Sangareddy :
A talking robot stood as a main attraction at a robotics science exhibition ‘N-Vision’ organised by IIT Hyderabad on Sunday.
Students from various engineering colleges took part in the event.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / November 03rd, 2014
A courageous ‘go-ahead’ by a young woman for doctors to perform an extremely risky procedure on her baby to rectify serious heart defects has revolutionised the medical field in India – because the procedure was carried out successfully when the baby was still in her womb.
The baby – a foetus of 27 weeks – was diagnosed in the pre-natal stage with a 99 per cent block of the aortic valve which allows purified blood into the largest artery in the heart, called aorta.
Because of the block, a resulting leak in the mitral valve (which allows one-way flow of impure blood into the left ventricle) allowed the pure blood to mix with the impure blood in the left atrium of the heart. That led to shrinking of the left side of the heart.
If the defect was not corrected, the baby may not have survived in the womb, or would have been born with the defect to lead an uncertain, short life full of complications.
A team of eight cardiac specialists led by Dr. K Nageswara Rao, chief paediatric cardiologist at Care Hospital, Banjara Hills in Hyderabad – where the rare surgery took place on October 23 – successfully completed the surgery that took 150 minutes. The specialists were aided by 22 assistants, considering the complexity of procedures which involved cardiology, obstetrics, and gynaecology and paediatric fields of medicine.
And the highly complicated procedure became possible to be completed successfully because the mother, M Sirisha, a science teacher, easily understood the science and the problem, according to the doctors.
She gave her nod. When the first attempt failed in the 25th week, the parents were upset. But, we convinced them that the position of the foetus in the womb was the hurdle to the procedure.
In the 27th week, the team got experts to change the position of the baby inside the womb so as to allow the cardiac specialists to conduct the procedure.
They used a special-sized balloon with a special 18 gauge needle (imported from the US) to its baby’s thigh. The needle was inserted through the wall of the mother (Sirisha’s) womb, the doctors explained.
Dr Nageswara Rao said the procedure was successfully completed, but still only 60 per cent of the work has been done, with the rest 40 per cent to be completed after the baby is born in December third week.
Dr Rao is excited. “I have been waiting for ten long years to perform this surgery. Though we tried one three years ago (a different case), the surgery failed and the baby died. Now, this baby will be born healthy and will be normal once the remaining part of the correction is carried out,” he said. Such surgeries are performed in the UK and the USA but this is the first time such an operation has been conducted in India.
Noted cardiologist and chairman of Care Hospital, Dr. Soma Raju, said, “Hitherto, parents preferred termination of pregnancy in almost all such cases. In cases which were not diagnosed, the babies are born dead or die soon after birth. Now, we can say we have overcome one more health challenge.
Sirisha, already a young mother of 25 with a 20-month-old son, said, “The problem was diagnosed during a regular pre-natal test at some other centre. They directed me to Dr. Nageswara Rao who gave me the confidence that the procedure can be carried out successfully. We are now very happy, waiting for the delivery.”
The significance of the success of the surgery is in the fact that parents who seek similar procedures abroad would be able to get it done in India at much lower costs. However, Care Hospital has kept the cost aspect confidential even while indicating that the procedure would cost anywhere above Rs 3 lakh.
source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> Bangalore> Others / by P Pavan, Bangalore Mirror Bureau / October 31st, 2014
AWARD FOR TELANGANA
STATE OF STATES
INDIA TODAY
KTR RECEIVES AWARD
Minister for Panchayat Raj K.T. Rama Rao on Friday received the ‘India Today State of States’ award given to Telangana. Union Minister for IT and Communications Ravi Shankar Prasad presented the award at the India Today conclave in New Delhi.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Telangana / New Delhi – November 01st, 2014
Hyderabad :
Hyderabad is set to have the first digital (paperless) post office in the country soon, member, Postal Services Board (PSB), India Post, G John Samuel said on Wednesday.
The official was in the city to launch ‘Same day parcel delivery service’ at a programme in Chikkadpally.
