NEW DELHI : Setting the tone for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hit out at the opposition for its unity efforts to put up an anti-BJP front. 
He termed such efforts ahead of the 2019 general elections as a ‘failed experiment’.
“These days, a campaign is going on to publicise a failed experiment in the history of Indian politics by the name of mahagathbandhan,” he said while addressing BJP’s  national convention at Ramlila Maidan in the national capital. 
On the concluding day of the two-day strategy meet of the party, he said the opposition was trying to make a ‘majboor sarkaar’ (helpless government) instead of a ‘majboot sarkar’ (strong government) as they wanted to indulge in scams and corruption.
Mr. Modi’s sharp comments assume significance as it was also the day when the two bitter rivals of nearly three decades — Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party — formed an alliance for the 2019 polls in U.P. 
Mr. Modi also questioned the viability of opposition’s alliances and cited the example of Telangana, where the Congress had teamed up with Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP, and lost to the TRS. In Karnataka, where the Congress is in alliance with the JD-S, the chief minister is on record saying that he is being ‘treated like a clerk’, he said.
“Problems have started even in newly formed governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh,” Modi added.
The Prime Minister was unsparing in his criticism of the Congress and dubbed the grand old party a  stumbling block in the nation’s development. “They are stalling key bills in Parliament, they do not want the country to progress.” 
Mr Modi said the earlier Congress government had pushed the country into darkness. “India lost 10 important years (during UPA rule from 2004 to 2014) in scams and corruption.” 
The Prime Minister’s call to the party workers and leaders was loud and clear — increase your outreach and discuss with the people all issues and achievements of the NDA government. He also highlighted the fact that the BJP had provided a scam and corruption-free government at the Centre and changed the usual slow-moving administrative machinery into a fast moving good governance apparatus which is people-friendly. 
Interestingly, thousands of party workers and cadres often erupted into chants of “Om” and “Jai Sri Ram” and were also vocal on demanding early construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya. Loudest cheers from party cadres were reserved for the BJP patriarch L K Advani when he was felicitated on the first day of the convention as well as for U.P. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. 
Mr. Modi too touched upon Ayodhya and Ram Temple issue, blaming the Congress for putting legal hurdles in the apex court.  

LUCKNOW : Putting back their bitter rivalry which went on for nearly quarter of a century, the two main political parties of Uttar Pradesh – Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) — have again joined hands ahead of mid-2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Much junior to her in political experience, SP leader Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati, on Saturday announced their mega partnership. Both the leaders have served as UP chief ministers in the past. Akhilesh Yadav’s government was ousted by the BJP in U.P. in 2017.
It is the first opposition alliance formed in the most populous State of the country which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha. The alliance has been shaped to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the general elections which are scheduled to be held by May. BJP had won 71 of the 80 seats in 2014 Lok Sabha polls.  
Ms Mayawati assumed a senior role in the joint press conference and announced that both the BSP and SP will contest 38 seats each of the total 80 Lok Sabha seats  while two each would be left for the Congress and other regional party, probably Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) led by Ajit Singh.  “This is a pavitra ( holy) alliance to create social brotherhood in the society and to counter the fascist and communal forces,” she said.  Ms Mayawati appeared sure about the success of the mahagathbandan but had a rider, saying that if the BJP does not tamper with the voting machines and does not create communal frenzy over the Ram temple issue, then no one would be able to defeat SP-BSP alliance in UP.   In her nearly half-an-hour address, Ms Mayawati said she had forgotten the Guest House incident of June 5,1995, when SP activists made an attempt on her life in Lucknow.
” Bigger things have emerged now and we have shed our old issue of guest house incident when there was a need to unite to remove the BJP, which has become more dangerous for the country and the people,” she said.
 ” We are once again trying to revive our old friendship like we had done in 1993 when our founder Kanshi Ram and SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav joined hands to get rid of the BJP post-Babri Masjid demolition,” she said.
The BSP supremo said the alliance will usher a new era of politics and remove the castiest and communal forces like BJP.  SP chief  Akhilesh Yadav, prefered not to make any statement against the Congress, but Mayawati quipped that BJP and Congress are two sides of the same coin.  Last year, SP and BSP had teamed up for important by-polls that were crucial for the ruling BJP. After smelling success in three seats, including Yogi Adityanath’s Gorakhpur, the two parties explored taking their alliance to the 2019 general elections.
In his first reaction, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said “some alliances are being formed to defeat PM Narendra Modi as he is running a corruption-free government”.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee welcomed the SP-BSP alliance for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking on the alliance, Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav said, “The beginning of BJP’s downfall in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have started.”
Sudhanshu Trivedi of BJP said both parties are contesting together just to save their political ground. “These parties have blamed each other of murder in the past. Anyway, its their choice. We are confident. Even if all parties come together, we will still win,’’ he said.

