice Mela ends, over 150 varieties displayed

Did you know that Kattuyanam is the oldest rice variety in the world? It is over 2,400 years old. The red rice variety’s name is a combination of two words — Kattu or Kadu which means forest and Yanai meaning elephant. The plant can grow up to seven feet tall, and even an elephant can hide in the crops. 

It is rich in antioxidants, controls blood sugar, is good for skin and normalises bowel movement. Around 150 such indigenous rice varieties were on display at the Rice Mela organised by Thanal Trust, an environment NGO and Organic Bazar at Jawahar Nagar.