Category Archives: Science & Technology

Scientists activate memory building enzyme

Science & Technology

What happens when we forget? In diseases like Alzheimer’s, remembering basic details about who we are, where our home is and whether  the man standing close by is the husband, become arduous tasks that cannot be fathomed.

But, what if we had a pill to help us remember? The research of a couple of scientists in the city may make this a reality.

Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awardee Professor Tapas Kundu and Prof M Eswaramoorthy, along with their research groups at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, have figured out a way to activate an enzyme that builds memory.

Kundu designed a molecule about 10 years ago that will kick into action chemicals in the brain that are necessary for making memory.

But now, Eswaramoorthy’s group of researchers have figured a way to deliver this molecule to the brain by tagging it to a nano particle, one-thousandth the width of a human hair, of glucose-based carbon.

“We have found that the molecule supports neurogenesis, that is, the growth of new cells in the brain. We are confident that these molecules can be be used in therapy of neuro degenerative diseases,” Kundu said.

Eswaramoorthy and his group facilitate this with the nano particle, that was seen to cross the blood brain barrier.

By attaching the activator molecule to it, the researchers managed to effectively reach the brain of mice and activate the acetyltransferase enzymes there.

Kundu is a bit worried about using the glucose based particle to send the activator molecule to the brain, as it can be broken down in the body quite easily.

Sorting this issue could be crucial for human trials.Kundu has collaborated with Dr Anne Laurette Boutillier’s group in Strasbourg, France for furthering this study.

They have also shown through experiments with mice, that the activator molecule actually increases the enzyme activity in the brain that helps build memory.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Nation / by Papiya Bhattacharya / ENS – Bangalore / June 12th, 2013

Doctors for low-cost devices to reduce maternal mortality

Science & Technology

Bangalore,  (IANS) :

Specialist doctors favour low-cost devices to reduce maternal mortality and ensure better healthcare for women in India.

“By using low-cost devices, quality healthcare can be provided to reduce the maternal mortality ratio in our country, where divergent people live in remote and inaccessible areas,” a leading practitioner said at a medical conference here late Monday.

On a pilot basis, the Federation of Obstetrics & Gynecologists  Societies has introduced low-cost devices in partnership with Jhpiego, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University, to train doctors in modern reproductive system and demonstrate the benefits of smart technology.

“There is an urgent need for low-cost technology to provide quality healthcare services in distant and remote areas where trained medical staff are inadequate,” Jhpiego vice president Harshad Sanghvi told about 500 delegates at the World Congress on Obstetrics and Gynaecologists.

Jhpiego has developed a labour monitoring tool, a hand-held device that allows recording of clinical observations, predictions of complications and quick decision-making.

The device includes a sensor module for partial automation of data collection and a telemedicine module to allow midwives seek guidance from distant clinicians.

“The electronic partogram supports main workers and brings essential services to women. We also collaborated with the (state-run) National institute of Design in Ahmedabad to produce better user interfaces,” Sanghvi pointed out.

Similarly, Jhpiego developed another low cost device – HemoGlobe – to detect anaemia among women without drawing blood.

The device, developed in collaboration with the bio-engineering centre at John Hopkins, has been designed to convert mobile phones of health workers into a ‘prick-free’ system for detecting anaemia at the community level.

India has reduced the maternal mortality ratio to 254 for every 100,000 births during the past decade though any preventable maternal death is one too many.

According to federation president Hema Divakar, maternal death is a serious concern and the direct causes were haemorrhage (38 percent), sepsis (11 percent), hypertensive disorders (five percent) and abortion (eight percent), a category that can include indirect causes such as anaemia.

“In the labour room, we are always fighting to save two lives – mother and baby . With our population growing exponentially, technology plays a vital  role in ensuring quality healthcare services,” Divakar observed.

The federation has also launched a fast track initiative – ‘Helping Mothers Survive’ (HMS) – to reduce the maternal mortality ratio.

The three-day congress of the specialist doctors deliberated on women’s health-related such as infertility management, challenges in setting up low-cost fertile centre, scarless surgery, infertility practices and high-risk pregnancy .

