The time has come for the people of Kerala to unite and channel their efforts towards rebuilding their lives and help the state return to normalcy.

Since it will take Kerala at least a few months to get back on its feet, here are some innovations that can help the people, in the meantime.

1. Potable water

Water is a basic necessity, and unfortunately, many will find themselves searching for a reliable source of drinking water in the current scenario.

But what if you had a simple technique to purify water, and that too using solar energy!

For this, you will need two plastic bottles of the same dimensions, a PVC pipe to fit through their caps and glue.

Stick the caps of the bottles from the top (allow the bottles to be screwed to the caps, so they stand on top of each other). Drill (or punch) a hole through the caps, so the PVC pipe fits in it perfectly. Fix the pipe in a way that it goes in through one cap but doesn’t fully come out through the other.

Pour contaminated water in one bottle, screw it with the cap that doesn’t have the pipe and screw the other bottle on the other cap. The PVC pipe will be inside the empty bottle.

Keep this ‘life straw’ under sunlight and allow the sun to do its job for a few hours. Only pure water will evaporate and settle in the empty bottle, giving you clean water to drink.

2. A water pump that doesn’t require electricity

Since the floodwaters might have damaged your electric water pump or its motor, transporting water from tanks to homes might be a pertaining problem. However, Vijaya Kuruppu’s invention might just be a saviour.

This water pump that doesn’t require electricity can be made at home and is already in use for collecting water, in addition to being used in fields. It uses fuel from a motorbike or kinetic energy from a bicycle in place of electricity. Here’s how you can make one:

1. Take the rotor, or impeller—the fan-like device that moves the water in motion—and put it in a metal frame.

2. Take out the coil inside the impeller, placing it vertically in the frame with the impeller.

3. Connect a pipe and a foot valve to the frame and place this device near the water well or tank.

4. Fill water in the foot valve. Connect a water hose to it.

5. Place your bicycle or bike in such a way that its rear wheel touches the rotor and sets it in motion.

6. Keep your cycle/bike on the main stand, gear up and start peddling/accelerating so the rotor is set in motion and water begins to pump.

3. DIY Torch

At times when there is no electricity, you will need a torch to find your way through your house. In fact, it is highly recommended that for the first couple of weeks, you scrutinise every nook, cupboard and shelf carefully, as insects and snakes might have taken refuge there and you do not want to risk a sting or a deadly bite.

Here is a TBI article about how you can make a low-cost torch at home.

In case you need a candle-like light for a short time, simple crayons can come in handy! Here’s how.

4. Phone charger

Mobile phones often save the day when it comes to critical situations, and the Kerala floods were no exception. If you find that your battery is low and electricity is still a no-show, you can make your own phone charger!

Functional and easy to make, these DIY chargers had helped flood victims in Chennai in 2015. Read how you can make one here.

5. Bedding

It is highly recommended that you throw away any bedding that was affected by the floodwaters. But then, how will you sleep at night?

Well, here’s a trick I learned at trekking camps!

Take a large bedsheet and fold it in half. If you have access to a needle and thread, you can sew two sides of the sheet. If not, staplers or glue will also work. Stuff the bedsheet with clean clothes and blankets that you won’t be needing.

You can shut the fourth side of the bedding temporarily by folding it with a thin margin and securing both ends with knots. This way, you still have access to clothes.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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Anyone can learn from a book. But a #TerrificTeacher can make the difference between passing an exam and learning a life lesson. The Better India salutes those for whom teaching is not a job but a higher calling.

Teaching is among those thankless professions across the world, where the contribution made by a person towards moulding lives of generations of students can never really be measured or quantified.

From holding our tiny hands through kindergarten to lending guidance for many of the landmark decisions we have made, all of us know at least one teacher who has played a defining role in our lives.

With Teacher’s day coming up, we take this opportunity to not just thank and appreciate all the teachers across the world but also celebrate their unwavering commitment towards the profession. Our focus is on those teachers who are setting a rare example with not just inventive teaching methods but also their contribution to the society.

Gopakumar VK from Ennakkad in Alappuzha district of Kerala is one such remarkable individual, who besides being a high-school Physics teacher, dons many other roles.

He teaches karate, guides young NCC cadets, is a beekeeper, plucks coconuts and even runs a ration shop!

The 46-year-old, who is lovingly known as Gopan sir by students and staff alike, is a known face in Mannar and has been teaching physics for the last 19 years at the Nair Samajam Higher Secondary School in the town.

Gopan’s foray into academia stems from his love of physics and mathematics that took form when he was a young boy studying at the Sree Karthiyayani Vilasam High School in Kuttemperoor.

While imparting lessons about inertia and momentum during the school hours, the man effortlessly moves on to a different role when the classes end—that of a Lieutenant of the Senior Division NCC wing at his school.

Interestingly, Gopan took up this post when he found that no one else had volunteered for the same.

“It is a huge responsibility and involves lots of planning and dedication. I underwent compulsory training for three months before taking charge. When I don the NCC uniform, the teacher in me vanishes. It is a great feeling to train students in early lessons of military discipline. NCC transforms youngsters and inculcates a sense of nation-building,” a proud Gopan told OnManorama, a local Malayalam daily.

And it doesn’t end there. Gopan is also a ‘karateka,’ has been a regular practitioner of the martial art for the past two decades and holds a 3rd Dan black belt.

A teacher to approximately 200 students, Gopan believes that karate can help tone down aggression and increases alertness; he credits it with keeping him calm during testing times.

Gopan has also been practising yoga for the past 22 years, a habit he picked up during his B.Ed. days at the Ramakrishna Institute of Moral and Spiritual Education in Mysuru. “I feel every teacher should be a yoga expert. It increases the flexibility of body and mind. A fit teacher can inspire his students better,” he added.

While his primary role in life is that of a teacher, Gopan is a man, or you can say a teacher of all trades! Not only does he know how to climb coconut trees and pluck the coconuts, but he also does so quite efficiently!

