SRINAGAR: In a major breakthrough, a Kashmiri scientist along with a group of European scientists has discovered a new potential drug for the treatment of metastatic hypoxic cancers. The drug is currently in an advanced stage of further investigations post-animal trials.
Dr Musadir Nabi Peerzada (AIIMS)
Hailing from Muqami Shahwali in Kupwara’s Drugmulla belt, Dr Mudasir Nabi Peerzada led a team of eminent European scientists and co-workers to discover a new drug for the treatment of various metastatic hypoxic cancers.
Dr Peerzada who is currently working as a C-Level scientist at AIIMS New Delhi, has completed his postdoctoral training at the National Institute of Pathology. He was awarded a prestigious postdoctoral fellowship by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of health research, Government of India.
The discovery is believed to help in silencing the HIF-1 factor-controlled human CAIX and CAXII activity in cancerous cells. The hCAIX and hCAXII are overexpressed in the renal, pancreatic, gut, oral, brain, lung, and ovarian cancers, therefore the drug could be significant in treating multiple cancers with greater efficacy.
Dr Mudasir said that he and his team strenuous efforts for many years to make this path-breaking discovery. The drug has shown satisfactory results in various tumour models and is currently undergoing advanced investigations.
“This discovery took us years of tests and trials. We tested it on animals before going ahead,” Dr Peerzada said, adding that the drug is undergoing advanced clinical trials for further investigation.
The study was published in ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters entitled Discovery of Novel Hydroxyimine-Tethered Benzenesulfonamides as Potential Human Carbonic Anhydrase IX/XII Inhibitors was published on May 8, 2023.
He said that the new findings are remarkable in curing hypoxic cancers and will be a boon for cancer-related research.
The other scientists who are part of this invention include Dr Alessandro Bonardi, Dr Niccolò Paoletti, Dr Daniela Vullo, Dr Paola Gratteri, Dr Claudiu T Supuran, and Dr Amir Azam
Dr Peerzada is working on the development of anti-cancer therapeutics discovery taking into account the ATP binding site of kinases, hCAIX, hCAXII activity, cycle arrest at the G2/M phase of mitosis, prevention of HER2 dimerisation to deregulate PI3K/AKT and MAPK cell signalling pathways.
It took a long time to undo the government’s monopoly over the printing press. Scholar Nayeem Showkat details the evolution of the printing facility and allied newspaper sector in Jammu and Kashmir since 1858
Rising Kashmir Printing Press
Four centuries past the invention of Gutenberg’s press, dotted by fervent production of information, the Dogra rulers of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir acquired its first printing press Vidya Vilas Press in 1858. Its purpose was the printing official documents in Jammu. The facility was equipped with facilities to also print Persian and Devnagri script and it has published several books as well.
Pandit Bankat Ram Shastri from Banaras is said to be instrumental in helping the Maharaja in the establishment of the press. Meanwhile, Saligram Press was also established in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir. It is noteworthy that both the presses were endowed with the technology to print Urdu script as well, and as mentioned in Akhtar Shehanshahi, these facilities were cardinal for the birth of Urdu journalism in Jammu and Srinagar.
Translation Department
Roping in various eminent scholars under the supervision of Pandit Govind Koul, Maharaja Ranbir Singh, concurrently, established a translation department to translate books from Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian and English into Dogri, Urdu and Hindi. The books encompassing extensive areas of astronomy, geology, mathematics, physics, zoology, and chemistry, were printed for free distribution to scholars of government schools, pathshalas and madrasas.
With aforethought of higher studies in oriental languages, schools were instituted in every wazarat and tehsil, with two such principal pathshalas in Raghunath Temple, Jammu, and Utterbhani respectively, imparting instructions in Vedas, grammar, Kavya Shastra and Nyay. For the accomplishment of the desired goals, books were supplied free of cost, and scholarships were granted to the scholars and teachers.
A portrait of Maharaja Ranbir Singh, Pic: National Portrait Gallery London
Besides, Maharaja Ranbir Singh also constituted a body of scholars in view of the translation of shahparas (writings) of various languages into Urdu and Hindi, which triggered debates on their critical and historical context. The rationale behind his intention of floating an organisation called Vidya Vilas Sabha, was to bring together various intellectuals and literati as its members, to discuss and debate different literary issues for the promotion of various languages including Sanskrit, Persian, Hindi, Dogri and Urdu.
It was in that era that numerous manuscripts of Sanskrit and Persian were printed and translated into Dogri, Hindi, and Urdu. It is worth mentioning that a substantial number of texts written in the Sarada script of Kashmiri were transcribed into Devanagari. The library then consisted of around 5000 manuscript volumes, some of which were printed in Vidya Vilas Press.
The News Media
The watershed moment in the history of news media in Jammu and Kashmir came when Vidya Vilas Sabha started to publish a double-column bilingual – Urdu and Hindi (Devnagari script) – a weekly newspaper, Vidya Vilas Jammu, covering the proceedings of this sabha. This laid the foundation of the first-ever newspaper of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir.
However, according to the First Press Commission Report, an independent periodical namely Vrittanta Bilas was published from Jammu in 1867. Surprisingly, no evidence could be found to further substantiate it.
The reference of Vidya Vilas is found in Savaaneh Umri Akhbarat, which was published in June 1896 with the name of Akhtar Shehanshahi from Lucknow by Akhtar u Daula Haji Sayed Mohammad Ashraf Naqvi. The newspaper is said to have been started by Maharaja Ranbir Singh at the suggestion of Munshi Harsukh Rai, the editor of a Lahore-based popular Urdu newspaper Kohi-i-Noor.
Published from Vidya Vilas Press, Jammu, this newspaper came into existence in 1867. In contradiction with other writers, DC Sharma claims the year of its publication to be 1868.
Growing up in the shade of the palace, this weekly newspaper contained eight pages. However, according to Tahir Masood, the newspaper comprised 16 pages. The news on its right column used Urdu script and the left column had Devnagari script.
Most historians have referred to this news sheet as Bidya Bilas. It is notable that both the Hindi words Vidya and Vilas denote The Luxury of Knowledge. However, the word Bidya is the same in Urdu as Vidya, while no such word called Bilas exists in either Urdu or Hindi language.
It raises certain doubts regarding the usage of these words either due to the local parlance or it could have simply been a mistake of an inscription. So, the title of the newspaper may be written as either Vidya Vilas or Bidya Vilas.
With a subscription rate of 12 rupees per annum, the newspaper was published every Saturday. Khojo Shah Sadrullah was the manager, while Bakshi Krishan Dayal was the editor of the weekly. According to Akhtar Shehanshahi, Maharaja himself was the patron, with Pandit Bankat Ram as its owner.
Maharaj Ganj Press
Following his ardent interest in the development of the Urdu language, Deewan Kripa Ram recommended Munshi Harsukh Rai of Koh-i-Noor to establish a private Urdu printing press in Srinagar, alsopromising to offer him certain facilities for it. Consequentially, in response to the offer, came to the fore the printing press Tohfa-e-Kashmir, which was established by Rai in Sheikh Bagh Maharaj Ganj area of Srinagar in 1875.
The press brought out a weekly newspaper with the same name, Tohfa-e-Kashmir from Maharaj Ganj the next year. This is said to be the first newspaper ever published fromthe province of Kashmir, though the practice couldn’t sustain for long. It is the same press where Abdul Salam Rafiqi’s weekly Al-Rafiq was printedin 1896.
The periodical’s critical approach, however, led to its closure as well as that of the printing press Tohfa-e-Kashmir Press. Rafiqi, later on, is said to have published the newspaper from Rangoon. However, the claim of certain historians that Rafiqi resumed publication of this newspaper from Rangoon in 1906with the support of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan in Aligarh looks dubious as Sir Syed had died in 1898.
Further, the development of the printing press received a major setback when Muhammad Din Fauq submitted an application in 1904 seeking permission to initiate a newspaper from Srinagar. This request evoked an opposite reaction with the prime minister issuing a command for the formulation of a decree banning the setting up of a printing press. It was the time when the Moravian Mission under the leadership of Father FA Red Solob as the superintendent had already instituted a litho-press with an aim to publish the translated books in its Leh office.
Ranbir Takes Off
With no visible impact of the invention of the printing press five centuries ago on the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir, the press here took a long to set in motion and develop. It was on March 27, 1924, Mulk Raj Saraf was conveyed the State Council’s order permitting the initiation of a newspaper in lieu of cash security of Rs 500 as laid down in the Jammu and Kashmir State Press and Publications Regulation Samvat 1971. Besides issuing a newspaper Ranbir, he was granted permission for initiating a printing press in Jammuunder section 5 of the Act.
However, with no clue about the printing press, Saraf on his query was apprised by the establishment that “the permission to a newspaper implied the starting of a press as well.” Maharaja also agreed to donate Rs 50 per year to Ranbir. Thus began the journey of the State’s first regular Urdu weekly Ranbir. Saraf in his autobiography claims to have initially thought to name his newspaper Pahari and printing press Dogra Press in place of Ranbir and Public Printing Press respectively.
The office of Ranbir was set up in Thakur Kartar Singh’s cutcha quarter near Rani Talab. Unable to afford a power-driven plant, a hand-driven litho printing machine was installed for printing Ranbir.
Besides that, owing to the lack of katibs (calligraphists) and machine men in Jammu and Kashmir, a government katib Munshi Taj Din assumed the job of calligraphist on the condition that the necessary material be supplied to him at his home instead of him coming to Ranbir’s office.
A Government Monopoly
It is noteworthy that the government had a complete monopoly on the printing press till that time. All the earlier Census reports including the report of 1911 were silent on the inception or existence of printing presses or periodicals in the State.
For the first time, it was only the Census report of 1921, which mapped the printing presses prevalent in the State of Jammu and Kashmir. The Census report of 1921 mentions a total of four printing presses in the industry of luxury category. Revealing that no private printing press remained in existence, all the printing presses have been specified as ‘Government of Local Authority’.
Front page of newspaper, Inquilab on July 17, 1931
It is recorded that one printing press was installed in Jammu, one in the central jail, and the remaining two litho presses also in central jails. The report further delineates that there was a printing press in the Jammu district employing 165 people including one direction manager, one supervising and technical staff, 17 clerks, 133 skilled workmen and 13 unskilled labourers.