With 219 member societies and about 27,000 members from across the country, the 63-year-old federation is the largest apex body representing practitioners of obstetrics and gynaecology across the country.

source: http://www.newstrackindia.com / News Track India / Home> Others> Karnataka, Health/Medicine / IANS / Tuesday – June 11th, 2013

MSRIT-Bangalore walks away with Blaze-2013

Business & Economy, Education, Science & Technology

Bangalore :

Schneider Electric India recently concluded the finals of ‘Blaze 2013’ at RVCE College, Bangalore. ‘Blaze’ is an annual energy efficiency contest by Schneider Electric exclusively aimed at students from engineering colleges across India. The contest witnessed nail biting finish when MSRIT-Bangalore was declared winner for Schneider Electric’s Energy Efficiency challenge this year. The winning team was awarded Rs 75,000.

The first runner up team from PESIT-Bangalore and the second runner up team from VIT-Vellore were awarded with Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 25,000 respectively. VIT-Vellore was awarded the “Best Diversity Team” for a healthy mix of team members from different engineering branches and gender balance. RVCE-Bangalore, NIT-Trichy and MSRIT-Bangalore won the “Best White Paper Award” while MSRIT-Bangalore also took the “Best Audit Report Presentation Team Award”.

The contest this year was launched online across 14 engineering colleges from India. Applications were received from more than 80 teams covering more than 500 students across different colleges. Based on the performance in initial rounds of the contest top 14 teams were selected for the mega finals.

The contest comprised of two rounds in which engineering students submitted a white paper on the topic “Energy Efficiency First” in the first round. In the second round, selected students undertook energy audits of their respective university campus. The teams that made through the different rounds then battled it out in the mega finals where they submitted their reports to the jury and the winning team was decided.

The 14 colleges who competed in the final round were Jadavpur University-Kolkatta, IIT-Delhi, NIT- Durgapur, VJTI-Mumbai, COEP-Pune, New Horizon-Bangalore, SJCE-Mysore, IIT-Chennai, MSRIT-Bangalore, MIT-Manipal, RVCE-Bangalore, VIT-Vellore, NIE-Mysore, NIT-Trichy.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Bangalore / TNN / June 02nd, 2013

Farmer reaps fruits of smart work

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Science & Technology

 On a govt-sponsored trip to Israel, he learnt waterwise ways to get a good yield.

Businessman-turned-farmer Mahesh Mittalkod shows the yield of a mango tree on his field. His income and profit are soaring since he adopted new techniques. - DNA/DNA
Businessman-turned-farmer Mahesh Mittalkod shows the yield of a mango tree on his field. His income and profit are soaring since he adopted new techniques. – DNA/DNA

While many farmers are selling their land and quitting farming owing to ‘unfavourable conditions’, one man is seeing his profit increasing manifold in the arid region of Koppal.

A government-sponsored trip to Israel in 2009 taught Mahesh Mittalkod methods to improve his yield. Upon returning, he put those methods to practice. Now, he is reaping the benefits. Literally.

He told dna that after the study trip, he got his first profit last year—Rs3 lakh. This year, the profit more than doubled to Rs7 lakh. He said he is expecting his income to touch Rs15-20 lakh the next season.

The businessman-turned-farmer said Israeli farmers’ technique of growing mangoes, using minimal water, impressed him a great deal. He found it of use particularly as Koppal, from where he hails, is infamous for water-shortage. He said that upon returning from the study trip, he took a sample of soil from his field to horticulture department for test. The report gave thumbs up to the soil quality, which encouraged Mittalkod to procure seeds of alphonso from Andhra Pradesh in April 2009.

In line with what he learnt in Israel, he dug one-foot-deep pits and used green leaves, neem cake and superphosphate as fertilizer, besides switching to drip irrigation for watering plants. He said his initiative made him the butt of joke of his neighbours, but he continued doing what he was doing. He said the support of horticulture department officials—such as Mohan NB and Murthy—egged him on. And the result is here for everyone to see.

While the saplings he had bought in 2009 have started giving yield, the ones he bought in 2010 would be giving result from the next season, taking his expected income to Rs15-20 lakh, he said.

District information centre BV Tukaram acknowledged Mittalkod’s achievement. He said the farmer grew five tonnes of alphonso mangoes this season and his yield might increase threefold next year. Mittalkod said the success of the new method has spurred him on to expand the practice to the other 17 acres of his land.

