Doctors slam Mohanlal’s ‘cholesterol-free’ oil

His claims of cholesterol-free coconut oil not scientific, say medical professionals

A section of Indian doctors in the UAE have said they do not endorse a much publicised endorsement of a coconut oil brand by the Malayalam superstar Mohanlal.

Indian doctors at the All Kerala Medical Graduates Association (AKMG), a group of doctors practising in the UAE, said they are perplexed by the endorsement of a coconut brand by a superstar like Mohanlal, claiming that coconut oil is totally free from cholesterol.

What Mohanlal publicises through the advertisement is not scientifically proven and people may risk their health by blindly trusting a superstar endorsement, according to them. Earlier endorsement of a leading liquor brand by the superstar raked up controversy, similar to a celebrity brand endorsement by KJ Yesudas for a property firm that cheated hundreds of NRI investors.

“Coconut oil, like all saturated fats, should be limited to 7-10 per cent of calorie-intake because it can increase risk for heart disease, according to the AHA and 2010 Dietary Guidelines,” an Indian doctor said, quoting the American Heart Association.

A number of radio stations, television channels and newspapers are currently running an advertisement campaign for the new brand of coconut oil, claiming that the oil processed using a new technology will not cause heart disease or fat accumulated as spread by some foreign agents.

Mohanlal, one of the most popular Malayalam actors, acts as a Kerala King, sending out a Royal Decree, endorsing the specific brand of coconut oil.

According to marketing experts, celebrities are roped in to sell anything from gold ornaments to chit funds and financial products. The particular brand of coconut oil is claimed to be 100 per cent pure made with finest copra (dry coconut) pieces. Trans fats, saturated fats in coconut oils can be harmful and cause heart attack, doctors said.

In the advertisement Mohanlal, dressed as a traditional king of Kerala, says he is aware of a conspiracy hatched by foreign countries and is issuing a decree endorsing the pure coconut oil, free from cholesterol. Doctors say it is a highly misleading advertisement of Coconadu oil, because such claims are not scientifically proved.

“There are two basic categories of fats. Healthy fats are unsaturated and include vegetable oils, fish oils, and plant fats in nuts, avocados, and seeds. These fats should be the primary fats in your diet because they are either neutral or raise HDL cholesterol [considered good cholesterol] but don’t raise LDL cholesterol [considered bad cholesterol].

“The less healthy saturated fats found in animal fats and tropical oils, including coconut oil, are allowed, but in lesser amounts because they raise LDL cholesterol,” says Dr Hanish Babu.

“Trans fats in processed foods are the worst fats, capable of lowering HDL and increasing LDL, and should be kept as low as possible. Eating a nutritious diet that includes mostly whole foods and is balanced in calories is more important that worrying about specific nutrients and foods.”

“Coconut oil is an essential fat, saturated fat that can cause problem for heart by causing LDL cholesterol. Both coconut oil and palm oil can cause more cholesterol and can cause heart attack, which is scientifically proven. It is not misleading information spread by foreign countries, as Mohanlal claims in the advertisement. It is a scientifically proven fact that saturated fat can cause cholesterol,” said Dr Babu, who was speaking in his personal capacity.

He is also the Vice President of AKMG Emirates, but some officials in the Association have a different opinion.

Dr Babu said Keralites are more prone to heart diseases than people from many other Indian states due to many factors – increased use of red meat, egg and other fatty food items. About 7,000 tons of red meat is consumed every day in Kerala and now people are not doing enough physical exercise. High levels of stress, increased use of smoking and alcohol and negative attitude are factors causing heart ailments. It is definitely a misleading advertisement,” Dr Babu . There are different opinions on this issue and it is not the view of the organisation, he added.

According to studies, pure virgin coconut oil, containing no hydrogenation (the process of adding hydrogen to make a liquid fat hard), contains 92 per cent saturated fat – the highest amount of saturated fat of any fat.

“Most saturated fats are solid at room temperature, found in animal products (such as meat, dairy, poultry with skin, and beef fat) and contain cholesterol. Unlike animal fats, tropical oils – palm, palm kernel, and coconut oils – are saturated fats that are called oils but depending on room temperature can be solid, semi-solid, or liquid, and do not contain cholesterol.

