Dr. Safeer CK, a distinguished physicist from Kerala and faculty member at the University of Oxford, has been awarded the esteemed Royal Society University Research Fellowship for 2024. This recognition comes with a significant funding grant of £1.85 million (approximately Rs 19.73 crore).
A pioneer in spintronics, Dr. Safeer’s groundbreaking research in nanomaterials, just one atom thick, aims to revolutionize next-generation electronics, including brain-inspired computing architectures. He leads the Oxford-MIND group at the renowned Clarendon Laboratory in Oxford.
Hailing from Malappuram, Kerala, Dr. Safeer’s academic journey began at Mongam Ummul Qura Higher Secondary School and Morayur V.H.M. Higher Secondary School.
He later pursued Physics at Delhi University’s Hansraj College, followed by postgraduate studies at Joseph Fourier University in France with scholarships from the Indian and French governments. He completed his doctorate in Nanophysics at France’s Spintec Laboratory, part of the French Atomic Centre.
Dr. Safeer’s accolades include the prestigious Marie Curie Individual Fellowship and three international patents in magnetic memory technologies. He has also published 18 research articles, including papers in Nature journals, and teaches Physics and Electronics at Oxford.
The Royal Society Fellowship, one of the highest honors in the scientific community, has previously recognized legends like Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Srinivasa Ramanujan, and C.V. Raman.
source: http://www.thehindustangazette.com / The Hindustan Gazette / Home> News> National> Kerala / by Shifa / November 19th, 2024
New battle-lines are being drawn in Parliament, and out of it, with waqf and its management at the centre of a major political slugfest.
New battle-lines are being drawn in Parliament, and out of it, with waqf and its management at the centre of a major political slugfest.
At this juncture, it is appropriate to recall the achievements of Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the founder of Jamia Hamdard, whose birth centenary was celebrated in December 2008, and the waqf he founded ~ the Hamdard (Waqf) Laboratories ~ is well into its ninth decade. Speaking during Hakeem saheb’s centenary celebrations at Jamia Hamdard, then Vice-President of India Hamid Ansari observed, “in our recent history Hakeem Abdul Hameed is probably the first, and the most successful, to resurrect the waqf concept in innovative ways so that a modern company was registered as a wakf institution whose income was to be used for public good in the areas of education, medical relief and the advancement of knowledge.
It was an important signal in the immediate aftermath of the painful Partition of India to thread together the religious element with socio-economic progress and alleviation of poverty.” The Vice-President added, “Since the 1930s and 1940s, over 25 educational research institutions were established, culminating in the Jamia Hamdard. The range is astounding ~ ranging from primary education to post-doctoral research, from Unani Medicine to Information Technology, from Islamic Studies to Business Management. Besides the university, the colleges and hospitals established for service to society, there are a set of institutions that bear testimony to his scholarly interests.
I refer to the Institute of History of Medicine, the Institute of Islamic Studies, the Ghalib Academy and the Institute of Federal Studies. Each of these has rendered significant service to scholarship.” Undoubtedly the list of achievements is long but as Hamid Ansari commented, “these achievements hold a mirror to the potential of what public-minded personalities can achieve through the institution of waqf for the socio-economic, educational and cultural betterment of the community. Future generations would behold Jamia Hamdard and Talimabad and wonder at the capacity, vision and dedication of an individual.” Truly so, for in ‘100 Great Muslim Leaders of the 20th century’, a publication of the New Delhi based Institute of Objective Studies (IOS), Dr Mohd Manzoor Alam provided a larger global context to understanding the achievements of Hakeem Abdul Hameed as an outstanding educationist and social reformer, along with his equally illustrious younger brother Hakeem Mohammad Said.
“In the face of formidable challenges which marked the lives of a selected 100 great Muslim men and women of the 20th century,” wrote Dr Alam in the preface, “their lives, struggles and contributions reflect the response of Muslims to the multiple challenges over the century…the ‘100 Great’ belonged to five continents and they came from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, they were inspired by the eternal values and principles of Islam and the precepts of their illustrious forebears in the annals of Islamic history.” Through the tumultuous decades of the 20th century, Dr Alam observed that the ‘100 great Muslim leaders’ were unwavering in their “faith in the Holy Quran describing Muslims as ‘good people’, whose mission on earth is to help others live a meaningful life.