One printing press called Printing Press (Jail) was also functioning in the Jammu district employing 31 workers including supervising and technical staff, two clerks, eight skilled workmen and 18 unskilled labourers. Similarly, there were two printing presses (jail) in Kashmir South, hiring 116 employees including four supervising and technical staff, two clerks, 37 skilled workmen and 73 unskilled labourers.
The Glancy Commission
In light of a paradigm shift across the world, Maharaja Hari Singh eventually accepted Glancy Commission’s suggestions and repealed the Jammu and Kashmir State Press and Publications Regulation Samvat 1971 on April 25, 1932. A new act, Jammu and Kashmir State Press and Publications ActSamvat 1989 came into force on the same day.
Largely on the lines of a similar law in vogue in British India, this Act liberalised the press in Jammu and Kashmir. This ‘gambit’ of Maharaja Hari Singh to liberalise the press in the princely State was not only lauded in the territory but across British India. The new Act legitimised publication of dozens of newspapers since May 1932.
Within a demi-decade of the enforcement of the new Act, a spurt in publication rate was witnessed in Jammu and Kashmir, subsequently resulting in the birth of several dozen newspapers. It is estimated that the number of newspapers increased to three dozen by the end of 1937.
Erstwhile Information Minister, Choudhary Zufiqar inspecting the archives section of DIPR Jammu and Kashmir in Srinagar.
According to the Census of India, 1941, the Indian union had some 3,900 newspapers including 300 dailies and 3,600 others, with a cumulative circulation of seven million. However, according to the Report, there were 44 newspapers in the State in the spring of 1941.
The document reveals that the growth of newspapers during the period (1931 to 1941) in Jammu and Kashmir was significant. In 1931, Jammu province had only one newspaper, and Kashmir province had none. However, in 1941, Jammu province had 24 newspapers, and Kashmir had 20 newspapers, making a total of 44 newspapers in the state. Interestingly, the report also mentions that Frontier districts did not have any newspapers until 1941, as indicated in the Census document.
Proclaiming that a fair number of such newspapers were issued punctually and regularly, the census data further revealed that while a portion of it couldn’t last long, others were published at uncertain intervals. The Census discloses that local newspapers were mostly printed in Persian (Urdu) script; a few were also printed in English (Roman) and Hindi (Devanagiri) script.
Though expounding that the standard of journalism has improved like never before, yet the Census data divulges that the influx of newspapers at that time was so high for a minimal newspaper-reading public that most of such newspapers would hover between life and death.
Surprisingly, the Census of India 1941 betrays that the first printing press in Jammu and Kashmir was installed in 1912. It further documents the growth of printing presses between 1931 and 1941, stating that in 1931, State of Jammu and Kashmir had eight printing presses, with four installed in Jammu province and four in Kashmir province.
In 1941, the number of printing presses in the State of Jammu and Kashmir had increased to 37, as per the Census of India report. Of these, 22 printing presses were present in Jammu province, while 15 in Kashmir. Needless to say, the Frontier districts remained without any printing press during both the time intervals discussed.
Text Books
The Census Report of 1941 notes that information about the publication of non- educational books in Jammu and Kashmir is mostly unknown. Albeit, it highlights that the number of non-educational books was small but increasing in the region.
No textbook, according to an official document, was printed in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir till 1936. It was during Maharaja Hari Singh’s reign only that the textbook business was nationalised in the late 1940s. To ensure prompt publication of the approved manuscripts, and further accelerate the process of printing in the State, the services of all the private presses were rendered.
Abdul Salam Rafiqi, the first Kashmir journalist
The opulence of this milieu, armed with the freedom of expression, was further reinforced with various other platforms of generating public opinion like sabhas and societies set in motion. The Census of India betrays that a total of 435 sabhas and societies had been instituted in the princely State till the spring of 1941.
Since then, some of those itemised would perhaps have become obsolete whereas others may have emerged. Of these, 125 were classified as social, 258 as religious and 52 as political in nature.
It was the time when a foreign electronic printing machine from Lahore was also imported to Kashmir in 1932 along with an experienced machine-man namely Pandit Balik Ram for Ranbir. In 1943, Saraf purchased new machinery for his printing press – which was later named Prem Printing Press – for the purpose of enabling it to print English, Urdu, Hindi, Sanskrit, etc. An adequate number of newspapers from Jammu were now published at Prem Printing Press.
Post Partition Era
As a result, the literary activities in Jammu and Kashmir were further enhanced with the literati starting book shops and printing presses for the mass dissemination of literature across the length and breadth of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir.
Further, in an attempt to modernise the printing presses, the government of Jammu and Kashmir led by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah installed new machinery in the government presses in the State. The presses were developed under a three-year plan and a team of officers was sent to visit the presses in other parts of India.
The government also intended to send some students to England for getting the requisite training in handling the modern printing press. The machinery costing Rs 94,000 was procured for Srinagar, while Rs 50,000 for Jammu.
These decisions were taken at a time when Kashmir had many printing facilities, up and running: Brokas Press, Nishat Press, Srinagar, Clifton Press, Srinagar, Guru Nanak Printing Press, Srinagar, New Kashmir Printing Press, Commercial Printing Press, Srinagar, to name a few.
However, it seems that the events that unfolded in the backdrop of partition had an impact on the press and printing industry of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir to the extent that the whole printing industry was back to square one.
Owing to the topography of Jammu and Kashmir and only a few printing presses in place, it is conspicuous from the Census report of 1961 that the state couldn’t progress much in the field of printing. So was the condition of those minuscule presses that most of the printing work of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir was outsourced to Aligarh Press. It was still the government press in Jammu and Kashmir which was well equipped, but not to the extent that it could handle large consignments.
A Grim Situation
The situation in the erstwhile State remained quite unchanged even two decades after partition. As is evident from the Report of the Enquiry Committee on Small Newspapers, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, New Delhi, 1965, the periodicals in Jammu and Kashmir mostly don’t own the premises housing the periodical.
Besides, the equipment used by the majority of the newspapers also doesn’t belong to them. It was also revealed that the majority of the press undertook works other than printing newspapers to sustain itself.
It came to the fore that a major chunk of newspapers in Jammu and Kashmir had no printing facilities of their own and used to print their newspapers at other presses. To much surprise, it was found that not a single newspaper in Jammu and Kashmir had subscribed to any news agency at that time.
Further, according to the report most of the newspapers in the State were not illustrated at all. It is remarkable that no newspaper in Jammu and Kashmir had its own block-making facility. The newspapermen in Jammu and Kashmir were of the opinion that a financial corporation should be established which would grant loans to newspapers for the purchase of printing presses and equipment.
One of the major concerns of the newspaper industry at that time was the lack of good printing presses in the erstwhile State. The report also unveils that otherwise obsolete and out-of-fashion litho presses were ubiquitous in Jammu and Kashmir.
The output of these presses was as little as 600-700 copies an hour. During the Committee’s visit to two printing presses in Srinagar, it was also revealed that most of the presses were installed on premises which were unsanitary.
The newspapers were informed by the Committee that since the government had taken some steps to facilitate the printing of certain newspapers at the government presses, yet owing to newspapers’ failure of paying the printing charges, the experiment failed.
With an intent to avail printing facilities at economical rates, the Committee was told by the publishers of various newspapers that the government should consider the establishment of printing estates on the lines of industrial estates.
The Calligraphists
Not only the lack of efficient printing presses but also the printing of Urdu script through the litho process was impossible without the help katib (scribe). It is noteworthy that Urdu newspapers had a monopoly in the media industry of Jammu and Kashmir.
So, there was an unprecedented demand for katibs, who were employed on a salary as well as a job-rate basis, with the development of the press in Jammu and Kashmir. The getup of a newspaper relied completely on a katib.
Nayeem Showkat (Media Scholar)
As per the recommendations of the Enquiry Committee on Small Newspapers, the katibs were to be provided training in Polytechnic Schools so as to standardise Urdu calligraphy. This recommendation was further supplemented with a note by Hayat Ullah Ansari, according to whom Urdu calligraphy was standardised centuries back, that instead of the breadth of the nib as a unit to fix the dimensions of letters, the measurement of graph paper should be used so that writings of different katibs would look similar.
Ansari also suggested some changes, particularly in joints of the letters, like meem goes so much down that it occupies upon the second line and in the same way markaz goes so high that it touches the upper line. These changes would further improve the quality of Urdu writing and will save much space, he suggested.
What made the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir quite a peculiar case in this regard is that no school for katibs was established in the erstwhile State or in any other neighbouring state, thereby resulting in numerous printing faults arising from the low efficiency of katibs as was observed by the Committee.
(The writer is a Post-doctoral Fellow in Media Studies at the Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi.)
A young geneticist, Dr Rais A Gania was surprised to see his takeaways from his PhD were part of the text well before he entered the classroom as a teacher. Credited for identifying a particular enzyme that helps in crucial DNA copying, he is serving the IUST’s molecular medicine centre. In a freewheeling interview, he opens up about his research and future plans
TheNewsCaravan (KL): You studied in Kashmir and worked in different universities all over the world. How was your learning curve and what were the challenges you faced?
DR RAIS A GANAI (DRAG): I was born and brought up in the Posh-Kirri village of Anantnag. I did my primary schooling at Government Primary School in the same village. Later, I went to the Government Middle in the nearby Hugam village. Later, my father suggested me to complete further studies in Srinagar, as he was working at the University of Kashmir. Then, I went to the Starland High School Zakura and completed my matriculation there.
In Srinagar, I found it very difficult to compete with students because of the language barrier, as the medium of instruction was different. It was a challenging task to learn English and Urdu languages. It took me a lot of time to cope with the level of the students.
Then I completed my 10+2 from Soura Higher Secondary School. Afterwards, I went to the Islamia College of Science and Commerce, where from I completed my graduation. Even though there was not an ample structure at that time but the laboratories were well established. Attendance of labs was mandatory, due to which my scientific temper got developed.
After that, I was selected at the University of Kashmir for a couple of courses but I chose to study Biotechnology. After completing the Master’s degree in Biotechnology, I went to the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, where I worked under the mentorship of Prof Umesh Varshney and worked intensely on various Biotechnological challenges. He invested a lot of money, time and effort and taught me many new things due to which my interest in the research further deepened. During this time a few of my research papers were published.
