logo
Bastar scholar represents Chhattisgarh at US solar conference

Bastar scholar represents Chhattisgarh at US solar conference

Time of India3 days ago
Saurabh Motiwala
RAIPUR: Saurabh Motiwala, a renewable energy professional and a PhD research scholar at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, represented Chhattisgarh at the 'SOLAR 2025' conference in the USA.
The 54th annual national solar conference of the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) was held at the University of Colorado Boulder from August 4-6, 2025.
Motiwala's PhD research focuses on the "Techno-economic Evaluation of Utility-scale Solar PV + BESS Project in Gujarat." His work develops technical, economic, and policy frameworks for integrating large-scale solar energy and battery storage. Experts at the conference praised his research, calling it relevant for both Chhattisgarh and other developing regions, he said.
He also shared his experience of organising Chhattisgarh's first certified 'green wedding' and building the state's 5-star rated green home at the event.
His other achievements include leading awareness campaigns on green energy and sustainable development through workshops and training programmes. The 'SOLAR 2025' conference brought together scientists, policymakers, and industry leaders to discuss renewable energy technologies and policy.
Speaking at the event, he said, "Ensuring universal access to renewable energy is not just a technological challenge, it is a vital step towards social and economic equity."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

UP assembly holds AI training session for MLAs
UP assembly holds AI training session for MLAs

Hindustan Times

time3 hours ago

  • Hindustan Times

UP assembly holds AI training session for MLAs

Ahead of the monsoon session of the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly commencing on Monday, a training session on artificial intelligence (AI) was held for the MLAs on Sunday. Experts from IIT-Kanpur conducted the session chaired by assembly speaker Satish Mahana. Over 200 legislators attended the session. An Ai training session for legislators underway at the UP legislative assembly in Lucknow on August 10. (HT photo) 'This is the first phase where we are introducing AI for the legislators. We have also started AI enabled cameras which will help in many aspects. For example, one can get to know what all a member has spoken in a period of five years within seconds with the help of AI-enabled cameras,' Mahana said. 'This is not a step of just monitoring, but many other aspects of information are also associated with it,' he added. The session was divided into two parts where first was to introduce AI to the MLAs while in the second part, they were explained about real life application of AI. However, MLAs raised doubts too. 'AI can judge your objective. Hence AI would not be able to do analysis of the data it is taking and the objective with which that data was made. Will AI be able to differentiate between genuine data from the fabricated one? And what about data safety,' asked Sirathu MLA Pallavi Patel. Aradhana Mishra, Congress legislature party leader, said, 'More than introducing AI, the legislators need to be told how to connect dots between their working needs and the AI.' 'Introducing AI is a welcome step but a debate makes it better for the assembly,' said leader of the opposition Mata Prasad Pandey. Kaimganj MLA Surabhi Singh said, 'Can AI cater to the sentiments of our voters? This is significant as an MLA has to connect directly with voters.' 'What if the data available from sources such as the internet is incorrect. Should we first focus on correct data,' asked another member in the house. The experts from IIT-K answered their queries. Special session to discuss UP's 'Vision 2047': Mahana The 24-hours special session to be conducted from August 13 to 14 will have a discussion on UP's 'Vision 2047', said the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly speaker Satish Mahana on Sunday. The session will start at 11 am on August 13. This is the second such session after 2019. The special session will have primary debate that will be taken before the public and then tables in the assembly. 'In three-and-a-half years, sessions have been conducted smoothly and have witnessed increased participation of the members during debate and discussions. The fact is only twice the session had to be adjourned in the past three-and-a-half years. This successful conduct had a positive role of the opposition too,' Mahana added. Asked about the demand from the opposition regarding increasing days of session for debate, he said, 'The days are not less for debate. The monsoon sessions in the past have been conducted similarly.'

In the pipeline: Japan desk at Invest UP, research tie-ups on semi-conductors, green hydrocarbons
In the pipeline: Japan desk at Invest UP, research tie-ups on semi-conductors, green hydrocarbons

Indian Express

time4 hours ago

  • Indian Express

In the pipeline: Japan desk at Invest UP, research tie-ups on semi-conductors, green hydrocarbons

