THE CORONAVIRUS EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT

1. The Coronavirus (crown-shaped) virus are a group of viruses that cause diseases of the respiratory tract. From the perspective of molecular biology, one can note that their genome is made, not of DNA, but of RNA.

2. They infect several animals, including humans. Many of them cause mild diseases, but occasionally some of them can be the pathogens of more deadly outbreaks.

3. The ongoing 'arms race' between attacking viruses and defending/succumbing animals is, to put it rather blandly, nothing more than an example of the continuous process of biological evolution on this planet.

4. Of course, we'd not be discussing this if it was just biological curiosity. At least two nasty coronaviruses had struck hard enough at human populations  in the recent 2 decades to be easily retained in our collective memory - MERS-CoV (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus) of 2012-13 and the SARS-Cov (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus) of 2003-04.

5. The MERS probably originated in Saudi Arabia and then spread to other parts of the Arab world and Europe. By mid-2013, several patients were dead.

6. The SARS caused a bigger fright worldwide probably because public psychology had no recorded memory of such a thing for a much longer time.  The epidemic started in end-2002 in China's Guangdong Province and then rapidly spread to ~30 countries, again aided by travellers (hence the recent restrictions on travel as you read in the 'papers) . 

7. The scariest part for both MERS and SARS (although more for the latter) was its high mortality rate. 800 of ~8000 infected were dead overall, but for the elderly it was an absolute killer with ~50% mortality ; worse, the fast spread through airborne droplets meant a large number of doctors and nurses fell sick fast crippling the healthcare systems!

6. Fast forward to 2019. A new coronavirus - a cousin of SARS-CoV (the genomes are 80% identical)  first came into notice in dec-2019. Named 2019-nCov ('n' for novel) it was almost-certainly attacking some other animal so long (initial suspicion was snakes, but its now doubted - could be some seafood), but has now evolved to attack humans too.  And the place where it seems to have crossed over to humans is some exotic animal food market in Wuhan, capital of China's Hubei province. 

7. Again, although it makes sensational news, this is not scientifically surprising. Viruses jump from species to species occasionally. It is a new niche to exploit and that the stuff evolution is made of. As Michael Crichton had so crisply put it, 'Life finds a way'.

Famously, the SARS-CoV initially lived in bats, but had entered civets ( a cat-like animal) when they had eaten fruits contaminated with droppings of bats. When Chinese markets sold civets as exotic food, the virus came in close proximity to humans and 'a lucky one' acquired the ability to jump! soon, its descendants didnt even need the animal to bridge. they were spreading rapidly from man to man! 2019-nCoV is doing something similar - they are cousins.

7. While studies will continue, the important thing is that the Chinese seemed to have learnt their lesson from the SARS scare. They have moved with solid professional speed to identify, sequence (study the genome) and quarantine potential hotspot populations. 

8. 2019-nCoV - which causes flu-like symptoms - is not idle either. It is probably spreading fast. More than 900 people are down, and at least 26 are dead. Importantly, since it is so new, no human population has ever faced it before and so there is no immunological memory of 2019-nCoV. This means that if the virus enters a human, only the individual's innate non-specific immune mechanisms can be marshaled against it. It is the equivalent of using the policemen to face a tank regiment, and, as you can understand, that is just not going to be enough.  It is this life and death race that is worrying governments and doctors and WHO and everyone who can sense its potential gravity. 

8. That said, the world is much better prepared. the sheer amount of discussion filtering into world media is proof of how much more concerned everyone is. Yes, there is no vaccine yet (takes a bit of time to study and do that) and drugs are being tested, but its a doomsday come. no way.

9. Big risk to any of us? Unless you have traveled to Hubei, or those exotic chinese markets or been in contact at airports who was sick with it, the chances of getting 2019-nCov is really less. Watch the news, be updated, that is it.

10. The basic safety rule: Wash hands with soap (not sanitizer) after you return indoors (office, home) from outside. Simple hand washing has probably saved more lives than any medicine. 

