[ad_1]
NEW DELHI: As PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the world’s highest railway bridge over the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, the spotlight was on the engineering feat. Behind the scenes, a Bengaluru-based academic played a quiet yet critical role in shaping this marvel.Dr G Madhavi Latha, a professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), has spent the past 17 years working as a geotechnical consultant on the Chenab Bridge project — which is part of the ambitious 272 km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL).
The bridge, taller than the Eiffel Tower by 35 metres and costing Rs 1,486 crore, was described by the government as the “biggest civil-engineering challenge faced by any railway project in India in recent history”.Who is Madhavi Latha?Latha worked closely with Afcons, the project’s main contractor, to help tackle the region’s complex geological and topographical conditions. Her role included advising on the placement of rock anchors to stabilise slopes and ensuring structural safety throughout construction. The methods and challenges encountered were later chronicled in a paper she authored for the Indian Geotechnical Journal.Currently a HAG professor at IISc, Latha began her academic journey with a B.Tech in Civil Engineering from JNTU in 1992, followed by an M.Tech in Geotechnical Engineering from NIT Warangal, where she earned a gold medal. She completed her PhD at IIT Madras in 2000.She was named Best Woman Geotechnical Researcher by the Indian Geotechnical Society in 2021 and featured in the “Top 75 Women in STEAM” in India in 2022.Her work on the Chenab Bridge, a project first approved in 2003, stands as one of her most enduring and high-impact contributions.The epic journey of building the world’s highest railway bridge in KashmirLong before construction cranes dotted the skyline or steel arches began spanning the Chenab River, the path to building the world’s highest railway bridge began with something far more modest—mules and horses. In the early stages of the project, before any access roads existed, engineers and workers relied on animals to traverse the rugged Himalayan terrain. “Initially, mules and horses were used by the project team to reach the location,” a spokesperson from Afcons Infrastructure, the firm behind the engineering feat, told PTI. Over time, temporary tracks were laid and gradually replaced by permanent access roads—11km on the north bank and 12km on the south—to pave the way for machinery and material. On Friday, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi walked across the newly completed Chenab Bridge waving the national flag, it was more than just a ceremonial inauguration. It marked the realisation of a decades-long engineering ambition to link Kashmir with the rest of the country by rail.Today, the Chenab Bridge stands 359 metres above the riverbed, towering 35 metres higher than the Eiffel Tower.
[ad_2]
Source link
About the author
Costume Designer Amritha Ram on designing Kamal Haasan’s unconventional look in ‘Thug Life’: ‘He’s always done what others don’t’ – Exclusive | Tamil Movie News
[ad_1] Amritha Ram discusses her creative journey designing costumes for Kamal Haasan in Mani Ratnam's 'Thug Life.' She highlights the collaborative process with Ratnam, whose precise vision guided the film's unique aesthetic, diverging from typical commercial styles. Ram details the evolution of Haasan's wardrobe across three distinct stages, emphasizing minimalism and character-driven choices, particularly in the Delhi and Nepal looks. Costume designer Amritha Ram has worked with Kamal Haasan on multiple projects, but Thug Life—directed by the legendary Mani Ratnam—offered a creative journey like no other. In this exclusive chat with ETimes, she opened up about building the layered wardrobe for Kamal’s complex character, working closely with Mani Ratnam’s precise vision, and how the film’s aesthetics stand apart from typical commercial fare. Excerpts...What was the most exciting challenge about designing for Kamal Haasan in Thug Life under Mani Ratnam's direction?The […]
If It Happened There: Donald Trump sends central troops to quell protests in opposition-ruled California | World News
[ad_1] Protesters confront police on the 101 Freeway near the Metropolitan Detention Center of downtown Los Angeles, Sunday, June 8, 2025, following last night's immigration raid protest. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Note: The following piece is inspired by Joshua Keating’s If It Happened There which uses tropes and tones normally used by American media to describe events in other countries. The facts presented deal with as much exactitude and accuracy as an American media outlets’ reporting about a foreign country.Los Angeles, Mexican for the city of angels, is home to Hollywood – America’s answer to Bollywood – and a city where starstruck aspirants come with the dream of being immortalised on the silver screen. Yet, the city, which falls under America-administered California, an opposition state which overwhelmingly voted for Mr Donald Trump’s rival from the Democratic Party, Ms Kamala Harris, […]
