ISRO and others achieve new discoveries and inventions

Scientific research and efforts put in by hundreds of scientists in 2018 resulted in several major achievements for the country. Interestingly, many of these achievements were in the area of tackling diseases or improving agricultural yields. Indian astronomical institutions and scientists also contributed significantly with new projects.

In June, the country's first robotic telescope started observing the skies. Part of an international programme, the Global Relay of Observatories Watching Transients Happen (GROWTH), the telescope in Ladakh will be observing dynamic or transient events in the universe.

The Rs35 million project funded by the Science and Engineering Research Board of the Department of Science and Technology is being managed jointly by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, and the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.

"Together with partner telescopes strategically located around the world, we can continuously monitor any interesting object in the sky - uninterrupted by daylight," said G.C. Anupama of IIA. "Our primary science goals are studying electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational wave sources, young supernovae and near earth asteroids."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in August that an Indian would go into space by 2022. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) drew up plans to put a three-man crew in a low earth orbit for five to seven days as part of this project.

According to Dr. K. Sivan, Chairman, ISRO, it would focus on the human space flight programme Gaganyaan in 2019. "A separate centre called Human Space Flight Centre has been formed in ISRO," he said. "The Gaganyaan project will come under it and that is how we will target the first unmanned mission in December 2020."

The ISRO is also busy with Chandrayaan-2, India's second mission to Moon. It is an indigenous mission comprising an Orbiter, Lander and Rover. After reaching the 100km lunar orbit, the Lander housing the Rover will separate from the Orbiter. After a controlled descent, the Lander will soft-land on the lunar surface at a specified site and deploy a Rover. The six-wheeled Rover will move around the landing site in semi-autonomous mode as decided by the ground commands, and the instruments will observe the lunar surface and send back data. Chandrayaan-2 is expected to be launched later this year.

In February 2018, ISRO created a world record by launching 104 satellites in one go. The largest number of satellites was launched from the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), which carried a Cartosat-2 series earth observing satellite and 103 other satellites weighing more than 600 kg.

During the year, scientists at the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, discovered a new planet 600 light years away. The exoplanet is smaller than Saturn, but bigger than Neptune. Many key scientific initiatives were in the area of farming. Scientists at the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Bengaluru, developed a protective gel for farmers, which when applied on the skin can prevent toxic chemicals from penetrating inside and damaging important organs.

Researchers at the National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Mohali, deployed the gene editing technology and edited the banana genome. This could be used to improve the nutritional quality of the fruit. Scientists at research institutions and universities have also been busy with several other projects. A group of researchrs from Amity University, Noida; Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi; and Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak; developed a bio-sensor using molybdenum disulphide nanosheets to detect Chikungunya.

A scientist at the Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, identified a key protein that helps the replication of dengue and Japanese Encephalitis viruses inside the human body by inhibiting anti-viral cytokines. This could help in ?the development of drugs to tackle the two diseases.

Scientists at the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad, and All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi developed highly sensitive and rapid tests for detection of tuberculosis infection in lungs and surrounding membranes.

Those at the National Brain Research Centre at Manesar discovered cellular and molecular mechanisms that show how the Zika virus causes microcephaly or small head size in babies. A medical cyclotron facility, Cyclone-30, became operational at the Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre (VECC), Kolkata, in September.  

Cyclotrons are used to produce radioisotopes for diagnostic and therapeutic use for cancer care. Cyclone-30, the biggest cyclotron in India for medical application became operational in September when 30 MeV beam reached the Faraday Cup for the first time. Subsequently, beam from this facility was used to produce 18F (Fluorine-18 isotope) for the preparation of 18 FlFluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), a radio-pharmaceutical used by Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology (BRIT).

The facility will start regular production by the middle of 2019 after the commissioning of the supporting nuclear systems and regulatory clearances. Cyclone-30 facility at VECC, Kolkata, a Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) unit, will have unique features. Importantly, to highlight the major discoveries and inventions in the scientific community in India, the Department of Science and Technology, along with Doordarshan and Prasar Bharati, recently announced the launch of two science communication initiatives, DD Science and India Science.

DD Science is an hour-long slot on Doordarshan National channel, which will be telecast Monday to Saturday from 5pm to 6pm. India Science is an internet-based science channel, offering live, scheduled play and video-on-demand services.

"Developing a scientific temperament is a critical necessity in a country of 1.3 billion and these two science channels will drive that national objective, both through DTH as well as the internet," said Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Science and Technology. "It would also help people to understand the benefits of science and integrate it in their daily lives."

According to Amit Khare, the I&B secretary, Doordarshan reaches out to more than 92 per cent of India's population and would be an impactful medium for popularisation of science. "It would help the larger objective of the government to promote science among people," he added.

- nithin@khaleejtimes.com