Latest news with #NCSM
Time of India
a day ago
- Science
- Time of India
PU geological museum, 2 other centres find spot in India's first directory of science centres
1 2 3 4 5 6 Patna: Geological museum of Patna University figures prominently in the first-ever directory of science museums and science centres in India, published recently by the Union ministry of culture. Other two science centres from Bihar appearing in the directory, include Shri Krishna Science Centre of Patna and Bodh Gaya Science Centre. The geological museum-cum-auditorium was established on the Patna Science College campus in 2001 with the fund donated by former Member of Parliament Ranjan Prasad Yadav. The museum displays a stunning array of 1,500 minerals arranged at 28 hall stands for imparting geology education and outreach activities. The museum has separate galleries on mineralogy, petrology, palaeontology and coal. Besides, it has also got a special section displaying beautiful varieties of zeolites. "The department welcomes visitors and engages with school and college students through special interactive programmes aimed at popularising geology and its significance in society," said Patna Science College principal Atul Aditya Pandey. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dad-Approved Ways to Celebrate Father's Day in Costa Mesa - Travel Costa Mesa Travel Costa Mesa Read More Undo Established in 1978, Shrikrishna Science Centre, an integral part of National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), is the nation's first regional science centre. Through engaging exhibits and interactive programmes, it fosters a culture of scientific inquiry and learning, enriching the lives of visitors and contributing to the advancement of knowledge in the region. Its various sections include fun science and ocean galleries, digital planetarium, 3-D show, innovation hub and Jurassic Park. Giant Magic Tap and Tiger moth Aircraft are the special attractions of this centre, according to project coordinator S K Chaudhary. Established just a couple of years ago, the Bodh Gaya science centre, at a distance of 11 km from the district headquarters, Gaya Ji, is visited by millions of domestic and foreign tourists. Here the people, especially the students, can learn, enjoy and experience the basics of science in an interactive and engaging manner. The science centre's proximity to the Buddhist pilgrimage site adds to its appeal for the tourists. Its galleries include science park, fun science gallery, Taramandal, and innovation hub. Portable taramandal is a special attraction of this centre. In the preface of the directory, NCSM's director general A D Chaudhary said the directory of science museums and centres has been published with a view to promoting a culture of scientific inquiry and discovery among the people.
Time of India
a day ago
- Science
- Time of India
PU geological museum, 2 other science centres of state appear in ministry of culture's directory
1 2 Patna: The geological museum of Patna University figures prominently in the first ever directory of science museums and science centres in India published recently by the Union ministry of culture. Other two science centres from Bihar appearing in the directory, include Shri Krishna Science Centre of Patna and Bodh Gaya Science Centre. The geological museum-cum-auditorium was established on the Patna Science College campus in 2001 with the fund donated by former Member of Parliament Ranjan Prasad Yadav. The museum displays a stunning array of 1500 minerals arranged at 28 hall stands for imparting geology education and outreach activities. The museum has separate galleries on mineralogy, petrology, palaeontology and coal. Besides, it has also got a special section displaying beautiful varieties of zeolites. "The department welcomes visitors and engages with school and college students through special interactive programmes aimed at popularising geology and its significance in society," said Patna Science College principal Atul Aditya Pandey. Established in 1978, Shrikrishna Science Centre, an integral part of National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), is the nation's first regional science centre. Through engaging exhibits and interactive programmes, it fosters a culture of scientific enquiry and learning, enriching the lives of visitors and contributing to the advancement of knowledge in the region. Its various sections include fun science gallery, ocean gallery, digital planetarium, 3-D show, innovation hub and Jurassic Park. Giant Magic Tap and Tiger moth Aircraft are the special attractions of this centre, according to project coordinator S K Chaudhary. Established just a couple of years ago, the Bodh Gaya science centre, at a distance of 11 km from the district headquarters, Gaya Ji, is visited by millions of domestic and foreign tourists. Here the people, especially the students, can learn, enjoy and experience the basics of science in an interactive and engaging manner. The science centre's proximity to the Buddhist pilgrimage site adds to its appeal for the tourists. Its galleries include science park, fun science gallery, Taramandal, and innovation hub. Portable taramandal is special attraction of this centre. In the preface of the directory, NCSM's director general A D Chaudhary said the directory of science museums and centres has been published with a view to fostering a culture of scientific inquiry and discovery among the people.
