The “Professor G.S. Visweswaran Chair” aims to promote excellence and leadership in teaching, research, and development in the area of Microelectronics & VLSI Design and the “Professor Manoj Datta Chair” will encourage and support research inGeotechnical & Geo-environmental Engineering.

“IIT Delhi takes pride in its world-class faculty and alumni who have distinguished themselves in various walks of life. It’s gratifying to see our alumni recognizing their teachers by instituting chair professor positions to honour their commitment to the profession. As a society and as an Institution, we want to see more of this. I am proud that our eminent alumnus Saurabh Mittal and a few other alumni have come forward and are setting an example”, says Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi

Dr.Visweswaran joined the Electrical Engineering Department at IIT Delhi in 1980 and retired in 2015. He is well-known for his work in analog and mixed-signal circuit design, memory design, and digital electronics. During his stint at IIT Delhi, he also served as president, board of student welfare and head, students counselling service. After superannuation, Prof Visweswaran joined IIIT-Delhi as Dean of student affairs and held that office till July 2017.

Prof Manoj Datta has been with the civil engineering department of IIT Delhi since 1980 and is now an Emeritus Professor. Prof Datta is well-known for his work in geotechnical and geo-environmental engineering and received the Lifetime Achievement Award (2017) and the Leadership award (2008) of the Delhi Chapter of Indian Geotechnical Society. He was Director, Punjab Engineering College (Deemed University), Chandigarh from 2008 to 2013 and Dean (Alumni Affairs& International Programmes) at IIT Delhi from 2004 to 2007.

Saurabh Mittal, while speaking of the two Chairs endowed by him, said, “The impact that Professors have on the lives of students during their IIT years goes beyond the classroom. Diligence, persistence, and the pursuit of excellence – all of which are hallmarks of any successful person – are honed under the guidance and high standards of our teachers. I certainly benefited immensely from their guidance during my graduate years, and it is my honour to be able to endow chairs in their names to support research excellence in their specific domain.”

Saurabh Mittal is the Founder and Chairman of Mission Holdings, which focuses on building strong operating platforms in technology, financial services, and media. Before founding Mission Holdings, Mr Mittal was a partner at Noonday, an affiliate of Farallon Capital Management, one of the world’s largest hedge funds where he was responsible for large public and private investments in the areas of Financial Services and Technology, Media, and Telecom (TMT). In 1999, Mittal co-founded Indiabulls, India’s leading financial services, and real estate conglomerate, where he served as Co-founder & Vice Chairman from inception till 2014. In 2017, he was conferred the Distinguished Alumni Award by IIT Delhi in recognition of his contributions to Corporate Business Development & Entrepreneurship.

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Keywords: Indian Institute of Technology, IIT Delhi, research, micro-electronics, VLSI design, Geotechnical, Geo-Environmental Engineering, Electrical Engineering

The celebration is part of the Government of India’s nationwide initiative titled `SwatantrataAmritMahotsav’ to highlight a major milestone in the history of independent India, is being implemented in two phases. The first phase is getting completed by August 15 ‘21, and the second will start after that and will go on till the next Independence Day.

In the first phase, a Science Quiz Competition for the school students from class VI to XI was launched on the web portal of VidyarthiVigyanManthan (www.vvm.org.in); and posters were prepared on Indian scientists who worked during the pre-independence period and their contribution in igniting the spirit of swadeshi and nationalism in people, among other things.

The second phase will include bringing out documentaries depicting the heritage of indigenous science and technology of the past and show Britishers’ influence through policies of suppression and ignorance and how Indian scientists responded to colonial science; and holding of a national conference for science communicators and another  for academicians from school to higher education.

At a function organised online on Monday to mark the formal inauguration of the celebrations, General Secretary of RashtriyaSwayamsevakSangh, DattareyaHosabale, appreciated the efforts to showcase the contribution of Indian scientists to the independence movement. “Many scientists of the period when India was fighting for its freedom were not confined to their labs alone. They were acutely aware of what was going on outside in the country and the world. Not much is known about their contributions. It is good that they are being brought out”.

Mr. Hosabale, who was the chief guest, also emphasised that science should not be left to scientists alone since it is connected to every aspect of life and noted that spiritual stalwarts had also made immense contributions to Indian science. He recalled that Swami Vivekananda had played an important role in the setting up of the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru.

