Education rating agency QS IGAUGE, in a first-of-its-kind initiative, organised the Himalayan edition of the conference on ‘Redefining Institutional Strategy for Excellence’ (RISE). The conclave was jointly hosted by Shoolini University, Solan, and the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), Dehradun.
Focussing on the Himalayas as a destination of global learning and research, several luminaries of the education world discussed the advantages of the Himalayan region to promote education. The panelists, during the session titled, ‘The Himalayas as the next Global Destination for Research and Learning’ deliberated how, from the ancient times, the Himalayas had always been a great centre of education.
The debate on the topic, ‘Global Rankings — Research vs Learning and Teaching’ focused on what defined the quality of an institution. Speakers for the motion, Dr Sunil Rai and Prof BR Mehta, emphasised the importance of research. He said that research-enhanced curiosity, uniquely attributed to humans, led to scientific and cultural development. Research also increased the application for the betterment of society and humanity, he added.
Countering the comments, the speakers against the motion, Ms Sharmila Katre and Mr Rahul Gupta, said research may be a way of getting noticed as first among equals but learners/students did not really prefer it. They mentioned that focus should be more on learning and understanding, rather than on research.
With the pandemic keeping us on our toes for the last 15 months, there was an interesting and relevant discussion on whether the future of education was virtual or face-to-face.
Concluding the session, Shoolini University Pro Chancellor Mr Vishal Anand said, “There are four pillars of building a great institution. The first is good governance; the second, conservation of the environment; then comes preservation and promotion of culture; and finally, sustainable and equitable socio-economic development.”
Shoolini University Vice Chancellor Atul Khosla stressed the need for higher education in India, mentioning that both UPES and Shoolini University had similar demographics and topography, and the coming together of these two would make sure that Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh would soon become world-class centres of learning.
Earlier, UPES Vice Chancellor Dr Sunil Rai appreciated Shoolini University for its support in creating the platform, which showcased India as the next destination. He pointed out that both UPES and Shoolini University were located in the serene Himalayas, which had a peaceful environment, and promoted good health and brotherhood. Universities like these, he said, fostered an atmosphere of learning and wisdom, and the research conducted on herbs in these biodiverse regions would benefit all mankind.
In the latest rankings of SciVal research, the top international agency, two Shoolini univ scientists, Dr Pardeep Singh and Dr Pankaj Raizada have been placed at the third and fifth place in India with a total number of 67 papers and 2193 citations.
In the worldwide rankings, Dr Pardeep holds the 241st position and Dr Pankaj Raizada has been placed at the 259th rank.
Elsevier group owned SciVal research tool provides access to the research performance of over 20,400 research institutions and their associated researchers, from 234 nations worldwide, based on the number of publications, citations and Field Weight Citation Index (FWCI).
As per SciVal Data from 2016-2021, the research topic Photocatalyst has emerged as a prominent research area in Shoolini University with 110 papers and an FWCI of 4.23. The photocatalytic process uses light and chemical compounds called catalysts to remove pollutants from water, air, and soil. It can remove most of the pollutants without any toxic effects. These methods are cheap and have no toxic effects on the environment.
At Shoolini University, the Photocatalyst Research group is working actively to discover new catalysts. This group is working in collaboration with Prof Vijay Thakur (UK), Prof Van-Huy Nguyen (Vietnam), Prof Quyet Van Le Vietnam) and Dr Aftab Aslam Parwaz Khan ( Saudi Arabia). The Photocatalyst group is mentored by the Shoolini University Chancellor, Prof PK Khosla, Vice-Chancellor Prof Atul Khosla, and Dean Academics, Prof Sunil Puri.
Prof. Pardeep is Head of the School of Advanced Chemical Sciences, Shoolini University. He is in the top 2 per cent scientists’ list ranked by Stanford University. He has been awarded the DST- Fast Track Young Scientist Award (2013) and Vice-Chancellor Young Academician Award (2019). Dr Pankaj Raizada is Associate Professor at Shoolini University. Her specialised area is Inorganic Chemistry. She is a Young Scientist Awardee under the Department of Science and Technology with New Delhi with a Fast Track Project and HIMCOSTE, funded Project from the HP Council for Science Technology and Environment, Shimla. She has been positioned in the Top 2 per cent in the Single Year Category by Stanford University World Ranking, 2020.
Scientists report a novel cold-tolerant bacterium from the Pangong Tso Lake, Leh Ladakh, which produces a red pigment with germ-killing properties
A team of researchers from Shoolini University, Himachal Pradesh, India have discovered a psychrophilic bacterial strain, called Rhodonellum psychrophilum GL8, at the high altitude Pangong Tso Lake in the Himalayas. The red pigment isolated from this bacterium possesses antimicrobial, antifungal, and skin cell growth stimulating properties. This novel bacterial biopigment promises to be useful for the development of antimicrobial smart fabrics, medicated bandages, and natural food colouring and preservatives.