Then I went to Sweden in 2009 for my PhD and completed it in 2015 and later got an international Postdoc fellowship offer in Sweden amounting to Rs 2.5 crore. I used that fellowship and immigrated to the USA. There I joined the NewYork based Howard Huges Medical Institute. I did research there for almost 2-3 years under the well-known researcher Danny Reinberg.
Then I came back to Kashmir as a Ramanujan Fellow. Initially, I joined the Central University of Kashmir and later moved to the IUST’s Watson-Crick Centre for Molecular Medicine in 2020.
KL: The work on genetics has been going on in all major universities throughout the world. However, we still have not understood the gene fully. What are the various challenges in understanding the gene, and what are the different goalposts we still have to reach?
DRAG: The gene is actually a small DNA sequence made of sugar bases like Adenine, Guanine, Thymine, and Cytosine (A, G, T, C). They are about 3 billion sugar bases called Nucleotides (made of Deoxyribose sugar, the Phosphate group, and the Nitrogen base) in a DNA molecule arranged in a chain structure. All the Nucleotides in a DNA molecule do not constitute genes, but only 1-2 per cent makes the genes and the rest 98-99 per cent of the base pairs do not attribute to the genes.
Scientists have identified most of the genes in our body and their functioning but the functioning of the rest 98 per cent of the non-genomic sequences (regulatory sequences) is still not known. We only know that these contain non-genomic sequences that regulate the genes, but the biggest challenge is to find out how 98 per cent of DNA regulates the 1 per cent of DNA.
The other major challenge was to understand the three-dimensional structure of DNA and its arrangement inside the cell. The chromosomes are arranged in compartmental structures. How and when these compartments are formed is yet to be discovered. How these genes are activated and repressed in the cells is still a challenge.
The actual structure of a DNA molecule has a three-dimensional chromatin architecture. These DNA molecules are present on the chromosomes. Our body contains 46 chromosomes in each cell that are intertwined inside the cell. The intertwined structure of chromosomes helps in the better expression of genes during cell division and cell formation. All the required genes express together and activate simultaneously in order to form a complete cell.
KL: What was your PhD all about and what were the major takeaways from your research?
DRAG: As I mentioned that DNA is a small molecule contained in a cell. A cell contains two meters of intertwined DNA, which if stretched is equivalent to at least four times the distance between the sun and the earth. During cell division and cell multiplication, this DNA is replicated/ duplicated which has to be very accurate. Genetic defects during cell division cause mutations/errors, which lead to genetic diseases, metabolic disorders, or even cancer.
During my PhD, my research was about the role of an enzyme called DNA polymerase in DNA replication. This enzyme reads, copies, and then makes the exact copy of a parent DNA molecule. The three billion nucleotides of a DNA molecule in a cell are copied accurately without any error or defect with the help of this enzyme. Besides, it also rectifies the errors, which are caused during cell division and helps in errorless duplication. Thus, the DNA polymerase enzyme not only plays a role in DNA replication but also fixes the errors caused during DNA replication, if any.
I also studied the functioning of various other enzymes but the pivotal research was about DNA polymerase. The majority of DNA polymerase enzymes look like, if I can say, a right-hand structure, containing a thumb, a palm, and fingers. The DNA polymerase, we studied has an additional domain called the P-domain, unlike the other DNA-Polymerase enzymes which only have three domains. The majority of DNA-Polymerase enzymes require a scaffold or support (called PCNA) for DNA copy and replication, but the DNA-polymerase we studied does not require PCNA rather it has the inbuilt P-domain that helps in DNA synthesis and thus does not require an outside scaffold. This was the biggest takeaway from my PhD research.
To my surprise, I later found when I was at the Central University of Kashmir, that our work and findings were published in textbooks, and are being taught to students in different Universities all over the world. It was a very difficult project to work on because nobody prior to us had worked on this. Our work was then published in the Journal Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, which now is a part of the textbooks and is being taught.
Dr Rais A Gania (WCCMM)
KL: What was your Post-doctorate research about, and what were your accomplishments and learnings during that period?
DRAG: I mostly studied two things during my Postdoc research, the role of epigenetic factors in the development, and the development of stem cells into the cardiomyocyte.
I actually wanted to expand and diversify my expertise, so I shifted to the field of epigenetics.
Under epigenetics, we study how the genes present in the DNA are regulated. Let us understand it this way – if we have two monozygotic twins and one of them is raised by the adopted parents and the other by the natural parents. Technically, after 30 years of age, both should be identical because of the principle of monozygotic nature, but because of the environmental effects, they would have developed variations over time. It is because the influence of environmental conditions affects the development of an individual and that regulates the body. Thus, the effect of an environment on the development over time, beyond the genetic basis and beyond DNA is called epigenetics.
There are thousands of genes on a DNA molecule and there are specific factors that actually regulate the functioning of these genes. I also worked on these factors.
DNA is wrapped around by the histone proteins. These proteins contain chemical modifications or tags that determine the function of the DNA sequence. I worked on early embryonic development, particularly on stem cells. I studied how differentiated development takes place from a single cell into different kinds of complex organs i.e., how a stem cell is transformed into a cardiomyocyte.
KL: How could you make lawmen understand this differentiation of a stem cell into different complex organs? What really controls this differentiation of cells? Is this also part of epigenetics?
DRAG: Nobody really knows how embryonic development occurs as it is not easy to study this field. People have now started research on it.
During embryonic development, the fusion of egg and sperm results in the formation of a Zygote, which later undergoes the 2-cell stage and the 4-cell stage, and so on. From day one of development certain genes are activated which stimulates the Zygote division and this division activates other genes, which then cause muscle cell formation. More and more genes get activated that guide the muscle cells to transform into different complex organs. It is mostly like this, but there is still ambiguity on how embryonic development takes place through different stages of development.
KL: What is your role at the IUST’s Watson-Crick Centre for Molecular Medicine and what are the different domains you are working on?
DRAG: I am establishing my lab here for research purposes. Besides, I am also the coordinator of the B Voc course on the Medical Lab and Molecular Diagnostic Technology. I teach students also. I guide students on how to do diagnostic tests and the process of opening diagnostic clinics.
The primary part of my job at the Watson-Crick Centre is to do research along with my students who work with me on the continuation of my PhD research work. We are studying the role of DNA polymerase enzyme other than the role of DNA synthesis.
Secondarily, we are also studying epigenetics. Epigenetic marks at different positions of a DNA molecule, other than the normal positions cause diseases like cancer, and developmental and neurodegenerative diseases, among others. Therefore, our aim is to research epigenetics in detail in order to develop drugs for the treatment of these diseases.
A junior scientist at SKUAST-K, Dr Khalid Zaffar Masoodi is an award-winning biotechnologist who has been working on cancer biology. Founder of Kashmir’s first faculty-led biotech company of Kashmir, Cashmir Biotech Pvt. Ltd, he has been working on low-cost, healthy, non-toxic, and safe designer foods to cure and prevent various disorders including cancer through futuristic functional foods. Currently, his laboratory’s research is related to the identification of anticancer molecules for prostate cancer from medicinal plants endemic to Kashmir. In a freewheeling interview with Masood Hussain, he offers his knowledge about awareness to deliver and contribute new innovations in biotechnology and research on the causes, treatment and prevention of cancer through anticancer functional foods, designer foods, and superfoods.
TheNewsCaravan (KL): The conventional wisdom is that local issues have local solutions. Can we have local solutions to local health issues as well?
Khalid Z Masoodi (KZM): There are more than 200 types of cancer throughout the world and we can classify cancers according to where they start in the body, such as breast cancer ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer etc. We can also group cancer according to the type of cell they start in and these cancers are increasing day by day worldwide. 20 per cent of these cancers are genetic in origin according to studies and 80 per cent are caused by environmental factors, food habits and lifestyle changes. These factors mutate the DNA and cause changes in normal cell growth.
For example, our bodies intake 210 mcg per day of cancer-causing hormone-disrupting chemical phthalates found in every soft and flexible plastic we use in our daily life. The beverages in the plastic bottle are injurious as these plastic containers have phthalates that bind to endocrine receptors and overexcite them resulting in malignancies.
In dark chocolates toxic metals are lurking, it is a state of serious concern as they cause cancer. Preservatives used in foods contain carcinogenic components. Every single person consumes 150 pounds or 60-88 kg of preservatives in a year. Most of the preservatives’ in vogue contain acrylamide which is carcinogenic. The most popular fast food of today’s generation is French fries, potato chips, pizza, and cold drinks in which the presence of Acrylamide and glycidamide has been found. Burgers contain Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Studies show HCAs and PAHs cause changes in DNA that may increase the risk of cancer. Pizza preservatives – TBHQ and BHA, has been identified as human carcinogen. 1n 2016 as we all know potassium bromate used to soften bread and in many other food items was banned in India as they were found carcinogenic during the course of research.
The estimated numbers of cancer in 2022 were 17 per cent in the case of breast cancer, 14 per cent in prostate cancer, 4.9 per cent in thyroid cancer, and lung cancer was estimated to be 14.3 per cent worldwide. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths and the primary diagnosed cancer in men. No defined therapy against prostate cancer is present. Drugs cease to function after treatment in most cases. There is a need to cure and prevent deadly diseases with a healthier approach.
We define here the concept of Designer Foods that have added health benefits. Designer foods are normal foods fortified with health-promoting ingredients. These foods are similar in appearance to normal foods and are consumed regularly as a part of the diet. These foods are safe, non-toxic, organic, are cost-effective while the drugs available are cost-extensive and unaffordable by the majority classes of society and have added off-target effects.
We believe that a smart diet containing anticancer small molecules and molecules that can treat these disorders can help prevent these disorders The changing food habits of the modern world have changed, from green food (green vegetables), and herbs, to fast food, which is the main concern. We have experimentally shown that these greens, underutilised plants have high antioxidant properties. Some of our studies found some Haakh varieties have high anticancer potential against prostate and lung cancer cells.
KL: Can you tell us about your academic journey?
KZM: I completed my schooling at Burn Hall School, Srinagar and continued further studies at AMU. I completed my BSC (Hons) in Botany from AMU and pursued MSc and PhD in Plant Biotechnology from Jammu University under the mentorship of Prof Manoj K Dhar, former VC, University of Jammu, which I completed in 2010.
