Covid positive woman ends life by suicide in UP hospital

A 50-year-old woman, undergoing Covid treatment at the ICU in Jhansi Medical College, died after jumping from the fourth floor of the ward.

The incident took place on Thursday evening and the deceased has been identified as Rekha Devi of Mauranipur, who was admitted at the fourth floor of special L3 Covid hospital since April 18.

On Thursday evening, Rekha suddenly got up from her bed, climbed the window of the ward and jumped from there before anyone could understand her intention.

Rekha was immediately picked up from the floor as she was breathing heavily and taken to the emergency for treatment but she succumbed to injuries.

According to Dr Narendra Senger, the principal of the medical college, the woman who was admitted since April 18, was recovering well.

She had developed ICU fear psychosis and was continuously telling the doctors that she wanted to leave the place.

“Today, when the team of doctors and paramedics were present in the ward with routine treatment going on, she suddenly went to the window and jumped out,” he said.

The police are completing all formalities before the body is handed over to the family.

Engineers trick Tesla car to drive on Autopilot sans driver

As Tesla faces several fatal crashes in the recent past that has put its Autopilot mode in scrutiny, engineers at Consumer Reports engineers have easily tricked a Tesla Model Y to drive on the electric carmakers driver assistance feature, without actually anyone in the drivers seat.

During the drive, Tesla Model Y automatically steered along painted lane lines, but the system did not send out a warning that the driver’s seat was empty.

The engineers tricked Tesla vehicle by placing a small, weighted chain on the steering wheel, to simulate the weight of a driver’s hand, and slid over into the front passenger seat without opening any of the vehicle’s doors, because that would disengage Autopilot, the report said on Thursday.

Using the same steering wheel dial, the engineers reached over and was able to accelerate the vehicle from a full stop.

“In our evaluation, the system not only failed to make sure the driver was paying attention, but it also couldn’t tell if there was a driver there at all,” says Jake Fisher, CR’s senior director of auto testing, who conducted the experiment.

“Tesla is falling behind other automakers like GM and Ford that, on models with advanced driver assist systems, use technology to make sure the driver is looking at the road.”

Last week, two people were killed in a fiery Tesla crash in Texas with no one in the driver’s seat. The fatal crash is under investigation.

Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman told Houston television station KPRC 2 that the investigation showed “no one was driving” the fully electric 2019 Tesla when the accident happened.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted earlier this week that data logs recovered from the crashed Model S “so far show Autopilot was not enabled”.

Musk argued that it would not be possible to activate Autopilot on the road where the crash took place because of the lack of “painted lane lines”.

Fisher, however, found that the Tesla car “drove up and down the half-mile lane of our track, repeatedly, never noting that no one was in the driver’s seat, never noting that there was no one touching the steering wheel, never noting there was no weight on the seat”.

“It was a bit frightening when we realised how easy it was to defeat the safeguards, which we proved were clearly insufficient,” he was quoted as saying.

There have been at least 23 Tesla Autopilot-related crashes, currently under investigation by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Tesla had cautioned that Autopilot is not an autonomous driving system and requires a driver’s constant attention.

Tea crop prospect looks bleak in Assam, Bengal: Industry body

The crop prospect in the current season for the tea industry in Assam and West Bengal looks bleak due to the drought-like situation prevailing in both the states, a leading industry body said.

Tea Association of India (TAI) Secretary General P.K. Bhattacharya said that after the aftermath of prolonged period of lockdown and losing around 140 million kgs of made tea last year, the tea industry in north was hopeful for a fresh start in 2021, but is again foreseeing grim days ahead, faced as it is with the onslaught of natural calamities resulting in lesser crops.

In a statement, TAI said that the situation has worsened due to the recent massive hailstorm in the tea-growing regions of north Bengal.

According to the TAI, Assam has harvested only 0.23 million kg during the period of January-February this year as against 0.27 million kg last year and 0.44 million kg in 2019. It said that while the crop figure for the month of March is yet to be released by the Tea Board, the figure is expected to lower by around 10-15 percent in March and April this year as compared to 2019.

“Similarly, north Bengal has harvested only 1.92 million kg this year as against 4.04 million kg in 2019 during January-February,” Bhattacharya said.

He said that there is huge less rainfall recorded during January and February both in Assam and in north Bengal and the situation has worsened during the months of March and April as reported by the tea estates of both the states.

