In Brief – December 2020
Anika Chebrolu, a 14-year-old from Texas, won the 2020 3M Young Scientist Challenge for her work on developing a molecule that can bind to a certain protein of the coronavirus and prevent it from functioning. The Indian-American teenager has been awarded $25,000 for her research on a potential drug to treat Covid-19.
In a viral video on Instagram and Twitter, Makenna Myler, a 28-year-old pregnant woman, ran a mile in less than six minutes. This was her response to her husband’s $100 bet that she could not run the distance in less than eight minutes while being nine-month pregnant. Myler dreams of representing the US in the Olympics. Her husband, captured the feat on video and asked “Someone find whether this is a world record?” on his Instagram and TikTok posts.
Barisha Club’s Durga Puja Committee in Kolkata is paying a tribute to migrant workers with a statue depicting the goddess as a migrant mother with her children. The installation of the statue highlights the plight of migrant workers who were left without jobs and forced to walk hundreds of kilometres home during the lockdown. Rintu Das, the sculptor, has gained a lot of online appreciation for creating the statue.
Covid patients
ENT surgeon Dr Arup Senapati from Silchar Medical College, Assam, is winning hearts with his dance moves to the song Ghungroo from the movie War. Clad in a full PPE kit, the doctor was trying to cheer up Covid patients at the hospital. Within few minutes of his colleague Dr Syed Faizan Ahmad sharing the video, it had over two lakh views.
the 100th time
PDG Anil Agarwal, RID 3054, donated blood for the 100th time on his birthday on Sep 18. He was accompanied by Dr Sudhir Bhandari, principal and controller of SMS Medical College and Hospital, the largest government hospital in Rajasthan.
Dr Bhandari honoured him for his commitment to blood donation. RIPE Shekhar Mehta also tweeted and congratulated him.
