The Indian Panorama

Month: December 2021

  • Virat has given his side, now Ganguly needs to give his: Shastri

    Ravi Shastri has said that Virat Kohli has given his side of the story on his exit as India white-ball captain, and now BCCI president Sourav Ganguly needs to give his version.

    Speaking at The Indian Express e.Adda, the former India head coach added that the captaincy change could have been handled better with “good communication.”

    Days after Sourav Ganguly had said that he had personally told Virat Kohli not to give up the T20I captaincy, Kohli said that there had been no communication from the board once he had decided to relinquish leadership in the shortest format in September.

    Regarding the ODI captaincy, Kohli said he had been informed that the selectors were removing him only 90 minutes before the selection committee meeting to pick the Test squad for the South Africa tour earlier this month. “With good communication, this can be handled better,” Ravi Shastri said. “Virat has given his side of the story. It needs the board president to give his side of the story. It’s not about who’s lying and who’s not. It’s not right to jump into there until you know what was the actual conversation.”

    Shastri added that once Kohli had decided he did not want to continue as T20I captain, there could have been only one leader for the two white-ball formats, where Rohit Sharma has now taken over.

    My statement made Ashwin do something different: Shastri

    R Ashwin had said recently that he felt “absolutely crushed” when Shastri stated after the Sydney Test in January 2019 that Kuldeep Yadav was India’s No.1 overseas spinner.

    Shastri responded that he was happy if his statement had been able to goad Ashwin into becoming fitter. “The way Ashwin bowled in 2019 and the way he has bowled in 2021 is chalk and cheese,” Shastri said. “If my statement on Kuldeep hurt Ashwin, I am glad I made that statement. It made him do something different. The message to Ashwin in 2018 was that he had to be fit. He has worked on that and look how he is bowling now. He’s world-class.”

    Shastri backs IND’s ‘firepower & arsenal’ to match SA in ‘unconquered bastion’

    Ravi Shastri backed Virat Kohli to do well in the upcoming Tests against South Africa, calling him an “impeccable leader”.

    Shastri, who’s stint as coach came to an end following Team India’s exit from the T20 World Cup, said there couldn’t have been a better timing for Kohli and Co. to prove their mettle in South Africa, which remains “an unconquered bastion”.

    Shastri while speaking to Star Sports said: “There couldn’t have been a better time for team India to prove their mettle. Virat has been an impeccable leader and has got a talented team to go along with it. South Africa remains an unconquered bastion.”

    “Remember, the Proteas are no pushovers in their own backyard, but we have got the firepower and the arsenal to match that. As always, Team India will always have my backing,” he added.

    India will look to seal their maiden Test series in South Africa as both the sides gear up for a three-match contest, starting from December 26 at the SuperSport Park, Centurion.

    The second Test will take place from January 3-7, 2022, at the Wanderers, Johannesburg while the final Test will start from January 11-15, 2022, at the Newlands, Cape Town.

    Following the conclusion of the Test series, the action will shift to limited overs as the first ODI is scheduled to be played on January 19, 2022, at the Boland Park, Paarl. The second ODI will take place on January 21, 2022, at the same venue, while the third and final encounter of the series will be held on January 23, 2022, at the Newlands, Cape Town.

  • Benzema a hit in Madrid’s 2-1 win

    Karim Benzema struck two quick goals to lead Real Madrid to a 2-1 win at Athletic Bilbao in a Spanish league game missing several players because of coronavirus infections. Defending champions Atletico Madrid slumped to a fourth consecutive league defeat after losing 2-1 at Granada, extending their worst run in the competition since Diego Simeone took charge a decade ago. A total of 12 players between Madrid and Bilbao missed the game after testing positive for Covid-19. That included Madrid midfielder Luka Modric and Bilbao’s Unai Simon, the goalkeeper for Spain’s national side. Benzema started the scoring for the league leaders with a superb strike four minutes into the match at San Mames. He struck again in the seventh minute for his league-leading 15th goal of the season.

  • Harnoor stars as India thrash UAE in opener

    Harnoor stars as India thrash UAE in opener

    Harnoor Singh struck a fine hundred before the Indian bowlers ran through the opposition to complete a 154-run rout of the UAE in their opening U-19 Asia Cup match in Dubai on December 23. Put in to bat, India put up 282/5, courtesy Harnoor’s 120 off 130 balls and skipper Yash Dhull’s 63 off 68 balls. Rajvardhan Hangargekar’s unbeaten 48 off 23 balls provided the final flourish.

    The UAE used as many as nine bowling options at the ICC Academy Ground but the move did not help their cause. The home team’s batters came a cropper against the Indian bowling line-up, folding for 128 in 34.3 overs. Hangargekar took three wickets while Garv Sangwan, Vicky Oswal and Kaushal Tambe took two each.

  • Tech giant HP starts manufacturing laptops, desktops in India

    Tech giant HP starts manufacturing laptops, desktops in India

    Tech giant HP on Wednesday, Dec 22, said it has started manufacturing of multiple PC products, including laptops, in India. Powering the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Government of India, HP has started manufacturing multiple models of laptops, desktop towers and mini desktops at the Flex facility in Sriperumbudur near Chennai, Tamil Nadu, according to a statement.

    Some of these products qualify under public procurement order of the government and will be available on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal to meet the demands of the government departments and other customers, it added. “HP has partnered closely with India since it began its operations in the country. As India made significant progress and emphasis on digital transformation, we have worked with the Government of India and state governments in their mission to empower lives of millions of citizens and enhance the communities’ quality of life,” Ketan Patel, managing director at HP India Market, said. He added that the announcement marks a significant step for HP India towards local manufacturing in line with the ‘Make in India’ programme. “We hope to play a meaningful role in fulfilling the dream of ‘Atmanirbar Bharat’, by expanding the scale and reach of our manufacturing operations,” he said.