NEW DELHI : Exciting but turbulent times appear to have gripped the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India’s premier investigating agency which has taken severe beating on counts of its credibility, image and prestige. 
Legal tussle, handing of its murky affairs by the NDA government and internal bickering among its top echelons have unfolded in public domain over the past six months or so. Things remain unsettled even now. 
A day after he was removed as the CBI chief by the select panel, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Alok Verma on Friday resigned from the service. Barely 36 hours after he was restored as CBI Director by the Supreme Court, Mr Verma was fired 2-1 by the Prime Minister led select panel and transferred to a non-descript department of Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards as its chief. He refused to take up his transfer and dashed off his resignation letter to the government. 
“Natural justice was scuttled and the entire process was turned upside down in ensuring that the undersigned is removed from the post of the Director,” Mr Verma wrote in his resignation letter to Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training. He called the situation a moment of “collective introspection”, probably sending a signal to the country’s bureaucracy and top police officials. 
Here are excerpts from his resignation letter: 
Vide order dated 10th of January 2019, the undersigned has been posted as the Director General, Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards and transferred out of the Central Bureau of Investigation. 
1. The Selection Committee has not provided the undersigned an opportunity to explain the details as recorded by the CVC before arriving at the decision. Natural justice was scuttled and the entire process was turned upside down in ensuring that the undersigned is removed from the post of the Director CBI. The Selection Committee did not consider the fact that the entire CVC report is premised on charges alluded by a complainant who is presently under investigation by the CBI. It may be noted that the CVC only forwarded a purportedly signed statement of the complainant, and the complainant never came before Hon’ble Justice (Retd.) A.K. Patnaik (supervising the enquiry). Also, Justice Patnaik has concluded that the findings/ conclusions of the report are not his. 
2. Institutions are one of the strongest and most visible symbols of our democracy and it is no exaggeration that the CBI is one of the most important organisations in India today. The decision made yesterday will not just be a reflection on my functioning but will become a testimony on how the CBI as an institution will be treated by any government through the CVC, who is appointed by majority members of the ruling government. This is a moment for collective introspection, to state the least. 
3. As a career bureaucrat, it is the idea of my integrity that has been the driving force for four decades in public service. I have served the Indian Police Service with an unblemished record and have headed police forces in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Puducherry, Mizoram, Delhi and also headed two organisations Delhi Prisons and the CBI. I have been lucky to have received the invaluable support from the forces that I have headed, which resulted in outstanding achievements having a direct bearing on the performance of the force and their welfare. I would like to thank the Indian Police Service and especially the organisations that I have served.
4. Also, it may be noted that the undersigned would have already superannuated as on July 31, 2017 and was only serving the Government as Director, CBI till January 31, 2019, as the same was a fixed tenure role. .
The undersigned is no longer Director, CBI and has already crossed his superannuation age for DG Fire Services, Civil Defence & Home Guards. Accordingly, the undersigned may be deemed as superannuated with effect from today.”
His removal and resignation have already stirred a political storm with both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress trading charges and counter charges. The CBI has got back its interim Director and the agency now awaits a full time new Director by this month-end. The Government has shortlisted a panel of nearly 20 senior IPS officers belonging to 1984 and 1985 batches. Four names will be shortlisted from these and placed before the selection panel from which one will be picked up to head the CBI. 
All eyes will remain on the CBI in the next few weeks to come. Also, the agency will need to work overtime to regain its past glory and earn the confidence of the nation and people. Once called “caged parrot” by the Supreme Court, the CBI has to defend its autonomy and insulate itself from external influences. 