Apple prepares for new ‘Games’ app as domain goes live ahead of WWDC 2025 keynote
[ad_1] Apple is expected to launch iOS 19 (or rumoured iOS 26) and one of new features that is reported to come is a new Apple Games app. Apple appears to be laying the groundwork for this new application, which is said to curate games from the App Store and Apple Arcade, as a domain purportedly leading to the platform has gone live.As per a report by 9to5mac, the company's new games.apple.com domain has just gone live. However, it is currently displaying a blank page, signaling imminent content.This shift from a "Safari Can’t Find The Server" error message to a blank white page strongly suggests Apple is preparing to push content to the URL very soon, potentially coinciding with the conclusion of the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote.What Apple’s new Games app is all aboutWhile the exact function of the […]
MS Dhoni inducted into ICC Hall of Fame | Cricket News
[ad_1] MS Dhoni, former India cricket captain, has been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame, recognizing his extraordinary career spanning 16 years with 17,266 international runs, 829 dismissals and 538 matches across formats for India. The wicketkeeper-batsman revolutionized the sport through his unique playing style, tactical leadership and achievements including winning all three ICC men's white-ball titles as captain. "It is an honour to be named in the ICC Hall of Fame, which recognises the contributions of cricketers across generations and from all over the world. To have your name remembered alongside such all-time greats is a wonderful feeling. It is something that I will cherish forever," Dhoni said about his induction. Dhoni's journey began in 2004 when he made his ODI debut. Though he was dismissed for a duck in his first match, he soon announced his […]
160-million-year-old blue-stain fungi in China found to be harmful to trees |
[ad_1] In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers have uncovered 160-million-year-old blue-stain fungi fossils from the Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation in China. The new findings offer fresh insights into the ecological relationships between blue-stain fungi, plants, and insects during the Jurassic period. These fungi are generally nonfatal to their hosts but often accelerate tree mortality when associated with wood-boring insects.According to ScienceDaily, a Chinese team of scientists highlights the discovery of well-preserved blue-stain fungal hyphae within Jurassic fossil wood from northeastern China, pushing back the earliest known fossil record of this fungal group by approximately 80 million years.Know about the blue-stain fungi, deadly to treesBlue-stain fungi are known for their ability to colonize wood, particularly in conifer trees, causing characteristic discoloration in the sapwood. While these fungi do not decompose wood, they often cause considerable damage when associated with wood-boring insects. Their role […]
America burning: LA reels under anti-immigration protests for third straight day despite Trump’s National Guard order
[ad_1] Multiple Waymo taxis burn near the Metropolitan Detention Center of downtown Los Angeles, following last night's immigration raid protest. (Video credit: X) For the third night in a row, downtown Los Angeles became the epicentre of chaos and confrontation as protests against US President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown boiled over into violence, with police deploying tear gas, rubber bullets, and flashbangs to subdue demonstrators. Protesters set self-driving cars ablaze, blocked the 101 freeway, and clashed with law enforcement late into Sunday night, leaving parts of the city scorched and on edge.The flashpoint came after Trump took the extraordinary step of deploying the National Guard to California without the consent of the state's governor, an act not seen in decades. More than 300 troops arrived over the weekend, with 2,000 authorised and 500 US Marines on standby.Meanwhile, California governor Gavin […]
Related
Costume Designer Amritha Ram on designing Kamal Haasan’s unconventional look in ‘Thug Life’: ‘He’s always done what others don’t’ – Exclusive | Tamil Movie News
[ad_1] Amritha Ram discusses her creative journey designing costumes for Kamal Haasan in Mani Ratnam's 'Thug Life.' She highlights the collaborative process with Ratnam, whose precise vision guided the film's unique aesthetic, diverging from typical commercial styles. Ram details the evolution of Haasan's wardrobe across three distinct stages, emphasizing minimalism and character-driven choices, particularly in the Delhi and Nepal looks. Costume designer Amritha Ram has worked with Kamal Haasan on multiple projects, but Thug Life—directed by the legendary Mani Ratnam—offered a creative journey like no other. In this exclusive chat with ETimes, she opened up about building the layered wardrobe for Kamal’s complex character, working closely with Mani Ratnam’s precise vision, and how the film’s aesthetics stand apart from typical commercial fare. Excerpts...What was the most exciting challenge about designing for Kamal Haasan in Thug Life under Mani Ratnam's direction?The […]