Even in the darkest hour the world of Islam was not plaued by a dearth of men and women who had the stature, mettle and competence to rise to the occasion. The two revered Hakim brothers ~ Hakeem Abdul Hameed and Hakeem Mohammad Said ~ who revived the Unani or Greco-Arab system of medicine and created two institutions, the Hamdard in India and its twin in Pakistan, are inspiring examples of leadership. They did not really belong to any one place. This is aggravated by Western colonial redrawing of the Muslim world map: Hakeem Abdul Hameed in India and Hakeem Mohammad Said in Pakistan were, in fact, two sides of a single sub-continental picture of Islamic excellence.”
The lifetime achievements of Hakeem Abdul Hameed were myth-busters: it had been an enduring myth of the 20th century that the Muslim world had been in deep slumber, their state of somnolence stretching back to centuries. Said Dr Manzoor Alam, “the 20th century instead turns out to be a period of extraordinary intellectual, moral and social awakening and struggle across the Muslim world with societies from Malaysia to Morocco trying hard to reform, promote and practice Islam as a living reality that could guide them through difficult times.” The Hamdard story began over a century ago when Abdul Hameed’s father, Hakeem Hafiz Abdul Majeed, established the Hamdard Dawakhana in 1906.
The vision was implicit in the name. Hamdard means ‘the sharing of pain’ and willingness to mitigate it was to be the motto of future generations as well. The vision was also to break the exclusivity of medicinal preparation of each Unani Hakim and make it available to the masses through modern laboratories along scientific lines. A traditional system of medicine was thus modernised with a nationalist inspiration and an indigenous base. “For this reason, Hakeem saheb can rightly be called a Mujaddid (or reformer) of Unani medicine,” said Ansari in the centenary speech.
Writing in ‘Muslim Mirror’, Abdul Rashid Agwan detailed the story. After Independence in 1947, Hamdard University or Jamia Hamdard has been the first institution that was established and managed on the basis of waqf income. In 1948, the manufacturing and selling unit of Hamdard Daw – akhana, Hamdard (Waqf) Laboratories, was converted into an endowment. Its deed dated 28 August 1948 provided for “Qaumi Income” (Public income) and “Khandani Income (Family income). However, the concept of family income was abolished by a declaration of the Settler/ Founder-Wakif Mutawalli in 1985, with retrospective effect from 1 January 1973. From the profits of the company, Hamdard Tibbi College was set up in 1963 in Old Delhi which later shifted to its present 90-acre campus in Tughlaqabad. In order to effectively manage and utilize the income accrued from Hamdard Waqf Laboratories for the promotion of its objective, Hamdard National Foundation was created on 12 May 1964 to disburse company profits to promote interests of society.
All profits of the company were obligated to go to the Foundation. Both Hamdard and the Foundation were registered under Section 12A of the Income Tax Act. Coinciding with the establishment of the Hamdard National Foundation in India, Hamdard Waqf Laboratories Pakistan also formed Hamdard Foundation Pakistan the same year. Its founder, Hakeem Muhammad Said, expressed the mission in these words, “Hamdard … has chosen to serve through activities for the promotion of good health and education ~ the twin pillars of progress.” Through the 1950s and 60s, when educational institutions namely, Indian Institutes of Technology, Indian Institutes of Management, AIIMS and Jawaharlal Nehru University ~ were being established with Government resources and with the focus of providing a new nation the benefit of modern science and education, Hakeem Abdul Hameed was single-handedly building schools, colleges and the university under the Jamia Hamdard banner, relying on internal resources of Hamdard Waqf Laboratories, and focused on rejuvenating the millennia-old Greco-Arab medicine which came to be simplistically known as Unani medicine. In this long process of reviving ancient knowledge, Hakeem saheb’s original contribution was the use of modern scientific methods and technology for the standardisation and manufacture of Unani medicine. “Quite early in life, when he was studying medicine at the Tibbia College, he was deeply impressed by the systematic and methodical approach of Hakeem Ajmal Khan towards the classification and standardisation of Unani medicines,” the IOS publication narrated. The Hakeem brothers travelled across Asia and Europe in the 1950s closely observing modern methods and techniques of drug making. They were convinced of the relevance and necessity of using modern technology for medical experimentation and manufacture of Unani medicines. At Hamdard Laboratories, Hamdard University, Hamdard Nursing Home and Majidia Hospital, these modern methods and technology were put into good use, ensuring the regimen of Unani system of medicine could co-exist with modern science and technology.