11. Worth testing efficacy of gaumutra on this for sure. Everyone claims it is a panacea.

(references:
 https://www.facebook.com/thestemtimes/photos/a.173550999939074/512568562703981/?type=3&theater; 
https://www.facebook.com/paul.rothlauf.3/posts/10212575195093164?hc_location=ufi; 
Brock - Biology of Microrganisms 14th edition;
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00180-8
 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00166-6) 

নারকেলের  তেল, ডেঙ্গির এন্টিবায়োটিক আর মশা 

(Coconut oil as antibiotic against dengue - dehoaxing a whatsapp forward)

অনির্বাণ মিত্র 

এক এক সময় এক একটা হুজুগ ওঠে।  চিরকালই ওঠে অবশ্য,  তবে আজকাল উঠলে ঝট করে ফেসবুক আর হোয়াটস্যাপ দিয়ে ছড়িয়ে যায়। যাকে বলে ভাইরাল! যেমন বছরখানেক আগে কে যেন রটিয়ে দিলো বাড়ির সদর দরজায় নীল রং মিশিয়ে জলের বোতল রাখবেন, আর কুকুর আসবে না। ব্যাস, শুরু হয়ে গেলো! বাড়ি বাড়ি সুতো দড়ি দিয়ে নীল বোতল ঝুলছে ! আর  যেহেতু ডেঙ্গি এখন বেশ হচ্ছে, তাই হোয়াটসাপে একটা 'আকাশবাণী' ঘুরছে -  'নারকেল তেল নাকি ডেঙ্গির  এন্টিবায়োটিক ! তাই ভালো করে মেখে রাখুন।  আর ডেঙ্গির মশা নাকি হাঁটুর ওপরে উড়তে পারে না। (ছবি ১)'

 (pic: Whatsapp forward)

সাধরণত এসব ব্যাপার নিয়ে কিছু বলি না।  আজকাল কিছু বললেই লোকজনের বড় বেশি অভিমান হয়।  মুখ অমনি তেলো হাঁড়ি, ফেসবুকে angry emoticon . তবে, যেহেতু সবার স্বাস্থ -সংক্রান্ত ব্যাপার তাই একটু লিখেই ফেলি। যা ঘুরে বেড়াচ্ছে সেটা কি সত্যি? না ঢপ? পুরো ঢপ  না কি কিছুটা সত্যি?

পোস্টটা দু ভাগে ভাগ করা যায়।  এক নারকেল তেলের ঔষধিক  গুন্গান।  দুই, মশা কতদূর উড়তে পারে।  দ্বিতীয়টা দিয়েই শুরু করা যাক।  ডেঙ্গির মশা নাকি হাঁটুর বেশি উড়তে পারে না- এই বলা আছে।  যা (ইচ্ছে করে ?) বলা নেই তা হলো , কার হাঁটু ? সেই ব্যক্তি তখন কোথায়? রাস্তায় ? না বাড়ির একতলায়? না দুতলায়? তিনতলায়? কারণ, হাঁটু তো সব জায়গাতেই থাকবে!  তাহলে কি ধরে নেবো যে যাঁরা দু তলায় থাকেন, তাদের ডেঙ্গি হবার চান্স শূন্য? সত্যি কি?  আর যদি দুতলায় তিনতলায় হয়, তাহলে কি মশা সিঁড়ি ভেঙে ওপরে ওঠে, উঠে আবার অবশ্য উড়তে শুরু করে , তবে বেশি নয়, ওই হাঁটু অবধি!?  ....গল্পের গরু তালগাছে ওঠার মত একটু বাড়াবাড়ি হচ্ছে না? হচ্ছেই তো - এই না হলে  'হোয়াটস্যাপ বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের' জ্ঞান ! ....মশারা যে চার পাঁচ তলার ফ্ল্যাটেও থাকে সেটা তো সবাই জানি , তাহলে এসব ঢপ শেয়ার করার মানে হয় কি ?