If It Happened There: Donald Trump sends central troops to quell protests in opposition-ruled California | World News
[ad_1] Protesters confront police on the 101 Freeway near the Metropolitan Detention Center of downtown Los Angeles, Sunday, June 8, 2025, following last night's immigration raid protest. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Note: The following piece is inspired by Joshua Keating’s If It Happened There which uses tropes and tones normally used by American media to describe events in other countries. The facts presented deal with as much exactitude and accuracy as an American media outlets’ reporting about a foreign country.Los Angeles, Mexican for the city of angels, is home to Hollywood – America’s answer to Bollywood – and a city where starstruck aspirants come with the dream of being immortalised on the silver screen. Yet, the city, which falls under America-administered California, an opposition state which overwhelmingly voted for Mr Donald Trump’s rival from the Democratic Party, Ms Kamala Harris, […]
Apple prepares for new ‘Games’ app as domain goes live ahead of WWDC 2025 keynote
[ad_1] Apple is expected to launch iOS 19 (or rumoured iOS 26) and one of new features that is reported to come is a new Apple Games app. Apple appears to be laying the groundwork for this new application, which is said to curate games from the App Store and Apple Arcade, as a domain purportedly leading to the platform has gone live.As per a report by 9to5mac, the company's new games.apple.com domain has just gone live. However, it is currently displaying a blank page, signaling imminent content.This shift from a "Safari Can’t Find The Server" error message to a blank white page strongly suggests Apple is preparing to push content to the URL very soon, potentially coinciding with the conclusion of the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote.What Apple’s new Games app is all aboutWhile the exact function of the […]
MS Dhoni inducted into ICC Hall of Fame | Cricket News
[ad_1] MS Dhoni, former India cricket captain, has been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame, recognizing his extraordinary career spanning 16 years with 17,266 international runs, 829 dismissals and 538 matches across formats for India. The wicketkeeper-batsman revolutionized the sport through his unique playing style, tactical leadership and achievements including winning all three ICC men's white-ball titles as captain. "It is an honour to be named in the ICC Hall of Fame, which recognises the contributions of cricketers across generations and from all over the world. To have your name remembered alongside such all-time greats is a wonderful feeling. It is something that I will cherish forever," Dhoni said about his induction. Dhoni's journey began in 2004 when he made his ODI debut. Though he was dismissed for a duck in his first match, he soon announced his […]
160-million-year-old blue-stain fungi in China found to be harmful to trees |
[ad_1] In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers have uncovered 160-million-year-old blue-stain fungi fossils from the Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation in China. The new findings offer fresh insights into the ecological relationships between blue-stain fungi, plants, and insects during the Jurassic period. These fungi are generally nonfatal to their hosts but often accelerate tree mortality when associated with wood-boring insects.According to ScienceDaily, a Chinese team of scientists highlights the discovery of well-preserved blue-stain fungal hyphae within Jurassic fossil wood from northeastern China, pushing back the earliest known fossil record of this fungal group by approximately 80 million years.Know about the blue-stain fungi, deadly to treesBlue-stain fungi are known for their ability to colonize wood, particularly in conifer trees, causing characteristic discoloration in the sapwood. While these fungi do not decompose wood, they often cause considerable damage when associated with wood-boring insects. Their role […]
America burning: LA reels under anti-immigration protests for third straight day despite Trump’s National Guard order
[ad_1] Multiple Waymo taxis burn near the Metropolitan Detention Center of downtown Los Angeles, following last night's immigration raid protest. (Video credit: X) For the third night in a row, downtown Los Angeles became the epicentre of chaos and confrontation as protests against US President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown boiled over into violence, with police deploying tear gas, rubber bullets, and flashbangs to subdue demonstrators. Protesters set self-driving cars ablaze, blocked the 101 freeway, and clashed with law enforcement late into Sunday night, leaving parts of the city scorched and on edge.The flashpoint came after Trump took the extraordinary step of deploying the National Guard to California without the consent of the state's governor, an act not seen in decades. More than 300 troops arrived over the weekend, with 2,000 authorised and 500 US Marines on standby.Meanwhile, California governor Gavin […]
Be the first to leave a comment