Patna Scientist Mirza Faizan shortlisted for most prestigious aerospace innovation awards in the world.

Mirza Faizan in front of Saturn V — the NASA rocket that launched humans to the moon — at Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, and an artist’s illustration of the GRIPS technology. Sensors will give an indication — by flashing red lights — in case there is an unauthorised aircraft on the taxiway. Telegraph picture 

 

The technology developed by Mirza Faizan, an aerospace scientist from Patna, has been shortlisted for one of the most prestigious aerospace innovation awards in the world. He is currently working in Texas, USA.

"I've developed technology to prevent and detect the aviation industry's worst scare, runway incursion. It has been shortlisted for the prestigious 'IHS Janes ATC Award 2014' in 'Runway Safety and Efficiency' category, at World Air Traffic Management Congress to be held at Madrid, Spain, on March 3," Faizan told TOI over phone.

"My innovation, Ground Reality Information Processing System (GRIPS), was assessed by a panel of experienced judges from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations (IFATCA), Federal Aviation Administration, Government of USA (FAA), Eurocontrol, Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO), International Air Transport Association (IATA) and IHS Janes.

Faizan, hailing from Samanpura locality of Patna, had his early education in St. Karen's High School, Patna, (class 1 to 10th) and completed ISc from St Xavier's College, Ranchi. He completed his graduation from Patna University and later did Master in Computer Science and course in embedded system design from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

Faizan received official communication from the award secretariat last week. He has been invited to be present at the World Air Traffic Management Congress at Madrid on March 3.

Mirza brothers - Rizwan and Faizan - have floated 'Avembsys', an avionics research and development company, to develop their innovative technology called 'Ground Reality Information Processing System' (GRIPS).

"My father, late Mirza Mohammed Fahim, retired as under secretary, CM's secretariat, Patna. I have a house at Samanpura where my mother still lives," Faizan told TOI.

source: TOI

The New Bihar: Rekindling Governance and Development

Author :	NK Singh & Nicholas Stern
Publisher :	Harper Collins

(From left) Lord Nicholas Stern, NK Singh, Suhel Seth, British minister Danny Alexander and India’s high commissioner Ranjan Mathai at a panel discussion on the development model of Bihar held at the Old Theatre Hall of London School of Economics on Monday evening. The discussion — centred on the book edited by Stern and Singh, The New Bihar: Rekindling Governance and Development — covered a wide gambit of development issues. Moderated by Singh, the panellists deliberated upon four points — the Bihar model of growth, central support to minimise difference between the national and state average, overall development outcome with combination of good governance opportunity with resources, and innovative methods to secure life and property. Alexander recounted with fervour and admiration his recent experience in Bihar. He mentioned that he was pleasantly surprised how effectively and efficiently the Right to Services Act had worked even in non-urban areas in the 

state. He had become an admirer of the recent development strategy of the state and would like to remain fully engaged and hopes to return to Bihar soon. Telegraph picture

During the 1990s, Bihars development failed to benefit from the acceleration in Indias economic growth and, in fact, slowed compared to the 1980s, principally because of a steep decline in the already low standards of governance Bihars fortunes of governance and economic performance changed dramatically after November 2005, when Nitish Kumar government came to power. Within a short time, major initiatives were launched in improving governance, infrastructure, education especially primary and for girl children, health and agriculture. Significant improvements in law and order presumably induced and allowed a resurgence of economic activity in construction, trade and hotels/restaurants and this has boosted the states growth prospects. The road ahead is long and arduous. But the last six years have shown that rapid economic development is possible in Bihar. To maintain the momentum of growth, the recent improvements in governance have to be consolidated and strengthened. Eminent economists like Amartya Sen, Kaushik Basu, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Meghnad Desai, Shankar Acharya, Arvind Virmanai, Govind Rao, Sudipto Mundle, Y.V. Reddy, Arvind Panagariya, M.S, Swaminathan and Yogender Alagh among others analyse the remarkable turnaround witnessed by Bihar. Tarun Das, Deepak Parekh, Lord Billimoria, K.V. Kamath and Isher Judge Ahluwalia speak of the opportunities and challenges for the state. This is a must read for anyone interested in governance and development and about the Bihar Model of Development which can be replicated in other states of India.

Bihari Dr.Mohan Mishra from Darbhanga has been selected for Padma Shri award.