The TAI statement said that due to a shortage of supply during the lockdown, tea prices witnessed a surge in prices for a brief period in 2020.

However, the price rise could not be sustained for a long period and auction prices subsequently declined sharply in the last few auction sales in 2020. However the increase in tea prices in 2020 has been largely offset by the loss in production.

The TAI said that Assam produces around 4.5 percent of its total crop in the month of March and around 6 percent in April which is around 32 million kg and 44 million kg, respectively. Similarly, West Bengal also produces around 5.5 to 6 percent of its total crop in March and April amounting to around 23-25 million kg.

“The figure is expected to be lower by around 10-15 percent in the month of March and April as compared to the corresponding period of 2019,” the tea industry body said.

Morgan fined Rs 12 lakh for KKR’s slow over-rate

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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Eoin Morgan has been fined Rs 12 lakh for maintaining a slow over-rate during their IPL match against Chennai Super Kings here at the Wankhede Stadium.

“As it was his team’s first offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, Morgan was fined Rs 12 lakh,” said the IPL.

KKR’s lower order put up a brave fight but could not get their team past the finishing line on Wednesday, as CSK beat them by 18 runs in a high-scoring encounter.

With KKR reeling at 31/5 in 5.2 overs while chasing an imposing 221 for victory, it looked like CSK would win the match with ease.

However, Andre Russell (54 off 22 balls; 3×4, 6×6), Pat Cummins (66 not out off 34 balls; 4×4, 6×6) and Dinesh Karthik (40 off 24 balls; 4×4, 2×6) staged a remarkable fight back to take KKR to 201/9 in 19 overs. With 20 needed off the last over, last man Prasidh Krishna was run out off the first delivery as Cummins tried to steal a double to retain strike, thus confirming an 18-run win for CSK.

Junk foods may damage your bones

Hyderabad ,April 22 (Telugu Bullet)  Does your kid love to eat ultra-processed junk foods like packaged chips, soups, hot dogs and fries? Besides the increasing risk of obesity, eating junk foods can also affect your bones, warn researchers.

A team of researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel proved the linkages between ultra-processed foods and reduced bone quality, unveiling the damage of these foods particularly for younger children in their developing years in a rodent-study.

The findings showed that the rodents experienced moderate damage to their bone density, albeit there were fewer indications of cartilage buildup in their growth plates.

“Our conclusion was that even in reduced amounts, the ultra-processed foods can have a definite negative impact on skeletal growth,”said Efrat Monsonego-Ornan, Professor at the varsity.

The team surveyed lab rodents whose skeletons were in the post-embryonic stages of growth. The rodents that were subjected to ultra-processed foods suffered from growth retardation and their bone strength was adversely affected.

Under histological examination, the researchers detected high levels of cartilage buildup in the rodents’ growth plates, the “engine” of bone growth. When subjected to additional tests of the rodent cells, the researchers found that the RNA genetic profiles of cartilage cells that had been subjected to junk food were showing characteristics of impaired bone development.

The team then sought to analyse how specific eating habits might impact bone development and replicated this kind of food intake for the rodents.

They divided the rodents’ weekly nutritional intake — 30 per cent came from a ‘controlled’ diet, and 70 per cent from ultra-processed foods.

“Even if we reduce fats, carbs, nitrates and other known harmful substances, these foods still possess their damaging attributes. Every part of the body is prone to this damage and certainly those systems that remain in the critical stages of development,” Monsonego-Ornan said.

Why this exoplanet is at large distance from sun-like star?

London, April 21 (Telugu Bullet)  A giant planet orbiting at a large distance around a sun-like star has presented a puzzle to astronomers because it does not seem to fit either of the two most well-known models for the formation of large gaseous planets, according to a study.

The planet — YSES 2b — is located 360 light-years from Earth in the direction of the southern constellation of Musca (Latin for The Fly). The gaseous planet is six times heavier than Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system.

The newly discovered planet orbits 110 times more distant from its star than the Earth does from the sun (or 20 times the distance between the sun and Jupiter). The accompanying star is only 14 million years old and resembles our sun in its childhood, said the scientists.