  • US consumer confidence rises despite Omicron, higher prices

    US consumer confidence rises despite Omicron, higher prices

    WASHINGTON (TIP): U.S. consumer confidence rose this month as Americans shrugged off concerns about rising prices and COVID’-19’s highly contagious omicron variant.

    The Conference Board, a business research group, said Wednesday that its consumer confidence index — which takes into account consumers’ assessment of current conditions and the their outlook for the future — rose to 115.8 in December, the highest reading since July. In November, it registered 111.9. Consumers’ view of current conditions dipped slightly, but their outlook for the next six months brightened.

    Their expectations for inflation actually dropped this month — perhaps because gasoline prices have fallen in recent weeks — even though the government reported that prices rose in November at the fastest year-over-year rate since 1982.

    “Despite high inflation and the rising Omicron wave, consumers are bullish on 2022,” said Robert Frick, economist with Navy Federal Credit Union. “This reflects growing economic momentum, as job openings remain high and prices are dropping at the pump. This is further evidence that consumer spending will keep rising and be the main factor fueling the expansion.”

    It was the first reading taken since COVID-19’s omicron variant started spreading rapidly around the world, threatening the unexpectedly strong economic recovery from last year’s coronavirus recession.

    “Looking ahead to 2022, both confidence and consumer spending will continue to face headwinds from rising prices and an expected winter surge of the pandemic,” said Lynn Franco, the Conference Board’s senior director of economic indicators.

    The Commerce Department reported last week that U.S. consumers slowed their spending from October to November — but kept shopping ahead of the holiday season despite rising prices and widespread shortages. However, the November retail sales report did not capture any impact from omicron, which emerged in late November. On Wednesday, President Joe Biden convened a meeting of his supply chain disruptions task force virtually and in-person in Washington, where he touted what he said was significant progress in alleviating bottlenecks at the ports and other issues that had created shortages of goods and contributed to higher prices for consumers. Biden said that retail inventories are up 3% from last year and on-shelf availability for products is at 90%, close to where it was before the pandemic.           Source: AP

  • I-T raids continue on Chinese mobile firms

    I-T raids continue on Chinese mobile firms

    With the Income Tax department conducting searches at several premises of Chinese mobile companies across the nation, smartphone brand OPPO said on Wednesday it will continue to cooperate with authorities as per procedure. According to sources, the smartphone companies were allegedly violating rules and norms to evade taxes and were on the radar of several probe agencies, including the I-T department. In a statement to IANS, OPPO said that as an invested partner in India, “We highly respect and abide by the law of the land”. “We will continue to fully cooperate with authorities concerned as per procedure,” the company added.

    Earlier, some Chinese firms which were allegedly running mobile loan application and transport business, were raided by the agencies. Now, few more firms have come into their radar.

  • Amazon seeks to acquire complete control of Prione

    Amazon seeks to acquire complete control of Prione

    E-commerce major Amazon on Wednesday said it will acquire Prione Business Services — its joint venture firm with Catamaran, subject to requisite regulatory approvals. Prione Business Services was formed in 2014 and was coming up for renewal on May 19, 2022. In August this year, Amazon and NR Narayana Murthy’s Catamaran announced that they will not continue their JV beyond May 2022. The two parties had not disclosed the reason behind the decision. Cloudtail — a wholly-owned subsidiary of Prione Business Services — is one of the biggest sellers on Amazon.in.

  • Asian share markets higher despite Omicron threat

    Asian sharemarkets were gaining ground on Wednesday, Dec 22,  as the risk appetite of global investors rises heading into year-end, despite the surging number of Omicron variant cases around the world. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.6%, after U.S. stocks ended the previous session with gains.

    Australian shares were down 0.1%, which analysts said was the result of a higher US dollar overnight which weakened appetite for commodities and the sector’s related stocks.

    Japan’s Nikkei stock index was 0.1% higher.

    Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index jumped 1.2% and China’s blue-chip CSI 300 Index was 0.23% up in eary trade. Tech stocks were the major driver of the Hong Kong strong open after trading in negative territory for most of the week.

    A better night on Wall Street provided the positive lead for Asian markets with a sharp rebound in sentiment for U.S stocks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 560.54 points, or 1.6%, to 35,492.7, the S&P 500 gained 81.21 points, or 1.78%, to 4,649.23 and the Nasdaq Composite added 360.14 points, or 2.4%, to 15,341.09. The jump came despite growing concerns as the spread of the Omicron variant in the lead-up to traditional holiday periods around the world.

    The variant, first detected last month, is causing infections to double in 1.5 to 3 days, according to the World Health Organization.

    It is not yet known whether it causes more serious illness than the Delta variant. However, Asian investors were mostly overlooking the current rise in case numbers.    Source: Reuters

  • Vitamin D supplements may reduce the duration of the common cold

    Vitamin D supplements may reduce the duration of the common cold

    After a couple of years of mask-wearing, social distancing and hand sanitising, the common cold is back. And – according to some people – back with a vengeance.

    Some are calling it a “super cold” – others, “the worst cold ever”. Fortunately, there may be a way to reduce the duration of a cold: vitamin D supplements. We may suffer more common colds during the winter because we spend more time close to each other indoors. But vitamin D levels might also influence the risk of getting a cold. There are more colds during winter when vitamin D levels are lowest, and fewer colds during summer when vitamin D levels are highest.