 

DARBHANGA: An eminent physician and former Prof and HoD, Medicine, Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), Dr Mishra, a resident of Bengali Tola in Laheriasarai, belongs to Koilakh in Madhubani district.

Mishra started his career as the resident medical officer in DMCH in 1962 and became professor in the DMCH medicine department in 1979 and head of the department in 1986. He took voluntary retirement in 1995. Mishra did his MRCP from the UK in 1970 and FRCP from Edinburg in 1984 and another FRCP from London in 1988.

Born on May 19, 1937, Mishra did research in kala-azar and some of his works were funded by the WHO. His pioneering report on the use of Amphotericin B (Fungizone) medicine was published in the Lancet in 1991. Amphotericin B is now the foremost drug for the treatment of kala-azar - azar. He was also an expert member of UPSC. About his work on arsenic and drinking water, Mishra said he along with his sonNarottam Mishra, information scientist in KSDSU, worked on ways to get rid of arsenic in drinking water. He wrote 'A textbook of clinical medicine' published by the Oxford University Press.

Later, Mishra wrote several books on history, like 'An unfinished story: A history of the Indian freedom movement', 'Building an empire - Chanakya revisited', 'Mangal Pandey to Lakshmibai: A story of the Indian Mutiny 1857' and 'India through the Alien eyes' which was published by Balboa Press, USA, in 2012. It got 'The Wishing Self' award in the UK in the adult non-fiction category. Mishra, nowadays, holds free medical camps in remote villages in Darbhanga and Madhubani districts.

source :TOI

Education for all with Quality in Bihar

Having weaned them from baby food and breast milk, it's that time of the year when the breeders, succumbing to their parental instincts, prepare to drag their unwilling offspring off to get their first taste of the bitter-sweet water of knowledge that begins as a trickle in nursery school. Ergo, it's school admission time folks, and the Mammas and the Pappas of Patna are ready to push, shove, and jostle against one another at the gates of the best schools in town - all in a glorious effort to secure their Baby's right to education.

The state government would like us to believe that even the not-so-well-off are equally eager to have their kids take a swig or two from the sparkling stream of knowledge, and that's why enrolment figures have reached 96% in Bihar.

In 2010 when the Right to Education (RTE) Act came into force, Bihar had three years to get its own act together. It had to provide enough schools, enough teachers, enough classrooms, enough toilets and enough drinking water for 8.60% of the school-going population of India. And above all this, Bihar - one of the poorest and most populous states - was to ensure that the kids actually learn in these schools. The latest Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) published by an NGO has yet again shown Bihar in a 'poor light'. Briefly, it says a sizeable number of students in elementary schools that they surveyed across Bihar have abysmally low reading, writing and mathematical skills.

The three-year compliance period for the RTE Act is over. True, the state government has not been sleeping. The chaps whose job it is to deliver elementary education have been burning the midnight oil. Through the Bihar Education Project Council (BEPC) that runs the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the state government initiated several measures and passed almost all the necessary statutory orders to ensure effective implementation of RTE rules. The number of government-run elementary schools jumped from 50,375 to 69,772 during the period. In 2007, there were 23 lakh children who were 'out of school'. Today the number has gone down to about 28 thousand.

Visits to schools to ascertain the impact of the Bihar Education Quality Mission, set up in 2011 revealed there are several things happening at grassroots level that are hardly ever reported. Primary school teachers now have learning facilitation manuals that help them with classroom transactions and to assess student competencies. Morning assembly has become a regular feature in all schools, and one can see the students lined up and reciting the pledge or singing an inspirational song in practically every government primary or middle school.

The best way for capacitating these schools would be for the government and public functionaries to stop jostling at the gates of highly priced teaching shops and begin enrolling their kids in government schools. After all, wouldn't the village school headmistress be especially alert if the district magistrate's daughter or the education minister's grandson was studying in her school ?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        source : TOI

- Archaeologists find monastery seals and sculptures found in ancient university at Telhara, near the ruins of Nalanda.

 

 According to historians, Telhara University’s reference has been found in the account of Chinese travellers Hiuen Tsang and Ithsing.

Atul Kumar Verma, director, archaeology, said the directorate of archaeology had got firm evidence of the Telhara University, about 40km from Nalanda.