The Uttar Pradesh government is eying major collaborations with Japan in the area of research on semiconductors and green hydrogen manufacturing and supplying workforce for construction and health care sectors to the East Asian nation, officials said. The developments were underlined during the recent visits of two delegations to Japan — one led by Finance, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna and another by Chief Minister's adviser Avaneesh Kumar Awasthi, it is learnt. These delegations interacted with not just industry leaders but also a mayoral delegation. Sources said if things go as planned, the state government in collaboration with different industries in Japan will have a centre for excellence for green hydrogen research backed by IIT Kanpur, IIT-BHU and Clean Energy Research Centre of University, Yamanashi; an EV motor generator plant in Gautam Buddha Nagar, a bio-innovation pharma cluster, a recyclable plastic project in Gorakhpur. The delegation led by Khanna, which camped in Japan from July 20 to July 26, to showcase UP in different sectors at World Expo 2025 in Osaka, comprised Alok Kumar, Principal Secretary, Infrastructure and Industrial Development, Amit Singh, Secretary to Chief Minister and Vipin Kumar Jain, Special Secretary to Chief Minister. An official, who was part of the delegation, said their focus was on seeking collaborations in manufacturing, green energy, digital innovation as well as cultural heritage and promotion of One District One Product (ODOP) items. The second delegation led by Awasthi participated in strategic engagements in Tokyo, Osaka, and Yamanashi from July 27 to 31. 'During the visit to Yamanashi Prefecture, the delegation explored potential cooperation in green hydrogen production, aligning with Japan's Basic Hydrogen Strategy. Further, Invest UP is actively working to establish a centre of excellence on green hydrogen in the state, with IIT Kanpur and IIT-BHU being considered as key academic partners,' said an official. The idea is to bring together government, academia, and industry for joint research, knowledge exchange and skill development in the sector and that Invest UP along with UPNEDA is working on facilitating technology transfer through partnerships with Yamanashi Prefecture government and leading Japanese firms, officials noted. The delegation visited Suntory Hakshu Distillery to study Japan's largest 16 MW power-to-gas (P2G) green hydrogen electrolyser to adopt such technology through policy interventions and strategic collaboration with public and private stakeholders, they added. Also, the UP government is eying investments in semi-conductor and electronic equipment manufacturing in the state and that the delegation during its interaction with the Japanese industry highlighted the state's semi-conductor, investment promotion and Foreign Direct Investment policies, it has been learnt. 'The delegation met Tokyo Electron Ltd (TEL), a global leader in semiconductor and electronics manufacturing equipment. During interactions, UP was showcased as an ideal destination for high-end manufacturing, R&D, and electronics assembly hub. Discussions focusing on logistics infrastructure in Noida and Greater Noida, R&D collaborations and workforce skilling took place,' the officials informed. The delegations also explored investments in the areas of food processing, data centres and EVs besides promoting Buddhist Circuit as a cultural tie-up between the two countries. The delegations met the representatives of Mitsui & Co. Ltd, one of Japan's largest conglomerates, extending an invitation for strategic partnerships in semiconductors, logistics, digital services, energy, and urban infrastructure. Discussions on investment in EV, defence, clean energy and high-tech electronics, especially in rare earth magnet fabrication also took place with officials of Tanaka Electric Co Ltd, known for rare earth materials and high-precision magnetics, it is learnt. The UP delegations held talks with the Kansai Pharmaceutical Industries Association (KPIA), a consortium of over 300 pharmaceutical and biotech firms. The discussion focused on exploring not just joint R&D but also clinical trials, diagnostics and medical devices. 'Deliberations have also taken place on the proposed development of a bio-innovation cluster in UP, modeled on Japanese frameworks,' an official said. The delegations signed an MOU with DENSO Corporation, to set up a motor generator plant for EVs in Gautam Buddha Nagar. Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL) is believed to have expressed intent to set up semiconductor operations and GCCs in UP. Discussion took place on land allocation for a CBG plant in Badaun district with Suzuki Motor Corporation. Deliberations were also held with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation for opening a branch in Noida. It was during the discussion with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation that the suggestion to establish a 'Japan Desk at Invest UP' came up. An MOU was signed with Jent Company Ltd to set up a recyclable plastic project in Gorakhpur and start its operations in 2026.

IIT Roorkee researchers develop novel drug candidate to restore strength of antibiotics against drug-resistant bacteria
IIT Roorkee researchers develop novel drug candidate to restore strength of antibiotics against drug-resistant bacteria

Hindustan Times

time12 hours ago

  • Hindustan Times

IIT Roorkee researchers develop novel drug candidate to restore strength of antibiotics against drug-resistant bacteria

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee researchers have taken an innovative step towards the global fight against antibiotic resistance by developing a new drug candidate, Compound 3b, that has the potential to restore the effectiveness of a potent antibiotic against deadly drug-resistant bacteria. The newly discovered molecule belongs to a class of β-lactamase inhibitor drugs that prevent bacterial enzymes from breaking down life-saving antibiotics. The research team is led by Prof. Ranjana Pathania from the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Roorkee, and includes Dr. Mangal Singh and Perwez Bakht, as well as along with Norwegian collaborators Prof. Annette Bayer and her team from UiT Tromsø. Also read: IIT-KGP appoints dean to look after students' well-being following multiple suicides The team designed a novel molecule that works alongside the antibiotic Meropenem to treat infections caused by KPC-2-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, a superbug listed among the World Health Organization's top-priority threats, IIT Roorkee said in a statement. It further added that the newly discovered molecule belongs to a class of β-lactamase inhibitor drugs that prevent bacterial enzymes from breaking down life-saving antibiotics. Speaking about the new discovery, Prof. Pathania said that the breakthrough offers a promising solution to one of the world's most urgent health challenges, antimicrobial resistance. 'Our compound neutralizes the resistance mechanism and shows strong therapeutic results in preclinical models,' she added. Also read: IIT Guwahati to establish Manekshaw centres for defence & national security research Prof. K. K. Pant, Director of IIT Roorkee, said that the innovation reflects IIT Roorkee's commitment to developing impactful scientific solutions for global challenges. 'In the face of rising antibiotic resistance, such research provides critical hope for effective and accessible treatments,' Prof. Pant added. It may be mentioned here that the research has been published in the prestigious Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, and is expected to contribute significantly to future drug development efforts targeting superbugs. Also read: Bright young minds should shape India's future: Prez Murmu at 45th convocation of IIT-ISM in Dhanbad IIT Roorkee stated that the discovery marks a significant advancement in safeguarding public health, particularly at a time when antibiotic resistance is threatening global healthcare systems.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store