logo
Pics: Meet Madhavi Latha, Engineer Behind World's Highest Rail Bridge

Pics: Meet Madhavi Latha, Engineer Behind World's Highest Rail Bridge

NDTV11-06-2025
G Madhavi Latha, a professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru, is one of the major contributors to the successful construction of the world's highest railway bridge - Chenab Bridge - in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Chenab Bridge, inaugurated by PM Modi last week, is the world's highest railway bridge. Madhavi Latha was involved for 17 years in the project as a geotechnical consultant.
She is presently a Higher Administrative Grade (HAG) professor and is also the Chair of the Centre for Sustainable Technologies at IISc.
Photo Credit: X/@deepak_redde
Dr Latha and her team adopted a "design-as-you-go approach" to overcome all obstacles. This meant innovating in real-time based on geological conditions such as fractured rocks, hidden cavities, and varying rock properties, which were not apparent in early surveys.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Bird flu virus mutation threat to humans: IISc
Bird flu virus mutation threat to humans: IISc

New Indian Express

timea day ago

  • New Indian Express

Bird flu virus mutation threat to humans: IISc

BENGALURU: Indian Institute of Science (IISc) researchers have found that the H5N1 (bird flu) virus can be a potential threat to humans due to specific mutations, suggesting enhanced and proactive surveillance measures which need to be implemented against infections by the H5N1 virus. The researchers, led by Kesavardhana Sannula, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, IISc, have discovered that the currently circulating 2.3.4.4b clade (representing a group of organisms having a common ancestor) of H5N1 has specific mutations in its genome that increase its human adaptive potential. 'This clade is acquiring the same key mutations that pandemic human influenza strains possess, which could be a growing risk,' said Ranjana Nataraj, Project Associate at the Department of Biochemistry and the study's first author. The team was also able to pinpoint animals that would be likely to harbour virus strains with the highest human adaptive potential. Interestingly, viruses that can adapt to fox hosts seemed to have higher adaptive potential than cattle-adapted strains. 'It is very surprising,' Kesavardhana said. H5N1 influenza (bird flu) virus was first identified in birds three decades ago and has now gradually found its way to humans. H5N1 is a strain of the influenza virus harbouring type 5 haemagglutinin (H5) and type 1 neuraminidase (N1) surface proteins, which help in viral entry and spread, respectively. Kesavardhana said, 'The 2.3.4.4b clade has infected many mammalian species and is adapting to [non-human] mammals, which is a concern for human adaptation. The clade is panzootic (infecting across species), causing unprecedented mortality in birds and mammals, along with several sporadic human infections.'

Hanging ‘vulnerable' glacier may have led to havoc in Uttarkashi
Hanging ‘vulnerable' glacier may have led to havoc in Uttarkashi