    We get most of our vitamin D from the sun’s rays (80-100 per cent) and only a small amount from our diet. For people living at latitudes above 30 degrees, such as in the UK, there is a higher risk of having low vitamin D levels (vitamin D insufficiency) in the winter.

    People who spend most of their time indoors, or with their skin covered, are also at a higher risk of vitamin D insufficiency. More than half of the UK population is considered to have insufficient vitamin D levels in winter.

    In the UK, the sun’s rays are too weak to provide enough vitamin D between October and March. This means that from October until March, people’s vitamin D levels are likely to fall.

    Research shows that vitamin D influences the risk of catching common colds and other respiratory infections. People with lower vitamin D levels are more likely to have a common cold, and people supplemented with vitamin D are less likely to get a common cold.

    As well as reducing the chance of getting a common cold, our recent research shows that vitamin D supplementation reduces the severity and duration of common colds.

    First, we found that vitamin D-sufficient military recruits were less likely to have a common cold than vitamin D-insufficient recruits during 12 weeks of basic military training.

  • US Army creates a single vaccine against all Covid variants

    US Army creates a single vaccine against all Covid variants

    Within weeks the scientists at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research of the US Army are expected to announce that they have developed a vaccine that is effective against Covid-19 and all its variants, even Omicron, as well as from previous SARS-origin viruses that have killed millions of people worldwide, Defense One reported.

    The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research is the largest biomedical research facility administered by the US Department of Defense.

    The achievement is the result of almost two years of work on the virus. The US Army lab received its first DNA sequencing of the Covid-19 virus in early 2020. Very early on, Walter Reed’s infectious diseases branch decided to focus on making a vaccine that would work against not just the existing strain but all of its potential variants as well, the report said.

    Walter Reed’s Spike Ferritin Nanoparticle Covid-19 vaccine, or SpFN, completed animal trials earlier this year with positive results. Phase 1 of human trials, which tested the vaccine against Omicron and the other variants, wrapped up this month, again with positive results that are undergoing final review, Dr. Kayvon Modjarrad, director of Walter Reed’s infectious diseases branch said, Defense One reported. Unlike existing vaccines, Walter Reed’s SpFN uses a soccer ball-shaped protein with 24 faces for its vaccine, which allows scientists to attach the spikes of multiple coronavirus strains on different faces of the protein.

    “It’s very exciting to get to this point for our entire team and I think for the entire Army as well,” Modjarrad said, the report added. The vaccine’s human trials took longer than expected, he said, because the lab needed to test the vaccine on subjects who had neither been vaccinated nor previously infected with Covid.Increasing vaccination rates and the rapid spread of the Delta and Omicron variants made that difficult.

    “With Omicron, there’s no way really to escape this virus. You’re not going to be able to avoid it. So I think pretty soon either the whole world will be vaccinated or have been infected,” Modjarrad said, the report added.     Source: IANS

  • Omicron has a greater capacity to bind with human cells: Study

    Even as the newly reported Omicron variant is poised to replace Delta as the dominant variant across the world, a study led by an Indian-origin researcher shows that many mutations in the variant allow it to bond with human cells far more efficiently than previous strains.

    The Omicron variant was first identified in South Africa in late November, and has since spread rapidly to 106 countries. The variant is now the dominant strain in many countries including the US, the UK, Denmark among others.

    Of all the variants of coronaviruses so far, Omicron is the most heavily mutated with more than 30 mutations on its spike protein, which the virus uses to enter human cells. The variant also harbours a high number of mutations in regions of the spike protein that antibodies recognise, potentially dampening their potency.

    Researchers from the University of British Columbia, Canada, studied Omicron using cryo-electron microscopy — a technique that provides images of the virus at incredibly high resolution.

    The results, published pre-print and not peer-reviewed yet, showed that “Omicron has far greater binding affinity than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus” due to new bonds created between the virus and human cell receptors, Dr Sriram Subramaniam, lead scientist, was quoted as saying to the Daily Mail. In addition, the researchers tested Omicron against human and monoclonal antibodies, finding that the variant is more resistant to these immune system particles than other variants.

    “The Omicron variant is unprecedented for having 37 spike protein mutations – that’s three to five times more mutations than any other variant,” Subramaniam, a biochemistry professor at the University, was quoted as saying in a statement.

    According to Subramaniam, the increased mutations on the spike protein are important for two reasons: “Firstly, because the spike protein is how the virus attaches to and infects human cells. Secondly, because antibodies attach to the spike protein in order to neutralise the virus.” The team probed Omicron’s mutations through microscopic imaging, and found that some of the mutations create additional bonds between the virus and ACE2 receptors – a human cell receptor located throughout the body, the report said.

    These new mutations appear to “increase binding affinity”, Subramaniam said, indicating that Omicron can attach more strongly to human cells.

    The researchers compared Omicron’s binding affinity to that of the Delta variant and the original strain of the coronavirus.

  • Bandhavgarh national park

    Bandhavgarh national park

    Bandhavgarh National Park, the most popular national parks in India is located in the Vindhya Hills of the Umaria district in Madhya Pradesh. Declared as a national park in 1968 the Bandhavgarh National Park is spread across the area of 105 km². The name Bandhavgarh has been derived from the most prominent hillock of the area of Umaria. The area of Bandhavgarh is being flourished with a large biodiversity, the place which is also being famed to grip highest density of tiger population in India. Similarly, the park also beholds the largest breeding population of leopards and various species of deer. Over the years, the park has shown a great number of increases in the count of the tiger species and this is the reason why tiger tours is so famed to attract large amount of tourists at its vicinity.