KL:What were the takeaways from your PhD?
KZM: During my PhD, I worked on the reconstruction of carotenoid biosynthetic pathway genes from purple-black carrot (Daucuscarota L). We successfully engineered E Coli that produced Lycopene and beta-carotene. Besides, we increased the production of these carotenoids using the Amplification Promoting Sequence, which increased the copy number of genes and hence their transcription and translation. We also worked on anthocyanins that act as effective natural food bio-colourant and real-time indicators of food spoilage that later helped in developing a smart gel that changes colour with a change in pH and can be used in food industries, biomedical industries and agriculture industries. Synthetic food colours pose a greater threat to humans and are responsible for causing various types of cancers and cardiovascular diseases.
KL: You continued your post-doctorate in the same field or we changed the subject?
KZM: The main expertise in cancer biology was gained during my post-doctoral associateship at the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. There, I simultaneously worked on many projects related to gene and drug discoveries against prostate cancer.
We found the role of many genes in prostate cancer progression like ELL2, DHX15, PABPCA, EAF2, PRP8 etc. I also helped discover new androgen receptors targeting small molecules. I also increased the efficacy of IADT, the study which came out in the Journal of Urology, Journal of Endocrinology, Oncogene, Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, and PLoS One.
After my return from the USA, I worked as a Senior Resident at SKIMS, Soura for a short time before joining the Division of Plant Biotechnology, SKUAST-Kashmir as an Assistant Professor. The takeaway for me was that cancer cells are smart and if you try to target them through inhibition of the AR pathway they will salvage their survival through the PI3Kinase pathway. In metropolitan India, prostrate is now the third diagnosed cancer.
KL: You worked on cancer and then joined SKUAST-K which is all about agriculture. Is not it an interesting twist in the story?
KZM: It is always a challenge but biotechnologists revolve around the central dogma of molecular biology so DNA, RNA and proteins are the same which makes every organism. Upon my joining SKUAST-K, I surveyed various regions of Jammu and Kashmir to utilize the rich flora for new therapeutics against cancer.
It is very important that we do translational research that can result in an end product that can be commercialized and can be more useful than a mere publication or a patent. We knew that 60 per cent of the drugs in the market are plant-based or their analogues.
A rich repertoire of around 3054 medicinal and aromatic plant species (MAPs) are endogenous to Kashmir but were not explored for anticancer properties against prostate cancer through transcriptomics and AR targeted approach earlier. In a drug discovery programme initiated at SKUAST-K funded SERB, we screened 25,000 medicinal plant extracts from Kashmir’s around 350-400 medicinal plants. It resulted in the discovery of 16 new anticancer molecules against prostate cancer. Of these 16 molecules, five were from edible underutilised plants. Our laboratory has filed eight patents in the last three years.
Dr Khalid Zaffar Masoodi (SKUAST)
KL: Is there something that you can share with us about the new molecules you discovered?
KZM: The molecule SKIDDDL-1 present in the TaxO was the best among all the edible plants, which has been consumed for ages in Kashmir as a food supplement and as a vegetable. Over time, however, its use has diminished. This molecule effectively targeted androgen receptors in prostate cancer and decreased cellular progression, cancer cell migration (metastasis) in vitro and reduced tumour volume, and doubled the life expectancy in the mice xenograft model. A smart diet may help reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer, slow the progression of the disease, and prevent invasiveness and metastasis.
Awaiting a patent, we designed Magic Foods – a range of safe, non-toxic, plant-based anti-prostate cancer futuristic functional foods fortified with our secret TaxO that can be consumed on daily basis by populations worldwide that are at high risk of getting this peculiar cancer. The technology is cheap, safe and has no side effects.
Since SKUAST-K is the first Farm University to implement NEP 2020, now the faculty is permitted to have a start-up. I was joined by my two MSc students as directors of the faculty-led start-up. They are still studying but are job providers at the same time.
When we were doing this research, we had a great visitor from the University of Buffalo, Prof Samina Raja. We thought we can give something better to humanity if we worked together. So we have one collaborative project Haakh.
I am glad to share that soon you will have an anticancer Haakh variety. We are in the final stages of assessment and experimentation and after a thorough study of about 70 different variants of haakh we found some variants that have good activity against lung and prostate cancer.
The American University provided us with a small grant which we utilised in DNA bar-coding our Haakh, which can be accessed through GenBank. SERB, DST, Government of India has been kind enough and given me three successive grants without which what we did would not have been possible. My NC has always been my great support.
KL: Kashmir is India’s main apple basket. Have you worked on apple scab?
KZM: For Kashmir, agriculture is the backbone, especially the apple. The scab results in almost 30-40 per cent loss in apple. To prevent it we use around Rs 325 crore worth of fungicides which eventually go into our bodies through water and food. That is why people living around apple orchards have a higher incidence of endocrine-related issues.
We have worked on biotechnological approaches to scab pathogens in which we have identified new genes that can be used for producing cisgenic apples for scab resistance. This study was also published in one of the reputed high-impact journals. We used comparative transcriptome technology (RNA-Seq) for research that showed some genes expressed in the Maharaji apple and wild-type genotypes like Florina are not expressed in red delicious, so these genes can be transferred into red delicious to make the variety scab resistant. The process of producing cisgenic apples and breeding both techniques is underway.
KL:You have also identified some new wilt-causing pathogens. Tell us something about this.
KZM: One of my PhD scholars, Dr Tasmeen Parihar has identified six new Fusarium spp infecting solanaceous crops that were not earlier known to cause wilt in chilli, brinjal, tomato and capsicum. These findings came out recently in reputed journals.
We have many scientists in collaboration within and outside institutes. I am lucky to have good collaborations with Dr Zahoor A Bhat (Plant Pathology), Dr Khalid Bhat (Fruit Science), Dr Khursheed (Vegetable Sciences), Prof Mudasir Andrabi (Animal Biotechnology), Dr Tawheed Amin (FST) and many more.
KL: There is a major ethical debate regarding biotechnology, especially GM foods.
KZM: In biotechnology, we always have to face challenges related to transgenic plants but the fact is that in the near future (2050) breeding techniques will not be able to fulfil the need of the growing population. We will have to move towards biotechnology to feed the growing population of around 10 billion.
CRISP-Cas technology will enable us to knock out the antibiotic genes used in transgenic progress and we will have transgenic plants with only the gene of interest and not these antibiotic-resistant genes. Besides, we also use recombinant-based excision repair to make Cisgenic Apple. Since this research is going on we will have soon some good results.
After spending a lot of time trying to locate the particular molecules that play a role in diverse cancers, Dr Zahida Qamri changed her career path and started studying the quick response of societies to impactful science. She is currently working with JK Scientists where they handhold talent and guide the students in academics and research
TheNewsCaravan (KL): How you managed clinical trials during the Covid19 lockdown in the US?
DR ZAHIDA QAMRI (DZQ): In the Covid19 spread, the United States of America (USA) was taken off-guard. The healthcare system was not ready and we witnessed a healthcare crisis. The pandemic put the health systems under immense pressure and stretched them beyond their capacity. The disruption of the supply chain from China greatly affected the functioning of health institutions.
However, the experts successfully carried out vaccination trials in a considerably brief period of time. After clearing the phase-1 and phase-2 trials, the vaccine finally got FDA approval. Critically ill patients were given preference for receiving the vaccine dose. The government of the United States funded laboratories to get the vaccine ready in a minimum time span and the initial focus remained on genome sequencing. Researchers used to work day and night to find a single molecule, against which the vaccine could be produced. A Turkish couple finally succeeded in making the vaccine.
KL: What is your story from Kashmir to Ohio?
DZQ: My elementary education was completed at Netaji Memorial School in Balgarden. My high school years were spent at Caset Experimental School. Following that, I attended Kothibagh Higher Secondary School and then Women’s College on MA Road, where I earned my Bachelor’s degree. I then travelled to Delhi to further my education.
In the 1990s, moving to other states for studies was not an easy option in Kashmir, especially for women. But my family was very supportive towards my studies. Being the youngest among my siblings, I witnessed unparalleled encouragement. With the help of my siblings, I moved to Delhi, applied for the entrance test at Aligarh Muslim University and got into Jamia Hamdard. My initial years in Delhi didn’t go as I expected. It was a cultural shock, and added to it was the monsoon season. I had to stay at our principal RN Koul’s house for a year because I was unable to get hostel lodging. During that time, I had to commute between Faridabad to Delhi. So, it was quite challenging initially. However, with time I coped with the challenges and environment as well. I completed my master’s in Biochemistry. It was followed by a doctoral programme at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.
KL: What was your PhD thesis all about?
DZQ: In the Indian sub-continent, diarrhoea is one of the major health problems in children under one year of age. The diarrhoea-causing bacteria have various strains, among which few could turn out to be fatal. During my doctoral programme, I examined the stool of the children and developed DNA fingerprinting of the bacteria found. The purpose of my study was to identify and characterize the bacterial strains, which cause diarrhoea in infants. I also studied drug resistance among diarrhoea-causing bacteria.
KL: What were the major takeaways from your study?
DZQ: I discovered a small probe that could be used as identifying probe for bacterial strains and how to treat specific strains.
KL: Not all PhDs end up in discoveries. But there is a chain of follow-up studies. Has your PhD proven to be one?
DZQ: Yes, this topic was worked on under the guidance of my PhD supervisor until he retired. Much work has been done in this area in other parts of the world. In science, each investigation or study is an additional item to solve the puzzle and takes years to complete. Only then, can we get a clear picture of things.
KL: What did you do in your post-doctoral research?
DZQ: During my doctoral programme in microbiology, I developed an interest in oncology. I was selected in Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi as a research scientist, where we worked on breast cancer. During our research, we hoped to identify a cancer-causing gene in the north Indian population. If we locate that gene in any person during genome sequencing, we can inform them about their propensity for cancer. It was during that time that there was a job opening at the Harvard Medical School for breast cancer. Since I had all the qualifications, I was called there. My first post-Doc was at Harvard Medical School.
Post Doc is basically a training that makes you think and analyse critically. It helps broaden our vision. As, I had studied breast cancer at Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, I incorporated brain and lung cancer in the study during my postdoc at Harvard. It was a great opportunity. I started drawing experiments and writing grants independently.
