On June 23, 2017, headlines across most leading dailies were about a team of teenage students from India who created history by designing and launching the ‘World’s Lightest Satellite’.

It was a team of six young Indian boys selected from almost 86,000 entries worldwide from various parts of India, who came together, under an organisation called Space Kidz India. Let’s hear their inspiring story.

Inception

Space Kidz was formed with the intention of bringing together like-minded, scientifically-inclined children and providing them with a platform to explore and evolve.

In a country where, even today, a majority of parents want their children to either be engineers or doctors, the scope of being a scientist is rather bleak. Space Kidz provides students with a platform where they can explore science freely, without the pressures of academics.

Having found a platform in the organisation, the boys put their minds together to make magic happen. Helming them together was Dr Srimathy Kesan, the founder of Space Kidz.

Induction of the first team member

Rifath Sharook, the lead scientist, was the first member to be inducted into the group. Hailing from Pallapatti, a village in Karur, Tamil Nadu, Rifath was all of 18 when he joined Space Kidz. It was a chance meeting for Rifath that changed the course of his life.

As part of an assignment for the college magazine, he was to interview Dr Srimathy Kesan. As he got talking, he realised that his true calling was in aerospace, which was also noticed by Dr Kesan. He became the first recruit into Space Kidz.

Growth of the team

Each team member inducted thereafter brought with them a child-like enthusiasm which was what pushed them to achieve such greatness.

Vinay Bharadwaj, a structural engineer from Bengaluru, was the person who took charge of all the coding.

For team members Tanishq Dwivedi, Yagna Sai, and Abdul Kashif – it was a chance glance at the college notice board, which brought them to Space Kidz.

Together they created history

Tanishq says, “It was in 2015, that a flyer which spoke about a trip to NASA, caught our attention. The three of us applied and got to visit NASA with Srimathy Ma’am. That was how we all came together to work on projects.”

Tanishq joined the team as the Flight Engineer and says, “I have always dreamt of becoming an aerospace engineer. There is a world beyond medicine and engineering. Space is vast and has always been so appealing to me.”

Dr Srimathy Kesan, the Mission Director of the team, describes herself as the team’s mother and confidant and was responsible for getting the best out of each one of them.

The group of monkeys who made India proud

The first project they worked on was to launch a helium balloon into the higher atmosphere. Despite all odds, the group of self-taught rocket scientists went on to successfully launch their helium balloon which reached up to 1,07,000 feet and even found a spot in the Limca Book of Records for being the first Indian student team to do so.

While working on the Helium Balloon Launch, also known as the Near Space Launch Vehicle (NSLV), the team was often mocked. Tanishq recounts one such incident, “There was a time when our team was compared with a bunch of monkeys, who had no clue about what they were doing. There was so much negativity and demotivation all around us, but what kept us going was our unflinching confidence in making the project work.”

Having tasted this success, the team was raring to go and aimed higher. Their next project was to make satellites that would enter space.

When a gulab jamun was not just a sweet, but an idea

Recounting an incident that triggered the idea of launching a satellite into space, Tanishq says, “It all began with a gulab jamun. One evening, the excitement was high, and we insisted that Srimathy Ma’am make us gulab jamuns as a treat.”

“While the other boys gulped their jamuns down, Rifath and Kashif kept staring at it in wonder. It was something like a eureka moment – ‘why can’t we make a satellite this size and launch it into space?'”

And from there began their next journey.

Cubes in Space

“With limited resources, we participated in ‘Cubes in Space’, where NASA selected our submission, KalamSAT, named as a tribute to former President A P J Abdul Kalam, from 86,000 other entries. What a moment of pride that was for all of us,” says Tanishq.

They now hold the title of having created the world’s smallest and lightest satellite, and with this, it is also for the first time that 3D printing technology has been used in space.

The Indian satellite KalamSat spent 12 full minutes in space before falling back to Earth.

For the team that has made India proud, this is just the beginning.

Marico Innovation Foundation applauds them

Established in 2003 by Harsh Mariwala, Marico Innovation Foundation strives to nurture innovations that add to India’s growth story. Through their flagship program MIF Awards, the Foundation has identified and showcased more than 57 breakthrough innovations in the country. Space Kidz, represented by Tanishq and Yagna was invited to be a part of the Fire Side Chat with Young Innovators at the 2018 edition of the MIF Awards.

Harsh Mariwala, Founder – Marico Innovation Foundation, says, “The kids did not have access to sectoral experts, and relied on their knowledge of aerospace to successfully launch their innovation. It was their perseverance and conviction towards their innovation that made them successful innovators. For a team so young, their achievements are remarkable.”

Tanishq, who was at the awards, says, “Yagna and I spent considerable time just spotting various people we read about in magazines and newspapers. Meeting Harsha Bhogle sir at the event will always be a memory that I shall cherish.”

“Being associated with Marico Innovation Foundation has opened up many doors for us. After our presentation at the awards, we had many company heads come to us and offer their support,” says an excited Tanishq.

While Space Kidz India has been self-funded so far, to continue research and innovation they need our financial support. If you wish to see them reach greater heights and conquer space, do come forward and donate generously.

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According to a Times of India report, cities across the country will compete for the 15 best projects across four areas including sustainable mobility,public open spaces, urban governance, and organisational innovation, in low-income settlements.

The stakes? Around Rs 800 crores! This scheme comes from the Centre, which also announced in New Delhi on Monday, that a grant of Rs 2 crore assistance each will be given to 25 cities and more than half a dozen state capitals for planned urban expansion.

Hardeep Singh Puri, the Housing and Urban Affairs Minister, told the publication that AFD, a French lending agency, will be providing around 100 million euros (approximately Rs 800 crore), for the 15 projects as a grant.

Both the Central Government in New Delhi and the respective State Governments will share the principal and interest amount. Each awarded project will receive a grant, ranging from Rs 20 crores to Rs 80 crores, according to an official release.

The project will go on for a duration of three years, and it is the first time any urban project will be selected through the ‘challenge mode’. The minister also mentioned that the government would provide Smart Cities fellowships and internship programmes, thus opening up various opportunities for youth to experience the gamut of urban planning and governance.

The optimistic minister has urged intelligent students from Indian and foreign universities to avail this opportunity and come out with landmark innovations. There is also the Digital Payment Award, which will be given to cities which promote ease of urban living by pushing digital payments, encourage smart cities and advocate innovative digital payment initiatives.

Puri also announced the names of the cities, which will receive central assistance worth Rs 2 crore to develop a Local Area Plan (LAP), and a Town Planning Scheme (TPS). The cities covered include Dehradun, Srinagar, Patna, Bhubaneshwar, Vadodara, Varanasi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Shimla, Faridabad and Indore, and the focus of this assistance is as follows:

1. The development of infrastructure in the already-developed Brownfield areas.

2. The development of the Greenfield areas—mostly on the periphery of the cities. These are the areas prone to haphazard growth and development.

The LAPs will be prepared for the existing areas or brownfield zones, for redevelopment, while Town Planning Schemes will be implemented for planned urban expansion in the peripheral greenfield areas.

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The ministry said that urban infrastructure would be prioritised based on the formulation of the LAPs and TPS by the concerned cities, and the plans will be completed in a year.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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The Rubik’s cube has forever confounded me and thanks to my sheer lack of patience, the maximum that I could accomplish out of the elusive puzzle has been getting one face of the cube in the same colour.

But across the world, there have been people who can easily crack one like child’s play and have been setting world records.

Entering this club is 20-year-old Krishna Sai from Chennai, who broke the past world record in June by solving 2,474 cubes in 24 hours and that too, using only one hand! Hyderabad-based Krishnam Raju Gadiraju had set the previous record in 2014.

Krishna is currently waiting to hear from the Guinness World Records team for the recognition of his effort, but the story behind his journey of averaging between 30-40 seconds per cube to 10 seconds per cube that broke the record, is quite interesting.

Krishna is a ‘cuber’, and his journey began in Class 8 with little help and guidance from a few friends. However, he halted all puzzle solving activities for a while before taking it up seriously in 2014, and since then, he has not looked back.

Krishna began spending almost all of his time fiddling with the cube and even followed the tutorials of ‘speedcubing’ masters on YouTube, to better his technique.

While participating in competitions and meeting people from the cubing community in Tamil Nadu, Krishna came across something that was about to change his fate—one-handed cube solving!

After observing a player cracking the cube with one hand during one of these competitions, he took the method up as a challenge and found it invigorating enough to make it his signature style. Not only did it help with his viewing angle, but the method also helped bring down his previous best timing of 40 seconds to 25-30 seconds through relentless practice.

You may also like: Here’s How India’s Own Rubik’s Cube Will Enter the Guinness World Records!

Finally, when time had come to apply for the Guinness World Record, Krishna knew he had exactly three months to prepare and because of his one-hand method, not only was he able to break the previous record by 22.5 hours, he also spent the remaining hours to set a new one with few breaks!

“I want my record to stay for at least two more years. There are so many good cubers in the country. So I really needed to set a high target”, said Krishna to The Hindu.