Dyes and their vivid colours have fascinated humankind even beyond recorded history. Archaeology offers evidence of the dyeing of garments in the Bronze Age and during the heyday of the Indus Valley Civilization. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, the world relied on natural dyes sourced from plants such as indigo, turmeric, saffron, beans, and paprika. The Industrial Revolution brought with it synthetic dyes that were much cheaper and readily available for use in the cosmetics, textile, pharmaceutical, and food industries. But a side effect of this wanton application of synthetic dyes has been the steady contamination of our soil and water with the toxic chemicals released from these artificial products.
In recent decades, people have become aware of the negative effects of synthetic colourants and the demand for naturally occurring non-toxic dyes has been increasing by 10–15% annually. In their search for eco-friendly bio-colourants, researchers have identified microbes as potential sources of pigments that promise to be environmentally friendly and economical, besides being non-toxic, inexpensive, and readily available. Another advantage of using pigments of microbial origin is, unlike certain plant or fruit dyes, their production is not dependent on seasonal fluctuations, and, given the right growing conditions of the microbes, they can be mass-produced like synthetic dyes!
So where does one look for these colour creating critters? According to a team of researchers from Shoolini University, India, in some of the most unimaginable and inhospitable environments, it seems! Led by Professor Kamal Dev from Shoolini University’s Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology, the team has discovered a novel strain of a Gram-negative extreme cold-tolerant species of bacterium from the freezing waters of the Pangong Tso Lake in the Himalayas, which produces a brilliant red pigment. As Prof. Dev explains, “Synthetic molecules are slowly being replaced by biological ones with diverse functions. The Himalayas hold within it a unique heritage of biological diversity. The overall objective of this study was to characterize the production of pigments by the microbes of high-altitude lakes in the Northwest Himalayas for solving the emerging problems of health, food, and environment. In our quest, we isolated and characterized a red pigment-producing strain of Rhodonellum psychrophilum.”
The researchers confirmed the novel status of this strain of Rhodonellum psychrophilum, which they called ‘GL8’, through phylogenetic analysis, and subjected the isolated pigment to chromatographic and spectrometric techniques to identify the constituents. They found that the red pigment extracts contained a mixture of 2-methyl-3-butyl-prodigine, Prodigiosin, 2-methyl-3hexyl-prodigine, 3, 4-Didehydrorhodopsin, anhydrorhodovibrin, alloxanthin and Tetradecanoyl-hexadecanoyl compounds. They further characterized the pigment by testing for bioactive properties. The results revealed that indeed, GL8 is special!
How special is this ‘GL8’? In their study published in Process Biochemistry, the team report that not only is the pigment produced by GL8 a wonderful colourant, but it also has a multitude of useful biological properties. For instance, its broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity makes it perfectly suited for application in the manufacture of smart fabrics with an antimicrobial finish. Additionally, this pigment has anti-oxidant properties, and acts as a bio-enhancer, augmenting the effects of established antibiotics and anti-fungal agents, making it an ideal candidate for use as a food preservative. Interestingly, the pigment also showed growth stimulating properties of murine skin cells but no toxicity to human cells, which may open avenues for its application in expediting wound healing. In fact, the researchers have filed patents based on their impressive discoveries, which they believe will provide unique local solutions to global problems of nutrition, medicine, and the environment.??
Puzzling on the question of why a minuscule microbe would possess such a diversely powerful pigment, Prof. Dev speculates, “Melanin pigment in our skin protects us from hazardous UV radiation, which can cause skin cancers. Similarly, many living organisms produce some unique pigments as survival strategies in response to harmful radiations, pollutants, or freezing conditions.”
Whatever may be the reason for its evolution, there is no denying the usefulness of this pigment to humans. While the researchers explore this wonder microbe to unravel its superpowers further, the world holds onto the hope for applications of its currently identified anti-microbial properties to fight the increasing incidences of pathogenic infections, like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We have our fingers crossed!