এবার নারকেল তেলের ব্যাপারটায় আশা যাক।  এটা অবশ্য নতুন নয়,  অনেকদিনের টোটকা; যাকে বলে 'সবাই জানে', 'শুনেছি'।আমাদের দেশে  কোনো কিছুর সঙ্গে একটা ভেষজ শব্দ জুড়ে দিলে আমাদের অন্তরের শ্রদ্ধা বহুগুন বেড়ে যায়।  কিন্তু, বিজ্ঞান তো সেই হিসেবে চলে না, তাহলে তো সব, ফেলুদার কথায়, 'উঠের পাকস্থলী' হয়ে যাবে ! তাই, একজন আত্মীয় যখন বললেন, ''হয় হয়, সব জানিস না ' তখন ভাবলাম একটু তলিয়ে দেখা যাক।  খুললাম গুগল, বিজ্ঞানচর্চা কিঞ্চিৎ করেছি বলে জানি যে এসব ক্ষেত্রে একদম আসল বৈজ্ঞানিক গবেষণাপত্র দেখায় সবচেয়ে ভালো।  কারণ, মিডিয়া (বিশেষত আজকের দিনে আমাদের দেশের মিডিয়া) প্রচুর ভুলভাল বকে , কোনো কিছু ভেরিফাই না করেই TRPর লোভে ছেড়ে দেয়! আর পাঠক বিভ্রান্ত হয়।  তাই বিজ্ঞানীরা নিজেরা কি লিখেছেন সেটা দেখতে পেলেই ভালো।  

বেশি খুঁজতে হলো না , ২০১৮য় প্রকাশিত একটি গবেষণাপত্র পেয়ে গেলাম, প্রকাশিত হয়েছিল আন্তর্জাতিক খ্যাতিসম্পন্ন জার্নাল SCIENTIFIC REPORTSএ।  নামকরা বিজ্ঞান পত্রিকা, প্রকাশক আধুনিক বিজ্ঞানের সবচেয়ে নামকরা NATURE PUBLICATIONS . সব কিছুই যাচাই করে নিতে হয়, তবে এসব পত্রিকায় প্রকাশ মানে একদম ভুলভাল  হবে না এটা জানা কথা।  

এই সেই পেপার বা গবেষণাপত্র।  

 নাম -  Better than DEET Repellent Compounds Derived from Coconut Oil
Volume 8, Article number: 14053 (2018)   

প্রকাশিত হয়েছিল  19 September 2018

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-32373-7 

২০জন বিজ্ঞানী মিলে  গবেষণা করেছেন, লিখেছেন, প্রকাশ করেছেন। তাঁদের রচনার নাম দিয়েছেন  'DEETর চেয়ে বেশি কার্যকরী পতঙ্গ বিতাড়ক যৌগিক পদার্থ নারকেল তেল থেকে পাওয়া যায়।' 

(DEET হল diethyltoluamide, যা আজকের দুনিয়ার সবচেয়ে  ব্যবহৃত  insect repellant বা পতঙ্গ বিতাড়ক ) পড়তে পড়তে দেখলাম প্রথম পাতার শেষে বিজ্ঞানীরা লিখেছেন , '...In the present paper, we report that medium chain length fatty acids derived from coconut oil that provide strong repellency to four different types of insect vectors (mosquitoes, ticks, biting flies and bed bugs)...'

অনেকদিন এই ধরণের পেপার দেখেছি বলে চট 'fatty acids derived from'এ নজর আটকে গেল।  এঁরা লিখছেন , 'নারকেল তেল থেকে পাওয়া যায়'; তার মানে  'নারকেল তেল' নয়। চলিত ভাষায় অনেক সময় বোঝা না গেলেও বিজ্ঞানে এই দুইয়ের মধ্যে অনেকটা ফারাক ।   আরেকটু পড়তেই আসল জায়গায় পৌঁছে গেলাম , Bioassays using modified K&D module showed that coconut oil itself had little repellency against stable flies, Stomoxy calcitrans (Fig. 1A). In contrast, the coconut fatty acid mixture, lauric acid, and methyl laurate provided strong repellency against the stable flies.