“By investigating more Jupiter-like exoplanets in the near future, we will learn more about the formation processes of gas giants around sun-like stars,” said lead researcher Alexander Bohn from the Leiden University in the Netherlands. The findings are forthcoming in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

If the planet had grown in its current location far from the star by means of core accretion, it would be too heavy because there is not enough material to make a huge planet at this large distance from the star, the team explained.

If the planet was created by so-called gravitational instability in the planetary disk, it appears to be not heavy enough. A third possibility is that the planet formed close to the star by core accretion and then migrated outwards. Such a migration, however, would require the gravitational influence of a second planet, which the researchers have not yet found.

 

People of Assam showed red card to Cong: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the people of Assam showed the “red card” to the Congress-led grand alliance during the first phase of the Assembly polls on March 27 and gave their approval stamp to the state’s incumbent “double-engine government”.

Addressing an election rally in Kokrajhar, Modi, without naming the Badruddin Ajmal-led All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), said the Congress must be punished for forging an alliance with an inimical force.

“People of Assam in the first phase of elections like in a football match showed the ‘red card’ to the Congress-led ‘Mahajot’ (grand alliance) and gave their ‘mohar’ (stamp) for the double engine government for a second time.”

“The prospects in today’s election scenario were also very encouraging,” he said while referring to the ongoing polling in the second phase of the elections for 39 seats on Thursday.

Terming the 10-party ‘Mahajot’ as ‘Mahajhooth’ (grand lie), Modi said the Congress has betrayed all ethnic communities in Assam and during their rule, “bomb, bandook (guns) and blockade raj” was the order of the day.

“We would never allow them to loot the hard-earned peace in Assam. Congress has joined a party that is certain to destroy Assam’s identity,” he said.

The Prime Minister added that after a long time, peace has been restored in Assam and development was underway at a rapid speed.

“For those extremists who have shunned the path of violence and surrendered, the government would do everything as promised. Congress’ misgovernance led to the violence and unrest besides backwardness in the Bodoland areas.”

Detailing the Bharatiya Janata Party led government’s developmental initiatives in Assam, the Prime Minister said: “A medical college, university, engineering institutes, and various other establishments are being set up in Kokrajhar. A package of Rs 1,500 crore has also been provided for development.

“Besides giving “pattas” (land rights) to over 3.25 lakh families, increase of the rates of daily wages of the tea garden workers, setting up of educational institutions for all class and communities including women, changing the lives of all people very fast.

“With the mantra of peace, progress, and protection for Bodoland areas, the NDA government is working h for your welfare.”

The Prime Minister also announced that the Bodo language is being included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution ensuring its further development.

The Prime Minister, who addressed many election gatherings in the past one month, is likely to visit Assam once again before the third and final phase of the Assembly elections on April 6.

Telangana police arrest fake govt official who duped people of Rs 3 cr

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Hyderabad, March 31 (Telugu Bullet)  Telangana Police have arrested a person for allegedly impersonating the chief minister’s personal assistant and duping several people to the tune of Rs 3 crore.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar said that A. Sudhakar, who was arrested on Tuesday, had duped his victims, numbering between 80 to 100, with assurances of government housing allotments, police department jobs and gold at cheaper rates.

“Posing as an employee in the CM’s office, Sudhakar created fake IDs of PA to CM and OSD. The accused engaged two persons, S. Nagaraju and B. Bheemaiah, to dress in safari suits and carry fake guns to give the impression of his official security guards, and traveled in a Fortuner car,” Kumar said.

Sudhakar is a Class V dropout and worked for some time as a driver at the secretariat. While working in the tourism and tribal welfare departments, he observed the activities in the secretariat and devised his plan to fleece people.

According to the police, eight cases have been registered against Sudhakar in seven police stations across the city.

Properties worth Rs 2.2 crore, including Rs 1.03 crore in cash, and house documents were recovered from the trio.

Man dies after acid attack by girlfriend

Agra (Uttar Pradesh), March 26 (Telugu Bullet)   In a shocking incident, a young woman attacked her boyfriend with acid after she learnt that he was getting married to another woman.

The incident took place on Thursday evening in the Khandari area under Hari Parwat police station in Agra.

The man, Devendra Rajput, 28, died of severe burn injuries in the hospital.

According to reports, the couple fell in love while working in a private lab and were living together in a rented house.

The man’s marriage had been fixed elsewhere by his family and this angered the woman.

