Career in space science- Introducing students to the exciting discipline of astronomy

 Be it children or adults, the starry skies and the mysteries of space have always fascinated humans. Since time immemorial, humans have tried to figure out their place in the universe and understand the movement of stars and planets which influence our lives in so many ways.

This interesting subject helps us understand our planet in the context of the universe. In ancient times humans were under the mistaken belief that the earth was the centre of the solar system and it took Copernicus coming along in the 15th century to claim that it was the Sun which was at the centre and the Earth revolved around it. Galileo later confirmed this theory in 1632.

Many people confuse Astronomy and Astrology but here is the definition: Astrology contends that the position of the constellations and planets at the time of a person’s birth profoundly influences their destiny. Astronomy, on the other hand, is a scientific discipline with an aim to get a complete understanding of our universe and our place in it. The basic elements that make up the stars are the same elements that make up our bodies. There are so many intriguing questions to which researchers are still trying to find answers.

Astronomy is an exciting field of science but unfortunately, it is not taught on a large scale. It is not a mainstream subject in schools all over the world. However, investing in science education, research and technology can yield great benefits for the human race as a whole. The world’s most influential entrepreneurs like Elon Musk are investing in the space sector/space tourism. Numerous technological advances also have their base in Astronomy like GPS, wireless internet and medical imaging.

The direct benefits of research and development in Astronomy can be seen in several areas that impact our daily lives. Whether it is communication satellites or personal computers, cell phones or global positioning systems, MRI scanners or solar panels, Astronomy has had a vital role to play in each of these applications. Astronomy has always been used to measure time and seasons and navigate the oceans. The vast and complicated universe has sufficient secrets that are yet to be revealed and would be of immense interest to budding young scientists who delve into research in this subject. Astronomy can also reveal the potential threats to earth from outer space with the likes of Space debris, asteroids and blackholes. It also includes studying the Sun, which has a great impact on the climate of the Earth and the water levels.

Students who have been taught Astronomy or Space Science at a primary or secondary level are more likely to pursue these courses at an undergraduate/postgraduate level. The need of the hour is to promote awareness about astronomy as an exciting science discipline at grassroots levels to inculcate an interest in students. Astronomy has a tangible impact on diverse industries and it would help students to understand the prospects of exciting career options that astronomy has to offer.

While Astronomy is a fascinating field of study in itself, an astronomy major will gain expertise in a wide range of subjects like physics, maths, computer science, problem-solving and critical thinking. This gives them a wide range of career options within and outside the physical sciences. Astronomy majors can opt for positions related to aerospace, engineering, computer science, mathematics and environmental science or become rocket scientists. Astronomy majors mostly get employment as faculty or researchers at universities, government labs and observatories while some move to private industries.

Space science education is a promising segment that has a lot of potential in the future. It is a field worth looking into as it gives students the scope to explore something exciting instead of opting for the obvious choices. It would be heartening if the education ministry of India considers the introduction of Astronomy as a mandatory subject at the primary/secondary school level to introduce students to our exciting universe.

Shivam Gupta

Source: The Telegraph, 25/11/22

The clock’s ticking

 Climate change is the defining issue of the century but is clearly on the back-burner

It is not often that the secretary-general of the United Nations, arguably the world’s most visible diplomat and peace-maker, tells it like he sees it. At COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, António Guterres did just that. The planet is fast approaching tipping points in terms of greenhouse emissions and their consequences. Climate change is the defining issue of the century but is clearly on the back-burner.

He was spot on vis-àvis  the projections. The figure of 1.5 degree Celsius rise in global temperatures is the limit needed for net-zero emissions by the mid-point of the 21st century. There is now little chance of this being achieved. Significant increase in methane has now been added to the specific evidence of the rise in carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions. These three chemical compounds will combine to push global temperatures up faster.

The proximate reasons for the inaction or slow action are not far to seek. Two years ago, Joseph Biden’s election and the announcement of John Kerry as his envoy for climate change had raised hopes of an American initiative. Despite the pulls and pressures of domestic politics, the financial package and executive action approved by the outgoing Congress is the most far-reaching in history. Yet, there is a major hurdle ahead as climate-change deniers hold centre ground in the House of Representatives with its new Republican majority.

At the global level, the war in Ukraine and the post sanctions crisis in Europe have put fossil fuels and nuclear power back on the agenda even in Germany, a leader in the shift towards renewables. The squeeze on Russian energy has led to higher prices from the oil-exporting countries in the Gulf and Southeast Asia. In the short run at least, energy transitions are on the back-burner, as Guterres hinted.