You can watch Krishna Sai setting the new record here:

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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One of the most fascinating experiences that you can have is engaging in an active conversation with a toddler. The next time you are accosted by that four-year-old in the elevator, observe the conversation – the vocabulary, the grammar, the phrases used. How is it that this little child, who has barely entered a formal school, can use language so effectively and communicate?

C P Vishwanath, the founder of Karadi Path, has the answer.

Karadi Path is the result of a man’s passion towards language and learning which resulted in a company which aims to enable kids of all backgrounds and ages to learn the English language – by mimicking the process through which they learnt their mother tongue.

As part of our social impact investment series, we understand from the founder, the manner in which he went about finding the right investor, on making the right hires, and learning from previous mistakes.

Language is not learnt in classrooms

One of the most interesting things that Vishwanath told me during our conversation was that kids do not learn a language in classrooms. A key point that he and his team learnt at the beginning of their venture was that kids with exposure to multiple languages in their environment usually speak two to three languages from very early on in life. Understanding this was perhaps significant in coming up with modules that facilitated the kids to learn English.

“The methodology that we have adopted helps kids learn without being taught vocabulary or grammar. So whether I come from an elite background or not, it doesn’t make any difference to the amount of information gathered,” he says.

Birth of Karadi Path in 2010

In December 2010, Karadi Path came into existence. “We realised that Karadi Path was not like Karadi Tales; the primary difference was that Karadi Path had a service component to it and it was a programme and a process that was embedded into a school. So the entire structure was so different that it warranted a new company for itself,” says Vishwanath.

The first round of investments

With Karadi Path being around for only a year before its first investment came through, one would assume it was a quick deal. However, Vishwanath takes us through the process it entailed and tells us why it wasn’t as quick as it seems.

He says, “I wouldn’t say we struggled to raise capital. Our track record and the credibility we had garnered with Karadi Tales did help us a fair bit.”

In the ten years of Karadi Tales’ existence, it went through numerous disasters, which included court cases. It is a story by itself – in fact, Vishwanath himself says that no other company would have survived the kind of assault that Karadi Tales went through.

What kept him going?

“At no point in time was the thought process entrepreneurial. It was always the belief that what we were doing was of value and we enjoyed what we were doing. The intent was to continue deriving the joy we were, personally,” he says.

The financial constraints or the non-success of it was not the primary driving force for Vishwanath. “We were never looking for an exit out of the difficult situations,” he says.

“Yes, the idea of creating a profitable enterprise is very important, and we have very practical views on what an enterprise must do. However, in the off chance that it did not happen we would not have crumbled. It is the joy of ‘creating’ that keeps us going,” he shares.

Edtech – the next big boom in India?

A common problem in Indian schools is the skewed student-to-teacher ratio. It has been observed that the rising student-to-teacher ratios often compromise a complete learning experience for students.

To bridge this gap, there has been a spike in the number of edtech companies over the last decade.

Speaking about the edtech market today, Vishwanath says, “While there are many products out there. What I have found is that there are substantial missing pieces in what is happening today. Edtech is the next big thing but unfortunately, if a company has the tech knowledge, then they seem to lack in the ‘ed’ space. There is no pedagogy or learning idea, and with just a platform or app, one is trying to revolutionise the existing systems,” he says.

Having a fantabulous idea and getting it validated in the market are two very different things, he points out.

Social Impact investments in India

According to Vishwanath, “India, unfortunately, does not have an ecosystem for social impact investing. If, as an investor, you are looking for quick returns, then this space will not make any sense to you. If you want to make an impact and also want the enterprise to be profitable and make money, then the runway you must provide should be twice as long as the conventional investments.”

Picking the right team

Contrary to popular belief and the buzz that surrounds start-ups, Vishwanath says, “Start-ups aren’t really favoured workplaces for many, especially social impact start-ups. Stories of youngsters giving up lucrative jobs to do something in the social impact sector are far and in-between.”

As a leader, Vishwanath believes that it is important to inspire the team working with you.

“The leadership has to pick a team which has some skills and then train them to perfection. You’re not going to find the kind of people who can quickly download all the information that needs to be downloaded. Look at the potential, and within the first three months you should be able to gauge how far the person can go.”

There has to be an element of DNA in the individual that enjoys social impact work – look for that, he says.

Finding the right fit in the fund that invests in your venture

Having met various analysts, fund managers, and decision makers, Vishwanath says, “If you are lucky enough to get a meeting with a senior partner and you have a good product, then the time taken to understand it is reasonably quick. In the same way, if your product does not fit into their larger vision, then you will get that answer also fairly immediately.

“The inexperience of analysts and junior-level staff who do a lot of number-crunching and excel sheet analysis sometimes tends to exhaust you. For a start-up, these numbers are just being built. What is essential is to get a feel for what they are doing and the passion they have.”

Vishwanath strongly feels that it is important for the senior management to meet the entrepreneur to understand where he is coming from. An analyst will not have that experience, and it is unfair to expect that of them.

Important takeaways from Vishwanath:

1. Meet the right person in the fund
2. As investors, create spaces for relationships outside of conferences and elevator pitches
3. Believe in your product and pitch it with that passion
4. Pick the right investment banker to present your product/service; they must be as excited about your product as you are

Karadi Path has come a long way since 2010. They work with 3000+ schools across 17 states in India, impacting 7,50,000+ learners. They have also successfully trained 25,000+ teachers in these schools. Karadi Path is now looking to raise their third fund and is busy with creating value with each programme they launch.

The Better India wishes them all the very best!

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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This huge rail bridge is a true construction marvel. The country’s first sea bridge, it was opened on 24th February 1914 and has a double-leaf bascule section midway, which can be raised to let ships and barges pass through.

With 143 piers, spanning two km between the mainland and the island, it is the second longest sea bridge in India, after the 2.3 km Bandra-Worli sea link.

The bridge is all set for a makeover. IIT Madras has given technical approval to a proposal to carry out a few repairs to the bridge, reports The New Indian Express.

Well, what makes this bridge special? Here are eight reasons.

1. It spectacularly opens up to allow ships and vessels to pass through, thanks to the ingenious design by German engineer Scherzer, who made the central body of the bridge flexible, to allow vessel movement. 10-15 boats and small ships pass beneath the bridge every month.

2. Till 1988, this bridge was the only link between Rameswaram and the mainland, till a road bridge running parallel to it was built. Hundreds of pilgrims would pass through the bridge to visit the temple on the island every day.

3. In 1964, the bridge survived a cyclone, that flattened the port town of Dhanushkodi. The bridge survived and was bolstered within 46 days, by none other than E Sreedharan, the man behind the construction of the Delhi Metro.

4. The bridge has been vying to be in the UNESCO World Heritage List, which would confer upon it the status of a heritage monument–something people flock from all over to see. As of now also, people watch in awe as the two leaves of the bridge open up to let ships pass through.

5. The huge bridge is a construction marvel, located 41 ft above sea level, and 2,065 metres long. It has two lifting spans, with each half weighing around 415 tonnes. The two leaves of the bridge are opened manually with levers.

6. The plan to construct this bridge was made in 1870, as the British Administration wanted to increase trade with Ceylon. In August 1911, construction began, and the bridge was opened on 24 February 1914.

7. The bridge would only carry metre gauge trains, connecting Mandapam on mainland India, to Pamban. The Indian Railways upgraded it to carry broad gauge trains, and work got over on 12th August 2007. From Pamban, the railway line splits, one heading toward Rameshwaram, and another branch line of 15 miles that terminates at Dhanushkodi.

8. There have been only two recorded mishaps. One occurred when a storm surge overturned a train in 1964, and another occurred in January 2013, when the barge drifted into it.

You may also like:– Bogibeel, India’s Longest Road-Rail Bridge, to Be Inaugurated: 5 Things To Know

Well, now the bridge is set for a new lease of life, courtesy IIT Madras. The Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) has been entrusted to replace the existing 2-leaf structure. Designs have already reached the IIT Madras for approval, according to an RVNL official. Bolstered and strengthened, we are sure that the bridge will stand tall for many decades to come!

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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In an earlier article on the subject of racism and xenophobia that citizens from the Northeast and frontier regions experience and suffer, I had asked, “Why are we given greater responsibility to prove our sameness (as Indians) rather than profess our right to be different?” I also argued about how citizens from the frontier regions must assert what makes them different rather than prove their Indian-ness.

Success in areas like sports, music, art, dance, food, cinema and theatre also provide avenues through which our cultures can permeate mainstream India’s imagination. We need to aggressively navigate, propagate, market and monetise the plethora of cultures that exist in these frontier regions while highlighting what is different rather than appeal to a sense of commonality.

One channel on YouTube, which has unknowingly taken on this task, is Eat Your Kappa. Run by Nambie Jessica Marak, a Media Studies graduate from Shillong, this collection of vlogs with 10,653 subscribers, document different recipes from the Northeast, destroying one food stereotype after another.

Speaking to The Better India, Nambie is quick to point out that she is just a rookie food enthusiast born and raised in Shillong—a melting pot of different cultures. A native of a remote village in the West Khasi Hills, she has travelled and engaged with different cultures across the mainland.

After completing her post-graduation in Chennai, and a short stint in the job market as an Assistant Professor at the famous Madras Christian College, she began “fidgeting with the idea of being involved in the creative process and become a content creator.”