Having learnt about Mittalkod’s success, farmers from the region have been visiting his field for the past two months to learn the tricks of the trade from him. He said he would like to appeal to other farmers to look for such innovative ways instead of abandoning the profession.

source: http://www.dnaindia.com  / DNA / Home> Bangalore> Report / by Sangamesh Menasinakai / Agency:DNA, Place: Koppal / Sunday – June 02nd, 2013

City dentist makes news in Lutton city, England

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Nature, Science & Technology, Travel

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1) Dr. Syeda Shaguffa with former Health Minister of UK, Ann Keen, at the Indian Embassy in Central London. 2) The clipping of news item on Dr. Syeda Shaguffa published in Lutonon / Sunday newspaper on May 19, 2013.
1) Dr. Syeda Shaguffa with former Health Minister of UK, Ann Keen, at the Indian Embassy in Central London. 2) The clipping of news item on Dr. Syeda Shaguffa published in Lutonon / Sunday newspaper on May 19, 2013.

Mysore :

A young dentist from Mysore, Dr. Syeda Shaguffa, has made news in Luton, England, by drawing attention of the authorities towards the litter-strewn area of River Lea in Luton, eliciting a pledge from the officials to clear up the area.

In recognition of this, she was chosen to attend a health conference at the Indian Embassy, by none other than by the former Health Minister of UK, Ann Keen.

It all started when Dr. Shaguffa did a voluntary presentation in public health lecture. The presentation was about a river called Lea which flows across Luton, Bedfordshire and joins River Thames in London.

Dr. Shaguffa told Star of Mysore, “I made a presentation at a public health lecture, for which the former Minister Ann Keen was invited as a guest lecturer. She was very pleased with my effort and straight away contacted the local newspaper journalist who took my interview and the news was published in Luton On Sunday.”

“Then the day came when Ann Keen personally invited me to attend a conference with her at the Indian Embassy in Central London. Many high profile personalities were present at the conference including Kamlesh Sharma, General Secretariat to Common Wealth Nations, his wife Babli Sharma. J. Bhagwati, Indian High Commissioner to the Embassy in UK, his wife Rita Bhagwati, Brigid Mc Convillie, Director of World Ribbon Alliance, the organisers of the conference, Bollywood director Gurindher Chadda who made the iconic film ‘Bend it like Beckham,’ famous MTV singer Susheela Raman, actress Meera Sahay and Ann Keen herself.

“There I got a chance to talk a few words about the social causes of maternal deaths in India, and domestic violence being the major one. Everyone were pleased with me and Ann Keen told me that I made her proud. She praised me for my confidence to stand up and speak in front of such a big audience,” said Dr. Shaguffa.

“She also said, since I have good communication skills she sees a good politician in me and asked me to give a serious thought of being one. But when I said politics is regarded as “bad thing” in India because of the present corruption, she explained of good things in politics and how we can bring a revolution through the same,” she said.

Dr. Syeda Shaguffa, 24, is a resident of N.R. Mohalla in city, who is doing her MBA in Hospital Management and Health Care Services at the University of Bedfordshire, Luton.

Luton On Sunday, a newspaper in Luton city, had published a news item about Dr. Syeda Shaguffa on May 19 last, which is reproduced here.

Dr. Shaguffa, who did her BDS from Farooqia Dental College in city, has been awarded overseas merit scholarship by the Government of Karnataka.

After her return in April 2014, Dr. Shaguffa plans either to start a own hospital or take up an hospital administrative job, said her father Syed Mushtaq Ahmed, a Consultant Geologist. Dr. Shaguffa’s mother, Nikhat Fathima was a bank employee. She is married to Dr. Nawaz Pasha. Her elder brother Ishraq has studied BBM while two younger brothers, twins, Arshaq and Ishaq are studying 2nd PUC at Vidyashram School in city.

“I miss reading Star of Mysore and eating churmuri here,” said Dr. Shaguffa who is keen to get back to her home town as soon as the course is completed and plans to focus on her dental as well as administrative career.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / June 06th, 2013

Mangalore: Nations built on vision of leaders in science – BARC director at SAC

Education, Science & Technology

Mangalore : 

 “Nations are built on the vision, wisdom and intellectual inputs of exceptional leaders in science as well as in other fields. India has today emerged as a strong nation, a resurgent nation as a consequence of a strong foundation in science and technology guided by our great scientists and visionaries,” said Sekar Basu, director, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai.