Like all fats, coconut oil is a blend of fatty acids. Coconut oil contains an unusual blend of short and medium chain fatty acids, primarily lauric (44 per cent) and myristic (16.8 per cent) acids. It is this unusual composition that may offer some health benefits,” an Indian doctor said quoting relevant studies.

VM Sathish

 

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Indian Convicts Redefine ‘Business’ Behind Bars

The Holy Bible says, “Hear, O man; what does the Lord require of you but to love mercy, do justice, and walk humbly with your God?” Criminals are often judged as the unwanted part of the society. May be they have committed crimes for which they were convicted once, but government takes many corrective measures to inspire them to go out and live a respectful life after their conviction. Here we sum up few business initiatives taken by those who were punished and sent to jail once, but now are turning themselves to successful entrepreneurs.

1. Inmates Turned Fashion Designers- Tihar jail

A collection of clothes designed by women inmates of the Tihar Jail were displayed at a fashion show as part of Women’s Day celebrations. The Tihar Jail has for the past five to six months been running a fashion designing course with about 550 women inmates currently enrolled in the course. “The message that we want to give through this event is that we can manufacture quality products in the jail which can compete with any branded items in the market,” said Sunil Kumar, Chief PRO, Tihar Jail. The jail has a factory which has 1100 people employees and the turnover was 15 crore last year and this year it has been around 30 crore.

2. Bakers Behind the Bar- Kerala Jails

After netting a handsome revenue of 6.75 crore in nine months through food-making venture, prisons in Kerala are planning to diversify into more products like cakes, pepped and footwear with an aim of fruitfully engaging prisoners and selling these items to the common man at affordable prices. According to a top Prison Department official, the prison food business posted an impressive turnover of 6.75 crore in the first nine months of this year and is expected to touch about 10 crore by the end of March, 2013.

When Kerala Prison Department ventured into the food business, the sole model before it was the food-making unit of Tihar Jail in Delhi, which sold about of 1.5 crore chapatis and 20 lakh packets of chicken curry last year. While hotels charge 75-90 for a plate of chicken curry and 7-8 for one chapati, the jail chicken-chapati combine costs just 30. The prisoners also benefit from the initiative with cooks and helpers earning 117 as their daily wages so that they can send an average of 3500 to their families a month.

3. Convicts Take a Shine to Leather – Indore Jail

The Indore jail prisoners have a new passion. And the passion also involves fashion. With 40-50 kg of leather made accessible to them every month, the inmates are busy whipping out leather goods to be sold locally. The jail has also been planning to market the handbags and wallets Bhopal, and a national squash later. The training is imparted by the Tata International Ltd, ), engaged in the business of leather goods.

“At present, the leather products (bag, handbags and wallets) are sold locally by small retailers. This is because the quality is not up to the level of a TIL product. To help them achieve the required quality, a technical person will be sent to the jail to train one of the inmates, who will be the master trainer. He, in turn, will teach the others,” said a company spokesperson, stated Business Line.

Cakes costing below 100 and low-price rubber sandals are the next in line and the food business initiative would be extended to two more prisons soon.

4. Handicrafts in Cuff – Jagdalpur Jail

The prisoners at Jagdalpur Jail have set a very inspiring example for many who have been convicted. Inmates at Jagdalpur Central Jail make a wide range of eminent mats and bed sheets, which are in high demand in global markets. There are also around 351 convicts who make art work, handicraft and other designer materials worth 1 crore every year.  “Now, they are always busy in different kinds of activities. These prisoners were being trained in handicrafts and other works so that they could start their own business after being released from the jail”, an official said, stated dailypioneer.com.

The jail has also arranged short term courses that help the prisoners to utilize their free time as well as use their labor in a positive way. The also make other products apart from bed sheets and mats like, beds, sofas, dining-tables, chairs, office tables, steel furniture, cupboards, terracotta items, swings, foot mats, table mats, pen holders and items with cloth, like towels.

5. Penitentiary “Dabbas”  – Tihar Jail

The women prisoners in Tihar Jail are ready to launch their own Tiffin services, and Tihar will be the first prison to start such a business. The idea was that the inmates would prepare the meal and supply lunch to corporate houses and government offices athwart the city.