সোজা করে অনুবাদ করলে যার মানে দাঁড়ায় - 'K and D জৈব্যপরীক্ষা করে প্রমাণিত হল যে নারকেল তেলের নিজের প্রায় কোনো মশা/মাছি  বিতাড়ন-ক্ষমতা নেই। কিন্তু, উল্লেখযোগ্য ভাবে নারকেল তেল থেকে পরিশোদন করে যে fatty acids পাওয়া যায় , যেমন lauric acid ও methyl laureate, তাদের প্রভাবে বেশ কিছু মশা মাছি পতঙ্গ কাছে আসে না।  

এই জৈব্য পরীক্ষা ব্যাপারটা কি? সোজা কথায় এ হল একধরণের এক্সপেরিমেন্ট যাতে রক্তের একটি ছোট্ট কৌটোর কাছাকাছি কোন যৌগিক পদার্থ রেখে দেওয়া হয়।  তারপর দেখা হয় রক্তচোষা মশা /মাছিরা সেখানে রক্ত খেতে আসে, না আসে না।  যদি না আসে, বা কম আসে , তাহলে বোঝা যায় যে ওই সব কম্পাউন্ড কোনো না কোনো ভাবে এই পতঙ্গদের আসতে দিচ্ছে না - হয়তো ওই কম্পউন্ডের জন্যে  রক্তের গন্ধ ঢাকা পরে যাচ্ছে, অথবা ওই বিশেষ গন্ধ মশা মাছির সহ্য হয় না।  

শুধু লিখে না , গবেষণার ফলাফল bar ডায়াগ্রাম করে দেখিয়েওছেন বিজ্ঞানীরা (ছবি ২) ।  এই যে, একদম বাঁ দিকের bar আর একদম ডানদিকের bar মিলিয়ে দেখুন।  কোনো কম্পাউন্ড  না থাকলে ১০০% মশা রক্ত খেতে আসে, আর শুধু নারকেল তেল রক্তের কাছাকাছি রেখে দিলেও ১০০% মশা আসে।  কিন্তু, যদি কাছাকাছি রেখে দেন পরিশোধিত     lauric acid ও methyl laureate ইত্যাদি তাহলে মশা খিদে পেলেও ও পথ মাড়াবে না।  

গবেষণা পত্রের আরো গভীরে যাবো না।ওরা আরো অনেক এক্সপেরিমেন্ট করেছেন।  মোদ্দা কথা, আমাদের যতটা দরকার ছিল সেটা পড়ে কি দাঁড়ালো?  নিজে থেকে নারকেল তেল মশাকে আটকাতে পারে না।  যদি না একদম তৈলাক্ত হয়ে হাতে-পায়ে জামায়-প্যান্টে তেল জ্যাবজ্যাব করে লাগিয়ে থাকেন।   কিন্তু, নারকেল তেল থেকে পরিশোধিত কিছু কম্পাউন্ডের এই ক্ষমতা আছে। স্বাভাবিক ভাবে প্রশ্ন উঠবে -   তাহলে শুধু তেল পারে না কেন? কারণ, সম্ভবত যে পরিমান কম্পাউন্ড  থাকলে মশা আসবে না তার থেকে এই সব কেমিক্যাল তেলে  অনেক কম থাকে। মানে, নারকেল তেলে তো শুধু  lauric acid  নেই, আরো অন্য অনেক কিছু আছে (যারা মশা মাছি তাড়ায় না, এই গবেষকরাই দেখিয়েছেন). সেই সব  অন্য কেমিক্যাল হটিয়ে একে  purify করে আরো ঘন করলে তবেই কাজ দেবে। আরো কিছু ব্যাপার আছে, তবে, বুঝতেই পারছেন, সেটা আমার আপনার কাজ নয়, পারবোও না।    