He was addressing the third graduation ceremony of St Aloysius College (autonomous) at Loyala Hall here on Saturday June 1. He conferred graduation certificates to 1,452 postgraduate and undergraduate students from science, arts, commerce, management and other streams.

“Students here have graduated at a time when Indian economy is getting integrated with the global economy through the process of globalization. While we are looking forward to a healthy, fast growing economy, it is equally important that economic growth and industrialization remain sustainable. I come from the department of atomic energy and I may recount here some of the efforts of department of atomic energy in this area. The department of atomic energy has been contributing towards enhancing the energy security, health security, environmental security and food and water security of the nation.

“We have been witnessing an impressive growth in GDP. Our per capita electricity consumption is about 600k Whr/yr, compared to world average of about 2000k Whr/yr. India’s population will rise to 1.5 billion by 2050 and we must plan to have a multifold rise in electricity generation. Indian fossil fuel reserves will be exhausted in the next few decades. Renewable energy sources (hydro, wind, solar) along with nuclear will be the options in the long term for growth and sustainability,” he said.

“Agriculture is the principal means of livelihood for over 60% of India’s population. Nuclear technology has played an important role in facilitating the development of mutants with desirable agronomic traits such as higher yields, better tolerance to disease and stresses like drought, salinity etc. India has a very large population suffering from malnutrition, so BARC has developed as many as 41 new crop varieties in oil seeds and pulses that have been released and Gazette notified by Govt  of India for commercial cultivation in different parts of the country , and are very popular among the farmers including in Karnataka. A large amount of groundnuts, mungand urid you all eat comes from the research efforts of scientists at BARC,” he added.

Speaking on the effects of the nuclear energy and its radiation, Basu said, “Radiation technology and nuclear medicine have found increasing application in human healthcare. These include sterilization of medical products using radiation, Blood irradiators Hydro-gel based wound dressings disease diagnosis and therapy using nuclear medicine. We often feel that radiation can cause cancer  However, the real fact is that today radiation is serving as a powerful tool to cure cancer and has given a second life to large number of patients and enhanced the quality of their life. Nuclear programme offers excellent career opportunities to young science and engineering graduates. There is also tremendous scope for the young minds to explore career opportunities in societal applications of nuclear technology in industry.

“The society of tomorrow is going to be fully knowledge-based and knowledge has to be accumulated, transmitted and utilized. Hence every youth should aim at betterment – not only betterment of self but also betterment of society,” he asserted.

Fr Denzil Lobo, vice-president of MJES and rector said, “You have an obligation to society and to serve community. You have to work for society with values of education which have been taught here.”

Francis Serrao, president, Mangalore Jesuit Educational Society (MJES) and Provincial, Karnataka Jesuit Province who presided over the ceremony said, “The number of years you spent in college don’t matter but it matters how you spent your valuable years in college. This is not just a college but a temple of knowledge, tower of information, house of formation and it is a place of social and personal transformation. Usually, society concentrates on 3 Ps – power, profit and poise – but our aim should be to achieve concern, commitment, and conscience. Subashchandra Bose said do or die, but now we should do before we die.”

Dr A M Narahari, registrar, Fr Swebert D’ Silva, principal and others were present.

source: http://www.daijiworld.com / DaijiWorld. com / Home> Top Stories / Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje / Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (DV) / Saturday, June 04th, 2013

DFRL Addl. Director is ‘DRDO Scientist of the year’

Leaders, Records, All, Science & Technology
Dr. K. Radhakrishna, Additional Director, Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL), Mysore, is seen receiving the 'DRDO Scientist of the Year Award-2012' from A.K. Antony, Defence Minister, at DRDO Bhavan in New Delhi recently.
Dr. K. Radhakrishna, Additional Director, Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL), Mysore, is seen receiving the ‘DRDO Scientist of the Year Award-2012’ from A.K. Antony, Defence Minister, at DRDO Bhavan in New Delhi recently.

Mysore :

Dr. K. Radhakrishna, Scientist ‘G,’ Additional Director, Defence Food Research Laboratory, Mysore, was conferred with the ‘DRDO Scientist of the Year Award-2012’ at DRDO (Defence Research & Development Organisation) Bhavan in New Delhi recently, for his contribution in developing freeze dried products and test kits for critical missions for Armed Forces and for the space missions.

