A Nation on the March

Rishirishi · Post by **Rishirishi** » 29 Jan 2010 01:57

SwamyG wrote:India:
* 60% literacy ~ 600 millions literate.
* 45,000 newspapers published. 7,500 in English.

USA
* Literacy almost universal ~ 300 millions literate.
* 1500 newspapers published.

China
* 90% literacy ~ 1 billion literate.
* 2000 newspapers published.

Conclusion: Indians are exceptional readers.

Source: Arriving India book.

The definiton of literacy, in some places, was the ability to write the name. It is not the numbers that count but also the quality. The interesting figure to watch will be how many % of 12 year olds are able to read.

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 29 Jan 2010 03:04

Post contents deleted.

Please note that this thread is meant to chronicle articles about progress, not problems that need to be addressed. There are separate threads for that.

vipins · Post by **vipins** » 01 Feb 2010 21:57

E-checking system introduced by police gets good response

Greater Noida: The E-Checking system introduced by the police here is getting a good response from people with the PCR receiving 15 messages today.

Under the system, the people were asked to send MMS or SMS of any crime or traffic violations witnessed by them to the mobile number 9999977100 which is connected to the police control room.

Today, 15 MMS and SMSes were received while on Saturday three MMSes were received and on Sunday 11 MMSes were received.

One SMS was also sent from Meerut today, police said.

ne MMS regarding an accident too was received which helped the police in reaching the mishap site immediately and help the victim, they said.

The system will help to check eve-teasing, traffic violations, drinking in public places and student clashes, said a police officer.

amdavadi · Post by **amdavadi** » 02 Feb 2010 04:56

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100201/ind ... ndia458305

HONG KONG (Reuters Life!) – Researchers in India have managed to extend the shelf life of tomatoes by an extra 30 days by suppressing enzymes that promote ripening, helping the fruit stay fresher for longer.

Such advances are important for developing countries which rely heavily on agricultural exports for income but where logistical infrastructure like refrigeration is often patchy.

"We lose a lot of harvest all over the world. In India ... we grow tomatoes which cannot last more than 10 to 15 days. But if you can enhance (them), you don't need any storage system and you can

Varoon Shekhar · Post by **Varoon Shekhar** » 08 Feb 2010 20:10

The Times of India has a "TimesNow" video site, running from its online newspaper. Is this a video service provided by the newspaper, or is it an actual channel available on TV? They have some good video clips/stories, including ones dealing with capturing terrorists using a burkha, and another about a woman who killed a jihadi with an axe, after he entered her house.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Feb 2010 21:11

as per the enviro anarchy/NGO/Leftie brigade people will get mad cow disease due to this.

lead researcher Asis Datta at the National Institute of Plant Genome Research in New Delhi told Reuters by telephone.

In a paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science journal, the scientists said they analysed the genes of the tomato and identified those which appeared to be linked to two enzymes -- alpha-Man and beta-Hex -- that accumulate in the tomato during the time it is ripening.

They proceeded to "silence" these genes and found that those in which the alpha-Man enzyme was suppressed were 2.5 times firmer than conventional tomatoes, while those lacking in beta-Hex were two times firmer.

Both types of transgenic tomatoes retained their texture and firmness for up to 45 days, compared with conventional tomatoes, which started shrinking and losing texture after 15 days.

kaldag · Post by **kaldag** » 14 Feb 2010 15:05

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/biz/ ... 570642.cms

SK Mody · Post by **SK Mody** » 24 Feb 2010 14:26

NRI scientist prepares clean power generation wonder box

This news was also on the front page of TOI yesterday.
Hope it goes somewhere.

A Sharma · Post by **A Sharma** » 02 Mar 2010 07:02

Role reversal

MAC 400 was conceived, designed and manufactured in India. Its runaway success made GE upgrade the technology for developed markets and the company has sold around 6,000 machines in South America and Europe.

Amber G. · Post by **Amber G.** » 07 Mar 2010 00:18

My alma mater celebrates 50 years and is in the news:
Saturday, IIT-K will secure place in history
and Nano satellite built by IIT Kanpur given to ISRO

Kanpur, Mar 6 (PTI) A nano satellite "Jugnu" built by students and faculty of IIT Kanpur, was today handed over to the Indian Space Research Organisation.

