Director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research (b Srikakulum, Andhra Pradesh, 8 August 1921; q Andhra University, Vishakapatnam, 1944; MD, DPhil), d 28 May 2001.

The death of Professor V Ramalingaswami, better known to his friends and admirers as “Rama,” ended an era in Indian investigative medicine that was characterised by a confluence of basic and community based medical research. He also made major contributions in research policy making and medical education. While honouring him with the prestigious Leon Bernard Foundation Award, Sir Harold Walter, president of the 1976 World Health Assembly, described him as “physician, research scientist, teacher, and humanist,” a true reflection of his multifaceted personality.

He was born into a family of educationists and came very much under the influence of his grandfather, who was the principal of a local school. Rama was rated as the best student of his times and was equally at ease as an artist and a sportsman. A few years after qualifying, he went to Oxford University, where he obtained his DPhil in pathology in 1951.

Right from his college days, Rama was passionately interested in research. Instead of opting for a lucrative career in medical practice, he joined the Nutrition Research Laboratory, Conoor, India, where he developed an enduring interest in the nutritional problems of the Third World. The major thrust of his research was in malnutrition—experimental and human protein calorie malnutrition, endemic goiter and nutritional anaemia—and liver disease in the tropics, including description of a new entity, non-cirrhotic hypertension

The essence of Rama’s work lay in the pursuit of basic knowledge for a far better understanding of the causes and mechanisms of human diseases prevalent in developing countries and equally in application of the knowledge for human betterment. A classical case is India’s National Iodine Deficiency Control Programme through iodine fortification of common salt. The programme is based entirely on Rama’s pioneering work on Himalayan endemic goiter. His studies have also been used for iodine deficiency control programmes in other regions of the world. His deep interest in community oriented research is also reflected in his studies on Bihar famine and the victims of the Bhopal gas disaster.

Thanks to the proactive and investor-friendly policy of the Gujarat government, the installed power capacity in the state leapfrogged from 8,079 MW in February 2007 to 10,290 MW in June 2009. This 27% rise in power generation capacity is the highest in the county in the past two years.

Between February 2007 and June 2009, the state increased its power generation capacity by 2,211 megawatt, leaving behind even Maharashtra, the largest producer of electricity in the country. Karnataka stood second with an additional 1,854 mw added during the same period while Tamil Nadu grabbed the third spot by adding 1,667 mw to its capacity.

Central Electricity Authority (CEA) data indicate that Gujarat, which ranks third in power generation, had an installed capacity of 8,079 mw in February 2007. This grew to 10,290 mw by June this year. The state sector’s contribution to power generation stood at 5,701 mw while the private sector generated 4,591 mw. If the central government’s 2,583 mw is taken into consideration, the total installed capacity of the state stands at 12,875 mw.

Korea Land Corporation (KLC), a government of Korea owned organisation, will be set up an Industrial Park/Technology Zone in Valsad district.

This is part of the Gujarat Vittal Innovation City (GVIC) Ltd, a high-tech multi-product special economic zone jointly promoted by the state’s Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC), and the EMPI Vittal Centre INNOPOLIS Consortia, in a strategic area on the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) in Valsad.

A delegation of Korean government, led by Do Youp Kwon, vice minister, ministry of land, transport and maritime affairs of the Republic of Korea, signed a tripartite memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the Gujarat Government, the Korea Land Corporation and the Gujarat Vittal Innovation City Ltd, in the presence of chief minister, Narendra Modi, on Tuesday.

For the first time in the country, the state owned telecom giant BSNL is planning to commercially launch a Videotelephony service over broadband in Ahmedabad from August 15. Apart from video telephony, the service will also include video surveillance and integrated mobile advertising features.

Ahmedabad based Sai Infosystem Ltd(SIS), the third largest IT solution provider in the country is partnering with BSNL for the video telephony service. SIS will be providing a complete technology for video phone alongwith audio as well as video devices and will also install an exchange at BSNL’s premises.