The Star
7 days ago
- General
- The Star
This deadly and addictive habit is hard to quit
Quitting smoking isn't easy. Some try and repeatedly fail, while others enjoy it too much to want to kick the habit. Most keep smoking because they get addicted to nicotine, one of the chemicals in cigarettes and other tobacco products. According to a study published May 28 (2025) in The Lancet Public Health journal, Asean nations are seeing double-digit increases in some of the leading causes of death and disability, and that includes smoking. Researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in the United States and the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine analysed the data from 1990 to 2021 by age, sex and location across the 10 Asean countries. Among their findings: The number of smokers has increased in every Asean country by 63% to 137 million regionally, which is 12% of the total number of global smokers. Smoking prevalence has declined in the region, but remains high at 48% among males aged 15 and older. An estimated one in five male children aged 10 to 14 are currently smoking in Malaysia. In 2021, more than half a million people in the region died from smoking-related diseases – an increase of 231,000 deaths from 1990, with men dying at a rate 10 times higher than women. The region's highest number of smoking-related deaths was from ischaemic heart disease, stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The reality is that the majority of smokers do indeed want to quit, but despite all the resources out there, are not sure how. Scan for help As one of the partners of the Health Ministry's JomQuit programme, the National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM) receives between 300 and 500 applicants weekly – a huge number. To register, all a smoker needs to do is scan a QR code from the JomQuit posters put up in public places. 'We started our programme in December last year [2024] to offer six sessions of online consultations for those who want to quit. 'When they register, our doctors give them a call, find out more about their occupation, lifestyle, budget, etc, and provide behavioural counselling. 'Many participants do not pick up our calls although they have applied, which is a problem,' says NCSM's medical officer and health promotion lead Dr G. Leevyadhashiny. The point of the call is to get individuals to understand why they need to quit smoking. For the younger ones, most started because of peer pressure. Dr Leevyadhashiny says: 'For the long-term smokers, it's habitual and they're so used to having a cigarette in hand that it is difficult to quit. 'We counsel them on how to overcome this, and surprisingly, many do not know about nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or that they can walk into any government clinic and sign up for the free quit-smoking programme.' She adds: 'If in a day, I call 10 people, eight would've tried to quit before by going cold turkey, not through NRT. 'Cold turkey is difficult because it takes time for the body to acclimatise removing nicotine from the system. 'Plus, one can be easily influenced again by peer pressure. 'Many also think NRT is lifelong and this is not necessarily true.' ALSO READ: Helping smokers wean off that nicotine addiction when they decide to quit NCSM hasn't run the programme long enough to gather conclusive statistics, but Dr Leevyadhashiny reckons the quit rate is about 40%. 'So far, I haven't been able to get further than the second consultation, but at least, there is greater awareness on the programme and it gives smokers an opportunity to clear whatever doubts they have,' she says. The quitting prognosis for younger smokers is better as they haven't indulged in the activity for too long, but of course, the best thing is not to start smoking at all. Tried and tried again Looking at the glowing Naveen Ahmad, 58, you'd never guess she was once a chain smoker – for 27 years! After 27 years of smoking and many failed quit attempts, Naveen listened to her inner voice and finally managed to kick the habit in 2018. — NAVEEN AHMAD Although the Penangite's father was a smoker, Naveen was not influenced by him. In fact, as a curious teenager, she once snuck a quick puff on a leftover cigarette when he asked her to empty the ashtray, and she hated the taste. She couldn't understand how her dad and his friends could inhale that awful smell. All that changed when she moved to Kuala Lumpur in her early 20s. It was the era of discos and parties, when it was considered cool to light up a cigarette. 'Smoking was widely accepted and you could do it anywhere back then. 'I remember I was with a friend and she offered me a stick to share, saying it wouldn't do any harm. 'One shared stick a night became one whole stick, two sticks, and many outings later, I was buying my own cigarettes. 'My colleagues were also smoking and we looked forward to taking breaks at the staircase,' recalls the then sales manager. Since many of her clients also smoked, it proved to be an apt icebreaker. She shares: 'I got to know clients better over cigarettes; we bonded and became buddies overnight. And I'd win the pitch!' Naveen was smoking half a pack daily, but if she partied, which was quite frequent, it became one pack. This went on for a few years until she and a colleague decided to challenge each other to quit. 'We quit cold turkey, changed our lifestyle, lessened our partying and started going to the gym. 