The man had gone to work on Thursday when the woman called him home on the pretext of fixing a ceiling fan.

She threw acid on him when he was fixing the ceiling fan in the house.

The woman, identified as Sonam, also sustained burn injuries while throwing acid on him. She is undergoing treatment in the hospital.

Devendra’s family members, who rushed to Agra from Kasganj, alleged that Sonam was behind the acid attack on their son.

Superintendent of Police Agra, B.R. Pramod, said that a case has been registered on the complaint of the deceased’s parents.

“Investigation is on to find out the reasons behind the acid attack by the woman,” he said.

20 year quest for heir ..By the time the son was born .. Tragedy

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He waited for years for a child. He got married for the second time due to lack of profit. When two girls were born .. he ran for heir. he died unexpectedly by the time her son was born.

A man who escaped for 20 years for an heir .. Tira died at the birth of a son. He married another woman whose first wife had no children. Before she gave birth to her son, she died unexpectedly. The tragic incident took place in Nawabpet zone of Mahabubnagar district.

Kalmankalva village Chennai (42) married a woman from Kottapalli village in the same zone 20 years ago. They did not have children .. He waited for years for children. He finally remarried Madhavi from their village six years ago. She had two daughters. She was pregnant for the third time and it was strongly believed that an heir would be born this time.

While his second wife was pregnant, he left for Chennai on Monday morning. But fell unconscious right there. He was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries the same evening. During the funeral on Tuesday .. the second wife got hemorrhoids. When she was rushed to the hospital, she gave birth to a baby boy in the PHC where her husband died. Chennai, who had escaped for almost 20 years for a successor, breathed his last without looking after his son.
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Frustrated Over Parents’ Constant Fights, B.Tech Girl Attempts Suicide in RR District

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    A girl who got frustrated over the frequent diputes between the parents, allegedly attempted suicide. She made a video call to her mother and said that she wanted to die. The mother immediately reached the police and they have rescued the girl. This incident took place in Rangareddy district.mom rage is a real thing—here's how to deal with it

 According to Adibatla police, Tirupati Reddy and Lavanya hail from Ragannaguda, Turkayamjal mandal. Tirupati Reddy is working as an RTC driver and Lavanya is a homemaker and their daughter Shresta is studying fourth year of B.Tech.

     Shresta was emotionally drained with the constant fights between their parents and decided to end her life. She was also upset as their parents were trying to take divorce. On Sunday evening, Lavanya who went outside on a work received a video call from her daughter and she said that she wanted to commit suicide. Lavanya immediately called 100 and gave the information.

Adibatla police who responded immediately went to their house and rescued the young woman. Later, police had a counselling session for Shresta and was allowed to go home with her mother. Police registered the case and investigation is going on to know the exact reason for her attempt to suicide. Rachakonda CP Mahesh Bhagwat praised constables Venkatesh and Sujatha who responded in a timely manner and rescued the girl.

Telangana’s Covid toll crosses 1,600

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The death toll due to Covid-19 in Telangana crossed 1,600 on Monday, health officials said.

Two more persons succumbed to the virus during the last 24 hours, pushing the toll to 1,601.

The state had reported the first Covid death in the last week of March last year. The toll crossed 1,000 in September while it climbed to 1,500 in December.

According to the director of public health and family welfare, the fatality rate remained 0.54 percent against the national average of 1.4 percent. While 44.96 percent of the deaths occurred due to Covid, 55.04 per cent had comorbidities.

During the last 24 hours, the state reported 118 new cases due to the weekly drop in the number of tests. The cumulative number of cases mounted to 2,94,587.

A total of 264 people recovered from the virus, taking the cumulative number to 2,90,894.

The recovery rate improved further to 98.74 percent against the national average of 97 percent.

The active cases also dropped to 2,092 including 723 who are in-home or institutional isolation.

The daily count of cases in Greater Hyderabad dropped further to 26. Rangareddy district logged 13 cases while the daily count in the remaining 31 districts was in single digits.

During the last 24 hours, 17,686 tests were conducted – 13,711 in government labs and 3,975 in private labs. With this, the cumulative number of tests conducted in the state rose to 78,79,047. Tests per million population climbed to 2,11,688.

According to officials, 70 percent of positive cases reported in the state so far were asymptomatic.

