INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IN MATHEMATICS

International Math Olympiad

The IMO is a global level Mathematics Competition for High School students. 

A six-member student team from India have secured the country its best performance ever in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) 2024. The Indian contingent of high school students came in fourth rank globally securing four Gold medals, one silver medal and one honourable mention at the just concluded 65th IMO held at Bath, United Kingdom.

This is the best performance by an Indian in IMO since the country’s debut in 1989 both in terms of number of Gold medals won and rank achieved. India’s previous best rank achieved until 2024 was rank 7, at IMO 1998 and IMO 2001. 

Adhitya Mangudy (Grade 11 from Pune), Ananda Bhaduri (Grade 12 from Guwahati), Kanav Talwar (Grade 10 from Noida), and Rushil Mathur (Grade 12 from Mumabi) bagged the gold medal. Arjun Gupta (Grade 12, from Delhi) won the Silver medal, and Siddharth Choppara (Grade 12 from Pune) clinched an honourable mention.

Globally, Team USA, China, and South Korea finished as the top three winners in that order. At fourth place, India’s total score at the Olympiad is 167 just one mark behind South Korea’s at third spot. The winning team USA’s total score is 192. In all 609 students (528 male, 81 Female) took part in the IMO 2024, which saw 108 countries participate. Mangudy’s performance also secured him an overall ranking of fifth - the best performance of an Indian team member ever. The Indian team trained at the IMO Training Camp held at Chennai Mathematical Institute (CMI) this year and was accompanied by mentors professor Krishnan Sivasubramanian of IIT Bombay, and former IMO medallists Rijul Saini of HBCSE and Rohan Goyal currently a Ph D student at MIT, USA, among others.

CMI director Madhavan Mukund said they see growing interest each year among student community to participate in International Olympiads, be it Mathematics or Science. “As they see success stories in the previous editions, their confidence and determination also goes up,” he adds.

DID YOU KNOW

Where did the word 'moon' come from?

Earth has just one moon. It is best known as the Moon in the English-speaking world because people in ancient times used the Moon to measure the passing of the months. The word 'moon' can be traced to the word mona, an old English word from mediaeval times. Mona shares its origins with the Latin words metri, which means to measure, and mensis, which means month. So we see that the Moon is called the Moon because it is used to measure the months. But why do the moons around other planets have names, while ours is just the Moon?

When the Moon was named, people only knew about our Moon. That all changed in 1610 when an Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei discovered what we now know are the four largest moons of Jupiter. Other astronomers across Europe discovered five moons around Saturn during the 1600s. These objects became known as moons because they were close to their planets, just as our own Moon is close to Earth. It’s fair to say that other moons are named after our own Moon. The newly discovered moons were each given beautiful names to identify them among the growing number of planets and moons astronomers were finding in the Solar System. 

ROAD TRANSPORT IN INDIA

Freeway, Highway and Expressway 

Highways and Expressways are common terms we use most of the time and also travel across them. They have made road transportation much faster and efficient in India. India's road network is the second largest road network in the world that connects all the major and minor cities, towns and villages. Indian road network consists of Expressways, National Highways, State Highways and other major district and rural roads. 

What is a National Highway?

National Highways are the backbone of the road infrastructure that connects every major cities of India whether ports, capital of states etc. They consist of two, four or more lanes built by charcoal (coal tar) and few by cement concrete. That is, in India, National Highways are at grade roads.

This network is owned by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. It is constructed and managed by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL) and Public Works Department (PWD) of state governments. NH was established by the National Highway Authority of India Act, 1988.

What is Expressway?

Expressways are the highest class roads in India. These are the highways with six to eight lane controlled access road network. Basically, expressways are of high quality consisting of modern features like access ramps, grade separation, lane dividers and elevated section. The expressway is equipped with several smart and intelligent features including a Highway Traffic Management System (HTMS) and Video Incident Detection System (VIDS). For future highways these systems will set a benchmark and are also environment friendly. 

Difference between Expressways and Highways 

The major difference between a highway and expressway is the access control. 

- In expressways, there are no multiple roads, controlled access is there where vehicle can enter through a limited place and no further or other road merges or crosses the expressway anywhere. Due to this the possibility of accidents are also less. In short, they are high speed roads with several facilitates and little access. 

- Highway is a generic form given to roadways which connect the important cities, towns etc., consist of multiple roads and usually have four lanes to provide high speed traffic. 