“I am someone who has far too many interests. Choosing one linear career meant doing that alone and giving up all my other interests. After leaving my regular job, I freelanced for a while as a communication trainer, which gave me enough time to work on my channel too,” she says.

Today, she is teaching students at an international school in Coorg on a one-year stint.

So, what inspired Nambie to start her own food vlog?

“Honestly, till I was at home with my parents I wasn’t even remotely interested in cooking,” she tells The Better India. All that changed when she moved to Chennai for her higher studies. Although Nambie loved the local cuisine, she began to miss home-cooked food terribly.

“That’s when I started looking for North Eastern food recipes to cook. It became an obsession. However, during my stay at Chennai and I found very few YouTube channels with good quality recipe videos in English. That’s where I found an opportunity to start my own channel dedicated to recipes from the Northeast. This was around January 2016. I had created an account nearly a year ago, but I started posting videos only in January,” she tells The Better India.

For those sifting through her channel for the first time, Kappa is a Garo method of cooking, where lye (a strong alkali) extracted from bamboo or barks of banana trees is used to give it a distinct flavour. The lye also helps tenderise meat and vegetables. “It is something that we typically make at home,” she says.

Moreover, Nambie argues that Kappa is a quintessentially Garo dish. “This method of cooking is done by other North Eastern tribal communities as well, and it was something that I grew up eating. The word Kappa was to me was synonymous to North Eastern cuisine,” she says.

Sifting through her channel, you will find that Nambie cooks and demonstrates her favourite North Eastern recipes outdoors. Take the example of Baring Nakham—a mix of dried fish, chillies, and aubergine—which adds a unique flavour to a meal of potatoes and rice. In another vlog, Nambie prepares rice in a bamboo stem, emphasising that the latter must be fresh and wet.

Besides recipes, the channel also has videos on unique farming practices, festivals, village life and even one on how to eat betel leaves.

“I tend to present the North Eastern way of life as such. As far as the food is concerned, however, most of my videos are mostly about recipes alone. However, I have made a few videos which present the social context behind a particular recipe. One time, I made a video on how and why lye extracted from bamboo or banana tree is used in our cooking after coming across an absurd blog that North Eastern people eat ash,” she says.

Although Nambie identifies as a Garo, she has family members from many different tribal communities across the Northeast—Khasi, Mizo and Bodo. The food at home, Nambie says, reflected those different cultural elements. In some way, one could argue it’s what made the transition towards setting up Eat Your Kappa all the more seamless.

It’s imperative to note that ‘North Eastern cuisine’ isn’t a homogeneous entity. Despite growing up in a predominantly Garo home, Nambie believes that the standout feature of cuisine from the region lies in its diversity while also discerning the commonalities between them. The food from every region or tribal community is unique in its own way and reflects within it a story specific to the area, which Nambie is at pains to include in her vlogs.

“Even though every tribe uses different plants to cook, we have some stuff in common,” Nambie told Scroll.in in an interview late last year. “One of the herbs indigenous to the North East is the heartleaf or fish-mint and is used in all the tribal regions, even in parts of South East Asia.”

Speaking to The Better India, meanwhile, she goes onto add that there is more in common among the cuisines of different tribal communities than between non-tribal and tribal communities. “For example, the cuisine of the Garo people is very similar to that of tribes from Tripura and even Bodos of Assam. Most tribal cuisine is devoid of cooking oil. Food is mostly boiled rather than deep fried or baked. Most of the vegetables come from their own backyards. Very few spices are used, while food is flavoured with ginger, chillies, sesame and sometimes with onions and garlic,” she says.

She also talks about how the method of cooking also cuts across various tribes. “Cooking food inside bamboo or wrapped in banana leaves is also very common among different tribes of Northeast. Food from this part of the world is devoid of all that glamour that’s there in mainland Indian cuisine. The food is simple, earthy and at the same time is also delicious,” she says.

The food is also exceedingly healthy. “Food is mostly boiled and devoid of oil and spices. Every meal comes with a large serving of boiled vegetables and soup and also some food is fermented like fermented soya beans which are loaded with amino acids and proteins. The vegetables here are not mass produced they come from our own backyards,” she says

What this description also does is break the common belief or myth that for food to be delicious, it requires elaborate preparation with an array of spices.

“Of course, biriyani is delicious but so is brenga (chicken cooked inside bamboo tubes). To prepare the second dish, leave aside the spices, you don’t even need a vessel,” she says.

Meanwhile, the inventiveness of cuisine from these parts is in part an accident of geography.

“In the areas of Shillong and the West Khasi hills of Meghalaya—where my parents currently live—there are not that many markets,” she tells Scroll.in. “Sometimes, we have to cross a state to buy goods, so the villagers trek to the market every Tuesday and stock up for the entire week. But usually, we make do with what we have. That’s the beauty of this cuisine. My ancestors had to be inventive with whatever they found around them in the forest.”

Geography, however, has also cut off mainland Indians from genuinely engaging with cuisines from the Northeast. Of course, you have the odd Naga Kitchen in the major metropolitan cities, but that isn’t nearly enough to break the stereotypes associated with North Eastern cuisine.

Also Read: Couple’s Innovative Store Brings Northeast’s Tastes Right to Your Door Step

“I’ll call it a gastronomical blackhole when it comes to awareness about Northeast cuisine, culture or even communities—more than a misconception, there is no awareness. I think the only thing most of them know about is Momo, which again is a predominantly Tibetan dish. Also, there is a belief that North Eastern food is bizarre and we eat anything and everything,” she says.

This lack of even basic awareness is something that needs to change, and watching Eat Your Kappa will go a long way in bringing North Eastern cuisine to the homes of mainland Indians.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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Unlike other countries, weddings in India are celebrated with much aplomb and festivities, where a nuptial isn’t just about two individuals who wish to spend the rest of lives together but is more like the union of two families.

Amidst all the celebrations and the extravagant spending, we have to admit that a lot of wastage occurs during a wedding, regarding food, utensils and decorations that are more often than not, unsustainable, and detrimental to the environment.

In a bid to cut down on such ways of celebrating one of the most important occasions of their lives, many couples have consciously begun to approach the concept of Zero-waste weddings and are going the extra mile.

While the trend is catching up, a concern that deters most would-be couples is the fact that going waste-free might be a bit heavy on their pockets or that the ceremony wouldn’t be as enjoyable as its regular version.

Putting an end to all such concerns are two best friends from Chennai, who not so long ago decided to embrace sustainable practices after being severely frustrated by our wasteful and consumerist lifestyles.

They embarked on a journey to find a relatable, accessible and affordable sustainable way of living.

Sudarshana and Veena are National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) graduates, who consciously chose to make the switch in their own lives last year and in the process, inspire others as well.

When Veena decided to get married last month, the first thought that came to their minds was, “We want to change how weddings work in India, without actually changing what makes a wedding work in India.”

Speaking to The Better India, Sudarshana says, “Weddings are a beautiful occasion where friends and family come together to spread love and joy. Without taking anything away from the event, we wanted to find alternatives to every process so that this positivity spreads beyond the venue and, even after the day ends.”

And how they did this is something that would make us all consider going zero-waste for our weddings too.

Starting from e-invites and an eco-friendly venue on the shores of ECR to sourcing out native seasonal flowers from farmers along with organic and reusable decorations, Veena and Vignesh’s wedding employed some awesome initiatives.

Instead of splurging on expensive wedding costumes and jewellery that probably would never be worn again, the bride chose to don the legacy of her grandmother on her special day—the very same saree that Veena’s grandmother wore for her wedding 50 years ago!

Also, in place of long-drawn ceremonies stretching over many days, their wedding consisted just one short ceremony that utilised minimum disposable plastics and eliminated the practice of boxed gifts by requesting guests to instead donate to non-profit organisations.

“Instead of single-use plastic cutlery, we opted for steel jugs and glasses, banana leaves and areca plates. We also came up with the idea of distributing excess food to the needy, but we didn’t want it to appear like leftovers. For which, the caterer came aboard and agreed to cook additional meals that we would distribute along with remaining food,” says Sudharshana.

And for food distribution, they teamed up Robinhood Army, a renowned non-profit organisation that routes surplus food from restaurants to the less fortunate sections of society in cities across India and 12 other countries.

Another organisation that helped the event manage its organic waste was Restore, a non-profit direct-from farmer organic shop.

“While all the vegetable waste was turned to pulp and all the used banana leaves, areca plates and rolling paper routed to a compost pit, the flowers were turned to garden fertilisers and later distributed to colonies in Thiruvanmiyur, and the guests were given ‘thank you’ cards made out of seed paper,” Sudarshana explained.

Our favourite, however, was the unique gift that the guests were given—a scrub made out of filter coffee collected from local cafés, packed in old paper wrapping!

You may also like: Recycled Decor, Eco-Cutlery & E-Invites: Mumbai Couple Go Green on Wedding!

The entire wedding was documented by their friend, Yash Suda, and the video closes with these motivational words:

We promise, we did not compromise on the sanctity, fun or the happiness shared during the wedding. By adopting simple mindful choices, we created a day that would be remembered for being compassionate and empathetic towards the Earth and our society. If we could, so can you. WE URGE YOU TO.