“This integrated, holistic approach to diagnosis and therapy is one of the most original and outstanding contributions of Hakeem Abdul Hameed,” the IOS publication stated. Eleven books on Unani medicine: Arab medicine and its relevance to modern medicine; Earth, elements and man: Search for a solid foundation of the theory and practice of medicine; and the magnum opus Qarabadin-e-Hamdard or Hamdard Pharmacopoeia are testimony to Hakeem Abdul Hameed’s medical observations, experiences and researches. In the 1980s, he initiated path breaking research on Ibn Sina’s Al-Qanun fit-Tibb or The Canon of Medicine. The 3-volume study was made available in multiple languages, including English.
Several national and global awards were bestowed on Hakeem Abdul Hameed who lived an austere life on campus till the age of 91, with a Gandhian determination to build the new nation through promotion of medicine, modern education and public charity. Like Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Hakeem Ajmal Khan, Hakeem Abdul Hameed remains a towering personality whose contribution to modern education and medicine is second to none. It is in the domain of waqf management that Hakeem saheb gave modern India a new path for sustainable, equitable development.
(The writer is a researcher writer on history and heritage issues and a former deputy curator of Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya)
source: http://www.thestatesman.com / The Statesman / Home> Opinion / by Raju Mansukhani, New Delhi / October 07th, 2024
Jamia Millia Islamia’s Professor Mohammad Zahid Ashraf has been honoured with prestigious Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) award for research on oxygen regulation.
Prof. Mohammad Zahid Ashraf receives Basanti Devi Amir Chand Prize, an award instituted by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Mohammad Zahid Ashraf, professor in the Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia(JMI) has been awarded the prestigious Basanti Devi Amir Chand Prize, an award instituted by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The prize was given by Union Health Minister, Harsh Vardhan yesterday in recognition of Prof. Ashraf’s research excellence.
Basanti Devi Amir Chand Prize is one of the earliest instituted awards of the ICMR in the year 1953 for the significant research contributions in the field of biomedical sciences.
What was Prof Ashraf’s research famous for?
Prof. Ashraf’s lab has been instrumental in understanding the role of low oxygen due to high altitude in the development of cardiovascular disorders including blood clotting.
The significance of research of cellular reactions in response to low oxygen could be analyzed from the fact that this year’s Nobel Prize committee for physiology or medicine recognized the potential of the discovery of how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability and jointly awarded the three scientists for their landmark discoveries in this field. Oxygen is required for the process of oxidation that produces energy. Therefore, its short supply might result in lung damage, brain dysfunction, heart problems and many more.
” Prof. Ashraf’s research has provided an insight into the role of oxygen-regulated mechanisms behind blood clotting disorders and demonstrated the detrimental effects of low oxygen availability at high altitude.
About Mohammad Zahid Ashraf
Dr Ashraf is Fellow of both National Academy of Sciences and the Indian Academy of Sciences. He is also the recipient of prestigious DBT’s S Ramachandran-National Biosciences Award 2018. He is currently holding the position of Director (Academics) in the university.
Prior to his joining at JMI, he was Head of Genomics Division at Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Delhi.
source: http://www.indiatoday.in / India Today / Home> News> Education> Today> News / by India Today Web Desk / October 17th, 2019
Dr. Aakif Anjum with his supervisor Dr. A.A. Shaikh
Malegaon:
In a city where the dreams of many are shaped by the resilience of its people, there is one story that stands out as a beacon of perseverance, intellect and boundless ambition. This is the story of Dr. Aakif Anjum Shaikh Usman, who, in 2024, made history by becoming the first person from Malegaon to earn a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering. His journey, from a small hamlet to the prestigious National Institute of Technology (NIT), Surat, is not just one of academic success, but of overcoming adversity, defying odds and inspiring future generations.
Growing up in Malegaon, Aakif was shaped by the values of education instilled by his late father, Shaikh Usman, a primary school teacher. His father’s influence was pivotal in cultivating Aakif’s deep passion for learning and academic excellence. “My father always believed that education was the key to a better future,” he recalls. “He taught me to never give up, no matter how difficult the journey.”
Aakif’s academic journey began at The Malegaon High School and Junior College, where he laid the groundwork for the challenges ahead. It was here that he first realised the importance of hard work and perseverance. After completing his schooling, Aakif pursued his Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) degree in Mechanical Engineering at the PREC Engineering College in Loni, Maharashtra, where he graduated in 2016.
His thirst for knowledge and ambition propelled him to further his education, leading him to pursue a Master of Technology (M.Tech.) in Mechanical Engineering from the Government College of Engineering, Karad, Maharashtra, in 2018.