Defence Minister A.K. Antony presented the award.

Minister of State for Defence Jitendra Singh, Chief Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister Dr. V.K. Saraswath, Chief of Air Staff, Naval Chief, Secretaries from Defence Ministries, Chief Controllers of DRDO, Directors of various DRDO Laboratories and DRDO Scientists from all over the world were present.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / June 03rd, 2013

Ham radio can provide communication network during natural calamities : Expert

Science & Technology

 

Ham radio enthusiast R. Sathya Kumar demonstrating the use of the equipment to connect through the internet at Institution of Engineers in city this morning.
Ham radio enthusiast R. Sathya Kumar demonstrating the use of the equipment to connect through the internet at Institution of Engineers in city this morning.

Mysore :

In an effort to popularise amateur radio, the Indian Institute of Hams, in association with the Institution of Engineers, organised a seminar on Ham (Amateur) Radio at the Institution of Engineers premises this morning.

Speaking on the occasion, Indian Institute of Hams Director S. Sathyapal said that Ham Radio can be used to connect to multiple operators through the internet. Though Ham radio technology is there ever since the days of Marconi, albeit in a nascent stage, it is still not popular in our country, he said.

He said that youth from the age of 12 years are eligible to get the licence from the Ministry of Communication and IT after passing an examination.

“After getting the licence, any person can set up his or her own radio station at their residence and can communicate with people worldwide. The system is also useful at the time of natural disasters, to keep an eye on the relief operations,” he added.

Sathyapal also invited youths to come forward to learn about the technology and also take up Ham as a hobby to build a strong volunteers’ team to assist the authorities at the time of disasters and also on other occasions.

He mentioned that the lifetime fee for the licence is Rs. 2,000, which enables people to setup their own radio stations. Sathyapal also mentioned that the Indian Institute of Hams would be conducting a crash course for interested people.

People would be taught basic electronics, operating procedures, radio rules and regulations at the classes which will be held for two days and the subjects will be taught for six hours every day. The dates for the crash course will be announced in the coming days, depending upon the response, said Sathyapal.

The institute had also organised a contest today to popularise the use of amateur radio, wherein people getting maximum con-tacts would be awarded prizes.

During the seminar, Marcus, Head of Training, Indian Institute of Hams, spoke about the history of Ham.

Institution of Engineers Mysore Chairman Dr. T. Ananthapadmanabha, Jnanavani Assistant Manager V.M. Jagadish and others were present.

What is Ham radio?

Amateur radio (also called Ham radio) is the use of de-signated radio frequency spe-ctrum for private recreation, non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experi-mentation, self-training, and emergency communication.

The amateurs are interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / June 02nd, 2013

Infosys trains uni professors to bridge India’s education gap

Education, Science & Technology

 Faced with the reality that fifty percent of India’s hundreds of thousands of tertiary graduates are unemployable, Infosys is addressing the imbalance by training professors at poorly regarded universities.

Mysore , INDIA:

To address the growing issue of unemployable graduates, Infosys is directly working with lower ranked universities to ensure that new recruits hit the ground running.

Education and research principal S. K. Iyer told ZDNet at the Indian outsourcer’s 340-acre purpose -built campus that the Campus Connect program trains university and college professors how to produce talent attractive to employers.
A recent study by consultancy firm Knowledgefaber found that 50 percent of school-leavers, predominantly from lower-tier 2 and tier 3 colleges, are unemployable .
Infosys, which employs thousands of “freshers” every semester, has increasingly targeted these overlooked institutions to address the imbalance, Iyer said.
“We invite the professors to stay for a month or so, provide them all the training facilities, and show them how to teach from the industry’s perspective,” according to Iyer, who teaches several subjects at the Mysore campus.
“The tiers today may not be so relevant. I do get very bright students from tier 3 colleges and they shouldn’t be ignored or left without the opportunities, or prestige, that are afforded to tier 1 and 2 students,” said Iyer who previously taught at an Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIT) institute, part of the country’s top group of universities.
If a particular college alumnus has performed well in training, retention, and as an overall contributor, Infosys will return to the institution and professor to recruit more students.
The main focus is on practical experience rather than theoretical knowledge, and when it comes to identifying talent Infosys has one rule: consistency and performance.
Students must demonstrate steady marks–minimum 75 percent–throughout middle school, high school, and senior college. This is because the outsourcer trains “generalists, not specialists.”
“We don’t want a situation where we have someone trained in a particular skill but there’s no job for them. We need to use our resources effectively,” Iyer said.
source: http://www.zdnet.com / ZD Net / Home> IT  Employment / by Mahesh Sharma / May 31st, 2013