The majority of the beds in hospitals treating Covid cases remained vacant. As many as 8,029 beds out of 8,577 beds in 62 government hospitals were vacant. Similarly, in 217 private hospitals, 6,873 out of 7,694 beds were vacant.

Andhra violin maestro Rama Swamy oldest among Padma awardees

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Oldest among all the Padma awardees, Andhra Pradesh’s 94-year-old internationally acclaimed violin maestro Rama Swamy Annavarapu has been honored with the Padma Shri award on the occasion of the 72nd Republic Day.

Annavarapu has been providing free violin training for six decades.

Born on March 23, 1926, Annavarapu is a classical Carnatic violin maestro. He is in the fourth line of direct disciples in the ‘guru-shishya parampara’ of Saint Thyagaraja and is a disciple of Parupalli Ramakrishnayya Pantulu.

M. Balamuralikrishna and Annavarapu learned Carnatic music under Parupalli Ramakrishnayya Pantulu. He accompanied Carnatic musicians such as Parupalli Ramakrishnayya Pantulu, M.Balamuralikrishna, Arayakudi Ramanuja Iyyengar, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, G.N. Balasubramaniam, Semmamgudi Srinivasa Iyer, T.R. Mahalingam, S. Balachandar, and Hindustani musicians Vinayakrao Patwardhan, Bhimsen Joshi, Jasraj to national and international venues.

He invented new ‘Ragas’ and ‘Talams’ such as ‘Vandana Ragam’, ‘SriDurga Ragam’, ‘Tinetradi Tala’ and ‘Vedadi Tala’. He is teaching students free of cost.

He gave lectures on music in countries such as the USA, Canada, UK, France, Muscat, Bahrain, Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia, Doha, Sri Lanka.

Annavarapu is among the 119 recipients whom the Government on Monday selected for the Padma awards — one of the highest civilian awards in the country.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday announced the awards that include seven Padma Vibhushan awards, 10 Padma Bhushan awards, and 102 Padma Shri awards.

Padma Vibhushan is the country’s second-highest civilian award, followed by the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award, and the Padma Sri, the fourth in the series of civilian awards.

The Padma Vibhushan is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service, the Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of a high order, and the Padma Shri for distinguished service in any field.

The awards are conferred by the President at a ceremonial function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, usually in March or April every year.

Bharat Biotech concludes recruitment for Covaxin’s phase 3 study

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Hyderabad-based vaccine manufacturer Bharat Biotech has concluded the recruitment of volunteers for the phase III trials of its Covid vaccine, Covaxin, on Thursday after achieving the sample size it had promised to the ethics committee. The firm has achieved the targeted number of volunteers, which is 25,800 participants, in total.

The recruitment was supposed to be concluded by December 31 but was extended by a week since it was short of 4,000 volunteers at that time.

Dr. Sanjay Kumar Rai, head of community medicine and principal investigator of the trial at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi told IANS that the recruitment for the phase III study is closed now.

“Around 99 percent of the promised target was achieved by AIIMS. However, we have finished our enrollment after achieving the target in toto,” he said.

Dr. C Prabhakar Reddy, the principal investigator of Covaxin’s phase III clinical trial at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, said that a few sites missed their individual target by a few numbers.

“However, the sites which overachieved their target compensated for it,” he added.

While many sites struggled to find volunteers for the phase 3 study, a few sites registered them in abundance. AIIMS Patna, one of the clinical sites for Covaxin undertook around 1,400 subjects despite its individual target set at 1,000.

IANS had earlier reported that AIIMS Delhi and several other clinical sites were facing a dearth of volunteers since people were unwilling to participate in the exercise, hoping that they would receive the vaccine anyway once it is rolled out by the government.

The phase III study of the Covaxin, which initially spanned at 25 clinical sites across the country, inducted several more sites in the last week of December since many sites were unable to find the volunteers for the study.

Dr. Dhananjay Lad, co-investigator of the trial at Redkar Hospital, Goa, told IANS that the trial was extended to around 30 clinical sites.

“A few sites were also removed in the process because of several reasons. One of the reasons was an inability to enroll a bare minimum number of participants,” he said.

The trial was started with three sites each in Uttar Pradesh (Aligarh Muslim University), West Bengal (ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases), and Tamil Nadu (Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine) on November 10.

Covaxin has been given approval for restricted emergency use by India’s drug regulator. While the efficacy of the vaccine is yet to be determined, it was given a go-ahead by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) citing public interest.