 Director General (Prisons) Vimla Mehra told Newline, “We are planning to start with the women’s jail first and expand the project to the other jails according to the demand. The number of tiffins, inmates to be engaged in the project, the cuisine and menu depends on the demand. Tihar will try its best to satisfy the customers and give them excellent quality and tasty food” Once instigated the service will be an add on to Tihar’s bakery and snacks business that sells ISO-certified biscuits, nut crackers, salty mixtures and other snack items.

Delhi rape spurs Indian women to rush for gun licenses

Indian protesters hold placards during a rally in New Delhi.(AFP Photo / Sajjad Hussain)

A sense of insecurity has gripped the female population in parts of India. As the ashes of the New Delhi gang rape victim were scattered over the Ganges River, hundreds of Indian women applied for firearm licenses and joined self-defense classes.

­Since the news of the brutal gang rape and murder broke in December, 274 Delhi women have applied for gun licenses, Delhi police said. Some 1,200 more have called the licensing department to inquire how to obtain one.

“These include not only the average working woman, but even students who travel long distances to colleges and even their concerned parents. They were eager to find out more on the procedure to acquire arms,” a Delhi police officer told The Times of India.

Hundreds turned up at the police department seeking permission to get a gun for self-defense, with officers having to explain that “a clear danger to one’s life” should exist for someone in India to be given a license.

“They said that with even public transport no longer safe in the city, they just cannot take chances. When we told them this could not be reason enough, we were told to provide in writing that their daughters were indeed safe on Delhi’s roads,” the officer added.

Not only do the women of India suffer from male violence with impunity, they are also discriminated against in their rights to legally acquire arms, the Indian National Association for Gun Rights said.

“The fact that even parents are ready to hand over weapons to their daughters shows they are living in fear. There is a 20% increase in self-defence courses across the city,” he concluded.

Out of more than 800 applications for guns received from women over the last two years, only a few dozen have been accepted by the Delhi police, with just a handful of licenses granted on the grounds of personal threats. Others were rejected as “no personal safety threat was assessed,” though “self-defense” is an increasingly popular reason provided in applications.

This may not stop some of the parents from buying guns on the black market, or illegally manufactured weapons. Of 40 million firearms in the hands of Indian civilians only 6.3 million have been registered, the international bulletin of firearm injury prevention GunPolicy.org estimates.

An Indian woman handles an Indian-made revolver at a newly opened gun shop in Lucknow.(AFP Photo / Pawan Kumar)

Raped for 40 days by 42 men

The widespread public anger due to the violence against women has been reflected in the press, which has been recalling similar tragedies from India’s recent past.

In 1999, a 16-year-old girl was abducted by a bus conductor in the Indian state of Kerala, who then raped her and passed on to others, 42 men raping her in turn for over a month. She was left out in the street severely injured, penniless, and ultimately disgraced, with her family having to move several times because of the mockery of their neighbors.

“Nobody accepts us; when they see us, they try to avoid us. We don’t go out,” the victim’s father was quoted as saying by India’s NDTV.

Of the 35 people convicted for raping the teenage girl, all but one were ruled not guilty when Kerala’s High Court reviewed the case three years later. The decision was heavily criticized, some activists claimed the rapists were set free because they were well connected in Kerala.

But unlike many others in India, the family has decided to fight till the end appealing against the verdict to the Supreme Court, and is now awaiting a hearing.

Despite the vast public attention for cases like this and the 2005 Domestic Violence Act outlawing all forms of violence against females; rape, abduction and trafficking of women and girls remains a major problem in India.

“Women and girls continue to be sold as chattels, married off as young as 10, burned alive as a result of dowry-related disputes, and young girls exploited and abused as domestic slave labour,” Save the Children activist Gulshun Rehman said.

This, combined with widely reported police indifference, sparked the mass protests on the streets of Delhi calling for more effective laws and law enforcement to ensure the safety of women in the most-populous democratic country in the world.

