Category Archives: Records, All

Flood hero Jaisal gets a rescue boat

Amazing Feats, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All
Minister for Higher Education K.T. Jaleel handing over a rescue boat by giving a symbolic oar to K.P. Jaisal at Tanur on Tuesday.

The fibre speed boat is presented by Carnival Group

K.P. Jaisal, a fisherman from Tanur who turned himself into a footstep for a few women to board a rescue boat during the floods of August, has been given a fibre speed boat by multinational Carnival Group.

Minister for Higher Education K.T. Jaleel handed over the boat to Mr. Jaisal at a function held at Tanur on Monday.

The Minister said the rescue boat would remain a symbol of the people’s response to the humanitarian act of Mr. Jaisal.

Mr. Jaisal had won international attention when he bent himself in knee-deep water to help some women board an inflated dinghy during a rescue operation.

source – below: www.youtube.com / ManoramaOnline

Visuals go viral

The visuals showing the women boarding the boat by stepping on Mr. Jaisal’s back had gone viral, turning him an instant hero of the floods rescue.

The rescue boat will be available for service under the trauma care unit of Tanur, of which Mr. Jaisal is an active member.

Mr. Jaleel praised the humanitarian deeds of Mr. Jaisal and the trauma care unit.

The Minister said the floods had taught us a lesson that we would overcome any difficulty by upholding the spirit of humanity.

Tanur municipal chairperson C.K. Subaida presided. She too offered to support the rescue efforts being conducted by the trauma care unit of Tanur. Carnival Group representative R. Gopikrishnan delivered the keynote address. Group director K.S. Sasikumar gave away kits of stationery and study materials to poor students.

Trauma care unit members, personnel of the police, Fire and Rescue Services, Kerala State Electricity Board and Revenue Department were felicitated on the occasion.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Staff Reporter / Malappuram – October 23rd, 2018

An island sets an example in sustainable living

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An exhibition organised as part of the inauguration of the Rural Science and Technology Centre at Thuruthikkara in the district on Sunday.

Thuruthikkara is the first village to be declared free of plastic and e-waste

Thuruthikkara in Mulanthuruthy panchayat has several firsts to its name. Among other things, it was declared the first village to be totally free of incandescent bulbs, plastic and e-waste. The village also has the status of having scientifically tested water in all its drinking water wells.

The village has taken up initiatives to go easy on the environment. By getting rid of incandescent bulbs and introducing LED lighting systems, it has been able to save energy. Thuruthikkara also has the distinction of having launched LED clinics for the first time in the State, where LED lighting systems are assembled and repaired. “We were able to sell LED lighting systems for as low as ₹100 and ₹110 apiece,” said an office-bearer of Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Praishad, which had initiated the “Oorja, Nirmala, Haritha Gramam” project in Thuruthikkara, which forms the 10th ward of Mulanthuruthy panchayat. The villagers have also taken to recharging drinking water wells with rainwater.

Technology centre

On Sunday, a Rural Science and Technology Centre was inaugurated in the village. Parishad president T. Gangadharan inaugurated the centre, which will act as a regional centre of the Integrated Rural Technology Centre at Mundoor in Palakkad. Pro Vice Chancellor of Cochin University of Science and Technology P.G. Shankaran delivered the keynote address at the event.

“The aim of the centre is to make people aware of new technologies in various fields, including farming, and to create awareness about new breakthroughs,” said the Parishad official. He said that the initiatives included introduction of bio-bins and kitchen bins in the village whereby all kitchen waste could be turned into fertiliser used for homestead farming.

Every home has been able to generate about 12 kg of bio-fertiliser every month. Distribution of vegetable saplings helped families prepare areas of cultivation to cater for their own requirements. There are a total of 349 families. All the families as well as 25 organisations and institutions have partnered with the Parishad in making the programme a success.

The move to get rid of plastic waste began with the distribution of cloth bags to all households. Plastic is meticulously collected and disposed of. Introduction of aquaponics is another step that has been taken to achieve self-sufficiency and sustainability.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Special Correspondent / Kochi – October 21st, 2018

At 60, NAD on indigenisation path

Records, All, Science & Technology
P. Upadhyay, chief general manager, Naval Armament Depot, Aluva. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The facility at Aluva supports operations of the Indian Navy

With its focus on innovation and indigenisation, the Naval Armament Depot (NAD) at Aluva has over the past 10 years designed specialised equipment and set up facilities to support naval operations, according to P. Upadhyay, chief general manager of the depot which is celebrating its diamond jubilee.