I spent 2.5 years at the Harvard Medical School. Then our lab was shifted to Ohio State University. I worked for 10-12 years as a postdoc there. However, due to a lack of funding, I was unable to get grants. So, I decided to get a master’s degree in Clinical and pre-clinical research from Ohio State University. The programme helped me to get into a new field of managing clinical research and locating the impact of the work in laboratories on common people.
Dr Zahida Qamri
KL: What is the status of cancer research? How long will cancer be a challenge to humanity?
DZQ: In this part of the world, cancer is seen as taboo. People suffering from cancer can’t reveal their condition to others because it is treated as an infectious disease. However, in western countries, a person mandatorily undergoes an annual check-up for cancer. So, if we are able to detect cancer at its early stage, we are able to cure the person. But the lack of pre-screening practice makes a large chunk of our population vulnerable to this deadly disease because the patient only comes to know about it when cancer overtakes his body. It is one of the reasons for the high mortality rates here. There is a need for awareness among the general population and to encourage them to go for annual check-ups. This can help us deal with the disease a little better.
KL: How relevant is the subject of clinical trials here? What are the new subfields of biochemistry that have better demand in the market?
DZQ: Clinical trials are a new and emerging discipline. For better management, Western countries are outsourcing the field. To enter the field, you do not require a specialist degree. Clinical trials are managed in a variety of cities in India, including Bangalore and Hyderabad. I am working with JK Scientists and we have conducted a few programmes on clinical studies and how our youngsters can look towards this area as their career. You may even participate from home. Internet access and electricity are two fundamental requirements in this field.
KL: A number of top professionals are serving major medical institutions across the world. Can there be some kind of outreach centre back home?
DZQ: Yes, of course, that is possible, but it requires infrastructure. The government must take the lead and provide the necessary infrastructure.
KL:Did you see any changes in Kashmir’s education system from the days when you were a student?
DZQ: Our youth are still confused about their education and employment. They do not have a long-term goal. I find it similar to what I witnessed 15-20 years ago. Our youth require suitable guidance on maintaining their attention on the good things.
Kashmir neuroscientist, Dr Zahoor Shah, currently teaching at the University of Toledo, Ohio, is investigating the Gut-Brain axis in understanding various brain disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. His research sees the gut as a major player in various diseases as the key organ is a universe of good and bad bacteria, he reveals in a detailed interview
TheNewsCaravan (KL): Is it true that most of the innovations and discoveries are logical explanations of conventional wisdom that humans already know?
DR ZAHOOR SHAH (DZS): Yes, You said it right. There is a role of human beings behind all the advancements in the world, even if you talk about artificial intelligence. All the inventions and technologies in the present world are because of human effort. Even if we talk about genetics, it was not taken into consideration in the past, but now it has changed science to a whole new level. For example, in the last ten years, there has been a tremendous amount of research on microbiota (bacteria in human intestines), which were not previously distinguished that much. Then, with time, scientists were able to discover their importance.
Overall, science has moved from conventional to new inventions. Scientists were able to discover new signalling pathways and causes of diseases in the body. There is a substantial increase in knowledge about medical science and a lot of enhancement in human health with technological advancements. Technology has helped us a lot. Now, we can isolate a minute gene from a cell and amplify it. We have also learned about the causes of diseases and found a cure that humans suffered through. Earlier, people would die young and nobody could explain why. Now we have progressed, and conditions can be identified earlier, and lives can be saved. It has led to longer life spans and a concept of slowing the ageing process and identifying causes that accelerates ageing and related diseases.
KL:How has your journey been till now and what were the struggles and milestones that you encountered from Srinagar to Ohio?
DZS: I did my schooling up to tenth standard at Shaheen Public School, and then twelfth from MP Higher Secondary School, Srinagar. I graduated with a BSc from SP College and worked part-time as a medical representative, where I became interested in drug discovery and development. That curiosity led me to pursue a Master’s degree in Toxicology at Hamdard University, Delhi. While pursuing my master’s, I got interested in research as I saw PhD scholars performing research in different areas of pharmacology and toxicology.
Fortunately, I got a chance to do my research on Neurobehavioral systems under famous neuro-behaviourist Dr SB Vohra, who is not unfortunately with us now. After finishing my PhD, I got an opportunity to do my first postdoctoral training with Dr David Gozal at the University of Louisville, Kentucky, for two and a half years. I studied sleep apnoea and identified biomarkers in the urine sample of children. The idea was to develop a diagnostic kit in which we could use a child’s urine sample to detect whether the child is suffering from sleep apnoea instead of a child going through excruciating overnight sleep studies. We identified a few biomarkers, and my mentor, David Gozal, patented the concept.
It is essential to mention that my PhD was on finding neuroprotective agents for ischemic brain injury. I was intrigued by the beneficial effects of natural plant products like green tea and Ginkgo biloba on human health. So I wanted to research whether these two natural products can help prevent stroke. Stroke is a leading cause of death and is caused by a clot that stops blood flow to the parts of the brain.
This was a game changer in my career as this concept helped me to receive a grant award when I moved to Johns Hopkins University for my second postdoctoral training. My mentor at Johns Hopkins, Dr Sylvain Dore, suggested writing a grant proposal on a novel natural product that could help in stroke prevention. Since I had already studied Ginkgo Biloba, I proposed the concept and received a highly competitive grant award from the National Institute of Health, Pathway to Independence. We fed Ginkgo biloba to animals and experimentally induced a stroke to examine whether it could show protective effects. After receiving the grant, I moved to the University of Toledo in 2009, where I got an independent position as Assistant Professor. There, I developed new research ideas as my interest grew in understanding the proteins or genes that are beneficial or harmful during a stroke. My team, including PhD students and postdocs, identified a protein crucial in stroke pathology. As the study progressed, we discovered its role in increasing inflammation in the brain in other conditions.
Here at the University of Toledo, I am in the Medicinal Chemistry Department and collaborated with a medicinal chemist. We synthesized a chemical molecule (drug molecule) against the gene we identified playing a crucial role in stroke pathology. We did preliminary studies using cell models of human haemorrhagic stroke and found the drug molecule is preventing neurons from the toxic effects of blood. Haemorrhagic stroke occurs when a brain blood vessel ruptures and causes bleeding. As a result, widespread neuro-inflammation ensues after the initial impact of bleeding. This is considered a debilitating disease, and around 50 per cent of patients remain immobilized for the rest of their lives.
Dr Zahoor Shah (University of Toledo, Ohio)
Since there is no drug available to treat haemorrhagic strokes, our idea was to make a drug molecule for reducing neuroinflammation. First, we developed a concept and sent the proposal to the National Institute of Health for funding. Fortunately, we received approximately US 2 million dollars for the research and development of the drug molecule. This research is ongoing, and we have received a US patent on this invention.
Our continuing efforts led my PhD students to research other conditions like age-related diseases and neuro-degenerative diseases that usually occur after the ’60s, such as Dementia, Parkinson’s disease, or Alzheimer’s disease. Most of these diseases have a single common component which is neuroinflammation. Therefore, we want to stop neuroinflammation so that old people become less prone to neurodegenerative diseases.
Besides, we also saw that neuroinflammation might have origins in other organs of the body. Certain diseases like Obesity, Diabetes, or Rheumatoid Arthritis have inflammation spread throughout the body. These inflammatory compounds do not enter the brain because the Blood Brain Barrier keeps harmful substances from entering the brain. But with age, this barrier also gets groggy and all the harmful inflammatory components cross into the brain resulting in neuroinflammation. This led to another intriguing question on gut microbiota and whether it has any role in neuroinflammation. Our intestines provide a conducive environment for essential bacteria that thrive on the fermentation of non-digestible fibres.
Conversely, people nowadays eat a lot of unhealthy Western food and fast food, which increases bad bacteria and decreases good bacteria in our gut, causing dysbiosis (an imbalance in the gut microbial community). Thus, we studied what effect gut dysbiosis will have on the brain, as it is well connected to the brain. For example, whenever we have to write an examination or make a presentation, we get nervous and anxious, which gives us a sense of butterflies in our stomach and results in a stomach ache or nausea. So, there is a bi-directional connection between our brain and gut. Therefore, we looked into what interchanges occur in the gut with ageing and its impact on our brain health.
For the last 12 years, I have been studying peripheral inflammation and now got interested to learn the microbiota-brain-axis in ageing. We performed experiments on aged mice and induced experimental inflammation to see whether it would change the microbiota. So, it came to be true and we observed an increase in the bad bacteria which caused the inflammation. We also observed markers of other neurodegenerative diseases in the brain. With this, we figured out that people with Diabetes, Rheumatoid arthritis, Obesity, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s may have microbiota dysfunction. Along with this, we also observed female animals having higher Alzheimer’s Disease markers. Females are known to have a higher risk of Dementia related to Alzheimer’s disease than men.
We are currently working on the drug molecule, as I mentioned before and we are at an advanced stage of developing it.
KL: What were the different takeaways from your research and is there anything as such that is available and in practice on the ground level?
DZS: As I enunciated about my PhD research earlier, that was on Ginkgo Biloba. It is known to increase our memory. There have been many clinical trials in that aspect, but they didn’t prove successful. Patients above 70 years were recruited to see whether Ginkgo Biloba supplements would help enhance memory. I was at John Hopkins during this clinical trial, and our proposal of using a natural product for stroke prevention was fascinating and resulted in receiving the grant award. So, it was an outstanding achievement for me, as Gingko Biloba is already available in the market and has no side effects. If taken in minimal amounts has good health benefits. If at least 120 mg is taken daily, it can have good results and has no toxicity. This ground-breaking finding can benefit stroke prevention and help enhance memory in older people.
The other important achievement is the drug we are developing for neuroinflammation. I stated before the drug received the US patent and is ready to proceed in clinical trials and get FDA approval for clinical use.
KL:Subjecting to gut feeling or gut-brain axis, is it relevant to say that the brain has outsourced some of its functions to the gut?