A student prays during a vigil for a gang rape victim, who was assaulted in New Delhi, in Ahmedabad.(Reuters / Amit Dave)

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Supreme court of India allows Italian marines to go home for Christmas

 

Two Italian marines charged with killing two fishermen off the coast of India are likely to spend Christmas in Italy, after an Indian court on Thursday accepted a plea by the sailors to be allowed to join their families for the holiday season.

The two sailors, members of a military security team protecting the cargo ship Enrica Lexie from pirate attacks, shot the fishermen they say they mistook for pirates off the southern state of Kerala in February, sparking a diplomatic row between New Delhi and Rome.

The Kerala high court said its decision to allow the men back home for two weeks was contingent on the Indian government‘s approval.

Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone are out on bail in the Indian state but not allowed to leave the country. They will be required to hand over 60 million rupees ($1.1 million) as a bank guarantee to the court before leaving.

The sailors, awaiting trial in New Delhi’s Supreme Court in connection with the shooting deaths, have to report back to India on January 10.

The Kerala state government opposed the sailors’ request, suspecting Italy of trying to smuggle the men out of India and feared that the sailors may not return.

“We’re very happy with the judgement. The Kerala government’s apprehensions have been quashed,” said Vijaya Bhanu, the counsel for the sailors.

Last week, Italian authorities summoned India’s ambassador in Rome and expressed “strong disappointment” that the Supreme Court had delayed a decision on where the men would face trial.

Italy wants the Supreme Court to rule that the shooting took place in international waters, outside India’s jurisdiction, allowing the marines to be tried in Rome.

Indian authorities accuse the sailors of killing unarmed fishermen in a “contiguous zone” where Indian law applies.

While visiting the marines in Kerala last week, Italy’s Defense Minister, Giampaolo Di Paolo, pinned his hopes on India allowing the men home for Christmas, saying “nobody more than India knows the values of festivities”.

REUTERS

Another incest rape in #Kerala: 14-year-old girl sexually abused by brother, friend for 2 years

In yet another incident of sexual abuse of minors by their kin in Kerala, a 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her brother and his friend over the last two years.

Both of them, hailing from Pavoor in Kasargod district, have been taken into custody, police said.

They said the girl had also been taken to various places in Karnataka and raped.

The incident came to light when the girl was questioned by police recently after she was found in a hotel here along with four others late at night.

More persons are suspected to be involved and a detailed investigation has already begun, police said.

Kerala has been witness to such incidents over the last few weeks, the first being of a 17-year-old girl allegedly raped by her father and seven others at Paravoor in Ernakulam district over the last one year.

In another incident from that district, a six-year-old girl was allegedly sexually abused by her 40-year-old father for six months after she was forced to drink alcohol. The man is absconding.

At Dharmadom in Thalassery in Kannur district, a 13-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her father, 15-year-old brother and uncles for nearly two years. One of the accused died recently.

India’s taxman catches up with elephants

India‘s taxman has finally caught up with the nation’s working elephants, with the owners of those working at temples, festivals or parties having to pay 12 per cent of their earnings in service tax.

In India's autumn wedding season the number of ceremonial elephants can being 
city roads to a standstill 
Photo: ALAMY

Elephants are deployed throughout India as ceremonial beasts at weddings, auspicious reminders of the elephant God Lord Ganesha at temples and Hindu festivals like the Kumbh Mela, and as exotic children’s rides at birthday parties.

In India’s autumn wedding season the number of ceremonial elephants can being city roads to a standstill. For many they are an affordable treat – toy shops offer them for under £25 per hire as an upgrade on a party camel.

They are however big business. In Kerala alone, revenues from its 700 working elephants are estimated at just under £30 million per year.

Throughout India’s 28 states, the figure is believed to be several hundred million pounds per year. During peak demand, the going rate can rise to around £300 per day.

Now the Indian revenue authorities want their share and have ordered all enterprises hiring out elephants to levy a 12.36 per cent service tax.

By Dean Nelson

Worms found in fried chicken at KFC outlet in Thiruvananthapuram

Oct 09, 2012

Fast food chain Kentucky’s Fried Chicken (KFC) has come under scrutiny in Kerala after a family reportedly found worms in their fried chicken. The incident was reported from an outlet in Thiruvananthapuram.

