Recently, the action of some pre-university colleges in Karnataka refusing entry to Muslim girl students wearing hijabs, or head scarves , has now become a national controversy. While the girls have been protesting against being denied access to education, the counter protests by a section of Hindu students wearing saffron shawls and turbans have led to a tense situation outside some campuses . The action of the college where the row broke out in Udipi is now being questioned in the Karnataka High Court. The court , by an interim order , has directed that students should not wear attire linked to any religion until it resolves the legal questions arising from the issue.

But the main question that rises among many other questions is that whether students can be kept out of educational institutions merely because they are wearing a piece of clothing indicating their religion.

While students are arguing in favour of their freedom , the Government is of the view that compelling a student to remove the head-scarf is not a violation of Article 25 .

Going by the Government’s stand, the issue can also be framed differently: whether the wearing of head scarves will have an adverse impact on law and order by pitting two communities against one another , and thereby , enable the government to prohibit religious attire in the interest of public order – one of the grounds on which a right under Article 25 can be curbed . The question whether educational institutions can bar religious attire as part of their power to prescribe uniforms for students is also linked to the constitutional question whether the ban on such attire will come within the power to restrict freedom of religion in the interest of public order , health and morality. Yet, another question is whether the denial of entry into schools amounts to violation of the students’ right to education under article 21A .

The Imperial College London has concluded the first study on 36 participants aged 18-29 years who were deliberately exposed to low dose of SARS-cOV-2 virus through the nose, and the various facets of infection were studied. All the volunteers had no previous infection or vaccination . In all, only 18 of the 36 participants became infected, and the viral load in these people increased steeply before peaking on day five post-exposure.

Virus was first detected in the throat but the viral load increased to significantly higher levels in the nose than in the throat. Viral shedding began within two days of infection and the viral load increased to high levels and remained detectable for as long as 12 days after exposure to the virus. The results are posted as a preprint server Research Square. Preprints are yet to be peer-reviewed.

“This paper is the first of a series of deep analyses that this unprecedented consortium will produce. The manufacture of a delta challenge agent is nearly complete,” imunologist Dr. Christopher Chiu from the Imperial College of London who led the team tweeted.

Since some participants continued to shed infectious virus even 12 days after virus introduction, and, on average, viable virus was detectable 10 days post-symptom onset advocated i many guidelines to minimise onward transmission,” they note.

Neutralising antibodies were generated in all infected participants 14 days post inoculation and further increased at 28 days.

Limes,lemons and oranges are taste giving and nutrition -enriching elements of our diet. It is estimated that there are about one billion trees of the citrus genus on earth. Over 60 different citrus fruits are popular in the world today, all of which are hybrids of the three fruits mentioned below, or hybrids of hybrids,and so on: (1) The large, sweet & spongy skinned Pomelo; (2) the tasteless Citron, which is used in traditional medicine, and (3) the loose skinned and sweet Mandarin Orange that we associate with Nagpur.

Each citrus variety has some distinguishing feature as a USP: for example , the rare Tahiti orange , a descendant of the Indian Rangpur lime ,looks like an orange -colored lemon and tastes like a pineapple .

The first oranges

Where did the citrus originate ? Botanist Chozaburo Tanaka was an early proponent of the Indian origin of the citrus . An exhaustive study of the genomes of many citrus varieties concluded that the last common ancestor of all the varieties we see today grew about eight million years ago in what is now Northeast India and adjacent regions of Myanmar and southwest China . This region is , famously , one of the world’s richest biodiversity hotspots . A biodiversity hotspot is defined as a region that contains at least 1500 species of native plants and has lost at least 70% of its vegetation. The north east corner has 25% of India’s forests and a large chunk of its biodiversity. Here you will find tribes such as the khadi and garo , and nearly 200 spoken languages. This area is also a rich repository of citrus genomes , with 68 varieties of wild and developed citrus found here today.

The fruit of ghosts

Of special interest is the wild Indian citrus, a progenitor species of citrus that is native to Northeast India . Some experts believe that it may even be the original member of this group. Our own wild orange has been studied in the Garo hills of Maghalaya where only scant patches remain .

Recent searches , along with detailed molecular comparisons , have led to its rediscovery in the Tamenglong district of Manipur, a thickly forested place with a population density of just 32 per square kilometre. The Manipur team could find three isolated clusters of Citrus indica ,the largest of which had 20 trees . High rainfall and high humidity prevails here , with annual temperature extremes of 4 and 31 degrees Celsius .The manipuri tribes call it Garuan-thai (came fruit) , but they appear to have neither cultivated nor culturally assimilated this fruit, as has been done by the Khasi and Garo people . The Garo name for the fruit is Memang Narang (ghost fruit) , because of its use in their death rituals . Traditional medical uses involve digestive problems and common colds. Villages attentively tend their Memang trees.

India is most diverse destination in the world . From old palaces in Rajasthan to beaches of Goa, from soothing north east to scenic beauty of west, from adventure tourism of Kashmir to the southernmost tip of Indian subcontinent, kanyakumari , from high mountain ranges to sandy deserts, you name it and INDIA has it all. So, today I will be talking about 10 travel destinations across INDIA . Let’s begin:-

1. First Of course has to be the Taj Mahal , situated on the south bank of Yamuna river in the city of Agra. One of the 7 wonders of the world, it is a white marble large tomb built in 1632 by a Mughal emperor. It was also designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.