Covaxin is indigenously developed by Bharat Biotech, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

‘Nominated’ leaders should avoid making statements publicly: Congress

The Congress has launched a counter-attack against the senior leaders who have made statements about the party in public.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said, “The nominated senior leaders have access to the party leadership and should refrain from speaking publicly.

Khera pointed out that Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is pushing for CWC elections, is a CWC nominated member who can just pick the phone and call anybody instead of making public statements.

Maintaining that every party has an internal system to discuss each issue, including the Bihar election results, Khera said, “I hope the senior leaders will put forward the best example.

Azad, who is one of the dissenters who had questioned the party leadership and functioning, has demanded that the party should hold elections to strengthen the organization and make it more responsible.

Dismissing allegations of rebellion leveled against the dissenters, Azad, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said, “We are reformists and want a revival of the party.”

Azad, the second senior Congress leader after former Union minister Kapil Sibal to speak about the party’s dismal show in the Bihar Assembly polls, said that the Congress should shed the five-star culture, at least during elections, and insisted that the leaders should reach out to the people. Azad also insisted that elections should be held at different levels of the party so that people become responsible and work for the party.

Azad also said that there are no issues with the first family in the Congress and gave a clean chit to interim party chief Sonia Gandhi and former President Rahul Gandhi.

He also noted that the party should be more active at the ground level during elections, a statement that has been perceived as a direct criticism of the leaders involved in the Bihar elections.

Sibal too had raised similar concerns. Contending that he was “compelled to speak publicly” as there is “no forum in the party to discuss party issues”, he said the Congress needs efficient and senior leaders to manage elections.

Designer Tarun Tahiliani celebrates 25 years in fashion industry

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Tarun Tahiliani, who recently held his first-ever virtual couture show, reveals he is sad to see the beauty of touch and feel lost in fashion’s new digital world.

The couturier celebrated his 25-year milestone in the fashion industry with a digital presentation in association with Blenders Pride Fashion Tour on September 10. The show streamed live on the designer’s social media handle.

As all major fashion events are being held virtually this season, Tahiliani says: “I feel sad because the beauty of fashion is touch and feel. If you want to try something special for a special occasion, what we call retail therapy, I think that choice is lost in the digital world.”

Tahiliaini showcased 25 looks through a digital premiere, set against a backdrop he calls ‘Stream of Consciousness’. On the occasion, IANSlife spoke to the designer to get his views on fashion going ‘phygital’ (physical cum digital) and the role of virtual reality in the fashion industry.

Read excerpts:

On celebrating 25th year in the fashion industry:

“I actually started in the late 80s, starting the store called Ensemble, which is India’s first multi-design store to promote Indian designers. At that time I was not trained, and after a while, I realized if I wanted to be a designer then I needed to be trained. I didn’t want to just be a designer that relies on India’s craft, which is beautiful, but I also wanted to introduce something new to it, construction and fit. So I went out to study and eventually moved back to Delhi in the year 1995, which is when we started. Once I trained for a whole year, I was able to create that movement, the clothes became more complex and all these structures drapes that I like were given form in tailoring. I began to match Indian craft with a sense of Western tailoring and proportion, which had never been a part of our vocabulary of design,” reveals the designer.

Adding: “That’s constantly evolving and we can do many more complex things to plain fabric then we could do back then. To match traditional India with a new feeling, a new vibe, something that feels updated and has a sense of modernity in it. Also, I think the way people in India drape fabric is dying out — we’re trying to keep all these shapes and all that beauty alive through structured draping and hope that through this the interest will be kept alive in traditional things as well. It always goes full circle. If you force people to live in the past, they would break out like the youth. If you let them accept the present, then they value the past. It’s a strange thing. It’s like a balance that you try to create.”

“I might have a lot of ideas but thanks to all the craftsmen in the studio, these ideas are realizable. So as people do things they become more technically adept. This results in many different kinds of clothes. Now, we have also gone back to work with weavers in Banaras, so there’s much more to do today than there was 25 years ago,” the designer told IANSlife.

