** First surgery of serious liver disorder done by IMS-BHU doctors

For the first time a team of doctors from the Institute of Medical Science, Banaras Hindu University (IMS-BHU) performed a surgical procedure to cure a patient suffering from Budd-Chiari Syndrome, a serious condition of the liver.

The doctors from the interventional radiology unit of the department of radio diagnosis and imaging performed the surgery.

The syndrome is a medical condition in which the hepatic veins (veins that drain the liver) are blocked or narrowed by a clot (mass of blood cells). This blockage causes blood to back up into the liver, and as a result, the liver grows larger.

Prof. Ashish Verma, head of the department of radiodiagnosis and imaging, who led the team, said, “It is for the first time that the trans-jugular intrahepatic Porto systemic shunt procedure has been done on a patient. The procedure has been performed on a young woman suffering from a condition called the Budd-Chiari Syndrome.”

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** Rezangla Anthem celebrates valour of 1962 war heroes

The Rezangla Anthem was launched at the Rezangla War Memorial to pay a special tribute to the braveheart war veterans of the Indian Army at Rezang La as it marked the close of the first Ladakh International Music Festival that began on April 30.

Conceptualised by Sushil Chaudhary and composed by music composer Joi Barua and his band, the anthem was sung by Joi Barua. The anthem presents a heartfelt tribute signifying the courage of the Param Vir Chakra decorated officer Major Shaitan Singh and his men, who faced the Chinese army at the Rezang La Pass during the 1962 India-China war.

The anthem, shot in metaverse/VR format, was launched by Corps Commander Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta. Major Gen Akash Kaushik, Chief of Staff, Fire & Fury Corps, Major General Abhinay Rai, General Officer Commanding, Uniform Force and Bollywood actor Darshan Kumaar and other dignitaries graced the event.

Addressing the crowd, Lt Gen Sengupta said “On behalf of Uniform force, 114 Brigade, 22 JAK RIF, the other units here, the brave jawans of the Fire and Fury Corps, JCO, respected officers and on behalf of the officers in and around Chusul and all those present here with us. I congratulate Joi Barua and his band for performing such a revered song on this precious land, based on the 60-year-old war.”

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** The Indian Express journalists win ACJ investigative journalism award

Prema Sridevi and Himanshu Kala won the K P Narayana Kumar Memorial Award for Social Impact Journalism for their documentary feature film on manual scavengers, produced by The Probe.

Senior Editor Shyamlal Yadav and Mumbai Resident Editor Sandeep Singh of The Indian Express were declared winners of the Asian College of Journalism’s Award for Investigative Journalism on Tuesday for their reports on the Ayodhya land deals published in December 2021. The winners were declared at the college’s annual convocation of 2022 batch.

Yadav has won the award for the second time, previously winning it in 2017 for his 2016 story on fraud in the Jan Dhan accounts.

“The winning entry titled ‘Ayodhya land deals’, published in The Indian Express newspaper in December 2021, investigates the wrongdoings by families of some public officials who bought land after the apex court verdict, within the 5-km radius of the Ram Temple site,” the college said.

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** Regional cinema: Unesco glory for Dostojee, North American awards for Once Upon a Time in Calcutta

Dostojee, set in rural Bengal, has won the children’s award CIFEJ Prize while OUATIC, a slice of urban Bengal, was awarded the Grand Jury Award at IFFLA, Los Angeles, and the Circle Award at Filmfest DC, Washington DC.

Jeete khub-i bhalo laagchhe, eta amar bachchader jonno Eid er gift (We are overjoyed with the win; this win is Eid’s gift for the child protagonists of my film)… now we are looking for theatrical distribution partners in India,” says Prasun Chatterjee, whose debut feature Dostojee (Two Friends), set in an early-’90s remote, resplendent rural Bengal along the border, is a tender tale of childhood innocence, a friendship unmarred by the pulls of religious antagonism. It won the prestigious CIFEJ Prize, recognised and accredited by UNESCO, and picked up the Best Director award in the International Competition section of the 2022 SIFFCY (Smile International Film Festival for Children and Youth).

