Search committee announced for university V-C selection

Search committee announced for university V-C selection

The Hindu Bureau

MADURAI 2701.2025

Former Manonmaniam Sundaranar University Vice-Chancellor K. Pichumani, K. Jothi Sivagnanam and K.A. Manikumar have been nominated as members of the search committee for recommending a panel of three names to the Tamil Nadu Governor for appointment of Vice-Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University.

According to a press release issued in Madurai on Sunday, Mr. Pichumani (Chancellor’s nominee) shall be the convenor of the search committee and Mr. Jothi Sivagnanam (Syndicate nominee) and Mr. Manikumar (Senate nominee) would be the members.

The committee shall recommend three names along with their bio-data to the Governor-Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University.

Cardiac surgeon who performed India’s first coronary bypass surgery passes away

Cardiac surgeon who performed India’s first coronary bypass surgery passes away

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI

Dr. K.M. Cherian (1942 - 2025)

India’s pre-eminent cardiac surgeon K.M. Cherian, who performed India’s first coronary bypass surgery, died in Bengaluru on Saturday. He was 82.

His son, Sanjay Cherian, shared a note that said, “It is with profound grief that I inform you all that my beloved father, Dr. K.M. Cherian, passed away around 11:55 p.m. last night [January 25]. Dad and I had attended a wedding reception in Bengaluru and as we were leaving, he collapsed...” He also said that Dr. Cherian was rushed to Manipal Hospital where he was declared dead. The funeral will be held on January 30.

Only a couple of days ago was his autobiography, Just an Instrument, launched at the Kerala Literature Festival.

Born on March 8, 1942, in Kerala, Dr. Cherian worked for over 50 years in the field of cardiology, training under world-renowned leaders in the field. He was also credited with performing the first heart-lung transplant in India, the second cardiac transplant, and strangely, for a profession where people stick to their chosen specialisation, was also a pioneer in paediatric cardiac surgery. He set up Frontier Lifeline Hospital in Chennai and Frontier Mediville, a large medical science park on the outskirts of the city, to help spur research into indigenous cardiac valves and other technologies.

During the book launch in Kerala, Dr. Cherian said each surgeon should consider the patient part of his own family. Some of the experiences he shared on the occasion include how he performed heart surgeries on 20 Iraqi children and how he played the diplomat in the release of four Indian drivers who were imprisoned in Iraq. He went on to explain his association with Mother Teresa, upon whose request he performed a surgery on a poor boy in Kolkata at minimal cost.

After having completed his medical education in Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, he went on to teach in Christian Medical College, Vellore, before heading out to the far shores of Australia and New Zealand to train further in cardiac surgery. He chose to come back to India to serve the people and the country. In the 50-plus years he served in the field, he also had a term as honorary cardiac surgeon to the President and worked extensively with patients who came from foreign nations for treatment, and was awarded the Padma Shri.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a post in X, said, “Pained by the passing of Dr. K.M. Cherian, one of the most distinguished doctors of our country. His contribution to cardiology will always be monumental, not only saving many lives but also mentoring doctors of the future. His emphasis on technology and innovation always stood out. My thoughts are with his family and friends in this hour of grief.”

Simple childhood

In his autobiography, Dr. Cherian recalled his simple childhood, from walking barefoot to school to playing marbles on the street with friends, and a love to don paint to participate in the tiger dance during Onam. He confessed to getting zero in mathematics in Class 5, but the school managed to give grace marks to all students as the exam was unusually tough.

K.R. Balakrishnan, chairman-cardiac sciences and director of the Institue of Heart and Lung Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support in MGM Healthcare, recalled coming to Chennai in November 1984 “fresh from training in Bombay”. Dr. Cherian was a mentor, with whom he conducted experiments during his stint at the Railway Hospital. “We did exciting stuff at that time,” he said.

“He has travelled all over the world, planning for Madras Medical Mission (MMM). When I was working in Auckland in New Zealand, he stayed with me almost a week, visiting hospitals. I was the first cardiac surgeon to work with him. This is before he became famous. He was instrumental in me getting a fellowship in the United States. He was very generous to young people who worked with him. His contributions to cardiac surgery in India are legendary.”

Ajit Mullasari, director of cardiology at the Institute of Cardio-vascular diseases at the MMM, said his association with Dr. Cherian began in 1995 when he joined the hospital.