Its latest R&D product is a ‘gun stand’ for light and medium machine guns on board warships. “Designed to take care of the pitch and roll of the ships, it allows gunners to exploit the weapon optimally under these difficult conditions,” says Mr. Upadhyay.

The depot has made over 700 such stands for naval ships. Not surprisingly, it is keenly studying if certain navy-specific weapon components that the Ordnance Factories are rather slow in delivering thanks to low volumes or non-availability of vendors can be manufactured locally in the depot. “Yes, the idea is to manufacture bolt ammunition, chaff rocket hardware for which naval quality requirement is different from that of the other Services and anti-submarine rocket hardware within the depot.”

When there was a huge delay from Ammunition Factory at Khidki in Maharashtra in carrying out proofing of naval grenades, the depot set up an in-house facility in 2012 to do the job.

The NAD also conducts safe disposal of life-expired ammunition using its demolition ground or by breaking them down using other means. On the horizon is a demil facility for the purpose, but there’s no space for the same on the campus – located in a thickly populated suburb.

“The depot’s expansion has been marred by non-availability of land. While we identified nearly 1,000 acres of land at Mupliyam in rural Thrissur and a few other areas, little headway has been made. The issue has however been taken up with the State administration,” says Mr. Upadhyay.

Rubber moulding

In view of the requirement for rubber components in very small volume, the depot is setting up a rubber moulding facility for manufacturing rubber parts for naval rockets and guns.

The NAD’s expertise in handling classified explosive cargo – for the Services and the PSUs – at the Cochin Port has come in for appreciation, he points out. But there’s a manpower crunch. While there has been an incremental increase towards the sanctioned strength of 710 personnel, at 583 people, it still falls short. The management is now pinning its hopes on the report of the Naval Standing Establishment Committee that has recommended augmentation of manpower.

The depot is holding an exhibition of armament for the public on October 22 as part of the diamond jubilee celebrations. Rear Admiral R.J. Nadkarni, Chief of Staff of the Southern Naval Command, is inaugurating the exhibition. The three-day celebrations also include a technical seminar on naval armament and ammunition and the release of a special day cover by India Post. Vice Admiral A.K. Chawla, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Command, is set to be the chief guest of the event.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu /  Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by S. Ananadan / Kochi – October 22nd, 2018

Malayalam poet MN Paloor passes away

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

The body was kept for the public to pay homage at his house and Town Hall and the cremation was held with state honours at the crematorium on Mavoor Road.

Kozhikode :

Poet MN Paloor, 86, passed away at his residence at Kovoor here. Paloor aka Paloor Madhavan Namboodhiri was born on June 22, 1932, at Parakkadavu in Ernakulam and was a former staff of Indian Airlines.

His poem Ushas earned acclaim among critics and readers alike. Pedithondan, Kalikalam, Theerthayatra, Sugama Sangeetham, Kavitha Bhangiyum Abhangiyum and Pachamanga are his noted compilation of poems. He has also written an autobiography titled Kathayillathavante Katha.

Along with regular studies, he also pursued kathakali. In 1959, he got a job in Indian Airlines and retired in 1990 as a senior operator in ground support division. After retirement, he shifted his base to Kozhikode.

In 2013, he won the award from National Academy of Letters for his autobiography. Kalikalam won Kerala Sahitya Academy Award in 1983. Kerala Sahitya Academy had given an award for his contributions to Malayalam literature. In 2009, he won the Asan Memorial Award. He is survived by wife Santhakumari and daughter Savithri (LIC Housing Finance, Kozhikode).

The body was kept for the public to pay homage at his house and Town Hall. The cremation was held with state honours at the crematorium on Mavoor Road. District Collector U V Jose and ADM Roshni Narayan paid homages on behalf of the state government and the district administration respectively.

A trip to remember for space buffs

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Nearly 4000 people, including school children, visited the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) to watch the RH-200 series rocket rise into the leaden skies over Thiruvananthapuram.

A large crowd gathered on Monday to watch the sounding rocket lift off from Thumba on Monday

Thiruvananthapuram :

Inclement weather did not prevent space buffs from lining up to watch a sounding rocket lift off from Thumba on Monday morning.

Nearly 4000 people, including school children, visited the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) to watch the RH-200 series rocket rise into the leaden skies over Thiruvananthapuram, according to VSSC officials. The launch – the first of three planned this week – was part of an Open House at the VSSC held to mark the World Space Week (WSW) celebrations organised jointly by the ISRO units in the state capital.

VSSC frequently flies small rockets fitted with instruments to study the dynamics of the upper atmosphere. In fact, it was an American Nike-Apache sounding rocket that lifted off from Thumba in 1963 that marked the beginning of India’s space exploration programmes.