But Aakif’s aspirations did not stop there. He set his sights on a Ph.D. at the prestigious National Institute of Technology Surat (NIT Surat), a dream that seemed distant for a young man from Malegaon. In 2024, after years of dedication and hard work, Aakif achieved what many thought impossible — he earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering. He became a trailblazer for future generations in his city.
From right Dr. Aakif Anjum and his research team
Under the mentorship of Dr. A.A. Shaikh, head of the Mechanical Engineering department at NIT Surat, Aakif conducted groundbreaking research that spanned various facets of optics and laser technologies. His research resulted in 19 published papers in prominent international journals, including Elsevier, Optics and Laser Technology, Infrared Physics and Technology and the Journal of Engineering Research.
His work has earned him recognition on global platforms, with his discoveries being presented at two international conferences. Aakif is also the proud holder of a patent in laser technology, with another patent currently under review.
Aakif’s research was not just academic; it was also practical and impactful. His work was backed by two rounds of funding from Gujarat’s Student Startup and Innovation Policy (SSIP), an initiative designed to support young innovators. This recognition from the Gujarat government underscored the real-world applicability and inventiveness of his contributions to the field of mechanical engineering.
Further amplifying his global influence, Aakif has collaborated with esteemed institutions such as King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Saudi Arabia, Khalifa University in Dubai and Deakin University in Australia. These collaborations have solidified his place in the global scientific community, further highlighting Malegaon’s potential to contribute to cutting-edge research and technological advancements.
Dr. Aakif Anjum Shaikh Usman’s achievements are a testament to the power of education, perseverance and the importance of supporting one’s community. By becoming the first Ph.D. recipient in mechanical engineering from Malegaon, he has opened the doors to a future where the youth of Malegaon and beyond can dream big and aim high.
Aakif’s journey is a shining example of how dreams can be realised through dedication, hard work and the unshakeable belief in the transformative power of education.
As Malegaon celebrates the achievements of one of its own, Aakif’s story serves as a beacon of hope for countless aspiring engineers, scientists and innovators in his city and beyond. His journey, from a small hamlet to the hallowed halls of NIT Surat, is a reminder that with determination, no goal is too distant and no dream too big.
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Indian Muslim / by SN Ansari, TwoCircles.net / November 19th, 2024
Aiming to contribute a breakthrough in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) treatment, Mangaluru girl Salwa has successfully completed her Ph.D. in a unique area of pharmaceutical research focused on developing lipid nano-carriers for oral delivery of an anti-Alzheimer’s drug. Her research offers promising advancements in the treatment of AD, a condition affecting millions globally and growing in prevalence.
Guided by Dr. Lalit Kumar, former Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutics, and co-guided by Dr. C Mallikarjuna Rao, Professor of Pharmacology, both from the Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Salwa’s work addresses the urgent need for more effective drug delivery mechanisms to treat Alzheimer’s beyond temporary relief.
Alzheimer’s, a progressive neurodegenerative disease, has been challenging to treat due to limited therapeutic options, especially those capable of effectively reaching the brain. Her research seeks to improve brain-targeted drug delivery using lipid nano-carriers, potentially offering a scalable, industry-ready solution that could change the approach toward treating Alzheimer’s disease and provide real improvements in quality of life for patients.
The young researcher has a strong academic background, having qualified for the Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT) with an All India Rank (AIR) of 724, which earned her a fellowship for postgraduate studies. She was awarded a prestigious National Doctoral Fellowship (NDF) from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and received intramural research funding from Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) for her Ph.D. research.
Alzheimer’s, a progressive neurodegenerative disease, has been challenging to treat due to limited therapeutic options, especially those capable of effectively reaching the brain. Her research seeks to improve brain-targeted drug delivery using lipid nano-carriers, potentially offering a scalable, industry-ready solution that could change the approach toward treating Alzheimer’s disease and provide real improvements in quality of life for patients.
The young researcher has a strong academic background, having qualified for the Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT) with an All India Rank (AIR) of 724, which earned her a fellowship for postgraduate studies.
She was awarded a prestigious National Doctoral Fellowship (NDF) from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and received intramural research funding from Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) for her Ph.D. research.
Throughout her doctoral journey, Salwa received multiple honors, including travel grants from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the University of Toronto, and the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO). She was also a recipient of the PRAISE award for two consecutive years (2022 and 2023), alongside numerous research publications and patents.