    The park has been divided into three major zones named as Tala, Magdi and Bamera out of which the Tala zone attracts major number of tourists by offering the tiger sighting opportunities. The park authorities are also focusing on the Magdi Zone by providing more opportunity to spot tigers. Elephant shows are also organized in Magdi zone of the Bandhavgarh national park to increase the chances of spotting the elusive king of the jungle.

    Bandhavgarh National Park consists of mixed vegetations ranging from tall grasslands to thick Sal forest and so is the perfect habitat of variety of animals and birds. Due to varied topography, the Bandhavgarh national park provides ample opportunity to spot the majestic Indian tiger and some rarely seen animals like leopard and sloth bear. Due to high wildlife sighting it is becoming popular amongst tourists visiting India.

    Wildlife in Bandhavgarh

    There are more than 22 species of mammals and 250 species of birds. Common Langurs and Rhesus Macaque represent the primate group. Carnivores include the Asiatic Jackal, Bengal Fox, Sloth Bear, Ratel, Gray Mongoose, Striped Hyena, Jungle Cat, Leopard and Tiger. The artiodactyls frequently sighted are Wild Pigs, Spotted Deer, Sambar, Chausingha, Nilgai, Chinkara and Gaur. Mammals such as Dhole, the smallIndian Civet, Palm Squirrel and Lesser Bandicoot Rat are seen occasionally. Among the herbivores, Gaur is the only coarse feeder. There are two main ways of getting about in the park- in a motor vehicleoron elephant back. Many of the animals are now accustomed to both; evenso,it is best to talk quietly and not make rapid movements. Jeep safaris are best undertaken from dawn until about 10am and from about 4pm until dusk, as the animals are most active during these periods. A Forest Department guide must always accompany you. This guide will be able to direct you and point out wildlife. Elephants are used every morning by the Forest Department for Tiger- tracking. If a Tiger is found, then the elephant will take you directly to the Tiger either from the lodge or from a nearby point reached by jeep/car.

    Wildlife Viewing

    Getting a closer view of the wild creatures in the dense jungles of Bandhavgarh brings immense pleasure and enthusiasm among the tourists but a proper care and instructions are equally important for a safe and protected safari trip. For your knowledge, there are generally two main ways of getting about in the reserve; either in a motor vehicle or on an elephant back. And the pleasing fact is that many of the animals are accustomed to either of the mediums and don’t get annoyed of it but still it is advisable to talk quietly and to avoid making rapid movements.

    Tips

    –              If you are choosing for the jeep safari, it should be best undertaken from dawn until 10 am and from about 4 pm until dusk, as most of the animals are active during these periods.

    –              A forest department guide must always accompany you who will be able to direct you and point any particular wild species.

    –              Elephant safari is the safest medium for tiger tour and is preferred mostly by the forest department. If a tiger is found, then the elephant will take you directly to the tiger either from the lodge or from a nearby point reached by jeep/car.

    –              You must pick safe and comfortable clothing so that you can find easy movement. Preferably cotton is the perfect choice which is safe and comfortable in every respect. Additionally, the color of the cloth should not be too bright to catch the attention of the animals (since it may disturb them) but a camouflage color can be the good option.

    –              You must pay attention to your movements and activities that should surely not disturb the wild creatures.

    –              Carrying almost every necessary item can be very helpful for you but mind it you should not be over-luggage. This can help you to avoid the extra burden of carrying weight and you can enjoy your trip completely by avoiding fatigue.

    –              Carrying first aid ailments while travelling is a smart move as you never know when you will meet any inconveniences while enjoying jungle trip.

    –              Photography is the most important part of any kind of wildlife tour when you can click the special moments and take them along with you. But while clicking on the object, your aim should be not to disturb them and you should silently click their shots.

    –              You must be patient while observing the wild creatures and should note down their movement, behavior and features for your records.

    –              Observe the birds carefully with a constant eye and be active throughout the observation since you are going to read the movements of nature’s most active creature.

    –              Your observation should include everything, right from their movement, appearance and voice that will certainly help you to distinguish every species from another.

    –              You must keep a permanent record of your observation so that you can make a careful distinction of the color and pattern of the birds, their hood shape, the size and shape of their beaks and wings and of course if possible their flying style and movements.

    –              Your observation should also include the feeding habits and their style of eating.

    –              Observing the general habitat, climate and the regions where the most common birds are found will definitely increase your knowledge of birds and will complement your bird-watching.

    –              Above all a patient and careful observation and keeping a documented record of all of it will bring about a successful birding trip in Bandhavgarh which is the most perfect location for almost more than 150 species of birds.

  • Scientists find plastic particles in clean air over French Pyrenees mountains

    Scientists find plastic particles in clean air over French Pyrenees mountains

    From polluting the depths of the Mariana Trench to the top of Mount Everest, microplastics have now infiltrated the clean air as well. A team of researchers have found these plastic particles invading the air surrounding Pic du Midi at an altitude of 2,877 meter in the French Pyrenees.

    Scientists from CNRS, Université Grenoble Alpes and the University of Strathclyde, Scotland analysed the composition of 10,000 cubic meters of air on a weekly basis. The air came from a pump installed at the Pic du Midi Observatory. Researchers found microplastic concentration of approximately one particle per four cubic meters of air.

    Researchers said that this microplastic came predominantly from packaging and while it poses no direct threat to the health of people, its presence at such an altitude is surprising.