As part of WSW, VSSC is planning two more launches for the public this week – one each on Tuesday and Wednesday at 11.45 am. The RH 200 series of rockets can carry a ten kg payload and rise up to a height of 80 kms.

WSW is celebrated from October 4 to 10 every year to mark the anniversaries of two events that changed space exploration: the launch of Russia’s Sputnik 1, the first man-made satellite, on October 4, 1957, and the signing of the ‘Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies,’ on October 10, 1967. The public also received an opportunity to visit the space museum as part of the open house programme.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Express News Service / October 09th, 2018

The prodigy who made people sit up and take notice

Amazing Feats, Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion
Jaiden John and Navaneeth at Cocon on Friday

After leaving conventional schooling, Jaiden is now doing his research in MIT

Fourteen-year-old Jaiden John exudes a certain maturity and wisdom belying his age.

While children of his age were toiling hard with classroom lessons, the tech-savvy lad was busy explaining a technology-driven platform at the exhibition centre set up as part of Cocon, an international cybersecurity conference here, far away from the comfort of his home at Meppadi in Wayanad district.

Teamed up with a much older Navaneeth K.T, who is doing his third-year computer science at Calicut University, Jaiden was not at all overwhelmed, in fact, far from it. He was patient even with those visitors who came up with doubts, which were an insult to his intelligence, but kept explaining the finer points of their product.

Having left conventional schooling in eighth standard, he has now enrolled with the National Institute of Open Schooling. When asked what prompted him to leave school, Jaden, who joined a course in web and application development at the age of eight, would only smile in response.

But there was much bigger surprise in the offing when it emerged that the youngster has been doing his research in machine learning-driven cancer detection with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for the past six months after his instructor in a technology course recommended him to the acclaimed university.

“Machine learning-driven cancer detection will be of great help in the rural areas of India where medical service is not easily accessible. Detecting the ailment with the help of a simple device can be revolutionary,” he said.

Jaiden and Navaneeth came together after they won an ideation contest conducted by the Kerala Cyberdome. They are now working on an artificial intelligence and machine learning-driven platform aimed at detecting helmetless two-wheeler drivers with the help of visuals.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by M.P. Parveen / Kochi – October 06th, 2018

Vayalar award for K.V. Mohan Kumar’s ‘Ushnarashi’

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K.V. Mohankumar’s novel Ushnarashi-Karappurathinte Ithihasam has been chosen for this year’s Vayalar Rama Varma Literary Prize. The novel has been chosen for the award by a three-member jury comprising of M.R. Thampan, M.S. Geetha and Bettymol Mathew.

The award, in its 42nd year, will be presented to Mr. Mohankumar at a function at the Nishagandhi auditorium here at 5.30 p.m. on October 27, the death anniversary of the late poet and lyricist Vayalar Rama Varma. It carries a cash prize of ₹1 lakh, a citation, and a statuette designed by sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman.

Announcing the award, writer M.K. Sanoo, president, Vayalar Rama Varma Memorial Trust, said the jury had arrived at a unanimous decision in choosing the novel for the award.

The award was decided over three phases. In the first phase, the trust had asked 310 readers to choose five books. Out of this, 102 individuals responded, with 123 suggestions. From this, five works that had got the most points were sent to a 20-member committee of writers. The top three selections from this committee was submitted to the three-member judging committee.

“Ushnarashi is a work in which past, present and the future gel seamlessly. The book is set around the Punnapra-Vayalar struggle. But it looks at that time from the viewpoint of the present generation. The writer has approached it from a historian’s neutral viewpoint. The novel also touches upon the Paris Commune, the Bolshevik Revolution and Maoism. He brings a poetic touch to his writing, yet retains simplicity,” said Mr. Thampan.

Ms. Geetha said the novel handles an issue that was relevant now. Ms. Bettymol said it could be called a historic novel, but a novel with a historic background.

The Vayalar trust has completed the renovation of a smrithi mandapam near Rama Varma’s house ‘Raghavaparambu’. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the renovated mandapam, named ‘Chandrakalabham,’ in November.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Staff Reporter / Thiruvananthapuram – September 29th, 2018

KSINC’s first cruise vessel to be put on display

Records, All, Travel
Artist’s impression of Nefertiti.

It will be showcased during Kerala Travel Mart

Nefertiti, the State’s first seagoing cruise vessel owned by the Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC), has reached here.

The vessel, which was built in Goa in accordance with the Indian Registry of Shipping (IRS) specifications, will be showcased at the Samudrika Convention Centre near Willingdon island as part of the Kerala Travel Mart on September 29 and 30, according to an official communication.