An amalgamation of a well sculpted physique and killer looks, Karan is has made a name for himself in the modelling circuit. Originally from Delhi, Karan is now a Bandra boy scaling immense heights in his modelling carrier. Born and raised in Delhi, Oberoi, 31 is that familiar face everyone has spotted in the Royal Enfield advertisements and on the FBB billboards. In Karan’s case, he did not choose to model, but modelling chose him. 

A model by accident, Karan dabbled in theatre in his college days. He landed an advertisement during his stint as a graphic designer and that’s when the modelling bug struck him. Since then, Karan has done around 300 fashions shows across the world including the middle east like Oman and Dubai and associated with more than 100 commercial and fashion photographers from all over India.  

Karan has walked the runway for brands like Aldo, Peter England, Jack & Jones, Lamborghini, FTV, Shoppers Stop and McDowell’s Signature. He is also a regular at fashion weeks like Lakme Fashion Week, Wills Fashion Week, Beach Resort fashion week, India Couture Week, etc.  

A fitness freak with a combination of uber-fit, lean physique and rugged looks, Karan is very well established himself as not just as a fashion model but also a very renowned fitness model. His portfolio includes editorials & covers of the magazines such as Men’s Health and Health & Nutrition. He was the brand ambassador of a leading fitness brand British nutrition health supplements. He has always believed in the mantra ‘The fitter, the better.’  

Karan Oberoi has numerous awards and accolades to his name wherein his recent achievements include getting awarded “The Youth Icon” model of the year 2018 at the 2nd Global Business Leadership Awards in 2018. Apart from this, he also bagged a position in the list of top 10 supermodels in India by Hindustan Times. The same list voted him as the top fitness model in the country. The year 2018 has been an awarding year for Oberoi as he was also appointed as the ‘World Peace Messenger’ by the World Peace and Diplomacy Organization – a part of United Nations Global Compact.

Karan was awarded the titles for Best Body and Mr Photogenic for his chiseled body and charismatic looks at the Mr India International modelling contest. This ‘Hottie of the Fortnight’, as claimed by Filmfare, has been there done that in the field of modelling. His following on social media has been ever increasing. His fans have gauged just that making him one of the most followed male models on social media.

Perambalur : California Public University today conferred honorary doctorate on SP Gupta, Chairman of Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) for his contribution in the field of animal welfare and social work.

Receiving the degree, Gupta said that he had dedicated his life in serving cows and working for welfare of all other animals. He further said that the honour is recognition of all those working in the field of animal welfare.

“It is a great honour for me to receive the doctorate from California Public University.  I take the opportunity to thank my wife who has been a constant support all along my journey. This honour is recognition of all those working for animal welfare in the country,” Shri Gupta said.

Dr. B. Ramaswamy, President, Suny State University, New York, USA  &  Advisor, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Government of India, Dr Tanmoy Rudra, Executive Secretary, Confederation of Indian Universities, New Delhi and distinguished members of DK International Research Foundation (DKIRF) were present at the award ceremony.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, visited Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands today. In Port Blair, he laid a wreath at the Martyrs Column, and visited the Cellular Jail. At Cellular Jail, he visited the cells of Veer Savarkar, and other freedom fighters. He hoisted a high mast flag and offered floral tributes at the Statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

At a public event to mark the 75th anniversary of the hoisting of Tricolour on Indian soil by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the Prime Minister released a commemorative postal stamp, coin and First Day Cover.

He also unveiled a series of development projects related to the energy, connectivity and health sectors.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are not just a symbol of India’s natural beauty, but are also like a place of pilgrimage for Indians. He said the Andaman and Nicobar Islands remind us of the collective resolve of our freedom fighters.

He said the Union Government is committed to empowering and developing the islands. He said the development projects unveiled today would further this objective in the field of education, health, connectivity, tourism and employment.

He mentioned his visit to the Cellular Jail, and the point where Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had hoisted the tricolour 75 years ago. He said that the Cellular Jail, where thousands of freedom fighters suffered, is no less than a place of worship for him. He said the nation will never forget the sacrifices of the freedom fighters.

