Notes:
The researchers at IIT Guwahati have developed a low-cost portable device to detect bacteria without cell culture or microbiological assays. The hand-held device with bio-compatible sensor can also diagnose time-critical illnesses such as meningitis. The bacterial infection is a common cause of morbidity and mortality across the world. Despite the development of a range of antibiotics, the challenge continues to lie in diagnosing bacterial infection early on. The present techniques are extremely time – consuming. Presently, cells derived from a patient are cultured or grown in laboratories to detect and micro-analyse bacteria. However, the new portable device can instantly detect the charges on the cell walls of bacteria. The rapid detection kits are like those used for blood sugar monitoring. The research has enabled rapid detection of bacteria, which is not just important in healthcare but also in anti- bioterrorism measures and environmental monitoring. The team work has been recently patented & published in the July 2019 issue of ‘Journal of Materials Chemistry of the Royal Society of Chemistry’.

Notes:
Jay Om Prakash (93), the veteran filmmaker and Hrithik Roshan’s maternal grandfather, has passed away in Mumbai, Maharashtra on August 7, 2019. He is best known for his collaboration with two of Bollywood biggest superstars — the late Rajesh Khanna and Jeetendra. He had a strong penchant for beginning his film titles with the letter ‘A’. With Khanna, he made films such as “Aap Ki Kasam” (1974) and “Aakhir Kyon?” (1985). His collaboration with Jeetendra yielded five big hits — “Apnapan” (1977), “Aasha” (1980), “Apna Bana Lo” (1982), “Arpan” (1983) and “Aadmi Khilona Hai” (1993).

Notes:
The 5th edition of International Army Scout Masters Competition 2019 has started at Jaisalmer military station in Rajasthan from August 5 to 16. The purpose of the International Army Games (IAG) is to foster military co-operation between the participating nations, develop trust between the armies for the sake of establishing a peaceful society, improving professional training and sharing of best practices being followed by participating nations. The teams from 8 countries viz. India, China, Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Sudan are participating in the competition. The competition is consists of 5 stages wherein Navigation Skills, Endurance, Marksmanship and Team spirit will be evaluated by a panel of international judges, arbitrators, and referees.

Notes:
Nobel Prize-winning US author Toni Morrison (88) has passed away in New York, United States on 5th August 2019. She is the first African-American woman to win a Nobel Prize in Literature for her novels depicting the struggles of black Americans living in a white society ridden with racial discrimination. She won the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for fiction for “Beloved” that told the story of a runaway female slave and was made into a film starring Oprah Winfrey in 1998. In 2012, President Barack Obama presented her with the highest civilian honor – Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Notes:
In India, the 5th edition of National Handloom Day (NHD) has celebrated on 7th August 2019 to honour the handloom weavers in the country and also highlight India’s handloom industry. The day seeks to focus on the contribution of handloom to the socio economic development of India and also to increase the income of weavers. This year, Bhubaneswar has been chosen as the venue for the main event due to its rich tradition of Handlooms. The prime objective of holding the NHD in Bhubaneswar is to empower women and girls. The day was chosen as the National Handloom Day (NHD to commemorate the Swadeshi Movement which was launched on 7th August 1905 in Calcutta Town Hall to protest against the partition of Bengal by the British Government. The movement had aimed at reviving domestic products and production processes.