Hindustan Times

timea day ago

  • Hindustan Times

Hanging ‘vulnerable' glacier may have led to havoc in Uttarkashi

A team from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) suspects that a 'hanging glacier' feeding the Kheer Ganga channel may have contributed to the series of flash floods in Dharali on August 5. Mud and debris after the August 5 flash floods in Uttarkashi. (PTI) HT reported on August 7 that a preliminary analysis by the National Disaster Management Authority indicated that a glacier collapse may have led to the flash floods. There are 219 hanging glaciers in the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi basins according to the Divecha Centre for Climate Change at IISc, which, as part of an ongoing study has just completed a geo-spatial mapping of hanging glaciers in Uttarakhand. A hanging glacier is one that originates high on the wall of a glacier valley and descends only part of the way to the surface of the main glacier. Also Read | Landslide blocks key route in Uttarakhand's Chamoli days after Uttarkashi flash floods 'Through geospatial analysis, we have mapped all 219 hanging glaciers in the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi basins. We also found that this particular glacier on the Kheer Ganga channel was in a very vulnerable position. In fact there are two hanging glaciers in the vicinity with a combined volume of approximately 1 cubic km. We have historical satellite images of the glaciers. The run-off time during the flash floods was very short. Normally, if flash flood is from rainfall then we can observe a gradual increase and then a decrease. But the sudden run-off points to two probabilities. One that the hanging glacier has fallen, or a lake has formed due to the obstruction of river flow. Then sudden outburst was caused due to overflown,' said Anil Kulkarni, distinguished visiting scientist, Divecha Center for Climate Change, Indian Institute of Science who has been studying the disaster since August 5. 'At IISc we have been doing a lot of modelling exercises to understand which portion of these hanging glaciers is vulnerable to detachment. Hanging glaciers are very sensitive to warming. For these the surface melt starts very early compared to other glaciers and these have been mapped,' added Kulkarni. The Himalayi Nagarik Drishti Manch has written to the Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone Monitoring Committee; secretary, ministry of environment, forests and climate change; and the Jal Shakti ministry on Monday seeking accountability for the Dharali disaster. They have referred to a letter by the same civil society organisations sent to the BESZ monitoring committee on April 30, 2024 warning about impending disasters stating that indiscriminate construction on river and hill zones should stop immediately. The Indian Army has airlifted ground penetrating radar devices from Siachen glacier, even as rescuers in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district are racing against time and digging holes in the muck debris to find missing people. People aware of the matter said the GPRs airlifted from Sichen are in addition to the existing ones that are being used by army personnel and other agencies. The ones brought from Siachen are usually used in cases of avalanches by the defence forces. Also Read | Uttarkashi: NGRI experts launch search operation to trace 66 missing in disaster-hit Dharal Separately, nearly 200 NDRF personnel too are using their own radars and life detection devices to find the people reported missing. Sites where the missing people could be trapped along the 4 km stretch between Dharali and Harshil have been divided by the state disaster management authority(SDMA) and allocated to different teams/agencies. Over the weekend, NDRF Delhi headquarters also sent two more ground penetrating radar devices to the team on the ground. 'There are mountains of muck debris at the site. Some buildings as tall as 2-3 storeys are totally buried in the mud debris. The rescue and search work there involves manually digging at places identified as locals and eyewitnesses. We hope to make progress,' a senior NDRF officer said.

Indian Institute of Science study warns of rising human infection risk from evolving bird flu strain
Indian Institute of Science study warns of rising human infection risk from evolving bird flu strain

Time of India

timea day ago

  • Time of India

Indian Institute of Science study warns of rising human infection risk from evolving bird flu strain

Bengaluru: Three decades after the H5N1 influenza virus was first detected in birds, scientists say a particular branch of the virus is inching closer to becoming a serious human threat. Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in the city have identified specific genetic mutations in the currently circulating 2.3.4.4b clade that may be increasing its potential to infect people. "This clade has infected many mammalian species and is adapting to [non-human] mammals, which is a concern for human adaptation…It is panzootic, causing unprecedented mortality in birds and mammals, along with several sporadic human infections," said Kesavardhana Sannula, assistant professor in IISc's department of biochemistry, who led the study. H5N1's surface proteins — type 5 haemagglutinin (H5) for cell entry and type 1 neuraminidase (N1) for viral spread — are key to its infectivity. When the virus jumps to a new host, mutations in its genome can help it survive, and sometimes thrive, in the new environment. The IISc team set out to examine whether the 2.3.4.4b clade was evolving proteins that could make the leap to humans easier — and which animal hosts might be accelerating that shift, IISc said Tuesday. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru | Gold Rates Today in Bengaluru | Silver Rates Today in Bengaluru Using computational tools, the team analysed nearly 43,000 protein sequences: 7,000 from birds, 820 from non-human mammals, and 35,000 from human influenza strains H1N1 and H3N2. They looked for amino acids under "selection pressure"— rapidly changing regions — and tracked how these mutations were distributed across the viral polymerase complex, nucleoproteins, and haemagglutinin. The mutations were then sorted into two categories: adaptive (helping the virus infect humans) and barrier (hindering cross-species spread). Their model also ranked potential animal hosts by the risk their adapted viruses could pose to humans. Fox-adapted strains, surprisingly, appeared more dangerous than cattle-adapted ones. "This clade is acquiring the same key mutations that pandemic human influenza strains possess, which could be a growing risk," said Ranjana Nataraj, the study's first author. The findings, the researchers argue, make a strong case for proactive, targeted surveillance — especially in mammals that can act as "stepping-stone" hosts for the virus's adaptation to humans. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.

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