Recalling Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the Prime Minister said that on Netaji’s call, many youth from the Andamans had dedicated themselves to the freedom of India. He said the flag on the 150 feet high mast, is an attempt to preserve the memory of this day in 1943, when Netaji unfurled the tricolour.

On this occasion, he announced that Ross Island would now be named Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep; Neil Island would be known as Shaheed Dweep; and Havelock Island would be renamed as Swaraj Dweep.

The Prime Minister said that today, Indians are working towards creating a strong India, in line with Netaji’s vision.

The Prime Minister said that the Government is working towards strengthening connectivity across the country. He said that remembering and honouring our heroes, helps strengthen our feeling of integration. He said the Union Government is making efforts to highlight every glorious chapter of our history. In this context he mentioned the Panchteerth related to Babasaheb Ambedkar, the National Police Memorial, and the Statue of Unity. He said National Awards have also been announced in the names of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and Sardar Patel.

The Prime Minister said that the New India that is being built with the inspiration of these great leaders, has development at its core.

He said the Government is committed to developing the Islands in accordance with the requirements of the environment. He said special attention will be given to sectors such as tourism, food processing and information technology, as part of industrial development.

The Prime Minister said efforts are being made to make the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as self-sufficient as possible. He spoke of the expansion of Port Blair dockyard, which will enable maintenance of big ships. He called for a report on the condition of rural roads in the Islands within two weeks, and said that once the report has been examined, the Union Government will give whatever assistance is possible.

The Prime Minister said that a new Integrated Terminal Building is coming up at Veer Savarkar International Airport. He said the undersea optical fibre cable from Chennai, once completed, would provide good internet connectivity. He also spoke of development works in areas such as water, power, clean energy, and health. 

The United Nation’s International Day is annually held on 18^th December to recognize the efforts, contribution and rights of migrants worldwide.  The world is experiencing migration on an unprecedented scale.  There are an estimated 1 billion migrants today- one in seven people! While some people migrate seeking better opportunities, others are forcibly displaced, fleeing conflict and war. The number of people who migrated across international borders surged by 41 percent in the last 15 years to reach 244 million in 2015. Internal migration (which takes place within one’s own country) is estimated at 740 million people worldwide. Estimated internal migrants in India are 120 million. 

Migration continues to evolve and to become more complex through increased mixed migration flows comprised of many categories of migrants, involving both traditional and new countries of origin, transit and destination. Additionally, the socio-economic, bio-environmental and political context within which modern migration takes place keeps changing, determining new challenges and areas of opportunity, including in the health sector, towards the realization of migration as an effective poverty-reduction and development-enabling factor.

Migration is a social determinant of health that can impact the well-being of an individual, as well as the community.  Most migrants are healthy and young, and migration can improve the health status of migrants and their families by providing a safer haven or better education and purchasing power for ‘left behind’ family members by way of  remittances. However, the migration process can also expose migrants to health risks because of  lack access to adequate, equitable health services and financial protection. Health systems may not have sufficient capacity to manage migrant health needs especially in the case of large movements. Furthermore, human mobility, whether resulting from internal or international migration can be a critical factor in the spread of disease and/or a challenge to controlling it. The Ebola crisis reminds  us how  lack of preparedness, targeted health services and surveillance along mobility pathways undermines effective disease control measures. 

Resetting the Agenda of Migrant Health 

Acknowledging the inherent connection between migration and health, WHO Member States adopted the 2008 World Health Assembly (WHA) Resolution on the health of migrants (WHA.61.17). The Resolution paved the way for the 2010 Global Consultation on Migrant Health in Madrid, which was co-organized by IOM, WHO and the Government of Spain and defined an operational framework to guide Member States and stakeholders in implementing the strategies of mentioned Resolution. This Operational Framework reaffirmed the need of adopting a rights-based, equity-driven, health system strengthening, multi-sectoral approach in addressing health and migration and identified four priority areas for action, namely: monitoring of migrants’ health; policy and legal frameworks; migrant-sensitive health systems; and, partnerships, networks and multi country frameworks. Yet, while awareness and recognition of the urgency to adapt policies and programmes, across sectors, to the health challenges brought by global human mobility is on the rise, the adaptation and development of necessary technical and policy instruments remains slow. 

