The director of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, V Kamakoti, has sparked controversy after making a remark about the "medicinal value" of cow urine, or "gomutra." Kamakoti, while speaking at an event celebrating Maatu Pongal (a festival dedicated to cows and bulls), cited an anecdote about a sanyasi who was cured of a fever by consuming gomutra. He also claimed that gomutra has "anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and digestive properties." The remark has been widely condemned by rationalist organizations, political leaders, and medical professionals who have criticized Kamakoti's statements as "pseudoscience" and "regressive." The controversy highlights the ongoing debate in India around traditional beliefs and scientific evidence.
As weather patterns grow more unpredictable due to climate crisis, India is taking a giant leap with "Mission Mausam" to improve weather understanding and forecasting through expanded observation networks, better modeling and advanced tools like AI and machine learning.
The Uttar Pradesh government, citing a scientist, has asserted that Ganga water at the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj is as pure as "alkaline water", debunking concerns raised by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) about water quality. The government claims that a scientist found no bacterial growth or decline in the water's pH level, despite millions of devotees bathing in the river. However, experts caution that the quality of the Ganga water is not static and can vary greatly depending on various factors.
The Savitribai Phule Graduate Scholarship will cover course fee to study at Somerville College, University of Oxford and a grant for living costs.
Thotakura was selected as one of the six crew members for the mission, making him the first Indian space tourist and the second Indian to venture into space after the Indian Army's Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma in 1984.
Here's a look at some Indian-origin athletes who will be representing their adopted countries at the Paris Games
Iqbal wrote songs supporting the 'Muslim League' and the 'Pakistan Movement'. He was the first to raise the idea of the partition of India and the establishment of Pakistan, the VS said.
Thotakura was selected as one of the six crew members for the NS-25 mission, making him the first Indian space tourist and the second Indian to venture into space after the Indian Army's Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma in 1984.
I suggest we build a Vigyan Mandir (Temple of Science) with the ambience of a place of worship, so that it becomes a destination for pilgrims. We should embed on its walls bronze plaques describing each scientist mentioned here along with about a dozen of our ancient mathematicians, recommends Professor Kalyan Singhal, historian of science and technology.
On Friday, Biden announced his intent to appoint 14 people to the advisory committee, which provides overall policy advice to the United States trade representative on matters of development, implementation, and administration of the US trade policy.
The sustainable impact of this process is under scrutiny, Tripathi added.
The nominees are Congresswoman Deb Haaland as Secretary of Interior, Jennifer Granholm as Energy Secretary, Michael Regan as administrator for Environmental Protection Agency and Brenda Mallory as Chair of the Council of the Council on Environmental Quality.
The National Security Strategy document should flag all major issues concerning security strategy and provide guidelines to concerned departments to work out suitable action plans. Since the global and regional geopolitical canvas is dynamic, the NSS document should be deliberated at length before formulation and should be reviewed periodically, recommends Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
Violation of the provisions entails a punishment of a jail term of up to five years or with fine up to Rs one crore or with both.
The university's academic council in a meeting on Friday had passed a motion for the removal of the chapter titled Modern Indian Political Thought.
The NRSC satellite imagery revealed that the lake covered approximately 162.7 hectares. Its area increased to 167.4 hectares on September 28 but drastically reduced to 60.3 hectares.
The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) on Friday opposed a regulatory body's recommendation for environmental release of genetically modified mustard, calling it "dangerous" and urged the Centre to ensure that the crop's seed is not allowed to be planted "now or ever". In a letter to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, the RSS-affiliated organisation accused the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) of functioning in an "irresponsible fashion" and said the claims made in support of genetically modified (GM) mustard were "completely untrue, unsubstantiated and wrongly projected". "Swadeshi Jagran Manch has all along been opposing this dangerous and unneeded GM mustard being brought in through the backdoor as a public sector genetically modified organism (GMO)," organisation co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan said in the letter.
Dr Ajay Kumar Sood will have to complete a task his predecessor started: Getting the government to sign off on a new Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy on which work was begun in 2020.
From the numerous small and big shops in the main markets to the residential properties, vehicles, and billboards, posters with the slogan 'NTPC go back' have come up around the town in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district over the past few days.
Renowned Indian environmental economist and UN Environment Programme (UNEP) goodwill ambassador Pavan Sukhdev has won the 2020 Tyler Prize, regarded as the 'Nobel Prize for the Environment', for his ground-breaking "green economy" work. Sukhdev, 59, who will receive the award alongside conservation biologist Gretchen Daily, has been acknowledged for his work on bringing the economic consequences of environmental degradation and loss to the attention of corporate and political decision-makers.
The ease with which city-level master plans are altered and land-use patterns changed without considering carrying capacities or the overall environmental footprint of urbanisation in different states has already created water and air pollution crises in several emerging and existing cities.
Hit by a car while cycling, environmental activist Sunita Narain on Monday said cyclists in Indian cities are being edged out systematically to make way for cars.
The research, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that a significant portion of this ocean plastic debris is expected to make its way onto either beaches or the seabed within three to four years.
Says sector severely wanting in pollution & regulatory compliance
The exams were postponed in view of the nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19.
NEERI studies show vehicles cause lowest emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.
The study may also help to explain the apparent persistence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 in cool environments with high lipid or protein contamination, such as meat processing facilities and how we might better address that risk, the researchers said.
This new technology primarily uses solar energy.
The Centre for Sciences and Environment (CSE) claimed in a study that the government's plans to introduce these cars without ensuring sufficiently stringent emission and safety standards would create environmental problems.The study also suggested that the government must guard against permitting these cars to run on diesel.
A new advertising code for the outdoor media in Delhi is on the cards. The advertising code, to be out by the end of the month, is being drafted by a two-member committee appointed by the Supreme Court of India.
He also said it may be adopted for use in every stage of a rocket. He was speaking at the 16th convocation of SRM Institute of Science and Technology, near Chennai.
The ban on sale of Coke and Pepsi by several state governments, including Gujarat, in schools and colleges, has created apprehension ahead of the Champions Trophy.
To justify that farmers must burn if they are not paid cash incentive is doing injustice to them and to the lungs of the children of the country, notes Sunita Narain.
The state government has started advising farmers to adopt 'cosmic farming' in which they need to chant 'Vedic mantra' for 20 days in the farm for better quality and quantity of their crop.
Detailed order, to be passed on Monday, will consider green tribunal's decisions
NASA has released new global maps of Earth at night.
Agarwal was admitted to hospital on Wednesday after he even gave up drinking water.
On World Sparrow Day, Rediff readers sent us these beautiful images of sparrows.
