Infertility a medical condition that can be treated: 

Experts

TIMES NEWS NETWORK





In a bid to raise awareness about infertility, which is still considered a taboo in Indian society, TOI has launched a national cam paign, `Fertile Conversations', in partnership with Nova IVI Fertility.A public seminar was organised in Delhi last Saturday as part of the campaign. “The hush-hush attitude and social stigma surrounding fertility needs to go.Social apathy is causing physical trauma and depression and victims are invariably women. We will have to talk about it more among ourselves to recognise that infertility is simply a medical condition with treatment options available for it,“ said Gitanjali Banerjee, who moderated the session. Banerjee manages a portal, infertilitydost.com. The seminar was attended by TOI readers, those needing help, experts as well as leading doctors.
National Family Health Survey reveals that almost 20 million couples in India need to be educated about issues related to infertility. “It is a misconception that since India has such a huge population, we don't have infertility problems. High fertility coexist with high infertility here,“ said Dr Neena Malhotra, professor, AIIMS.
Almost one in every four people has fertility problems that need expert help. However, due to the stigma associated with the subject, people end up experimenting with quacks, tantriks and non-medical practitioners.“Everyone starts giving advice.With so much mental stress, a stage comes when a woman thinks she is ready to do anything to get out of the situation,“ said Banerjee who narrated her ordeal of having multiple miscarriages during the treatment.
In addition to the audience at the venue, the discussion--which was live-streamed on social media platforms--was watched by over 77,000 viewers.
Dr Parul Sehgal, a consultant with Nova IVI, spoke about lifestyle changes that have contributed to the rising the number of infertility cases. “A recent study shows how Indians are one of the laziest people in the world. Our lifestyle is degrading fast--BMIs are beyond normal range. Because of a hectic lifestyle, the marriage age has gone up to 30 while fertility peaks around 25.On top of it, consumption of steroids, supplements and cigarettes is on the rise--all these factors are responsible for the problem and they hinder the treatment,“ Sehgal said.
A dedicated session was organised to bust the myths around the infertility issue. “In the age of internet, there is abundance of information, all of which is not correct. Misinformation is creating these myths,“ said Dr Parul Katiyar from Nova IVI. “The fertility clock is a fact and many people think that taking pills will help reverse it. But there are no magic pills. Chances of conceiving decrease with age. Besides, it's not just women, men too have a fertility clock.“
Adding a new dimension to the conversation, Avinash Kumar, a member of Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), spoke about re-imagining adoption.“Adoption is not for parents. It is for the child. Do not consider it as your plan B, otherwise both you and the child will suffer,“ he said.“Infertility doesn't qualify you for adoption. We see so many couples who are so judgemental about child. Please prepare yourself before you go for adoption.“

NEET: TN parties join hands to seek complete 

exemption

New Delhi PTI





All parties from Tamil Nadu on Wednesday joined hands in the Rajya Sabha to demand complete exemption of the state's students from the combined medical entrance test NEET, alleging bias against them in the examination, with the Centre saying the matter was sub-judice.The government responded saying it has given its views on the legislation passed by the state government for exempting Tamil Nadu from NEET (National Eligibility and Entrance Test) and it was now up to the President to take a view on it.
AIADMK and DMK members also trooped in the Well of the House for a brief while and shouted slogans seeking exemption for Tamil Nadu.
Raising the issue through a zero hour mention, A K Selvaraj (AIADMK) said the state assembly had passed a legislation for exempting Tamil Nadu students from NEET but the President has so far not given his assent to it.
He claimed that 98% of the students studied the state syllabus, but the examination was based on the CBSE syllabus.
DMK leader Kanimozhi said it was not correct to state that Tamil Nadu wanted oneyear exemption. “ All parties (in Tamil Nadu) want permanent exemption (from NEET),“ she said, adding that the state government had invested in medical college infrastructure.
A Navaneethakrishan (AIADMK) alleged that tough questions were given to students from the southern states and easy ones to those from the north. “This is discrimina tion,“ he said.
T K Rangarajan (CPI-M) said half of the questions in the NEET examination were out of syllabus taught to students in Tamil Nadu.
“Is this the way of cooperative federalism? State assembly passes a resolution, the Central Government is not accepting it,“ he asked.
Congress leader Anand Sharma wanted the Centre to make its stand clear on the state legislation.
CPI leader D Raja demanded that Tamil Nadu be given exemption from the entrance examination.
HRD minister Prakash Javedekar said the government has “taken note of every body's pleas“ and the issue was discussed with everyone.