DZS: That is an interesting question and an interesting idea to investigate. Our gut has major roles to play and is also considered a second brain because of its neural connections to the brain. The oesophagus and lining of the intestines to the rectum all have neural circuits that are controlled by the enteric nervous system (ENS), which is responsible for gastrointestinal behaviour. So, there is a bi-directional connection between the brain and the gut. Gut-brain-axis has many essential functions, including hormonal connections, and manage the immune system to some extent
For example, if we talk about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), it has been found that the root cause is gut dysbiosis. Other disorders like Anxiety, Depression, or weight gain have also been seen to occur because of gut bacteria dysbiosis. There have also been experiments on weight gain in which faecal samples of overweight patients were taken and then implanted in mice. It was observed that the mice also gained weight due to bad microbiota. With that observation, it was observed that gut microbiota not only deals with gastrointestinal behaviour but also increases weight. So, it denotes that if we have a healthy gut, it can also control our weight. There are also a lot of clinical trials and research going on faecal implantation from healthy persons to patients with gut dysbiosis and syndromes like inflammatory bowel syndrome or irritable bowel syndrome.
KL: How sooner will we be able to see a shift in our routine toward something that is based on your path-breaking study?
DZS: For now, there has already been awareness, and people are moving towards a healthy lifestyle. The major takeaway is to take healthy foods that are rich in fibre. Usually, when we have fibrous food, it does not get digested in the upper colon but gets assimilated in the lower colon. After the assimilation, the material is left for the good bacteria to maintain equilibrium in the gut.
The drug molecule that I have invented may take time to come out. The least we can do now is change our unhealthy diet to a nutritious one, eat less red meat, and have more fibrous foods like green or leafy vegetables, onions, and garlic. We can also take supplements such as prebiotics and probiotics as well. Adding healthy habits in our daily life can help us keep our gut health, which will eventually positively impact our brain health.
KL:How true is the claim that if viruses and bacterial species will be eliminated from human existence, human survival won’t be the same?
DZS: That is true to reality. We have millions of bacteria and viruses in our bodies, which have a beneficial role to play. While alive or dead, bacteria are a very valuable assistance to our body. The good bacteria should not be eliminated and the bad ones must also be kept in check.
After death, the bacteria help decompose the corpse, and while living, it gives aid to our (GI Tract) gastrointestinal system. They release good products like short-chain fatty acids that help in weight loss and gut-related issues. It depends on us to manage the healthy bacteria in our bodies. They are a very important component of our lives.
Since 1997 when the first cloned mammal was born in Europe, there have been many abortive bids to use the technology in India. It was only in 2009, when Kashmir scientist, Dr Riyaz A Shah’s specially designed technique led to two cloned buffaloes in NDRI Karnal. Back home, after his PhD, he gave Kashmir the first cloned Pashmina goat, Noori, who is already a granny. In a detailed interview with Masood Hussain, Dr Riyaz explains his challenges and successes and his current research focus at SKUAST-K
TheNewsCaravan (KL): What is cloning and what are its applications?
DR RIYAZ AHMAD SHAH (DRAS): In normal conditions, animal breeding takes place by sexual reproduction, in which males and females physically get together to reproduce. However, cloning is an assisted reproductive technology, where the cells of either a male or female animal are taken and developed in laboratory conditions until an embryo is formed. It is then implanted in a surrogate mother. The offspring is born after it completes its gestation period. The process is efficient as it allows farmers to increase the number of their herds by providing more copies of the best-quality breed in the herd. In 1997, the world witnessed its first cloned mammal in the form of a sheep called Dolly, a female Finnish Dorset sheep cloned from an adult somatic cell
KL: Before we talk about your contributions to cloning, kindly tell us about your learning curve and the entire journey from your schools to SKUAST-K.
DRAS: I was born and raised in Batmaloo Srinagar. I did my early schooling at a local school and then joined Tyndale Biscoe for further studies. I aspired to be a doctor but couldn’t crack the entrance test; so, I ended up in veterinary science. I graduated from the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST). Owing to a good number of vacancies in the field, I got a job immediately after completing my degree. However, the thirst for learning more and being mentored by professors who had completed their studies from other states inspired me to go for further studies outside Kashmir. I cracked the prestigious national veterinary entrance test and was post-graduated from Indian Veterinary Research Institute Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh.
I came back to Kashmir and worked in the Department of Animal Husbandry for some years. In 1998, I joined SKUAST as an Assistant Professor. Initially, I was posted at Cattle Farm in Manasbal, Ganderbal. It proved to be a good learning experience. In 2005, I got admission as an in-service PhD candidate at National Dairy Research Institute. There, I came across a group who were working on cloning at that time. Interested, I joined them. The group had been working on a project of cloning buffalo. The group was struggling to form a cloned embryo since 1997 but could not succeed. I took the challenge and my PhD guide Dr S K Singla encouraged me for it. It took me nearly two years to standardize various techniques related to cloning but I succeeded.
KL: What were the major takeaways of your PhD programme?
DRAS: The topic of my research was the production of handmade cloned embryos in buffalos. The embryo formed in the laboratory was transferred to a surrogate mother. It was sheer luck that I got the best quality cloned embryos. After completing the gestation period, a healthy buffalo was born on February 6, 2009, at National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal. It was named Samrupa, the world’s first cloned buffalo calf. It made headlines throughout the world. I did not anticipate such a positive outcome. The calf, however, succumbed to lung infection a few days after it was born.
It was followed by another healthy and normal cloned calf named Garima, born on June 6, 2009.
KL: How many scientists were successful in the process of cloning development before you?
DRAS: My guide, Dr SK Singla, already had his PhD in clone generation under his credit but he remained unsuccessful in the formation of a live and healthy cloned progeny. During the course of my research, two other students were working on the same topic. However, they failed to get any positive results. Samrupa was the first live birth of a cloned buffalo at the institute and proved to be a milestone. Since then the institute has produced 20-25 cloned buffalos. The process involved in Samrupa and Garima acted as a road map for the researchers, who are now merging it with the science of gene editing to incorporate the selective qualities in the cloned organisms.
KL: When you were back home, you cloned Noori, the first Pashmina goat in March 2012?
DRAS: After I finished my PhD and returned to SKUAST, we started working on the Pashmina goat clone. We had to first set up facilities here at the SKUAST campus in Shuhama because we lacked the infrastructure. With project funding of Rs 2.50 crore from the Indian Council for Research (ICR), we were able to acquire basic equipment for our research.
Our objective was to develop a cloned embryo, implant it into a female and get a viable cloned organism. Noori was one of the clones. While earlier researchers had tried to develop clones of various species but Pashmina goat was never experimented on. So, we had to start from scratch. We isolated and cultured the cells of the Pashmina goat. We conducted a study on the different species that can provide oocytes. We had to employ the Pashmina goat’s somatic cells and an egg from a different species.
Since people do not prefer goat meat in Kashmir, we had to get access to the ovaries of goats from a slaughterhouse in Delhi. This made the process a bit hectic and it took us two years to standardize the techniques. However, we got successful in the development of cloned embryos, which were then implanted into a surrogate mother. After 20-25 unsuccessful trials, Noori was our first live cloned Pashmina goat. Noori is currently living a normal and healthy life. It has given birth to 5-6 offspring via the natural reproductive process. Noori has also been a source of Pashmina wool like other naturally produced Pashmina goats.
Dr Riyaz A Shah (SKUAST-K)
KL: What are the differences between naturally reproduced organisms and cloned ones?
DRAS: A clone is genetically as good as a naturally bred organism. Cloning allows choosing the characters and traits we want in an organism, thus allowing farmers to increase the overall quality of their breed. Cloning also enables the production of the desired gender of a species. Farmers for example prefer a cow over a bull, cloning helps them have as many cows as they desire.
KL: How different is Noori from her mother and her own offspring?
DRAS: Noori’s mother was a naturally bred Pashmina goat. Its embryo was implanted in a surrogate mother, who also happened to have naturally reproduced. After Noori’s birth, we studied its physiology and other parameters and found it and its progeny as good as any other Pashmina goat. We concluded that it can be used for the same purposes as we do use a normal goat. Also, there is no restriction on it or its progeny being used as food.
KL: What has been your research focus since you completed the landmark Noori’s project?
DRAS: After Noori’s success, we approached various institutes for funding our projects. We got successful and secured a project, where we introduced gene editing in cloning. We tried to incorporate CRISPR-Cas9, a naturally occurring genome editing system in our research. We identified the gene responsible for Pashmina production in Noori and now we are trying to edit the gene so that the cloned progeny will be a source of good quality and improved quantity of Pashmina. We are nearly successful in creating gene-edited and cloned embryos. We are hopeful that we will soon be able to witness its progeny as well.
Simultaneously we are working on gene editing in sheep, where our focus is to increase meat production. This is a collaborative project with ICR, while scientists outside with the same objective are working on buffaloes; we are at the same time working on sheep.
KL: What ethical issues do genetically modified organisms (GMOs) face?
DRAS: One of the main ethical issues that GMOs face is their uncontrolled use. Many countries have allowed using GMOs as food. But yes scientists first have to make sure that gene editing does not lead to any abnormality in the organism.
A teacher, researcher and innovator, Dr Jameel A Khan’s expertise in developing drought-tolerant varieties has helped address climate change challenges. Currently serving as Programme Manager at C-CAMP, one of the respected addresses for cutting-edge research and innovation, the young scientist reveals his learning curve and the contributions he made to the agricultural science
TheNewsCaravan (KL):What are the new goals in agricultural sciences for increasing production?
DR JAMEEL A KHAN (JAK): During the green revolution of the 1960s, there was a growing demand for increased food production due to a rapidly growing population. MS Swaminathan employed genetics knowledge to meet this demand and address the issue of food scarcity. One of the strategies employed was to cultivate short-stature crop varieties instead of tall ones, as the tall ones had a tendency to fall over, causing crop loss. This strategy successfully addressed the issue of lodging and increased food production. As the population continues to grow, biotechnology will become a key area of intervention in agriculture, aimed at meeting the demands of the next green revolution.
KL:So what is the status right now?
JAK: While current agricultural yields are stable, there are still major challenges such as droughts, pests and diseases, and post-harvest losses. Improving storage technologies and addressing these issues will help meet the food needs of both current and future populations. Approximately 40-50 per cent of food production is lost due to factors such as drought, heat, salinity, and floods. To address these issues, biotechnology has a significant role to play in finding solutions for these challenges and reducing post-harvest losses.
KL:Before we go into your accomplishments and research can you offer us details about your learning curves and challenges faced during your career journey?