Union Minister for the Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences, Dr.Jintendra Singh, who was the guest of honour, said, science not only contributed to Indian independence but also defined its various contours. “Mahatma Gandhi was a remarkable practitioner of scientific strategies. Satyagraha was nothing but a silent biological warfare against aggression.”

He emphasised the need to promote scientific temper in the country and noted that the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, had a great scientific outlook. He recalled that at the inauguration of Shri Mata VaishnodeviKatra railway station in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Modi had noticed that the area had a lot of sunshine and had suggested that steps be taken to try and tap it and today the station is powered by solar energy.

He stressed the importance of science and said India can become a Vishwaguru only through the medium of science. “We need to synergise all streams of science and take up subject-based research projects with the involvement of other stakeholders also”.

National Organising Secretary of Vibha, Jayant Sahasrabhute, National President of Vibha, Vijay Bhatkar, and Director of VigyanPrasar, Dr. Nakul Prasar, hoped that the yearlong celebrations would help India attain new heights through the motivation of the younger generation.

The function marked the release of a book called `VigyanVidushi” on women scientists and entrepreneurs from the time of Indian independence; a compilation of transcripts of talks given under a lecture series; a special edition of VigyanPrasar’s Dream 2047 on science and 75th year of Indian independence and special issues of VigyanPrasar’s newsletters in regional languages. Besides, a web portal ‘swavigyan75.in’ for providing details on all aspects of the yearlong celebrations was also launched.

The function also celebrated the 160th birth anniversary of Acharya Sir Prafulla Chandra Ray. Rich tributes were paid to the eminent chemist, educationist, historian, industrialist and philanthropist. He established the first modern Indian research school in chemistry and is regarded as the father of chemical science in India.

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Keywords: VigyanPrasar, CSIR-NIScPR, VijnanaBharati, Vibha, SwatantrataAmrutMahotsav, VidyarthiVigyanManthan, RashtriyaSwayamsevakSangh, Indian Institute of Science, Mahatma Gandhi, scientific temper, Vishwaguru, VigyanVidushi, Dream 2047,  swavigyan75.in, Acharya Sir Prafulla Chandra Ray

National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL), a joint initiative of IITs and IISc, has launched new courses on Electric Vehicles and Renewable Energy, Design for IoT, Business and Sustainable Development, for the July 2021 Semester through the SWAYAM platform.

NPTEL courses give an opportunity for students to learn from the comfort of their home. The enrolments for July – Dec 2021 Semester have already commenced. The Last Date to enroll for the first set of NPTEL courses is 2nd August 2021.

The courses are taught by the faculty from IITs and IISc. Learners can enroll for NPTEL courses through https://swayam.gov.in/NPTEL.

NPTEL offers more than 500 courses completely free of cost to learners across the country in online mode. The possibility for anyone to learn anywhere and anytime has made the teaching-learning process more student-centered, and innovative. This online mode of education has also proved invaluable in the COVID-19 pandemic era.

Highlighting the unique aspects of NPTEL, Prof. VigneshMuthuvijayan, NPTEL Coordinator at IIT Madras, said,“SWAYAM-NPTEL is currently working with more than 4,000 educational institutions in engineering, arts, science, commerce, and management across the country. Students and faculty from these institutions take up NPTEL courses to upgrade their knowledge and skills. Some of the popular courses on NPTEL platform include Data Science for Engineers, courses on programming in Python, C, C++, Introduction to Machine Learning, Soft skills, Project Planning and Control, among others.”

NPTEL offers certification courses through the MOOCs format. Learners must watch videos online, submit assignments on a weekly/monthly basis and can register for an optional proctored final exam. There is a nominal fee charged towards the in-person proctored exam for the certification. Students can request for transfer of credits once they clear the NPTEL certification exam, if it is approved by the educational institute they are affiliated with.

A wide variety of courses are available on NPTEL platform across Engineering, Humanities, Basic Sciences, and Management, etc. NPTEL has received more than 1.4 crore enrolments till date. NPTEL videos have received more than one billion views so far and NPTEL channels on YouTube have more than 3.1 million subscribers.

In order to streamline the efforts of learners and to guide them to obtain expertise in an area, NPTEL has initiated the concept of ‘Domain Certification.’ A domain comprises a set of core and elective NPTEL courses. There are no additional charges/fees involved in obtaining domain certification. There are 51 domains across 12 disciplines available now and 85 learners have completed domain certification from NPTEL till date.