After the man who used to do the work did not show up one day, Gopan decided to learn the skill and master it himself. Following an intensive seven-day workshop at the Coconut Development Board, there wasn’t anything left for Gopan to know about the species as well as its upkeep and is now a state-certified coconut plucker!

You may also like: Peon to Principal: Pune Man’s Story Is Just the Inspiration You Need for Teacher’s Day

Gopan also has another vocation, which he tends to after school hours—that of a ration shop owner.

“I was forced to look after the ration shop—my father’s business—after his demise. We sell rice, wheat flour and kerosene. I come to the shop after school hours and become a shopkeeper from 5:30– 8.30 p.m. I help my 72-year-old mother, who generally sits at the cash counter, with packing and weighing the items. We are just keeping our father’s dream alive,” Gopan said.

A teacher who thinks of himself as a perpetual student learning from life, Gopan also nurses a rare inclination towards nature and takes care of native cattle breeds apart from maintaining a thriving apiary which currently has 11 beehives. He shares a special bond with these animals; none of them are tied up, and they are free to graze about the area. He makes sure to spend some time with them every day before retiring for the night.

One would wonder about how Gopan finds time for his family of three comprising his wife Preethy, a high school teacher herself and their sons, Sooryanarayan and Karthikeyan, who study in class 11 and 7 respectively.

His multiple roles do take away a lot of time that Gopan could have spent with his family, but the man has no regrets. The sons are already taking after their father and have both already clinched their brown belts in karate.

What is next for the versatile man who is unstoppable and faces every obstacle that life throws at him with élan?

Well, after retirement, Gopan hopes to pursue farming and that too, through practices that are sustainable and environmentally friendly—so organic farming, it is!

It is individuals like Gopan sir who are setting an excellent example for not just his students but also the society as a whole. We salute the indomitable spirit of the man, who happily juggles between several different roles every single day, and is still raring to go.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Featured Image (left) Source: OnManorama.

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Relief work in Kerala during the floods was a collective effort undertaken by fishermen, good samaritans, the Indian armed forces, the NDRF as well as several IPS and IAS officers. Each one of them had a different role to play, but if a single cog were to dysfunction, the entire mechanism could have been in greater trouble.

And so we brought you the stories of every hero that we could find—from a young girl who donated her savings, to a soldier who was officially on leave but spent his ‘vacation’ rescuing hundreds in Chengannur.

Among the hundreds of heroes and thousands of equally important, but mostly unrecognised volunteers, was Kannan Gopinathan, the collector of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, who was facilitating work in relief camps—but without revealing his identity.

Gopinathan hails from Kottayam, and when he heard the news about Kerala floods, he knew exactly what to do.

The very first thing he did was to donate Rs 1 crore to the Kerala Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund, on behalf of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

Then, he took a leave from his office and rushed to Kerala to undertake some groundwork. The first area he reached was Pathanamthitta. He volunteered to work and the camp coordinator, very frankly just said, “Please keep your bag aside and start work at the earliest.”

No pomp, no show and no glory. The IAS officer was merely a volunteer who wished to work for the people of Kerala. And so he did.

Like every other volunteer there, he worked tirelessly from dawn to dusk.

From Pathanamthitta, Gopinathan headed to Alappuzha, one of the worst-hit areas in Kerala. It was here that the district sub-collector and state Finance Minister had facilitated a historic rescue operation. You can read the fascinating story here. About 3 lakh people were in rescue shelters in Alappuzha and Gopinath was there, working with other volunteers.

From there, he went to Ernakulam and continued his efforts.

Throughout his time in Kerala, the IAS officer even shared updates on Twitter.

Used to the comforts of private travel, I asked,

Chetta.. Can I get an auto from here?

Why auto? Take the bus, it’s 10 rs & hardly a KM walk.

Couldn’t refuse that advice.

Public transport & walk!

Why do I forget it every few months.#detoxification pic.twitter.com/2F1wc0UZuD

— Kannan (@naukarshah) August 27, 2018

While some were about the amazing work that people were doing for the state, some were on the lighter side like having to stand in a local bus for a good hour and a half!

Kannan Gopinathan is an unsung hero, who certainly is an inspiration to all of us!

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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The Kannur International Airport, in Kannur, Kerala, is quite the marvel. In a state that is recovering from floods, the airport is a silver lining. It even played a part in the rescue missions, before being inaugurated for commercial operations. It still had licences awaiting but proved highly useful.

Editor’s Note:  An earlier version of this article featured images from the Muscat International Airport. The images have been changed, and the error is regretted. 

Here are six things about it:

1. It is not the first commercial aviation airstrip in Kannur. In 1935, TATA airlines operated weekly flights between Bombay and Trivandrum, stopping at Goa and Cannanore! The demand for an airport was only conceptualised much later, in 1997. And since then, it has been a work in progress.

2. The new international airport is hi-tech, and has the latest generation of Instrument Landing System (ILS), from Norway, to help aircraft land precisely, according to The Hindu.

3. The airport required almost 1,200 acres of land on a hilltop at Mookapramabu to be levelled with around 700 acres of acquired land for future expansion. According to Star of Mysore, the ambitious project has been completed at the cost of Rs 1,892 crore.

4. An aviation academy will be set up at the airport, by the Rajiv Gandhi Aviation Academy and Technology, with two acres of land allotted for it. The institute will train students in aeronautics and provide flight training.

5. The Kannur Airport is a part of the elite group of airports with 4,000-metre runways. It is the fourth international airport in India to be in the same class as New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (94,430 meters), Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (4,260 meters), and Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (4,120 meters).

6. The airport will also have an enclave of the Indian Navy on around 10 acres of land. Interestingly, the Ezhimala Naval Academy, the only naval academy in India, and the largest in Asia, is just 60 kilometres away from the airport. It is a strategic defence location, and a top priority for the Navy. Similarly, the IAF will have a presence with their own enclave, and so will the Indian Coast Guard Academy.

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With high-tech infrastructure and technology, the airport is sure to make Kannur better connected to the country and the world.