On the meaning of ‘Pride’

Tahiliani who is known as one of the gentlest souls amongst his colleagues states: “I have always said this that fashion really taught me to love India – thanks to fashion, I went to places, I worked with people and I discovered sides of India which I would never have known. I gave up fancy clubs to go to work in different places. And that’s what pride is; that you’ve basically learned a great love, admiration, and respect, in my case for the country and the craft. It gave me a whole new identity and pride in being Indian.

On the difference between virtual and real-time shows

Admittedly, the designer quips: “The struggle was different! We were not in a typical ballroom at a five-star hotel. We had seven cameras following the girls. You see details in the show that you might not have seen if you were living. The show was set against a backdrop of what I call a ‘stream of consciousness’ because one has so many infinite ideas over time. We presented them through embroidery, draping, colors, and different textiles. The background was juxtaposed against the clothes, everything that goes on in our heads, different people have different takeaways from it. But I think that was the most different thing. So the projection was trying to be the subconscious and the show itself was the manifestation in the consciousness.”

On fashion going ‘phygital’

“It’s because of the pandemic, we have no other choice. I hope this gets over sooner than later. Things that people are attracted to and luxuries in fashion need to be felt. How does it feel against your skin? How does it fit your body? That engagement has been lost in the digital world. And so I hope that we can still go back to that because that really is the beauty of fashion–when you do things for yourself or not anybody else,” believes the designer.

On the role of virtual reality in fashion

“When we shot the big show in July which was our first digital show, a lot of people said it was so much fun to watch. We could see such great detail, the digital cameras captured details even your eyes couldn’t see. So that’s the great part of it I think. If in the process of this communication, designers devise new ways of communicating the kind of artistry that goes on within different stages of a garment, I think people will take to that connection. I feel that the world is what it is and it keeps changing,” reiterates Tarun whose couture show was presented virtually right from within his atelier in the Capital.

Lastly, the designer signs off: “Let’s always find better ways to use technology. Once this is all over people will go back to the stores, but when they do go back they will be better informed. It will give them more pleasure to shop and help make responsible choices.”

Bengal Congress chief Somen Mitra passes away

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Veteran Congress leader and West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) president Somen Mitra died at a city hospital early on Thursday. He was 78.

Mitra was hospitalized here with increased creatinine levels, fever, and respiratory troubles. He was undergoing dialysis.

According to sources, Mitra was admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a private hospital in south Kolkata. Though his health condition slightly deteriorated on Monday night later it got stable after treatment at the hospital. He was responding to the treatment well.

Sources said Covid-19 tests were also done on Mitra and the test report was negative.

“Saddened to hear about the passing away of the veteran leader, former MP and Indian National Congress West Bengal president Somen Mitra. My deepest condolences to his family, followers, and well-wishers,” Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted.

Mitra took charge as the state Congress chief in 2018 and played a crucial role in forging an electoral understanding between the Left parties and Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. This was his third stint as Bengal PCC chief.

“Saddened at the death of veteran Congress Leader Somen Mitra. As the constitutional head was enormously benefited by his wise counsel on several occasions. Bengal will always recall his sagacious contributions in public life. Pray Almighty to bestow eternal on the departed soul,” Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar tweeted.

Mitra started his political career from north Kolkata and came to limelight in the 970s. He became MLA in 1972 from Sealdah Assembly constituency and went on to represent the seat seven times.

Later, he left the Congress party in 2008, floated his own outfit and joined Trinamool Congress in 2009, during the Nandigram-Singur movement.

Mitra was elected from Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha seat on a Trinamool ticket in 2009. But he snapped his ties with Trinamool Congress and returned to Congress in 2014.

Busting myths around hemp oil

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Hemp or hemp seed oil is a popular ingredient for beauty and skincare products. However, it does come with its own set of popular myths.

Ritika Jayaswal, CEO and Founder of Nourish Mantra, dispels some of them.

Myth:

Hemp oil is a source of THC – delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol

Reality:

Hemp oil is gaining popularity and is used for various purposes. Washed hemp seed does not contain THC. The tiny amounts of THC contained in industrial hemp are in the glands of the plant itself. Sometimes, in the manufacturing process, some THC and CBD containing resin sticks to the seed, resulting in traces of THC in the oil produced, but the concentration of these cannabinoids in the oil is minuscule.

Myth:

CBD hemp oil is legal in India?

Reality:

If CBD products are extracted from hemp, then they are legal to purchase and use in India. Products above 0.3 percent THC content are classified as cannabis products therefore illegal in the country.