The three kg satellite is one-foot long and 10 centimetre wide and will be launched by a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle from Sriharikota and take high resolution images.

IIT scientists said the satellite, which was handed over to the space agency at a function in the presence of President Pratibha Patil to celebrate its golden jubilee, is expected to last for about a year and will help combat drought.

As it was handed over, the President congratulated the students and the faculty for the accomplishment.

In 2008, IIT Kanpur and ISRO had signed an MoU under which the engineering institution was to build a nano satellite.

Rony · Post by **Rony** » 11 Mar 2010 02:53

India: The Gap Is Narrowing

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 11 Mar 2010 19:19

Rony wrote:India: The Gap Is Narrowing

Posted by larkinb | 03/10/10 04:04 PM EST
Is it any wonder why our economy is in the dump? Our corporate, financial and government leaders are all behind dump billions of US dollars into startups in India and China while the unemployment rate in the US is over 12%. Technology is the last chance the USA has to recover its economy and our corporate and government leaders choose to invest in foreign governments and industry in China and India. Is it any wonder our economy is in the dumps and will only get worse with this kind of investment and leadership.

Vipul · Post by **Vipul** » 12 Mar 2010 01:45

India enters league of top-10 industrial producers.

Mumbai among world's top ten billionaire cities: Forbes.

Amber G. · Post by **Amber G.** » 13 Mar 2010 04:17

x-post . For IITians:
May be of interest : Subra Suresh (IITian and MIT's dean of Engineering) is being picked up by Obama to Replace Bement as the director of NSF.

He was in news as keynote speaker in Banglore EmTech 2010:
Engineering for future: challenges and achievement

Also:

NSF Selects Young Theoretical Computer Scientis (Subahsh Khot for its Highest Honor

New York University's Subhash Khot, a theoretical computer scientist and associate professor in the department of computer science at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, has been named to receive the National Science Foundation's 2010 Alan T. Waterman Award. Khot is working in an area called "Computational Complexity," which seeks to understand the power and limits of efficient computation.

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 13 Mar 2010 05:56

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyFHKVql7Ng&feature=dir

A traveling banker

Amber G. · Post by **Amber G.** » 13 Mar 2010 09:30

MIT researchers discover new energy source

What this article (and a stories published even in Indian Newspapers today) does not mention is that
one of the researcher in this gorup is ex IITian - Dr. Aravind Vijayaraghavan.

Raghav K · Post by **Raghav K** » 13 Mar 2010 20:20

Amber G. wrote:MIT researchers discover new energy source

What this article (and a stories published even in Indian Newspapers today) does not mention is that
one of the researcher in this gorup is ex IITian - Dr. Aravind Vijayaraghavan.

Although it is a step in the right direction, I think it will take many years to be a reality as Carbon Nano Tubes or CNT have many significant issues to be resolved.

Hari Seldon · Post by **Hari Seldon** » 22 Mar 2010 08:26

Marketeers flock to rural India for global innovations

Rural India, which has propelled the growth of most consumer goods makers in the past year, is emerging as a laboratory for companies to test products and services that can then be replicated in overseas markets with a similar profile. The country’s diversity gives an edge over other developing nations such as China as a testing ground for companies.

negi · Post by **negi** » 23 Mar 2010 05:19

Kerala student joins Geneva experiment

paramu · Post by **paramu** » 23 Mar 2010 05:50

negi wrote:Kerala student joins Geneva experiment

Midhun, son of Vallabhan Namboothiri, a temple priest, and Sreedevi, a teacher, first sent his theory to the Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc) in Bangalore. The IISc scientists, realising the significance of his theories, directed him to the CERN.

This research and his nomination may have some vedic connections.

Hari Seldon · Post by **Hari Seldon** » 23 Mar 2010 06:16

IPL brand value doubles to $4.13 billion: Study

NEW DELHI: Quickfire cricket format Indian Premier League's brand value has more than doubled to $4.13 billion (over Rs 18,000 crore)
....
The valuation of teams pale in comparison to the IPL brand itself, which has more than doubled from last year's $2.01 billion.