Having practised what they preached, the duo now aims to help those who wish to adopt sustainable lifestyle choices but don’t know how and where to start, through their awareness and consultancy venture, ‘two’s company’.

“Besides helping people how to adopt a sustainable lifestyle, we are also working on launching an e-commerce platform that would provide people with all forms of alternatives to plastic articles that have become such indispensable parts of our world. Though such models are already present, we aim to find options falling under the same price bracket as that of plastic counterparts,” Sudarshana concludes.

You can see how Veena and Vignesh made their wedding a day to remember in a video here:

You can reach out to these folks at in.twoscompany@gmail.com or call them at 9840647242.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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On July 17 1996, the city of Madras was officially christened as Chennai by the state government of Tamil Nadu; and in doing so, it broke free from the centuries-old legacy stamped by British colonisers who acquired the coastal region and made it their southern headquarters in the mid-sixteenth century.

As much as the residents of Chennai believe that the former name truly holds the essence and old-world charm of their city, the fact that the current name isn’t relatable or comparably alien can be quashed with many interesting historical records.

It is believed that both Madras and Chennai have been derived from the towns of Madrasapattinam and Chennapatnam that together encompass the city as we know it today.

There are various theories about the dual etymology of the city, ranging from government reports to local tales carried forward by the older generations residing in the city.

A prominent one is that the area which went to constitute the premises of the British East India Company— including the seaport, Fort St George, the company’s administrative seat, St Mary’s church and the adjoining residential area—was originally acquired from a Telugu-speaking landlord named Chinnappa Naicker, and the sale deed and transaction records can be found in Government Archives of Madras at Egmore.

It is believed that the locale was named Chennai Pattinam after the man and was used by the inhabitants for over 300 years. However, this theory doesn’t quite explain how the British latched onto the Madras moniker and how the entire region annexed by the Company went on to become the Madras Presidency.

There is another explanation, which goes all the way back to 1639, that sheds light over how the present day city acquired its dual etymology of Madras-Chennai.

The site chosen by the East India Company included two small villages—Madrasapattinam and Chennapatnam. Madrasapattinam is believed to be located to the north of Fort St George, and it is quite probable that the former village existed much before the Company acquired the region in the 1600s and the colonisers derived and christened their territory as Madras, from its name.

The village of Chennapatnam is believed to have situated towards the south of the Fort, which was named by the Nayak of Wandiwash, Damarla Venkatadri Nayakudu, in the memory of his father Damarla Chennappa Nayakudu, who was the governor during the reign of the last Raja of Chandragiri, Sri Ranga Raya VI, of the Vijayanagara Empire. In fact, Madrasapattinam finds a mention in the very first grant sanctioned by Damarla Venkatadri.

However, some believe that Chennapatnam was the original area where the Fort was constructed, and this included the ‘new’ town that was rapidly developing around it.

It isn’t quite certain if the new town retained the name in deference to Damarla Venkatadri’s wishes or because the site originally bore that name.

Interestingly, both the villages have been distinctly mentioned as separate in all known records, yet the intervening space between the northern Madrasapattinam and the southern Chennapatnam merged so swiftly that before one knew, the two villages began to be considered virtually as one united town. As time passed by, the confusion over both Madrasapattinam and Chennapatnam increased. One was constantly mistaken for the other, and slowly, their exact locations were lost forever.

While the British preferred to stick with Madrasapattinam and eventually Madras, the local people chose to go by the name of Chennapatnam, which had a Dravidian connection and is believed to have originated from the Telugu word for beautiful, i.e., Chennu.

Another theory attributes the etymology of Madras having Portuguese links from the name Madre de Sois, taking after a Portuguese high authority, who was amongst the early settlers in the region along Coromandel coast in the 1500s.

Despite India gaining independence in 1947, it was only after around five decades that the city was rechristened as Chennai on this date, as part of the nationwide drive to replace anglicised names with native terminologies.

While discussions and debates over which names suits the city better continue to ensue, one mustn’t forget the fact that Madras and Chennai are like the two sides of the same coin that collaboratively form an intrinsic thread of the historical and cultural fabric of the city.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that occurs when your blood sugar (glucose), is too high (hyperglycaemia). The body uses glucose for energy. The pancreas produces a hormone called insulin that helps convert glucose from the food you eat into energy.

When the body does not produce enough insulin, or it becomes resistant to insulin, this results in a condition termed as diabetes mellitus.

In people with diabetes, blood glucose levels are high. Without insulin, too much glucose stays in your blood.

There are types of diabetes, namely, type 1 and type 2.

Type 1 Diabetes was formerly called juvenile diabetes because it usually is diagnosed during childhood. Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune condition in which the body does not produce insulin because the immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells from the pancreas. It can only be treated with insulin injections, given several times a day.

Type 2 Diabetes is a condition where the cells cannot use blood sugar (glucose) efficiently to produce energy. Here, the insulin production is only slightly reduced, but the cells become insensitive or resistant to insulin (termed ‘insulin resistance’). It usually affects adults but has now started affecting children also.

This article focuses on type 1 diabetes, where insulin production in the body almost completely stops. This results in very high blood sugar levels in the body.

Also Read: You May Have Diabetes Even If You Live Healthy. This Doctor Explains Why

The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is still not known. However, it is believed to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The underlying mechanism involves the autoimmune destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Diabetes is diagnosed by testing the level of plasma glucose or glycated haemoglobin in the blood.

Type 1 diabetes can be distinguished from type 2 by testing for the presence of autoantibodies and the complete absence of insulin secretion as measured by plasma c-peptide levels. It constitutes an estimated 5–10% of all cases. According to the International Diabetes Federation, there are approximately 5,00,000 known cases of children with type 1 diabetes worldwide.

If kept under control, children with type 1 diabetes can have a long and healthy life, despite the condition. However, if left uncontrolled, it can lead to various complications.

Complications of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Over time, complications can affect major organs in the body, including eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart, brain and feet. Eventually, these complications may be disabling or even life-threatening. Both boys and girls are equally prone to these complications.

1. Diabetic Eye Complications

Picture for representation only. Source: Unsplash

Diabetes can cause damage to the blood vessels of the retina or back of the eye, similar to the film in a conventional camera. The effect on the retina can lead to progressive loss of vision or even blindness. Most serious diabetic eye diseases begin with blood vessel problems.

Risk factors for diabetes eye complications: High blood glucose level, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and smoking may also raise the risk for diabetic eye disease.

However, we can take steps to prevent diabetes eye disease, by taking good care of diabetes. In addition to keeping blood glucose levels under good control, blood pressure, and cholesterol should be maintained within the normal limits.

Irrespective of the type and severity of diabetes, every individual with diabetes should undergo an eye examination once a year.

Because retinopathy is estimated to take at least five years to develop after the onset of hyperglycemia, patients with type 1 diabetes should have an initial eye examination within five years after the diagnosis of diabetes and annually after that.

2. Diabetic Kidney Disease

Picture for representation only. Source: Unsplash

Diabetic patients are prone to develop diabetic kidney disease if
~blood glucose is too high
~blood pressure is too high

Diabetes can damage the glomeruli (small blood vessels in the kidney) that filter waste from the blood. Severe damage to glomeruli can lead to kidney failure or irreversible end-stage kidney disease, which may require dialysis or a kidney transplant.

It is possible to prevent or delay by controlling blood glucose levels and blood pressure. Diabetic kidney disease can affect both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

The following symptoms may suggest kidney disease, but they occur late:

• Swelling of the ankles, feet, lower legs or hands caused by retention of water;
• Becoming short of breath, when climbing the stairs, for instance;
• Tiredness as a result of a lack of haemoglobin or oxygen in the blood;
• Nausea or vomiting;
• Skin changes;
• Darkening, itching, dry skin;

Screening for Kidney Disease – Diabetic Nephropathy

Kidney disease is mostly asymptomatic. Hence, it is important to screen at least once in a few months.

A few basic tests which are performed to screen for kidney disease or nephropathy:

• Urine to see whether there is albumin or protein in the urine;
• Blood creatinine, to check the glomerular filtration rate of the kidneys to see their functioning;
• Healthy lifestyle habits, which include restriction of salt and dietary protein and taking regular medicines as prescribed by the doctor will help to maintain the renal function and improve the overall health.

3. Diabetic Neuropathy

Nerve damage in diabetes is called diabetic neuropathy. Nerve damage is one of the commonest diabetic complications. Over time, high blood glucose levels and can injure the walls of the tiny blood vessels (capillaries) that nourish the nerves, especially in the legs, leading to tingling, numbness, burning or pain that usually begins at the tips of the toes or fingers and gradually spreads upwards.

Damage to the nerves related to digestion can cause problems with nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation. For men, it may lead to erectile dysfunction.

Early diagnosis is made by early recognition of symptoms by patients and as well as by careful examination by the healthcare provider and the team at regular intervals.

Patients with type 1 diabetes for five or more years should be assessed annually for diabetic neuropathy using the medical history and simple clinical tests. Symptoms vary according to the class of sensory fibres involved.

The most common early symptoms are induced by the involvement of small fibres and include pain and dysesthesias (unpleasant sensations of burning and tingling). Glucose control should be optimised to prevent or delay the development of neuropathy in patients with type 1 diabetes.