Myth:

Hemp oil is psychoactive

Reality:

People have a misconception that hemp oil makes you high (psychoactive) or intoxicates the same way as THC does; this is not the case.

Myth:

Hemp oil and CBD oil are the same

Reality:

Hemp oil is made from hemp seeds and there is no CBD content in it. Whereas CBD oil is made from leaves, flowers, and stalks of the hemp plant; these are the main source of cannabidiol.

Myth:

Hemp oil is not beneficial for skin issues

Reality:

Hemp oil provides a lot of skin benefits and is suitable for all skin types as it moisturizes without clogging the pores. It balances oily skin while providing hydration and regulates oil production. It also helps in curing acne and reduces signs of aging.

Nelson Mandela’s daughter passes away

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Zindzi Mandela, the daughter of South Africa’s anti-apartheid icons Nelson Mandela and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, died here on Monday, according to the country’s public broadcaster SABC reported.

She died on Monday morning aged 59, the BBC quoted the SABC as saying citing a family member as saying

Zindzi Mandela was the South African ambassador to Denmark at the time of her death.

The cause of her death was not immediately revealed.

“The 59-year-old daughter of former president Nelson Mandela and struggle stalwart Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, passed away at a Johannesburg hospital in the early hours of this morning,” said SABC.

She was Nelson Mandela’s sixth child and his second with Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.

Andhra CM pays tributes to father YSR, releases mother’s book

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Rich tributes were paid to former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on his 71st birth anniversary on Wednesday.

His son and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, wife Y.S. Vijayalakshmi, daughter Sharmila and other family members paid floral tributes at YSR Ghat at Idupulapaya in Kadapa district.

The Chief Minister on this occasion released a book ‘Naalo…Naatho… YSR’ (Within me…With me, YSR) written by his mother.

Vijayalakshmi, who is the honorary president of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), has penned her thoughts while recalling the life and times of her husband and the turn of events after his death in a helicopter crash on September 2, 2009.

Vijayalakshmi wrote in the preface that she understands what the world knows about the leader, but in this book she has written some facts about the great leader which the outside world doesn’t know.

The book is an account of YSR’s life and his political journey and how he is still alive in the form of the welfare schemes he has introduced and it will be useful and will inspire the future generations, she wrote in the preface.

According to a statement from YSRCP, the book gives an authentic account of how YSR had aptly handled various responsibilities… as a son, as a father, brother, husband, son-in-law, father-in-law, friend, leader… and how he used to mingle with them with ease and understanding.

The great prudence he had shown before taking every step, the lessons he had learnt from the experiences were analysed in the book. After winning the hearts of his family, he spread his grace to win the mandate of the people. The way he used to understand and solve the problems of the family members as head of the family was no different when it comes to understanding and solving the problems of the people.

For YSR the state was an extended family. He wanted progress and happiness at home and in the state as well. It is only because of the benefits people had reaped from his welfare schemes that makes them remember and adore him even today.

The book is sprinkled with anecdotes from the legendary leader’s life from marriage at a young age, the circumstances then, how he earned the name as a poor man’s doctor, entry into politics, his leadership qualities from student days, compassion towards poor, ebbs and flow in political life, education of children, their marriages, worship of God, winning peoples’ heart, the span from being the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president to Chief Minister and the pulls and pressures thereon, his affection towards Jagan, Sharmila and Bharathi.

She also narrated the deluge of complex situations that arose after the demise of YSR and the incidents that took place till Jagan took oath as the chief minister.

Popularly known as YSR, Rajasekhara Reddy was the chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh from 2004 to 2009. He died in a helicopter crash, a few months after leading the Congress party to a second term in power.

YSR’s death plunged the state into political chaos. With the Congress party trying to sideline them, Jagan and Vijayalakshmi quit the party and floated YSRCP to carry forward the ideals of YSR.

YSRCP stormed to power in Andhra Pradesh last year.

Meanwhile, Jagan Mohan Reddy tweeted on Wednesday that YSR is immortal. “He will always live on in the form of Arogyasri, 104, 108 services, fee reimbursement, free electricity to farmers, Jalayagnam and many other schemes,” he wrote.

Recalling that YSR was pro-farmer, Jagan said he was happy that the birth anniversary of the great leader was being celebrated as farmers’ day.