Age has never been a barrier for taking up courses through NPTEL. Mr. HarshwardhanPatil, a 15-year-old student from SavitribaiPhule High School, Nanded, Maharashtra, is one of the youngest NPTEL learners and has completed five certification courses through NPTEL, namely Effective Writing, Soft Skills Development, Stress Management, Biochemistry, and English Language for Competitive Exams.

Ms. Singam Nirmala Devi, an NPTEL learner from Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, said, “The knowledge I gained through the NPTEL course, ‘The joy of computing using python’ was very much helpful in getting a job as a software engineer in an MNC. Through the NPTEL courses, I was able to understand concepts of python easily and was able to answer questions asked in the interview.”

NPTEL was initiated by seven Indian Institutes of Technology (Bombay, Delhi, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras, Guwahati and Roorkee) along with the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore in 2003. NPTEL is the largest provider of MOOCs in India today, with a credible proctored certification exam that clearly qualifies and differentiates the learners who do these courses.

The program was formally launched on the 23rd of July, 2021 through a virtual session. Speaking at the Program Launch, Dr. Vipin Chaudhary, Department Chair, Computer and Data Sciences Department at Case School of Engineering elaborated on how the Department is taking huge strides in nurturing world class computer scientists. Dr. Vipin who is a President’s Gold Medal recipient from IIT – Kharagpur was excited about the research opportunities students are exposed to and also the opportunities to make a global career in Computational Data Sciences. “The MS Program in Computer Science and Data Science is highly competitive. If students who are not from IT or Computer Sciences background would like to take up Computer Sciences as a masters, there are pathway programs through which they can consider moving into computer science from any other master’s programs in the University.”

Dr.Dakshinamurthy V Kolluru, President and Co-Founder of INSOFE explained the vision and philosophy behind the dual specialisation masters. Dr. Murthy further explained how the program is structured to open multiple career avenues to students who would like to be AI Specialists and ML Researchers. “We are looking at building a knowledge capital that can think of engineering solutions to solve computational challenges, problems in Data Storage, security and Privacy using Artificial intelligence” Dr. Murthy added, “The current day computer sciences student should focus on innovation – Engineering a query language that could be smarter than SQL could be a problem they would like to solve. This collaborative master’s program aims at creating students who are committed to building such intellectual capital.”

Dr. Vincenzo Liberatore, Co-Chair of the program explained the employment outlook and how students at Case Western Reserve University are getting employed at some of the world class companies. Dr. Brian Amkraut, Executive Director at Siegal Lifelong Learning added –“We are happy about the quality of the students who are joining the dual specialization masters. It is an excellent opportunity for students to master the engineering core as well as application of Data Science, AI and Machine Learning on Engineering Problems.”

The Head of INSOFE Education – Americas and the CEO of Soothsayer Analytics, Mr. Gaurav Agrawal welcomed the panel and explained how INSOFE has grown to be a trusted partner in Case Western Reserve University’s endeavour to provide masters education in various engineering fields with a blend of advanced Data Science, AI and Machine Learning Concepts.

Dr. Srinivasa Varadharajan, Dear – R&D at INSOFE explained depth and breadth at which students will master the computer science curriculum with extreme focus on Artificial Intelligence.

“There is a misconception that this is a pathway or a student exchange program” SomagiriParupalli, Vice – President at INSOFE said, “INSOFE does not control the admission or the grades or the curriculum of the program, in short, Case Western Reserve University student studies at INSOFE Campuses. We are proud that Case Western Reserve University has entrusted the responsibility of delivering the first semester at INSOFE. The conviction to quality education of the faculty and the academics team at INSOFE has ensured that we are seen as an able partner by the university.”

MS in Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence is the fourth program in the list of dual specialisation programs offered by Case Western Reserve University and INSOFE. Mechanical Engineering with AI and Robotics, Civil and Environmental Engineering with AI and Machine Learning in addition to the Biomedical Engineering with Digital Health Analytics were offered starting Summer 2020. The students of these STEM Category programs study their first semester in India and then go to Case Western Reserve University to complete their subsequent course work. The students can get unto 25% assured scholarship and get an education waiver for GRE and TOEFL.

About INSOFE

INSOFE is a world-class research, consulting, and education institution with a focus on baking Data Science ways of solving problems in many domains like healthcare, supply chain, financial markets, and robotics.  It is present in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Mumbai in India and has partner university programs in France, USA, UK, and Canada. In addition, the institute works with global enterprise leaders extensively helping them adopt data science in their organizations.

