mrityunjaybose

‘Poaching posing a severe problem’ MUMBAI, Sept 15/2002: Poaching of wild animals is posing a serious challenge to law-enforcement agencies next only to narcotics dealing and gun-running. This was disclosed here yesterday by Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MOEF) Secretary P V Jayakrishnan at a workshop on implementation of the new national wildlife action plan, hosted by the Bombay Natural History Society Director Dr Asad Rahmani. "Poaching is a serious problem," he said, adding that tigers, elephants, lions, leopards and one-horned rhinos were the real sufferers. "Today the tiger population in the country is 3,700-odd and between 1999-2002 around 125 of these majestic animals have been killed," he said. Mr Jayakrishnan said the tiger skins and bones and tusks of elephants are high-value products in the international market. To curb poaching there was a need for concerted efforts by all agencies concerned and the involvement of local people. "We need

NSCM developing science museums abroad MUMBAI, Dec 18/2003: After gaining expertise in making science musuems, the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) is now taking up projects on a turn-key basis in foreign countries. "We have enough expertise and are now helping foreign countries in making museums," NCSM Director-General I K Mukherjee told UNI here. Mr Mukherjee said that the NSCM had developed one museum in Brisbane, Australia. Besides this, he said, the NCSM, which comes under the umbrella of ministry of tourism, had also supplied exhibits to countries like Israel, Turkey, Bangladesh and Singapore. A large-scale project is also in offing in Mauritius. He revealed that neighbouring countries like Bangladesh and Nepal had also approached the NCSM for developing museums in their countries. "Rather than full-fledged museums, many of the countries are asking for exhibits to various themes," said the NCSM Chief, who was here for the inauguration of ‘hall of ae

Indian Planetary Society to screen names for mars project MUMBAI, Jan 3/2004: Mumbai-based Indian Planetary Society (IPS) has been selected as the national coordinator by its US counterpart for the Red Rover Goes To Mars (RRGTM) project. Joint initiative of the US Planetary Society, Lego Co and NASA, the project will allow children to play an integral, hands-on role in the NASA’s upcoming mars exploration rover 2003 mission set to explore the neighbouring planet in early 2004. The IPS, headed by noted astronomer and former Director of the Nehru Planetarium here Dr J J Rawal, has been entrusted by the US bodies to select students for the project. The RRGTM provides an exciting opportunity for students to participate in a Robotics Planetary Exploration Cission. To be selected for this, students born between September 1986-1990 have to enter into a worldwide astronaut on NASA’s mars exploration rover mission contest. Dr Rawal said that in order to qualify for the RRGTM, a student will hav

A grand pagoda coming up near Mumbai MUMBAI, Sept 29/2002: A 325-foot grand pagoda (pyramid), claimed to be the highest in the world, with a life of upto 500 years, is being constructed, adjacent to the Essel World at Gorai Creek here. The golden coloured architectural and historical splendour is being constructed at a cost of Rs 40 crore and will be made of stone without any use of cement or iron. The pagoda will have a hollow stone monument having octagonal base that rises externally, uninteruptedly and smoothly, into a needle at the top through a circular bell shape. It will house a meditation hall in which nearly 8000 Vipassana meditators can sit. It will also display galleries, giving details about the life and teachings of Buddha using the latest audio-visual technology. The pagodas have been an integral part of Buddhist teachings with more than 15,000 pagodas having been in existance during the great saint’s time in different countries. The structural engineer N R Verma, who is

Asia major growth market for nuclear power: IAEA chief MUMBAI, Nov 16/2004: Asia has emerged as a strong growth market for nuclear power, International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Dr Mohamed Elbaradei has said. The chief of the Vienna-based international nuclear watchdog said yesterday that by contrast, in western Europe and North America, nuclear construction had been relatively frozen, with the last plant completed being Civaux-2 in France in 1999. Of the 27 units now under construction worldwide, he said, 19 were located in Asia, while 23 of the 28 reactors were to be connected to grids in the far east and south Asia. Nine of the 27 units, with a total capacity of 4,460 mega-watts, were in India, he said addressing a gathering of nuclear scientists, technocrats and engineers at a seminar on ‘peaceful uses of nuclear energy: Meeting societal needs’ hosted by the Indian nuclear society. However, there may be signs of renewed activity in Europe and North America with constru

