Tag: national

Rishikesh (Uttrakhand) [India], July 28: Indian Wrestler Labhanshu Sharma has created history by winning the Bharat Kesari Wrestling Dangal 2021 organised in Tamil Nadu this year. 20 years since the formation of Uttarakhand, Labhanshu has broken the drought and won the title of Bharat Kesari for the state. A young wrestler with dedication and clear vision, Labhanshu believes perfection and practice inside the sports arena will result in glory outside the arena. His dedication and hard work are a benchmark for youngsters and Labhanshu is a perfect role model for the youth of the nation to follow.

Labhanshu says, “Sports is my passion, and to break a drought of 20 years gives me the drive to achieve more and work harder at making my state and my country proud. The secret to success is as simple as it gets, work hard, train harder and dedicate yourself to your sport. Nothing beats this and if you give your 100% then success will be yours.”

Pawan Kumar, senior wrestling coach at Uttarakhand Wrestling Government was recently awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award; he said that it is a matter of great pride to have Labhanshu represent the state and bring us glory; “I obviously feel elated to have nurtured such talent. He is the first talent from Uttrakhand to have won the Bharat Kesari title in 20 years. He played his final match against S. Radhkrishan from Tamil Naidu and defeated him by fall. My only wish is for Labhanshu to set an example for others and pave the path to success not just for himself but for the future generations to come.”

With 15 gold medals at the state level and 10 medals at the national level and 2 gold medals and 1 silver medal in the International Wrestling competitions; Labhanshu is already set to bring glory to the nation. Rishikesh eagerly awaits Labhashu’s return; celebrations and felicitations are due.

Varanasi, July 27: God’s world has innumerable wonders, riches, and diversities for us to enjoy and we human beings as a good practice need to preserve and better it. It would not be wrong to say that, people do see themselves as part of a larger society and aspire to help it. Some volunteer in the institutions of civil society such as charities, schools, associations, and local self-help groups. Some look after the needy in shelters, community help centers, and hospitals. They educate themselves and others about the issues and stand by the truth. They speak as eagerly as they listen, critique as well as solve.

One such good citizen that you would come across in the mystic and spiritual city of Varanasi is Dr. Ashok Kumar Sonkar. An Assistant Professor of History at the hallowed portals of Banaras Hindu University, Dr. Ashok Kumar Sonkar had a very humble beginning in the border region Paharia of Kashi. However, proving to be a living example of the adage “a man is a product of his environment but the strong man makes his own environment “he not only educated himself but also managed to teach at the same faculty where he got his education from.

A good citizen anywhere around the world is both patriotic toward his country and committed to his beliefs. Good citizens are shaped and cultivated by the history, art, and literature of their motherland and invested in the success of their communities.

Even when young and green behind the ears Dr. Ashok Kumar Sonkar was always thoughtful about the upliftment of his city and community. He actively advocated for the rights of the poor, uneducated, and Dalit community. For his commitment, dedication, and sincere efforts towards narrowing the gap between his fellow community people and prosperity he was adorned as the chairperson for the SC/ST students organizing committee in the year 2009-2010. He has actively campaigned for stalwarts like Murali Manohar Joshi during his college days and today for Mr. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi

Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh happened to him as he felt that it is Sangh and Sangh alone that endeavors towards the preservation of age-old culture and diversity and rich heritage of India. The conclusion came from the test done at the anvil of his being a student and having profound knowledge of ancient Indian History.

Today attaining a position of respect in the society has further emboldened Dr. Ashok Sonkar’s resolve to serve and to give back to the society he lives in. As a conscious citizen, he is continuously working towards bringing his very own Khatik community from Varanasi, Chandouli, and other nearby districts into the mainstream.

He is not a mere spectator or a mute facilitator but an active doer who has his ears to the ground and feet firmly placed in reality. He has started an active campaign about cleaning and upkeep of the ponds and other water bodies of the city of Varanasi. Every week he devoted one day to this noble cause. And like a good teacher that he is, he sets an example by cleaning, maintaining the areas around the water bodies. His noble actions have motivated many to give back to society.

The work of being a good citizen is never easy — it requires judgment, civility, and patience. When time and deliberations rise, laws are often amended to answer the needs of the people. In this contest, Dr. Ashok Sonkar believes that It is important to both obey the law and improve the law. Such reform should be done through acceptable means, with moral persuasion for the betterment of the whole.