Reference
Authors
Garima Bisht, Srishti Srivastava, Ritu Kulshreshtha, Anuradha Sourirajan, David J Baumler, Kamal Dev
Title of original paper
Applications of red pigments from psychrophilic Rhodonellum psychrophilum GL8 in health, food and antimicrobial finishes on textiles
Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA Microbial and Plant Genomic Institute, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, 110016, India
About Professor Kamal Dev
Dr. Kamal Dev is a professor at Shoolini University’s department of Biotechnology and Microbiology. He received his PhD from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore in Biochemistry and postdoctoral research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA. He is currently working on ways to harness extremophilic microbial biodiversity of the Himalayas for societal benefits and develop phytochemical-based formulations to manage multi-drug resistance. He is also the coordinator for the DST-FIST facility on proteomics at Shoolini University and a visiting scientist at the University of Minnesota, St. Paul, USA.
Researchers from Shoolini University, Himachal Pradesh, India, report the isolation of a non-toxic red pigment from the novel bacterium Rhodonellum psychrophilum GL8, which may soon revolutionize the fields of nutrition and therapeutics
Solan-based Shoolini University has been ranked at the 20th position across India and Number One in Himachal Pradesh in the latest Education World India Private Universities Rankings.
The rankings were tabulated by the Delhi-based Centre for Forecasting and Research (C-fore) with diligent care to classify and segregate autonomous private colleges, government autonomous colleges, and non-autonomous colleges based on the criteria set up by the University Grants Commission.
Shoolini University has shared the 20th position with Chitkara University, Rajpura, and has emerged Number 1 in Himachal Pradesh, scoring 1073 points in different categories. It scored 274 points out of 300 in Research and Innovations, 135 points out of 150 in the Competency of Faculty and 134 out of 150 in Infrastructure and Facilities.
The University has been ranked joint 4th among private universities in North India, comprising the states of Haryana, Punjab, J&K, Uttarakhand but barring the NCR, with Ashoka University, OP Jindal University and Thapar University (Deemed) ahead of it.
Chancellor Prof PK Khosla said he was delighted with the improved rankings and congratulated all the faculty, staff, and students for the achievement. He further said the University would continue to focus on research and was on the right path to be among the top global universities.
Shoolini University Vice-Chancellor Prof Atul Khosla said the consistent improvement in the rankings of the University indicated that “we are on the right track” and would strive harder to further improve in the years to come.
Earlier this year, Shoolini University was ranked the top university by Scimago in the Northern region comprising Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Chandigarh and 16th in the category of research across the country.
EW India Private Universities Rankings 2020-21 were conducted by over 150 field personnel of the highly reputed Delhi-based market research and opinion polls company Centre for Forecasting & Research Pvt. Ltd. They interviewed 4,168 sample respondents comprising 2,214 faculty and 1,126 final year students of 162 universities, and 828 industry representatives in 25 cities countrywide.
Solan, June 30 Continuing to create awareness and engagement about pressing issues of global significance, Shoolini University organised an International Webinar on Molecular Simulations under the Shoolini Science Web Series. The key speakers at the webinar, an initiative of the School of Physics and Materials Science, were Dr Leonardo Belpassi, Researcher at the Institute of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Perugia, Italy, and Dr Loriano Storchi, Associate Professor, Universit? G D’Annunzio Chieti-Pescara, Italy. All faculty members, research scholars and students of the School of Physics and Materials Sciences, Shoolini University, attended the webinar. The virtual event was organised on the Zoom platform and was live on Shoolini University’s YouTube channel as well. Welcoming the guest speakers, Prof Rajesh Kumar Sharma, Dean Sciences, thanked them for accepting the proposal to speak on ‘Four-component Dirac-Kohn-Sham calculations: State of the Art and Computational Advancements’. Shoolini University Chancellor Prof PK Khosla congratulated Prof Rajesh Kumar Sharma, Dr Anirban Saha and the entire team for organising such interactions of global importance and thanked Dr Leonardo Belpassi and Dr Loriano Storchi for sparing their time to be the speakers for the day. Dr Belpassi talked about the basics on the need of relativity in chemistry, the algebraic approximation and Dirac-Kohn-Sham approach with some examples of actual calculations for understanding the chemical bond in a relativistic framework. Next, Dr Storchi discussed the technical part about the most significant computational aspects. Shoolini University Vice Chancellor Prof Atul Khosla congratulated the School of Physics and Materials Science for organising the wonderful event and sharing the utility of the digital world. He further shared that such international events with the participation of illustrious speakers from across the globe had become possible due to COVID-19 generated circumstances. “We are truly becoming ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (The world is one family) now. Earlier, Dr Anirban Saha, Assistant Prof of Physics, introduced the speakers to the audience. Dr Pooja Dhiman, Assistant Prof of Physics, proposed the vote of thanks to both the speakers. Student interaction with the renowned speakers was engaging and interesting. The webinar was moderated by Assistant Prof Gun Anit Kaur.