Speaking on the occasion, Samuel said AP circle tops in launching innovative and unique schemes for customers. Elaborating on the new parcel delivery scheme, Samuel said the service would first be available at General Post Office (Abids), Humayunnagar, Himayatnagar, Malakpet, Himmatnagar, Saroornagar and Malkajgiri. “If a customer books a parcel to be delivered to an address in the city before 3 pm at select post offices, it will be delivered the same day without additional charges,” he explained.
Chief postmaster general, A P Circle, B V Sudhakar said: “One-day delay could be avoided with the new service. For parcels weighing up to 500 grams, Rs 36 (Rs 19 postal charge and Rs 17 registration charges) would be charged. Based on the response, the service will be extended to other post offices in the city.”
Citizens can now track their SpeedPost by dialing a toll free number at 18004253925.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / TNN / October 30th, 2014
Community station Deccan Radio 107.8 FM runs eight-hour social programmes
While we tune in to FM radio stations to listen to our favourite songs and talk shows, the concept of community radios is something that is yet to catch up in the city. And to encourage it and give ordinary people a platform to discuss social issues, Deccan Radio 107.8 FM has begun providing free training to its first batch of students from Monday.
“There is no age bar or qualification required for those interested in enrolling for the training programme. It will benefit those who are interested in participating in social activities,” said Zahed Farooqui, station manager of Deccan Radio 107.8 FM. The programme covers recording, editing, interview techniques and also provides an opportunity to go live on radio.
With a frequency spread across a radius of one kilometre, the radio station also encourages the contribution of local community members. Presently, the station runs eight-hour social programmes, comprising different types of radio shows everyday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
“Last time, we conducted a programme for only journalism students, but this time it’s open for everyone,” he mentioned, and further stated that the batch would consist of 50 students. “If more people come forward, we will start more batches. Also, after the course, if we think the students are competent enough to work with us, we hire them,” he added.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Yunus Y. Lasania / Hyderabad – October 28th, 2014
Deliveries in the emergency van have happened several times prior to Monday’s incident in Hyderabad, says 108 services medical technician. “We are completely ready for such cases,” mentioned Bhumachander, who hails from Karimnagar district.
When 28-year-old Bhumachander, a 108 Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), received a call on Monday afternoon to attend to a pregnant woman, he had no inkling that more than the regular emergency trip to the hospital was awaiting him.
“That we (Bhumachander, and driver Narsaiah) would have to perform the delivery in the emergency van itself was clear 10 minutes after we set off from the Nampally railway station yard,” he recalled. The duo reached the area at around 4 p.m. after receiving a call from a railway officer.
He said the entire operation took about 20 minutes after the woman, Sarda, had gone into labour.
Bhumchander said Sarda was about 40 years old and hailed from Gujarat. “She did not give us any details about herself, but told us that she had travelled alone to Hyderabad. After the delivery, we admitted her to Niloufer Hospital,” he said.
Surprisingly, the EMT said such instances are not rare at all!
“I have helped deliver babies in the car four or five times. The last time, it was near Falaknuma,” he said, and further stated that the emergency vans are complete with all the necessary medical tools required for the task.
“We are completely ready for such cases,” mentioned Bhumachander, who hails from Karimnagar district.
Bhumachander pointed out that other EMTs like him who are in-charge of other areas in the city have also come across instances where they have to assist in delivering babies.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Yunus Y. Lasania / Hyderabad – October 29th, 2014
Hyderabad :
In a bid to make Hyderabad the first WiFi enabled city in the country, telecom operator Bharti Airtel along with the Telangana government launched the pilot project, ‘Public WiFi,’ with the rollout of 17 WiFi spots in the city’s IT district on Friday.
Elaborating on the project, Bharti Airtel chief executive officer (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana) Venkatesh Vijayraghavan said ‘Public WiFi’ has been launched in 17 locations in the hub of Hi-Tec City and will enable people living in those areas to access up to 750 MB of free internet per day on any device.
To begin with, these public WiFi hotspots have been set up between Cyber Towers to Madhapur police station, Cyber Towers to Kothaguda junction and Cyber Towers to Raheja Mindspace Circle. On an average, around 40,000 commuters, commercial establishments and visitors would be able to benefit from this service, he said.