JAK: I started my educational journey at New Convent, Gogji Bagh, Srinagar where my teachers instilled in me the importance of thinking big and pursuing my dreams. After completing the 10th standard, I decided to study BSc in Agriculture at SKUAST, Jammu. I then went on to secure a seat for a Master’s in Plant Biotechnology at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore by qualifying for the national level exam JNU-DBT. Initially, I had intended to follow in my brother’s (Er. Muneer Khan) footsteps and pursue a career in engineering, as he had studied at SSM. However, I decided to forge my own path when I went to a counselling session and ended up being selected for BSc Agriculture, my parents were astonished but happy.
Eventually, I did a PhD in the same field. I was the sole individual from Kashmir to secure a PhD in UAS-Bangalore at that time.
I was determined to do something innovative in my research and this led to the start of my journey in innovation. Throughout my academic journey, I faced challenges but my determination and hard work helped me secure my place in the field of Plant Biotechnology.
KL:What were the key takeaways from your PhD?
JAK: Research can be as brief as a one-page publication, as evidenced by Watson and Crick’s research on the structure and model of DNA, which won a Noble Prize. This just goes to show that the length of scientific research can range from being short to extensive, like discussions on black holes. The human genome, which can be measured in megabytes and terabytes, contains vast amounts of information that we are now able to comprehend. Similarly, research on genes related to human traits such as appearance (eye colour and height) and behaviour (intelligence, addiction, and even depression) etc., are influenced by gene expression. Researchers are understanding which genes are responsible for these traits. For example, if I wanted to select intelligence, I would look for someone with genes that express high intelligence.
In the realm of plant research, we divide the phenotype into visual and performance aspects, as we observe how plants perform under biotic and abiotic stress, such as water scarcity in agriculture, particularly in rice cultivation. It takes about 2500 litres of water to produce one kilogram of rice, from growth to consumption. By reducing water consumption in rice cultivation by just 10-20 per cent, we could make a significant impact on humanity. Rice can now be grown without stagnant water in a field, thanks to the research I have been a part of.
During my PhD, I worked on exploring the phenotypic and genotypic factors affecting plant growth and productivity, specifically focusing on rice cultivation. I developed a technology for root phenotyping and utilized German technology at the ICAR-National Institute of Abiotic Stress Management. This was a major milestone as it was the first platform of its kind developed in India and I made it available to other scientists by not patenting it. My aim was to make advanced technology accessible to farmers at an affordable cost.
My research also involved studying the genes that express high levels of root growth and analysing the correlation between gene expression and phenotype. By combining both phenotypic and genotypic information, I was able to gain a better understanding of the factors affecting plant growth and productivity.
I also looked at the impact of abiotic stress, such as water scarcity, on agriculture and specifically rice cultivation. I found that a significant amount of water is required for rice growth and that reducing water consumption by just 20-25 per cent can lead to a big step towards sustainable agriculture. Our laboratory developed a rice variety called aerobic rice that utilizes deep roots to absorb water from deep soil, thereby saving 20-25 per cent of water compared to traditional rice varieties.
Overall, my PhD research aimed to improve our understanding of the factors affecting plant growth and productivity and to develop practical solutions to reduce water usage in agriculture.
KL:Is this rice variety being grown anywhere?
JAK: At present, the government of Katakana has already approved the growing of this rice cultivation. Our technology is ready for any future water scarcity and is proven to be effective. We have taken a thorough approach to this technology, even down to the genetic level, to ensure that farmers can access the aerobic rice variety ARB6 (BI 33) whenever they may need it in the future.
KL:Does aerobic rice BI 33 require specific ecology for growing?
JAK: ICAR has a policy of multi-location trials, which must be completed before any new variety of rice can be approved. Recently, Tamil Nadu scientists conducted research on drought-resistant varieties, with BI 33 outperforming all other varieties in the trials. This variety has now been approved, after having passed all tests.
KL:How does it work on a yield?
JAK: Despite a 5% drop in yield, the comparison between aerobic rice and rice grown in water is not applicable here. We are instead comparing how rice will be grown using technology in the future when water scarcity becomes more severe.
KL:Will this technology ever suit growing rice in Kashmir?
JAK: Kashmiri people rely heavily on rice as their main source of food, and the agricultural sector is always looking ahead to anticipate potential needs and address potential issues. In the case of a water scarcity crisis in Kashmir, science and technology are prepared to mitigate any potential losses in yield. Scientists are always looking forward, anticipating the needs of the future, and this is what drives the research and development of new technologies–even if it may seem out of reach at the present moment. For instance, Elon Musk’s ambitious plans to take humans to Mars or the Moon demonstrate the potential for future technology to make the seemingly impossible a reality. In this way, my own work falls in line with this outlook, searching for solutions that may open up new possibilities.
Dr Jameel A Khan (Agriculture)
KL:With immense success in your field of research, why you changed your career path?
JAK: I have always been passionate about technology and its potential to innovate and create a bigger, brighter future. With a background in agriculture, I wanted to be part of the Agrotechnology revolution that is currently taking place in India. My experience has enabled me to understand how technology can be used in the most effective ways, and I am eager to use my knowledge to contribute to the industry.
Also, the recent initiatives in Agritech and the focus on agriculture accelerators in the budget proposed by the Government of India indicate that research must be effectively adapted and implemented for real-world applications. This emphasis on agriculture accelerators in the budget is a clear sign that the government is actively pursuing work that can have tangible impacts on the agricultural sector, which could have a significant ripple effect throughout the country. We at C-CAMP have been forefront runners in such research and innovations.
KL:What are the present projects you are working on?
JAK: At the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) in Bangalore, we are part of the Bangalore Life Science Cluster (BLiSC) and have three major institutions and top bio incubators. C-CAMP has been awarded the best incubator of India across all sectors, owing to our expertise in life sciences, be it biotechnology, agro technology, health technology, or any other industrial biotechnology. We also received an award during National Startup Day as the best Ecosystem Enabler in India. We feel proud to contribute to bioeconomy in India. We provide the handholding for the latest technologies that a startup or an individual innovator is working on.
I handle multiple programs, the basic objective is to assess the proposal, considering its scientific acumen, financial theme, and future innovation in technology. We provide a grant of Rs 50 lakhs for eighteen months to help develop a product and mentor the startup with proper guidance for early-stage innovators.
I work on a programme where we train innovators to find a relevant problem and make a venture out of it. In this programme along with a monthly fellowship of Rs 50,000, a kick-start grant is given. Young innovators in Kashmir should consider applying for this programme.
At C-CAMP, I also work with the Centre of Excellence in Agriculture with the objective to identify gaps in agriculture. We were successful in handholding startups that are making a national impact, for example, Krishitantra.
KL:What are the innovations taking place in agriculture? Is there any contribution from Jammu and Kashmir in Agrotechnology?
JAK: Agriculture is undergoing a transformation due to the introduction of innovative technologies. Indoor vertical farming is one of the most popular advancements, as it increases crop yields and reduces the negative impact on the environment. Farm automation technology is also becoming increasingly popular, as it automates the crop or livestock production cycle. In addition, livestock technology is being used to monitor health and increase productivity through wearable sensors. Other innovations that are expected to hit the market include agricultural robotics, artificial intelligence in agriculture, and the use of drones. All of these technologies are helping to make agricultural processes more efficient and effective.
The Vice Chancellor of SKAUST-K has been a great mentor to me and has taken a number of new and innovative initiatives at the university. In Kashmir, it can be difficult to get acceptance for new ideas and advancements, but many universities like SKUAST have taken steps to bring about change. I also met the VC of Kashmir University and the DIQA Director, I could see the enthusiasm to work on innovations.
There are many innovators who have applied for these projects, and I have taken on the role of mentor, as I feel that it gives me a chance to give back to the community. We also have the JK Scientist programme, which helps students to get accepted for doctorates and PhDs.
I take this platform for productive collaboration with C-CAMP for making impactful innovations in life sciences.
SRINAGAR: Kashmir neuroscientist, Dr Mubarak Hussain Syed, is among the 125 scientists from USA and Canada who were declared prestigious Sloan Research Fellows for 2023. Every one of them receives US $75000 to pursue their research within two years.
Dr Mubarak Hussain Syed is an assistant professor of Biology at The University of New Mexico and runs his own laboratory that has already helped solve certain mysteries of mind works in fruit flies.
The Alfred P Sloan Foundation announced 126 early-career scholars recently. These 126 scientists “represent the most promising scientific researchers working today” and their “achievements and potential place them among the next generation of scientific leaders in the US and Canada,” the Foundation statement reads.
The Fellowships are aimed at seeking to stimulate fundamental research by early-career scientists and scholars of outstanding promise. These are given in “recognition of distinguished performance and a unique potential to make substantial contributions to their field”.
“The fellowships are presented to researchers whose creativity, innovation, and research accomplishments make them stand out,” a statement issued by the University said, insisting the fellowship is “one of the most competitive and prestigious awards available to early-career researchers”. It added: “They are also often seen as a marker of the quality of an institution’s science faculty and proof of an institution’s success in attracting the most promising junior researchers to its ranks.”
“I am humbled and honoured; it feels good to see your peers recognize your work and trust your capabilities, which also adds many responsibilities.,” Syed told TheNewsCaravan. “Early in my independent scientific career, this recognition will tremendously help our research programme and mentoring activities. I am grateful to my dedicated and hardworking team at the University of New Mexico, especially my first two graduate students, who also happen to be from Kashmir. Thanks to my family, friends, and mentors who have supported me and mentored me to be a better person. Special thanks to the dedicated and hardworking team at JKScientists, who are doing transformative work to train and mentor the next-generation Kashmiri students.”
Asked where the new resources will be utilised, Dr Syed said the funds will be used to investigate fruit fly brain development. “Our research focuses on how neural stem cells generate central complex neurons,” he said. “The central complex is a conserved brain region among insects involved in many complex behaviours, including navigation and sleep. We will also use these funds to get pizzas for the students and trainees we mentor in Neural Diversity Lab.”
In the Neural Diversity Lab of the University of New Mexico, Dr Mubarak Hussain Syed (extreme right) with his scholars. KL Image: Special Arrangement
“This award will help our team decipher the mysteries of fruit fly brain development, which will advance our understanding on unravelling fundamental principles underlying brain development and function across species,” Arash Mafi, University interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, was quoted as having said. “Our research will shed light on the development of the central complex, the brain region used for the celestial navigation of ants, flies, bees, and butterflies.”