Emphasising the significance of meditation, Shoolini University Chancellor Prof Prem Kumar Khosla said everyone must make 15 minutes of meditation a part of their lifestyle. He was speaking during the fourth webinar, ‘Self Realisation through Yoga Meditation’ at Shoolini University. The event was organised by the Yogananda Centre for Theology (YCT), of which he is the Patron.
Other eminent speakers at the event were, Dr Kedar Nath Banerjee, Professor Emeritus, Spiritualism, Shoolini University. Dr Banerjee has done his B Tech from IIT Mumbai and PhD in Economics and Management from Lisbon University, Portugal.
Prof Khosla said meditation and Yoga were an inseparable part of Indian and Hindu heritage. Talking about Mahavatar Babaji and Lahari Mahasaya Ji, he explained how they had rejuvenated the science of Kriya Yoga. He shared many stories from the Autobiography of a Yogi (a famous spiritual classic) and explained all about Pranayama and its significance in the day-to-day life of every individual.
Dr Kedar Nath Banerjee talked about Ashtanga Yoga in the modern context. He briefed about the Vedas and the Upanishads. “Everyone wants peace, tranquillity, and bliss,” he said, explaining how Patanjali Sutra was dedicated to mental and physical wellbeing. “Our main goal should be to attain eternal peace and bliss, which is possible only by understanding the importance of Astanga Yoga,” he stated.
YCT Chairman Mr Vivek Atray presented the closing remarks and shared how Sri Paramahansa Yogananda spread the message of Yoga meditation throughout the world. YCT Coordinator Dr Prerna Bhardwaj and Assistant Prof Dr Supriya Srivastava organised the webinar along with Dr Lalit Sharma, Assistant Prof from Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shoolini University.
Belletristic, the Literature Society of the Department of English, Shoolini University, today organised a virtual farewell for the outgoing students of the department.
Although it has been a difficult time for all students because of the present pandemic situation, online classes and other activities of the Department of English have contributed towards maintaining a bond between the students and teachers. Classes have been held regularly and so have literary activities, where students participated enthusiastically.
The event included a short skit summing up student life before and during the lockdown, some poems capturing the nostalgia of the years gone by, and several short speeches by the outgoing students. In particular, the thoughts expressed by Saquib, Chetali, Ritika, and Jagriti were much appreciated.
With the academic year drawing to a close, annual examinations were conducted online, and it is now time to say our fond goodbyes. The traditional farewell ritual has been transformed into a virtual one and students of the pre-final year invited their seniors for an affectionate send-off.
Faculty members of the department, Prof Manju Jaidka, Prof Tejnath Dhar, Prof Purnima Bali, Prof Neeraj Pizar, and Prof Sakshi Sundaram, also spoke on the occasion, wishing the final year students good luck for the next stage of their lives. The organising student committee comprised Vaishali, Snehanjali, Rsvika, Garima, Sakshi, and others.
In particular, the senior students appreciated the role played by Belletristic, the Literature Society of Shoolini, in grooming them and initiating them into the excitement provided by the study of literature. Ritika Tomar who, will now be passing out, in particular, has been very actively engaged in reporting and archiving the activities of the society.
Prof PK Khosla, Chancellor of Shoolini University, Solan, was today honoured by the Indian Society of Agroforestry, Jhansi, with the Lifetime Achievement Award, 2017, for his contributions to agroforestry research and development.?
An alumnus of Oxford University, Dr Khosla was instrumental in starting agroforestry education in the country for conservation and scientific investigations of the Himalayan trees. Prof Khosla was also at the forefront in establishing the Indian Society of Tree Scientists (ISTS) and worked as its Secretary as well as Secretary-General for more than two decades. He has edited more than 15 books related to agroforestry.
Prof Khosla has organised several National and International Conferences on Agroforestry, which earned him a distinguished place in the fraternity of Indian top scientists. He played a key role in greening the mid-Himalayas and was fondly known as a ‘Green Scientist’.
The award was conferred on four dignitaries starting 2017-20 and Prof PK Khosla was the first to receive the award (2017). Other scientists to receive the awards were, Dr PS Pathak, Former Director, Indian Grassland Institute, Jhansi (2018), Dr Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary DARE and Director General, ICAR, New Delhi (2019), and Dr Ravi Prabhu, CIFOR, ICRAF, Nairobi (2020).
The function was held in the virtual space and Dr Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary, DARE and Director General, ICAR was the Chief Guest of the function. One hundred participants, including eminent scientists in the subject, retired and served from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and International Council of Agroforestry, Nairobi, and many other international scientists participated in the function.
In its endeavour towards a safer Covid-free world, Shoolini University, at the initiative of the Solan district health authorities, organised a special Covid camp to vaccinate faculty and staff members.