"The IPL brand alone has risen significantly from the previous year's valuation providing tremendous economic value to its owner BCCI," according to brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance.

I'd tale these brand consultancy types with some salt. They're anything but a disinterested party in issues like these.

In any case, how does $4bn compare with that other premier league, eh?

"In comparison to international benchmarks for sporting business' such as EPL (English Premier League) which is valued at $12 billion, the IPL juggernaut, in a short span of 3 years, is valued at $4 billion and has the potential to grow further," said Unni Krishnan, Managing Director of Brand Finance India.

Hmmm. And in the next 10 yrs, Yindia's khanomy will more than double - will go up 3x at least, if all goes well. UKstan's and oirope's will stagnate at best for the next half-decade at least. Chances are vision 2020 for IPL will beat that of EPL, who knows??

... 'Chennai Super Kings' has emerged the most valued franchise this year, says a study.

Ranked fourth last year, Chennai Super Kings led by MS Dhoni has moved to number one with a valuation of $48.4 million, followed by Shahrukh Khan-owned Kolkata Knight Riders ($46 million) and Shilpa Shetty's Rajasthan Royals ($45.2 million).

Huh? CSK, KKR and RR? Really? Why? To further add to the brand CON-sultancy's credibility, sample this:

The individual franchisees have also seen a fair amount of uplift in value since last year.

Vijay Mallya-promoted Royal Challengers Bangalore is ranked fourth this year with a valuation of $41.9 million and is followed by Nita Ambani-owned Mumbai Indians ($40.8 million), Delhi Daredevils ($40.5 million), Kings XI Punjab ($36.1 million) and Hyderabad Deccan Chargers at the bottom with a valuation of $34.4 million.

Last season's winners are at the bottom of the pack? wah re duniya....

Akshut · Post by **Akshut** » 23 Mar 2010 07:01

^^ It has less to do with winning, and more to do with all the hooplaa associated. Case in point being: KKR turning profit even after finishing at the bottom last year, while most others couldn't bring +ve balance sheets for investors even after being in Top 4, all thanks to SRK getting media attention and gathering hype.

Amber G. · Post by **Amber G.** » 24 Mar 2010 00:59

negi wrote:Kerala student joins Geneva experiment

Wish Hindu gave more details and hope that this is not merely some silly reporting. (Hindu gave no links and I see no papers/cites from C.V. Midhun related to this).

Hindu (and other papers too) have not done too well in the past, by reporting embarrassingly silly stuff without doing rudimentary background checs There was one story about a scientist living off sunlight alone (no, food - just staring at the sun) for last decade (!) getting invited to NASA to lecture and teach astronauts on how to live without food. Not making it up! (Even a novice reporter or editor could have known it is a hoax by simply checking with NASA to see if that guy was really invited)

Then there was a case where a "bright student" won and came 1st (better record than Kalam, or Chawala) in NASA sponsored talent search (among other things he took a taxi from UP i to London, stayed at Buckingham Palace etc !) .. the story was picked up by many Indian (and other) news papers. Of course it was an embarrassing. _

It may not be a hoax, but Hindu should give a little more details, the quotes like :

As there is no black hole in the sun, it is unlikely that there will be a black hole when subatomic particle beams collide at very high energy inside the circular accelerator

are sloppy if not outright absurd gibberish.

(To put it mildly - No one (Not Hawkins) thinks that it is likely that black holes will be created at LHC,)

As to being part of " ATLAS collaboration" in their grid computing, virtually any one from any connection to a scientific institute, with access to a computer and internet, and some interest in physics/computing, could join it. (There is an online form one can fill)... Similar to becoming a brf member, except of course, you do not have to watch out for adminuallah

Anyway it is likely that Mr Midhun is indeed a bright student. Anyone here has more details?

paramu · Post by **paramu** » 25 Mar 2010 03:51

A true march

Hans Rosling: Asia's rise -- how and when

Katare · Post by **Katare** » 25 Mar 2010 08:22

India surprises with big new coal ports

Chinmayanand · Post by **Chinmayanand** » 02 Apr 2010 02:09

Suvendu Roy, of Titan Industries shares his inspirational encounter with a rickshaw driver in Mumbai:

Last Sunday, my wife, kid, and I had to travel to Andheri from Bandra.
When I waved at a passing auto rickshaw, little did I expect that this ride would be any different...

