Meet Mangalurean Prof. Anjana Devi, the new director of IFW, Germany

News Network
January 9, 2024

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Mangaluru: Prof. Dr Anjana Devi, who hails from south Indian city of Mangaluru and an alumnus of Mangalore University and Indian Institute of Science (IISc), has been appointed director of the Institute for Materials Chemistry at the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IMF), Dresden, in Germany. 

She is the first alumnus from these institutions to be appointed to the post in Germany. She took over on January 1, 2024. She was also appointed as Chair of Materials Chemistry in the Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry at the Technical University of Dresden. She is currently involved with Fraunhofer Institute in Duisburg.

Daughter of late K B Bhasker and Vajrakshi Bhasker couple from Kulshekar, Mangaluru, Prof Anjana Devi is married to Dr Harish Parala from Ujire, who is also a scientist based in Germany. The couple has a daughter, Anouksha who is studying in Germany.

Anjana says that Germany is becoming the next Silicon Valley, giving competition to the United States of America. 

“There is a lot of scope for students in Germany, especially Indian students. There is a big boom, with demand in the field of semiconductors for students to do their Masters and postgraduation. Many universities are also signing MoUs with Indian universities,” she said. 

Speaking of her role, she said she would encourage more independent research and draw more Indian students for higher studies and research programmes. 

Anjana said Indian students are very strong and good with theory knowledge, but have limited practical experience, and lack laboratory experience. She noted that there is a stigma among many students. “They fear their lecturers and are worried if things in the lab go wrong or break. But nowadays, young professors are different. Students need to break out of it, have an independent opinion and think out of the box. This is being encouraged in foreign universities,” she said.

Anjana (55) studied Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Materials Science at Mangalore University till 1991. She completed PhD in Materials Science at the Materials Research Centre, IISc. 

She was awarded a fellowship by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and moved to Ruhr University Bochum (RUB) as a PostDoc in 1998. She was a junior professor at RUB since 2002 and Professor of Inorganic Materials Chemistry since 2011. 

In 2020, she was awarded an honorary doctorate in science and technology by Aalto University in Finland in recognition of her contribution to the field of precursor chemistry for CVD and ALD applications. In 2021, Anjana received the Attract grant from the Fraunhofer Society for researching 2D materials for innovative sensors using ALD technology. 

Since then, she has been leading the Nanostructured Sensor Materials (NSM) research group at the Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems in Duisburg.

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News Network
October 26,2024

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Udupi, Oct 26: In a heartbreaking incident in Beejadi village near Kundapur in Udupi district, two young men were swept away by a powerful wave while swimming in the sea on Saturday morning. 

Santosh, 21, was pulled from the water by local fishermen and residents, but tragically, he succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital. Ajay, who was also caught in the wave, remains missing, according to Kundapur police.

The duo, along with friends Shreyas and Mokshith, had been staying at the Sahana Sun Caste Resort to attend a wedding. Ignoring warnings from locals about the dangers of entering the sea, the group ventured into the water. Around 9:30 a.m., a large wave suddenly engulfed them, sweeping Ajay and Santosh into deeper waters.

Police reported that Ajay hailed from Hangalli village near Kundapur, while Santosh was from Dasarahalli near Bengaluru. Expert divers have been dispatched to the scene in hopes of locating Ajay’s body.

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News Network
November 5,2024

Mangaluru: Pilikula Biological Park has welcomed several exotic species, including a six-year-old Asiatic lion, a wolf, two gharial crocodiles, and four rare birds (two silver pheasants and two yellow-golden pheasants), as part of an animal exchange programme with Nandankanan Zoological Park, Odisha. The exchange was approved by the Central Zoo Authority, marking a major addition to Pilikula Zoo's growing collection.

Animal Exchange Details

Park Director H Jayaprakash Bhandary provided insights into the exchange programme. In return for the new arrivals, Pilikula Zoo will send four dholes (wild dogs), four rare reticulated pythons, two Brahminy kites, three Asian palm civets, and two large egrets to Nandankanan Zoo. Notably, all animals sent from Pilikula were born in the zoo, showcasing the zoo's success in breeding rare species.

Purpose of the Exchange

The animal exchange programme serves multiple purposes, including providing companions for solitary animals and preserving pure bloodlines. Pilikula Zoo already houses three lions, and the new male Asiatic lion was introduced as a companion. Since the number of Asiatic male lions in Indian zoos is relatively low, the zoo sourced this lion from the distant Nandankanan Zoological Park.

Care During Transport

To ensure the animals' safety and well-being during the 2,000-kilometre journey — the longest distance covered in Pilikula’s animal exchange history — two veterinary officers and eight caretakers from Nandankanan accompanied the animals. Both zoos will share equal responsibility for the care of the exchanged animals.

Future Animal Additions and Revenue Boost

Pilikula Biological Park, home to approximately 1,200 animals, birds, and reptiles, is one of India’s 18 large zoos. Discussions are ongoing for future exchanges with other prominent zoos, including Chhatbir Zoo in Punjab, Byculla Zoo in Mumbai, and the Madras Crocodile Bank. The zoo also plans to introduce rare species like the Anaconda and the Humboldt penguin, for which special enclosures will be built, thanks to donor contributions.

The addition of these rare animals and birds is expected to boost the zoo’s revenue, helping it become self-sustaining, Bhandary said.

Quarantine and Public Display

Before being introduced to the public, the new arrivals will spend around 15 days in a quarantine ward to adapt to the local environment. They will receive necessary vaccinations and treatments during this period, after which they will be displayed to visitors.

Record-breaking Exchange

This animal exchange marks a significant achievement for Pilikula Zoo, with the animals being transported over approximately 2,000 kilometres from Nandankanan Zoological Park. This sets a new record, surpassing the previous longest exchange with Udaipur Zoo in Rajasthan, which was around 1,700 kilometres.

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News Network
October 31,2024

Udupi: Falling prey to a sophisticated a “digital arrest” scam, Prameela (39) found herself defrauded of a staggering ₹11,87,463. The plot, orchestrated through deceptive tactics, left her financially devastated.

On October 25, Prameela received a call from an unknown number claiming a parcel, allegedly sent by one Wang Ming Zi, was flagged due to containing suspicious items: 5 kg of clothes, 8 ICICI credit cards, and 700 grams of MDMA. Adding to the urgency, the caller asserted that an FIR had already been filed against her.

The caller then transferred Prameela to a supposed representative of the 'Bombay Cyber Crime Branch,' who introduced himself as Manish Kumar, claiming to be a senior executive at DTDC Mumbai. Manish directed her to connect via Skype video call, asking her to download the app and search for the ID [email protected].

Once on the call, Prameela was requested to provide her Aadhaar card details, which she complied with. She soon received what appeared to be a formal arrest order listing her name, address, and Aadhaar information. Under pressure, Prameela disclosed her bank account details and balance to the caller. Exploiting this trust, the scammer then transferred ₹11,87,463 from her account.

Following the incident, Prameela lodged a complaint with the Shirva police, who have since registered a case under sections 316(2), 318(4), 351(2) of the BNS, and 66(C), 66(D) of the IT Act. The authorities are now investigating this alarming case of digital fraud.

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