Freeway is basically designed for high speed vehicular traffic. For example, Eastern Freeway and Western Freeway reduce traffic congestion in the Mumbai Island city. 

A STORY WORTH READING

Parable of a king and his four wives

Once upon a time, there was a King who had four wives.

He loved the fourth wife the most, spoiling her with his deepest affection and providing her with only the finest things life could offer.

He also loved the third wife and proudly displayed her to the neighboring kingdoms.

He relied a lot on his second wife. She was his trusted advisor and companion. Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in her, and she would help him get through the difficult times.

However, not much can be said about his first wife. Despite her significant contributions to maintaining his kingdom and her tireless efforts to win his love and admiration, the King barely noticed her existence.

One day, the King fell gravely ill. Despite his efforts to find a cure, he realized that his time was running out.

He reflected on his majestic life and decided to spend everything to prolong it, leading him to consult a mystical sorcerer. The sorcerer said, “I’m sorry, Your Highness, but nothing can be done. Your death is imminent. However, I will grant you the chance to take one wife with you into the afterlife.”

Thus, he asked his fourth wife, “I have given you nothing but the best in life. Now that I’m dying, will you accompany me into the afterlife?”

“No way!”, replied the fourth wife, and she walked away without saying a word.

The sad King then asked the third wife.

“No!” replied the third wife. “Life is too good here! I’ll stay! When you die, I’m going to remarry!”

He then asked his second wife.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t go with you,” replied the second wife. “I can only see you to the edge of your grave.”

The King’s heart sank, and he felt a deep sense of despair. He was utterly devastated.

Then he heard a weary, sad voice, speaking softly: “I’ll go with you. I’ll follow you no matter where you go.”

The King looked up and saw his first wife as if for the first time. She appeared aged beyond her years, barely recognizable due to years of neglect. With deep regret, the King said, “I should have taken much better care of you while I had the chance!”

MORAL: We all have these four wives in our lives.

The FOURTH wife is our BODY.  

We often shower our body with the most affection, spending our lives adorning it with exquisite clothing and ornaments. Yet, in the end, it will abandon us when we die.

Our THIRD wife is our POSSESSIONS.  

We invest much of our time and energy in accumulating wealth, but none of it will accompany us when we die. Instead, it will be divided and passed on to others.

Our SECOND wife is our friends, family, and relatives.  

We love and trust them, and in return, they offer us comfort and support when we need it. However, no matter how long they remain by our side, they can only accompany us up to the point of our burial.

And our FIRST wife is our soul (SPIRIT).  

We often neglect our soul (spirit) in the pursuit of wealth, pleasure, and power, not realizing that it is only our soul (spirit) that accompanies us after death. While it's important to take care of our bodies by staying healthy and exercising, and to enjoy time with loved ones, we must also remember to nurture our greatest treasure: our spirit.

To lead a fulfilling life, it’s essential to find balance in caring for the four aspects of our existence: our body, our earthly possessions, our relationships, and our soul or spirit. By giving each of these areas the attention they deserve, we create a harmonious life where we are not only prepared for the end but also enriched in the present.

WORSHIP OF SNAKE GOD

 Nag Panchami

In Indian mythology, the world is supported on the hood of a giant snake called Shesha. And the myths and legends come to the fore on the day of Naga Panchami, the festival that is dedicated to the Snake God.

Over a vast space of time, serpents have haunted the Indian mind. An oblation of rice and milk, the subdued burning of camphor and incense sticks, the flickering wicks soaked in the shimmering brass lamps and the strewn flower petals - all invoke an abiding faith and awe in the inscrutable powers of the Snake God. Through the corridors of time one hears the echo of chorus songs and dance beats all in praise of the powers that the snakes are believed to possess.

Snake worship is common throughout India, both of the sculptured form and of the living being. The sculpture is invariably in the form of the naga or the cobra. Sometimes there is a single naga, the hood being spread open. Occasionally, there are nine snake figures sculpted together, and the form is known as Nava Naga. The living snake is worshipped almost in every part of the country, especially on occasion of festivals like Naga Panchami.

Living Tradition

The festival of Naga Panchami is a living tradition of the snake cult. One of the great festivals in honour of the serpent, it is observed across India and Nepal on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Shravan during the monsoon season. There are many legends associated with this festival, prevalent in different parts of the country. It is believed that the festival celebrates the victory of Lord Krishna over the mythical Kaliya, a monstrous black cobra that was killed by Krishna. The immortal Kaliyamardana story in the Shrimada Bhagwata describing Krishna’s subduing of the poisonous serpent Kaliya who polluted the river Yamuna and his dance on the hood of the serpent is well-known. Krishna not only made the waters of the river safe for people by ousting the Kaliya Naga but released the serpent from the curse that made him take the form of Kaliya.