    “Mathematical models of air mass trajectories used by the scientists indicate that the particles originated in Africa, North America, or the Atlantic Ocean, which indicates intercontinental atmospheric transport of microplastic,” researchers said in a statement, adding that a new stage in the microplastic life cycle and offer an explanation for their presence at the poles, on Mount Everest, or in other remote regions of our planet.

    Researchers said that the evidence illustrates that microplastics are present in the planetary boundary layer (PBL), at least at the sites tested, but how far these particles can travel is at least partially dependent on the altitude they can reach within the atmospheric environment.

    “The next logical question to ask is how ubiquitous is the microplastic pollution in our atmosphere and has it reached the free troposphere and what is the extent of free tropospheric MP transport?” they paper published in Nature Communications read.

  • Google Voice now lets users decide who goes to voicemail

    Google Voice now lets users decide who goes to voicemail

    Tech giant Google now lets users customise how its Voice service handles incoming calls. According to Engadget, users can now configure the app to forward calls from either individual or groups of contacts to a linked phone number or your voicemail. Separately, users can set a rule that plays custom voicemail greetings for specific contacts. And if they want to avoid taking calls unless necessary, they can tell it to screen individuals. The tech giant said the new options allow users to route incoming calls in ways that complement their existing workflows. To start using the feature, users can head over to the Google Voice website and click the cog icon located toward the top of the interface. Then click “Calls,” followed by “Choose a rule.” Note that on the mobile app, it’s only possible to view rules you have already set; you can’t establish new ones — at least not yet, the report said.    Source: IANS

  • iPhone 14 Pro to feature 48MP camera, periscope lens coming in 2023

    iPhone 14 Pro to feature 48MP camera, periscope lens coming in 2023

    Apple is reportedly planning to add a 48MP camera lens to the iPhone next year, followed by a periscope lens in 2023. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, these iPhone camera upgrades over the next two years will help to boost Taiwanese manufacturer Largan Precision’s market share, revenue, and profit, reports MacRumors.

    Kuo previously claimed that the 48-megapixel camera will be limited to iPhone 14 Pro models and allow for 8K video recording, up from 4K currently.

    8K videos would be suitable for viewing on Apple’s AR/VR headset that may launch next year.

    In addition, Apple may give at least one iPhone 15 model a periscope lens. This will allow for significantly improved optical zoom.

    The next flagship series, the iPhone 14 line-up, will come with up to 2 TB of storage.

    Apple will adopt QLC flash storage for next year’s iPhone and that thanks to the newer storage technology, it will increase capacity to 2 TB.

    Under the hood, the upcoming iPhone is expected to run on iOS 16 and pack a 3,815mAh battery with fast-charging support.

  • Researchers develop motion-planning algorithms that can think like humans

    Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, have developed a class of fast and efficient ‘motion planning’ algorithms which can think like human beings and enable autonomous aerial, ground or surface vehicles to navigate obstacle-cluttered environments.

    According to the team, the algorithms have been developed on a novel notion of ‘Generalised Shape Expansion’ (GSE) that enables planning for a safe and dynamically feasible trajectory for autonomous vehicles. These approaches have been found to yield superior results compared to many of the existing seminal and state-of-the-art motion planning algorithms.

    Because of its novel calculation of ‘safe’ region, it provides a crucial advance during time-sensitive planning scenarios arising in applications like self-driving cars, disaster response, ISR operations, aerial drone delivery and planetary exploration, among others, the team claimed.

    The research led by Satadal Ghosh, Assistant Professor, Department of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Madras, has published several research papers in internationally reputed peer-reviewed journals like AIAA Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, and IEEE Control Systems Letters, and top-tier conferences like IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC), American Control Conference (ACC) and AIAA SciTech.

    The team included IIT Madras alumni Vrushabh Zinage who is currently a doctoral research scholar at University of Texas Austin (USA), Adhvaith Ramkumar who is currently a graduate student at Warsaw University of Technology, Poland and Nikhil P, an analyst at Goldman Sachs.

    “The GSE-based algorithms function by calculating a ‘safe’ region consisting of large ‘visible’ areas in the environment, customised to ensure navigability. Following this, the algorithms select a random point in this ‘visible’ region and connect it through a safe ‘edge’ to the safely reachable regions discovered so far. Eventually, the algorithms can almost always connect any two points in any environment, which satisfies certain basic criteria,” Zinage said.

    The researcher explained that the GSE-based algorithms’ main advantage lies in the significant improvement of computational efficiency over several other well-established motion planning algorithms. This naturally leads to strong applicability of the GSE-based algorithms in applications, where planning is time-sensitive.

  • Legend of the Jyotirlinga

    Legend of the Jyotirlinga

    Jyotirlinga or Jyotirling or Jyotirlingam is a shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva where Shiva is worshipped in the form of a Jyotirlingam or “Lingam of Light”. There are said to be twelve Jyotirlinga shrines in India although their location is not consistently identified. The Jyotirlingas look like any other Shiva Linga. However, it is believed that a person who has attained a certain degree of spirituality sees these lingas as columns of fire piercing through the earth.

    The Twelve Jyotirlingas

    There are 12 famous Jyotirlingas where Lord Shiva appeared in the form of light (Jyothi) lingam. These have been worshipped from time immemorial. They are mentioned in the Dwadasa Jyotirlinga Stotra and are enshrined in following temples. Please click on the links to know more about the significance of each of these Jyotirlingas.

    Story behind the formation of Jyotirlinga

    In Shiv Purana you will hear an incident that took place thousands of years ago. When Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma were discussing who is supreme and that discussion turns into an argument. Then lord Shiva appears there to settle their argument. He made the infinite pillar of light appear there and that pillar pierced all the three worlds when it appears. Then lord Shiva told both of them that whoever finds the light first will be the supreme God.