Dr. Ashok Sonkar stands tall as a good Samaritan and yet is never forgetful of his humble beginnings of the lowest of the lowest strata of society.  A much-loved teacher, a much-admired achiever, a well-respected member, a committed Sangh worker Dr, Ashok Sonkar continues to dedicate himself and his work for the good of his community and society as a whole.

Rare are the people who protect and rejuvenate their environment selflessly, their deeds inspire may be very few but the dedication they bring says it all.

Dr. Ashok Kumar Sonkar

Assistant Professor, Department of History, Faculty of Social Sciences, Banaras Hindu University.

Education: B.A., M.A., Ph.D. in History, Department of History, Faculty of Social Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, UGC-NET, ICHR-JRF, Post-Doctoral Fellow, ICSSR

Award

• Saraswat Samman, In the field of Education from KaimurVidwat Parishad, Bihar

Scholarships

• Awarded UGC Research Fellowship from University Grant Commission, New Delhi
• Awarded JRF-ICHR from Indian Council of Historical Research, New Delhi
• Awarded Post Doctoral Fellowship ICSSR from Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi

Book

One book Publishedentitled “SRILANKA KA ITIHAAS “Published in K.R. Publishers& Distributors, Varanasi, New Delhi- 2020.

July 24: Mehul V Rathod a social activist says that the purpose of life is to contribute in some way to making things better. Strong people don’t put others down. They lift them up. Mehul V Rathod won prestigious posts in Chennai. He has helped thousands of people and has requested others also to help. Mehul V Rathod says, if you are in a position to help others, always do it.”

Mehul V Rathod is a man not of words but more of actions. Mehul V Rathod goes from one locality to another every other week to help the needy once. He believes when God blesses you financially, you should raise your standard of giving not your standard of living. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one at the end of your arm. As you grow older you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, the other for helping others. Life as such is challenging and humans have made it more complicated because life has fallen into class and categories where the rich are getting richer and the poor are becoming poorer. It is heart-wrenching to see this situation because people are suffering from poverty, lack of education, and also some are homeless. Mehul V Rathod has shown an act of humanity by helping the poor in numerous ways. A study reveals that more than 50% of the Indian population goes to bed without fulfilling basic needs. Mehul V Rathod has helped many needy by fulfilling their basic needs and other necessities. This act may not have made a very BIG difference, but a small step will lead the way to big developments and motivate and inspire many others. Every helping hand can help the poor. So, one should come together and take an initiative to make a small contribution so that they can at least survive in this world to improve their conditions.

Hence, by helping the poor, you can make this world a better place to live. People would love to be around you and people will bless you. Hence, you must help people if you want a blessed life. So, people like Mehul V Rathod make this place a better place to live by doing these good deeds. There are many people who are not able to even get their basic needs. Now, that is something sad because it is a basic thing that every living being must have. Mehul V Rathod is not only helping the poor and needy but also those innocent souls who cannot speak for themselves. He believes in HELPING everyone so that all can be happy.

For Mr. Ganpat Banthia, Losing Oneself in Service of Others Will Lead You to Discover Your Own Life

Balotra (Rajasthan) [India], July 23:  “It’s not enough to be compassionate. You must act.” These golden words by Dalai Lama sum up the present mentality of most of us. Humanity needs more than pity.  There should be desirable social action backed by selflessness.

We all face challenges and hustles of life and try to overcome them, either turning it into a tug of war, challenging it, or doing it with peace, harmony, and containment. There are times when things feel hard ‘at the moment (for however long it takes for the situation to be resolved), but relief, happiness, and sense of accomplishment follow once you’ve pivoted.

But when it comes to serving the public, you have to be a problem solver and often wear many hats, especially at the beginning of the journey. It’s easy to try and continue doing everything yourself until it becomes really hard as it’s not sustainable. It’s important to ask for help when you need it and surround yourself with supportive & optimistic people and a positive environment.

Mr. Ganpat Banthia comes under such a category of optimistic person who tries to serve people at large and on their own will, working as a social worker. Mr. Ganpat Banthia is for many years in active socialism. Being a reputed and successful businessman and further belonging to a political family, he chooses the path of social work to attain peace of mind. He made his own goodwill.