The larger issue that has been a stumbling block since the UN Convention of 1994 remains so. The gap between the rich world and most of the developing countries is yawning. Per capita comparisons may skew the picture for India, China, Indonesia or Brazil. But that apart, many sub- Saharan countries have very low use of nitrogenous fertiliser, let alone gas and oil. The brave promise of 100-billion-dollar-a-year aid from the developed countries was tiny. Yet, it has not been met even in one calendar year.

Looking back at a somewhat longer time frame, it is evident that global environmental cooperation sought to take wings just when the great powers were losing interest in multilateral fora.

The first ever conference on human environment in 1972 was marred by the Cold War, with only two heads of government, those of Sweden and India, in attendance at Stockholm. The end of the1980s saw new, science-based concerns about the decline of biological diversity and global climate change evoke wide spread concern. All eyes in Rio de Janeiro were on the former president, George Bush,  a veteran diplomat and senior leader. The United States of America did sign the agreement on biodiversity, but has dragged its feet on climate change ever since. Ronal Reagan’s sustained attack on environmental regulation (1980-89) at home was matched by the undermining of the UN system, with funds for global environmental monitoring programmes being a casualty. It is true that in the post-1945 world, the US accounted for 40% of the global gross domestic product but it makes up far less than that figure today. But the average American still uses as much energy in a month as an Indian in a year as per the World Resources Institute.

But history holds out hope. The end of the Cold War was made possible by Reagan and Gorbachev, both eyeing a place in the history books. The long years of work by scientists and peace activists helped create a wider realisation that there would be no winners in a nuclear war. The climate crises may not be as explosive but is no less a challenge to the continuation of civilisation. It is a chimera to believe that the rich world will be spared the human and ecological costs of climate change. Guterres’s counsel is timely. But time may not be at hand.

Mahesh Rangarajan teaches History and Environmental Studies at Ashoka University

Bigger changes: The larger symbolism of Lachit Borphukan

 The belief that history or, more accurately, the writing of history stands still and is cast in stone is both naïve and untenable. As much as historians may debunk the temptation of reading the past in the light of the present, the reality is that each generation reshapes history in the light of contemporary perspectives. This is as much true of antiquity as it is of relatively more recent developments. 

India is a land where the past is constantly being reviewed. A recent circular by the University Grants Commission, advising institutions of higher learning to observe Constitution Day as an occasion when India reclaimed its democratic heritage dating back to the janapadas, occasioned many snide comments from historians who seem loath to allow amateurs, not to speak of politicians, intruding into their turf. Antiquity apart, the advent of the Narendra Modi government in 2014 has witnessed significant changes in the projection of India’s national movement. The elevation of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose to new heights — including the installation of his statue in the canopy overlooking Delhi’s iconic India Gate — was calculated to suggest that the freedom struggle had multiple strands and was far richer than the overemphasis by earlier Congress governments on Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. Likewise, the deification of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel — including the creation of the world’s tallest statue in Gujarat — was aimed at suggesting that post-Independence India was offered alternative routes of development in 1947 which, unhappily, were not pursued.

It is in this context that the grand celebrations to commemorate the 400th birth anniversary of Lachit Borphukan may be viewed. This Assamese general of the Ahom kingdom won a famous victory over the advancing Mughal army of Emperor Aurangzeb in the naval battle of Saraighat in 1671. Although the history of the Ahom kingdom, which lasted until the British conquest in 1826, is replete with both victories and defeats against invading foreign armies, the battle of Saraighat and its architect, Lachit Borphukan, occupy a key place in Assam’s collective consciousness, so much so that a separatist group opted to name its militia Veer Lachit Sena. Lachit Borphukan, the 15th-16th  century religious and literary figure, Srimanta Sankardev, and the 20th-century nationalist leader and Assam’s first chief minister, Gopinath Bordoloi, constitute the three icons on whom modern Assamese identity is based. 

Yet, it is unfortunate that all the three names resonate only in Assam or, at best, in the Northeast. Their importance in the making of India is scarcely appreciated in the rest of India. Lachit Borphukan was a contemporary of Chhatrapati Shivaji and his victory in Saraighat initiated a process of resistance that, with numerous ups and downs, culminated in the final ouster of the Mughals from the Ahom kingdom in 1682. However, while independent India has honoured Shivaji far beyond Maharashtra, Lachit Borphukan’s stellar role in the national resistance to the Mughals is known only in Assam. Some modest progress was made in 1999 when the National Defence Academy in Pune instituted a gold medal in his name that is awarded each year to the best cadet. But overall, Lachit Borphukan has suffered from the condescension of historians who have written their own version of Empire history of the Mughals. This week, to complement the celebrations in Assam, there will be events in Delhi, to be attended by both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the home minister, Amit Shah, to showcase Lachit Borphukan to a national audience.

