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Today's Words: Forsooth, Googol and Gainsay

  Forsooth (fawr-sooth) Adverb (now used in derision or to express disbelief) in truth; in fact; indeed. More about Forsooth From Middle English forsothe, <Old English forsōth.  The original sense of “in truth, in fact” without an element of derision or irony is obsolete. Examples of Forsooth Here’s an original usage example from Othello, Act 1, Scene 1: Forsooth, a great arithmetician, One Michael Cassio, a FlorentineHere’s a modern-day, humorous example: “Forsooth, I should be so lucky to find a parking spot on a Friday night!” Googol (goo-gawl) Noun a number that is equal to 1 followed by 100 zeros More about Googol First recorded in 1935–40. Introduced by U.S. mathematician Edward Kasner (1878–1955), whose nine-year-old nephew allegedly invented it. Inspiration for the famous Google search engine. Examples of Googol The concept of a googol stretches the limits of human imagination, illustrating the vastness of numbers. She joked that it would take a googol of years to f...

Today's Words: Solidarity, Hangry and Feckless

Solidarity (sol-i-dar-i-tee) Noun community of feelings, purposes, interests, or responsibilities More about Solidarity First recorded in 1840–50. From French solidarité, equivalent to solidaire, solidary + ite, ity. Examples of Solidarity In times of crisis, the community came together in solidarity to support one another. They expressed their solidarity with the cause by wearing matching ribbons. Hangry (hang-gree) Adjective feeling irritable or irrationally angry as a result of being hungry More about Hangry First recorded in 1915–20. Formed from h(ungry) + angry. Examples of Hangry After a long day at work, he came home hangry and ready to raid the fridge. I snapped at my friend because I was feeling hangry after skipping lunch. Feckless (fek-lis) Adjective ineffective; incompetent; futile More about Feckless First recorded in 1590–1600. Originally Scots, from feck, shortened from effeck, Scots form of effect + -less.  Examples of Feckless The feckless security measures failed ...

Vijay Krishna Itnal: A Multifaceted Actor, Singer And Mimicry Artist

Bengaluru: Vijay Krishna Itnal is an Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering at the Vishwakarma Institute of Technology (VIT), University of Pune Maharashtra. For the official record, he remains a faculty of the well-known and one of the oldest Engineering Colleges. But, apart from that he is widely known for his multifaceted persona in acting, singing and mimicry. The Penchant of Engineers: Strange it may appear, however, happens to be a stark reality. Many Engineering graduates have made it big in the Sandalwood industry, Ramesh Arvind is a Mechanical Engineering graduate while Sudeep holds a bachelor's degree in Industrial and Production Engineering. Dhananjaya had even got a job in Infosys. The number of Engineering graduates in state and national politics makes a big list: Arvind Limbavali, Murugesh Nirani, Shivkumar Udasi, Basavaraj Bommai, Akhilesh Yadav, Arvind Kejriwal... No big surprise: Going by the peculiar trend it looks like no big a surprise that the Mechanic...

Drumstick Leaf: A Panacea for Anaemia?

India is currently celebrating its 7th Rashtriya Poshaan Maah, a nationwide campaign to address the issue of malnutrition and anaemia, which continues to be a significant public health concern in the country (Anwar, 2020). Rashtriya Poshan Maah is celebrated every year in September, during which the government gives out a theme to drive the campaign, and this year's theme is "Poshan Jagrukta se Poshan Abhiyaan". The prevalence of anaemia in India is staggeringly high, with more than half of Indian mothers and children being anaemic (Monsang & Singh, 2018). Nutritional anaemia comprises the second most common group of deficiency disorders after protein-energy malnutrition. Anaemia, characterized by a low level of haemoglobin in the blood, is a major public health problem worldwide, particularly among women of reproductive age in developing countries (Monsang & Singh, 2018). As a clinical dietician, I have witnessed many anaemia-related cases ranging from a 10-year-...