Her parents, the late Abdul Samad and Sahira Banu, and her siblings have been an enduring inspiration throughout her academic and research journey. The young researcher’s future plans include furthering her work to explore how her developed nano-carrier system could support neuronal regeneration, potentially advancing Alzheimer’s treatment options for millions worldwide.
Prof Farhan Ahmad Khan, Department of Pharmacology, JN Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University has been granted a certificate of registration by the UK Intellectual Property Office for a novel design of an innovative device that enables early diagnosis of rare genetic disorders in children.
He said that the design paves the way for understanding and solving some of the difficult challenges in medical science today. The device, when ready to use, will help in the management of rare pediatric genetic disorders.
Prof. Syed Ziaur Rahman, Chairman, Department of Pharmacology, congratulated Prof. Khan on the registration of the design of his device, adding that it is a proud moment for the department and the university.
source: http://www.amu.ac.in / Aligarh Muslim University / Home> AMU News / by Public Relations Office (headline edited) / October 25th, 2024
Tariq Ahmad Patloo, 51, says he is grateful to the PM for appreciating his efforts, yet, he remains unmoved by the fame because successive governments have done nothing for the Hanjis- the dwellers of waters in the Dal and other lakes of Kashmir Valley.
The floating ambulance by Tariq Ahmad Patloo on Dal Lake in Srinagar (Image: ANI)
Houseboat owner Tariq Ahmad Patloo, who converted his boat into a floating ambulance to ferry COVID-19 patients on the Dal Lake in Jammu and Kashmir, found mention in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monthly radio address ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on June 27.
Fifty-one-year -old Patloo, who lives with his mother, wife and daughter, along with thousands of others in the houseboats stationed in the world-famous Lake of Srinagar, had designed the free floating ambulance service after he recovered from COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic in August last year.
Tariq Ahmad Patloo
Patloo, who owns the house boat named ‘Sea Palace’, apart from the ambulance, is grateful to the Prime Minister for appreciating his efforts. But, he is unmoved by the fame because of the grudge that successive governments have not done anything for the Hanjis- the ethnic community who are dwellers of waters in the Dal and other lakes of Kashmir Valley.”I can’t thank the Prime Minister enough for mentioning me in his address. But I would have been happier if the Centre, or the state, may have done something for the progress of our community.” Patloo told MoneyControl.
Hanjis living in about 900 houseboats, Patloo said, have been living in misery for years. “No one care for us. They talked about rehabilitation, nothing happened. They said they will relocate us, nothing happened. We do not have even a dispensary here. No one has been ever given a government job. We have had enough promises,” he said.
Patloo is not the only member from his family to catch Prime Minister Modi’s attention. In 2018, the PM praised his eight-year-old daughter Jannat’s efforts for cleaning Dal Lake.
“We don’t need money. We need to live a respectful life, like any other community,” he said.
During his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme the PM appreciated Patloo’s novel idea of a boat ambulance.
“Here a boat ambulance service was started at Dal Lake. This service was started by Tariq Ahmad Patloo ji of Srinagar, who is a houseboat 0wner. He himself has also fought the battle with COVID-19 and this inspired him to start the ambulance service,” the Prime Minister said in the 78th edition of the address.
Patloo said he thought of setting up the ambulance out of his personal experience. He had faced difficulties to reach the hospital from Dal waters when he contracted the disease. He was in home isolation for the first few days but had to be hospitalised at downtown Srinagar’s Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital after his health deteriorated.
“I had a difficult time in reaching the shore of the Dal Lake. I cannot even tell you how my family managed to take me to the hospital,” said Patloo.
The ambulance comes equipped with PPE kits, stretchers, wheelchair and other healthcare amenities. It also provides oxygen cylinders to the needy besides generating awareness regarding COVID-19 appropriate behavior.
Jammu and Kashmir reported 415 new COVID-19 cases and eight deaths in the last 24 hours. As many as 46,148 fresh COVID-19 cases and 979 deaths were recorded across the country in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry said.
source: http://www.moneycontrol.com / Money Control / Home> News> India> Trending Topics / by Gulam Jeelani / June 28th, 2021
The research group has won an award worth Rs 20 lakh from Switzerland based world reputed company Typhoon HIL.
Jamia faculty receives award from Swiss company for smart solar inverter model
New Delhi:
In-charge of the Advance Power Electronics Research Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), Dr. Ahteshamul Haque and his research group has won an award worth Rs. 20 Lakhs from Switzerland based world reputed company Typhoon HIL.
