A new app called Netradaan enables users to sign up for eye donation through their mobile phones. What makes the app all the more special is the contributions by a visually challenged person in its making.
Muhammed Ramees was born with partial eyesight. When Sunil Mathew, founder of Sightica Solutions spotted him during an interview to train visually challenged persons in using computers, he realized that Ramees was too good to be just trained in basics. That was the beginning. Together the duo went on to develop a series of Android apps.
“One of the unique features of the app is t the recipient request through which a request for cornea can be made. This will go into the database of the association. The app has English and Hindi versions, Ramees said. The app encourages users to donate their eyes through an easy to fill-and-submit donor form. “We have partnered with the Eye Bank Association of India. The donor receives an eye donation card from the association,” said Sunil, who also runs Society for Rehabilitation of the Visually Challenged (SRVC), an NGO in Kochi.
Another app called Kuluk created by them enables the blind to call for help by shaking or tapping their phone “A visually challenged person can call for help by shaking the phone or tapping it just once keeping the app on. The users can customize the number of shakes upto three. A shake or a tap prompts a call or message to emergency numbers saved on their phones,” said Sunil. Another app called Mapseeker helps the elderly or visually challenged to find important places using google maps. “This is just like the GPS but with more user-friendly features for the blind,” Ramees added. ”
Netradaan app has won the m-inclusion Awards at the mBillionth Awards held in New Delhi last week. The award honours outstanding mobile content and apps from South Asia.
“We should spread awareness regarding eye donation. What pushed us to develop this app was the long waiting list for corneas. About 45,000 corneas are imported from Sri Lanka alone every year,” said Sunil. All the apps can be downloaded from Google Playstore.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kochi / by Sudha Nambudiri, TNN / August 04th, 2015
Here we publish the full text of the convocation address delivered by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the then Scientific Adviser to Raksha Mantri and Secretary, Department of Defence, Research & Development, at the 75th Convocation of University of Mysore on Feb. 25, 1995. — Ed.
Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam (second from right) seen with the then Governor-Chancellor Khurshed Alam Khan, the then Higher Education Minister and Pro-Chancellor D. Manjunath and the then Vice-Chancellor Prof. M. Madaiah during the 75th Convocation of University of Mysore on Feb.25, 1995.
by Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam
Dare to Dream: I am indeed delighted and honoured to participate in this 75th Convocation of University of Mysore. I have been thinking about what to share with you on this important occasion when you are entering the most eventful phase of your life after years of learning. I know that for the past twenty-years or so you have been continuously taught various aspects by teachers. I am, therefore, not going to extend this process. Instead, I would like to share with you a few of my experiences, one at a place very close to you and others at Trivandrum and Hyderabad.
These are the experiences where people have dared to dream and met with success. Of course, we have to recognise that success is always the result of sweat of individuals and also coupled with many failures. The place close to you is the site of pilgrimage not only for me but for every one who practices rocketry in our country. Let me first tell you something about this.
First War Rocket: When I was studying in school and college, Srirangapatna interested me for two reasons — the place was the scene of battle against foreign rule and also there was a reference to a new weapon introduced. In 1960, when I visited Srirangapatna with my friends, we were thrilled to walk around this historical town. We searched for the Turukhan-hally Fort built during Hyder Ali – Tipu Sultan times and used for making rockets, way back in 1794. I had a tremendous disappointment when I did not see any permanent evidence or historical recordings in Srirangapatna regarding creation or development of first war rocket in the world.
Later, in 1963, I was at Wallop’s Island, the rocket launch facility of NASA in USA, in connection with a collaborative programme of launching of sounding meteorological rockets for research of upper atmosphere. In the lobby of their command-control centre, I saw a prominently displayed picture. The war dress and the colour of the soldiers’ skin attracted my attention. Some dark complexioned soldiers were firing rockets on their white skinned opponents. The label on the painting read, “The world’s first war rocket.” It was indeed a great pleasure to see an Indian feat acknowledged on the other side of the planet. I felt excited with happiness.