MPSCON 2024 International Conference Strengthens Ties

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) 05 September: The MPSCON2024 International Conference, held on August 29-30, 2024, at Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, successfully concluded, reinforcing the connection between research and practical applications in pharmacology. With over 350 participants, the event focused on "Innovations in Pharmacology: Bridging Research, Industry, and Healthcare," highlighting major advances and providing strategic career guidance for professionals. Jointly organized by the Medical Pharmacologists Society and the Department of Pharmacology at Saveetha Medical College, the conference was inaugurated by Dr. N. M. Veeraiyan, Founder and Chancellor of SIMATS, who emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing pharmacology. Dr Shiva Murthy N, Founder and President of the Medical Pharmacologists Society, delivered the keynote address, announcing plans for new research centres in collaboration with tertiary care hospitals and a de...

58th Foundation Day of ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research

  Bengaluru:  The 58th Foundation Day of ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru was celebrated on 05th September 2024, at its institute campus, Hesaraghatta, Bengaluru-89. Dr Rakesh Chandra Agrawal, Deputy Director General, Education Division, ICAR, New Delhi, was Chief Guest, and Dr R. Gopakumar, Director, ICTS- TIFR, Bengaluru was Guest of Honour. Dr Sanjay Kumar Singh, Deputy Director General, Horticultural Sciences, ICAR, New Delhi, presided over the function in the presence of Dr Tusar Kanti Behera, Director, ICAR-IIHR, and Dr Prakash Patil, Project Co-ordinator-Fruits, Bengaluru. The Directors and Regional Heads of ICAR Institutes situated at Bengaluru, staff and students of IIHR, invitee farmers and entrepreneurs attended the programme. At the outset, Director Dr. T.K. Behera welcomed the dignitaries and presented the progress made at the institute in the past year, mentioning that several varieties of the institute are released and notified by agenc...

Visit to Lake District or Cumbria: A Mesmerizing Experience

  Brentwood (United Kingdom), 25 August: On 25th August it was a very cold day. As usual, we four of us got ready for our wonderful adventure of Lake District. Although there was chilling cold weather outside there was no dearth of hot water inside to take a bath.  Very difficult to describe the beauty of nature: Suri and Maruthi were wearing thermals. Me and Chetan just wore jackets on shirts. I thought a jacket would serve the purpose. Chetan drove to heaven-like places. It is very difficult to describe the beauty of nature.  Full of grass in every nook and corner: Since I am not a poet or a writer, I will try to explain whatever I see in my own words. Whichever side you happen to glance it was only green and green and the area was full of grass in every nook and corner. It appeared as if someone had very carefully trimmed the same just for us! Impossible to step in: The forests were so thick that it was impossible for anybody to step into them. I had never seen such ...

Kedarnath Havaldar Successfully Completes Forty-Day Tabla Practice!

Bengaluru: Well, strange it may look to hear also, but Kedarnath Havaldar has made it. He underwent what is termed as "Chilla", a forty-day tabla practice all alone. During this forty-day challenging period, he initially used to meet his guru for some days. But, after the 25th day, he remained all to himself and his favourite musical instrument tabla. Not only that, but while he continued to practice in the basement he never even met his wife staying on the first floor. Forty-day pursuit: Pt Dr Nagaraj Havaldar, father of Kedarnath Havaldar, proudly recalls his son's accomplishments: From July 8th morning to August 16th late evening, my son Kedarnath Havaldar was in solitude and soliloquy with his favourite passion Tabla. This forty-day tabla practice regime is known as Chilla. This forty-day pursuit was completed successfully by the blessings and guidance of his Guru Pandit Samira Chatterjee, Guruma Sanghamitra ji and Gurubhai Dibyarko Chatterjee ... ...The challenge ...

ICAR-IIHR : 58th Foundation Day Celebrations Tomorrow

The ICAR – Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (ICAR-IIHR), established on September 5, 1967, is the top-ranking institute of ICAR. With a mission to achieve sustainable horticultural development, the institute has played a crucial role in ensuring livelihood security, economic growth, and nutritional security, despite the numerous challenges faced over the years. Extensive research: ICAR-IIHR has conducted extensive research on fruits, vegetables, ornamentals, medicinal and aromatic plants, and mushrooms for nearly six decades. The institute focuses on both basic and applied research to enhance the productivity and utilization of tropical and subtropical horticultural crops. Collaboration with agencies: Additionally, ICAR-IIHR collaborates with national and international agencies in horticultural research and development, specifically with the State of Karnataka. 13 varieties/hybrids released: The institute has made significant strides in developing varieties and hybrids resi...