“The first bypass surgery, coronary artery bypass surgery, the heart transplantation in the private sector, a lot of paediatric surgeries were pioneering efforts in this country. He had a great vision of the future,” he said. Dr. Cherian “believed standalone centres will have no dilution of cardiac care. Subsequently a lot of people followed. But he was always one step ahead,” Dr. Mullasari said, adding: “He put effort into research, which usually doesn’t happen in a private centre. He was pushing you to research, be it stem cell or lab work. He would push us to write and encourage us to present in international congresses.”

Sowmya Swaminathan, former chief scientist of World Health Organisation and chairperson of M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, in her post on X, said, “Deeply saddened to hear of Dr. KM Cherian’s passing. His memoir was just released and we had long conversations recently — about the future of innovation and health technology development in India. Certainly a source of inspiration to many, apart from the countless lives he saved! RIP.”

Study finds link between smartphone use and mental health of adolescents

Study finds link between smartphone use and mental health of adolescents

Global concern: Expert says the pace of deterioration of mental well-being is slower in India, when compared to U.S. GETTY IMAGES

Ramya Kannan

Chennai  25.01.2025

A survey of over 10,000 adolescents (13-17 years) in the United States and India has revealed that mental well-being is closely linked with earlier age of initiation of mobile phones, and could decline significantly with each younger year of age.

The report, titled “The Youth Mind: Rising Aggression and Anger”, by Sapien Labs documented the responses of 10,475 Internet-enabled adolescents across India and the U.S. in 2024. Although numerous factors have traditionally been identified as drivers of poor mental health, one key change in the younger generations is the arrival of smartphones, which were introduced in 2008, coinciding with the onset of rising mental health problems.

The report highlighted key trends, with a particular focus on rising feelings of aggression, anger, irritability, and hallucinations in this age group. The decline in mind health is characterised not only by sadness and anxiety but also by new symptoms, including unwanted thoughts and a sense of being detached from reality. Highlighting the differences between the American and Indian cohorts, Tara Thiagarajan, neuroscientist with Sapien Labs, said the pace of deterioration of mental well-being is slower in India. “While the overall decline in mental well-being in younger ages is strongly present for males and females in the U.S., it is only present for females in India and not in males (where only select aspects deteriorated, while others improved). Even for females, it (the overall decline in mental well-being) is not as steep in India,” Dr. Thiagarajan said.

“On the other hand, both adolescent males and females in India have worse mental well-being on the whole, than their counterparts in the U.S. While aggression, anger and hallucinations are consistently related to the age of smartphone initiation for both U.S. and Indian females, for girls in India, getting their phones very young is more likely to result in increased sleep and health problems as adults,” she said.

Merits of ed-tech

In an attempt to address this, there is a growing debate on the merits of educational technology (ed-tech) in the elementary and middle school years. “One of the possible solutions is also to provide restricted access to phones for teenagers using apps, which lock in parental controls regarding apps teens can access, while allowing them to access a school portal or messaging,” Dr. Thiagarajan said.

வாழ்வியலும் வழிகாட்டுதலும்

வாழ்வியலும் வழிகாட்டுதலும்

=========================

யாகாவாராயினும் நாகாக்க காவாக்கால் சோகாப்பர் சொல்லிழுக்குப் பட்டு.

தீயினால் சுட்டபுண் உள்ளாறும் ஆறாது நாவினால் சுட்ட வடு.

வார்த்தைகளை சிதறவிட்டால், இறைத்து விட்டால் திரும்ப அள்ள முடியாது.

இந்த வார்த்தையை அடிக்கடி உச்சரிப்பவரா நீங்கள்?... இது உங்களுக்கான பதிவு...

தவிர்க்க வேண்டிய வார்த்தைகள்...!!

பொதுவாகவே நாம் பேசும் வார்த்தைகளுக்கு உயிர் உண்டு

அப்படியிருக்கும் போது ஒருபோதும் தகாத வார்த்தைகளை நம் வாயிலிருந்து உச்சரிக்கவே கூடாது.

உங்களால் முடிந்த அளவிற்கு சுப சொற்களை பயன்படுத்தி பழகுங்கள்.

வழக்கத்தில் தான் எல்லாமே உள்ளது.

முதலில் இல்லை முடியாது என்று எப்போதும் கூறாதீர்கள்.

முடியாது, தெரியாது என்று கூறுவதை தவிர்த்து முயற்சி செய்கிறேன் என்று சொல்லுங்கள்.

