Dr Renu Raj left medicine and topped UPSC in 2014. Now she is helping tribal kids
Since becoming an IAS officer, Dr Renu Raj has worked in different parts of Kerala. She has taken up roles like Sub-Collector and District Collector. In her work, she has focused on improving healthcare, women's safety, and education.Dr Renu Raj's story shows that with focus and dedication, it is possible to achieve your dreams and make a real difference in society.- Ends
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
2 days ago
- Hans India
Students told to avail facilities provided in schools
Vijayawada: NTR district collector Dr G Lakshmisha said the state government has conducted the Mega Parents-Teachers meet to bring together parents, teachers and the students for the comprehensive development of the children. He said the government is providing facilities in the government schools on par with the private schools and students should take full advantage of these resources to achieve great heights in life. He was the chief guest at the Mega Parents and Teachers Meet 2.0 held at Zilla Parishad Girls High School in Kondapalli of Ibrahimpatnam mandal, along with local public representatives and officials on Thursday. He explained that with the aim of providing a bright future for children, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu and Education Minister Nara Lokesh have launched several innovative initiatives. Collector stated that approximately 3 lakh students and their parents participated enthusiastically across 1,453 schools in the district the Mega PTM 2.0. He said for the first time, PTMs are being conducted in private institutions also. He said these meetings allow for mutual exchange of information regarding academic standards, students' behaviour at home, and their interests. Dr Lakshmisha urged the students to make the best use of government-provided resources such as quality education, infrastructure, uniforms, textbooks, and nutritious mid-day meals and suggested to set goals like to become doctors, engineers, scientists, IAS or IPS officers and work with sincerity to achieve them. Schools, he said, are like temples where the foundation for children's dreams and aspirations is laid. The collector also noted that progress reports once seen only in private schools are now available in government schools in the form of Holistic Progress Cards due to reforms introduced in education. Collector Lakshmisha stressed the importance of cyber awareness from a young age to prevent falling victim to cybercrimes and frauds by criminals. With proper precautions, students can stay safe online. He also highlighted how substance abuse can destroy lives and families. Posters with the message 'Say No to Drugs, Bro' were released during the meeting. The principal presented the school's progress report, and the children gave impressive cultural performances. Collector Lakshmisha also enthusiastically participated in a Kolatam (traditional folk dance) performance and later shared a meal with students and parents. He took photos at the selfie stand and planted a sapling in the school premises. NTR DEO YV Subbarao, Kondapalli Municipal Chairman Chennuboyina Chittibabu, Municipal Commissioner Ramya Keerthana, Education Committee Chairperson Sheikh Bajibi, Headmistress B Hemalatha, Eagle Cell SI M Veeranjaneya, local public representatives, and others were present. On the other hand, thousands of parents enthusiastically participated in the MPT meeting held across the government and private schools across the NTR district. MLAs, local people's representatives, government officials and NGOs participated in the meetings and gave valuable suggestions to the students and parents. Parents spoke to the teachers and enquired about the studies and progress of the children.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
Discontinuing AIDS funding could trigger 4 million deaths by 2029, says new report: What are implications for India?
A new UNAIDS report has cautioned that a permanent discontinuation of support from the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) for HIV treatment and prevention could lead to more than four million additional AIDS-related deaths and six million additional new HIV infections by 2029. According to the UNAIDS report, titled '2025 Global AIDS Update – AIDS, Crisis and the Power to Transform,' a historic funding crisis is threatening to unravel decades of progress. It pointed out how communities and governments had brought down the numbers of new HIV infections by 40 per cent and of AIDS-related deaths by 56 per cent since 2010. It also noted how huge gaps in HIV prevention had remained, with 1.3 million new infections in 2024—almost unchanged from the year before. The sudden withdrawal of the single, biggest contributor to the global HIV response disrupted treatment and prevention programmes around the world in early 2025. International assistance accounts for 80 per cent of prevention programmes in low- and middle-income countries. UNAIDS modelling shows that if the funding permanently disappears, there could be an additional six million HIV infections and an additional four million AIDS-related deaths by 2029. At the same time, the number of countries criminalising the populations most at risk of HIV has risen for the first time since UNAIDS began reporting data. Worldwide 9.2 million people living with HIV did not access life-saving treatment services last year. Among those were 6,20,000 children aged 0—14 years. This resulted in 75,000 AIDS-related deaths among children in 2024. As per the new report, 25.6 lakh people were living with HIV in India in 2024. A total of 64,000 new infections were identified last year in the country and around 32,000 AIDS-related deaths were recorded. India's HIV prevalence peaked in 2000, showing a continuous decline for the past two decades with 0.55 per cent in 2000, to 0.32 per cent in 2010, 0.21 per cent in 2021 and 0.2 per cent in 2023. However experts are concerned about the resurgence of HIV given the rise in new infections, especially in young people. 