CHUGGING FOR LIFE Mrityunjay Bose Seven-year-old Vijay, a resident of Khalari in Bihar, had a dream. Dream of walking without help – he had contracted polio. He was the first patient to be operated on board world's first hospital train – the Lifeline Express - in 1991. He had contracted polio soon after birth, spent his first few years crawling on all fours, then attempting to walk again with home-made bamboo crutches, falling frequently, never safe to go anywhere unaccompanied. More than one-and-a-half decades later, now he walks without crutches, his leg supported in plastic calipers, which he swings at ease. Mohit Ram, a barber from Bargaon village in the district of Durg, Madhya Pradesh has his joy tripled. Misfortune just struck his family 10 years ago when his second child was born blind. Subsequently, he had two more children both blind. Despite a meager salary Mohit Ram took his children wherever he could for treatment in vain. Finally, at a medical camp at Raipur he was fi

Dev Anand’s censor — a film within a film MUMBAI, Apr 4/2001: Evergreen hero Dev Anand’s latest film ‘Censor’, which attempts to bring to reality the day-to-day life of a film maker can be well described as a film within a film. "It is a unique concept. It is a film within a film," says the 78-year-old energetic Devsaab, as he is popularly known in the film industry. After an exclusive screening of ‘Censor’ last night for mediapersons at adlab theatre in filmcity here, he said, "I attempt to bring about the realities that a filmmaker faces in producing a film." The film will be released later this week. Sporting a brown trousers, a pink shirt and a red pullover wrapped across his neck, Dev, who was at his usual best, said, "it is now for the people to see and judge how a film is made and what the Censor Board does." Dev, who plays the lead role in the film, Vikram — a film director, says, "the film (Aane Wala Kal) which is directed by Vikram faces pr

BARC develops country’s fastest super computer MUMBAI, Nov 1/2002: The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has developed the fastest super computer of the country, its Director B Bhattacharjee said. The 64-node Anupam P-IV parallel super computer giving, which has a sustained speed of 43 giga-flops (floating point operation per second), is 30 to 40 times faster than any other parallel supercomputer developed in the country, he said at the BARC Foundation Day celebrations this week. The Super Computer was developed by P S Dhekne, officer-in-charge of the Computer Division of BARC, a winner of the Indian Nuclear Society Awards presented by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on Thursday. Many leading institutions in India such as the aeronautical development agency, Indian Institute of Technology as well as the Department of Atomic Energy are finding the use of this super computer in solving various problems, he said. The BARC, which is the premier nuclear research organisation of the

Vikrant may not be scrapped MUMBAI, July 9/1999 (UNI) — The Maharashtra Government has decided to prevent the scrapping of the country’s first aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, by providing Rs 6.5 crore for repairs of the decommissioned ship. The state government would also examine the feasibility of converting the ship into a war memorial, Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray told newsmen here today. Vikrant was auctioned for Rs 5.8 crore to Haryana Shipbreakers yesterday. The auction was carried out by the Metal Scrap Trading Corporation (MSTC). After visiting the decommissioned ship at Lion Gate, South Mumbai, Mr Thackeray said a final decision would be taken within a month. The ship had saved the nation in a crisis (during the 1971 Indo-Pak conflict) and hence it should become a war memorial for the fallen heroes, he added. He said he had spoken to Defence Minister George Fernandes, who promised that Vikrant would not be sold. Chief Minister Narayan Rane, who was also present on the occasi

Flamingoes flock to Sewree mangroves of Mumbai MUMBAI, Nov 27/2001: Come october and the majestic flamingoes flock the metropolis, nesting in mud-flats until the onset of monsoon. First sighted here in 1994, the greater flamingoes and lesser flamingoes are seen in the sewree mangrove park on the eastern sea-face of Mumbai. On an average, more than 5,000 flamingoes arrive every year, said Issac Kehimkar, an official of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). The water level at the Sewree-Mahul stretch is perfect for these birds, as they prefer Alkaline and saline water which is abundant in prey. Since the location where they are found falls in a high-security zone, the area has a port, oil refinery and defence installations, they are left undisturbed, he said. The birds come from various parts of the country, particularly the great Rann of Kutch in Gujarat. Mr Kehimkar said the arrival of flamingoes has spurred tremendous enthusiasm among ornithologists, environmentalists, photograp