How Sivaji, MGR hits still hold filmgoers in thrall

Devanathan Veerappan & D Govardan

TNN





Lilting Music, Method Acting Make Digital Re-Releases Crowd-Pullers

The adage old is gold seems to ring true, when it comes to the popularity of yester year Tamil hit films in contemporary times. The digital versions of many of these old films are having long runs in theatres, giving new films -many of which struggle beyond the first weekend -a run for their money.`Rajapart Rangathurai', the 1973 film revolving around the life of a stage artist with actor Sivaji Ganesan in the lead, recently completed 50 days in a theatre in Madurai and 40 days in another in Nagercoil. Last Friday , MGR's 1969 hit film `Adimaippenn' too had a decent rerelease in the digital format in several theatres in Chennai even as ticket prices went up due to GST.
Rajapart Rangathurai ran houseful in the weekends at Sri Meenakshi Paradise in Madurai. When the movie completed 50 days, Sivaji Ganesan fans and the theatre owner celebrated the moment by feasting on biriyani.
Ramesh Babu, a 64-year-old movie buff, says he has watched the film seven times after the re-release and three times at Sri Meenakshi Paradise alone.He says although one gets to watch such movies on TV , it is a special experience to watch them in the theatre with friends.
The trend of re-running old movies started in 2012 when Sivaji Ganesan's `Karnan' was re-released in digital format in about 72 centres across the state.
But, what makes such films click today? Distributors say it is the mix of good script, lyri cally melodious songs and fabu lous acting that makes these movies relevant today.
“If you take Karnan, it had a good script, great songs and fabulous acting by Sivaji Gane san. We put in great efforts to revive it in the digital format and ensured that every sound and music byte was reproduced in the same original quality,“ says Shanthi Chokkalingam of Divya Films, who pioneered the digital format re-run business.While the cost for acquisition and conversion came to about `45 lakh, Chokkalingam spent `70 lakh on publicity alone.
Chokkalingam went on to re-release the MGR-Jayalalithaa starrer `Aayirathil Oruvan', in 2014 in 120 screens across TN. It garnered mixed response, but set off a trend and more films entered the fray . Subsequently, Sivaji Ganesan's `Paasamalar', `Thiruvilaiyaadal', `Vasantha Maaligai' and MGR's `Ninaithadhai Mudippavan' and `Rikshakaaran' swarmed theatres across the state. But, not all had successful runs, although they re-ignited a sense of nostalgia among fans.
With a chunk of the re-runs being movies of MGR and Sivaji, many say the films thrived because of the age-old rivalry between the duo both in films and politics. “Most of Sivaji's films were family oriented ones.His fans, who are now parents with grown up kids, were th grown up kids, were keen to relive that nostal gia with their family.
They preferred to watch these films in air-conditioned thea tres than run-down ones. Karnan had a phe nomenal run only because it was released in theatres like Sathyam and Escape among others,“ says K Chandrasekaran, president, Nadigarthilagam Sivaji Social Welfare Association.
Digitally recreated films of rivals Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan didn't evoke the same response due to the lack of a political rivalry between the actors. Attempts to digitally rerun old hits like `Ninaithaale Inikkum' and `Baasha', came a cropper.
“Not all old films have successful re-runs,“ says Abirami Ramanathan, president, Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Federation. “But, how old films were made itself could be a lesson for the youngsters today. MGR for instance fought with a real lion Adimai Penn'. It was not only in ` about acting and action, but also about bravery, which now has been replaced by graphics.These old films had beautiful songs, as the makers respected the lyrics and kept the sound in the background,“ he adds.
With the cost for digital conversion of an old film hovering around `40 lakhs, Ramanathan says one can easily recover the cost in a couple of days if he has the right film with good content.
Email your feedback to southpole.toi @timesgroup.com

Rs 12 lakh fixed for mgmt quota in pvt Pondy med 

colleges

Bosco Dominique

Puducherry:





The fees committee constituted under the chairmanship of Madras high court former judge justice S Rajeswaran has fixed the fees for MBBS courses under management and Nonresident Indian quotas for the academic year 2017-18 in the three private medical colleges cum hospitals in the Union territory of Puducherry .The committee fixed `12 lakh as fees per annum under management quota and `20 lakh under NRI quota. It had fixed the fees under state quota in March this year. It fixed `3.35 lakh as fee for Pondicherry institute of medical sciences, `3.13 lakh for Sri Manakula Vinayagar medical college and hospital and `2.99 lakh for Sri Venkateswaraa medical college and hospital. The committee submitted a report with details on the fees structure to the Puducherry government.
“The government posted the fees structure for MBBS and other courses recommended by the committee on Centac website on July 19. We urge the government to hold counselling in a fair and transparent manner briefing the students and their par ents and media on the allotment of seats and vacancies periodically and avoid confusion as encountered in the postgraduate medical admission a month ago,“ said Pondicherry state students' and parents' association president V Balasubramanian.
The three private medical colleges cum hospitals offer 150 MBBS seats each. Balasubramanian also sought the government ensure that the three private colleges surrender a minimum of 50% of the total seats under state quota.
There are four institutions affiliated to deemed universities in Puducherry Arupadai Veedu medical college, Vinayaga Mission medical college, Mahatma Gandhi medical college and research institute and Sri Lakshmi Narayana institute of medical sciences (Slims) ­ offering a total of 600 MBBS.
The four institutions were filling seats by holding combined or individual counselling until last academic year. However from this academic year the Union government had entrusted the directorate general of health services (DGHS) to hold counselling for all deemed universities in the country to admit students into MBBS course.