The chief minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has taken the lead in organising the 400th anniversary celebrations, was quite explicit in stating its larger purpose. “For long, Indian history has been about the conquests and glory of the Mughals as if they were the rulers of entire India. They could not conquer the Northeast or vast areas of southern India. We are celebrating Lachit Borphukan’s anniversary in Delhi so that the world gets to know that there were many heroes and kingdoms who defeated the Mughals.”

The trend may well be gathering momentum. In central India, the local folk memory of Rani Durgavati of the Gondwana kingdom who played a heroic role in resisting the advance of Akbar’s armies is being elevated to the status of formal history. Jabalpur University has already been renamed after her. Additionally, there is a concerted move to ensure that heroic and inspirational figures from history belonging to subaltern communities are given due recognition in the pages of history books. Like the bid to delineate the linkages between Kashi (Varanasi) and Tamil civilisation, there is an unending endeavour by the Modi government to enlarge the scope of history and use it to promote the idea of India’s civilisational unity.

In the case of Lachit Borphukan, there is an additional dimension. For very long, Assam and the northeastern states have experienced both a political and emotional detachment from national politics. This, coupled with the lack of sufficient understanding of the historical specificities of each region, was a principal factor behind the spate of insurgencies that affected nearly all the states. The mollycoddling of corruption as a way of co-opting local elites also took a huge toll, as did the indifference to investments in infrastructure, allegedly for ‘strategic’ reasons. 

Since assuming office, the Modi government has been in a rush to make up the infrastructure deficit and ensure the Northeast’s connectivity with the rest of India. Additionally, India’s Look East foreign policy and better relations with Bangladesh and Myanmar could yield instant results, especially if Chittagong port opens up to the India trade. Most important, however, the decision to earmark at least 10% of Central spending for the Northeast is a game-changer for a region that has always felt shortchanged. Finally, in political terms, the growing importance of Assam and the Northeast in the ecosystem of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party marks a new beginning for the region. 

There has been a mood shift in Assam and in the Northeast that is visible to all. The Lachit Borphukan celebrations are more than symbolic precisely because it takes place on the back of a larger transformation.

Swapan Dasgupta

Source: The Telegraph, 24/11/22

Quote of the Day November 23, 2022

 

“He, who wishes to secure the good of others, has already secured his own.”
Confucius

“जो व्यक्ति दूसरों की भलाई चाहता है, वह अपनी भलाई को सुनिश्चित कर चुका होता है।”
कंफ्यूशियस

Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Bill 2022

 

Background

The first draft of the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018 was proposed by Justice Srikrishna Committee, which was set up to provide recommendations on the new data protection law in India. The 2018 bill was revised and the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 was tabled at the Lok Sabha. The Lok Sabha passed a notion to refer the 2019 bill to a Joint Committee of both the House of Parliament. Due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the joint committee submitted the report only in December 2021. The Data Protection Bill, 2021 was introduced by the government based on the recommendations of the joint committee. However, the bill was withdrawn because of the extensive changes proposed by the joint committee.

Why are there so many revisions to the data protection bill?

India is facing several challenges while formulating a data protection bill. These include:

1. Protection of the rights of data principals (users) should not make even legitimate data processing impractical
2. The need to create balance between the right to data privacy and the reasonable exception, especially when the government is processing personal data.
3. The law must be future-proof so that it can keep pace with the current technological development.
4. The rights and remedies should be made easily exercisable by data principals, who have unequal bargaining power with respect to data fiduciaries (companies).

What are the key features of the DPDP Bill, 2022?

• The DPDP Bill, 2022 gives maximum control to the data principal. It mandates a comprehensive notice to the data principals on different aspects of data processing.
• While non-consent based processing of personal data is present, the data principal is given the right to access, correct and delete their data.
• The data fiduciary will be allowed to process the data only for the stated purposes and no more. The data can be retained only as long as it is required to fulfill the stated purpose.
• The Bill penalizes entities for data breach. It also proposes the imposition of Rs.10,000 as a fine on individuals for providing false information, impersonating and filing frivolous complaints against social media.
• The Bill removes the explicit reference to certain data protection principles like collection limitation, allowing the data fiduciary to collect any personal data permitted by the data principal. Making data collection solely based on consent does not consider the fact that data principals do not often have the requisite know-how of what kind of personal data is relevant for the particular purpose.
• The bill removes concept of “sensitive personal data”, which recognizes the harm caused by the unlawful processing of certain personal data. It does not provide the extra protection for sensitive personal data, removing the need for explicit consent before processing and usage.
• The Bill reduces the information that a data fiduciary is required to provide to the data principal to remove information overload. Previous versions required to provide considerable information in terms of the rights of data principals, grievance redressal mechanism, retention period of information, source of information collected etc.
• The Bill proposes the setting up of the Data Protection Board of India. In case the data is breached, the data fiduciary or data processor is required to notify this board and each affected data principal. If they fail to do so, the Bill proposes a fine of up to Rs.200 crore.
• The Bill introduces the concept of “deemed consent”. It categorizes purposes of data processing that are exempt from consent-based processing or are considered to be “reasonable purposes”. There are concerns regarding the grounds of deemed consent due to ambiguity of words such as “public interest”.