• INSOFE’s unique aspects:
• 70+ Faculty
• 4 products, 75 patents, 1000+ publications, 100+ conference proceedings
• 100+ enterprise training events per year and
• 6000+ Alumni

INSOFE specializes in

• Creating innovative academic programs in applications of data science in various domains.
• Researching the changing roles within the enterprise due to the proliferation of Data Science
• Create & offer suitable intervention driven hands-on programs for each of these roles.
• Conducting research, building IP, innovating products and consulting with companies to help solve some extremely challenging real-world problems.

About Case Western Reserve University

With more than 125 years of experience, the Case School of Engineering at Case Western Reserve University is rooted in collaborative research and experiential learning. Students inquire, discover and create alongside distinguished faculty, and build a global professional network while attending classes in one of the most culturally robust communities in Cleveland.

Ranks Among Top Private research Institutions in USA.  Accredited by Higher Learning Commission

• Founded in 1826
• 17 Noble Laureates
• 12,000 Students from 81 Different Countries
• 20000+ Alumni

Millets are marvellous sources of nutrition. Traditional and rural societies everywhere in the country and agricultural scientists in the top echelons of the Indian government have long known it. But it took free India 70 years to notify millets as “Nutri-Cereals”–in 2018–which was also nationally declared as “The Year of Millets”.

According to a note prepared by the Union Agriculture Ministry,“Millets can help tackle health challenges such as obesity, diabetes and lifestyle problems as they are gluten-free, have a low glycemic index and are high in dietary fibre and antioxidants.”The note further states that “millets are nutritionally superior to wheat and rice owing to their higher levels of protein with a more balanced amino acid profile, crude fibre and minerals, such as iron, zinc, and phosphorous.”

Curative Power

A Mysuru-based scientist, Dr KhaderValli, popularly known as the “Millet Man of India”, explains why millets are superior to rice and wheat. How our body processes food is important to the absorption and value of food:

“Any food that takes a longer time to break down the glucose and fructose to be absorbed by the blood is truly healthy. While rice takes only 45 minutes to be absorbed by the blood, positive grains or millets take six hours”, says Dr Valli.

A post-doctoral fellow of Environment Science at Beaverton, Oregon, Dr. Valli did his PhD on steroids at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. But that was a long time ago. For the last 35 years, since he quit a lucrative job in the U.S., Dr. Valli has dedicated himself to the promotion of millets. He swears by their therapeutic value and prescribes a mix of five millets to his patients. Called the Siridhanya (rich grains) diet plan, it includes Kodo, Barnyard, Foxtail, Brown Top and Little Millets, and is reported to have cured patients suffering from a host of diseases, including anaemia, infertility, diabetes and cancer. Dr. Valli says, Barnyard millet, known as Udalu in Kannada and jhangora in Hindi, is his “personal favourite”.

Popular Dishes

In south India, Barnyard Millet flour is popularly used for making local foods like idli and dosa. In the north, especially in Uttarakhand, it is mixed with milk and sugar/jaggery to make a sweet dish, madirakikheer and with buttermilk known as paleu. Mixed millets khichdi is also popular in many parts of India while millet cookies, puffs, flakes and laddus are fancied items at high-end organic food stores all over the country. Research studies confirm the high nutrition of millets in general and Barnyard Millet in particular.

A 2019 research paper by V. G. Ranganathan and others of the Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, Madurai, titled “Barnyard Millet for Food and Nutritional Security: Current Status and Future Research”, published in Frontiers in Genetic Nutrigenomics, June 23, 2020, says: “The nutritive value of Barnyard Millet is superior to that of other major and minor millets. It is a rich source of calcium, protein, magnesium, fat, vitamins, and some essential amino acids.”

According to the paper, the average carbohydrate content of Barnyard Millet varies between 51.5 and 62.9/100 grams, which is lower than that of other millets; its fibre, ranging between 8.1%  and 16.3%, is higher than in any other cereal and the protein content, between 11.2% and 12.7%, is reasonably higher than in other millets and cereals. “The high ratio of carbohydrates to crude fibre ensures the slower release of sugar in the blood, aiding in maintaining blood sugar levels.”