'For two years, I felt good, but she started cheating while I was 'clean'. "That's when I counselled her and told her it was okay. 'She asked me to share a stick with her, and initially, I said no, but after much coaxing, I took the stick. 'I felt guilty, but didn't really care as I was fit, young and thought I was invincible,' she shares. Her colleagues began to gather every Friday night at a chosen nightspot and these two women looked forward to it as they could smoke. She says: 'I never stopped until I got pregnant. 'That's when I started to hate the smell of cigarettes and would be nauseated if anyone smoked. 'After my daughter was born, we were at a gathering and one 'devil' asked how come I hadn't started smoking again after confinement. "'Come on, join me la' ... and that was how I restarted again in 2004.' Pretty soon, Naveen was smoking up to two packs a day. She confesses: 'I smoked when I was excited, stressed and when I needed to think. I found great joy in it so I indulged. 'When I returned home, I'd still work, and to generate new ideas, I'd light up a cigarette on the balcony, not inside the house. 'My ex-husband was also a smoker, but he had quit by then and urged me to do the same. 'He'd share his NRT gum, but it tasted horrible and though I tried to quit many times over the decade, all my attempts failed. 'I told myself I'd quit when I felt ready and there was no need to stress over it.' A parched throat, bad cough, breathlessness and fatigue were part of her daily life, but she ignored these symptoms. In 2018, when she was 51, Naveen decided to take a career break and looked hard in the mirror. She didn't like the reflection. 'Eeuw, I spoke to the mirror – your skin is dark, your lips are like dried prunes, you look haggard and aged. 'I was also transitioning through menopause and a voice told me I had to quit no matter what. "But I was afraid of gaining weight. 'On Dec 30, 2018, I smoked my last pack of cigarettes, then lit up and smoked all the unfinished sticks in my ashtray till they became ash – my one final joy. 'I decided to go cold turkey because I was confident I didn't need professional help,' she says. The withdrawal symptoms were severe for a month – insomnia, anxiety, irritability, etc – but she never turned back. She gained 2kg, but Naveen attributes this to menopause. Temptations dangled, but she stood firm against them. Today, the product head of an information technology company is constantly being complimented for her glowing skin and youthful appearance. Now, when she is trying to come up with earth-shattering ideas, she no longer needs a cigarette. 'Artificial intelligence does it for me!' Naveen says, laughing. An alluring addiction On the other hand, Owen S (not his real name) has been smoking for almost 50 years and refuses to call it quits despite being fully aware of the dangers. The Health Ministry's latest poster encourages smokers to seek help by scanning the QR code to register themselves for online counselling. — Health Ministry His initiation into smoking began out of curiosity, camaraderie and a dash of rebellion at the age of 13, when his family was living in small-town Kulai, Johor. 'That first brush with tobacco, however, didn't take. 'My older brother caught me and promptly reported it to our mother, who responded swiftly and sternly, and it was enough to keep me away from cigarettes until I was about 17,' recalls the retired academician in his 60s. Although Owen's father, a former policeman, gave up smoking in his 40s to discourage his kids from following suit, all five of his sons picked up the habit. 'My four children harass me to quit. "They try to reason with love and science, and they are not wrong – every statistic is stacked against me and every cigarette is a gamble,' he says. Like many smokers who prefer to turn a blind eye to the disease statistics, he justifies his continued habit by noting no one in his smoking circle has died of respiratory ailments or lung cancer. His further reasoning is: 'You've got to understand the smoking styles out there. 'Some will smoke until the very end of the stick, but I throw it away after I'm two-thirds in. 'Other smokers will inhale as if it's their last breath, but I don't inhale as deeply so the smoke is mostly in my mouth, although it does get into my throat and lungs sometimes. 'And I'm always drinking water or a non-alcoholic beverage while I'm smoking so I don't have a smoker's cough.' It's important to note, however, that his smoking style does not in any way decrease his risk of the multiple diseases associated with smoking, including various cancers, respiratory diseases, heart disease and dental problems, among others. Owen, who now lives in Penang, spends roughly RM50 a day to feed his habit as he prefers one of the more established brands. ALSO READ: Reason to quit smoking: It's getting too pricey '[The rituals of smoking have] punctuated the best and worst days of my life, and in some strange way, smoking has been my constant companion,' he says, highlighting how insidiously smoking can intertwin itself into a person's life. 'Yes, it's a form of addiction and smoking is a choice I've made and I'm not ready to give it up. 'However, I do advise younger people not to pick up the habit,' he says. Those seeking assistance to quit smoking or vaping can refer to the official JomQuit portal or WhatsApp 010-3505199.