Here are some pictures of the international airport. All Images Credits: Sanjeev VJ / Facebook

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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As the entire country is donating to help flood survivors in Kerala, a group of women from a village in Jharkhand have come up with a unique idea to support the state.

Around 300 women from Balijore village of Dumka district of Jharkhand, who earn not more than Rs 250 a day by making footwear, decided to put in extra efforts and spend their day’s worth of salary to provide slippers to the flood survivors. With the help of the district administration, the women sent across 1,000 pairs of slippers to Kerala on August 27.

Mitiya Tudu, one of the women linked with the local footwear making industry, said,

“We got to know the news about Kerala floods through the newspaper, and it was sad to hear how lakhs of people were victimised by this natural calamity.”

She added that the women at the factory discussed the news among them and decided to help out the flood survivors. “Because we do not earn enough to contribute to the relief fund, we decided to send something which they could use. This is how we came up with the idea of making and sending across slippers, all free of cost,” she said.

Mitiya is among one of the many women of Balijore village who once used to sell Hadiya (rice beer) on the roadside, facing constant humiliation, abuses and eve-teasing by her customers, who were all men, as she had no other employment options.

These women got a chance to change their lives after the district administration roped them for the production of slippers, thus starting the brand Bali Slippers.

Manju Devi, another woman involved in the production of Bali Footwear, said, “I used to earn not more than Rs 150 a day, and the humiliation and the harassment I had to face while selling Hadia to men on the roadside cannot be forgotten. However, after I started making slippers, my income increased by a minimum of Rs 100 and I was able to provide more to the family, now with dignity.”

She added, “I thought that when I got a chance to change my life, I should try to do something to help others too. This is the reason I agreed to make and send slippers to the flood survivors by putting in my day’s salary to it.”

The production cost of one pair of slippers, not including the labour cost, is Rs 70. Thus, the price of 1,000 pairs of slippers went up to Rs 70,000, and every woman had to contribute around Rs 250 to complete the entire consignment.

“Rs 250 means a lot to me as I do not just use it to feed my entire family for a day but also save some for the future. But when I think of those people who lost their savings, their houses and even their families, I feel that if by spending this amount and some labour I can do something for them, it is all worth it,” said Monica Tudu, another woman.

Varun Ranjan, Deputy Development Commissioner (DDC), Dumka, who flagged off the vehicle carrying the slippers to Kerala on August 27 said that the credit for idea and execution goes to the women of the village. The only way district administration helped them was by bearing the transportation charges for sending off the slippers.

Ranjan informed that the initiative of these women has proved to be a motivation for many others and now more people are coming forward with donations.

Also Read: Kerala Floods: These Heroes Made Sure Aluva’s Cancer Patients Weren’t Abandoned!

“Many people wanted to contribute to the relief funds, so we motivated them to do it through Bali Slippers. Now people are coming forward and sending the donation money to the account of the company and women are using it to make the slippers,” he said.

As a result of these donations, another consignment of 1,000 more slippers, which is now being made, would be sent to the state in the next few days.

Social organisations, college students, office goers, local volunteers and employees of the collectorate are coming forward to give donations for the cause after being inspired by the women of Balijore.

“The employees of the Block Office donated Rs 25,000, youths who were volunteering at the Shravani Mela donated Rs 10,000, and a group of college students and professionals donated Rs 11,000. These are just a few of the many donors coming forward to donate to Bali Footwear so that the women can make and send across more slippers to the flood survivors,” Ranjan said.

The district administration officials are hoping that more donations would come in to help the flood-hit state and the women would get more support in making slippers for the survivors.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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While Kerala recovers from the aftermath of the floods, a report in The Times of India states 242 geological events that have hit Wayanad alone, in the form of landslides, landslips and land subsidence.

A landslide was reported in the district in the wee hours of Monday, at Kurichiarmala, under the Kalpetta forest range, near the Pookode Navodaya School, according to this Deccan Chronicle report.

Scroll describes the ferocity of the landslide and says that it wreaked havoc in the region, destroying hundreds of acres of forest land and tea plantations, five houses, and many livestock.

The building at Pookode School was all but destroyed, and the district administration of the region decided to ask the education department and gram panchayat officials to scout for a new location for a fresh building.

The students would still lose out, as they had nowhere to go in the interim, no temporary school.

It was then that the local mosque committee stepped in, and offered its madrasa building, just a kilometre away from the damaged school, as a temporary location.

A group of 40 volunteers got to the task and ensured that the area’s kids were able to start attending school from August 29th, without further delay.

The madrasa building is a bare-bones structure, with an unused first floor, which the villagers and volunteers with their limited resources, equipped with school items, an essential upgrade for the kids who were to attend.

An art director in the film industry, and the leader of the volunteer group, Anees Nadodi, told Scroll that all items needed for setting up the school like bricks, tables and chairs, books and shelves, were all procured in a day.

The volunteers and villagers worked tirelessly for 72 hours to make the space suitable for use as a primary school. Walls were constructed and plastered, whiteboards were installed, classrooms got mats and cheerful murals, and the corridor got plants.

Nadodi thanks the people of Kuichiarmala for the initiative, and for giving the volunteers meals and accommodation. He said the objective of the group was to help kids overcome the trauma of the landslide.

You may also like:– How Could I Leave It Dirty: Kerala Flood Victims’ Unique ‘Thanks’ Wins Nation’s Heart!

The temporary school came up on August 29th, officially opened by the district collector. The function was celebrated with much gaiety, with volunteers putting up a song and dance routine.

Thankfully, these kids won’t miss out on an education in the temporary school, thanks to the mosque committee!

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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There is a growing body of research indicating that those in the lower rungs of the economic ladder are more likely to notice, engage and empathise with other human beings than people of wealth.

Nothing brings this facet into greater focus than a natural disaster, where the poor and infirm are affected the most.

When 42-year-old George Kanappilly, a daily wage labourer, the father of two children and a heart patient, decided to refuse emergency aid from the Kerala government even though he was eligible, it was out of empathy for others who he felt were in a worse situation.