I started reading the history of rockets. I had a dream I must see Tipu’s rockets. Time continued to pass. Rocket technology engulfed me and India’s first Satellite Launch Vehicle SLV-3 was launched. In 1980, we had an opportunity to visit London. There, I saw two of the war rockets captured by British at Srirangapatna, displayed at Museum of Artillery at Woolwich in London with the heading “India’s War Rocket.” Probably, Europe learnt rocketry from our Srirangapatna rocket in the eighteenth century! It was a great thrill to see an Indian innovation on a foreign soil, well-preserved and with facts not distorted.
I got the performance of these 2 kg rockets, 50 mm in dia. and about 250 mm in length analysed by our designers. What a simple and elegant design, effectively used in war ! Surely, Hyder – Tipu Sultan would have had talented men who could look at propulsion, material, ignition and build rockets and fly them for war operations. In fact, when we look back to eighteenth century ambience, it is a technology marvel.
I would like to declare today that this land is the birth place of war rockets in the world and offer it my reverence and respect. The tradition continues.
Prof. Vikram Sarabhai – Man of Vision: Nations advance along the course charted by great dreamers. Let me narrate to you an incidence which occurred in 1968. We were working on the configuration of India’s satellite launch vehicle in Thumba. One day, Prof. Vikram Sarabhai, the then Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), brought Prof. Curien, President, CNES, France, to our laboratory. France was developing Diamont satellite launch vehicles at that time. After focussing on our planned efforts, as an almost spontaneous reaction, Prof. Sarabhai proposed that we should fly India’s fourth stage of SLV-3 as the Diamont’s fourth stage. We had not flown even a meteorological rocket by that time, but Prof. Sarabhai was aware of the possibilities and trusted the capabilities of his team. His dream of SLV-3 fourth stage getting into a French launch vehicle finally came true in the form of apogee boost motor for APPLE satellite, flown by ARI
ANE, the European launch vehicle. This is the vision ! He gave us a 15-year jump in our efforts. With three experimental Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) Satellites in orbit and their images being received in the USA, Satellite Ground Stations with Indian Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV launching our own satellite from our own land, his dream visualised in 1965 has taken form through the people born at different times. Nations are thus built by men of vision who dream and prepare ground for the coming generations.
Super Computer and Parallel Processing: In 1986, Dr. V.S. Arunachalam and myself went to US to buy a Super Computer with 400 mega flop speed. The Deputy Secretary in the Department of Defence at Pentagon first put us into long series of technical discussions and then regretted the sale on the pretext that we will use it to develop long range missiles detrimental to the security interests of the world. Travelling back disappointed, Dr. Arunachalam said, “Let us make our own Super Computer.” Today, India has a 32 node 1000 M Flops PACE SPARC 10 machine available for other countries to buy. Once we decide, we work and realise even tough dreams. That is what India expects from you.
A team of young scientists and engineers under the leadership of Dr.G.Venkataraman formed ANURAG, that is, Advanced Numerical Research and Analysis Group, to develop a parallel processing computer specially for aircraft design. At that time, AGNI also was taking shape. The payload of AGNI would re-enter the atmosphere at 15 times the speed of sound. Even at this speed, we had to keep the vehicle under control and while the payload outer temperature goes to 3000 degrees centigrade, inside of payload the ambient has to be less than 30 degrees centigrade. We have in India supersonic wind tunnel. We needed hypersonic wind tunnel for designing the AGNI payload. Various wind tunnel data could provide the loads experienced during the re-entry phase of the system. There were tunnels abroad but once they knew the application, they were refused.
This time our high-tech academic institutions rose to the occasion. Prof. S.M. Deshpande of Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) with five young bright fresh scientists from DRDL with background of mathematics and fluid dynamics, developed Computational Fluid Dynamics Software for Hypersonic Regimes in just six months. This software is the original contribution with minimum computational facility available in the world. No country would have given us this type of software. But it was done through optimum partitioning, sequencing and paralleling the task. This software solution has established that brain-power excels man-made machines, even super-computers.
I have seen that India can build her own super-computer; India can fly its own rocket system within and outside the country. Both the dreams have come out of visions. This convocation ambience, where hundreds of young graduates are entering their professional lives, is ideal for thinking about the need of visions for the next two decades. What could they be?