Tips to care for the feet

• Check your feet every day for cuts, sores, red spots, ingrown toes and blisters.
• Wash your feet every day with warm water, wipe them and apply powder to make them dry to prevent infection.
• Smooth corns and calluses gently.
• Trim your toenails straight across.
• Wear shoes and socks at all times to avoid hurt and check inside the shoes before putting them to make them free from other objects.
• Protect your feet from hot and cold.
• Keep blood flowing to your feet.
• Wear shoes at the beach and on hot pavement to prevent boils and
• Apply sunscreen on the tops of your feet to prevent sunburn.
• Do not put a hot water bottle or heating pad on your feet.

How to increase the blood flow to feet:

• Put feet up when you are sitting.
• Wiggle your toes for a few minutes throughout the day.
• Do not wear tight socks or elastic stockings. Do not try to hold up loose socks with rubber bands.
• Be more physically active. Choose activities that are easy on your feet, such as walking, dancing, yoga or stretching, swimming or bike riding.
• Stop smoking.

4. Heart disease in Diabetes

Diabetes dramatically increases the risk of various cardiovascular problems, including coronary artery disease with chest pain (angina), heart attack, stroke and narrowing of arteries (atherosclerosis).

Over time, high blood glucose from diabetes can damage blood vessels and the nerves that control the heart and blood vessels. The longer the duration of diabetes, the higher the chances are for a person to develop heart problems.

In adults with diabetes, the most common causes of death are heart disease and stroke.

Risk factors for heart disease or stroke

• Smoking: It is important for a diabetes patient to stop smoking because both smoking and diabetes narrow blood vessels. Smoking also can damage the blood vessels in the legs and increase the risk of lower leg infections, ulcers, and amputations.
• High blood pressure: In those with high blood pressure, the heart must work harder to pump blood. High blood pressure can strain your heart, damage blood vessels, and increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, eye problems, and kidney problems.
• Abnormal cholesterol levels: High levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides than the recommended level raise the risk of heart disease.
• Obesity and abdominal fat: Being overweight or obese can affect your ability to manage diabetes and increase the risk for many health problems, including heart disease and high blood pressure. Excess fat around your waist, even if you are not overweight, can raise your chances of developing heart disease.
• Stress: Feeling stressed, sad, or angry is common for a person living with diabetes. Long-term stress can raise blood glucose and blood pressure, which in turn, may lead to heart diseases. Deep breathing (pranayama), gardening, walking, yoga, pursuing a hobby, or listening to your favourite music are some of the ways to relieve stress.

Diabetes-related heart diseases can be prevented if blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol are kept under control.

You May Also Like: Diabetes Is No Longer the Rich Man’s Disease and Here’s What We Need to Know

5. Other Complications for Children with Type 1 Diabetes

Picture for representation only. Source: Unsplash

Severe growth retardations with the pubertal delay have been reported in patients with type 1 diabetes. Thankfully, these conditions are now becoming rare due to improvements in insulin delivery and better control of diabetes.

Diabetes-control generally deteriorates during puberty as there is an increase in insulin resistance during this time. Moreover, behavioural changes and psychosocial issues occurring during adolescence further worsen glycemic control.

The effect of gender on vascular complications is intriguing, with females being at an increased risk of developing retinopathy and nephropathy in childhood and adolescence, while males are at an increased risk when they reach adulthood.

A condition now commonly referred to as “diabulimia” is seen more often in girls where she skips insulin to run blood sugars consistently high, which causes weight loss but is extremely dangerous as it poses the threat of developing diabetic ketoacidosis and makes them prone to diabetes complications.

Teenage girls with type 1 diabetes were found to have a much more negative view of their diabetes than the boys.

In summary, type 1 diabetes, both in boys and girls presents many challenges. However, with sustained educational efforts, motivation and support, they can have a long and healthy life despite diabetes.

(Written by Dr V Mohan and Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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34 years ago, P Suresh, a school dropout, started a small Udupi restaurant right opposite the Madras High Court. Little did he know that it would serve as the foundation stone to a 300-crore food empire.

From serving food in small time restaurants, the sibling duo of P Suresh and his older brother, P Rajagopal, established their own extensive desi vegetarian food chains–the Sangeetha group of hotels.

The duo share their journey in an exclusive interview with The Better India.

Growing up in the capital of Kerala, Trivandrum, finances were tight in the Padamanabha Potti household. While their father, R Padmanabha Potti, ran a small Udupi restaurant, their mother R Kasiammal, was a homemaker. Suresh and Rajagopal were the only boys among seven siblings.

It wasn’t until 1978 that the family decided to shift to Chennai. The family ran two outlets then, but they weren’t up to the mark, says P Rajagopal.

While 22-year-old Rajagopal moved on to studying Chartered Accountancy, Suresh, at the tender age of 17, decided to explore the food industry and build a name for his family.

Growing up, Suresh had first-hand witnessed the struggles their father had to go through to run their food outlet, and so he spent over two years travelling to remote locations in Tamil Nadu.

“My brother, he immersed himself in understanding how the food business works. From 1981-84, he went out and worked in many restaurants. From cooking to serving, he did all kinds of jobs. He even slept in the staff quarters of the restaurant after a hard day’s work. This helped him gain a lot of knowledge about building a USP, customer behaviour, working conditions of the staff and most importantly, food preparation. This helped us a lot in setting up the right outlet in the right place,” says P Rajagopal.

P Suresh started the first ever restaurant under the brand ‘Sangeetha’ in 1985, opposite the Madras High Court. It wasn’t long before his brother joined him. He dropped out of his CA Course during the final exams and decided to join his brother to open their second Sangeetha outlet in Mylapore, near the iconic Kapaleeswarar Temple in 1990.

“While we first began with authentic South Indian food, today, we serve all kinds of cuisines under one roof. Our basic aim was to give good quality food to customers always and create a separate brand for ourselves. It wasn’t until 1998 that we started spreading out to various spots in Chennai. In 2001, we started branching out abroad too.”

Today, the Sangeetha chains of restaurants have over 54 outlets in places including Chennai, Dubai, Malaysia, Hong Kong, US, London etc. They have about eight franchisees where they hold stakes and their 17th restaurant abroad is opening in Qatar.

“When we had only started, we had a turnover of Rs 3 lakh per year. But over the years, with our exceptionally loyal customers, staff and partners, spread across all our franchisees and units, we have an annual turnover of Rs 300 crores.”

As the duo age gracefully, their younger generations, including their own children and their nieces and nephews have stepped up to take the family legacy forward.

They share, “We have allotted the responsibility of taking care of units to our family members because that is the only way we think we will be able to maintain quality. The only reason we have been able to set up a successful business model is because of our reasonable prices and loyal employees who have served us for years together.”

They recall their childhood days and how their community in Udupi would serve free food to the underprivileged in temples. And that’s how setting up a food business was not as much about money as about service, they say.

“Our customers have always been our priority. Every time a customer asks for extra sambhar, it reinstates our belief that our hearts are in the right place and our hard work is making them happy. The satisfied smile on the faces of hungry travellers who come to us in search of food gives us more satisfaction than any money could ever give.”

Read more: 13-YO Mumbai Boy Partners With Dabbawalas, Hopes For Rs 1 Bn Revenue by 2020!

When I ask them about the secret of their success, they say, “We weren’t born with a silver spoon. But we worked hard to make our way up. Our days would start at 7 in the morning and end at 12 at night. We also fostered a cordial relationship with each of our staff members. That gave us the strength to grow.”

They may be based in Chennai, but the duo continue to get hourly reports from all their outlets, no matter where they are situated.

Their next aim is to take one step forward. And with their younger generations stepping in, the future for the Padmanabha Potti household only seems bright.

The brothers sign off with a message for budding entrepreneurs,

“Hard work never fails. And though things may seem to not always work in your favour, don’t lose hope. If you are confident about your idea, nothing can stop you. Remember that the food industry is about more than just minting money. If you are passionate to serve, you will go places you never thought you would.”

If this story inspired you, get in touch with the brothers. Write to them at svrchennai@gmail.com

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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First unveiled in 2012, the Pinkathon entered the Indian milieu with the goals of raising awareness about breast cancer and empowering every single woman across the country.

But the greater message the first-of-its-kind marathon intended to drive home was that women were the key to a healthier and fitter society, and the first step towards their empowerment was to encourage them to take control of their own health while respecting, understanding and celebrating the value they brought to their family and society.

Empowerment is not a gift of society; it is a gift you give yourself.

Founded by notable figures Milind Soman and Reema Sanghavi, the marathon doesn’t just vouch for empowerment or healthier lifestyles for women, but also vehemently advocates that no disability should be a barrier to one’s dreams.

Which is exactly the reason why the Pinkathon has been at the forefront of encouraging differently-abled individuals who nurse the desire of running and goes out of the way to help them achieve this goal.

One such individual is 20-year-old V Divya from Chengalpet in Chennai, who was born with vision only in one of her eyes.

But this limitation never stopped her from falling in love with sports while growing up, and she soon found her forte in the 100m sprint. She began running at sporting events from class 5 and participated at various state and national level events. “One of my proudest moments was when I represented my school, Little Flower Convent at an inter-sports meet in Punjab in 2016,” Divya says to The Better India.

Currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Literature at the Queen Mary’s College, she had to put a hold on her running dreams to meet the expenses for her higher education.

Unlike her time in school where she had a lot of support and assistance, there weren’t many opportunities for Divya to pursue running once she entered college. However, when the Pinkathon came calling, she knew she had to do it!

Interestingly, marathons were something Divya used to be afraid of. “I am a 100m sprinter and marathons were something that was difficult to prepare. From proper fitness and nutrition to practice and training, there was so much to learn. But life itself has always been a challenge, and as I have always done, I intend to face every obstacle that comes along the way with confidence,” she says.

Fate always has a strange way of putting things in place.

Divya’s story somehow came to the notice of the Pinkathon team, who reached out to the young sprinter with the aim of helping her prepare well for the marathon in May.

Understanding that Divya had never participated in a marathon before, a team under the mentorship of Soman was deployed to train her, and so, her training began in June. “For the next one and half months, I had to run for extended periods of time to become fit enough for a marathon and an essential aspect throughout this period was to remain hydrated. Not only did the team provide me with proper nutrition and guidance, but also gave me running gear including shoes,” she shares.

This year’s Pinkathon, which was flagged off today, will witness Divya running alongside Soman, as India’s first visually impaired girl to run ‘The Spirit of Pinkathon Run’ from Puducherry to Chennai, covering 140 km across three days to spread the message of health and fitness for all women.

“By participating in the Pinkathon, I want to prove that anyone can do it and I am happy that I could be a role model for the visually impaired and more importantly, inspire them to believe in themselves,” she says.

Speaking to The Better India, Divya’s mentor, Soman, stated that the determination and confidence displayed by the young girl truly emulates the spirit of running and there couldn’t have been a better ambassador for the Pinkathon.

“We’d always wanted someone, who like most of us isn’t bestowed with privileges, but still believes in herself and the strength of her abilities, to be part of the Pinkathon. Through this marathon, we are only acting as a ladder for Divya to climb up to chase her dreams and in the process, inspire countless others,” he adds.

To further motivate Divya to achieve this feat, ‘See From The Heart,’ a run, was organised by the Pinkathon last week across eight cities in India where people ran with blindfolds on to support Divya’s indomitable spirit.

As much as running is Divya’s passion, there is another dream that she wishes to accomplish and she wouldn’t rest until she does! Divya wants to become a teacher and that too for people who have visual impairment like her.

“A Guru is next to God, and it is from teachers that we learn everything about life. This is the primary reason why I’ve always wanted to be a teacher so that I can teach others,” she says.

Through her participation in the Pinkathon, Divya hopes that she would be able to find some monetary support that will help her complete her B.Ed. and help her inch closer towards her dream of becoming a teacher.

Taking forward their commitment even further, the Pinkathon is raising funds through crowdsourcing that will help Divya get corrective eye surgery and subsequently, her education.

You can keep track of Divya’s run for her dream at the Pinkathon’s Facebook page here. If you wish to contribute to Divya’s cause, click here.

You may also like: From Sports to Music, This Kerala Organisation Is Helping the Blind Fulfill Their Dreams

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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Justice Selvam, a former judge at the Madras High Court, was appointed to the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in 1981. After a distinguished service, he retired in 2018.

Most retirees are content to sit back and relax, but Justice Selvam is not one of them—he picked up a plough, and decided to become a farmer!

Consequently, a video of the former judge driving a tractor and ploughing a field, went viral, and he received a lot of praise for taking up the humble job of a farmer.

However, for Justice Selvam, this is not a sudden shift.

Speaking to The Hindu, he said, “My father was a farmer, and I used to attend an arts college wearing dhoti since my family could not afford a pair of trousers.

I began wearing trousers and footwear only after joining the law college. So all this is not new to me.”

In the Madras High Court, Justice Selvam was known among his peers for his humility and integrity. When he retired, he refused to accept the farewell that is arranged on government funds and even handed over his government car and house to the rightful owners, on the last day of his service.

Now, Justice Selvam is winning hearts with his retirement plan of farming in the Pulankurichi village of Tamil Nadu, and his aim is “to breathe free air and lead a happy life amidst green fields.”

Watch Justice Selvam drive the tractor in his fields here.

@narendramodi FARMER AND A JUDGE
Recognise the man driving the tractor ? is a former Judge of the Madras high court retired on 4th April 2018 led an unpretentious life even as a Judge no mace bearers etc.
Post retirement he has moved to his village & doing agriculture. pic.twitter.com/OxPVAG8OF3

— sriragh (@sriragh5) August 2, 2018

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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If you’ve been following the developments in the agricultural sector, you will know that a new set of regulations by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) made effective from July 1, 2018, mandate that organic food in India is to be certified.

The regulations recognise two existing certification systems for this process–the National Programme For Organic Production (NPOP), regulated by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS), regulated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.

Along with a unified logo, the tagline “Jaivik Bharat”, aims to make it easier for consumers to identify organic products.

The Jaivik Bharat website states that at the heart of these regulations, are attempts to eradicate the mislabelling of non-organic products as organic, and similar fraudulent practices. They hope that this will help in increasing consumer confidence when making a choice.

According to The World of Organic Agriculture: Statistics and Emerging Trends 2018, India has the largest number of organic producers in the world, with a count of 835,000. Of the 4.9 million hectares dedicated to organic agriculture in Asia, India holds the second largest share with 1.2 million hectares.

Previously, certification through the NPOP system was mandatory only when the produce was being used for export purposes. But over the last few years, India has witnessed a growing domestic market for organic products. From 2015-2016, the production of organic products in the country was 1.35 MT, of which about 19% was exported. The same statistics, when observed between 2002-2003, show that of the 14,000 MT produced in that year, almost 85% was exported.

Also Read: With This New Logo, Now You Can Identify ‘Certified’ Organic Food Products

As more and more consumers actively seek organic options, a stamp of approval does seem like the logical next step to assure safety and authenticity. But with existing issues in organic agriculture and the fact that many in this sector are smallholder farmers, we need to understand what the certification process entails for them.

Speaking to experts and entrepreneurs who help small-scale organic farmers find the right market, one realises that organic agriculture is not just about avoiding chemical inputs. There is a deep-rooted sense of holding on to traditions, of respecting the land and the resources around and promoting agriculture which works for the producer and the consumer.

Finding the middle ground

Vishalakshi Padmanabhan, the Founder of Buffalo Back Collective, says that certifications while important, need to be as inclusive as possible. She has been involved in representing small and marginal farmers, conveying their inputs and feedback to FSSAI about these regulations. She adds that as a first step, we need to understand our farmer population.

She shares, “We need time to assist farmers with the certification process. The regulations can keep running, such that in the first round, the certified farmers come in. People should not be penalised for calling their produce organic, yet. What we need now is data of all the farmers. Those who are certified can continue to operate as certified, and those who are not should be able to continue as well. Once we get the list of the uncertified farmers, we can work through it and help them with the process.”

She points out that this is hypothetical, and that FSSAI has been open to the discussions.

When it comes to organisations like Buffalo Back, customers visit the store because they know Vishalakshi’s mission and her work. In such places, where an underlying trust factor plays a bigger role in choosing organic products, certifications may have little to no impact.

However, relatively newer organisations will not have this advantage. While certifications and logos will help establish that initial bond with the consumer, over time, other factors come into play.

She explains, “The risk is that not all retailers will be supportive of this transition. At present, there are different types of organisations working in this space – volunteer-driven, passion-driven and livelihood-driven. It is important that we have these different goals because that is what runs the economy.”

She continues, “The problem in the current situation is that when livelihood-driven organisations begin closing their doors for uncertified farmers, it will not be easy for them to sustain themselves. This is why we need the right information and the right amount of time to set things in motion.”

Building on foundations

Similar to Buffalo Back, Chennai-based reStore connects small and marginal organic farmers to consumers through their store. Radhika Rammohan of reStore shares that regulations are required to give this space some structure, but not at the cost of the farmers.

Radhika observes, “The organic sector is at a stage where everything seems all over the place. It is difficult for customers to trust the authenticity of the product. However, it is also important that the regulations are enabling for small farmers and small retailers. They are a large part of the production and retail systems.”

The reStore website states -“We operate a not-for-profit shop where we sell 100% organic foods sourced directly from farmers. Organic verification is done by means of personal visits to see their farms and understand their work, and price-setting is by mutual consent.”

Radhika says that the organic farming movement has been led from grassroots by many individual farmers, farming communities, NGOs, and interested individuals. It is important that the work done so far is recognised and built into systems that further authenticate it.

She notes, “Most of the farmers are looking for a market that will appreciate their organic practices. The sad part is that the complete onus is on the organic sector to keep proving that it is safe. We need enabling mechanisms like farm extension services, more testing facilities and easier ways to get through the process. The certification process has to be easy for small farmers and small businesses to continue.”

The cost of certification through NPOP can be anywhere between Rs 30,000 to 40,000. Participatory Guarantee Systems instead provide farmers with an option to form groups and inspect each other’s lands.