Born in Balotra, Rajasthan, Mr. Ganpat Banthia is someone who occupies numerous senior positions in various charitable trusts and small-scale industries in his region. During his political and social career, Ganpat Banthia has worked as Executive Member in BJP (Rajasthan). He is chairman of “Shri Champalal Banthia Charitable Trust” (An NGO). However, without using his father’s name or his own political connections, he thrives on working for the betterment of the livelihood of the poor and needy. He has the vision to work with a team of like-minded people. The vision of making the young generation aware of the probable mistakes they commit now and then and a mission to set them straight.

As a social activist, Mr. Ganpat Banthia has a passion for social services and serving the people. They are people who derive inspiration from their life experiences. Mr. Ganpat Banthia also realizes that the real joy is not about flourishing oneself in business or any profession but using one’s caliber and power to serve the vulnerable and disadvantaged and fight for social injustice. These few people can create awareness and make a difference in the life of the poor and needy. This is because they are aware of their surroundings. One should have a pure vision to serve humanity. According to Mr. Ganpat Banthia, “Social workers may have a different way of workings, but their objective is common.”

For social workers, their lives are entangled with those they are working for. They discover more and more about themselves every day as they learn to help those around them, and Mr.Ganpat has proved out to be a true epitome of it.

New Delhi [India], July 22: One of the professions that don’t really fit into an 8-hour day job are those dressed in white coats consistently making efforts towards saving lives and providing optimal care. The Indian Alert in association with Digisharks Communications is proud to present the list of Top 10 Healthcare leaders in 2020-21 from various healthcare specializations whose empathy, knowledge, and professionalism have changed the lives of many.

1. Dr. Anita Rajpurohit – Founder & Director of Samarpan Advance IVF & Laparoscopy Centre: From a humble beginning in the small city of Sumerpur, Dr. Anita Rajpurohit is an established name in the field of Gynaecology & Obstetrics. Dedicating her passion and medical expertise to her specialization, she is a changemaker who is working tirelessly to break the social taboos associated with IVF treatments in rural areas of Rajasthan.

Today, Samarpan Advance IVF & Laparoscopy Centre is the epitome of quality care for both mother and child offering world-class facility and IVF treatments in rural Rajasthan. She is a recipient of several prestigious awards, the more recent one being the ‘Social Impact Award’ in 2019.

2. Dr. Ravpreet Singh – Director of Dr. Pritam’s Homeopathic Clinic and Laboratory: A homeopathic doctor, who runs a clinic in South Delhi that is always loaded with long queues of patients, has not only cured innumerable cases of Thyroid, Diabetes, and PCOD but proved the power of Homeopathy in treating Covid 19 patients also. About the possibility of which, still many are unaware of. He has helped hundreds of patients recover from the deadly disease in the last year, not only the mild cases but the severe ones too. He, along with his father and wife provided Covid preventive medicine free of cost to almost all the frontline workers in the vicinity for months. At present successfully treating post-Covid complications at his clinic, he has a strong belief in Discipline, Character, and Hardwork. According to him, “If you have the right knowledge, even poisons can cure diseases.”

3. Dr. M.S.S. Mukharjee – Director of Pulse Heart Center: Dr. M.S.S. Mukharjee has become the healthcare leader over the past year. He is a pioneering Interventional cardiologist, who championed compassionate heart care. His philanthropic activities during COVID have earned him enormous reputation and praise. He donated generously for PM cares fund, provided lockdown relief for the migrant labour, treated COVID patients in the ICU, and educated the public through more than a thousand news channel debates.

He has been the most authentic source of information for doctors, patients, and policymakers alike.

He has been honoured with several awards including the prestigious Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam award by the deputy chief minister of Telangana.

His patients lovingly call him: “A heart doctor with the biggest heart”.