Several warships to be shifted to Karwar MUMBAI, Dec 15/2001: Several warships of the Western Naval Command (WNC) would be shifted from Mumbai to the new naval base at Karwar on the Karnataka coast by 2005-06, when the first phase of project ‘Seabird’ is completed. "The work is on in full swing and we expect that some of the ships of the WNC will be shifted to the new base by 2005-06," senior Indian Navy officials have said. WNC officials, who have been directly involved with the ‘Seabird’, said the project would cover 8,000 acres and occupy around 28 km of the coastline, and the deep draught would facilitate berthing of larger vessels. According to officials, the rationale behind setting up a new futuristic naval base with state-of-the-art facilities on the western coast was its strategic location. "The WNC is headquartered in Mumbai. We have two ports, the Mumbai Port and the Nahva Sheva Port, at a very close distance. One aim is to decongest the shores," an offi

November 30, 2006 From: Mrityunjay Bose Sea-Harrier to last for more than five years: Navy MUMBAI: The state-of-the-art Sea-Harrier fighter jets of the Indian Navy would last for more than five to six years beyond the expected life of the lone aircraft carrier INS Viraat, from which these majestic British-origin aircraft operate. "We expect that it would last more than five years," said Vice Admiral Sangram Singh Byce, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command (WNC), the sword arm of the three-dimensional blue water Indian Navy. Talking to reporters on board INS Viraat, Vice Admiral Byce confirmed that Soviet-era Kiev-class aircraft carrier Gorshkov, which would be renamed Vikramaditya would arrive in 2008 and its component of frontline Russian origin MiG-29K fighter aircraft. "The top-of-the-line MiG-29K will augment the air arm of the Indian Navy," he said and added that it is a multi-role aircraft and can perform various functions like land-at

September 5, 2007 From: Mrityunjay Bose Huge warship Trenton sails in today MUMBAI: A giant-sized US-origin amphibious ship INS Jalashva – earlier USS Trenton – arrives in this island city quietly today adding to the blue-water capabilities of the Indian Navy. Jalashva in Sanskrit means sea horse – and the huge amphibious transport dock displaces nearly 16,500-tonnes and possess multiple capabilities. She touches Mumbai, the homeport to Western Naval Command (WNC) ships and submarines, in the next few days; she would sail for the Vishakhapatnam, headquarters of Eastern Naval Command (ENC). "INS Jalashva is arriving on September 6, however, it would be a very low-key event, in view of the controversies involving the ongoing Indo-US naval exercises," a senior official of the WNC, the sword arm of the Indian Navy, told 'The Herald', on the eve of her arrival to this island city. "We are not planning any grand event – because of the present circumstances," the

Indigenous warships join fleet MUMBAI, Jan 22/2001 (UNI) — The indigenously designed guided missile destroyer “INS Mumbai’’ and missile corvette “INS Kirch’’ today joined the Indian naval fleet. The warships were concurrently commissioned by Maharashtra Governor Dr P.C. Alexander. INS Mumbai is the third of the “Delhi class’’ of guided missile destroyers built by Mazgaon docks and represents the cutting edge of combatant technology in the country. The heavily armed ship has a formidable firepower with a weapon package comprising surface-to-surface missiles, surface-to-air-missiles, radar controlled guns, torpedoes, anti-submarine rockets and chaff decoys. In addition, the ship carries a state-of-the-art sensor package of modern radars, sonars and electronic warfare suites. INS Kirch is the second ship of the Kora class of guided missile corvettes, which embodies the lethal cutting edge technology. With her arsenal of surface-to-surface missiles and guns, she is a potent fighting unit.