Vision for the Nation: With the growing population, increasing unemployment, unaffordable medical care and changing value system, our society is going through certain turbulent situation. The society looks forward to prosperity. In a decade or two, prosperity and good life is possible if the nation has the vision. Vision generates progress. As an example, we can study the period between 1857 and 1947; it was the vision of freedom which not only got us independence but during the same period in India, vision of independence generated many leaders of excellence in politics, philosophy, history, science and technology and industry. Again, can we dream for a vision to make this nation great — a nation with prosperity and peace?
Enlightened Citizens: The vision of “Enlightened Citizens” calls for a mission of integrating education, occupation and health care as one single entity. For development of self, society and nation, it is essential that hundreds of clusters of villages are divided into multiple blocks of 20,000 families. And each block can be considered as a progress group with certain number of hospitals, schools and agriculture farms which could be growing cash crops, aromatic plants or fish farms.
The experience in Kerala and Tamil Nadu indicates that integration of education and occupation resulted in small families, in addition to promoting self- sustained good life. This enlightened citizen package can be extended to the whole country.
Networking of Major Rivers: We recently conducted a workshop on the subject based on Dr. K.L. Rao’s report “National Water Grid” and Capt. Dastur’s proposal of “Garland Canal.” This has all the dimensions of becoming an important vision for the nation. Nation can aim at linking multiple rivers resulting in water distribution, flood and drought control, navigation and power generation.
Above all, this will bring together the country as it happened during the independence movement, with potential revolution in agricultural output and employment generation. Experts have indicated that this is the right time to take this as a major programme as technology exists today and the country has the capability to finance such a programme.
Today we have: satellite mapping of water resources and river flow aspects; capability to use nuclear energy for large tunnelling in mountains to direct the river flows and technological strength in mechanical, civil and communication engineering. It may be a 20-year programme for the nation.
Energy Everywhere: Similarly, the third area is “Energy Everywhere.” We believe by year 2000-plus, we will have to generate almost 50% more power. Probably, we will have to look for environment clean power. In addition to hydro and thermal energy, the non-conventional energy and nuclear energy has to contribute to power generation for which technological innovation is essential. Even hydro and thermal energy would need newer technologies so that they can provide affordable electrical energy.
Conclusion: Friends! Vision for the nation is in front of you. These dreams are bigger than the individual or group of people. Great things do not just occur; you have to dream about them and work to realise them. You can be a partner to the visions for the country and begin to experience dreams coming true. What you are is God’s gift to you. What you make out of yourself will be your gift to God. I wish you a challenging profession in your respective fields and recall the famous lines:
“The chances have just begun
The best jobs haven’t been started,
the best work hasn’t been done.”
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Saturday – August 01st, 2015
A file photo of former President of India Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam receiving the Honorary Doctorate from the then Governor-Chancellor Khurshed Alam Khan during the 75th Convocation of University of Mysore on Feb.25, 1995. The then Vice-Chancellor Prof. M. Madaiah is partly seen.
by N. Niranjan Nikam, Senior Journalist & Consultant, Centenary Celebrations
It was an oft repeated utterance for the past one year. “We are on the threshold of celebrating the Centenary of the University of Mysore.” July 27 is the Foundation Day. It was on the same day in 1916, 99 years ago that the University of Mysore was founded. The day to herald the year-long celebrations had finally arrived. The hard work, dedication, devotion, sincerity and above all, commitment to the cause of the celebration of centenary on the part of the Vice-Chancellor Prof. K.S. Rangappa has made it possible.
The day dawned with a slight drizzle in the morning and we were worried. The clouds cleared at the right time. Hectic activity was going on to prepare the stage. Last minute instructions were flying back and forth. The countdown had begun for the arrival of the President of our country.
As the clock struck one, people started arriving. There was palpable tension in the air for most of us involved in organising the event. “Will the 10,000 seating capacity Amphi Theatre that was all decked up to receive the President be filled?” was the question uppermost in all our minds. However, the VC was fully confident that there would not be an inch of space left.
