News
India developing world’s most advanced affordable Artificial Heart
BY S VENKAT NARAYAN Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, October 30:India is developing the world’s most advanced and affordable Artificial Heart, or a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD). And it is being greeted as the next big thing in world healthcare because an Artificial Heart is rated as one of the most complex machines to build.
A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) or Artificial Heart is a pump used in patients with end-stage heart failure as a bridge while awaiting a heart transplant or as a destination therapy for those unable to go in for a transplant. It is an implantable battery-operated, mechanical pump, which helps the left ventricle (main pumping chamber of the heart) pump blood to the rest of the body.
The School of Medical Research and Technology (SMRT) at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur ((IIT-K) in Uttar Pradesh has announced the launch of Hridyantra, a grand challenge-based programme to develop the world’s most advanced Artificial Heart or a Left Ventricular Assist device (LVAD). The SMRT is a platform of interdisciplinary teaching and research in diverse areas of medical science and technology.
The programme is in collaboration with India’s leading hospitals, and will promote the vision of made in India for the world. A team of innovators with relevant experience has been selected under the mentorship of a task force composed of industry experts. As many as 32% of global deaths are due to cardiovascular disease, making it the commonest cause of death. Replacing the diseased heart with an artificial one (Left Ventricular Assist Device, LVAD) is the logical solution. “But when a solution is not affordable it’s not really a solution. When an artificial heart costs nearly INR 10 million in India and over a million dollars in America, it’s not a solution,” says Dr Devi Shetty, a cardiac surgeon and Chairman and Founder of Narayana Health, a chain of 24 hospitals and seven heart centres.
Only 29,000 rich patients have had an artificial heart implanted globally.The challenge to develop India’s first LVAD system is open to basic sciences, medical and engineering graduates or graduates of any stream with relevant experience. Some of the IIT Kanpur alumni based abroad with a vast knowledge of building machines to support failing hearts have become part of the mentor group.
The SMRT chose eight out of over 200 candidates for the team. This team will build the artificial heart on the IIT Kanpur campus, and own the Intellectual Property (IP) rights to eventually commercialise it and pay reasonable royalty to IIT K. The selected candidates will receive a fellowship and a milestone-based ownership in the commercial entity once the LVAD is successfully commercialized and launched.
Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Director, IIT Kanpur said: “IIT Kanpur is known for its pioneering role in launching high-impact projects in the fields of entrepreneurship and innovation. With Hridyantra, we are moving another step forward in realizing our vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) by supporting indigenous talent with critical R&D support.”
He added: “The programme, providing an innovation platform for enterprising problem solvers, will not only enrich the health ecosystem of the country, but will also lead the way in interdisciplinary biomedical research and innovation. This is our moonshot project, the success of which will determine the journey ahead and will boost the morale of everyone involved.”
The SMRT has created a power packed task force that includes engineering faculty members from IIT Kanpur, industry experts from the USA, and clinical experts from Narayana Health, All India Institute of Medical Sciences-Delhi (AIIMS Delhi), Apollo, Fortis Healthcare, Medanta, KIMS, and UN Mehta Heart Institute to handhold the selected fellows on developing the Artificial Heart. Hridyantra aims to be India’s most prestigious and impactful medical device innovation programme.
The initial capital for the project is paid by IIT-K alumni, and future capital will come as grants and donations from government and private funding agencies.The IIT-K is not planning to build the “world’s cheapest artificial heart” but the “world’s most advanced artificial heart.” It will be affordable since the entire development cost is paid through grants and donations.
Dr Devi Shetty says: “The model developed by IIT-K is a game-changer. It provides a magical platform for young entrepreneurs. If all the IITs and government-funded research institutes embrace a similar strategy to develop moonshot projects, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of Self-Reliant India will come true in less than a decade.”
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