About 400 faculty and staff members were vaccinated against Covid-19 during the two camps held on the university premises.
As per a notification issued by the National Health Mission, the Governor of Himachal Pradesh had included all staff members of Shoolini University as Frontine Workers for COVID-19 vaccination. During the first camp held last week, around 200 staff members were vaccinated.
In view of the overwhelming response, the district health authorities also organised a second camp, where another 200 staff members were vaccinated. All employees above 18 years of age were eligible for vaccination, said Director Operations Brig Sunil Mehta (retd).
The camp was led by Dr Yogita, Medical Officer incharge, Primary Health Centre, Nauni, and Ms Kanta Kashyap, Health Supervisor, Community Health Centre, Dharampur. Mr Ravi Kumar and Ms Anita Kashyap were the vaccinators. The team also included Ms Upasna Sood, Block Accountant/Data Entry Operator and Mr Arpit Bhatia, Data Entry Operator.
Brig Mehta said all staff members coming to the campus after its opening must be vaccinated. Similar camps would be organised for students as and when the authorities permitted, he added.
In its endeavour towards a safer Covid-free world, Shoolini University, at the initiative of the Solan district health authorities, organised two special camps to vaccinate faculty and staff members.
About 400 faculty and staff members were vaccinated against Covid-19 during the two camps held on the university premises.
As per a notification issued by the National Health Mission, the Governor of Himachal Pradesh had included all staff members of Shoolini University as Frontine Workers for COVID-19 vaccination. During the first camp held last week, around 200 staff members were vaccinated.
In view of the overwhelming response, the district health authorities also organised a second camp, where another 200 staff members were vaccinated. All employees above 18 years of age were eligible for vaccination, said Director Operations Brig Sunil Mehta (retd).
The camp was led by Dr Yogita, Medical Officer incharge, Primary Health Centre, Nauni, and Ms Kanta Kashyap, Health Supervisor, Community Health Centre, Dharampur. Mr Ravi Kumar and Ms Anita Kashyap were the vaccinators. The team also included Ms Upasna Sood, Block Accountant/Data Entry Operator and Mr Arpit Bhatia, Data Entry Operator.
Brig Mehta said all staff members coming to the campus after its opening must be vaccinated. Similar camps would be organised for students as and when the authorities permitted, he added.
The power of Yoga for a healthy living is undisputed. Taking this into account, a webinar on ‘Ayurvedic Principles for Healthy Living’ was organised by the School of Yoga at Shoolini University. The keynote speaker for the webinar, Dr Ajeet Tiwari, Ayurveda Medical Officer, Government Ayurveda Hospital, Almora, Uttarakhand, spoke about the Ayurvedic remedies to avoid Covid 19.
This webinar is a part of the series of webinars being organised by the School of Yoga on the occasion of the seventh International Day of Yoga on the theme, ‘Health and Happiness’.
The welcome note was presented by the Chancellor of Shoolini University, Prof PK Khosla. Sharing his valuable experience, he said the youth should be proud of the ancient Indian principles of healthy living, as the West was also adopting them, especially during the pandemic.
Delivering his lecture, Dr Tiwari said Ayurveda was known as the fifth Veda of India. He explained about the ‘Panchamahabhootas’ of the body, discussed the location of ‘Vatta Pitta’ and ‘Kapha Doshas’ in the body and their behaviour. He explained many Ayurvedic remedies to avoid the infection of Covid 19 and Black fungus. The most important, he said, was the regular practice of ‘Nasya kriya, Ghee’ in the eyes, Mustard oil in the mouth, steam with ‘Pudina’ and Ajwain’, gargles with turmeric, golden milk and citrus fruit.
During another webinar under the series, Prof Hemanshu Sharma delivered a lecture on ‘Improving Lung Function through Naturopathy’. He talked about the Naturopathy treatment to enhance lung function that in turn helped improve mucosal immunity and innate immunity, reducing stress and improving sleep. He also emphasised a Yogic diet for a better lifestyle.
During a session, Prof Suresh Lal Barnwal said Yoga provided the ability to cope with different situations and to get rid of all suffering. It spread positivity all around, removed the frustration and helped in purification, rejuvenation and transformation of the heart, mind, body and soul. He also described the importance of Dincharya, Pranayama, Silence, Araadhana, Upasana and Sadhana in daily life.
The vote of thanks was given by Dr Subodh Sourabh Singh, Associate Prof and Head, School of Yoga, Shoolini University. The webinar was co-ordinated by Dr Mala Tripathi, Assistant Prof, School of Yoga, Shoolini University.