By 2’O clock, his predictions had come true. It was a sight to behold. The hard work of the past one year was paying off. I was worried whether the side wings would be occupied. But it was a joy to see every inch of space filled and also to see the real commoners and students sitting patiently for the arrival of the President.
Meanwhile, early in the morning, the names of the dignitaries who were to be seated in the front two rows had been identified and all their names pasted on the sofas. The students of the University College of Fine Arts, who were singing the Centenary Theme Song, came to the venue three hours before and rehearsed with the compere Prof. C. Naganna. The audio-visual team had set up their equipment and were testing. Lot of content had been provided to them to play while the audience waited for the function to commence.
The Police Band arrived well in advance and as the place for them was already earmarked, they went straight there and took up the position. Instructions were given to them that the moment the President arrives and walks to the centre of the dais to his designated chair, the National Anthem should be played.
Even as the clock ticked, came the news from the State Protocol Deputy Secretary that there would be a delay of at least half-an-hour as the President was visiting the Chamundi temple. It was also disclosed that he would change his dress at the Mandakalli Airport to dhoti and jubba to offer pooja to Goddess Chamundeshwari and then would change to formal dress at the Guest House of Abdul Nazir Sab State Institute of Rural Development (ANSIRD) on Lalitha Mahal Road. Hence, the delay was inevitable. We had no choice and hence we took the available time to fine tune the programme.
Backstage
First to arrive was R.V. Deshpande, Higher Education Minister and Pro-Chancellor, University of Mysore. Then the other dignitaries started arriving. All the six former Vice-Chancellors and Eminent Lexicographer Centenarian Prof. G. Venkatasubbaiah had arrived and were seated in the newly-furnished green room in the Amphi Theatre at Manasagangotri.
The messages were coming from the State Protocol Officer every ten minutes about the President’s convoy. Finally, the President arrived. The tall figure of Governor and Chancellor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala emerged from the car and I thought that the President would be coming next. But when the diminutive figure of the President, Pranab Mukherjee, neatly dressed in a close-collared coat stepped out from the same car, our joy knew no bounds, as at last our objective to have the function on the day the University was founded (July 27, 1916), had been achieved.
However, more drama was to unfold. The State Protocol Officer, the moment he arrived, announced that the Vote of Thanks had to be dropped, as the President was running late and he had to be in Bengaluru for the next function in the evening. The instructions to him had come in the form of a message from the President’s Secretariat. I had to run to tell the Police Band that they had to play the National Anthem the moment the President finished his address.
Just a few days before the function, the VC had to visit the Rashtrapati Bhavan to finalise the programme details with the President’s Secretariat. He told me, “I had spent a pleasant half-an-hour when I had gone to invite the President earlier. But sitting with Private Secretary, who was insisting on every minute details, made me sweat.” The VC had suggested two more names for the President to honour but it was turned down. Even though the VC had made a promise to the two prominent personalities, it had to be dropped.
Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, who was also to participate in the function, opted out at the last minute as he had to go to Delhi. The VC then wrote to the President’s Secretariat to include the name of Registrar Prof. C. Basavaraju. Incidentally, his name had been proposed along with other dignitaries to be included in the first list itself. The President’s Secretariat had, however, instructed us to drop his name to be seated on the dais. The permission was given at the last minute to seat the Registrar on the dais.
The decision to publish the book “Era of Enlightenment” (One hundred years of History of University of Mysore), penned by historian and former Vice-Chancellor of Goa and Mangalore Universities, Prof. B. Sheik Ali, was a really good one. However, the decision to also honour him was dropped as the President’s Secretariat said that there would not be enough time to do it as the list was already long. Hence, the VC had to reluctantly leave out his name.
It was also a momentous sight when the President saw the two centenarians Dejagow and Venkatasubbaiah. He looked at them open-mouthed as I escorted them and Prof. Rangappa briefed about their achievements.
The VC had asked the President’s Secretariat that Chief Minister Siddharamaiah should felicitate the President. But they were clear that the VC himself should felicitate the President.
In spite of the delay, the minute-to-minute programme was adhered to the last minute. One of those in the President’s Secretariat in the Navy Uniform, who was also giving instructions to us, told me in Hindi, “Kya Sir, aap itne buzurg log ko laye hain (referring to the two centenarians). Maine aisa function kahan be dekha nahin hoon.”