As we set off, my eyes fell on a few magazines(kept in an aircraft style pouch) behind the driver's backrest.

I looked in front and there was a small TV. The driver had put on the Doordarshan channel.

My wife and I looked at each other with disbelief and amusement. Infront of me was a small first-aid box with cotton, dettol and some medicines.
This was enough for me to realise that I was in a special vehicle.
Then I looked round again, and discovered more - there was a radio, fire extinguisher, wall clock, calendar, and pictures and symbols of all faiths
- from Islam and Christianity to Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism.
There were also pictures of the heroes of 26/11- Kamte, Salaskar, Karkareand Unnikrishnan.
I realised that not only my vehicle, but also my driver was special.

I started chatting with him and the initial sense of ridicule and disbelief gradually diminished.
I gathered that he had been driving an auto rickshaw for the past 8-9 years; he had lost his job when his employer's plastic company was shut down.
He had two school-going children, and he drove from 8 in the morning till 10 at night.
No break unless he was unwell. "Sahab, ghar mein baith ke T.V dekh kar kya faida? Do paisa income karega toh future mein kaam aayega."( What’s the
benefit in sitting at home in front of a TV. If I earn a little, it will ease my future.)

We realised that we had come across a man who represents Mumbai -the spirit of work, the spirit of travel and the spirit of excelling in life.
I asked him whether he does anything else as I figured that he did not have too much spare time.
He said that he goes to an old age home for women in Andheri once a week or whenever he has some extra income, where he donates tooth brushes,
toothpastes, soap, hair oil, and other items of daily use.
He pointed out to a painted message below the meter that read: "25 per cent discount on metered fare for the handicapped.
Free rides for blind passengers up to Rs. 50.

My wife and I were struck with awe. The man was a HERO!

A hero who deserves all our respect!!!

Our journey came to an end;

45 minutes of a lesson in humility, selflessness, and of a hero-worshipping Mumbai, my temporary home.

We disembarked, and all I could do was to pay him a tip that would hardly cover a free ride for a blind man.

I hope, one day, you too have a chance to meet Mr Sandeep Bachhe in his auto rickshaw: MH-02-Z-8508.

putnanja · Post by **putnanja** » 02 Apr 2010 02:19

Durgesh, can you please post a link to the article too?

Chinmayanand · Post by **Chinmayanand** » 02 Apr 2010 02:36

The Real Hero – An Autorickshaw driver with a difference

Ameet · Post by **Ameet** » 02 Apr 2010 21:43

Once a rising star, chef now feeds hungry

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/04/01/cn ... an.hunger/

Naryanan Krishnan was a bright, young, award-winning chef with a five-star hotel group, short-listed for an elite job in Switzerland. But a quick family visit home before heading to Europe changed everything.

"I saw a very old man [eating] his own human waste for hunger," Krishnan said. "It really hurt me so much. I was literally shocked for a second. After that, I started feeding that man and decided this is what I should do the rest of my lifetime."

Krishnan founded his nonprofit Akshaya Trust in 2003. Now 29, he has served more than 1.2 million meals -- breakfast, lunch and dinner -- to India's homeless and destitute, mostly elderly people abandoned by their families and often abused.

Krishnan said the name Akshaya is Sanskrit for "undecaying" or "imperishable," and was chosen "to signify [that] human compassion should never decay or perish. ... The spirit of helping others must prevail for ever." Also, in Hindu mythology, Goddess Annapoorani's "Akshaya bowl" fed the hungry endlessly, never depleting its resources.

Krishnan's day begins at 4 a.m. He and his team cover nearly 125 miles in a donated van, routinely working in temperatures topping 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

He seeks out the homeless under bridges and in the nooks and crannies between the city's temples. The hot meals he delivers are simple, tasty vegetarian fare he personally prepares, packs and often hand-feeds to nearly 400 clients each day.