In these times, following the devastating floods, which wrecked vast swathes of the states, it’s not uncommon for many people to lay claim on any monetary assistance from the government even if they aren’t eligible. Some are honest with their claims, while many aren’t.

Despite his frail body, George isn’t one of those. Even though water had entered his house in the 14th ward of the Pallipuram panchayat causing minor damages, he refused to accept the government’s aid which amounted to Rs 10,000, reported the Times of India. Instead, he pasted a notice outside the door of his house explicitly stating that he would refuse any money.

“My family shifted to my wife’s house, and we placed all the things in the house on an elevated place before entered the rooms. Thereafter, I stayed six days in the relief camp set up at Rama Varma Union High School in Vypeen. One should not accept things for free.

As I don’t have money to support displaced people financially. I urged the authorities to give the money to others who are in need,” George told the Times of India.

Also Read: Jharkhand Women Give up a Day’s Income, Make & Send Slippers to Kerala 

Suffering from a heart ailment (he has a hole in his heart) and a dodgy spinal cord which does not allow him to do any heavy lifting, Kerala resident George has had to postpone surgeries because of his financial status. Nonetheless, this does not stop him from helping others.

“Financial issues forced me to postpone the surgery. I will help people physically as long as my health allows,” he told the publication.

Unfortunately, his act of compassion and empathy has irritated some of his neighbours. They argued that his refusal to accept aid has denied them their eligibility for it. Well, he doesn’t get to decide who is eligible or not—it’s up to government authorities.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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Post floods, a massive challenge for Kerala and her people is to return to normal life. But, given the damage and the costs, this certainly will not be an easy task.

In Kuttanad, for example, the floods caused extensive havoc and washed away houses, office and stored ration that could have fed the district of Alappuzha for months. The opening of the dam gates worsened the situation.

In fact, if not for the quick thinking and action of Alappuzha’s sub-collector, Krishna Teja Mylavarapu and state Finance Minister, Dr Isaac Thomas, thousands of lives could have been lost within a matter of hours.

Here is the story of how they undertook a historic rescue mission of over 2 lakh people and thousands of animals within three days.

However, ‘Operation Kuttanad’ was only the beginning. For two weeks after that, they had to organise and manage several relief camps, ensuring that people were well-fed, comfortable and relatively happy in their temporary homes. And they succeeded.

Even then, it would not be wrong to say that the battle is only half won. After the flood waters receded and people went home, they realised that all of their stored food was damaged. They also could not buy any groceries because the storage areas were also submerged, and restoring the damaged goods would naturally take some time.

This is where the district administration and the Ministry of Civil Supplies (MCS) office has stepped in to help. A reliable source from the district administration office (who requested to remain unnamed) told The Better India,

“The district administration and the MSC have started ‘floating’ ration shops and grocery stores in Kuttanad.

The issue is that, in Kuttanad, all the ration shops went under water. The entire stock has been damaged so we need to clear it and rebuild ration shops and then refill them. That may take some time. But in the meanwhile, these floating ration shops are there for the people.”

The idea is simple—since boats can access most parts of Kuttanad, the authorities have turned them into makeshift ration shops.

“We chose medium-sized motor boats because the large ones will have restricted access and the small ones won’t be able to hold a sufficient amount of ration,” the official told TBI.

The shops are of two kinds—one for regular foodstuff, like rice and sugar for example—and the other is the ‘Maveli store’ which sells items like snacks and biscuits.

So, how will the people of Kuttanad access these shops?

An official from the MCS told TBI, “We print the schedules of the boats in newspapers. So people know where the boat will be at what time. It doesn’t matter which panchayat of Kuttanad you are from. If you are at the boat-stop, you will be given the ration. All you need is your fingerprint registered in your Aadhaar card. You can buy the ration at subsidised rates wherever the boat stops.”

Civil Supplies Minister, P Thilothaman told the Deccan Chronicle, “The food distribution is being held effectively in relief camps in the state without any complaints. Damaged grain stored in flooded ration shops will be burnt. People who lost ration cards will be issued ration if they produce their mobile number. As all the 12 Maveli stores were flooded, two more floating Maveli stores have been introduced in Kuttanad.”

Efforts like these are proving to be instrumental in helping Kerala get back to its feet. Also, the government and citizens deserve a massive hat tip—without the initiatives of the former and the co-operation of the latter, the state might not have been able to cope with the destructive floods this well.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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Chendamangalam, a small town in the Ernakulam district of Kerala, is famous for its centuries-old handloom textiles industry, particularly the sarees it manufactures.

Unfortunately, last month when water from the Periyar river flooded the showrooms, dyeing units and factories of the five co-operative societies which employ approximately 600 weavers, it destroyed any flicker of hope for a fruitful Onam season, when their sales are the highest.

For an industry already competing with mechanised textiles, the loss of Rs 21 lakh worth of stock including sarees, shirts and dhotis is too much to take. The total loss to the handloom industry in Chendamangalam is approximately Rs 15 crore.

These are indeed dire times for the local handloom industry.

In the midst of such devastation, hope for the weavers of Chendamangalam has come in the form of noted designer Lakshmi Menon, and Gopinath Parayil, the CEO of a travel company.

In coordination with one of the five cooperative societies, which employs 60 weavers, the duo is helping them convert some of the damaged stock into ‘Chekutty’ dolls, reports The Indian Express. One can roughly translate the Malayalam word Chekutty into ‘the child who overcame dirt.’

In these times of despair, the dolls have emerged as symbols of hope. The duo has raised an army of volunteers who clean and chlorinate the damaged sarees, shirts and dhotis and help these weavers convert them into dolls. In fact, the economics of the entire venture seems on point considering they can make 360 dolls from a six-metre saree.

Costing Rs 25 a pop, dolls made out of one damaged saree can gather revenues up to Rs 9000. In the open market, the same saree wouldn’t cost more than Rs 1300-1500.

No two dolls are the same, with artist volunteers doing their own painting and decoration even though everything else until then follows a set design.