Even as the inauguration ended on a grand note by evening as we were mulling on the success, came the news that the former President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was no more.
The memories went back to 1995 when the Missile Man, and the Teacher as he would like to be remembered, was conferred the Honorary Doctorate by the University of Mysore.
Incidentally, Dr. Kalam was to inaugurate the Children Science Congress, in January next, during the Indian Science Congress to be hosted by the University of Mysore. Now, it is not to be.
NOTE: All things considered, it would have been most appropriate to have seated Prof. B. Sheik Ali on the stage since he was a Professor and Head of the Department of History in Manasagangotri, was the VC of two Universities; more than that he had authored the centenary remembrance book “Era of Enlightenment,” apart from being a venerable old man of 90 years age.— Ed
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Friday – July 31st, 2015
Top – 1) The centuries-old armoury of Tipu Sultan. Below – 2) An interior view of the armoury.
by Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem, MD
No, I’m not talking about the hanging of Yakub Memon as you may be inclined to think from the title. It is pointless to dig up the graves of those who are very dead. But nevertheless, many will be doing it for some time to come. I’m talking of something much closer home although this is also about digging up something from the past. It has now been announced that the more than two-centuries old Armoury of Tipu Sultan, which has become an impediment to the Mysuru-Bengaluru Railway line doubling project, will finally be shifted to a different site about 500 meters away from where it stands now, although its new location is as yet unannounced.
This matter has been under consideration for quite some time now and different ways and means of circumventing the ancient obstruction to upgrade a much-needed modern means of transport have been aired from time to time by the Railway authorities and the Government. For a brief while it was even suggested that to avoid disturbing the monument we would even make do with a single track between the Naganahalli and Pandavapura stations. But this move, seemingly very kind to our heritage and hoary past, would have completely defeated the whole purpose of doubling the track thus making a mockery of the entire expensive project.
What I would like to highlight here is the very lackadaisical attitude of our government agencies to proper planning before jumping into the very profitable business of execution. It looks like a very apt case of utter disregard to the axiom of looking before leaping and doing just the opposite instead. Many engineers working for the Railways and many other very knowledgeable and qualified people tell me that with a little proper planning the track doubling work could have been accomplished without the need to re-locate the monument.
This point of view seemed right even to me when I visited the place just yesterday with my son, Adnan to have a first-hand look. It is common knowledge that to a common man with a little common sense, alternative options come easily while to experts with intelligence they often remain elusive. The new bridge across the south branch of the river Cauvery built to carry the second line is almost ready and until now the authorities were unsure of how they would align the track while taking it past the station and across the not-to-wide island with very limited space for the rakes of trains which are getting longer day by day. With no other viable alternative in sight, since the seemingly very wrongly positioned bridge is already in place, they now seem to be all set for another round of grossly unjustified expenditure.
Initially it was announced that the armoury would be dismantled brick-by-brick and rebuilt. Then someone rightly discovered that this was the wrong way of handling a very fragile brick and lime mortar structure and said that they would cut it up like a cake into meter wide cubes and cart them away to the new location. This too did not seem very practicable while being very obviously very unkind to the structure itself.
Now they have reportedly tendered the process to a US firm and its Indian partners who will shift it without dismantling it for a whopping sum of Rs. 11.6 crore. The process is bound to be interesting to watch. These armouries built by Tipu are semi-underground rooms with very thick walls and sloping masonry roofs supported by pillars where gun powder and small arms used to be stored. It is on record that he had built eleven almost identical armouries at Srirangapatna and seven of them are still standing in identical states of neglect.
I have been able to locate and count five of them ever since the time of my childhood. There are five others outside Srirangapatna located at the Manzarabad fort near Sakleshpur, Pavagada, Madhugiri, Sultan Battery in Kerala and Bengaluru. The last mentioned is deep inside Kalasipalyam behind the Bangalore Medical College and although located in the heart of the capital, it is completely dilapidated and has very conveniently become notorious for all kinds of illicit activities. No one either in the Government or the BBMP under whose jurisdiction it falls seems to have thought of preserving it, let alone restoring it to its former state as a keepsake from the past.