Governments are faced with the challenge of integrating the health needs of migrants into national plans, policies and strategies across sectors, responding to the call to ‘leave no one behind’ and achieve Universal Health Coverage, stated by the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Coordinated efforts are needed to ensure that migrant health is addressed without discrimination throughout the migration cycle, as are efforts to adapt and strengthen the resilience of local health systems in light of more diverse population health profiles. Addressing the health needs of migrants and affected local populations reduces long-term health and social costs, facilitates integration and contributes to social and economic development.

The UN General Assembly Summit on Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants has created a unique opportunity for the global community to forge a greater consensus on managing the world’s movements of migrants and refugees. It also set in motion the development of a roadmap to a Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and a Global Compact for Refugees. The Global Consultation will be an important milestone to ensure adequate reflection of the health of migrants within the mentioned Global Compacts.

Sri Lanka has set an example by formulating National Migration Health Policy for internal and international migrants.  The policy has adopted evidence-based & multi-stakeholder approach for promotion of the right to health. It also ensures co-ordination with thirteen key government ministries to address other social protection needs of these migrants, including skill building, insurance, housing, and education. Asian countries including India have more to learn from Sri Lanka’s experience.

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Why India is an important patron in global migration scenario? 

Migration for livelihood is a growing phenomenon in India.  People’s migration in India is on the high rise, both international as well internal migration.  Approximately 29% of India’s population is migrating internally. According to the estimates from the National Sample Survey data in India, over US$3.846 billion was sent by international migrants and US$7.485 billion by internal migrants in 2007-08.  These evidences suggest that migration can play an important role in poverty reduction and economic development.  Migrant population is normally missed out at source and destination from all social welfare development programs, such as livelihood, education, health, insurance, and legal protection.   Hence, positive facilitation of safe migration should be specially emphasized which mainly includes access to basics and public services mainly health, education and livelihood. 

Modi Government’s ambitious ‘Skill India Mission’ and ‘Make in India’ Programs have created newer opportunities for youth in semi urban and urban areas, and to  an extent, at international level as well, and this environment has been instrumental in facilitating and increasing migration. 

India being Asia’s largest and most influential labour sending country has a greater role to play on these issues at international level.  India is facing migration challenges and has increasing need to formulate and implement strategies to improve migrants’ condition both internal and cross border. Currently, India has less or no structural policies or programs targeting the migrant’s issues in totality.  It is  time for the Indian government  to ensure coherence between national and international policies for migration and development. The Indian Government can borrow from the evidence-based policies and programs like Sri Lanka, and adapt them to the Indian scenario. There is a need to modify the existing policy structure and programs so that the needs of this marginalized group are accommodated in the various national programs, including health and other social protection. Development of a comprehensive National Migration Policy would be proactive step towards it, that can ensure health and welfare of those who migrate.After all, migrants are key group contributing to the economic development of the India by working in precarious conditions and need to get equitable fruits of growth as other sections of the society.

In the direction of improving the plight of migrants, Disha Foundation was founded in 2002 in Maharashtra, mainly to facilitate safe and productive internal labour migration. Over period of last 14 years, many solutions were tested to reach out to migrant workers, including research, interventions on health, livelihood, social security, food security, education, and also tireless advocacy with regional and national government to mainstream migration issue into policy discourse. Government’s response has been changing and there is positive dialogue on creating pro-migrant policy response, such as Odisha Labour department has set up Migration support programme for their outgoing labourers, Jharkhand government has set up helpline and anti-trafficking support unit for migrant workers, Maharashtra Tribal Department set up tribal migration research and resource center for tribal migrants. There are many successes at regional levels to create integrated solutions to address migrant’s diverse needs,and these successes need to be up scaled at national level, including creating migrant specific database and  portability of health insurance /social security services.   Currently, due to sustained advocacy by Disha, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs is actively looking into these issues, and working to build integrated model to address tribal migrants needs at source and destination level, which can be well applied for other social groups as well.  But the process so far has advanced at a slow pace and is in need of a dynamic leadership for the cause of migrants- both for internal and international.  Such a leadership can ensure engagement of different ministries, and put together a comprehensive migration policy which can act as an umbrella for the rights and welfare of internal and cross border migrants of India. 