আরো একটা কথা।  antibiotic কথাটি কিছু বিশেষ কেমিক্যালের  ক্ষেত্রেই প্রযোজ্য, যারা কিছু নির্দিষ্ট উপায়ে বিশেষ বিশেষ ব্যাকটেরিয়াকে মেরে ফেলতে পারে বা তাদের বংশবৃদ্ধি বন্ধ করতে পারে।  যেমন পেনিসিলিন, টেট্রাসাইক্লিন , এরিথ্রোমাইসিন , ক্লোরামফেনিকল , স্ট্রেপ্টোমাইসিন।  মনে রাখতে হবে , ডেঙ্গি কিন্তু ব্যাকটেরিয়াজাত রোগ নয়, এর কারন হল ডেঙ্গি ভাইরাস।  জগতের কোন ভাইরাল অসুখ এন্টিবায়োটিক দিয়ে সারে না, আর বলাই বাহুল্য নারকেল তেল  কোন এন্টিবায়োটিক আজ অবধি আবিষ্কার হয়নি। 

তাহলে এই ভুলটা এল কথা থেকে? সম্ভবত মিডিয়া বুঝতে ও  লিখতে ভুল করেছে। বৈজ্ঞানিক ক্ষেত্রে রিপোর্টিং করতে গেলে প্রায়ই এসব করে, বিশেষত আমাদের দেশের মিডিয়া। 

যেমন ধরুন, বিদেশী কাগজ Independent . দেখুন,  ঠিক লিখেছে - BUG REPELLENT MADE FROM COCONUT OIL COULD WORK BETTER THAN CHEMICALS  https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/coconut-oil-benefits-health-insect-bug-repellent-deet-study-chemicals-a8613841.html. একদম প্রথমেই 'made from ' . আর রিপোর্টের প্রথম লাইন হল Compounds derived from coconut oil are more effective at repelling insects than chemicals, a new study has revealed. অর্থাৎ, আবার সেই 'derived from' . 

আর এদিকে আমাদের লোকজন ছড়িয়ে লাট !

Coconut oil is better than repellents in preventing insects: Study

https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/coconut-oil-better-at-preventing-insects-than-repellents-1381098-2018-11-02

এ তো তও ভালো।  ভেতরে বলেছে compoundsর কথা।  এরা আরো বাজে বকে।  Coconut Oil An Effective Mosquito Repellent: 4 Other All-Natural Oils To Prevent Mosquito Bites

https://www.ndtv.com/food/coconut-oil-an-effective-mosquito-repellent-4-other-all-natural-oils-to-prevent-mosquito-bites-1942370

হুজুগে জাত আমরা, আর কোনো কিছুর সঙ্গে 'দেশি', 'ভেষজ', 'গাছ গাছড়া' জুড়ে দিলেই মেতে উঠি।  সাংবাদিকরা তো একই সমাজের মানুষ।  আর আজকাল কে আর মন দিয়ে পড়াশোনা করে? করা অবশ্যই উচিত, না হলে বড় বিজ্ঞানী, ঐতিহাসিক,  ইঞ্জিনিয়ার ডাক্তার, অর্থনীতিবিদ , হবে কি করে? তাই স্কুলের ম্যাগাজিনে , বিশেষত ছাত্র ছাত্রীদের জন্যে , এইটুকু লিখলাম।  নমস্কার।  

(ঘাটাল গুরুদাস উচ্চ বিদ্যালয়েরসুবর্ণ জয়ন্তী স্মরণিকা, ২০২০, পৃ. ১১৭-১১৯ এ প্রকাশিত। )

A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO THE PAST AND PRESENT OF US-IRANIAN RELATIONS.

(written on 4th Jan, 2020 - after General Soleimani's assassination, and few days before the Iranian retaliation and mistaken shooting of the Ukranian civilian aeroplane)

When Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine and the other liberals among the founding fathers established the USA they probably envisioned it to be a new form of the ancient roman republic - where the people would be supreme. What they didnt realize was that the roman republic was less of a democracy and more of an oligarchy which, morphed into the roman empire - an oppressive autocratic bloodthirsty (although cultured) vast political entity whose main profitable business (and finally reason for demise) was war, war profits, more wars and even more war profits.

The USA parallels ancient rome to quite an extent in this. War is the USA's main biz, increasingly for the last 60 years; The military industrial complex - you know that it decides it all - and even a popular prez like kennedy can be silenced if he toggles too much with MIC's purse, and no one is punished!