None of the seven existing armouries in Srirangapatna too including the one that is very accessibly located at the western corner of the fort near the British martyrs’ memorial obelisk, built in 1907 has been maintained in a state that can attract tourist attention. When that is the case I am left wondering whose sentiments the authorities are trying to avoid hurting by spending such a huge sum of money on relocating and restoring a small hitherto completely neglected piece of history in a very inaccessible location while having allowed the rest of the magnificent fort at Srirangapatna to gradually crumble brick-by-brick due to the abject lack of protection and basic maintenance?
Now, eleven crore rupees is a very large sum of money and if it is spent wisely and honestly it can do immense good to the entire fort that surrounds Srirangapatna thus preserving the beauty and grandeur of the historic town. Spending it just to relocate the armoury that now obstructs an albeit wrongly planned Railway track just as a face-saving measure is a sheer waste of public money most of which will undoubtedly go only to line the pockets of unscrupulous politicians, bureaucrats and contractors who thrive on such needless projects. People should therefore oppose this move. No one is going to mourn the loss of a structure the existence and significance of which they never knew.
There are many other monuments with much greater significance than the armoury under consideration of this present rather wasteful effort which can benefit from some much needed attention. For instance, the fading and flaking paintings at the Daria Daulat Bagh, the many historically important ‘Water Gates’ with narrow passages and steps leading to the river and the once very tranquil Sangam, the point where the two branches of the river meet once again after embracing the island.
Not very long ago before the advent of the now omnipresent and omnipotent parking fee mafia, which enjoys the patronage and participation of some vested interests, this place was a favourite picnic spot for families. It has now become the favourite haunt of thieves, extortionists, drunkards and drug addicts while the authorities conveniently look the other way.
e-mail: kjnmysore@rediffmail.com
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Friday – July 31st, 2015
This is the house of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, former President of India and a missile scientist, who passed away on Monday, 27th July and whose funeral was held this afternoon at his native place Rameswaram attended by PM Narendra Modi.
This photograph was taken on Thursday, 23rd July, 2015 by Emmanuel Suresh of Mysuru city and his wife Shirley, who was formerly working in Star of Mysore as a staffer, when they had visited the Christian pilgrimage centre Velankanni in Tamil Nadu from where they travelled to Rameswaram on hearing about Dr. Kalam’s house and a very good museum housed in the upstairs.
Shirley tells us that Dr. Kalam’s elder brother, 99-year-old Mohd. Muthu Meera Lebbai Maraicker still lives in the ground floor of this house.
The first floor is converted as museum where records and materials related to Dr. Kalam’s achievements, the rewards and recognitions he received from across the world are on display.
The second floor of the house is converted into an art gallery by Dr. Kalam’s elder brother’s son.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Friday – July 30th, 2015
Mysore District Haj Committee had organised a day-long Haj Training and Vaccination Camp for the Haj 2015 pilgrims at Milan Annexe Function Hall, in city this morning.
Sir Khazi of Mysuru Hazrath Moulana Mohamed Usman Shariff presided over the camp.
The camp began with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran by Hazrath Moulana Maqboo Ahmed Saheb Nizami and Naath was presented by Syed Fazil Ashrafi.
Abdul Azeez Chand welcomed the Haj 2015 pilgrims and the guests.
All India Milli Council Mysuru President Hazrath Moulana Mohamed Zakaulla Siddiqi, speaking on the occasion, said about the performance of Umra and provided information to the pilgrims. Prior to the commencement of the camp, homage was paid to former President of India Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who passed away on July 27.
Dr. Mohamed Shiraz Ahmed, Dr. Javeed Pasha, Dr. Aleem, Dr. Fahad, Dr. Anitha, Dr. Bushra, Dr. Parveez Ahmed and other Medical staff from the Health Department administered vaccination to the Haj pilgrims which is mandatory for the visa stamping.