The ₹16-crore vessel can carry up to 200 passengers. The three-deck vessel has a restaurant, auditorium, theatre, and a souvenir shop. It can venture up to 20 nautical miles (36 km) into the sea and can travel at a speed of up to 9 knots (15 km per hour).

The vessel has no sleeping cabins as it is not meant for overnight cruise. People can charter the fully air-conditioned vessel for hosting parties, events, and conferences. The corporation will offer custom-made packages based on requirements. The vessel has trained and professional crew for assistance.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Special Correspondent / Kochi – September 27th, 2018

DEMU service to Harbour Terminus from tomorrow

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The three-coach DEMU will conduct four services a day from Monday to Friday on an experimental basis for a month.

Test run to be held today; services to be regularised on the basis of passenger patronage

The much-awaited Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) service between Ernakulam Junction railway station and Cochin Harbour Terminus (CHTS) station in Willingdon Island will be launched on Wednesday.

The three-coach DEMU will conduct two services in the morning and two in the evening from Monday to Friday on an experimental basis for a month.

The train will have a stop at the Mattancherry Halt station in between, and the ticket rate will be ₹10. The train will be regularised based on passenger patronage.

A test run will be held along the eight-km line on Tuesday, to ensure coordination of signalling and telecommunication systems.

DEMU will start from CHTS at 8 a.m. on weekdays beginning Wednesday and reach Mattancherry Halt at 8.10 a.m. It will reach Ernakulam Junction at 8.40 a.m. In the return direction, the train will depart from Ernakulam Junction at 9 a.m., reach Mattancherry Halt at 9.14 a.m. and CHTS by 9.40 a.m.

In the evening, it will start from CHTS at 5 p.m., reach Mattancherry Halt at 5.10 p.m. and Ernakulam Junction by 5.40 p.m.

In the return direction, the train will leave Ernakulam Junction at 6.20 p.m., reach Mattancherry Halt at 6.34 p.m. and CHTS by 7 p.m.

The Harbour Terminus station was renovated over a year ago, while laying of new tracks and upgradation of signals and telecommunication systems were taken up later.

The demand for stoppage of the train at Perumanoor station in Thevara will be considered on the basis of a letter which is expected to be submitted by peoples representatives, a railway official said. For the record, a team led by Hibi Eden, MLA, had visited the station a week ago to inspect the amenities there. He also promised to allot money from his MLA fund to upgrade infrastructure at the station.

The 8-km journey takes 40 minutes since there are two level-crossings at Atlantis and Vathuruthy. There are also speed curbs all along the route.

DEMU will have to commute at 15 kmph speed on the Mattancherry Halt-CHTS stretch since it is a railway yard, a senior railway official said. A decision is awaited on the arrival of a steam locomotive to operate a heritage-train service from Harbour Terminus, he added.

Traffic snarl

In the meantime, there is concern about a possible traffic snarl on either side of Vathuruthy the level-crossing when the railway gate is closed four times during peak hours each weekday. While Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala (RBDCK) has readied a proposal for an overbridge, the Navy is yet to accord sanction for the plan since its airport is located close by. This has given impetus to the demand for a subway.

Train services from the city to CHTS was halted in 2004 after a dredger deployed by the Cochin Port Trust rammed the Venduruthy bridge built by the British. Both rail and road overbridges were rebuilt after the incident.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Special Correspondent / Kochi – September 25th, 2018

Edakkal caves all ready to welcome tourists

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Tourists trekking to the Edakkal cave though the secondary pathway on Saturday.

The entry of tourists to the Edakkal caves on the Ambukuthi hills, known for the neolithic-age petroglyphs (rock engravings) on the walls of the cave, was resumed on Saturday after an interval of 23 days.

The caves, a major tourism destination in the district, were closed to tourists on August 23 after a huge stone collapsed in the first cave and a crack was formed near the old ticket counter of the first cave after heavy rain.

The entry to the first cave was banned but tourists could now reach the second cave through the secondary pathway constructed for the purpose, Archaeology and Archives Minister Kadannappally Ramachandran said. The entry was restricted to 1,930 tourists a day and only a group of 30 people at a time would be allowed to enter the cave, the Minister added.

The first cave would be opened to tourists only after a study by a team of experts, consisting of scientists of the National Centre for Earth Science Studies and experts of the Archaeology Department. The team for the purpose would be constituted soon and they would study the situation of the caves, the Minister said.

As many as 250 visitors, including 10 children, visited the cave on Saturday, District Tourism Promotion Council sources said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Staff Reporter / Kalpeta – September 15th, 2018