Men, machines to take to skies in biggest ever air show MUMBAI, Oct 11/2004: Machines of formidable power, manoeuvred by men with cutting edge skills, will take to the skies in the biggest ever air show in the city on October 17. Frontline aircraft of the IAF including the Sukhois, MiG-29s and the recently-acquired Il-78 refueller, in addition to a boeing and an airbus of Air India, will participate in the air show titled ‘Subroto Mukherjee and JRD Tata Memorial Events’. The aviation Regalia marks the birth centenary of JRD Tata and the golden jubilee of Mukherjee’s taking over as the IAF Chief. Being jointly organised by the Indian Air Force, Air-India and the Maharashtra Government, the one-hour aerial display at Marine Drive is dubbed to be of greater magnitude than the 1998 Trishakti exercise and the air show held during the 2001 international fleet review. As part of the event, an air awareness campaign Mumbai will begin in the metropolis on October 14 with an exhibition of Indi

Indian navy touches new high in maritime diplomacy MUMBAI, Sept 29/2004: The Indian Navy has achieved tremendous success in the area of maritime diplomacy with a series of joint exercises after the 2001 international fleet review including that with the navies of the United States, the United Kingdon, France, Russia and China. The recently-published Indian maritime doctrine also highlights this fact, saying that in times of peace, the Indian Navy has been a powerful instrument of the nation’s foreign policy, while in times of conflict it is the foremost expression of the country’s maritime power. "The Indian Navy plays a major role in the nation’s diplomatic interest," Admiral Madanjit Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command (WNC), told UNI today during an interaction after visiting Singapore Naval Chief Admiral Ronnie Tay inspected a Guard of Honour at the Ins Angre here. Admiral Singh, one of the top naval commanders, said that in the recent pas

Govt examining 15-year ship building programme MUMBAI, Oct 30/2002: The Central Government is examining a proposal for an indigenous ship building programme to be undertaken over a period of 15-year, Navy chief Admiral Madhvendra Singh said today. He, however, did not divulge details of this programme during an informal chat with reporters after inaugurating a day-long conference on "human resource in ex-defence personnel" organised by the Directorate General of Resettlement and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The Centre had earlier this year sanctioned a 30-year-long submarine building programme, Admiral Singh noted. He said that the first of the indigenous stealth warships currently being built at the Government-owned Mazagon Docks Ltd (MDL) here will be commissioned by 2006. These ships incorporating the latest design will form an important part of the future fleet of the blue-water force. "In future we will have more such stealth ships," the chief o

Navy sails course towards modernisation, 23 ships to join in 4 yrs MUMBAI, Mar 19/2003: The Indian Navy is modernising itself and as part of this move, 23 ships are expected to be commissioned in the next four years enhancing its sea control capabilities, top naval officials said here today. Under the programme, ‘Admiral Gorshkov’, the decommissioned Russian aircraft carrier is expected to join in the next 50 months. Besides, orders have been placed for three Delhi-class ships under project 15-alpha and under project 17, three Shivalik-class stealth frigates are being built at the Mazagon Docks Ltd. Vice Admiral Madanjit Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Naval Command (WNC) said that a new Naval Academy for Training of Officers is expected to be commissioned in north Kerala. More than 500 officers can undergo training in this facility. Rear Admiral Vijay Shankar, the Flag Officer Commanding, western fleet, said that the new acquisitions will significantly enhance the

Deal on Admiral Gorshkov may be signed soon MRITYUNJAY BOSE MUMBAI, Nov 22/2002: The deal on acquisition of ex-Soviet aircraft carrier ‘Admiral Gorshkov’ may be inked soon with the Indian Navy officials hoping high on the forthcoming visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin. "The Russian President is expected in India next month and we are hopeful that there will be something positive during this visit," a senior Indian Navy official told UNI here. A series of talks between the Indian and Russian Government officials have been held in this regard and the acquisition may take a final shape soon, the official said, adding that with the ‘Admiral Gorshkov’ joining the fleet, the capabilities of the Indian Navy will increase manifold. Admiral Madhvendra Singh, the Chief of Naval Staff, during his visit to this island city, earlier this month, has said that the aircraft carrier was in a good condition and expressed the hope that the Indian Navy will get it. The need for an aircraf