'This is similar to the rising trend in Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), Human Papillomavirus-HPV, Hepatitis B and syphilis,' said Dr I S Gilada, president emeritus, AIDS Society of India. That's why he is advocating increasing tests and screening to minimise new infections. UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima said the funding gap was 'a ticking time bomb.' 'We have seen services vanish overnight. Health workers have been sent home. And people — especially children and key populations — are being pushed out of care,' Byanyima added. At a virtual press conference, Dr Beatriz Grinsztejn, IAS President told reporters, 'On the one hand, we are witnessing extraordinary scientific breakthroughs that could transform prevention and treatment and even bring us closer to a cure. On the other hand, these very advances are under threat from massive funding cuts that risk stalling clinical trials, slowing our progress, Now, more than ever, it is important for the world to hear directly from HIV researchers, scientists and affected communities.' As of December 2024, seven countries — Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, Rwanda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe—had achieved the 95-95-95 targets: 95 per cent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 per cent of those are on treatment, and 95 per cent of those on treatment are virally suppressed. The report also highlights the emergence of unprecedented, highly effective new prevention tools like long-acting injectable PrEP, including Lenacapavir, which has shown near-complete efficacy in clinical trials—though affordability and access remain key challenges. Anuradha Mascarenhas is a journalist with The Indian Express and is based in Pune. A senior editor, Anuradha writes on health, research developments in the field of science and environment and takes keen interest in covering women's issues. With a career spanning over 25 years, Anuradha has also led teams and often coordinated the edition. ... Read More
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
SC notice on plea to include haemophilia under disability job reservation
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Union government to respond to a petition that sought reservation in public employment to persons with haemophilia, a blood clotting deficiency. The Supreme Court issued notice to the Union government and UPSC, as the petitioner urged the court to direct UPSC to consider him as a disabled candidate (ANI) The petition filed by Prema Ram, a person with haemophilia, argued that such persons face locomotor disability as internal bleeding in joints causes limb deformity, which can become severe in some cases. The petitioner, who has a benchmark disability certified with 50% disability of haemophilia, said that people with the blood disorder were not eligible for reservation in government jobs under the Right to Persons with Disabilities Act. 'We will issue notice,' the bench of justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi, sitting during the partial court working days, said. Prema Ram had appeared in the Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in May this year. But because people with the blood disorder were not eligible for the quota, he did not tick his eligibility under the 'persons with disability' category. The bench issued notice to the Union government and UPSC, as the petitioner urged the court to direct UPSC to consider him as a disabled candidate. Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate Jayna Kothari said that haemophilia is linked to locomotor disability as a person having this rare genetic blood disorder cannot walk if there is uncontrolled bleeding in joints. She pointed out that the petitioner has a valid disability certificate issued in 2018 of having benchmark disability (over 40% disability) with severe haemophilia. Espousing the cause of similarly-situated persons, the petition filed as a public interest litigation, referred to section 34 of the 2016 Act or the RPD Act. Section 34 of this Act provides for 4% reservation in public employment to persons with benchmark disability under a list of 21 specified disabilities. This does not include haemophilia, the petition said. The court said, 'If you have a locomotor disability, you will get it. We do not see any challenge to this. Reservation can be as per the legislation. You cannot make it equal for everybody.' Kothari said that haemophilia is included as a 'specified disability' under the Schedule of the RPD Act, and the benefit of reservation should apply equally to all persons with benchmark disability. According to her, under the scope of Section 34, locomotor disability is available only for 'cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy.' The petition pointed out haemophilia is an incurable blood disorder caused by a deficiency in clotting factors, specifically factor VIII (Haemophilia A) or factor IX (Haemophilia B). Bleeding in critical areas like the brain, throat, and abdomen can be life-threatening and treatment for this condition involves high costs and limited availability of treatment. In such a scenario, reservation would stand to benefit these persons in the long run. 'individuals with severe haemophilia (A or B), bearing a 'benchmark disability' of 40% or more, do not qualify for reservation benefits under Section 34 despite being covered under the definition of 'person with benchmark disability'. This contrasts starkly with individuals suffering from other disabilities such as autism and locomotor disabilities, who, with a 40% or greater disability, are entitled to reservations under the same section,' the petition drafted by advocate Rohit Sharma said.