2. Now, let’s talk about the capital, the heart of India , New Delhi. It is full of rich diversity of places to explore, discover and learn. The Red fort or Lal Qila is a must visit historical fort . Qutub Minar , this 72.5 meter high tower has to be in your bucket list .Mixture of different architectural styles , this is the world’s tallest brick tower . Lodi Gardens, the first garden tomb on the Indian subcontinent that is Humayun’s tomb , Gurudwara Bangla Sahib ,Lotus temple are some of the places you will love in Delhi.

3. If you are a nature lover & attached to biodiversity, you must visit the states of North East India. From green valleys of Manipur , to the view of snowcapped mountains of Sikkim and by the way just to inform you the third highest peak in the world, Kanchenjunga is also visible from this State. The breathtaking beauty of Nagaland & the peaceful , calm nature of Mizoram will surely make you fall in love with the place.
4. If you are someone who loves history, rich culture , different traditions and cuisines, trust me Rajasthan is the place for you. Beautiful monuments, historical forts , Royal palaces of kings, it has everything.
5. And how can we not talk about the most visited religious place of the world that is Golden temple in Amritsar where everyday about one Lakh people are fed food with reverence .
6. My sixth destination has to be the beaches of Goa . After traveling so much who doesn’t want to chill and relax for some time and what’s better than relaxing by the side of a beautiful beach.
7. One of the finest rock cut caves you will ever see in your life is the Ajanta and Ellora caves in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra.

8. How can you not visit the city of dreams or Mayanagri when you are in Maharashtra? Yes , you got that right I am talking about Mumbai. The Gateway of India, Taj palace ,Sanjay Gandhi National Park & Red carpet wax museum are some of the best places to visit here.
9. If you love hill stations , you will love the enthralling experience SHIMLA has to offer. The scenic beauty will leave you mesmerized and is worth watching.
10. And last but not the least ,has to be Kerala in the down south. Lush green vegetation, beautiful landscapes and natural beauty of Kerala is sure to leave you in splits.

Being the most diverse country of the world , India is home to many travel destinations. Here , I have mentioned just 10 of my favourite beautiful places , but there are many more which are beyond the scope of this article.

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched . They must be felt within the heart . This is a quote by Helen Adams Keller, we all have read about her in our school textbooks but have you ever tried to go beyond what books taught you ? If no, then you must. Her autobiography titled “The Story Of My Life ” is a must read book not just because it inspires people in so many ways to get out of your comfort zone and hustle to achieve your goals and aspirations but also because it teaches us that no problem in this world is big if you are determined to tackle it. So, Let’s talk about 7 reasons why you must read Helen Keller’s autobiography :-

1. The book depicts the greatest lesson that is the value of PERSEVERANCE & HARDWORK. It talks about how a blind and deaf girl with her hard work and never giving up attitude is able to achieve what many would consider impossible. She says ” Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement .Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”
2. Secondly , there is nothing impossible in this world. Only condition is- one must get association of able and right persons .She talks about her teacher ANNE SULLIVAN and says that it was her teacher who unfolded the mysteries of the world to her. She says ” When she came, everything about me breathed of love & joy & was full of meaning. She has never since let pass an opportunity to point out the beauty that is in everything , nor has she ceased trying in thought & action & example to make my life sweet & useful.”
3. Thirdly, a teacher can be a true guide & philosopher if he/she takes his/her job sincerely. And if he/she performs it honestly even mountains can give safe passage. Any teacher can take a child to the classroom, but not every teacher can make him learn. He will not work joyously until he feels that liberty is his, whether he is busy or at rest; he must feel the flush of victory & the heart sinking of disappointment before he takes with a will the tasks distasteful to him & resolves to dance his way bravely through a dull routine of textbooks.
4. Fourthly, a pupil must have unflinching faith in her teacher. Helen Keller says ” My teacher is so near to me that I scarcely think of myself apart from her . How much of my delight in all beautiful things is innate , & how much is due to her influence , I can never tell, I feel that her being is inseparable from my own ,& that the footsteps of my life are in hers. All the best of my belongs to her—there is not a talent , or an aspiration, or a joy in me that has not been awakened by her loving touch.
5. Fifthly, the only religion in the world is ‘the religion of universal love’. The sooner it is understood, the better it would be . She says ” The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision”.
6. Sixthly, whenever stress and strain envelopes a person , he should look into his mind & try to understand the situation and devise ways to come out of it. She says ” Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened , vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved. Although the world is full of suffering , it is full also of the overcoming of it”.
7. Seventhly, one should not form on opinion which is unchangeable & staunch. One must be ready to undergo change & accept & adopt what is right & correct . Dogmatic attitude can never help. Very rightly said by her ” The highest result of education is tolerance . True education combines intellect, beauty, goodness, & the greatest of these is goodness . “

Last thing I would like to drive in your mind is that there are people in this world who have suffered so much , gone through a lot in their lives emotionally , physically sometimes mentally but they came out victorious only because of their hard work , dedication , and never giving up attitude. And may be Helen Keller has left us physically but her story will continue to inspire generations .