இதுவே தன்னம்பிக்கை வளர உந்துகோளாக இருக்கும்.

வீடாக இருந்தாலும், தொழில் செய்யும் இடமாக இருந்தாலும், வேலை செய்யும் இடமாக இருந்தாலும் அந்த இடத்தில் நாம் பயன்படுத்தக் கூடாத வார்த்தை 'இல்லை இது இல்லை, அது இல்லை, வீட்டில் மளிகை பொருட்கள் இல்லை, காய்கறிகள் இல்லை, நகைகள் இல்லை, புது துணிமணிகள் இல்லை என்று இல்லை இல்லை என்ற வார்த்தையை சொல்லிக்கொண்டே இருந்தால், இருப்பதும் இல்லாமல் போய்விடும் என்று சொல்லப்பட்டுள்ளது.

எவரேனும் ஏதாவது ஒரு பொருளை உங்களிடம் கேட்டால் இல்லை என்று உடனே கூறி விடாதீர்கள். இல்லை என்ற சொல்லை பயன்படுத்தாமல் தீர்ந்துவிட்டது என்று கூறலாம்.

உதாரணமாக, வியாபாரம் செய்யும் இடங்களில் நாம் கேட்கக்கூடிய குறிப்பிட்ட பொருள், அந்த கடையில் இல்லையெனில் அந்தக் கடைக்காரர் அந்த பொருள் குடோனில் இருக்கின்றது அல்லது அந்த பொருளுக்கான ஆர்டரை செய்து இருக்கின்றோம் இரண்டு நாட்களில் வந்துவிடும். வந்தவுடன் இந்த பொருளை உங்களுக்கு தருகின்றேன் என்று தான் சொல்வார்.

எக்காரணத்தைக் கொண்டும் இல்லை என்ற வார்த்தையை பயன்படுத்தமாட்டார்.

இனி உங்கள் வாயிலும் இல்லை என்ற சொல் வராமல் பார்த்துக் கொள்ளுங்கள். வாழ்க்கையில் உங்களுக்கு தேவையான எல்லாமும் இருக்க வேண்டும் என்றால், இல்லை என்ற வார்த்தை உங்களிடம் இல்லாமல் இருக்க வேண்டும்.

அடுத்தபடியாக நமக்கு கோபம் வரும் போது அடிக்கடி நாம் பயன்படுத்தக்கூடிய வார்த்தை, சனியனே.. மூதேவி..

இந்த இரண்டு வார்த்தைகளையும் எவர் உச்சரித்துக் கொண்டே இருக்கிறார்களோ... அவர்களிடத்தில் கஷ்டமும் ஒட்டிக்கொள்ளும் என்பதில் ஒரு துளி அளவும் சந்தேகம் இல்லை.

'சனியன்" என்ற வார்த்தை சனி பகவானின் பிடியில் அகப்படுவதற்கு சமமான சொல் ஆகும். ஒருமுறை ஒருவர் இந்த வார்த்தையை கேட்டு விட்டால் நமக்கும் தொற்றி விடும். கவனித்து பாருங்கள் தெரியும்.

சில வீடுகளில் குழந்தைகள் சரியாக படிக்கவில்லை என்றால் அந்த வீட்டில் இருக்கும் பெற்றோர்கள் அந்த குழந்தைகளை பார்த்து 'நீ எதற்கும் பயன்பட மாட்டாய். வாழ்க்கையில் நீ கஷ்டப்பட தான் போகின்றாய்" என்ற வார்த்தைகளை சொல்லி திட்டுவார்கள். இந்த வார்த்தைகளை வைத்து எக்காரணத்தைக் கொண்டும் குழந்தைகளை திட்டவே கூடாது.

நீ நன்றாக படித்தால் உன் வாழ்க்கை சிறப்பாக இருக்கும் என்று தான் அந்த குழந்தைகளுக்கு புத்திமதி சொல்ல வேண்டும்.

எதிர்பாராத விதமாக உங்களுக்கு ஏதாவது நடந்து விட்டால் அம்மா என்று தான் சொல்ல வேண்டுமே தவிர, அய்யோ என்ற வார்த்தையை உச்சரிக்காதீர்கள்.

அதே போல பெண்கள் அடிக்கடி தற்பெருமையாக கூறும் வார்த்தைகள்.....