Understanding the ecosystem is important

The World of Organic Agriculture: Statistics and Emerging Trends 2018 report states that PGS systems are essential for countries wanting to regulate their organic sector. Despite being the more preferred option, the report highlights that the system does pose challenges regarding bureaucratic procedures and lack of proper training for farmers.

Ajay Rastogi, organic farming expert and Co-Founder & Director of The Foundation for the Contemplation of Nature, says that while regulations are needed to streamline the processes, consumers need to understand what is at stake.

He says, “I think we need to encourage organic and traditional agricultural practices to make them the norm. As of now, most consumers have only a few organic products on their plate, and for the rest, they subsist on what is available in the market. If we don’t value these traditional practices, they get propagated in a commodified manner, which essentially beats their purpose. Farmers want to grow organic, but they also want to save their land, rejuvenate the soil, conserve water and grow diverse crops. Encouraging these practices overall will also ensure that farmers gain food and nutritional security from their plot of land. That should be one of the bigger goals.”

Lathika George, author of Mother Earth, Sister Seed-Travels Through India’s Farmlands adds to this argument that knowledge of where the organic farmers are coming from is important. Based on visits to organic farms all over the country, Lathika shares that farmers usually fall under three categories–smallholder farmers in remote areas who have little access to chemical products; farmers who continue to follow tried-and-tested traditional methods and refuse chemical solutions; and farmers who grow organically for commercial purposes.

The first two categories, Lathika shares, sell largely within their communities–directly to consumers. The regulations state that such farmers need not go through the certification process. But even where there is a commercial intent, the author insists we should be encouraging of their work.

“Many of the people involved in organic farming are very idealistic. Stricter regulations bring more hurdles to these farmers, who barely make it, to begin with. Considering that these agricultural methods do not pollute the environment, preserve and revive natural resources and have an overall positive impact, farmers should be given subsidies,” Lathika shares.

You May Also Like: A Farmer’s Step-By-Step Guide To Making The Switch to Organic Farming!

The consumer’s role

As organisations, community leaders and farmer groups continue to give their feedback, it is important that consumers also understand the intricacies behind these discussions. Talking about the consumer’s role in all this, Ajay says it is time that consumers look beyond labels.

He says, “We work with small farmers day in and day out, so we witness the problems they face on a regular basis. People think certifications will give farmers more market access, but that is just one aspect of the whole story. This is why we feel the need for consumer awareness and participation. Just like farmer-solution organisations, consumer organisations should come up with their own protocols, and what they feel is appropriate to enable farmers as well as themselves.”

Ajay feels that such organisations will help create systems which will be easier to implement and amicable for everyone involved.

He concludes, “Let’s not forget that when it comes to food, farmers are also consumers. We are all in this together.”

(Written by Sharmila Vaidyanathan and Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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It was early in the morning on 15th August 2018, India’s 72 Independence Day, when Geetha was alerted by the milkman about a sound coming from a nearby storm drain, in Chennai’s Valasaravakkam. The duo kept hearing the sounds, and thinking it was a kitten, and went to rescue it. What they found shocked them.

It was a new-born baby, left abandoned inside a storm drain, according to NDTV.

45-year old Geetha, a homemaker, proceeded to bend and reach into the drain to pull out the baby, which emerged crying, choked by the umbilical cord around his neck. Wasting no time, Geetha unwrapped the cord from around the child’s neck. After that, the child was given a thorough cleaning, and rushed to the Institute of Child Health (IGH) in Egmore.

Heaet wrenching, newbirn baby abandoned in a storm water pipe in Chennai with the umbelical cord around ita neck strangulating it. pic.twitter.com/ht6lpnRFsc

— Pramod Madhav (@madhavpramod1) August 15, 2018

Speaking to The News Minute, Geetha said that she ran out as soon as she heard the crying sounds, confirmed by the milkman. Saving the baby’s life was most important, and nothing else mattered at that point. It had rained all of last evening and had it rained in the morning, the baby would have been swept away in the drain.

The police were informed, basic first aid was done, and the baby was taken to the hospital. He has been kept in the incubator at Egmore Hospital.

She named the boy child Sudhanthiram (Freedom) ashe was rescued on Independence Day. pic.twitter.com/VELltWkY6N

— Pramod Madhav (@madhavpramod1) August 15, 2018

It was indeed an eventful day for Geetha, who named the child Suthanthiram (meaning ‘freedom’ in Tamil), apt because he happened to be found on Independence Day. He can now grow up freely.

Speaking to The News Minute, a police official at the Valasaravakkam Police Station said that no case had been filed. He added that the baby was doing fine and that further action will be decided accordingly.

You may also like:-Quick-Thinking Group of Friends Save Newborn Baby Abandoned in a Plastic Bag

Geetha is a former actor, and said that she would be happy to raise the baby, if entrusted with him. The baby has been reportedly placed under the Cradle Baby Scheme of the government.

Thanks to Geetha’s timely actions, Suthantiram has a new lease on life!

Featured Image Credit: Pramod Madhav (Twitter)

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

Imagine being in the midst of your mundane bus journey, when all of a sudden, you are asked to get off. You exit the bus and stand and watch in awe as it burns, silently thanking the person who woke you up in time.

Well, all passengers of this KSRTC bus can thank the bus driver, whose sheer presence of mind, saved all of them from sure disaster, reports the Times of India.

The Bengaluru-bound bus was arriving from Tirupathi, and was on the KR Puram hanging flyover, at around 5:00 a.m. The bus had just reached the flyover when Ambari, the driver of the bus, noticed something in his rear-view mirror—smoke was emanating from the engine.

Ambari immediately halted and asked the passengers to alight. Panicky passengers rushed out of the bus, leaving some of their baggage behind.

In the meantime, Ambari managed to contact fire officials, who arrived to see the bus almost gutted. Watch a video of the burning bus here. Thankfully, all passengers were at a safe distance, and no one was hurt.

This is not the first time the presence of mind of the driver has saved passenger’s lives.

You may also like:- TRUE HEROES: Bus Driver and Construction Worker Save 50 Lives after School Bus Catches Fire

On August 12 2017, The Hindu reported that a KSRTC Airavat bus, coming from Bengaluru caught fire near Poonamallee in Chennai. After a passenger intimated the bus driver about smoke coming out from the rear end of the bus, he stopped and asked the passengers and some crew members to disembark. Thanks to his quick thinking, they escaped unhurt.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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With the repercussions of the flood intensifying, Kerala is facing a catastrophe like never before. Donations have been pouring in towards the flood relief fund, thanks to the Good Samaritans from across the world who have lent a helping hand to the state without giving a second thought. The donations vary from money, eatables, clothes and medicines to art.

Yes, you read the last one right.

Recently, this unique phenomenon is creating waves on the internet. Through a post on his Facebook profile, Santhosh Narayanan, a Chennai-based artist, requested his friends to contribute towards the relief fund and send him the receipt.

The opening line of his post reads ‘My art is my finance’. He further announced that he would be giving away his Charlie Chaplin watercolour painting to the most generous donor of the lot. His post went viral overnight, leaving his inbox flooded with pictures of receipts.

On totalling, they amounted to Rs 68,000. Santhosh Narayanan not only gave away the framed Chaplin to Mr Arumugam, who contributed Rs 20,000 but also sent high-resolution soft copies of the painting to other donors.

Also Read: #KeralaFloods: 11 Real-Life Heroes Who Will Restore Your Faith in Humanity!

The success of this novel initiative has propelled another in the same footsteps. Inspired by the former’s goodwill, Ranga Rajan, a copywriter by profession, but an artist by calling, has also offered his artworks towards the noble cause.

“As I craft all my artworks using natural materials, I believe that it’s my responsibility to stand by nature during the darkest hours such as this,” he says.

He has set aside five of his artworks for the donors and spread the word in his circles through WhatsApp and Facebook. His phone alerts have been constant since.

You May Also Like: #KeralaFloodRelief: Indian Railways Lends Helping Hand to Fill This Crucial Shortage!

The selfless acts of Santhosh Narayanan and Ranga Rajan are examples of how even a small thought can create ripples of change.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

Adrian David is a Chennai-based copywriter and an alumnus of Loyola College.

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Despite the several shortcomings of the public school system, there are many inspiring stories about teachers who have gone above and beyond their call of duty to help their students.

The story of Madan Yadav, a teacher who transformed the face of a government school in a remote village in Bihar is one such example.

Mr Yadav has left no stone unturned in his efforts to better resources and facilities for his school. While most people in the village haven’t even stepped out of the village their entire lives, he runs a school where students recite English poems, excel academically, and are dressed well.

And one cannot forget the story of G Bhagawan, a government school teacher in Tamil Nadu, whose transfer caused his students to cry and plead with him to stay. The students won, and the teacher’s transfer was put on hold. Read the story here.

Kodungaiyur is a neighbourhood tucked away in the northernmost part of Chennai. The Chennai High School is one of the many schools that dot this area, but what makes it different is a unique initiative by one of its teachers, which is making a difference to the lives of 120 children.

As reported in the Times of India, Mr PK Ilamaran, has been providing a healthy breakfast to around 120-odd children in the Chennai school, from his own pocket. He started this initiative in July 2018.

For about two decades, Ilamaran observed that many of the children who came to school without eating breakfast would suffer from sunstrokes and or stomach aches. He finally decided that the problem could not be ignored any more and resolved to do something about it.