Bengaluru’s connection to Nobel prize in Economics deepens

Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

2013 ELINOR OSTROM AWARDEE – HARINI NAGENDRA

Bangalore ecologist Harini Nagendra is a 2013 Elinor Ostrom awardee, instituted in the name of the 2009 Nobel Prize winner.

For Bangalore-based ecologist Harini Nagendra, whose name has just been announced as a winner of the 2013 Elinor Ostrom award, it is a bittersweet moment.

Harini Nagendra and Dr. Ostrom at Kaikondrahalli Lake. Pic: Priya Ramasubban.
Harini Nagendra and Dr. Ostrom at Kaikondrahalli Lake. Pic: Priya Ramasubban.

The award has been instituted in the name of Elinor Ostrom, the USA-based scholar who received the Nobel Prize for economics in 2009 for her long standing body of work on the governance of the commons. For Harini, Elinor was, apart from being one of the most brilliant, incisive and deeply humanistic scholars, a very dear friend, collaborator and mentor with whom she worked closely for 12 years. Says Harini, “The award (being) in Lin Ostrom’s name, and is a great honour.” Elinor passed away just a year ago in June 2012.

The very first 2013 Elinor Ostram Award  on Collective Governance of the Commons goes to eight individuals and organisations from around the world, including Harini. The award is given by a consortium of 15 international organizations including the UNESCO Man and Biosphere programme, Resilience Alliance and the International Association for the Study of the Commons. Harini will receive the award at IASC conference in Mt. Fuji, Japan, in early June.

The award has been given at end of a process in which experts and an awards council received many candidates and carefully evaluated them in three consecutive rounds.The other laureates are: Foundation for Ecological Security, the Open Spaces Society, Grupo de Estudios Ambientales A.C., Harini Nagendra, Ben Cousins, Charles Schweik, Eduardo Araral and Michael Cox.

Elinor Ostrom had a deeper connection to Bangalore. She had been herself studying lakes in the city and had deep insights into the way forward for citizen action on lake preservation. She passed away in Indiana, United States, mid last year after a short and intense battle with pancreatic cancer. During her trip to Bangalore in February 2012, she visited Kaikondrahalli lake on Sarjapur Road . Kaikondrahalli lake was restored through a collaborative effort by local communities and the BBMP, was one of the sites of research for Harini.

The consortium notes on its website that the Elinor Ostrom award is “to acknowledge Ostrom’s legacy for scholarship and policy-making while making it accessible to wider and more varied audiences, within and outside of the academia”. It also wants to promote academic research on the commons, collective action, and related institutions, as well as its application to the understanding of the governance of different types of commons. The website adds that the awards were also instituted to “multiply the impacts of Ostrom’s proposals on scholarship and policy-making, making her legacy a living one.

For her part, Harini has authored articles in Citizen Matters on environmental issues of Bangalore, and her July 2011 article chronicling the city’s green battles in detail is still an important read for those who want to understand how the city communities have been standing up to grave threat of losing lakes and green spaces to unregulated urbanisation.

She is currently a scholar at Bangalore-headquartered Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment or ATREE, and is also holds an Asia-level research position at Indiana University.
Harini, 41 studied at Bishop Cottons Girls School, Bangalore and National Public School Indiranagar. After her BSc from St. Joseph’s College of Arts and Science, she completed MS in Biological Sciences and PhD in Ecology from Indian Institute of Science. The mother of a 5 year old and National Geographic Conservation Trust grantee has said, “If anything I can do, in collaboration with others, can make the smallest dent in the situation-the likelihood of a better world for my daughter’s generation is worth it in and of itself.

source: http://www.bangalore.citizenmatters.in / Citizen Matters, Bangalore / Home> City> People / by News Desk / Citizen Matters – May 24th, 2013