Recognising their nutritional value, the agriculture ministry recommended the inclusion of millets in the Public Distribution System (PDS) for improving nutritional support, but the idea has not caught on. Only Karnataka, Odisha and Uttarakhand have introduced millets in PDS, the main problems being the low shelf life of millets and poor storage facilities. For the same reasons, millets have not been included in mid-day meal schemes, among the most important places for the implementation of the government’s plan for millets.

Food as Status Symbol

While the government is still struggling against bottlenecks, private businesses are retailing millets successfully. Not just whole millets and millet flour, but also ready-to-eat items made out of them, are in high demand at upmarket food stores, which many find “unusual”.  “Initially, I was surprised to find foreigners and high-profile Indians asking for items made out of such desithings as ragi and jhangora that I thought were rather crude,” says saleswoman Meenakshi at one such store.“But now I know better,” she adds. Experts understand why she thought poorly of millets.

According to Senior Scientist at the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR)–Indian Agriculture Research Institute, Delhi, Dr. R S Bana, the young population of traditional and tribal societies have an “inferiority complex” about millets, and need to be educated about their nutritional value. They perceive rice and wheat as superior foods, he says, an observation that is endorsed by researchers. However, the scene has changed over the last decade.

Coarse Vs Refined

Lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and cancer, sourced to the preference for chemically processed and fast foods over the whole and coarse ones, have made the wealthy review their dietary choices. Refined and polished foodsare being blacklisted by them and crude foods with good roughage are the order of the day.

Dr.Bana agrees that there is a sizeable section of the rich and educated that is lately quite sensitive to the value of millets. It is they who offer the best hope of promoting millets. “Once they adopt these cereals as a staple diet, the approach of the poor people would also change.” As of now, Dr. Bana says, poor people are eating these nutritious foods “by default”.

POSHAN Atlas

A document,“The Current Position of Millets”, prepared by the Union Agriculture Ministry, talks about ways to promote the consumption and production of millets. Interestingly, it refers to a millet recipe book in regional languages published by The Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR).

As if to underline the importance of millets in the Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition (POSHAN), a “POSHAN Atlas” is being prepared under the guidance of the Principal Scientific Advisor; the atlas has information on state-specific recipes that account for cultural food preferences and palates. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has designed and is running the “Eat Right India Initiative”, which, the ministry paper says, could be an avenue for pushing for a wider use of millets.

The flip-flop over millets—from being known as the poor man’s food to being projected as a health food—also makes one wonder about the origin and composition of millets. According to a research paper by P. Ashoka and others, (published in November, 2020 in The International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences), millets originated in and around India, and have been the staple diet and health guardians of traditional societies for centuries. Belonging to the Poaceae/Graminae family, they are small-seeded grasses, yielding two major millets (Sorghum and bajra) and six minor millets (Finger, Foxtail, Little, Proso, Kodo, and Barnyard millets). Recently, a few minor millets have been added to this group, likeFonio, Quinoa and BrownTop millet.

“Each of the millets”, the paper notes, “is three to five times nutritionally superior to the widely promoted rice and wheat in terms of proteins, minerals (calcium and iron), and vitamins and fibre.” Millets, it adds, “are an ideal food for all the people, irrespective of age, and especially beneficial for children, pregnant and lactating women who are prone to anaemia.”

Local to Global

Today, India is the number one producer and consumer of millets in the world with Rajasthan as the top producer of millets in the country followed by Karnataka.The most interesting part of the millet graph is that in March this year, the United Nations declared 2023 as “The International Year of Millets”. The resolution in the U.N. General Assembly was proposed by India, and the Union Agriculture Ministry is already busy planning its campaign.

With so much energy being injected into the campaign, it would be no surprise if millets, described as “the first crops” in a government book, “The Story of Millets”, turn out to be “the future crops”– not just in India but across the globe.(India Science Wire)

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Keywords: Millets, Nutri-cereals, Food,Nutritional Security, Nutrition, Agriculture,Scientists, Agriculture Ministry, Antioxidants, ICAR, AahaarKranti, CSIR-CFTRI, ICMR-NIN

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Many wild plant species, such as wild fruit, leaf, flower and wild tubers, etcetera are used by rural and tribal populations significantly contributing to their livelihood and nutrition security. Did you know the wild crop species used by different tribal people in Koraput, Odisha has nutritional value and health benefits?

“The wild crops are important biodiversity components available from natural habitat, which are neither cultivated nor domesticated. These plants are collected from the forest, for food and medicine by tribal people who developed various processing methods according to their needs,” says Dr. Debabrata Panda, an Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Biodiversity and Conservation of Natural Resources at the Central University of Odisha, Koraput.