Jamia Tippu Sultan, Secretary Alhaj Syed Yunuss, MCC Ward 43 Corporator Suhail Baig, Jameel Ahmed Ashrafi and Shahabuddin were present.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Friday – July 30th, 2015
Describing him as one of the most “exuberant boosters” of India’s nuclear capabilities, the US media on Tuesday highlighted the contribution of ‘missile man’ A P J Abdul Kalam to the country’s atomic and space programme.
Kalam, who would have turned 84 in October died after suffering a massive cardiac arrest during a lecture at the IIM Shillong on Monday, plunging his country into overwhelming grief.
Describing him as one of the most “exuberant boosters” of India’s nuclear capabilities, the US media on Tuesday highlighted the contribution of ‘missile man’ A P J Abdul Kalam to the country’s atomic and space programme.
“He was one of the most exuberant boosters of the country’s nuclear program,” The New York Times wrote in a rare obituary for Kalam.
“He used the spotlight to urge India to build up its military strength and to free itself from the threat of domination by outside forces,” the daily said.
The Times said that Kalam spent little time outside India. “For him, it was a point of pride that India had developed its bomb without much help from foreign powers. And he described himself as thoroughly Indian,” it said.
Kalam has been credited with helping develop his country’s first space satellites. In the 1980s, he helped design the nuclear-capable ‘Prithvi’ and ‘Agni’ ballistic missiles, The Washington Post said.
“He played a crucial role when India tested its nuclear weapons in 1998. The test resulted in sanctions against the country but helped elevate Mr Kalam to the status of folk hero in his country,” the Post said in its obituary.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Kalam, who was born into a poor Muslim family in Tamil Nadu, was at the forefront of the country’s efforts to develop a space programme and a strong advocate for India’s self-reliance in defence technologies.
“He encouraged the development of India’s first indigenous satellite launch vehicle that brought the country into an elite club of space-faring nations and guided India’s missile-development programme,” the daily said.
“Dr. Kalam also played a key role in boosting India’s nuclear capabilities, leading to nuclear tests in 1998, a technological achievement seen as pivotal in asserting the country’s place in global politics,” the WSJ said.
“He was the first scientist to hold the office, and was widely viewed as an apolitical figure,” the CNN said.
source: http://www.ibnlive.com / IBN LIVE / IBN Live> World / Press Trust of India / July 28th, 2015
Nasser’s son Luthfudeen Baasha,currently featuring in Idhu Enna Maayam, tells sudhir srinivasan that he’s grown as an actor
Luthfudeen Baasha tells me that since his debut in director A. L. Vijay’s Saivam, he has taken the time to study acting. He spent two weeks at an acting workshop in Pondicherry conducted by a performance company called Adishakti. He also spent time with N. K. Sharma of Act 1, a Delhi-based theatre group. All this information surprises me. He has Nasser for a father. Can acting training come from a better qualified person? “You should probably ask him about it,” he says, and throws me off guard by passing the phone to Nasser. “You see, the problem with trying to teach your child is that you never know when they will start arguing or when they will suddenly want a break. The connection is too personal, and it’s difficult to create a teacher-student relationship,” says Nasser. He also points out, in all modesty, that thanks to the workshops that his son has attended, he has learnt a couple of acting tips himself.
Luthfudeen has now done a role in Idhu Enna Maayam, another A. L. Vijay film. He hasn’t done any other films since Saivam owing to “personal commitments”. He explains his role in the just-released film with an Anniyan reference. “Remember how Ambi turns into Remo in that film? I undergo a similar transformation in this film.” Interestingly, Vijay’s original choice for the role wasn’t Luthfudeen. “He was visiting us once, and I told him about the acting workshops I had attended. He sensed that I was very keen to do films again, and offered me this role.” He remembers how he had to hide signing Saivamfrom Nasser. “He was shouting from the rooftops that actors must be trained, and right under his nose, his son, utterly untrained, had just signed a film. Thankfully though, he wasn’t livid as I expected him to be. But I’ve fulfilled my promise that I’d go through formal training in acting after I completed that film.”
However, his long-term plan is to turn filmmaker, and to that end, he views these roles as a kind of paid internship. “Let’s say I’m creatively building myself until I’m ready to make films.” So, for now, he’s happy to try and become more proficient as an actor. And yes, those training sessions came in handy, thank you very much. “I remember taking as many as 10 takes for many scenes in Saivam. This time, it was just three or four.”