The research group comprising of students from B.Tech, M.Tech and PhD headed by Dr. Ahteshamul Haque has developed a model for Smart Solar Inverters with its control and submitted it for evaluation in a competition organised by Typhoon HIL.
Teams from various continents participated in this world level competition named ’10 for 10 Programme’.
Prof. Z. A. Jaffery, Head of Department, Department of Electrical Engineering, JMI encouraged the research group to take part in this world level competition, said a statement from Jamia.
In award, Dr. Haque and his research group got a powerful machine for research worth Rs.20 lakh.
Name of the machine is HIL-402 real time simulator, which is used in power electronics, microgrid and renewable energy applications.
Jamia Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Najma Akhtar, expressed her happiness on this achievement and congratulated Prof. Z. A. Jaffery, Dr. Haque and his team for taking university to new heights in the field of research and recognition by world reputed organizations.
Recently, Dr. Haque has also received R&D project grant under Ministry of Human Resource Development’s SPARC scheme.
source: http://www.ndtv.com / NDTV / Home> Education> Delhi / by NDTV Education Team / April 22nd, 2019
Rockets, Nagara Fort, India(Courtesy Karnataka Department of Archaeology, Museums, and Heritage (DAMH))
More than 1,000 unexploded rockets have been recovered from an abandoned well in the state of Karnataka in southern India.
The excavators believe the corroded shells date to the eighteenth century when the Muslim warrior King Tipu Sultan ruled the region.
The cache was uncovered when the well, located at Nagara Fort in the Shivamogga District, was being repaired. “The rockets, which are of several sizes, are metallic cylinders filled with some powder, possibly saltpeter or some form of explosive propellant,” says R. Shejeshwara Nayaka, assistant director of the Karnataka Department of Archaeology, Museums, and Heritage (DAMH), who led the excavation in 2018. “They have circular end caps on oneside, while on the other side there is an opening which lights like a fuse. We have also found some equipment that might have been used for assembling or making them.”
G. Venkatesh, commissioner of DAMH, adds, “Records say that Tipu Sultan’s father, Hyder Ali, was the first to use metal-cased rockets. He also had an armory and factory at Nagara Fort, a strategically very important city. There is a strong possibility that this site was used as a storage point or a factory for the rockets.”
Chathiramanai village (Perambalur district) /Tiruchi, TAMIL NADU :
A. Basheer Khan, right, and his son Mohamed Imran, of Tiruchi demonstrate the oil spill filtration device that they have designed and obtained a patent. / | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
A. Basheer Khan, 62, and his son B. Mohamed Imran, 28, of Tiruchi recently received a patent for a device that they designed to remove oil spill from seawater through filtration along coastal areas.
The recognition was given on September 24 by the Patent Office and is valid for 20 years from the date of filing.
“At present, the technology to deal with oil spill on land is limited. Our device uses a low-energy method to draw out the oil contaminated water from a targeted area, and after filtering, pumps cleaned water back into the sea. The filtered sediment has to be processed further for eco-friendly usage,” Mr. Khan told The Hindu.
Mr. Khan, who retired as a machinist at the Ordnance Factory Tiruchi (OFT) in 2023, was interested in engineering from a young age while growing up at Chathiramanai village, Perambalur district. “ I studied at an Industrial Training Institute in the 1980s and apprenticed at Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). I used to be inspired by mechanical objects and science concepts to invent my own machines. In 2017, when an outbound empty tanker collided with an inbound loaded oil tanker in Ennore, Chennai, the crude oil was spread all over the coastal areas. I decided to design something to deal with such situations, and started working on the concept from 2018,” he said.
A prototype of the device is available at his home. It consists of a metal tank with two sections for polluted and clean water. The inlet pipe is lined with fine nylon mesh and sieved sand to allow free movement of water contaminated with oil.
During a demonstration on Saturday, Mr. Khan mixed machine oil into water in one section of the device and created ‘waves’ in it with the help of a small steel snack plate fitted to a pulley and sewing machine motor. To guide the water into the filtering inlet pipe, a manually operated shutter fixed with multiple springs is placed at the mouth of the targeted area. In a matter of minutes, the oil and grease were separated from water.
Mr. Imran, who helped his father in research and trials, said the prototype had potential for commercial development. “In the event of an oil spill, our machine can help not only save the environment, but also keep salvage workers safe from direct exposure to harmful chemicals,” he said.
source: http://www.tartv.in / TARTV / Home / by admin / October 19th, 2024