Deccan Herald
18-05-2025
- Science
- Deccan Herald
Saroj Ghose, 'Father of India's Science Museums', passes away in US
National Council of Science Museums-NCSM mourns the sad demise of Dr. Saroj Ghose, our founding Director General and a trailblazer of the Science Museum and Science Centre movement in India. (1/3) — National Council of Science Museums-NCSM (@ncsmgoi) May 18, 2025 Indian Museum, Kolkata mourns the passing of Dr. Saroj Ghose — Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, ex-Director of Indian Museum & DG, NCSM. He gave India its Science City, led ICOM globally & made museums more accessible. His passing on #InternationalMuseumDay feels deeply symbolic. — Indian Museum (@IndianMuseumKol) May 18, 2025
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
India's science museum man Saroj Ghose passes away in US
1 2 3 Kolkata: Saroj Ghose, renowned for establishing science centres and museums in India, died on Saturday night in Seattle, US, at the age of 89. Following his wishes, his remains will be donated to Washington University for scientific studies, his family revealed. As the founding director general of the National Council of Science Museums from 1979 to 1997, Ghose was an internationally acclaimed museologist and science communicator. He is credited with creating India's extensive network of science centres and museums. "He envisioned and executed the development of a decentralised model of science museums across India, making science accessible, interactive, and inspiring to millions. His tireless efforts earned him the title of 'Bhishma Pitamah of Indian Science Museums '. He was one of the founding fathers of NCSM and played a crucial role in designing landmark institutions such as the Science City in Kolkata, the National Science Centre in New Delhi, and the Nehru Science Centre in Mumbai," said NCSM's current head, Arijit Dutta Chowdhury. His distinguished career included receiving the Padma Bhushan in 2007 and Padma Shri in 1989. He also led the International Council of Museums in Paris as president. After graduating in electrical and communication engineering from Jadavpur University, he joined Birla Industrial & Technological Museum as a technical officer in 1958. The museum opened in 1959, where he became an essential team member. In 1965, he became BITM's leader and initiated the 'Mobile Science Museum' at Ramakrishna Ashram School, Narendrapur, near Kolkata. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo This travelling exhibition followed the principle: "If children cannot come to Science Museum, Science Museum will go to them". Currently, NCSM operates 48 Mobile Science Exhibition buses nationwide. He pursued higher education in the US during the early 1970s, obtaining an MS in 'control engineering' from Harvard University and researching at the Smithsonian Institution. Upon returning to India in 1974, he completed his PhD in engineering at Jadavpur University, focusing on electric telegraph development in India. His exposure to San Francisco's Exploratorium influenced him to introduce interactive exhibits in India, with Mumbai's Nehru Science Centre becoming the first such facility. In the mid-1980s, he spearheaded the 'India: a Heritage of Science" travelling exhibition, which gained international acclaim across the US, France, Soviet Union, Bulgaria, China, Bangladesh, Trinidad & Tobago, and Guyana. In 1992, he conceived Science City, Kolkata, a comprehensive science centre featuring space theatre, motion simulator, and convention centre. Opening in 1997 on a 50-acre plot, it remains India's most visited science centre. Post-retirement, he continued advising on museum development, contributing to projects like Kolkata's Town Hall Museum, New Delhi's Parliament Museum, Rashtrapati Bhawan Museum, and Gujarat Science City in Ahmedabad.