Syed heads the University’s Neural Diversity Lab investigates the genetic and molecular mechanisms regulating neural diversity – from stem cells to neural circuits. “The findings will help uncover the fundamental principles of nervous system development and potentially to understand and treat neuro-developmental disorders such as epilepsy, schizophrenia, ADHD, and autism,” the university said. Right now, the laboratory is investigating how neural stem cells specify neuron types essential for olfactory navigation and sleep behaviours.
Fruit flies, it may be recalled here, offer an excellent model system to understand the genetic basis of nervous system development and function. Syed has been working with fruit flies for over a decade and is known as the “Fly Guy.”
Already, the laboratory has identified a novel role of insect growth hormone in regulating neural stem cell temporal gene expression. Now they are testing if this hormonal signalling regulates the formation of diverse neuron types in the fruit fly brain.
While Syed has emerged as perhaps the first Kashmir scientist to get the prestigious fellowship, this is not the first competitive award he has got. In 2021, he was awarded the National Science Foundation CAREER award.
Dr Syed is also the founder of JK Scientists, a registered organisation that helps young scholars to navigate their career paths. Asked what his advice to aspiring scientists would be, he said: “Follow your passion; life is full of failures, but people only highlight success stories. I have failed most of the time and fail every day; persistence and consistency is the key. Value quality over quantity, and there are no shortcuts to achieving quality. I hope that in our region, talent gets recognition and the system starts nurturing early career scientists/scholars someday. Unfortunately, the current hiring system is losing quality researchers and future leaders. Stay motivated and hopeful, be kind and generous, and seek mentorship at your educational institution, JKScientists, or both. Inshallah, many among you will do better than me.”
Investigations into the twin attacks in Rajouri’s Upper Dangri village in which seven persons were killed have been taken over by the federal investigator, NIA. A day after Home Minister Amit Shah visited the region. Owing to bad weather, however, he could not fly to the distant mountainous area and spoke to the families of the victims on phone. Shah presided over a high-level security review meeting in which various decisions were taken. He announced having a 360-degree security net to wipe out militancy from the Jammu region and strengthen Security Grid within three months. The 360-degree security circle, he said will completely eliminate the support and information system of terrorists.
In two years, Kashmir lost 35 persons (18 in 2021 and 17 in 2022) to electrocution. These included 19 temporary KPDCL employees.
DODA
Two daughters and a son of an erstwhile mechanic at Baglihar power project created history by cracking the coveted JKAS examination together. What is interesting is that they lacked access to personal phones and never went to coaching. They basically belong to a Doda village and have shifted to Jammu. The siblings include sisters – Ifra Anjum, Huma Anjum and their younger brother Suhail Ahmad Wani. It was the first attempt for Ifra and Suhail, but elder sister Huma qualified it in her second attempt. They said they studied together and learned a lot from the mistake that their elder sister committed in her first attempt.
The JKAS results declared by JK Public Service Commission in record time filled 187 positions in the Jammu and Kashmir administration – 56 JKAS, 71 JKPS and 60 will go to the Jammu and Kashmir Accounts Service. Of the 187 candidates, 90 candidates were selected in Open Merit. Rest are from reserved categories – 22 candidates belong to Scheduled Caste (SC) – six of them have secured their seats in Open Merit as well – 19 candidates belong to Scheduled Tribe (ST), 24 candidates belong to Residents of Backward Area (RBA) – eight of them also fall in Open Merit, 18 candidates belonged to Economically Weaker Section (EWS), three candidates belong to Physically Handicapped Category (PHC), eight candidates belong to Pahari Speaking People (PSP) – two of them secured their seats among Open Merit also, eleven candidates belong to Actual Line of Control/ International Border (ALC/IB) and four of them secured their seat among Open Merit, six candidates belong to Social Caste (SLC) and one of them secured the seat among Open Merit. As many as 31 candidates from Kashmir were declared successful.
Nearly 24 per cent of the population in Jammu and Kashmir own a car
WEST BENGAL
A probe is underway to investigate why a West Bengal textbook used the word “Azad Kashmir” in an exercise book meant for the tenth-class examination. The book belonged to Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Vidyamadir, a government-aided school in Malda district. It asked the students to identify several places on the map including Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. It read: On the map of India locate the following places, with the options being “Azad Kashmir”, Moplah (Malabar) rebellion area, the place where Gandhiji had first undertaken the Satyagraha movement and Chittagong battleground. It became an issue after some BJP leaders put the photograph on social media. In reaction, Jr Education Minister in Delhi, Subhas Sarkar alleged that the question setter was inspiring terrorism. “The paper setter is anti-national. He is inspiring terrorism. This is shameful,” Sarkar said. “The West Bengal Education Minister should write to him and this test paper cell should be shut immediately.”
In four years, Jammu and Kashmir reported 51577 cancer cases. There were 6824 deaths in 2018, 7003 in 2019, 7189 cancer deaths in 2020, 7211 in 2021 and 7396 in 2022.
DELHI
Hindal Haider Taybji
One of the petitioners against Article 370 abrogation, Hindal Haidar Tyabji, former Jammu and Kashmir former Chief Secretary, died in Delhi. He was 82. Scion of the rich Taybji family – he was the son of Badruddin Taybji, HH Taybji was married in Srinagar, when he was a young officer, but the union ended up in divorce soon. It was much later that he married Nalini Misra and adopted her family. He served Jammu and Kashmir for 37 years and was the only officer who worked as ACS after being removed as Chief Secretary. His death was widely condoled in Kashmir, especially by people who worked with him. He is being seen as a “friend of Kashmir” who was hugely rich but lived a modest life and would spend most of his earnings on charity. The cigar-smoking bureaucrat was faith-neutral but very well-read, dignified and a positive human being. He was briefly the law secretary of the Government of India as well. He was created in Delhi.
J&K Waqf Board says of around 31000 properties in Jammu and Kashmir, they only control only 10 per cent directly.
ANANTNAG
With most of the services that the Jammu and Kashmir government is offering are online. Almost 400 services have gone completely online. Now cell phone is the key player in governance. However, in the quantum jump, a lot of people are caught in the digital divide. One faction of people is the women from weaker sections who had applied offline for marriage assistance. They married and claim they had raised debts in the hope the assistance will come and they will payback. Now they are caught in the mess. Officials, they claim tell them the off-line mode is over. They have been protesting over the crisis they are in. How will the online system manage the off-line backlog, it is something that needs to be watched in ‘smart-governed’ Jammu and Kashmir.
In order to make butchers sell mutton at Rs 535 a kg fixed in 2021, authorities have sealed more than 117 mutton shops.
JAMMU
Administratively, Jammu and Kashmir might be separate from Ladakh but technically it is not. The leaders from the twin districts of Kargil and Leh – now a division and a UT, have been seeking rights and have protested many times in the desert region since 2019. Not seeing it effective, they moved to Jammu where they led a huge slogan-shouting march. Chering Dorjay Lakrook and KDA co-chairman Asgar Ali Karbalaie led a march in Jammu for full-fledged Statehood for Ladakh, constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India, recruitment and job reservation for the youth of the region and two separate Parliamentary constituencies for Leh and Kargil. They are now moving to Delhi with their demands to Jantar Mantar. Ladakh leaders have stayed away from the high-powered committee constituted recently by the MHA.
Almost 97 per cent of the Jammu Kashmir population has Golden Card that guarantees cashless health cover.
SAHARANPUR
Mufti Abdul Gani Azhari
Kashmir’s veteran Islamic scholar Mufti Abdul Gani Azhari died at Saharanpur where he was teaching at a respected seminary. He was 100 plus years and was not keeping a good health for a long time. Azhari was head of the Arabic department at the University of Kashmir. Popularly known as Gani Azhari, the respected Gujjar scholar was an authority on Naqishbandiya Silsila and a veteran Arabic scholar. He was a polymath sufi, who was born in Poonch in 1922 and finally migrated to Sagam in Kokernag. He studied at Darul Uloom Deoband and Mazahir al Uloom Saharanpur. He did his PhD from Jamia al-Azhari. He retired as head of the Arabic department of the University of Kashmir in 1997.
LAKHANPUR
Leaders at a stage in Lakhanpur after Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra enters JK
A day ahead of Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra’s entry into Jammu and Kashmir, Congress’s spokesperson in Jammu enforced some morality by resigning against the party’s invitation to Choudhary Lal Singh. Deepika Pushkar Nath said she was “left with no option but to resign” from the Congress over the decision taken by the party’s state unit to “allow” Singh to join the Yatra. She said the Yatra was “ideologically opposite” to the actions of Singh as he “divided the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir to protect the rapists.” A two-time MP and three-time MLA who has been with Congress and BJP before floating his own party – Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan Party (DSSP), Singh had extended his support to the Yatra. He had played a key role in supporting the accused in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua in 2018. Nath had stood up for the victim and her family in the Kathua rape case, and had taken the parents of the victim to the High Court at Jammu for monitoring of the investigation. She had also guided them to approach the Supreme Court for seeking a transfer of the trial to Pathankot in Punjab. After Nath took the stand, Omar also questioned Singh’s decision to be part of Yatra. Eventually, Congress said it would stand by the victim’s family. Though Singh was part of the welcome function, he was not invited to share the stage. “Let me tell you, Kashmir-based parties will never allow Jammu to develop, prosper or form its own identity,” a sulking Singh told reporters.
Rahul Gandhi said he is revisiting his routes, His yatra will conclude on January 31 with a grand function in Srinagar.
SHALIMAR
A man shows new Rs 2000 currency after exchanging old Rs 500 and 1000 denominations at Srinagar on Thursday 11 November 2016. KL Image Bilal Bahadur
Under the Ministry of Science and Technology Promotion of University Research and Scientific Excellence (DST-PURSE) scheme, two universities in Kashmir – SKUAST-K, and Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) got substantial funding of Rs 10 crore each. The universities have to formally apply and justify the grant on basis of the scientific work they had done and the publications they have made. These funds go into the creation of adequate infrastructure for high-end scientific research. The grant comes on basis of high-impact scientific publications. In 2021, the University of Kashmir also got a Rs 10 crore DST-PURSE grant. Jammu University got a Rs 16.75 crore grant in 2016. The grant is once in a five or 10-year affair.