Krishnan carries a comb, scissors and razor and is trained in eight haircut styles that, along with a fresh shave, provide extra dignity to those he serves.

He says many of the homeless seldom know their names or origins, and none has the capacity to beg, ask for help or offer thanks. They may be paranoid and hostile because of their conditions, but Krishnan says this only steadies his resolve to offer help.

"The panic, suffering of the human hunger is the driving force of me and my team members of Akshaya," he said. "I get this energy from the people. The food which I cook ... the enjoyment which they get is the energy. I see the soul. I want to save my people."

The group's operations cost about $327 a day, but sponsored donations only cover 22 days a month. Krishnan subsidizes the shortfall with $88 he receives in monthly rent from a home his grandfather gave him.

Krishnan sleeps in Akshaya's modest kitchen with his few co-workers. Since investing his entire savings of $2,500 in 2002, he has taken no salary and subsists with the help of his once-unsupportive parents.

"They had a lot of pain because they had spent a lot on my education," he said. "I asked my mother, 'Please come with me, see what I am doing.' After coming back home, my mother said, 'You feed all those people, the rest of the lifetime I am there, I will feed you.' I'm living for Akshaya. My parents are taking care of me."

For lack of funding, the organization has been forced to halt construction on Akshaya Home, Krishnan's vision of a dormitory where he can provide shelter for the people he helps. Despite the demands and few comforts his lifestyle affords, Krishnan says he's enjoying his life.

"Now I am feeling so comfortable and so happy," he says. "I have a passion, I enjoy my work. I want to live with my people."

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 03 Apr 2010 00:15

Rajaram and SSridhar, Can you find out more about his operation in Madurai and lets raise some funds for his work.

I dont know who else is in TN area. If any one else can help do this please jump in.

Prem Kumar · Post by **Prem Kumar** » 03 Apr 2010 02:19

Count me in. I read this article in Rediff a few months ago - they had a nice series of real life heroes in India. Each story was as uplifting as the other.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 03 Apr 2010 11:44

DELETED.

Prasad · Post by **Prasad** » 04 Apr 2010 08:01

Facebook was and still is to a great extent, a yuppie application out and out. Teens and young people use it to keep in touch and of course tell others what they're doing. It isn't an indian trait of wanting to tell other people and poke their noses into other peoples business. A quick scan of number of users from different countries should be enough to understand that.

Jay · Post by **Jay** » 04 Apr 2010 11:06

Do not known about desh, but an year ago I read an article listing the average age of Facebook user in US, which I think was around 40. In-fact, the study listed the 40-60 year demographic as the fastest growing, even out pacing the 20-30 range.

AnimeshP · Post by **AnimeshP** » 04 Apr 2010 17:13

Jay wrote:Do not known about desh, but an year ago I read an article listing the average age of Facebook user in US, which I think was around 40. In-fact, the study listed the 40-60 year demographic as the fastest growing, even out pacing the 20-30 range.

My dad is on my friends list on Facebook .... have to censor lotsa stuff ...

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 04 Apr 2010 19:45

Two accounts boss.. one glasses, brooks brothers suit, wingtips. Another pawrnsta

Pls register with two emails... or ur phucked.

Paul · Post by **Paul** » 04 Apr 2010 20:47

It isn't an indian trait of wanting to tell other people and poke their noses into other peoples business.

Huh!

Ever heard of JLN!

Prasad · Post by **Prasad** » 04 Apr 2010 23:12

Paul wrote:
It isn't an indian trait of wanting to tell other people and poke their noses into other peoples business.
Huh! Ever heard of JLN!

oops

should read "It isn't a trait exhibited by indians alone..."

Chinmayanand · Post by **Chinmayanand** » 07 Apr 2010 14:33

CommonWealth Games 2010 to be 'solar powered' by Reliance

Can't hope that the bankrupt brits can put up something like this when they host Olympics...

Katare · Post by **Katare** » 07 Apr 2010 23:26

I am not sure if all of us be proud of this but....

Vijay Mallya-led UB Group says it's world's second largest liquor maker now