Also Read: Kerala Floods: Roads Under Water, but ‘Floating Shops’ Ensure Needy Get Food

Both Lakshmi and Gopinath have invited volunteers to join them, take the material, learn how to craft these dolls and sell them to their network of friends. However, all the money collected from these sales is directed to the bank account of that particular cooperative society.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Gopinath said, “The entire proceeds from the doll sale will directly go towards the rebuilding of the weavers’ society in Chendamangalam.”

You can contribute to this endeavour by clicking here and here.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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EyeROV technologies, a Kochi-based company, based has introduced India’s first underwater robotic drone, the EyeROV TUNA, which is a smart micro-ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle).

Developed by Johns T Mathai and Kannappa Palaniappan P, who are the founders of EyeROV, the drone can send real-time video of ships and other underwater structures and help to ease the manual labour of underwater inspections as well as submarine research.

Here are eight facts you should know about this aqua wonder.

1. Weighing less than 10 kgs, the EyeROV has been designed to perform visual surveys of submarine environments and structures in a depth of up to 100 metres in “harsh and mission-critical underwater environment.”

2. The micro-ROV can be controlled with remote hardware such as laptops or joysticks.

3. A camera attached to the drone will be able to take HD video images underwater and send them in real time to its operators. With remote accessibility and HD video imagery, the underwater robotic drone throws open a wide range of operations in rescue, defence and research.

4. The company, EyeROV, has advisors who used to work for the DRDO, the Indian Navy and the marine industry. Johns T Mathai is an IIT-Delhi alumnus and has previously worked for Samsung R&D and Grey Orange Robotics previously, while Kannappa Palaniappan P is an IIT-Madras alumnus has previously worked for Saint Gobain and the National Institute of Ocean Technology.

5. With a 2-knot cruise speed, 6000 lumens LED lights and a 3+ hour operation time, the TUNA is a promising equipment for defence, research and development activities.

6. The underwater robotic drone could be a replacement for the current method of manual inspection by divers that is both costly and quite risky. “Our vision is to disrupt the underwater critical infrastructure inspections industry,” Mathai told Business Standard.

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7. Confirming the availability of the drone in markets, Rohit Surendran, the chief marketing manager at EyeROV told the New Indian Express, “The EyeROV TUNA is the product available in the market from the company. EyeROV TUNA is a highly versatile and modular ROV with an array of sensors and attachments possible.”

8. The Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) made the first order of the product on 14 September 2018. NPOL is a laboratory of the DRDO.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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Relief operations in Kerala in the aftermath of the floods have seen everyone in the state join hands to get God’s Own Country back on its feet. It was also heartening to see administrators go beyond their duties to help flood victims. Whether it was providing relief material, or evacuating those stranded, the IAS cadre has been quietly and selflessly lending a hand.

Take the case of IAS officers T V Anupama, and K Vasuki, who did everything in their power and beyond, to ensure the safety of people in their respective districts. Anupama even broke a couple of locks on closed doors along the way.

Read here about how they stepped up during the hour of need.

Two other IAS officers G Rajamanikyam and NSK Umesh proved that the right officer is one who doesn’t just give orders but can also unload rice bags from relief vehicles.

Read here about how their efforts made a difference to the relief efforts in the coastal state.

When Krishna Teja Mylavarapu, the sub-collector of Alleppey district, and the Finance Minister of Kerala, met with other IAS officers to discuss the evacuation strategy for the low-lying areas in Kuttanad, the result was a mammoth rescue mission. Read here how, within two days, over two lakh people were rescued and rehabilitated to relief camps from the regions.

Well, here is an instance of yet another IAS officer, Dr P Shakil Ahmed, who volunteered to help in one of the remotest villages of Wayanad district in Kerala.

Dr Ahmed was required to probe deep into the flood-hit territory. Without batting an eyelid, the officer decided to trek to the area and offered his assistance.

You may also like:- This New Tech By Kerala Architects Could Build Post-Flood Houses Under Rs 5 Lakh!

Wayanad was one of the worst-hit areas in the floods, and even a month later, people are still trying to pick up the pieces of their lives.

Thanks to Dr Shakil Ahmed’s timely and selfless volunteering, people residing in the remote villages of Wayanad can now be comforted.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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Over 80 people travelling in a Tamil Nadu State Transport (TNSTC) bus would have lost their lives, had it not been for Kapil, a JCB Excavator operator in Idukki, Kerala, who swooped in to help when disaster struck.

The bus was making its way to the top of the hill when the driver lost control, following which the bus slipped and started hurtling towards a ravine.

Accidents like these, especially in hilly areas prone to landslides and slippery roads, have claimed many lives because there is very little that the driver or passengers can do once a heavy vehicle like a bus loses control.

Kapil was working his regular shift close by, and when he saw the TNSTC bus, he put his JCB in gear and started driving towards the bus.

Kapil’s machine can easily manoeuvre over hilly, muddy or rocky terrain and Kapil is well-experienced in handling it.

He approached the bus and held the TNSTC vehicle with the JCB’s front handle in place. This stopped the bus from falling further down the ravine and gave the passengers an opportunity to escape.

Kapil ensured that everyone was out of the bus and in a safe place before he pushed the bus back on the road with the JCB. He had been holding the vehicle for about an hour!

Navbharat Times reports that the passengers had tears in their eyes as they thanked the man who saved them from the clutches of death.

You may also like: Kerala Floods: These Heroes Made Sure Aluva’s Cancer Patients Weren’t Abandoned!

The fact that Kapil was at the right place at the right time is fortunate, no doubt. But the kind of action he took, running the JCB and holding the bus safely mid-fall is nothing short of a superhuman deed.

I’ve always thought that such exploits can only be seen in movies, but Kapil has shown that real-life heroes certainly exist and can come in the form of simple JCB drivers too!

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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In a landmark verdict that comes weeks after the Supreme Court decriminalised homosexuality, the Kerala High Court earlier this week has allowed a lesbian couple to live together.

The two-judge division bench of Justice CK Abdul Rahim and Justice KP Narayana Pisharody issued the order after taking into consideration a habeas corpus petition filed by a 40-year-old lady from Kollam, who is in a relationship with a 24-year-old from Thiruvananthapuram.