    They both went in the opposite direction and after a while, they both didn’t find the end of the pillar. So Lord admitted defeat and told Lord Shiva he couldn’t find the end while Lord Brahma lied saying he did find the end of the pillar. Seeing him lying, Lord Shiva got furious and cursed Lord Brahma. That no one is going to worship Lord Brahma even though he has created this entire universe.

    In that anger, the Lord Shiva infinite pillar of light appeared on the earth in 64 places in the form of Lingodbhava. From those 64 places, only 12 are majors, and they now are known as the 12 main Jyotirlingas of India. In each Jyotirlinga Lord Shiva resides in some form of deity and blesses all the people.

    Somnath Jyotirlinga

    The Somnath Jyotirlinga, in Gujarat it’s located in Prabhas-Kshetra. This is the first Jyotirlinga, which is why it makes the most pilgrimage sites in this list. There is a story behind how this Jyotirlinga formed. The son of Lord Brahma Prajapati Daksha had 27 daughters that married the moon. The moon was paying attention to the most beautiful daughter of them all named Rohini.

    Nageshwar

    This Jyotirlinga situated in the beautiful city of Dwarka. Which is also famous for being the house of Lord Krishna as well. The Jyotirlinga of Dwarka gets visited by thousands of people every year. They come to see the statue of Lord Shiva which is 25 m tall, the garden and especially the view that you get of the Arabian sea from there. Here in this temple, Lord Shiva resides in the form of Nageshwar.

    Bhimashankar

    This shrine of Lord Shiva where he resides here in the form of Bhimashankar. It’s located on the Banks of River Bhima, and there is a structure or you can say a sculpture of Lord Shiva. That sculpture worshipped by thousands of people. This beautiful shrine was built by Bhima who was the son of Kumbhakarna. In this amazing place at the time of Maha Shivratri, everyone celebrates it with great energy and enthusiasm. Also, the best thing about this place is that it shows the bond between Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati as there is a Parvati temple close by this temple.

    Trimbakeshwar

    This temple situated at Brahmagiri mountain which is in the place of the origin of Godavari River. Also known as Gautami Ganga because Gautami Rishi prayed Lord Shiva to live here. So after that Lord Shiva resides there in the form of Trimbakeshwar. The best thing about this shrine is the formation and how it’s built from the inside. You can see three pillars inside this divine shrine that resemble the 3 principal dignities of the universe Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva.

    Grishneshwar

    This divine shrine located near the Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves. One of the best things that you will see in this shrine is how massive and impressive the architecture of the temple is build. There are many Gods and Goddesses craved in the structure of this red stone temple. The temple that  Ahilyabai Holkar built in the past. Now the locals there call this as Gru Someswara and Kusum Eswarar. There are many other things that you can find by going there and hearing from the locals.

    Vaidyanath

    This divine temple in Jharkhand has an interesting story behind it. The most ‘Gyani Pandit’ Ravana who worshipped Lord Shiva for his entire life, he one day asked Shiva to come with him to Lanka. Then Lord Shiva told him to take this Shiv-Linga and make sure you don’t drop it or put it down anywhere. If you can do that then only I will come to your Lanka with you. When he was carrying that Shiv-Linga, Lord Vishnu tried different magics and in many clever ways made him put the Shiv-Linga down. Since that time at that place, Lord Shiva resides there in the form of Vaidyanath.

    Mahakaleshwar

    This divine shrine of Lord Shiva located in Mahakaleshwar was made by a 5-year-old kid named Shikar. That kid was inspired by the King ofUjjain. Since that time Lord Shiva resides here in the form of Mahakal and also this is one of the 7 Mukti-Sthal in the whole of India. The word Mukti means freedom of your souls from your body. So this is the place to go and experience the nerve ending the life of eternity.

    Omkareshwar

    The shrine of Omkareshwar which also means ‘the sound of Lord Shiva which is Om’ this Om word is often used in many mantras and to mediate all over the world. So this shrine is located in Madhya Pradesh at an Island called Shivapuri. It’s believed that thousands of years ago in this place there was a war between Gods and Demons. So all the Gods prayed to Lord Shiva to help them with the victory in this war. So Lord Shiva helped them while coming there in the form of Omkareshwar. Since that time he resides here as Omkareshwar.

    Kashi Vishwanath

    This divine temple which is also called The Golden Temple of the city Varanasi. Situated in the beautiful state of Uttar Pradesh. The temple was the creation of Ahilyabai Holkar. The devotees believed that this is one of the first Jyotirlinga where the impact of God was experienced. So in this temple, Lord Shiva is worshipped and resides in the form of Kashi Vishwanath. This particular temple is believed where God blesses you, so you can have happiness and liberation.

    Kedarnath

    In the Himalayan Range at 1200 ft lies this amazing temple of Lord Kedarnath. This shrine is also a part of 4 Dhams and to get here you must walk a lot and there are things that you need to consider before coming here. The temple only opens from May to June as the weather conditions make it hard to visit any other month. You have to cross both holy rivers of India which are Ganga and Yamuna to get here. It’s believed that if you bath the Shiv-Linga here with the water from Ganga and Yamuna it will help you get rid of your problems, and bring you inner peace.

    Rameshwaram

    In the city of Rameswaram, this amazing temple with a more amazing story is located. This is one of the most visited temples in the Southern part of India. It is believed that when Lord Rama had to cross the ocean by building the Rama Setu bridge to get to Lanka he worshipped Lord Shiva by making a Shiv-Linga till the time he rested in this temple. That Shiv-Linga still exists and is also named after Lord Rama. This divine shrine is also considered as one of the 4 Dhams in India.