Another legend states that once a snake was trampled upon by a woman during night. The snake followed her, intending to bite her. There it saw the same woman giving milk to the young one of a snake. The snake changed its mind and went off. It was the day of Naga Panchami.

The rites and rituals to be observed on this festive day are laid down in the Sanskrit work called ‘Vrataraja’. According to this text, “The poisonous one must be drawn with cow dung on both sides of the door.” Elaborate rituals in the form of ‘puja' are held in temples and temporary altars in the honour of snake gods. In many parts of Eastern India, the festival is dedicated to the worship of the snake goddess Manasa. On the festive day women take a holy bath in the morning and worship the cobras by offering milk and honey. The adobe of a cobra – usually an ant hill - is decorated with turmeric and kumkum and milk is poured into it. The snake charmers go about with trained cobras and collect money. Milk is offered to the Nagas because they are considered to be a form of death and the milk consumed by snakes and the Nagas soothes their anguish. It is believed that the reward of this worship is freedom from snake bites in the family.

Unique Festivities At Battis Shirala

Battis Shirala, a small town in Maharashtra, is famous for its annual Naga Panchami festival, which is attended by thousands of people. Tourists from all over the world gather at this place to witness the unique festivities. Two weeks before the festival, villagers go snake-hunting, after getting ‘kaul’' (permission) from the village goddess Ambabai by placing a flower on her head. If the flower falls voluntarily on the left side then that family is not allowed to catch snakes that year. It is believed that only the natives of Shirala are allowed to catch the snakes. Snakes (including the venomous Indian King Cobra) are tracked by their body marks in the soil. The ground is dug up carefully and the snakes are captured.

A lot of care is taken so that snakes are not hurt since that would invoke a curse on the family. Searching for hours might result in procuring seven or eight snakes per group. These snakes are then kept in a big earthen pot which is closed by placing another small earthen pot on its top. A cloth is then tied around the top with a rope. These pots are usually hung outside the house. Every morning till the actual festival, these snakes are taken out of their earthen pots and fed with a rat or frog.

On the day of the festival, the snakes are displayed in a huge procession. The procession begins with the blessings of Ambabai and 70 to 80 groups of snake-catchers and the villagers take part in this procession. Before this procession, in the morning, village women worship these snakes. After the festival the snakes are released at the same place from where they were caught.

Love for Living Ones

Serpents played an important role in the life of ancient Indian people. They were worshipped for prosperity. It was believed that they guarded the treasures buried under the ground. As such, on the Naga Panchami day, no digging of the earth is done. Snakes are also farmers’ friends since they eat rats, insects and frogs which threaten to harm the crops. Hence, farmers refrain from ploughing the fields on Naga Panchami day out of the fear that the sharp head of the plough might harm the cobras. Even the cutting of vegetables is avoided considering the possible threat to this sacred being. In both Kerala and Tamil Nadu serpents are also believed to contribute to the fertility of the soil. This is the reason why priests of some of the serpent temples come from the agrarian community. In all the southern states, the deity under whose name the snake is worshipped is Subramanyam.

Water Spirit

The serpent has also been worshipped as a symbol of water, longevity and wisdom, perhaps because of its wriggling movement, renewal after the sloughing of its skin and the unblinking stare. While in Greek mythology, the world is supported on the shoulders of the mighty giant Atlas, Indian mythology holds that the world is placed upon the raised hood of a huge serpent called ‘Shesha’. There is a view that the serpents are worshipped chiefly because of their power over the element of water. Hendrik Kern, a well known scholar, propounded the theory that the nagas are essentially water spirits. They are personified forces of nature. The serpents are said to haunt lakes and ponds and the sources of rivers and are supposed to be the givers of rain. During the rainy season holes in the ground get filled up with water and so the serpents come out on the earth’s surface. Since they are observed in plenty during this season, the belief that they bring rains might have been reinforced.