According to this report in the Times of India, in the petition, the 40-year-old alleged that her younger partner was being illegally detained by her father. On Tuesday, both women were back living together at the 40-year-old’s home in Kollam district, where they had resided together for merely a day on August 12 before the 24-year-old’s family forcibly separated them.

It was on August 12, when the younger partner left her residence in Thiruvananthapuram alongside the 40-year-old to the latter’s home in Kollam district. Responding to their daughter’s actions, the 24-year-old’s parents filed a missing person complaint with the local police.

On the following day, they were detained at the Neyyattinkara police station in Thiruvananthapuram district and presented before a magistrate’s court, reports Scroll.

Although it allowed the couple to leave together, the 24-year-old was abducted outside the court, taken home, and subsequently admitted into a mental hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. Fortunately for the 40-year-old, the couple could meet inside the hospital premises, but authorities there insisted on a court order before they could let the 24-year-old leave.

Also Read: Middle-Class & Gay: How an IIT Engineer’s Parents Gave Him All the Hope in The World

Soon after, the 40-year-old filed a habeas corpus petition, and 24-year-old postgraduate was produced before the court, where she told her wish of living with her partner.

The court eventually ruled in the couple’s favour.

“We want to show society that same-sex couples can also lead normal lives,” the 40-year-old told Scroll. Meanwhile, her lawyer Ferha Azess said, “This was the first same-sex rights case filed in the Kerala High Court after the Supreme Court trashed Section 377.”

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court has allowed the entry of women of all age groups into the Sabarimala Temple, holding that “devotion cannot be subjected to gender discrimination.”

Interestingly, Justice Indu Malhotra, the lone woman on the bench, has written a note of dissent against the majority judgement. Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice RF Nariman, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud constituted the majority.

Here are five things you should know about the judgement:

1. “[A] woman is not lesser or inferior to [a] man. Patriarchy of religion cannot be permitted to trump over faith. Biological or physiological reasons cannot be accepted in freedom for faith. Religion is basically a way of life. However, certain practices create incongruities,” said Chief Justice Dipak Misra.

2. Lord Ayyappa devotees do not constitute a separate religious denomination, said the CJI according to Live Law. The Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the temple’s affairs, had argued in court that they should be allowed to make the rules as they form a denomination.

3. Rule 3(b) of the Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (authorisation of Entry) Rules 1965, which prohibits entry of women in Sabarimala, was also struck down as unconstitutional.

“Rule 3(b) of 1965 Rules is a clear violation of the right of Hindu women to practice religion under Article 25,” Misra ruled. “The right guaranteed under Article 25 has nothing to do with gender or physiological factors.”

Article 25 guarantees the freedom to follow any religion and propagate it. Nonetheless, like all fundamental rights, this freedom comes with restrictions such as a responsibility to ensure public order, morality and health are not compromised in the process.

4. Among the most significant issues up for discussion was the ‘essentiality’ principle, which comes from a 1954 five-judge Bench decision on the Shirur Mutt case, which judged a religious practice based on whether it is essential in terms of the tenets of religion rather than whether it is conducive to the Constitution, reported Live Law. The five-judge bench today criticised that approach calling it a “problem with our jurisprudence”.

Irrespective of the ‘essentiality’ of the practice to the religion, discrimination cannot be condoned if it violates the basic structure of the Constitution.

“The bar on entry of women between the age of 10 and 50 years is not an essential part of the religion,” Bar & Bench quoted the CJI as saying.

5. Justice Indu Malhotra, however, took a divergent view. “Issues of deep religious sentiments should not be ordinarily be interfered by the court. The Sabarimala shrine and the deity is protected by Article 25 of the Constitution of India and the religious practices cannot be solely tested on the basis of Article 14,” she said, as reported by The Indian Express.

“Notions of rationality cannot be invoked in matters of religion,” said Justice Malhotra, adding: “What constitutes essential religious practice is for the religious community to decide, not for the court. India is a diverse country. Constitutional morality would allow all to practise their beliefs. The court should not interfere unless if there is any aggrieved person from that section or religion.”

To the uninitiated, this case pertains to petitions against the ban on the entry of menstruating women (between the ages of 10 and 50) inside the temple. Here are the parties which stood for and against the petition:

For temple entry:

a) Indian Young Lawyers Association, a non-profit, is the principal petitioner seeking the entry of all women and girls into the temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa.

b) Right to Bleed, an NGO, represented by senior advocate Indira Jaising who had equated the ban to the practice of untouchability. She also added that Article 25 of the Constitution guaranteed everyone the freedom to practice religion.

Against temple entry:

a) The main party in support of the temple’s customs is the Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the temple’s affairs. Since the deity Lord Ayyapan is a celibate, the entry of menstruating women inside the temple cannot be allowed, argues the Board.

b) The head priest is also against the entry of menstruating women into the temple. “Devotees cannot wish away the celibate nature of the deity,” he told the court. The Pandalam royal family is another party that is against the entry of women inside the Sabarimala Temple.

Also Read: Woman’s Right to Pray Equal to That of Man: SC on Sabarimala Temple Entry

As far as the Kerala government is concerned, while the previous UDF regime had objected to the lifting of the ban, their successors, the LDF, has said that all women can enter the temple.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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On September 28, 2018, the Supreme Court opened the doors of the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala to women of all ages.

Previously, the temple management restricted entry to women between the ages of 10 to 50 years–the tentative years from when a girl hits puberty to when a woman hits menopause. But in a landmark verdict, the apex court overturned this rule. You can read in detail about the verdict here.

The state government seems to extend its support to this verdict and how! Within three days, the government has announced the facilities it will provide to make the pilgrimage safe and comfortable for women.

1. The bus service that runs between Nilakkal and Pamba in Kerala, will now have reserved seats for women so that they can join in the pilgrimage with the men. Kadakampally Surendran, the Minister for Cooperation, Tourism and Devaswom (socio-religious trusts), said that 25% of the total seats will be reserved for women.