On a complaint, the Food Safety Authority conducted an inspection and found that the outlet didn’t maintain adequate sanitation guidelines. Some seized chicken was allegedly as much as five months old. The outlet has been temporarily shut and other KFC outlets are being inspected.

“We came here after we received a complaint. We were told that worms were found in the chicken by the customer who informed us. When we inspected the place, we found worms in the fried chicken. This outlet has temporarily been shut down,” Thiruvananthapuram district officer, Food Safety Authority, Sivakumar said.

Though the restaurant staff sought to prevent the officials from conducting searches, they had their way. They took samples of various dishes served in the hotel for detailed examination and analysis. The complaint was made by Shaiju, an NRI, who had come to the busy eatery along with his wife, son and two relatives. Shaiju was overcome by nausea and vomited as soon as he saw the dead worm in the chicken served to him.

When he brought the matter to the staff’s notice, they tried to dissuade him from making an outcry or complaint to the health authorities. However, he later contacted the FSA office and urged them to take action.

(With additional information from PTI)

The Great Thorium Robbery – UPA

Since the UPA government assumed office in 2004 with Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister, 2.1 million tones of monazite, equivalent to 195,300 tonnes of thorium at 9.3 per cent recovery, has disappeared from the shores of India. Thorium is a clean nuclear fuel of strategic importance for both nuclear energy generation and nuclear-tipped missiles. The beaches of Orissa Sand Complex, Manavalakurichi in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu and the Aluva-Chavara belt on the Kerala coast have been identified under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, as the main monazite bearing areas in the country. In most other countries, thorium reserves are embedded in rocks which require elaborate processing to extract. Public sector Indian Rare Earths Limited having divisions at Chatrapur in Orissa, Manavalakurichi in Tamil Nadu, Chavara and Aluva, and its own research centre in Kollam in Kerala, is the only institution authorised to extract thorium from monazite sands. If the Comptroller and Auditor-General were to audit the accounts of the IREL and the Department of Atomic Energy, custodians of fissile minerals, the coalgate scam would look like small change. The missing thorium, conservatively estimated at $100 a tonne, works out to about Rs 48 lakh crore, putting all other UPA scams in the shade.

To a question by Kodikunnel Suresh addressed to the Prime Minister in the Lok Sabha on 30 November 2011, about the quantum of monazite being exported to other countries and whether the companies mining beach sand have violated the norms of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, V Narayanaswamy, Minister of State in the PMO, said that beach sands containing heavy minerals barring monazite were being exported. However, he said that licence under the Atomic Energy Act was required for the export of monazite and thorium which were prescribed substances, and that no licence was given for the export of these items. The Department of Atomic Energy, directly under Manmohan Singh, delisted heavy minerals like monazite and ilmenite from the prescribed substances list vide SO 61 (E) dated 20 January, 2006, to facilitate their export by private companies. Licences have been issued with the proviso that “having undertaken to comply with the conditions prescribed in the Atomic Energy (Working of mines, minerals hand handling of prescribed substances) Rules, 1984, licence is issued with the approval of the Licensing Authority.”

The Licencing Authority is the Nagpur-based Chief Controller of Mines, under the Union Ministry of Mines. Ever since CP Ambrose, Chief Controller of Mines, an upright officer, retired on 30 June 2008, the post has been deliberately kept open and Ranjan Sahai, Controller of Mines, Central Zone, alleged to be close to private placer mineral industrialists, has been allowed to officiate in place of the Chief Controller. Four years is a long time to keep a key post of crucial, strategic and vital importance vacant. Sahai is said to be the most favoured public functionary of the Union Ministry of Mines working in the field, enjoying dictatorial clout with all officials in the ministry. Several written public complaints against Sahai are pending with the Central Vigilance Commissioner, New Delhi. It is reliably learnt that the Departmental Promotion Committee has already selected an officer working in Nagpur to fill the post of Chief Controller of Mines but his appointment is being prevented by Sahai. Such is his clout in the Ministry of Mines.