    Mallikarjuna

    In the state of Andhra Pradesh at the top of the Shri Sails Mountain, this divine shrine of Lord Shiva is situated. Once you get there you will be fascinated with the architecture and the sculpture of this holy shrine. This shrine is also listed on the 52 Shakti Peethas list of India. In this temple deities like Shiva, Parvati, and Bhramaramba resides.

  • Purab Kohli is ‘happy to be a part’ of The Matrix Resurrections

    Purab Kohli is ‘happy to be a part’ of The Matrix Resurrections

    The upcoming Matrix movie brings back Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss as Neo and Trinity but it has some exciting new faces as well which includes Indian actor Purab Kohli. Purab is playing the role of a game developer in the film who works with Keanu’s character. Purab recently attended the film’s premiere in San Francisco and shared a note from the night on his Instagram. His note read, “About last night. Or was it night before last. I’ve lost track of time on this absolutely fantastic week in #SanFrancisco Lucy and I at the premier of #thematrixresurrections so happy to be a part of #TheMatrix movies. Never imagined this would have been possible when i was first blown away by it in 1999!” Purab Kohli had earlier collaborated with Matrix director Lana Wachowski on the Netflix series Sense8. Talking to India Today, Purab said that he had to audition twice for the Netflix series as the casting directors lost the original tape. He also mentioned that he was happy to meet The Wachowskis when he read with them for Sense8, even before he got the part.

    Purab recalled that when he first watched The Matrix in 1999, he would dress up in long black coats to look like Neo and was completely in awe of him so when he shot with Keanu, it was an exhilarating experience. “I told him you must come back to India because you have such a huge fan following here and he looked at me completely surprised and said ‘Really?’ and I said ‘Yeah, you are Keanu Reeves man! Everybody in India knows who you are.”

  • Shehnaaz Gill confuses fans with her latest post

    Shehnaaz Gill confuses fans with her latest post

    Shehnaaz Gill sent her fans into frenzy after she shared a poster of the Netflix show Lucifer with a desi twist. The poster features the actress posing with the show’s lead actor Tom Ellis and it has created quite a stir on social media. Shehnaaz’s post has left her fans excited and confused at the same time as they wonder if she is going to debut on the Netflix show. Sharing the poster, Shehnaaz wrote for caption, “Asli Bigg Boss toh yahaan hai.”. One of the users wrote, “Excitement mein confusion ho rahi hai… looking forward to whatever this is because I’m sure it will be fab.”

    However, the actress won’t be seen in the show as the poster is a part of the promotional activities of Netflix. Meanwhile, the actress is slowly making her way back to work after the loss of Sidharth Shukla. She was seen in Diljit Dosanjh- starrer Honsla Rakh.

  • Nicole Kidman, Alexander Skarsgard reunite for epic tale of revenge

    The first trailer of upcoming epic thriller The Northman is out, and it promises tons of family drama and thrill. The clip teases a larger-than-life family drama that is hinged on the naked and messy emotion of revenge. Co-written and helmed by Robert Eggers, The Northman boasts of a star-studded cast including the likes of Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Björk, and Willem Dafoe among others.

    As of now, the primary plot seems to be basic – a son bent upon avenging his father’s brutal murder at the hands of their enemies. But the mystical landscape and intriguing but lovely cinematography hints at an enchanting tale buried underneath all the chaos.

    The official synopsis of the movie reads, “From visionary director Robert Eggers comes THE NORTHMAN, an action-filled epic that follows a young Viking prince on his quest to avenge his father’s murder. With an all-star cast that includes Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Björk, and Willem Dafoe.”

  • Doctor Strange Multiverse of Madness teaser: Wanda and Stephen face Evil Strange

    Doctor Strange Multiverse of Madness teaser: Wanda and Stephen face Evil Strange

    The teaser for Marvel’s next outing Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was released on Wednesday night. The teaser had been first put out as a post-credits sequence at the end of the recently released Spider-Man: No Way Home. But given as it takes off from where Spider-Man ends, Marvel waited almost a week to put the teaser online. The teaser hints that Benedict Cumberbatch may be playing both the hero and the villain here as Doctor Strange is seen coming face-to-face with an evil version of himself. In the Marvel universe, Doctor Strange is a sorcerer, who uses his knowledge of magic to protect Earth from evils. The character was introduced in his solo film Doctor Strange (2016) and has since appeared in several other Marvel Cinematic Universe films. The two-minute teaser sees Doctor Strange–played by Benedict Cumberbatch–face the consequences of his botched spell from No Way Home. In that film, in an attempt to make people forget Spider-Man’s secret identity, Strange attempted a spell that ripped open a tear in the fabric of the multiverse. While he seemingly repaired it in the climax of No Way Home, we see that Strange is dealing with some repercussions of it in Multiverse of Madness.

    The teaser shows him enlisting the help of Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and shows glimpses of characters from the first Doctor Strange movie – Rachel McAdams as Strange’s love interest Christine Palmer and Chiwetel Ejiofor as fellow sorcerer Karl Mordo.

  • Carrie-Anne Moss, says Indian cuisine is her creature comfort food

    Hollywood actor Carrie-Anne Moss has always felt a deep connection with India and its culture, and she hopes to dive into the culture and explore it in a more authentic way soon.