November 29, 2007 New excavations planned in Nalanda BY MRITYUNJAY BOSE MUMBAI: A big revival of the internationally-acclaimed heritage site Nalanda in Bihar is currently underway and new excavations are being planned from February next year, Dr Ravindra Panth, Director of Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda University, said. “What we know of Nalanda is just 10 per cent, we want to know the rest 90 per cent, and in this quest the new excavation will be carried out by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI),” Dr Panth, who was on a day-long visit to Mumbai to address a lecture organized by the Bamiyan Buddha Foundation, told ‘The Herald’ on Wednesday. “We are going to revive the entire thing,” he said and pointed out that his department has already started physically mapping Nalanda and neighbouring Rajgir. At the same time, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will also map the area using its remote sensing satellites. “It is a big project,” he said. Last year, he said, during a

Grand old lady Vikrant may finally become maritime museum MUMBAI, Dec 13/2003: The decomissioned aircraft-carrier Vikrant may not end up in a scrap yard with the Centre and State deciding to jointly fund its conversion into a full-fledged maritime heritage museum. The grand old lady of Indian Navy, which was decommissioned on January 31, 1997 had faced a rough weather, virtually entering the jaws of a scrapyard, as the Maharashtra Government inspite of its promise could not convert her into a full-fledged museum largely due to financial constraints. The Western Naval Command (WNC), the sword arm of the Indian Navy, had converted her in to a floating museum pending the Maharashtra Government’s decision to permanently berth her and convert her into a museum-cum-helipad. Addressing a news conference here, BJP member of Parliament, Kirit Somaiya, said that the Defence Ministry will contribute all the expenses of converting the ship into a museum and docking her at a permanent place, while

Dinosaur eggs found in MP village MUMBAI: Dinosaur eggs, dating back to nearly 65 million years, have been found at Bagh village in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh, according to noted geologist Prof Atul Joshi. Prof Joshi, who is a sedimentologist with the Department of Geology at M.S. University at Baroda, said he had found eight to nine eggs in this small village over the past decade. He started his research in 1992-93 in the region. — UNI

Class of encounter specialists MUMBAI, June 8/2009: They are the ‘encounter specialists’ of the Mumbai Police from the class of ‘83 and their lives have even featured in Bollywood movies. Senior Police Inspector Pradeep Sharma, who last week eliminated his 100th criminal in an encounter, is in fact from the 1983-batch, which had produced outstanding officers like Vijay Salaskar and Praful Bhosale. Sharma, Salaskar and Bhosale are the trio who are the leading ‘encounter specialists’ of the commercial capital. The three-some, who head separate Crime Branch-CID units now, have over the 10 years, gunned down more than 350 notorious criminals of various gangs and syndicates like that of Chhota Shakeel, Chhota Rajan, Amar Naik, Abu Salem, Ijaz Lakdawala and Hemant Poojari. With an excellent information gathering network and dare-devil attitude, their teams had played a key role in gathering information about the spate of blasts in 2002-03 in which more than 80 persons were killed and 200 oth

Actor K.N. Singh dead MUMBAI, Jan 31 (UNI)/2000— Legendary film actor K.N. Singh who dominated the Hindi silver screen for more than six decades, died here this morning following a prolonged illness. He was 91. He is survived by his son Pushkar, a TV film director. He breathed his last at his residence— "Bhasin Nivas" in Matunga, family sources said. Kirshan Niranjan Singh popularly known as K.N. Singh had carved a niche for himself by playing the role of villain in his inimitable manner. He acted in more than 250 films. He came to Bombay in 1937 giving up profession of a lawyer at Dehra Dun. He was discovered by thespian Prithviraj Kapoor. A chance meeting with Kapoor during one of his visits to Calcutta paved his entry into the film industry. He started his career by acting in "Bhagban". His other films were "Howrah Bridge" Raj Kapoor’s "Aawara", Kishore Kumar’s "Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi", and "Bees Saal Baad". He also acted in