As regards the present, Iran has always been an opponent - a thorn in complete US domninance in the middle east - since 1979 when the shah of iran, a tyrant who was a big US friend, was thrown off in 1979. the shah had led a brutal regime which catered to a small elite (the few pics which go around fb showing iranian elite society women in skirts as a sign of progress conceal that most people groaned under exploitation). this pent-up anguish finally helped his overthrowing by a coalition that included several groups of liberals, leftists, orthodox islamists and communists .

But then the infighting between leftist-liberals (a chronic international disorder :p ) as well as the weakened position of the communists (the shah had particularly targeted them during his rule) helped Khomeini's orthodox setup consolidate itself as ruler. this has resulted in an official theocracy but a social scenario where various shades of 'liberal iran' and 'orthodox iran' clash at various fronts even today. it is a country where, at the same time, woman are blocked at various fronts and majid majidi directs his golden movies....somewhat like we ourselves... :)

But, thatz the domestic set up. internationally, 'modern rome' backed saddam to attack iran. however, contrary to expectations, the iranians didnt crash and the result was a 8yr stalemate war which caused huge suffering to people of both sides, of course with huge profit to weapons-sellers all over ( note - it was in that heated environment that, in 1988, a US navy ship shot down a civilian air iran plane with 350 people 'by mistake'; george bush even awarded the officers!) ....

Few years later, the US attacked saddam over kuwait! ya, some allies are more profitable than other allies. we all are more familiar with what happened after that - including the emergence of ISIS from the gutted remains of the unfortunate land that was once the sovereign nation of iraq. The point to note is that saddam, assad, hussain, gaddafi, nasser all are/were authoritarian 1- party regimes with some kind of 'pan-arab ideology' (it was a natural post-colonial political faith of the 1950s - arab lands for arabs, just as Indian for Indians). but they were/are not the hyper-orthodox taliban saudi isis type. You can even see that in their dress sense - no flowing saudi-style arab dress, it's suit boot for them....the usa, in contrast, right from 50s, has backed conservative rw islamic guys like the saudi wahabi regime, pakistan's zia ul haq, the taliban and the isis.

Add to this what all wars have been fought for in the past 3000 years of recorded human history. more riches. more profits. more taxes ( i doubt if even the mythical trojan war was fought over who would bed helen. thatz just the sexy-coating. actually, it was for control of the aegeian sea's maritime trade). just last month, the bolivian president was overthrown in a coup and it seems that came just a week after he questioned a germany company's attempt to control the vast lithium ores of bolivia. the middle-east scenario is better known. as kissinger the evil said, 'oil is too important to be left to the arabs'. in this context, dont forget that the genesis of modern US-iran conflict was the 1953 iran coup that threw off an elected iranian govt and helped the shah, only cos the iranians wanted to nationalize their own oil and not allow the british and americans loot it ( few years later, the british and french would help israelis do a similar thing when nasser nationalized the suez canal! so much so for Western loyalty to democracy!).

Coming back, obama still had a semblance of reducing tension with iran. Got a good deal, in US favour. a smart man, he probably also realized iran is too big to handle especially with his army bogged down in both af and iraq (the trouble with iran is that the country is so big. look at the map....) and these are things that make intelligent politicians think before they jump.... of course, Trump, like some people elsewhere in this part of the solar system, has no idea of anything. Worse he has no idea that he has no idea of anything! and he also doesnt care for anything besides the next round of elections!! Plus he probably is a certain psychological crappy inferiority complex case who likes to undo what was done earlier just cos he likes to do it....!!!

Phew, thatz the overall past. the assassination (or 'sarkari bomb attack') today is a continuation of all that - cos Soleimani was a brain that enabled assad and russia and punctured the ISIS. you have to give him credit for checking the aggression of the isis and the replacement of assad by a US-puppet regime (the remnants of the isis must be celebrating tonight). i dont mean he was a messiah; but he was undoubtedly a good soldier who shifted the balance more in favour of his country and (consequently) against the US and israeli hawks and had an important role in defeating isis. i am pretty sure no1 reading this would have liked to see isis black flags all over that battered region, right? ....