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** EV maker Omega Seiki Mobility to foray into trucks, tractors and drones

Company planning to raise capacity from 12,000 units to 20,000: chairman Narang

Electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Omega Seiki Mobility Pvt. Ltd. said it would get into manufacturing of e-trucks in 1.5, 3.5 and 6.5-tonne capacities, e-drones and e-tractors to broaden its product offerings. The company is also working on a high-speed scooter range and e- rickshaws, founder and chairman Uday Narang said.

Currently the company manufactures seven EV models, including five three-wheeler models and two two-wheelers.

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** Gen Manoj Pande becomes first Chief from Corps of Engineers

Gen Pande is the most senior Army officer in the country and has spent most of his career serving along the northern borders facing China. This is significant as India’s two-year standoff with China remains unresolved.

Gen Manoj Pande, who was serving as the Vice Chief since February, took over as the new Army Chief from Gen MM Naravane on Saturday on his retirement. Gen Naravane had taken over as the Army Chief in January 2020, months before the standoff with China in eastern Ladakh began in May 2020.

Gen Pande will have a tenure of a little more than two years.

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** Thiruvananthapuram scientist generates electricity from tapioca leaves

Tapioca is in vogue in Kerala. First, the government created a buzz with its idea to make spirits from tapioca. Now, a scientist based in Thiruvananthapuram has developed a technique to produce electricity from its leaves.  The concept of clean energy from cassava leaves — ‘Cassa Dipah’ — was a by-product of the biopesticide manufacturing process, said Dr C A Jayaprakas, principal scientist at the ICAR- Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI) here. 

The CTCRI has been engaged in biopesticide production from tapioca leaves for several years. With patented technology, the centre has developed three brands of biopesticides — ‘Nanma’, ‘Menma’ and ‘Shreya’. 

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** US-based Applied Materials acquires land in Bengaluru for ₹350 crore

California-based Applied Materials has invested ₹350 crore ($50 million) to purchase land in Whitefield in Bengaluru where it is planning to expand its engineering infrastructure.

The company said the expansion would boost its next phase of growth in India.

“We expect this investment to support future product development and R&D, as well as benefit the development of the local supply chain,’‘ said Srinivas Satya, country president and Managing Director, Applied Materials India at Semicon India 2022 in Bengaluru on April 29.

Indian Government’s mission mode approach to evolve the country’s semiconductor sector, together with the ease-of-business initiatives and scaling up of indigenous electronics end-manufacturing, were positive and practical steps to enable its Semiconductor Mission, he added.

Applied Materials supplies equipment, services and software for the manufacture of semiconductor (integrated circuit) chips for electronics, flat panel displays for computers, smartphones, televisions, and solar products.

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** More than 1,000 Indian peacekeepers serving with UN Mission in South Sudan awarded medals for outstanding work

The work includes protecting civilians, performing engineering assignments and providing health services to humans and animals, a news report posted on the UNMISS website said

More than 1,100 Indian peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) were awarded UN medals, honouring them for their exceptional service in the strife-torn East African country.

The UNMISS “peacekeepers don’t ‘just’ protect civilians. Some 1,160 troops from #India in #SouthSudan also rehabilitate roads, build the capacity of local communities and give medical treatment to humans & animals. For that they deserve @UN medals,” the UNMISS said in a tweet on Thursday.

The 1,160 Indian peacekeepers currently serving in Upper Nile State were honoured with UN medals “for their outstanding and multifaceted work”, including protecting civilians, performing engineering assignments and providing health services to humans and animals, a news report posted on the UNMISS website said.

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** Arunachal scientist bags two Indian patents

Dr. Sanjeeb Kalita has been granted two Indian patents for developing ‘Polyherbal formulation for the treatment of painful Diabetic Neuropathy’ and ‘hybrid cotton patch and a method for its fabrication’

A scientist from the Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Bio-resources and Sustainable Development at Kimin in Papumpare district of Arunachal Pradesh has been granted two Indian patents for developing ‘Polyherbal formulation for the treatment of painful Diabetic Neuropathy’ and ‘hybrid cotton patch and a method for its fabrication’.

Dr. Sanjeeb Kalita, the scientist of the centre under the Arunachal Pradesh State Council for Science and Technology (APSCS&T) carried out fundamental research and development for both the inventions at Guwahati-based Institute of Advanced Studies in Science and Technology, official sources said on Friday.