4. Sumita Satarkar – Founder and Director of Swasthya Santulan Medicare Pvt Ltd. Pune: Acupuncturist Sumita Satarkar, a most trusted and well-distinguished name in Healing and well-being. She has enormous expertise in Traditional Pulse diagnosis as well as tremendous experience of 27 years to heal chronic illnesses only by Acupuncture. She is also a Trainer, Author, and International Speaker who illustrated her research on the most prestigious platforms like United Nations USA, Traditional Medicine festivals in Europe. She is a renowned & celebrated Acupuncture expert, having received the honor of excellence award at the hands of Sushmita Sen in 2016 and Madhuri Dixit in 2018. She has been Honoured with the most significant Awards like Mother Teresa, Rajiv Gandhi Excellence, and Mahatma Gandhi Sanmanat House of Lords, UK.

5. Dr. Vinayak Hiremath – CMO & Chief Consultant Physician, (Fellow in Endocrinology & Immunology) at KMK Hospital: Dr. Vinayak Hiremath is working as CMO & Chief Consultant Physician, (Fellow in Endocrinology & Immunology) at KMK Hospital, Cochin, India.

In 2019, the GOI honoured “The Pride of Nation” Award by Defence Minister – Rajnath Singh for his exemplary contribution to medical science and diabetes.
During his career, he received various awards from other prestigious organisations namely IMA, Lions Club, Residents Associations, KRV, and many others. He was Awarded Health Ambassador.

He along with his wife owns an NGO named “R-DOC” & has conducted various socio-medical philanthropic & environmental activities.

He conducted free telemedicine consultations for covid19 patients. He was able to reach 4k covid positive people pan India in just one quarter.

6. Dr. Kousar A Shah – Group COO of Aakash Healthcare: Dr. Kousar A Shah, an acclaimed & well-reputed name in the healthcare industry, currently the Group COO, Aakash Healthcare, Delhi, had developed a unique & highly effective process of INTERNAL LOCKDOWN when few employees of his organisation were infected by COVID in the first wave. This INTERNAL LOCKDOWN not only prevented the further spread of infection in his organisation but also in many other organisations. A medical doctor, an administrator, & business leader, known for his innovative leadership like this, & people management skills, he has played a major role in making his current organisation one of the quickest establishments to achieve BEP in a record time.

His two-fold leadership principle of ‘tough love’ & ‘patient engagement with empathy’ has proven to be highly productive, resulting in positive outcomes, year on year.

7. Dr. Sonam Pandhi – Director of  Dr. Pandhi’s Skin Clinic and Aesthetic Centre: Having more than 5 years of experience in practice, Dr. Sonam Pandhi is considered to be one of the best dermatologists in Punjab. She is an excellent dermatologist who has been breaking the boundaries in providing advanced dermatological and cosmetological procedures in the northern region of India. Dr. Pandhis Skin Clinic and Aesthetics Center is one of the eminent centers in Patiala providing state-of-the-art care. Armed with the most advanced machines, infrastructure, and professional team, Dr. Pandhis has become a recognised name in the sphere of dermatology. With her compassion and service towards patients, they always feel that they are in the right hands. Dr. Sonam’s contributions have got her facilitated with several accolades which include the best young dermatologist in Punjab.

8. Dr. Ish Pandhi – Director of Rapid laboratories, Patiala: Armed with over 8 years of experience, Dr. Ish Pandhi is one of the most renowned pathologists in Patiala. Dr. Pandhi has envisioned giving top services in the field of pathology at his diagnostic center – Rapid Laboratory. The Rapid Laboratory is a health center of repute in the region and is recognized as a centre of innovation and premier clinical pathology lab. Having highly trained staff with years of experience in their particular fields and four centers in Patiala city, the Rapid Laboratory has become the go-to point for patients to get their checkups done. Currently, Dr. Pandhi is a Life Member of the Indian Society of Dermatopathology and also contributes as an expert for the Mission Fit Raho, News World India. Dr. Ish Pandhi’s passion and efforts in this sphere have been recognised with several accolades, some of which being Excellence in Clinical Pathology (Punjab), Punjab’s best diagnostic service provider, Quality Excellence, and Best Medical Testing Laboratory of Punjab.

9. Dr. Ashish Gupta – Co-Director of Gupta Dental Centre The Multispeciality Centre: Dr. Ashish Gupta is a highly respected and well-renowned orthodontist based in Delhi. Currently, he is the Co-director of Gupta Dental Centre -The Multispeciality Centre, which is one of the most advanced dental care facilities in the city with state-of-the-art dental technology offering a wide range of dental care services.