2. Pamba will also have separate bathing ghats for women to increase security and comfort for them.

“There is already a separate bathing ghat for women and children on the banks of Pamba river. Anticipating the rush of more women, the ghat will be expanded and made bigger,” the minister said.

3. A route to the temple goes through a forest. Dark, isolated patches may be unsafe for women, and the state government is planning to improve the lighting there to make them secure.

4. Since the pilgrims so far were largely men, there were fewer toilet facilities for women. After this verdict though, the authorities are planning to add women-friendly toilets on the way to the temple.

5. Surendran also mentioned in a press conference, that these arrangements would be ready for pilgrims planning to visit the temple during the first five days in the Malayalam month of Thulam, which is likely to fall between the second and third week of October.

6. The Kerala government has also said that it will deploy female police force at the temple, now that the number of women visiting will increase by a large margin.

You may also like: In a Big First, Tirupati Temples To Appoint Dalits & SC-ST as Priests!

7. Even so, the authorities will not have separate queues for women and men at the temple. “We cannot do anything about people waiting too long in queues. When I visited the Thiruvairanikulam Temple, I saw women waiting in queues for darshan for almost eight hours. So in my opinion, only those who can brave long waiting queues should make the pilgrimage,” said Surendran.

8. As an alternative to long queues, devotees can avail the digital booking facility called the “Virtual Q”, wherein the desired time slots of the temple visit can be booked in advance, minimising the queue at the temple.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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If one were to look at any yardstick of human and social development, Kerala is ahead of most Indian states. It provides social security to all sections of employees and workers through schemes that are superior to most other states. The coastal state is known to have very progressive labour policies as well.

One of the reasons why many labourers go to God’s Own Country is also the attractive minimum wages, especially for unorganised, and even unskilled workers. The rates are perhaps the highest in comparison to any other state. The state also provides good healthcare and educational facilities.

It was perhaps a combination of all these factors that lured 20-year-old Sikhander, a migrant labourer from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to move to Chemmad in Malappuram district. He, unfortunately, died in a bike accident on September 25th.

Given that there was no proper identity proof on him, the private company where he was employed, found it rather difficult to arrange for his body to be taken back to his home in Varanasi.

The police officials from Thenjippalam police station contacted his family to inform them about the incident and requested them to make requisite arrangements for his body.

Unfortunately, Sikhander’s family could not afford to travel to Kerala nor the expenses to transport his body. This is where four ambulance drivers from Kerala stepped in and showed that kindness and altruism still exist.

Abdul Sattar, Nazar, Abdul Pathirangal and Abdul Rehman approached the police and conveyed their intention of helping in this regard. At noon on September 28th, they set out and covered a distance of 2,750 kilometres in four days, entrusting Sikhander’s body to his family.

They say that art is a reflection of what transpires in real life; the story of these four ambulance drivers from Kerala could well be the subject of a film.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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On September 28, the Supreme Court made history when it passed a judgement that allowed women to enter the Sabarimala temple, no matter what their age was, effectively bringing an end to a spiritual paradigm that has been carried forward since time immemorial and never challenged before.

However, very few know that one woman did manage to foray into the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa almost two decades ago—the journey wasn’t undertaken to prove a point but was just another day of work in the life of IAS officer (now retired) KB Valsala Kumari.

Valsala was the former district collector of Pathanamthitta, and she could visit the temple complex to administer the official duties required of a district collector, only after being granted a special order from the Kerala High Court.

It is the duty of the District Collector to coordinate the preparatory activities with different government agencies for the upcoming pilgrimage season in the district, and the temple’s strict rules barred Valsala from inspecting the arrangements, despite her position.

It took a court order to finally allow the officer to do her work, which considered the visit a strictly official one and not a pilgrimage.

The court, however, had particularly advised Valsala to neither enter the sanctum sanctorum of the temple nor climb the ‘Pathinettam Padi,’ the 18 gold-plated steps that lead to it. Being a devout follower of Ayyappa, she remained true to her beliefs and upheld the values of her community at the time.

“I had no permission to go and see the Lord Ayyappa idol when I reached Sabarimala with the court order. But, I prayed with folded hands and meditated for a while standing below the holy steps,” she told PTI, reports TOI.

With legal backing and special protection, Valsala became the first woman to enter the abode of Ayyappa. Just like every other pilgrim, she too partook in an hour-long trek through the forested thickets of Sabarimala to reach the shrine. Interestingly, when the high court had granted her permission, Valsala received lots of threat mails, but the diligent officer chose to ignore these and went ahead.

But what awaited her were piles of garbage along with years of worn clothes thrown away by devotees at Sabarimala and the temple premises. She also noticed that there was a grave sanitation issue in the area and that the sacred Pamba river that flew by the foothills of Sabarimala was severely littered with waste.

It was under Valsala’s leadership that a massive sanitation drive was started and environmentally friendly toilets made out of trenches with aluminium covers were installed. This ensured no trees were cut to build a concrete structure, with the aim to conserve the fragile ecosystem in Sabarimala. Alongside, she also led initiatives to clean the holy river and provide safe drinking water for pilgrims.

However, it was her visionary initiative of conceptualising and establishing the Sabarimala Sanitation Society (SSS) that should be truly appreciated, because this exclusive body was set up to upkeep its sanctity through regular cleanliness drives. Such was her commitment to work that the IAS officer had often led many of these drives.

Between 1994 and 1995, Valsala must have visited the hill shrine at least four times as part of her official undertakings.

It was only after she turned 50, did Valsala enter the sanctum sanctorum of Sabarimala to pay homage to her god like a true devotee.

The SC judgement must have earned the wrath of many across the country and Kerala, but Valsala views the verdict as a welcome change and added that anyone whose mind and body was pure can visit the shrine.

You may also like: ‘Devotion Can’t Be Subjected to Discrimination’: 5 Facts About SC’s Sabarimala Verdict

What must be appreciated of the former IAS officer is that she bravely chose to upkeep centuries-old religious beliefs while performing her duty as a civil servant without blurring the lines between the two, even when she had the opportunity to do so.