Explaining the process, Vijayraghavan said that anybody with a valid mobile number can access this facility. Once the WiFi has been switched on, the user needs to submit the mobile number, following which a username and one-time password (OTP) would be sent to the user via SMS. Using the password, the user can log on and use the free WiFi, he explained.
The project will be operational for three months as of now and the future course will be decided based on the response and outcome, he added.
Meanwhile, speaking about future plans of the government’s pet project of making Hyderabad a fully WiFi city, Telangana IT minister KT Rama Rao said the state government has already invited expression of interest from players keen on working in the area of WiFi enabling the city and the state government will be floating tenders in this regard in a couple of weeks. The IT minister pointed out that the entire city will be WiFi enabled in the next four to five months.
Free internet
* ‘Public WiFi’ launched in 17 locations in Hi-Tec City
* Users can access up to 750 MB free internet per day
* Any user with a valid mobile number would get a username and one-time password via SMS once the WiFi is switched on
* Project to be operational for three months on pilot basis
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / TNN / October 11th, 2014
Uses his Ham radio skills to gather vital information during Hudhud. One contact talked about trees falling at a Jain temple in Bhimli and resulting in precarious conditions. The young Ham immediately passed on the information to senior officials, who in turn directed their field personnel.
For a week, Tom K. Jose kept his studies aside, travelled to a cyclone-hit city and used his Ham radio skills to contribute to disaster management.
When Hudhud swept through Visakhapatnam disrupting its communication network and a team of amateur radio (Ham) operators from the city were sought, the 15-year-old student of Little Flower Junior College, Uppal, volunteered for the task.
With his call sign, VU3TMO, Tom was stationed in the control room set up at Visakhapatnam Police Commissionerate and spent long hours collecting messages from other team members spread over the cyclone affected areas and passed them on to the administration for relief measures.
The intermediate first year student, who got his Ham licence at the age of 13, along with colleagues, operated under adverse conditions, often skipping meals and spending long hours before the radio, waiting for it to crackle with messages. “For seven days, I was at the Visakhapatnam Police Commissionerate and one day at the District Collector’s office at Srikakulam and made anywhere up to 500 contacts,” says Tom.
One contact talked about trees falling at a Jain temple in Bhimli and resulting in precarious conditions. The young Ham immediately passed on the information to senior officials, who in turn directed their field personnel, and the situation was attended to. Another was a contact from Bangalore who was desperately trying to locate his brother and sister in the Hudhud affected area. “We operated without checking the watch or caring whether it was day or night. We had to just sit in front of the radio and wait for a contact,” he says.
Tom, who got his licence when he was in class 9, explores the Ham world and so far, has contacted more than 150 countries and received appreciations for his operational skills from Ham associations from different parts of the globe, including US, Germany and Japan. He comfortably juggles his hobby with studies and says, “Each night after studies I spend 30 minutes to 45 minutes with the radio apart from a brief tryst in the morning before going to college.”
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Telangana / by T. Lalith Singh / Hyderabad – October 26th, 2014
The Indian National Science Academy (INSA) has elected Srivari Chandrasekhar, Chief Scientist at CSIR- Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, as a fellow from 2015.
The recognition has been accorded to Dr. Chandrasekhar for his contributions in the area of organic chemistry. He has made significant contributions in synthesising complex and scarcely available natural products in the laboratory using easily available chemicals, the latest related to developing technology for manufacture of Misoprostal, an important drug in treatment of ulcers.
An IICT press release said INSA was the only organisation representing Government of India to the International Council of Scientific Unions.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – October 24th, 2014
Three students of Sri Chaitanya schools — J.Venkata Lahari, K.Sharan Siddhartha and E. Lalitha — bagged ISRO-GSLV awards.
Among the 41 students were 10 class district toppers from AP and Telangana, . After four rounds of selection procedure the three students bagged the top three positions. The awards were presented by SHAR Director M.Y.S Prasad.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad /by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – October 22nd, 2014