He is a strong advocate of ethical medical practice and offers personalised treatment plans for his patients. Recently, he has been featured in the Forbes India (March 2021 issue) for his ceaseless efforts during the COVID 19 pandemic towards providing quality care to his patients in Delhi-NCR through innovative ways.

10. Dr. Raj Baida – Director of Madrasi Piles Clinic: Ayurveda Specialist, Dr. Raj Kumar Baida is a renowned and reputed name in Ayurvedic treatment of anorectal diseases like piles, fissures, fistula, Rectal prolapse. Practicing for the last 20 years, Dr. Baida has successfully treated more than 30,000 patients and also worked towards breaking the stigma related to anorectal diseases. Honesty and empathy are the hallmarks of his medical practice and his patients’ smile and happiness stand testimony to his expertise in the field. Due to his exemplary work in the field of Kshar Sutra therapy, Dr. Raj Baida was awarded many awards and accolades. His reputation has seen immense growth over the last few years for the treatment of most complex anorectal cases.

List Created By:  The Indian Alert

Left to Right: IPDG Sunnil Mehra, PDG Vijay Jhalan, RI President Shekhar Mehta, and DG Rajendra Agarwal

Rtn Rajendra Agarwal on Tuesday, July 2021 was installed as District Governor 2021-22 in the midst of RI (Rotary International) President Shekhar Mehta and First Lady Rashi Mehta. This was also in the presence of RI Director Mahesh Kotbagi.

 Mumbai, July 22: Rtn Rajendra Agarwal on Tuesday, July 2021 was installed as District Governor 2021-22 at a glittering function in the midst of RI (Rotary International) President Shekhar Mehta and First Lady Rashi Mehta. This was also in the presence of RI Director Mahesh Kotbagi, members of the college of past governors, members of the core team, and many Rotary Dream Presidents. Installation of DG Rajendra Agarwal for District 3141 happened in the presence of the RI President was a historical event happening after a span of 10 years.

This was a hybrid meeting with a huge screen in the backdrop to cater to the zoom audience of many other Rotarians. DG Rajendra Agarwal’s message to the Rotarians was very simple and clear. The audience was supercharged. . DG Rajendra Agarwal’s targets were lofty – 2500 projects by 118 plus clubs valued at Rs. 200 crores, adding 2000 new members during the year out of which 1250 are already enrolled. Yesterday at a pre-installation meeting, commitments of Rs 60 crores were raised within a couple of hours by donors to the TRF. The Dream Year promises to surpass all previous records achieved by past governors.

The noteworthy projects announced by DG Rajendra Agarwal include 2,000 children heart surgeries, 25 lakh fruit tree plantations, 20,000 cataract surgery in Palghar District, one lakh reusable sanitary pads for women, 100 heart surgeries for Nigerian children, etc.

After Rtn Rajendra Agarwal was officially installed at the hands of Shekhar Mehta, with IPDG Sunnil Mehra passing on the baton, RI President gave a response that left all Rotarians totally spellbound with his absolutely brilliant address which earned him a standing ovation. He complemented DG RajendraAgarwal for his excellent plans for the Dream year and guided him and the audience that district 3141 has a position unparalleled in the Rotary World and all Rotarians had this responsibility of keeping this top-notch position secure and safe.

www.rotarydist3141.org.in

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 21: Optimus Pharma on Sunday submitted the interim result of Phase III Clinical Trials for orally administered Molnupiravir capsules on patients with Mild Covid-19 patients. With an acute shortage of antiviral drugs in the market against the SARS-CoV-2 infection, it is imperative that more drugs with potent antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 be introduced.

In a statement, the MD and Chairman Dr. D Srinivasa Reddy had declared that Optimus pharma has internally developed the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and the formulations for the product and had obtained approval for conducting Phase 3 Clinical Trial.

As per the clinical trial protocol approved, 1218 subjects with mild COVID-19 will be randomised in the study in a 1:1 ratio to Molnupiravir with the standard of care, or standard of care alone. The treatment duration is a maximum of 05 days and the total study duration will be a maximum of 28 days from randomisation.