“We have found the same monastery seal, which was found during the excavation carried out at the Nalanda University site. While we had discovered only two-three monastery seal then, we have found seven-eight similar seals this time. The monastery seals are made of terracotta and are in round shape. There is a wheel sign, flanked by two deer, on the seal also. The monastery seals, which we have found at Telhara, date back to thousand years and it is totally similar to the seals, which were found at the ruins of Nalanda University,” he added.

He said the team, including conservator S.K. Jha, senior technical assistant Nand Gopal among others, had been carrying out excavation work at the site since 2009.

The directorate runs under the state, art, culture and youth affairs department.

“What makes us more confident about our claims is the finding of three Buddhist temples, which Hiuen Tsang briefed in his account. Besides, we have also discovered a huge platform, which has the seating capacity of nearly thousand people. This platform has also got mention in Hiuen Tsang’s account. He has written that around a thousand monks used to sit for prayer on this platform. Our another important discovery is the teacher compartments. This has also got mention in Hiuen Tsang account,” said Verma.

The directorate has also got evidence that the varsity was equally popular in the Gupta period. “We have found sculptures made of red sandstone, which proves that the university was quite popular in the Gupta period. We have found pottery of different shapes and seals from the site of the Gupta period. There is a complete influence of the Gupta period in the strokes of writing, which we have found on the earthen pots. Another important finding is the 1ft layer of as — something similar found from the Nalanda University site. It is believed that Nalanda University was set on fire by Turkish Muslim army under Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1193. We have got evidence that Telhara University was also burnt by Khilji on his way,” Verma said.

Verma added that the finding of directorate of archaeology is important as it acknowledges the fact that Bihar was once the centre of education. “After discovering the ruins of Nalanda and Vikramshila University, we have been able to discover the remains of another university in Bihar. It is definitely one of our big achievements and it also establishes the fact that Bihar was once the centre of excellence,” said Verma.

Verma added that it would take the directorate at least 10 years to properly conserve the university. “It would take quite some time for conservation. At present, our directorate is facing manpower shortage. Most of the important posts, including assistant director, technical assistant, surveyor among others, are lying vacant. We have asked the Bihar Public Service Commission to fill up the vacant post. So far as my knowledge goes, they have initiated the process of recruitment,” said Verma.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar, who hails from Nalanda district, had visited the site several times to keep himself abreast about the progress of the excavation. He announced that relics from the site would be housed in the proposed International Museum coming up in Patna.

Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen also made a trip to the site last week on request of the chief minister to have a first-hand view of the excavations.

Sources said the directorate of archaeology has recently been quite active.

It is soon going to set up a pre-historic park at Chirand in Saran district. The pre-historic park would be set up at a cost of Rs 7 crore.

source : The Telegraph

Bihar's Born-Seven-year-old Pratyush Kumar replies in a split second that the dates fall on a Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

Republic Day in 2050 or Independence Day of 2075 will be on which day? While most of us would be scratching our heads to take to Google 'baba' to find out the answer,
And, July 21, 2021? You ask further and pat come the reply, Wednesday; December 12, 2064? On Friday; March 24, 2050? On Thursday. That convinces one that the young boy has been specially blessed and can tell which day of the week would any date in near or distant future be.

In fact, it is rightly said that God never takes away something from your life without replacing it with something else. A native of Jehanabad, Pratyush lost his vision due to retinal detachment at the age of three. Multiple surgeries at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, did not yield any result. However, his treatment at Shankar Netralaya, Chennai, in 2011, yielded better results and Pratyush can now distinguish light and dark, see colours, big objects and contours.

The genius of sorts is a student of class II at J P M Senior Secondary School for the Blind, New Delhi, and that is where his extraordinary story started taking roots. In his father Nand Kishore Giri's words, "When I used to drop him at school, he would ask me when would I come back to take him home. I would say a certain date and he kept thinking about it. After a few times, he started telling me the day when I told him the date and I realized that he could calculate it to precision." He was admitted to the school in 2011.

Giri is a cosmetics hawker at village Tehta Matha in Jehanabad district. He is separated from his wife who, he alleges, stopped taking care of Pratyush after his vision was impaired.

Apart from his special gift, Pratyush is a meritorious student who stood third in class I. He likes to play cricket or ride cycle in spare time and one of his dreams is to travel on an airplane. "His education is covered by scholarship from the government and NGOs till class XII. But, I hope help would come forward for his higher education as he is a bright kid," Giri said.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     source :TOI