Author is Founder Director of Pioneer NGO Disha Foundation, working towards promoting safe and productive labour migration in India.

The Jaipur Music Stage, which runs parallel to the ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival, has announced its line-up of performances. The Jaipur Music Stage features a variety of artistes from the international spectrum showcasing a multi-genre abundance in style, sound, and history. Be it world music, ghazals, funk, rock or the Blues.   

The artistes performing at the Jaipur Music Stage 2019 include the soulful Nooran Sisters; leading Carnatic and world music vocalist Mahesh Vinayakram in collaboration with Dub FX (Benjamin Stanford), the ever-popular Punjabi folk singer Jasbir Jassi in a never-seen-before collaboration with Kutle Khan, folk-rock legends Indian Ocean, violin maestro Dr. L Subramaniam, Shillong-based blues act Soulmate, and techno masters Midival Punditz.

Kickstarting the Jaipur Music Stage on 24^th January will be the sonic explorations of Iranian Canadian duo Niyaz who will present their unique blend of world music, inspired by mystic Sufi sounds and Iranian folk. The tempo will rise exponentially with an exciting collaboration, as Jasbir Jassi brings the earthy notes of Punjabi folk alongside Kutle Khan’s energetic Rajasthani folk. This will be the first time the two Indian folk heavyweights share a stage. These two exciting performances will make the evening all about the power of folk music and the fluidity of its expression.

The evening of 25^th January will see the fiery Nooran Sisters showcase the power of their vocal-driven Sufi songs on the Jaipur Music Stage. They will be followed by folk-rock legends Indian Ocean doing what they do best: serenading crowds with their timeless tunes about India. These combustible sounds are sure to set the stage ablaze and bring to it the rich timbre of soulful folk. 

Fusion fever hits Jaipur Music Stage on the evening of 26^th January as violin virtuoso Dr. L. Subramaniam unveils his brand new set, ‘Global Fusion’; an energetic celebration of modern music in Subramaniam’s inimitable style. Midival Punditz, the original techno pioneers of India, will round off the evening’s entertainment with their pulsating electronica pulling from an eclectic variety of sounds.

On the evening of 27^th January, Shillong blues masters Soulmate are the first act of the night, and are sure to get the crowd on their feet with their brand of fire-breathing, raw-as-nature blues. Next up is another unique collaboration which will see Australian live-looping wonderkid Dub FX share the stage with mesmerising Carnatic vocalist Mahesh Vinayakram. 

As a grand finale, DubFx, Soulmate and Mahesh Vinayakram will bring the curtain down with a unique collaboration — Carnatic, blues and beatboxing all on one stage.

Speaking about the festival, Sanjoy K. Roy, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, producers of the Jaipur Music Stage, said: ‘The Jaipur Music Stage celebrates music in all its forms. This year, Jaipur will see unbelievable collaborations between diverse artistes, as well as workshops and a music bazaar, in against a vibrant carnival-like backdrop. Jaipur Music Stage is surely the place to be when the sun goes down.”

A music market with a range of merchandise including instruments, music technology, music from indie labels and other paraphernalia, will add sizzle to this unique medley of festivities. 

The Computational Neuro Science (CNS) Laboratory at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras is using computer modelling to understand nerve cells that control spatial navigation and movement in mammals.  The team’s recent study has been published in the international journal – Nature Communications.

Spatial navigation of humans and other mammals is controlled by distinctive nerve cells in the brain, called Place Cells and Grid Cells, the discovery of which, gained John O’Keefe, May-Britt Moser and Edvard Moser, the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology in 2014.  Place cells and grid cells form part of a complex nervous circuit that enables place awareness and memory, in effect being the GPS of the brain. 