We equally salute her steadfast commitment to work and her unwavering devotion to the revered deity Ayyappa.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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I have often wondered about the virtue that is generosity and attempted to understand what must be the driving force that leads people to engage in acts of kindness and magnanimity.

Is it an inherent trait that a few are blessed with, or do they consciously develop this quality over a period of time towards those who are underprivileged and deprived of basic facilities?

Then there are the ones who come forward to lend a helping hand to others despite having never found support during their days of struggle and adversity.

Adversity can turn the best of us into cynical and bitter human beings, but it remarkably did not touch CK Narayana Panicker, a farmer from Feroke in Kozhikode who had to quit studies after being unable to even buy textbooks owing to severe financial shortcomings.

Today, the same man has come forward with a generous contribution of ₹40,000 that will facilitate the printing of textbooks for children studying at the government tribal lower primary (LP) school in Edamalakkudy village of Idukki district.

Titled Idamalakkudi Gothra Padavali, the book is written in the spoken language of the Muthuvan tribe using Malayalam script since the community doesn’t have one of its own.

Edamalakkudy is a remote tribal village, which also happens to house the only tribal gram panchayat in the state. However, the LP school didn’t have enough funds to print the manuscript of the textbook.

Their predicament was brought to public attention by Mathrubhumi, a local Malayalam daily, that published a report about the school’s financial inability and invited anyone who was willing, to help. The news ended up catching the attention of 89-year-old Panicker, who then went straight to the publication’s office to offer financial aid.

In a follow-up report by the daily, it was stated that the editorial staff has already received the amount from Panicker, which will be handed over to the LP school headmaster R Ravichandran.

The headmaster, on behalf of the children and the tribal community, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Panicker, as his contribution will now drive the education of the children.

This is not the first time Panicker has lent financial support to the needy, after learning about them through the news. According to Mathrubhumi, he has helped several cancer patients with financial difficulties in the past as well as a Varappuzha native whose tongue was bitten off by stray dogs.

You may also like: By Kids, For Kids: This Amazing Plan Will Arrange 50,000 Books for Odisha’s Schools

We salute Narayana Panicker for his remarkable act of generosity and hope his selfless action inspires many others to do the same.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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Kerala has always placed heavy emphasis on water-tourism. The stunning backwaters and the beautiful shorelines make for picturesque vacation days. Whether it is adrenaline-pumping water-sports or a languid cruise in a boat, Kerala has something for everyone.

Well, recovering from the devastating floods, God’s Own Country has bounced back and how.

Giving luxury tourism a shot in the arm, the state government unveiled an Egyptian-themed luxury vessel ‘Nefertiti’. The behemoth Rs 16.14 crore vessel is most luxurious and will provide a cruise experience to tourists, according to the Indian Express.

The Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan tweeted about the 3-story vessel that will house an auditorium, a hall, a restaurant, play area for children, and a 3D theatre.

A new boost to the tourism sector. Nefertiti, a luxury air-conditioned vessel for conducting leisure trips in sea, will soon commence service from Kochi. This ₹16.14 crore worth 3 storey vessel will have the title of being the most luxurious vessel in Kerala. pic.twitter.com/78yAGZyznH

— CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) October 13, 2018

Fully-furnished and ideal for both meetings and celebrations, this vessel will also have advanced security features and modern state-of-the-art communication systems. The mammoth vessel took nearly two years to be constructed.

The luxury cruise ship belongs to the Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC), and news of its scheduled launch was announced by Mohammed Hanish, the Managing Director of KSINC on Sunday, according to The Times of India.

Named after one of the most beautiful Egyptian queens, Nefertiti can travel 16 km in 60 minutes and travel 20 nautical miles in the sea. The ship’s decor has been designed with the Egyptian civilisation in mind.

Abraham George, an Expert Member of the National Tourism Advisory Council (NTAC), and ex-president of KTM, told The Times of India that Nefertiti would take the tourism industry in Kerala up several notches, especially if Kochi were converted into a cruise hub.

You may also like:- The Angriya cruise, from Mumbai to Goa, shall be a luxurious leisure-travel experience!

Well, seeing Kerala is blessed with picturesque waterways, the Nefertiti, with its beautiful decor and safety features, is the perfect way to spend time in God’s Own Country!

Here are some stunning pictures of this massive cruise ship!

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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Last Wednesday, Kerala witnessed a statewide shutdown when the Sabarimala Protection Committee called for a 12-hour hartal in retaliation to the SC judgement allowing the entry of women of all ages to the hill shrine last month.

Even the state road transport corporation had to suspend its operations for the day after a bus was vandalised by protestors at Laka near Nilakkal camp.

As the state reeled under violence and unrest, a group of taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers in Cheruthuruthy and Shoranur decided to put this time to better use by filling potholes across a major road in the town.

The folks who spearheaded this initiative included K Rasheed, S A Ani, A P Pradeep, M K Viju, A G Siraj, A P Pratheesh, V G Manikandan and V K Kuttan.

With potholes lining the entire stretch of road between SMP Junction and the Old Cochin Bridge, the daily fare of life for citizens in the area had become quite dicey and tiresome.

The condition of the roads and the continuous traffic blockades had also been amounting to a lot of accidents along with altercations between drivers owing to over-speeding. At the same time, drivers had to drive at ridiculously slow paces to avoid getting stuck in the potholes.

You may also like: How Difficult Is It to Keep Our Roads Pothole Free? Here’s the Answer in 3 Steps

With emergency services like ambulances and the fire force often getting wedged in the traffic, the worst affected in the town were accident victims and pregnant women.

“Due to the poor condition of the road, we are not able to take pregnant ladies to [the] hospital fast,” said the drivers to Mathrubhumi, a local Malayalam daily.

Thanks to these folks, there has been some respite to the precarious situation in Shoranur. We hope that their intervention draws the attention of local authorities and better, longstanding solutions come into place.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

Featured Image Source: Asia News/ Facebook.

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