Dr. Panda did his research on Agro-biodiversity, Underutilized Plant Species, and Wild Crops. He has made significant contributions in the field of collection, evaluation, and characterization of indigenous rice, millet, and other wild crop species found in Koraput.

“There are 122 wild edible plants used by 20 tribal villages in Koraput belonging to seven tribal groups, namely – Paroja, Bhumia, Gadaba, Bhatra, Saora, Gonda, and Kondha. The edible plants include wild fruit (39) species mostly consumed by the tribes compared to leafy vegetables (24), tuber (21) and flower (4),” informs Dr. Panda.

The wild edible tubers are largely collected during the winter season whereas the green leaves are collected in the rainy season and fruits and flowers are collected both in the winter and summer seasons. Notably, eight wild yam species are used as food by the tribes. Those are Dioscorea oppositifolia L., D. hamiltonii Hook.f., D. bulbifera L., D. pubera Blume., D. pentaphylla L., D. wallichii Hook.f., D. glabra Roxb and D. hispida Dennst.

When a comparison between the tuber quality traits of wild and cultivated yams was made, it found that the percentage of proximate compositions of wild yam tubers ranged from 3.82-5.42% ash, 1.55-1.90% fat, 1.45-1.60% fibre, 22.9-26.6% carbohydrate, 9.5-10.2% protein and 148-163 kcal gross energy compared to the cultivated (D. alata) species i.e. 3.16% ash, 0.91% fat, 1.40% fibre, 24.07% carbohydrate, 8.78% protein and 139 kcal gross energy.

Based on these findings, the wild Dioscorea species namely D. hamiltonii, D. pubera and D. oppositifolia have significantly higher amounts of nutritional and mineral content and nutritionally better than cultivated (D. alata) species.

The micronutrient composition analysis to know the quality and safety concerns about its use in the laboratory revealed that it ranged from 60.33-89.4 mg/100 g of sodium, 1029-1248 mg /100 g of potassium compared to 55.06 mg /100 g of sodium and 989 mg / 100 g potassium in cultivated species.

The majority of the wild yam tubers were rich in some of the essential minerals like calcium (18.08 to 74.79 mg/100 g), iron (11.15 to 74.79 mg/100 g), zinc (2.11 to 6.21 mg/100 g) and phosphorous (179 to 248 mg/100 g). The level of anti-nutrients such as diosgenin, phytate and oxalate content in raw tuber was significantly higher in wild Dioscorea species compared to the cultivated species (D. alata).

However, it is also testified that the anti-nutrients were lower than the recommended tolerable levels proposed by WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. But these less familiar wild tubers should not be ignored. Rather, these tubers are the safe food sources for mass consumption and domestication and can be used as a good alternative source of food to alleviate hunger and malnutrition.

Talking to India Science Wire, Dr. Panda said the research was aimed to chronicle the nutritional value and health benefits of wild crop species used by the tribes. The data on consumption patterns and nutritional importance were collected through questionnaires and personal interviews with tribal people.

“The nutritional traits such as proximate, nutritional and anti-nutritional compositions as well as the physico-functional properties were carried out at our laboratory of the Central University of Odisha. These wild plants might prove useful for tribes, but are largely ignored by researchers, breeders and policymakers,” he added.

Food and nutritional security are key concerns of the world. The majority of the people in different countries, including India are suffering from inadequacy in nutrition and various micronutrient deficiencies. With the onset of settled agriculture and modernisation, this knowledge is being lost at a rapid pace.

“The less familiar wild plants possess great potential as a good alternative source of food to alleviate hunger and malnutrition. Therefore, the mass consumption, commercialisation, popularisation and bio-prospecting of these valuable resources would be an appropriate approach for ensuring food and nutritional security of future generations,” Dr. Panda told India Science Wire.

Recommending the necessary steps to conserve these valuable resources at their natural habitat and validate it scientifically,Dr Panda has also underlined the need of conducting public awareness and community-based programmes at all levels for the conservation of such species.