Together, the spatial cells encode the animal’s location and trajectory in the environment.  Problems in the functions of these “GPS” cells cause severe disorientation and memory deficits associated with neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Spatial cells are key elements of the space mapping circuitry of the brain. Three dimensional neural maps generated by these cells can provide the sense of location of self, based on input signals of movement and direction that the brain receives.

Such computational models on 3D neural maps would be of use in biomedical applications; for example, they could help in unravelling the mechanisms of spatial disorientation associated with neurogenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. They also have potential applications in the engineering domains where they can be used to design bio-inspired systems for navigation of automobiles or drones.

Prof V. Srinivasa Chakravarthy, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Madras, who heads the CNS Laboratory, uses an interdisciplinary approach linking neuroscience, computer programming, physics and maths to develop theoretical models that explain the positions and functions of spatial cells in the rat brain.

They create computer models of the nerve network in the hippocampus to simulate brain activity seen in the biological system. Neural activities associated with the movement of a virtual animal in three dimensional space are simulated.

Speaking about the research, Prof. Chakravarthy said, Â“Three dimensional (3D) spatial cells in the hippocampus are believed to support the existence of 3D cognitive maps. Through modelling, we work out the essential learning rules that are required for the development of the 3D maps in the brain.”

The models not only show the presence of the place cells, but also the behaviour of grid cells when the animal navigates a vertical plane. In addition, they show the presence of two new types of spatial cells called “3d-border cells” and “plane cells”, both of which, could play a part in the animal’s perception of and movement through heights.  All these types of cells interact to give a complete representation of the animal’s changing positions, which may be stored in the animal’s memory as a set of internal guides or maps to particular locations in its environment. 

Mr. Karthik Soman, Research student and first author of the recently published Nature Communications paper, said, Â“Our modelling studies help in understanding the neural principles governing the formation of these maps. This is the first study in the world to report the neural principles of spatial cells in three-dimensional space.”

The team now seeks to understand the behaviour of these spatial cells when there is a change in direction of movement.  The researchers hope to unravel the possible effects of other sensory stimuli such as sight, smell, and sound.

Indian Institute of Technology at Hyderabad is in the process developing Smart Phone-based sensors to detect adulteration in milk. As a first step, researchers have developed a detector system to measure the acidity of milk through design of an indicator paper that changes color according to the acidity of the milk. They have also developed algorithms that can be incorporated onto a mobile phone to accurately detect the color change.

The research, undertaken by a team led by Prof. Shiv Govind Singh, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Hyderabad and comprising Dr. Soumya Jana and Dr. Siva Rama Krishna Vanjari, Associate Professors  and others, has been published in the November 2018 issue of Food Analytical Methods journal.

Speaking about the importance of this research, Prof. Shiv Govind Singh said, Â“While techniques such as chromatography and spectroscopy can be used to detect adulteration, such techniques generally require expensive setup and are not amenable to miniaturisation into low-cost easy-to-use devices. Hence, they do not appeal to the vast majority of milk consumers in the developing world.”

Prof. Shiv Govind Singh further added, “We need to develop simple devices that the consumer can use to detect milk contamination. It should be possible to make milk adulteration detection failsafe by monitoring all of these parameters at the same time, without the need for expensive equipment.”

As a first step, the research team has developed a sensor-chip based method for measuring pH, an indicator of the acidity. The researchers have used a process called ‘electrospinning’ to produce paper-like material made of nanosized (~10-9 m diameter) fibres of nylon, loaded with a combination of three dyes. The paper is “halochromic”, that is, it changes color in response to changes in acidity.

The researchers have developed a prototype smart phone-based algorithm, in which, the colours of the sensor strips after dipping in milk are captured using the camera of the phone, and the data is transformed into pH (acidity) ranges.  They have used three machine-learning algorithms and compared their detection efficiencies in classifying the colour of the indicator strips.  On testing with milk spiked with various combinations of contaminants, they found near-perfect classification with accuracy of 99.71%.

Adulteration of milk is a serious problem in India. A recent report by the Animal Welfare Board shows that 68.7% of milk and milk by-products in the country are adulterated with products such as detergent, glucose, urea, caustic soda, white paint and oil. Chemicals such as formalin, hydrogen peroxide, boric acid and antibiotics could also be added to milk to increase shelf life.