    “I have a deep desire to go to India. I have been to the country once, but it was a very tiny visit. Now, I have a deep desire to go deeply into India and (explore and) have that experience,” Moss tells us with an excited gleam in her eyes, as she connects with us through a video call from New York. The actor, who is reprising her iconic character of Trinity after 20 years with The Matrix Resurrections, shares how it’s not just the country’s culture that fascinates her. In fact, Indian food is something she looks towards regularly when she wants some comfort.

    “I mean, it is kind of shallow, but my most creature comfort food is Indian food. If I’m feeling like I need nourishment, or I feel like I need to feel cosy and I want to feel like in my heart more, then I make Indian food or order Indian food. I just love it. There’s something about it for me. Nothing is better than Indian food for me,” adds the 54-year-old.

    Born in Canada, Moss started her career as a model, going on to do many small parts on television and in films before becoming ‘The Matrix girl’ in 1999. There has been no looking back for her after it. She has starred in projects such as Jessica Jones, Pompeii (2014) and Frankenstein (2015). But it was the mega billion franchise of The Matrix which brought her most fame, and that’s why revisiting the story for the fourth chapter was special for her.

    Moss says she has wrapped up her life experiences over these years while approaching the role of Trinity in the film, which also stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Purab Kohli.

    “Since then, we have grown and evolved a lot. We (her and her co-star Keanu Reeves) have definitely evolved. We have grown old, become more mature, attained a larger world view, and have life experiences, which we can offer to the role while breathing life to the character,” she ends.

  • India successfully tests new-generation ‘Pralay’ missile for second consecutive day

    India successfully tests new-generation ‘Pralay’ missile for second consecutive day

    Balasore (TIP): India on Thursday, Dec 23,  successfully conducted the second flight test of indigenously developed surface-to-surface missile ‘Pralay’ off the Odisha coast, the DRDO said.

    For the first time, flight tests of a ballistic missile, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, have been conducted successfully in two consecutive days, it said.

    The missile, launched from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island, met all the mission objectives, the DRDO said. “In today’s launch, the ‘Pralay’ missile was tested for heavier payload and different range to prove the precision and lethality of the weapon,” it said.

    India had on Wednesday successfully conducted the maiden flight test of the missile.

    The second launch was monitored by all the range sensors and instruments, including telemetry, radar and electro-optic tracking system deployed across the eastern coast and the downrange ships positioned near the impact point, the defence research organisation said.

    With a range of 150 to 500 km, ‘Pralay’ is powered with solid propellant rocket motor and other new technologies. The missile guidance system includes state-of-the-art navigation and integrated avionics.     Source: PTI

  • Ramp up vaccination, poll-bound states told

    With Omicron tally reaching 236 across 16 states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday urged people to be “satark aur savdhan” (cautious and vigilant) while the Health Ministry directed the states going in for elections to exponentially ramp up vaccination.

    Chairing a high-level review meeting, the PM said the pandemic was not over. He said the government was alert to the evolving situation and asked states to focus on prompt and effective measures to contain the spread. The meeting ended with the decision that the Centre will send teams to states with low vaccination, rising cases and insufficient health infrastructure to assist them. In a meeting with state counterparts, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan advised against lowering the guard. “Ensure 100% coverage of left-out eligible beneficiaries, lay special focus on districts with lower than national coverage and scale up door-to-door vaccination,” the ministry said, noting that pockets with low vaccination coverage and those with low Covid exposure might be more vulnerable to the new variant.

  • One killed, 6 injured in Ludhiana court blast, alert sounded in Punjab

    One killed, 6 injured in Ludhiana court blast, alert sounded in Punjab

    Ludhiana/Chandigarh (TIP): A blast at the Ludhiana district courts complex on Thursday, Dec 23, killed one person and injured six others, including three women, prompting the Punjab government to declare a high alert in the state as the police preliminary investigations suggested it to be an act of terror. Police suspect that the man killed in the blast in the second-floor toilet was trying to assemble or plant the explosive device. Ludhiana commissioner of police Gurpreet Bhullar said, “The body of the deceased has not been removed from the site so that investigation and crime scene is not hampered with till the National Security Guard (NSG) team from Delhi reaches.”

    According to the internal communication of the Punjab Police headquarters to the field officers, there was possibility of grenade attacks and hence the security arrangements should be reviewed and beefed up. “There are specific inputs from various sources that grenades may be used to target police stations, government buildings and religious places,” the communication said.

    The blast occurred on a day when the advocates were on a strike and the footfall was lesser than normal. The explosion ripped apart the wall of the washroom and shattered windowpanes of lawyers’ chambers as well as of more than a dozen cars parked near the building.

    Amid utter chaos and panic, police cordoned off the area and evacuated people. An advocate, Gurbakshish Bedi, said he was in the lift at the time of blast and he thought there was an earthquake or the lift had broken. Another advocate Harjot Singh said he was on the second floor and going towards his chamber when he heard a loud thud. “There was dust all around. The blast sent two women flying in the air. There was a strong smell of potassium all around,” he said.

    Two of the injured women Sandeep Kaur (31) and Sharanjit Kaur (25) stated that they blacked out soon after the blast and just remember people rescuing them. Sandeep is a photostat operator and Sharanjithad come for a court hearing.

    An FIR under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 124A (sedition), 120B (criminal conspiracy); sections 3, 4 and 5 of Explosive Substances Act, sections 3, 4 of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, sections 13, 15, 16 and 18 of UAPA Act has been registered against unidentified accused at Division 5 police station.

    Meanwhile, senior police officials are of the opinion that the blast may be the handiwork of the same module that had hired two persons to carry tiffin bombs in Jalalabaad of Fazilka district in September this year. The bombs had exploded mid-way resulting in the death of one person who was supposed to plant it in a nearby market.                Source: HT