According to K Balachandran of the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, DAE, commercial exploitation of beach sand in India dates back to 1909 when Schomberg, a German chemist, was exploring for monazite occurrences in search of thorium for the gas mantles industry. After the German, the French, who understood the value of thorium, began buying beach sand from Kerala and exporting it to their country. From this starting point many milestones have been crossed with the discovery of ilmenite, rutile, garnet, zircon and sillimanite in our beach sands. When the Department of Atomic Energy was established in the early days of independence, one of the first decisions Prime Minister Nehru took was to ban the export of thorium. India is reputed to have the largest mineral sands resources in the world.

These are also among the least exploited resources having a high potential to meet the country’s energy needs. Seventy per cent of India energy is met by import of oil and gas. The beach placer mining sector was opened to private entrepreneurs in 1998. Export of beach sands registered a quantum jump after 2005. As if to promote exports, even radioactive minerals, much needed for our nuclear energy programme, are allowed to be taken out of the country unchecked. To add insult to injury, private exporters of prohibited minerals are presented with Special Awards and Certificates of Merit by the Chemicals and Allied Products Export Promotion Council of the Government of India. Indiscriminate mining, if not monitored and regulated, can cause severe erosion in the coastal areas.

At least now the government should exclude thorium producing placer minerals like monazite, ilmenite, rutile, zircon, and mineral complexes together with uranium minerals from the purview of privatisation under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, and the Indian Atomic Energy Act, 1948. These resources should be specified in the Central List of Part XI of the Constitution. The Mines Act should be amended with a mandate for the setting up of a Mines Regulatory Authority on the lines of the Telecom Regulatory Authority or the Insurance Regulatory Authority in order to ensure that any complex minerals which have the potential to produce thorium is not allowed to be mined and conserved with provisos for extraction and delivery of processed thorium to the agencies of the Atomic Energy Commission.

Considering the strategic importance, select thorium bearing areas should be declared as exclusive zones and brought under the security cover of the Army, Navy and the Air Force. The civil administration has proved incapable of handling this responsibility. All private trade, both internal and external, in thorium producing placer mineral complexes should be banned and the entire thorium extracted so far should be brought under the control of the Joint Nuclear Fuel Control Agency. The CBI should investigate illegal mining of thorium resources and bring the culprits to book expeditiously. Since local communities constitute the first line of defence to ensure protection and conservation of the strategic reserves; they should be given a substantial share of the mining profits. To ensure that the distribution of such share reaches the beneficiaries, the Joint Nuclear Fuel Control Agency should pass on the amount to the Panchayati Raj institutions in the mining areas.

As Shashi Tharoor, former Minister of State for External Affairs, said at a recent book release function: “Good governance transcends all administrative frontiers. It requires politicians to recognise the importance of working together for a common goal.” The UPA government has been squandering Bharat Mata’s gift of nature for private greed and proved in the last eight years that it is incapable of providing good governance. The greatest service Manmohan Singh could do to the nation before another scam even bigger than the great thorium robbery surfaces is to resign and go. Surely we have had enough of his leadership

Author : SAM RAJAPPA -THE  STATESMAN

9 Amazing Inventions From The Soul Of India

India was always a fertile land for innovations. The most notable Indian inventions range from number Zero to some high end technologies that we use every day.

While many of these high-tech inventions are usually glorified, certain others which come from the ‘soul of India’- villages are usually ignored. These inventions from the country’s small corners cannot be designated as “life changing,” but still they are powerful enough to propel the dreams of a small population and also motivate the generations to produce something good for the society.

Here are some of them.

#9 Washing cum Exercise Machine

Inventor: Remya Jose
City: Malappuram
State: Kerala

Remya, a high school girl from Kerala was forced to do laundry when her mother fell sick. Out of her dislike to wash clothes by hand, Remya invented a pedal-powered washing machine at the age of 14.

The machine, which looks like the exer-cycle which we see in a gymnasium, consists of an aluminium cabin containing a horizontal cylinder made of iron net. The cylinder is connected to a pedaling system that consists of a cycle chain, pedals and a seat. Clothes are put in the cylinder, the cabin is filled with water, detergent is added and is left to soak for some time. Pedal it for three to four minutes after that and you are done! The cylinder rotates at a very high speed with the clothes inside, cleaning them thoroughly. Soap water drains out, the barrel is refilled and the process repeated. By pedaling, the clothes also become about 80% dry.