வீட்டில் அடிக்கடி 'சமையலறையை சுத்தமாக துடைத்து விட்டேன். வீட்டை சுத்தமாக துடைத்து விட்டேன். பூஜை அறையை சுத்தமாக துடைத்து விட்டேன் என்று சொல்வது

சுத்தமாக துடைத்து விட்டேன் என்ற வார்த்தை வீட்டை துடைத்து எடுத்து விடும் என்றும் சொல்லப்பட்டுள்ளது.

உங்களை பார்த்து தான் குழந்தைகள் பேச கற்று கொள்வார்கள். பெரியவர்கள் நல்ல வார்த்தைகளை பேசினால் தான் அந்த குடும்பம் சிறந்து விளங்கும்.

சொல்லில் இனிமை சேர்த்து வாழ்வில் வளம் பெற்று மன நிறைவுடன் இருங்கள்.

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

NEWS TOAY 24.01.2025

 

Ex-Army man kills wife, boils body parts in pressure cooker in Telangana

Ex-Army man kills wife, boils body parts in pressure cooker in Telangana

A missing person complaint was filed by Madhavi’s mother, Uppala Subbamma, on January 18. She informed the police that her daughter had a quarrel with Gurumurthy around 8 am on January 16 over petty issues.

The accused, Gurumurthy, allegedly admitted to killing his wife, Puttavenkata Madhavi, 35, during questioning.

Express News Service

Updated on:

23 Jan 2025, 11:13 am

HYDERABAD: An ex-serviceman was arrested for allegedly murdering his wife, chopping her body into pieces, boiling the remains in a pressure cooker and dumping them in a lake in Jillelaguda, under the Meerpet police station limits.

According to police sources, the accused, Gurumurthy, allegedly admitted to killing his wife, Puttavenkata Madhavi, 35, during questioning. After killing her, he reportedly disposed of her remains in a nearby lake. Investigators are gathering additional evidence related to the case.

Meerpet Inspector K Nagaraju said that Gurumurthy and Madhavi had been married for 11 years and hailed from Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh. Gurumurthy, who retired from Army, is currently working as a security guard in Kanchanbagh. The couple had been residing in Venkateshwara Colony, Jillelaguda, for five years.

A missing person complaint was filed by Madhavi’s mother, Uppala Subbamma, on January 18. She informed the police that her daughter had a quarrel with Gurumurthy around 8 am on January 16 over petty issues. Upset after the argument, Madhavi left their home around 12 pm the same day without informing anyone and did not return, the complaint said, adding that though their relatives and neighbours searched for Madhavi, she could not be found.

“The case is under investigation,” said Nagaraju.

No affiliation if correct faculty info not provided on time: Anna University

No affiliation if correct faculty info not provided on time: Anna University

The colleges have been directed to submit all details regarding the faculty and infrastructure on the online ‘affiliation monitoring system’, which will be verified through an inspection process.

Binita Jaiswal

23 Jan 2025, 7:47 am

CHENNAI: In light of the ghost faculty scam that rocked the reputation of Anna University (AU) a few months ago, the premier institution has now issued strict guidelines to its affiliated colleges regarding the submission of faculty details. In a circular, the AU registrar has warned all 433 affiliated colleges that if correct details are not provided within the stipulated time, the college’s affiliation will be withdrawn.

The colleges have been directed to submit all details regarding the faculty and infrastructure on the online ‘affiliation monitoring system’, which will be verified through an inspection process. Faculty details authenticated by biometric devices with Aadhaar and respective unique faculty ID, issued by AICTE, must be submitted. The varsity has asked the colleges to submit the details online by January 31, or by February 7 with a late fee of Rs 50,000.

Individual faculty data sheets should contain actual details of the faculty member and their signature. Faculty qualifications and experience details with pay scale and cadre ratio should be strictly followed as per (AICTE/UGC or 6th Central Pay Commission or 7th CPC) norms for grant of affiliation.

“All certificates, AICTE faculty ID, PAN and Aadhaar details should be verified with the originals of faculty members before uploading the details to the university,” said a university official.

Though the affiliated colleges have welcomed the initiative, they have expressed their helplessness in following it in proper letter and spirit. “It is good that AU has taken a slew of measures to check duplication of faculty, but fulfilling all the norms will be a herculean task. There has been no fee hike for the last seven years. So, from where will we fulfull the 6th/7th CPC scale of pay,” said the principal of an affiliated college.