Speaking to ToI, Ilamaran said, “I am happy to spend some time with the students in the morning while serving them food. We buy idli and pongal from the nearby Amma Unavagam.”

Ilamaran, who teaches students of Classes 7 and 9, first made a list consisting of the names of students from Classes 1 to 10. He ensured that the names of all the children who were skipping meals were on this list.

Today, these kids get a good breakfast to start off their day. From 7:30 am to 8:00 am, students of Class X are fed, and from 8:20 am to 8:50 am, students from Classes 1 to 9 are fed.

You may also like:- India’s 10 Most Unconventional Teachers You Would Love to Learn From

This initiative is one of the many which have been taken up by the Chennai government school. In fact, ToI has reported that from September 2018 onwards, the school will provide free tuition for students of Class 10.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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A simple origami boat that Chennai girl, Oorjitha Dogiparthi, crafted when she was barely four years old, was the beginning of a lifelong fascination with the medium of paper artistry.

Today, the 22-year-old’s handiwork is famous all over Instagram under the handle, Oorugami, and the miniature works crafted by her—food dishes and everyday objects in particular—are winning hearts across the Internet.

Miniatures and particularly, food miniatures are a rage these days but what makes Oorjitha’s unique works stand out amidst the rest is the fact that she only uses paper, unlike other people who create miniatures using polymer clay, which is not readily available in India.

Speaking to The Better India, the self-taught artist says, “It was my mother who taught me how to make a boat when I was really small, but that was the starting point. First fascination, and then, the love for paper, led me to learn and experiment with all forms of paper-based craft as well as other forms too. When people would say, ‘it’s just paper,’ I would, on the other hand, say ‘it’s paper!’ There is nothing one can’t do with this versatile medium if they put their heart and soul to it.”

Oorjitha has a postgraduate degree in Food Chemistry and Food Processing from Loyola College and began to seriously focus on making miniatures only six years ago, and there has been no looking back for her since. Having graduated this April, she is currently taking a break to focus on this pursuit.

“Juggling between studies and paper craft during my undergraduate days was very hectic. But I loved to make these and push my limits by trying new things every other day, because of which, I could always find the time. It was when I started posting pictures of my work online that friends and family members started showing interest to buy my work,” she remembers.

One of the first miniatures Oorjitha had attempted and successfully made was—any guesses?

Well, like a true Chennaite, she made a plate of ‘Idli Vada Sambar!’

Using only glue, scissors, tweezers and of course, various forms and grades of paper, Oorjitha’s miniatures incorporate craft methods like quilling and origami that range from simple to really complex and intricate works.

Although Oorjitha makes it sound like making these miniatures is a piece of cake, we are sure that hours of conceptualisation, experimentation and hard work goes behind their creation.

“It’s purely a passion pursuit, and I don’t think I’ll ever get over paper or make things out of paper. Miniatures are amazing that way. They push one’s creativity to the other extent and since I love to try new things—be it food or daily objects—trying until I get what I intend to make is like a fun challenge,” Oorjitha happily states.

As for the drool-inducing food miniatures that she makes, all the pieces include dishes that she personally likes or has tried recently.

Also, Oorjitha lets us know that when it comes to placing orders, she likes to allow people to choose what they want or add custom details to her works. “This makes it a collaborative work, giving people the opportunity of being part of the process. It makes everyone happy!” she says.

Although Oorjitha plans to pursue a PhD eventually, at present, she wants to dedicate all of her time and skills towards miniatures, and we couldn’t be happier. You should look at the precision and detail in each of her works.

If that doesn’t blow away your mind, we don’t know what will!

Impressed with Oorjitha’s works? You can place orders for your own customised miniatures on her Instagram handle, Oorugami, which is quite an impressive play on the word ‘origami’ and her own name!

You may also like: From Biriyani to Appam, This Artist’s Miniature Dishes Will Make You Hungry!

You can follow Oorjitha and see her fantastic range of miniatures and other paper craftworks here.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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Door-to-door garbage collection in India’s cities is not only a slow and inefficient way to collect waste, but workers often complain of contemptuous treatment, and exposure to dangerous infections due to handling trash.

In the hope that this will soon be a thing of the past, Tamil Nadu will soon introduce battery-operated three-wheelers across the state.

As reported in the Times of India, the state government is all set to procure around 1,694 garbage collecting vehicles. All this is a part of a massive Rs 654 crore plan, under the Swachh Bharat Mission.

So how do these vehicles work?

According to officials with the Commissionerate of Municipal Administration, these vehicles contain rechargeable batteries and are equipped with different bins, to collect different kinds of trash. The machines will help cut trash collection times, segregate waste and provide sanitary workers with the much-needed dignity of labour while cutting down the risks they face when they are exposed to garbage.

Chennai will be endowed with 100 vehicles, costing around Rs 2 lakh each, and the 3-wheelers will replace the age-old tricycle carts that civic bodies across the state use as of now.

The sanitation workers will be in the driver’s seat, ensuring that waste is adequately segregated before dropping it off at designated locations, according to an official.

The plan is in motion and was approved by a high-powered committee at a meeting held a week a week before this report.

G Prakash, the Chennai Municipal Commissioner, is optimistic about this project and told TOI that the machines would help reduce the mountains of trash in the city. Additionally, the vehicles with their speedy collection process will allow workers to cover around 1,200 households daily, moreover without touching the waste they collect.

This plan by the authorities will offer cash incentives to conservancy staff including contract workers, to motivate them to work more efficiently. The workers will drop off the biodegradable waste to ward-level composting centres, where it will be turned into manure, while recyclable plastic waste will be re-sold to corporation-recognised dealers at Rs 6 per kilo.

What’s more, the workers can keep the proceeds. Prakash added that every worker could potentially earn Rs 7,500 per month by selling covers, bottles and other recyclable plastic items.

You may also like:- How Indore Became Garbage-Free and Beat Every Other City to It

Not everyone is in a celebratory mood, though. The corporation workers themselves are nervous, and as Srinivasulu, an employee pointed out, the mechanisation of processes can lead to layoffs. The worker perhaps echoes the sentiment of his colleagues, when he hopes that the machines will not cost him his job, but instead help him to work better, and also improve the quality of his life.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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In 2013, a study named Indian Breakfast Habits Study surveyed different breakfast items across India and their tritritional estimates. Conducted at four major metro cities–Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai–with a sample size of 3,600 subjects, the study found that Chennai has the best ‘nutrient profile’ of the four.

And one of the most common breakfast items in Chennai is the steaming hot Idli.

Made from urad dal and rice, this soft puff of rice is a healthy treat due to its lightness and its nutritional content. Idli is said to be light as it contains no fats, saturated fats or cholesterol.

Further, it has merely 39 calories per piece, which seems measly to the 2,000-calorie daily requirement. This means idli is one of the best foods for your diet plan.

For the small-scale wonder, idli packs a good punch of protein, fibre and carbohydrates. In a single idli, you would consume 2 grams of protein, 2 grams of dietary fibre and 8 grams of carbohydrates.

As some variations of idli also consist of black lentils, there is also a decent amount of iron, about 1 milligram per idli, where a few pieces can come close to fulfilling your daily iron requirement of 8 milligrams for men and 18 milligrams for women.

With all this said, is idli good for weight loss?

As a whole, idli cannot compensate for your body’s daily needs, and that doesn’t translate to weight loss. However, idli can be used as a part of a structured diet plan instead of the replacement for healthy food.

For some, the white idlis can become a plain and dull treat over time. So here are few renditions and recipes for different types of idlis that you can try.

RAVA IDLI

Rava idlis are an enhancement of the idlis. An enhancement, not only in taste but also in nutritional quality. Rava idli consists of semolina or sooji which is also rich in iron and other essential minerals like b-complex, phosphorus, zinc and magnesium.

For a healthy kick, one can also add carrots to the batter before steaming. This healthy recipe can be found here!

RAGI IDLI

Ragi or finger millet is a perfect ingredient for weight loss. This gluten-free whole grain is jam-packed with fibre, which takes time to digest but gives a fullness in diet consumption.

Moreover, ragi contains a special nutritional amino acid called Tryptophan, which helps in curbing appetite and managing body weight. Combine this with the humble idli, you got yourself a healthy mix of weight loss food.

You can read the recipe for ragi idlis here.

PODI IDLI

Out of all the types of idli, podi idli is not necessarily the best in nutritional content, but it beats everything else when it comes to unique flavour. Podi idli is for those who occasionally enjoy a treat.

Podi is a coarse mix of spices and grains, and when it comes to idli, one can use other different kinds of powder like peanut powder, sesame seeds powder, flax seeds and curry leaves powder.

The idli is made in the usual way, and after steamed to perfection, they are mixed with hot ghee with the podi added evenly on top. This lip-smacking delight can be made with the recipe here.

And if you think ghee is something you need to stay away from a from, think again. Ghee has incredible benefits about which you can read about here.

So even though idlis aren’t the ideal weight loss food that we need, the health benefits sure can complement for a weight loss diet.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

Hey, you may also like: Science Says Curd Rice Can Make You Happier & More Focussed. Here’s How!

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