Fertility Cult

One of the earliest forms of religion, serpent worship is especially resorted to for offspring. The serpent is supposed to confer fertility on barren women. The roots of the fertility cult run deep in many parts of the country. In the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu it is believed that the curse of sterility can be wiped away by worshipping the Snake God. Barren women worship the snake idols installed under a Peepal tree and then smear it with sandal paste, turmeric and kumkum. They go around the tree 108 times and this is known as Ashwattha Pradakshina. Once the woman becomes a mother, she installs a snake idol under the tree. The reason for this belief is that the snake is a symbol of masculinity. Since pre-historic times it is believed that the snake, a vigorous masculine spirit, makes the earth fertile and a woman being the representative of the earth can be bestowed with fertility by worshipping the same symbol of masculinity. There may be some variation in the period and the mode of observance but Naga Panchami is celebrated in every nook and corner of India according to age-old rites. It continues to testify to the feelings of awe and veneration which the serpent evokes in the minds of people since the earliest times we have cognizance of.

INVENTION

Parachute 

The word parachute comes from the French words 'para' and 'chute'. Used together, they mean 'to shield a fall'. Parachutes had been first imagined and sketched by Leonardo da Vinci. They were reinvented in 1783 by a French chemist, Louis Lenormand, who was also the first to make a parachute jump. 

The material of the parachute has changed a lot since it was invented. But the basic design was not changed until the 1930s. Originally made from canvas, parachutes were later fashioned from silk. 

Today, parachutes are made from 'rip-stop' nylon that is woven with extra thick thread at regular intervals, creating a pattern of small squares. These squares keep small tears from spreading. 

A GUM DISEASE

Gingivitis

In simple words, gingivitis is defined as gum inflammation. An early stage of gum disease if ignored can progress and cause more severe oral health diseases.

Causes: Gingivitis is caused by Bacteria that build up as plaque around the tooth surface if the oral cavity is not properly taken care of. 

What is plaque: Dental plaque is a sticky, biofilm of bacteria that develops around teeth and it happens to everyone. It is the main cause of cavities and gum disease. This bacteria feeds off sugars left from food on teeth thus producing an acidic environment in the oral cavity. Acid attacks the tooth enamel and causes it to break down.

The only best way to deal with it is proper brushing and flossing twice a day with mouth rinsing after every meal, especially after the intake of sweet food.

Symptoms: Healthy gums are pink in color and firm in texture while touching, brushing, massaging, and flossing. While unhealthy gums can show up any of the following symptoms:

● Red, swollen, and painful gums

● Painful while touching, talking, swallowing, and     drinking water

● Bleeding from gums

● Sensitive teeth due to gum shrinkage

Bad breath (Halitosis): If the symptoms are ignored Gingivitis can progress either into ANUG (Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis) or severe Periodontitis which can lead to Bone loss, and tooth loss too.

Prevention: Mild and early stages of gingivitis can be cured with simple precautions and techniques. 

1) Scheduling visits to the dentist every 6 months for regular check-ups.

2) Professional cleaning from Dentist or Hygienist to remove tartar buildup around the tooth.

3) Learning the proper technique of Brushing, flossing.

4) Making the habit of brushing teeth twice a day.

5) Limiting the amount of sticky, sweet, and acidic food and beverages.

6) Consuming a minimum of 2 liters of water per day.

7) Engaging with more fruits and vegetables in the diet.

8) Rinsing the mouth with normal water after every meal.

Treatment: In its early stage, it can be treated by routine dental checkups and Professional cleaning at the dental clinic if required. 

1. Scaling at an early stage prevents the buildup of plaque and tartar formation around the tooth surface and prevents the progression of gum disease. 

2. One must quit smoking, too much alcohol intake, and tobacco use in any form.

3. Brush your teeth twice a day with a soft bristle toothbrush.

Dentist would prescribe Medications in the form of Oral Antibiotics, Analgesics Topical antibiotics, or Xylocaine gel for infection and pain relief if required.

Home remedies: 

A Salt water rinses: It reduces bacterial multiplication, inflammation, pain, swelling, and bad breath.

Method - Take 1/2 teaspoonful of salt and mix it in 1 cup of lukewarm water. Swish for 30 seconds to 1 minute and spit. Repeat it 2- 3 times a day during the early stage of gingivitis and after Professional cleaning for 2-3 days.

Massaging the gums: Massaging the gums regularly twice a day regulates blood flow and thus prevents swelling, pain, and bleeding from the gums

 A Final note: Gingivitis is the most common gum disease which is reversible in the early stage of diagnosis. Moreover, prevention only requires maintaining Proper Oral Hygiene and regular visit to a Dentist for oral cavity checkups. If ignored it progresses to a more severe form of gum disease. So keep your Oral hygiene at bay and rock your Oral health status.