“A strategy to promote commercial production of these wild plants is required to boost the local economy by initiating processing, value addition, and creating a market to reach larger consumers,” he urges.(India Science Wire)

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Keywords: Koraput, Wild Crops, Health, Plant species, wild fruit, leaf, flowers, wild tubers, nutrition security, wild crop species, tribals, nutritional value, biodiversity, natural habitat, Biodiversity, Natural Resources,  Central University of Odisha, Aahaar Kranti

It has achieved several nanosciences and technology-based breakthroughs like efficient low-cost electro-catalysts for rechargeable metal-air batteries from fish gills, visible light-assisted sensing of nicotine from cigarette smoke by using metal-organic nanotube Mobile 2D electron gas at oxide interfaces for electronic devices, says the statement issued by the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

The institute imparts advanced training courses and laboratory techniques of nanotechnology at the highest level, encouraging innovative and challenging technology/product based scientific projects,  boosting translational research (from laboratory to industry) and foster interactions with industry,  sensitizing the public and media about the advantages and safeguards in Nano Science and Technology.

INST, an autonomous institution of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, was established under the umbrella of NANO MISSION, initiated by DST to emphasize nano research in India. It started its activities as the first Indian nano-research institute in the country on 3rd January 2013 and shifted to its new campus in 2020.

The institute brings together biologists, chemists, physicists, and materials scientists under the same umbrella to pursue their interests in nanoscience and technology. INST has created state-of-art facilities in a short span of seven years to support multifaceted research activities in varied fields like Energy, Environment, Health Care, Agriculture, and Quantum Materials.

With the vision to emerge as a globally competitive India’s foremost research institution in Nano Science & Technology and contribute to society through applications of nanoscience & nanotechnology, INST has emphasized cutting-edge research in nanoscience and nanotechnology with an interdisciplinary flavour to meet global and local challenges.

To name some of its research achievements, the institute has about 180 research publications in international journals per year with an average impact factor of 4.2, and its overall rank (as per nature index) is 32. Further, two scientists from INST were ranked among the top 2% of scientists globally, and some scientists have become fellows of international organisations and editors of international journals and won prestigious awards.

INST has contributed significantly in promoting science and inculcating the practice to develop technology in India amongst the young generation of the nation through its unparalleled outreach program. The faculty of INST has directly interacted with more than 15,000 students in about 300 schools across the country and spread awareness about taking science as a career perspective. Through roadshows, the institute has demonstrated the importance of science in day-to-day life to more than 50,000 students and the general public.

It has reached out to more than 1000 students from marginalized sections of the society from 24 schools/colleges across the country towards scientific aptitude training.

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Keywords: Nanoscience for the Nation, Institute of Nano Science and Technology, INST, nanoscience, technology, electro-catalysts, metal-air battery, DST

The Asian elephant is a charismatic species with a long history of coexistence with humans. Yet works on societies of wild elephants based on long-term observations are rare.

To fill this gap, researchers from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), a Bengaluru-based autonomous Institute of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, studied how male Asian elephants associate among themselves. They used six years of field data on 83 animals from Nagarahole and Bandipur National Parks in Karnataka for this study. They identified the individual elephants using features of their ears, tails, and tusks.

An interesting finding of the study is that adult males spent greater proportions of their time solitarily rather than in mixed-sex or in all-male groups. Old (over 30 years) males were sighted more frequently with their age-peers and less frequently with their younger (15–30 years) counterparts than expected at random in all-male groups.

These findings suggest that male associations among the old males were more intended for them to test their strengths against their age-peers than out of camaraderie.

The young males also did not seem to `disproportionately’ initiate associations with old males unlike in African savannah elephants. It seemed that social learning from older individuals was not important for young Asian male elephants for some reason. Another interesting finding was that all-male groups were rarer and smaller than those seen with African savannah elephants.

However, although in general male associations were weak, most males had a significant-top associate, with whom their association was the strongest.

In a paper published in the journal `Frontiers in Ecology and Environment’, the researchers said that differences in male social organization amongst Asian elephants from that of the related African savannah elephant that occupies a similar niche possibly arise from differences in ecology. “Studies on the foraging ecology of male elephants are required in the future to further understand the differences in social organization between species”, they noted.

The study was conducted by P.Keerthipriya, S.Nandini and T.N.C.Vidya of the Evolutionary and Organismal Biology Unit at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research.

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keywords: human-elephant conflict, conservation, management, coexistence, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, JNCASR, Bengaluru, Nagarahole, Bandipur, Karnataka, tusk, solitary, African savannah elephants, social learning, ecology, foraging

Called “Swatantrata ka Vigyan Filmotsav”, the programme is part of a series of events being organised by the Government as `Swatantrata ka Amrit Mahotsav’, to mark the land mark occasion for the country.