“Optimus is all geared to immediately begin manufacturing of Molnupiravir for COVID-19 patients in India. The interim results on 353 patients have shown promising results of Molnupiravir. The drug has been successful in reducing viral load effectively with RT-PCR negativity achieved 78.3 % in the test arm compared to 48.4% in the standard of care arm on Day 5. Day 10 and Day 14 of the treatment duration have also given excellent results wherein the remaining patients have successfully achieved RT-PCR negativity. The trial has also revealed clinical improvement in a significantly high proportion of patient’s health. The safety of the drug has also been established with no observed side effects, co-morbidity, or morbidity observed during and after the treatment duration,” Chairman & Managing Director – Dr. D Srinivasa Reddy said.

Optimus has approached the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to seek Emergency Use Authorization for Molnupiravir in India.

Optimus Pharma is committed to serve the nation and fight back the pandemic to restore normalcy in the lives of people affected by COVID-19 at the earliest. With the cooperation of the government and our stakeholders, and a special thanks to the Subject Expert Committee of the CDSCO for their valuable contribution and their recommendations to the project, we hope to deliver the product in India by leveraging our solid distribution strength across the country.

Celebrating lesser-known ordinary people’s extraordinary contribution towards humanity during the Covid rife

New Delhi [India], July 21: Delhi Management Association (DMA) and Benepik unite to organise the Unsung Covid Heroes Award 2021 recognising common people’s selfless acts of service towards the covid-stricken society. The initiative intends to glorify extraordinary chronicles of the lesser-known Covid Heroes such as police, entrepreneurs, organisations, delivery personnel, or employees who went beyond their line of duty for business continuity. These are the individuals who cared to make a difference in the life of fellow folks by being brave & selfless.

Individuals can be nominated for multiple award categories such as Healthcare, Corporate Individuals, Organizations, Sponsor award, 65th DMA’s award, Student, Logistics, Governance, Police, Journalists, & Policy Influencer. Winners will be facilitated with a Certificate of Appreciation and Recognition from the Delhi Management Association (DMA) & Benepik.

Delhi Management Association (DMA) established in 1965 is among the oldest and prestigious professional body, devoted to disseminating management principles and practices. Benepik is an engagement company focussing on Employees, Channel Partners & Customers. With its presence in 12+ countries including India, Indonesia & Middle East, it helps organizations create a culture of recognition, enhance executive connect & build brand loyalty in a measurable way.

Speaking on the announcement Yogesh Misra, Hon. President- DMA and Vice President, Thomas Assessments said, “Our front line workers’ relentless service deserves all our salutations & respect for their contribution during this need of the hour. But there is also a large part of the society who implicitly kept working despite amplified health risks. The fear of contagion and adverse work conditions did not stop them from accomplishing tasks beyond their regular call of duty. We aim to foster their selflessness, dedication & loyalty they showed through this awards curriculum.”

Shedding more light on the Awards, Saurabh Jain, Founder & CEO, Benepik added, “We saw kindness sprouting in various shades from diverse quarters, known and unknown during this pandemic. The award function is a gesture of gratitude for that spirit of hope exemplified by these ordinary people through their noteworthy acts of serving and caring for people and communities.”

The Jury for the Unsung Covid Heroes Award 2021 empanelled are eminent personalities from a variety of fields, including Government, Social, Corporate, and Healthcare. The jury includes Amit Malik (MD, Aviva India), Dr. VK Saraswat (Member, Niti Aayog), Apurva Chamaria (SVP, Tech Mahindra), Dr. Shikha Sharma(Founder, Dr. Shikha’s Nutri Health), Dr. Alka Mittal (Director-HR, ONGC), Deepak Bagla (MD, Invest India), Satya Narayan Maharana (Head – OD and Talent Management, Haier), Sumit Bhatia (HR Head, SE2 Digital), Kavita (Head-Growth Partner Network, Upstox), Niren Srivastava (Head – Human Resources, Training & Administration, Aditya Birla Health Insurance Company Limited), Ashish Kumar (Managing Director, Dr. Willmar Schwabe India) & Jatin Mahajan (Managing Director, J Mitra & Co).

The nominations for the awards are now open. Visit https://unsungcovidhero.com to nominate an Unsung Covid Hero. ThDelhi Management Association, DMA, Unsung Covid Heroes Award 2021, e last date for the nominations is 8^th August 2021 and the final winners will be announced on 3rd September 2021.