Erudite friends, from whom i try to learn, are kind-of divided on the role of the zionist hawks today. some of them say this is trump's own idea; others say, israeli think-tanks must be among the idea givers. after all, assassinations are their forte. and this certainly weakens assad, weaknes iran, weakens rus, helps trump, US hawks and the MIC.... certainly for trump, with elections next year, this is a boost. i donno if this can stall a constitutional impeachment, but it solidifies his bhakt lot behind him.... (what about the NRIs?)

As for the Iranians, they will have to retaliate. naturally. they will have to do something. wouldnt we? question is when? where? how? ... probably depends on what putin and xi can impress on them....
and of course, the immediate bad news for all of us that oil prices are rising. if the iranians do even a partial blockade of the strait of hormuz, it could spiral up further...

ps: anything for Indian ruling establishment in this? will we jump in? ....

(pic: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Major_General_Qassem_Soleimani_at_the_International_Day_of_Mosque_05_(2).jpg; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Donald_Trump_(24949318110).jpg)

 TAGORE, GANDHI....AND MONEY MATTERS

In the mid-1930s, Rabindranath Tagore’s Vishwa Bharati university at Shantiniketan ran into financial difficulties (note: set up in 1901 as a unique school and established as a university in 1921 ,Vishwa Bharati got no govt funds and was largely dependent on personal donations till 1951) . The aged Tagore was forced to travel across the country with his troupe of performers and his paintings. Shows and exhibitions were set up in various cities. And so desperate was the financial crunch that the 75 yr old poet would, at times, conclude the show with personally getting up on stage and requesting the audience for some more money!
The following is a series of letters (AND ACTION) when this ‘begging expedition’ became known!

Santiniketan, (Birbhum)

12th September 1935

My dear Mahatmaji,

I am glad Suren had an opportunity to discuss with you in detail the financial situation of the asrama during his recent visit to Wardha. I know how busy you are with your various activities and though I have often thought of telling you of my difficulties I have never done so before.....Over thirty years I have practically given my all to this mission of my life and so long

as I was comparatively young and active I faced all my difficulties unaided and through my struggles the institution grew up in its manifold aspects. And now, however, when I am 75 feel the burden of my responsibility growing too heavy for me.....Constant begging excursions with absurdly meagre results added to the strain of my daily anxieties .... Now I know of none else but yourself whose words may help....

With deepest love,

Rabindranath Tagore

--- ---

Wardha,

13 October 1935

Dear Gurudev,

Your touching letter was received only on 11th inst. when I was in the midst of meetings....Yes, I have the financial position before me now. You may depend upon my straining every nerve to find the required money. I am groping. I am trying to find the way out. It will take sometime before I can report the result of my search to you.

It is unthinkable that you should have to undertake another begging mission at your age. The necessary funds must come to you without your having to stir out of Santiniketan.

With reverential love,

Yours

M.K. Gandhi

--- ---

Delhi

27 March 1936

Dear Gurudev,

God has blessed my poor effort. And here is the money.

Yours with love,

M.K. Gandhi

--- ---

Delhi,

27 March 1936

Respected Sir,

Please find the enclosed draft for Rs.60,000 which we believe is the deficit on the expenses on Shantiniketan to cover for which you have been exhibiting your art from place to place. When we heard this we felt humiliated. We believe that at your advanced age and in your weak state of health you ought not to have to undertake these arduous tours..... We hope that you will now cancel all the engagements taken for raising the sum above mentioned.

Praying for your long life to continue the service you are rendering to our country.

We remain

Your Humble Countrymen

(probably, the bulk of this money came from GD Birla)

-- ---

ps: Tagore 'had the habit' of requesting every Indian stalwart to support Vishwa Bharati after his demise. nehru and gandhi topped the list, but subhas and sarat bose, sp mukherjee, azad - all were there ... and in 1951, parliament unanimously voted for the vishwa bharati act and made it the first central university.