The Invention has many advantages. It doesn’t require electricity to work, it is hugely affordable and moreover, it replaces your exercise machine.

#8 Water Walking Shoe

Inventor: Dwarka Prasad Chaurasia
City: Mirzapur,
State: Uttar Pradesh

Well, this beautiful invention from a village man of tremendous determination. His invention dates back to three decades. It is called the Water Walker, which comes handy in the flooded regions of India, even now.

The shoes consist of two floats made of thermocol, bonded with a rexine sheet. This whole unit is attached to metal straps with back foot support. These two individual shoes are also tied to each other to prevent them from going apart beyond one’s ability to steer them. The size of shoe gave him good buoyancy and ease in maneuvering.

With a pair of hand held oars for balancing, a person can either walk or skate across the lake.

Chaurasia had demonstrated his shoes in front of media at the Delhi Boat Club, which was widely covered. He was also interviewed by BBC at that time, which was great recognition for him.

He had another invention on his name, “the amphibious cycle” which used the same principle of his shoes.

#7 Electric Painting Brush

Inventor: Jahangir Ahmad
Place: Anantnag
State: Jammu & Kashmir

Jahangir, a young student from the militancy hit Anantnag district of Jammu & Kashmir invented eclectic painting brush, which is essentially a blessing to the painting workers. His invention avoids the need for dipping brush into the paint bucket, which decrease the tediousness of the job and saves paint.

Jahangir was the son of a carpenter. He used to work while studying in order to help his poor family and also fund himself. One day he saw some workers painting a high wall near his house. They were struggling with the work as there is little space on the ladder to keep the paint bucket. They have to periodically dip the brush in the bucket and manage everything without losing the grip from ladder. The paint was also spilled over the worker’s clothes. After seeing this, he was determined to reduce their effort.

The automatic painting device he invented has a painting brush attached to a tube, which goes directly to a paint bucket via a motor which pumps the paint to brush. User can control flow of paint through a liver and the paint is equally distributed to bristles at 4 places through a distributor. His working prototype has great commercial potential along with wide usability.

#6 Tree Climbing Machine

Inventor: M J Joseph (Appachan)
Place: Kannur
State: Kerala

Late M J Joseph was an innovative farmer. After many of his innovations failed to gain popularity, including a fruit squeezer which can get juice out of any fruit, Joseph made the best invention of his life- a machine, using which anybody can climb a coconut or areca nut tree.

Joseph made this machine under the guidance of his father. The climber consists of two metal loops with several sub-loops and connecting rods. There are two pedals, one right and one left, for placing the foot. The device is designed in such a way that once it is fastened to the tree using the attached ropes, you can use the pedal movements to climb.

The cost effective, safe and convenient machine had become so popular in south India. Many modifications were made to the device and the National Innovation Foundation facilitated sale of his climber to customers in USA, Maldives, Thailand, Australia, Brazil and Mexico.

#5 Cotton Harvester

Inventor: Nattubhai Vader
State: Gujarat

Nattubhai Vader, a farmer from Gujarat invented the cotton harvester, a machine which can be fitted to a tractor for harvesting the cotton. He was determined to make a machine for harvesting the troublesome variety of cotton, after he saw women and children performing the slow exhausting work in the fields.

His determination paid off well as he designed and tweaked a massive apparatus of spinning rubber hoses and vacuums to fit over a tractor. The apparatus can pick as much cotton in one hour as 10 people can harvest in two days.

#4 Well Pulley With a Brake

Inventor: Amrit Agrawat
Place: Sehore
State: Madhya Pradesh

In the villages, water is mainly drawn from wells. The traditionally designed pulley system is physically demanding, especially for the women folk. Realizing the importance of pulley in the daily routine of average rural women,   Amit Agrawat has decided to redesign it. He came up with a pulley attached to a braking system or a “stopper.” He made three pulleys- Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswathi, which can be used according to the type of the well. The pulleys allow women to rest mid way through their labour. 