ZeNix trial in South Africa and Eastern Europe sought to optimize the 6-month treatment regimen with reduced exposure to the drug linezolid

India has the leading number of TB cases globally

New Delhi/Berlin/Pretoria, July 16: The results of ZeNix, a Phase 3 clinical trial that took place in 11 sites across Georgia, Moldova, Russia, and South Africa, revealed that the BPaL treatment remains effective against highly drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis (TB) with either reduced dosage or duration of the linezolid component of the regimen. Simultaneously, with the maintenance of efficacy, there was a decrease in linezolid-associated side effects. The results from the trial, which was led by TB Alliance, a non-profit TB drug developer, were announced ahead of an oral abstract presentation next week at the 11^th IAS Conference on HIV Science.

The BPaL regimen—which combines the antibiotics bedaquiline (B), pretomanid (Pa), and linezolid (L)—received its first regulatory approval in August 2019 for use against highly drug-resistant strains of TB. Historically, treatment would take 18 months or longer, with reported global success rates averaging 43%.

“We now have evidence that the BPaL regimen can be optimized to make it even easier to use,” said Mel Spigelman, M.D., President and CEO of TB Alliance, which developed pretomanid for use in the regimen. “Until recently, patients with highly drug-resistant TB—among the most difficult infections to identify and treat—had to suffer through a combination of as many as eight antibiotics, some involving daily injections, for 18 months or longer.”

This Phase 3 clinical trial shows how TB Alliance’s new six-month three-drug treatment for highly drug-resistant TB can be administered by reducing the dosing of the drug linezolid. This regimen reduces the treatment time for highly drug-resistant forms of TB from 18 months or longer to six months duration.

India has the leading number of TB cases globally, accounting for more than 1 in 4 of all cases of active TB disease, including approximately 120,000 cases of drug-resistant forms of TB. India’s Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has set an ambitious goal of TB eradication in India by 2025, ahead of the 2030 target of the Sustainable Development Goals. This bold commitment may face headwinds in the context of the unforeseen challenges posed by Covid-19, as well as the low success rates of current DR-TB treatments, which limit the potential of expanding TB services.

The ZeNix trial was a four-arm, randomized, double-blinded study as to dosage and duration of linezolid that enrolled 181 patients with highly drug-resistant forms of TB in South Africa, Russia, Georgia, and Moldova. Of these participants, 36 (20%) were HIV positive. Patients were treated for six months with bedaquiline, pretomanid, and varying doses and durations of linezolid, with follow-up, reported thus far to the primary endpoint six months after completion of treatment. The aim of the trial was to evaluate whether the efficacy of the BPaL regimen could be maintained while reducing a patient’s exposure to linezolid and its associated side effects.

The study enrolled participants with extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB, pre-XDR-TB, or failed or treatment-intolerant multidrug-resistant TB. Per the intent to treat analysis, the success rate for participants receiving the highest dosage of linezolid (1200mg for 6 months) was 93%. The efficacy level was similarly high in the remaining arms, reported as 89% among participants receiving 1200mg of linezolid for 2 months, 91% for those receiving 600mg of linezolid for 6 months, and 84% among those receiving 600mg of linezolid for 2 months. Dosing of bedaquiline and pretomanid was consistent across the four arms.

Adverse reactions reported in at least 10% of trial participants included peripheral neuropathy (38% of those receiving 1200mg of linezolid for six months; 24% of those receiving 1200mg of linezolid for two months; 24% of those receiving 600mg of linezolid for six months; 13% of those receiving 600mg of linezolid for two months). An evaluation of myelosuppression, as manifest as anemia, found that patients had decreased hemoglobin levels related to linezolid exposure (22% of those receiving 1200mg of linezolid for six months; 17% of those receiving 1200mg of linezolid for two months; 2% of those receiving 600mg of linezolid for six months; 7% of those receiving 600mg of linezolid for two months).

“The results of this study are very reassuring. With a reduction in the dose and/or duration of linezolid, we can still offer patients a high chance of cure in only six months,” said Francesca Conradie, M.D., principal investigator for the ZeNix clinical trial as well as South Africa’s Clinical Access Program for the regimen.