(Ref: The Mahatma and The Poet. Letters and Debates between Gandhi and Tagore 1915-1941, edited by Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya, 1997;

pic: wikimedia commons)

(written as a facebook post in 2018)

'IT IS WITH THESE MEN ALONE THAT THE GATES OF HEAVEN WILL OPEN FOR ME'. Published article

In the northern part of Kolkata - where I grew up - is a park, formally named as the 'azad hind baug', but known by its informal name 'Hedua'. With its swimming clubs, gymnasium, walking place and benches-to-sit-and-relax-and-romance, hedua is quite a popular place.

And, at the south-western entrance is an imposing statue - a bust of 'Bagha' Jatin Mukherjee, with few details of his 'last stand' at Balasore inscribed below. passing up and down that way every day over the years, I had effectively memorized that snippet of information. And then, of course, dad got me the issue of Amar Chitra Katha titled 'bagha jatin'. It was enough to fire the imagination of a kid - a fascinating tale of a man, whose real-life exploits would have put any bollywood-hollywood blokbuster to shame.

But, thatz all i knew - till I read a couple of the scholarly books that focus on India's war against british imperialism - including the heroic efforts of Jatin and co to liberate their motherland.
What surprised me was this was a tale that has remained confined to the works of scholars.....and yet it was certainly something to be respectfully remembered.

I am no professional historian, but certainly I could read up their works and present a sum up the '1915 uprising'. Here it is, published on the 100th anniversary of the martyrdom of Bagha Jatin.
a little tribute to those founding fathers.
do share it , if u like its content. its a tale that needs to be told - certainly to the next-generation.

(thanks to pals who helped to improve the article, and to Siddharatha Varadarajan, the editor, for accepting it with ~zero editions)

https://thewire.in/history/it-is-with-these-men-alone-that-the-gates-of-heaven-shall-open-for-me

 HOW A TINY INSECT WAS USED TO TRACE THE ORIGINS OF HUMAN CLOTHING.
Published article

More than a decade ago, I was attending a seminar at NCBS when Prof. Mark Stoneking spoke of this subject. The way it blended my two major fascinations - molecular biology with history/prehistory - almost got me spellbound. Starry eyed, I got past my inhibitions and asked him a few questions at the tea time. The topic stayed at the back of my mind and years later when I was asked to write something on human evolution, this popped up from the files of long-term memory.

I got in touch with Prof. Stoneking  for expert-advice. For someone of his stature, he was so polite and helpful.

It was first published by SciWri and later by THEWIRE.

https://thewire.in/science/tiny-insect-used-trace-origins-human-clothing

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF KAMALA BHAGVAT SOHONIE - THE UNSUNG HERO OF SCIENCE IN INDIA. Published article

The second of my articles for RESONANCE.

Kamala Sohonie battled gender-based prejudice to gain entry into India’s premier research institution. She went on to have a dazzling career while working with the world’s foremost biochemists at Cambridge and later became one of India’s premier scientists. Her research immensely contributed to the discipline of Nutrition and Dietetics. A socially-committed individual, her scientific projects tried to be in sync with the needs of her country. In this article, we present facets of her colourful life – her passions, struggles and ideals.

this is an inspiring tale, and I am so glad I chronicled it. Hugely grateful to Prof. Sohonie's son and daughter-in-law for their support.

https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/021/04/0301-0314

THE POWER OF SMALL - CHAMPIONING THE UNDERDOGS OF MODERN MEDICINE. Published article


 Now, once i made the blog,  I got to post something as a starter. So,  I thought of this. One of my early articles and the first one written for the IAS science magazine RESONANCE . Suvasini and I zeroed on this idea independently, and then just loved loved the researching for it.
Hope you find it informative and enjoyable too.


Abstract
 If you had been born at the end of the 18th century, you would likely not have lived to celebrate your 40th birthday! What do you think made our present-day long lives possible? In this article, we aim to highlight the importance of the small, oftignored inventions in the area of medical science that have had a big impact on our lives and in the world around us and yet remain under-appreciated and even unacknowledged.

https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/020/12/1136-1153