India’s First Suicide Prevention Policy

 The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently unveiled the National Suicide Prevention Strategy – India’s first suicide prevention policy.

Why was the policy launched?

• National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS) aims to reduce suicide mortality by 10 per cent by 2030 through timely actions and multi-sectoral collaborations.
• The national strategy has several objectives. These are:

1. Set up effective surveillance mechanisms for suicides within the next 3 years
2. Establish psychiatric outpatient departments that provide suicide prevention services through the District Mental Health Programme in all states within 5 years
3. Integrate a mental well-being curriculum in all educational institutions within the next 8 years

• The strategy also seeks to develop guidelines for responsible media reporting about suicides and restricting access to the means of suicides.
• It will improve community resilience and societal support for suicide prevention.
• While it is in line with the WHO’s South East-Asia Region Strategy for Suicide Prevention, this strategy will remain on par with the Indian culture and social milieu.

What is NSPS?

• The NSPS is divided into 3 parts – immediate, intermediate and long-term strategy.
• Its priority areas are reducing easy access to suicide modes, strengthening healthcare systems to prevent suicide, sensitization through media and strengthening suicide surveillance.
• Under this policy, the government will phase out hazardous pesticides.
• It will also increase post-graduate seats in the field of mental health.
• Short-term training to non-specialist doctors and others will also be provided to increase access to mental health services.

Suicides in India

India, as middle-income country, has a high burden of suicide. More than 1 lakh people lose their lives each year because of it. It is among the top reasons for deaths of people in the age group of 15 to 29 years. The most common reasons for suicides include family problems and illnesses, which account for 34 per cent and 18 per cent of all suicide-related deaths. About 63 per cent of people who died of suicide earned less than Rs.1 lakh per annum. Daily wage earners, self-employed persons and housewives accounted for over half of the suicide cases in the country.

Current Affairs-November 22, 2022

 

INDIA

– PM inaugurates month-long ‘Kashi Tamil Sangamam’ in Varanasi, UP; objective is to celebrate age-old links between two ancient seats of learning

– Arunachal Pradesh: PM inaugurates Donyi Polo Airport, Itanagar and 600 MW Kameng Hydro Power Station

 India’s longest train, Dibrugarh-Kanyakumari Vivek Express, to run twice a week; 4,189 kms, 80 hours

– Bulldozing of houses in name of investigation not provided under law: Gauhati High Court

– Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama (87) given Gandhi Mandela Award of Gandhi Mandela Foundation in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh

– Centre unveils Digital Data Protection Bill for public consultation; bill will provide legal framework for right to privacy of citizens

– Former bureaucrat Arun Goel appointed as Election Commissioner

– Tabassum, actor & popular Doordarshan talk show host, dies at 78

– J&K: 3 soldiers killed in avalanche in north Kashmir’s Machil Kupwara sector

– Second edition of ASEAN India Music Festival being held in Delhi on Nov 18-20

– 3rd “No Money For Terror” Conference (Counter-Terrorism Financing) organised in New Delhi

ECONOMY & CORPORATE

– USA tops Network Readiness Index 2022 of US-based Portulans Institute, India 61st

– Women’s Entrepreneurship Day celebrated on Nov 19

– Govt cuts export duty on steel, iron ore; hikes import duty on some raw materials

– 21st World Congress of Accountants being held in Mumbai on Nov 18-21

WORLD

– “Homer” is word of the year for 2022: Cambridge Dictionary; is an informal American English word for a home run in baseball

– Nord Stream leaks of Sept 27 confirmed as sabotage, Sweden says; Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines link Russia and Germany via the Baltic Sea

– APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Economic Leaders meeting held in Bangkok; theme: “OPEN, CONNECT and BALANCE”

– Elon Musk reinstates celebrity accounts on Twitter, says ‘no decision’ on Trump

– World Toilet Day observed on Nov 19

– Russian fertiliser blocked at European ports to be shipped from Nov 21: UN

SPORTS

– India’s Manika Batra wins bronze medal in Asian Cup Table Tennis tournament in Bangkok