TB Alliance plans to submit data from ZeNix to a peer-reviewed publication.

New Delhi [India], July 17: The BRICS Chamber of Commerce & Industry organized a webinar on Future of Energy Innovation: an Interactive Session on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency on July 16, 2021, 5:30 PM IST virtually.

In line with the BRICS 2021 Agenda, the BRICS Chamber of Commerce & Industry evaluated the sustainability factor of renewable energy through the panel discussion by assessing the current policy scenario on efficient use and innovation of energy at the global and national level

The session was inaugurated with a welcome address from Mr. VishwasTripathi (Chairman, BRICS CCI) who remarked, “We are witnessing an unprecedented momentum for decisive global action to tackle energy access for the first time.”

Theme 1: Roadmap to Sustainability: Energy Efficiency and Innovation:

1. Elbia Gannoum – Chief Executive Officer at ABEEólica – AssociaçãoBrasileira de EnergiaEólica, Brazil & Vice Chairman, Global Wind Energy Council
2. Jai Asundi – Executive Director, Center for Study of Science, Technology & Policy
3. Arjun Agarwal – Founder & CEO, KR Biofuels
4. HemantMallya– Senior Programme Lead, Industrial Sustainability & Competitiveness, Council on Energy, Environment & Water
5. Frank Cato Lahti – Founder/CEO, Othalo
6. Eric Lau- Strategic Business Leader, V-Flow Tech, Singapore

Dr. Elbia Gannoum said, “Brazil has a lot of renewable sources of energy production. New technology has increased the potential of electricity generation. Now we have a hybrid process where you can club solar and wind energy. In the next 10 years, we have special possibilities of producing green hydrogen. We expect that in 2030 we will have 3 times more production than in 2020.”

Dr. Jai Asundi said, “There is no doubt that renewable energy is a source of future energy. It can have different forms it can be through large solar plants, large windmills and we can also have decentralized renewable energy, it can be looked at from a perspective that the small smart grids that give entities such as villages and towns which are away from town to get access of energy, we have been working on developing techniques for rooftop photovoltaic, coming up with solutions for barriers that are both technical, regulatory and financial”

Mr. Hemant Mallya said, “In our recent study we focused on job generation opportunities in the floating solar space, which is traditionally solar plants located on land, but in this case, we are looking to float solar panels on water bodies and generate power from them. “

Mr. Eric Lau said, “We at V Flow tech have invested 7-8 years of research work and innovations for new technologies basically focused on Million flow batteries and commercialization of it. As you know the previous decade belonged to solar energy because of its cheapness and renewable source, however, its growth is unsustainable because existing storage solutions are insufficient to support it, so there is a need for reliable, low cost and long-duration energy storage solutions.”

Theme 2: Renewable Energy Market: What does the Future Hold?

1. Ranjit Gupta– CEO, Azure Power
2. Ismael Guerrero Arias– President of Energy Group & Corporate Vice President, Canadian Solar Inc.
3. Kelly Grace Alcock– Global Impact Project Officer, Oxfam, South Africa
4. VinodRijhwani– Managing Partner, Surja Energy
5. Ram Divedi– Co-Owner, Pravaig Dynamics
6. Pashu Gopalan– CEO & Co-Chairman, SunEdison

Mr. Ranjit Gupta said, “The sector over the last ten years has evolved quite a lot, you could not recognize how the sector was four-five years back. Climate change has made us understand how important it is for all of us to ensure we go towards more carbon efficiency. And there has been a push from the government to move away from fossil fuel.”

Ms. Kelly Grace Alcock said, “In regards to BRICS nations’ focus on renewable energy has helped our countries to recover and it has been very beneficial in terms of socio-economic opportunities such as improving the security of applications and improving the cost of electricity.”

Mr. Pashupathy Gopalan said, “I think we have to realize that energy is a big part of the civilization that is going through a transformation and it’s my belief that when we look back these two years are going to be instrumental in transforming energy and hydrogen is the future of the entry. The BRICS countries need to recognize the possibility and the beauty of hydrogen is not really new, around 70 million metric tons of hydrogen is used in fertilizer and oil refining processes.”

This session was moderated by Mr. Ruhail Ranjan (M.D., Chandrika Power and Member of the Governing Body, BRICS CCI).