The entries can be in the form of documentaries, docu-dramas, animations and short videos with duration of up to 60 minutes. But, they should have been made in the last 10 years, from 1st August 2011 to 31st July 2021

The entries can be on three broad Themes: `role of scientists in India’s freedom movement’; `India’s premier science institutions in India’s freedom movement’; and `science and technology in India during 1947 or pre-independence era’. Any Indian citizen can participate in the festival. There is no age bar and no registration fee.

Awards will be given for the best entries. The first prize will carry Rs.1,50,000/- in cash with trophy & certificate; second prize Rs.1,00,000/- with trophy & certificate and the third prize Rs.75,000/- with trophy & certificate.

The last date to submit the entries will be 31st July 2021. An individual can submit up to two entries. However, separate entry form is required for each entry. The films can be submitted in any Indian language. Films produced in languages other than Hindi or English must be sub-titled in Hindi or English. The festival is tentatively fixed to be held from August 13 to 15 this year.

As per the guidelines the organisers will have non-exclusive rights to screen the film entries as and when required for non-commercial screening or travelling / online versions of the festival; and to participate in other national and international festivals in non-competitive categories. They will also have the liberty to use up to 45 seconds of the film footage for promotional purpose.

The award money will be distributed equally between the producer (copy right holder) and the director. Trophy will be awarded to the director and the certificates will be awarded to both, the producer and the director.

Further information and detailed terms and conditions can be found at www.vigyanprasar.gov.in .

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Keyword: Vigyan Prasar, VP, Vijnana Bharati,  VIBHA, independence, colonial,  `Swatantrata ka Amrit Mahotsav’,  documentaries, docu-dramas, animations, short videos, theme, awards, trophy, certificate, sub-title,

Producer, director, copy right, intellectual property rights

In IMO, a total of six students from India had participated.  Pranjal Srivastava of Bengaluru secured the Gold Medal. This is the second time he has secured a gold medal in IMO. He had secured the earlier one in 2019. He has become the first Indian student to win 2 Gold medals at the IMO.

The other winners are;  Anish Kulkarni of Pune (silver), and Ananya Ranade, also of Pune, Rohan Goyal of New Delhi, and Suchir Kaustav of Ghaziabad (Bronze). Anish missed the Gold medal by just one point.

The selection of the team was carried out through a two-stage procedure. The first stage consisted of a nationwide examination called Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics (IOQM) in which over 17,352 students appeared. This examination was conducted by the Mathematical Teacher’s Association in 175 centres across the country. And the second stage – Indian National Mathematical Olympiad (INMO) examination held for 1266 students, was conducted at 25 centres across the country by the Tata Institute Of Fundamental Research (TIFR)’s Homi Bhabha Centre For Science Education (HBCSE), which is the national coordinator for science olympiads.

The usual practice of four stage procedure was reduced to just two stages this year due to the unprecedented situation of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Olympiad effort is supported by the National Board for Higher Mathematics, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India.

In IBO, four students from India  participated and all of them secured medals. While three – Anshul Siwach of Panipat, Haryana, Dhiren Bharadwaj of Hisar, Haryana, and Naman Singh of Jaipur bagged the silver medal; Swaraj Nandi of Bhubaneswar bagged the bronze medal.

The contest consisted of two computer-based exams: The first celebrated the 500th anniversary of the journey of the Portugese explorer Ferdinand Magellan who circumnavigated the earth for the first time (1519-1522). The exam had 8 parts, each of which focused on one halt of Magellan in different parts of the world. It consisted of questions covering areas such as plant biology, zoology, ecology and biotechnology. The second exam had challenging questions encompassing all areas of biology including contemporary issues such as global warming and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prof. Anwesh Mazumdar of HBCSE, said, that the students took the exams from their respective homes under thorough continuous video monitoring by both IBO organisers and HBCSE. The selection and training processes had to be curtailed and modified heavily this year to avoid risk of infection to students. “We are happy that the students did very well even under these trying circumstances to maintain India’s record of an excellent performance at the olympiads.”

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Keywords: International Mathematical Olympiad, IMO, International Biology Olympiad IBO, Tata Institute Of Fundamental Research, TIFR, Homi Bhabha Centre For Science Education, HBCSE, science olympiads, Department of Atomic Energy, DAE,