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Cinema Plus / by Sudhir Srinivasan / August 01st, 2015
Rare chance: This humble tailor in Mandapam made the decorative cloth for the cortege of former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.— Photo: L. BALACHANDAR / The Hindu
“I was much privileged to do the work and I am painfully happy. I will cherish the moment all my life”
A differently abled tailor in this coastal town had the privilege of making the decorative cloth for the army vehicle which carried the mortal remains of former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on the final journey on July 30.
R. Rabi Khan (51) had just returned from the Mandapam helipad after witnessing the arrival of Kalam’s body on July 29 when an army man brought a 10.5-metre-long cloth for making frills. He was in no mood to work and refused to take up the job.
But the moment the army man said it was for Kalam’s cortege, he sprang up and completed the work in two hours.
“I am in the profession for close to three decades and this was the profound moment in my life. Making the decorative cloth for Kalam was the most satisfying job in my career,” Mr. Khan told The Hindu on Monday.
The frill cloth he made was tied around the base of four sides of the army vehicle, on which the coffin was placed for the final journey. The army man had offered some good money for the work, but Mr. Khan refused to take it. “I was much privileged to do the work and I am painfully happy. I will cherish the moment all my life,” said Mr. Khan who was moved to tears.
Though he had briefly worked in a tailoring shop run by Kalam’s nephew in Pamban, he never had the opportunity to meet the People’s President. He saw Kalam only once when he came to Mandapam railway station last year to board a special train to travel across the Pamban rail bridge on the occasion of its centenary celebrations, he said.
A school dropout, this gents’ tailor owns a single 1989-make Rama sewing machine and works independently. His wife works in a marine export company to supplement family income.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Tamil Nadu / by D.J. Walter Scott /Mandapam – August 04th, 2015
The wind-catcher at the Takht Mahal in Bidar fort.— photo: gopichand t.
This natural cooling system is in existence in the old Bidar fort
What is the warranty period on your air-conditioning system — five, seven or at the most 12 years? How about a system that has a warranty of 550 years?
Bidar fort houses this system. The Gagan Mahal, or the grand palace that has the takht (throne), has just such a natural cooling structure.
Local guides call it the ‘Bahmani AC’. Built by the Bahmani kings in the 15th century, it still functions.
Cool air gushes out from the bottom of the twin tunnels that are connected to towers on the ceiling. However, the roof of the building has collapsed, depriving visitors of a real air-conditioned experience.
The technique involved is simple. Hot air, sucked in from the surroundings, moves up a quadrangular pillar. It gets cooled, gains weight and comes down. Air is thus cooled by convection and evaporation.
The walls of the tower, exposed to the sun, attract cool humid air towards them. This happens through multiple vents, providing ample supply of cool air. Two such pillars are fixed in each room, on opposite sides of the hall.
These structures, called Badgeer, Malqaf or Hawa Khamba (wind-catcher), are also found in other buildings, including the Rangeen Mahal, Turkash Mahal or Queen’s Palace, and the Diwan-e-Khas or VIP enclosure.
There are some such structures inside the city too. Havelis of zamindars and the rich had these structures. “I had saw them while growing up in the old city,” says historian Abdul Samad Bharati.
V. Govindan Kutty, groundwater expert who has worked on the Surang Bavi system of medieval era aqua ducts in Bidar, said the method of cooling buildings involved both wind tunnels and underground water canals.
“There were several wind-catchers along the Jamuna Mori or the Shukla Teertha channels originating in the old city and ending in the Bidar fort. Some houses had basements where people would collect water. The combination of wind-catchers and underground channels led to general cooling of these houses,” Mr. Kutty said. He points out that this system is used extensively in Iran, where multiple wind-catchers are built over cisterns to chill water.
“The government should take steps to conserve these structures” says Digambar Thakur, heritage enthusiast.
This natural cooling system is in existence in the old Bidar fort
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by Rishikesh Bahadur Desai / Bidar – July 31st, 2015