#3 Water Tires

Inventor: Farmers
State: Madhya Pradesh

The village farmers of Madhya Pradesh were finding it difficult to work on the thick and hard soil in the fields with their tractors. It required them to put extra weight to the machine. The tractor salesmen were trying to sell them expensive weights to attach to vehicles. But the farmers invented an inexpensive and easy way by simply filling the tires with water, which gave an added weight at literally, no cost. They not only saved money, but also invented something which can be benefitted by millions of farmers across the country.

#2 Cotton Deseeder

Inventor: Abdul Rahim Khan
Area: Mogra
State: Madhya Pradesh

Abdul Rahim Khan a farmer from the village of Mogra had many small inventions under his belt. Among that, his miniature cotton deeseeder is a miracle. It cost less than 220 to make and saved 10 times as much each year in processing fees.

#1 Multipurpose Herbs Processor

Inventor: Dharamveer Kamboj
Place: Yamunanagar
State: Haryana

Dharamveer was born as the 5^th child of Ramswaroop Kamboj, who was a farmer and Savitri Devi who was an herbalist. He was attracted to the herbs at an early age, following his mother’s passion. After seeking out different ways to lead his life, Dharamveer finally realized that agriculture is indeed the profession meant to him.

Inspired from a bank manager, who promoted Aloe vera farming, Dharamveer started to cultivate it. But after realizing the huge cost of an Aloe vera gel extractor machine, he decided to build one on his own.

After a number of prototypes, he was successful in building a table top machine capable of pulverizing and extracting oil or gel from various herbs including Amla and Aloe vera. The machine can cheaply make gel from the leaves and was widely recognized.  

Dharamveer give all the credit for his success to his mother, who instilled in him urge to know more about herbs.

 

 

Ten Things You Should Never Do In India

 

India is a land of enormous internal diversity. On your journey from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, the cultures and things you encounter are lot more diverse and complicated than you think. There are many actions which seem to be normal to you but are extremely offensive in certain areas. Here we list ten things which is considered as offensive or bad throughout the country.

Religious discussions

You can freely discuss about anything in India, especially politics. Most people will have an opinion but they will not mind their opinion being contradicted. But be careful while including the religion into any of your discussions especially with the strangers since it is one of the sensitive areas in the minds of Indian people and they will feel offended for no reason!

Public display of affection

The beautiful backwater sceneries in Kerala and the story of Taj Mahal- the symbol of love may make you romantic. But think twice before performing any acts of love in public since the people around you in India is very conservative and doesn’t want to watch or do public displays of affection.

Left Hand Rule

You can give rest to your left hand while you are in India. Indian people never eat with their left hand or they won’t pass or receive anything with it. So remember – never give any gifts, money or anything with your left hand.

Feet Rule

According to Indian culture, the head is considered as the superior part of the body and feet, the inferior. So try not to touch anything important with your feet, especially books. Also never point your feet at someone and if you do, express your apologies immediately. However touching elder’s feet is considered as a sign of respect in India.

Clothing Rule

Majority of Indian people dress conservatively and it is advisable if you do the same, especially when you are in rural areas. It is better not to wear revealing or tight clothing especially when you visit places of religious significance.

Handshake rule

In India, it is generally not acceptable for men to shake hands with a woman until and unless she offers the same. If she extends her hand, you should reciprocate otherwise it is better to join your palms and wish her in Indian style.

Shoes rule

It is generally considered as good manners to remove shoes and sandals before you enter someone’s home. In some temples, people are not allowed to enter into holy areas with their shirts on.

Gift rules

The rules related to gifts vary in different parts of India. In some areas it is considered as an offence to gift white flowers since they are used in funerals. Gifting alcohol and animal-skin made products are considered as offensive in some other areas. Generally it is better to carry some sweets along with you when you are invited to someone’s home.

Smoking and drinking in Public

In India, it is offensive to consume alcohol or smoke in public. Even if you smoke, remember to ask the permission, otherwise it is considered rude. You are also not allowed to hunt or hurt animals, especially cow, which is considered as a holy animal in many areas.

Last but not the least, there are a lot of spiritually elevated people in each and every corner of India who offers magic remedies and spiritual salvation and there is no way you can distinguish the crooks. So as a traveler, it is advisable not to get into their traps and lose your money.