Quota in med admission: HC to hear appeal on 

Thursday

Chennai TIMES NEWS NETWORK





Four days after a single judge of the Madras high court quashed Tamil Nadu government's policy of reserving 85% of MBBS BDS seats available under government quota for students from the state board, the matter has gone before a division bench of the court.A bench said it would hear the appeal filed by the state government on Thursday .On July 14, a single judge quashed the government's 85:15 ratio of MBBSBDS seats between state board and CBSE studentsr espectively , and charged the government with meting out “step-motherly and discriminatory“ treatment to CBSE students.
Assailing the order, the Tamil Nadu government filed an appeal contending that the government was duty-bound to make provisions so as to protect the interests of a vast majority of students from state board who did not have access to CBSE schools.
The state board students cannot be held responsible for sudden change in the pattern of admission which is mainly based on syllabus, methodology and examination entirely different from each other, the government said.
Reiterating that the Tamil Nadu government had been consistently opposing the NEET, the government wanted the court to set aside the order of the single judge and allow the authorities to implement the reservation in the admission.

Man booked for sedition over WhatsApp messages

Chennai: TIMES NEWS NETWORK





The Chennai police registered a sedition case against a man, who is the admin of a WhatsApp group, for forwarding and receiving messages that could incite hatred among communities.The man was released on bail immediately after he was produced before a magistrate court at Alandur.
The airport police arrested Tadikala Saleem, 36, of Ka dapa in Andhra Pradesh, based on the complaint of an inspector attached to the customs air intelligence at the Chennai airport.
Saleem had come to the Chennai airport's international terminal to receive his friend who had landed in the city from a country in the Middle East. But customs air intelligence officials detained his friend for carrying excess gold in his luggage. During inquiries, the man told officials that Sale em waiting outside. Soon, the officials rounded up Saleem.
Customs officials snatched his mobile and checked his WhatsApp messages. They came across text and voice messages “inviting youngsters to gather at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi for a flash protest“, said an official.
A message had a photograph of a woman stamping on the Quran.
Police booked a case under Section 124 (A) of the IPC.

Driver abducts doctor, seeks `5cr from Ola

Raj Shekhar Jha & Somreet Bhattacharya

New Delhi TNN





In a story straight out of a crime thriller, a doctor traveling home in New Delhi in an Ola cab earlier this month was abducted by the cabbie and his associates. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of `5 crore, not from the doctor's family , but from Ola.The 13-day drama, which saw two police encounters with the accused and 200 Delhi cops being deployed for investigations and search operations, finally ended on Wednesday with the doctor's rescue and the arrest of four kidnappers from Meerut.At least other five accused, including the masterminds, are absconding. We are conducting more “ raids to nab the rest of them and also questioning some of the accused,“ said joint commissioner (eastern range) Ravindra Yadav, who headed the operation.
The doctor, Srikanth Goud from Hyderabad, works at a private hospital in east Delhi.He had booked the cab through the mobile app on the night of July 6 for returning from a birthday party in Noida.
Goud's friend, Dr Rakesh, had dropped him around midnight at the Preet Vihar Metro station, where Goud had booked the cab. He lives with a friend in Gautam Nagar, south Delhi.
After he boarded the cab, the driver locked the doors and drove the car towards Dadri. Goud told police he had protested when the driver took a turn towards Noida.However, the driver kept going and after they crossed into Noida, he threatened to kill the doctor if he tried to raise an alarm. Three of the cabbie's associates boarded the vehicle from Noida before driving off to Dadri.
The first call was made to the Ola call centre on July 7, in which the kidnappers demanded a ransom of `5 crore.Ola refused to comment on the developments.
Another call was made to the doctor's hospital. The kidnappers spoke to a nurse and asked the hospital to build pressure on Ola, saying they just wanted to teach the company a lesson. Meanwhile, they kept changing their loca tions.
To evade technical surveillance, the gang used the doctor's mobile. They shot the doctor's vidoes on his mobile and send the clips to Ola and the family .
It was found that two of the kidnappers are siblings and both had earlier worked with Ola. They are yet to be arrested. They were miffed with Ola due to alleged non-payment of incentives, sources said.
Wednesday's encounter took place in Shatabdi Nagar area of Meerut, when cops confronted the kidnappers near a railway crossing while they were changing their location with the doctor. They tried to take advantage of a group of kanwariyas and flee, but were surrounded by a joint team of Delhi Police and UP STF . When they were challenged by the cops, the men opened fire.