A cquisitions in 2003 mark navy’s fledging bluewater capacities MUMBAI, Dec 19/2003: The Indian Navy moved towards becoming the most powerful naval force in the Indian Ocean, with the fleet augmenting its power-projection capabilities after the induction of several advanced ships as well as indicating the finalisation of the long-standing deal to acquire its second aircraft carrier. The Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Madhvendra Singh told UNI in New Delhi that the Navy, moving towards a true blue-water capacity, would need a strength of at least 200 ships, including three aircraft carriers, about 20 frigates and destroyers each and the requisite number of support and auxilliary craft. The Navy, at the end of the year commanders’ conference, disclosed that its priority was to streamline its personnel policy to augment its technical and aviation manpower, in order to make optimum use of the advanced equipment entering service. With an array of ships like the Krivak-class frigates — the onl

New surgical cure for gangrene MUMBAI, Sept 10/2001: Gangrene, which usually results in amputation, can be cured by replacing the infected arteries, claims a Mumbai-based doctor. Using the ‘revascularisation operation,’ a technique pioneered by her 12 years ago, Dr Tejinder Kaur Sahi has salvaged many gangrene-affected limbs. Peripheral vascular disease or gangrene, occurs when blood supply to the limbs is blocked and muscles and other tissues suffer from lack of oxygen. Dr Sahi told UNI that she has devised three new techniques for treatment and management of limb disorders. An honorary surgeon at the J J Hospital in Mumbai, she says she creates a new route for blood supply in the affected limbs by using blood vessels from the abdomen. "When a limb is struck with vascular disease, it can be saved by ‘revascularisation of omental transfer’. Later, if the second foot also develops an infection, the same procedure can be repeated. "In cases where both legs are infected at the

Quakes in Koyna is because of sea-floor spreading: Expert MUMBAI, Sept 6/2000: The sea floor in the Arabian Sea is expanding by five cm a year leading to increasing seismic activity in the Koyna region of western Maharashtra which has seen more than a lakh tremors in the past 35 years. According to a leading seismologist, the Koyna region is prone to the effects of sea-floor expansion along the carsburg ridge in the arabian sea-Indian ocean. Dr J G Negi, scientist-Emeritus at the Hyderabad-based National Geological Research Institute (NGRI) says "the energy emanating from the sea-floor spreading is distributed to the rift zones in the Koyna-Warna region and the Himalayan area". The region was hit by an earthquake measuring more than five cm on the richter scale yesterday. The first major earthquake in the region was on December 11, 1967, which claimed more than 100 lives and rendered several thousands homeless. "There is a cyclic burst of seismic activity in the region,

Tipu Sultan had mastered rocketry, says Kalam MRITYUNJAY BOSE Mumbai, July 2. (UNI): The development of Indian rockets in the 20th century can be perceived as a revival of a tactical dream of 18th century warrior Tipu Sultan, reckons NDA's Presidential nominee Dr A P J Abdul Kalam. Dr Kalam, considered father of Indian missile programme, says that when Tipu Sultan was killed, the Britishers captured more than 700 rockets and sub-systems of 900 rockets in the battle of Turukhanahally in 1799. In his autobiography "Wings of Fire" which is selling like hot cakes since he was nominated for the post of the President, Dr Kalam, who is a Bharat Ratna, says: "Tipu's army had 27 brigades, called Kushoons, and each brigade had a company of rocketmen called Jourks." Showering praise on Tipu Sultan, he said that these rockets were taken to England by William Congreve and were subjected to what we call "reverse engineering" today. "There was of course no

Astrosat to give researchers an edge MUMBAI, Nov 6/2002: Astrosat — the astronomical research satellite to be launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will add punch to the research activities in the country, leading astronomers and researchers feel. The satellite will provide data for astronomical studies and the other payload including an all sky X-ray monitors and an ultra violet/optical telescope system, according to ISRO sources. Besides the ISRO, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and Indian Institute of Astrophysics and Raman Research Institute are involved in developing the satellite which will be launched in the next few years. The launch will be yet another milestone in the astronomical research in the country. The announcement of the launch of ‘Astrosat’ was made some time back by ISRO Chairman Dr K Kasturirangan and the process of developing this indigenous satellite is currently underway in Indian space research labs. Astronomy is the oldest scien