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The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Opening new doors for Parliament's library service
In recent years, disruptions have been the hallmark of parliamentary proceedings in India. It is almost easy to forget that Parliament is not just a seat of politics. It is where policy is made and autopsied and the government is held accountable by people chosen to do so. Legislating on complex and diverse issues, from economic reforms and climate change to national security and emerging technologies is a daunting task. The key is to have access to world-class research and referral services. The Parliament library is one of the best in the country. Its services are used by research scholars, but only a handful of Members of Parliament (MP) use it, say MPs past and present. The Parliament Library and Reference, Research, Documentation and Information Service (LARRDIS) is prompt and efficient — an MP recalled how his online query about the speeches made by another MP during his 15-year parliamentary tenure led to all of them being sent to his email inbox within three days. Inputs, however, are limited to what is contained in its now entirely digitised volumes. 'It is not a research organisation or an academic institution,' was how one MP described the role of LARRDIS. But this gap is now filled by organisations such as PRS Legislative Research with its Legislative Assistants to Members of Parliament (LAMP) fellowships. Of the 800 or so MPs in Parliament, at any given point, only between 40 to 50 MPs have a LAMP fellow. Lauded for its immense value addition and effectiveness, LAMP nevertheless has finite resources — fellows spend a short time with MPs. Therefore, many MPs rely on political aides or external consultants for research. With House discussions devolving increasingly into political combats, many political parties also supply their MPs with talking points. This means that inputs to MP offices can be partisan or lacking in expertise or facts, resulting in debates that may lack analytical depth. The good, the bad and the ugly of LARRDIS While LARRDIS has been active in digitising parliamentary records such as creating PDF archives of Lok Sabha proceedings, committee reports, and rare books (even introducing a service in 2023 to share articles written by MPs with others), its services are predominantly reactive. MPs must submit requisitions either in person or online. The volume of requests by MPs for information surged from 150 in 1950 to over 8,000 in 2019. Yet, LARRDIS operates largely in a silo, with minimal partnerships with universities, think tanks, or consulting firms. This isolation limits its ability to provide proactive, anticipatory policy analysis and predict trends. It has also limited in-house research capacity. To meet the evolving demands of Indian democracy, there is a need for LARRDIS to evolve into an agile, forward looking, and inclusive research hub, making the best use of some of the premier academic institutes in the country. It will enrich India's legislative process. Other parliamentary research services Established parliamentary democracies have dedicated research units that provide lawmakers with authoritative, objective, and timely information. According to the Guidelines for Parliamentary Research Services by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), a holistic research function within the system ensures confidentiality, neutrality and institutional memory. The European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) collaborates with think tanks, academic partners, and other parliamentary services to build a diverse knowledge repository. It maintains an accessible website housing reports and policy digests. The EPRS tracks global trends affecting the European Union (EU), provides initial appraisals of European Commission impact assessments, and produces 'Cost of Non-Europe' reports assessing benefits of EU-level common action. Argentina's Scientific Office for Legislative Advice (OCAL) informs Parliament about scientific and technological options by collaborating with external institutions, conducts studies on social challenges, connects legislators with scientists and citizens, and runs training programmes. France's Parliamentary Office for Evaluation of Scientific and Technological Options (OPECST) and Mexico's Office for Information of Science and Technology for the Congress of the Union (INCyTU) serve similar roles. LARRDIS could emulate this proactive 360-degree approach. Partnerships with academic institutions for policy-relevant studies to address complex and emerging issues such as Artificial Intelligence governance or climate change can be one option. The IPU highlights such collaborations in countries such as Benin (Africa) and Colombia (South America), where embedding scholars co-author technical papers for enhanced research quality. Egypt attaches groups of specialists and research fellows to parliamentary committees. Sweden has the Association of MPs and Researchers (RIFO), for facilitating dialogue between lawmakers and researchers. Building an institutional asset A phased and consultative approach that is aligned with global best practices would be the ideal route for restructuring LARRDIS. LARRDIS's mandate, eligible users (MPs, citizens), turnaround timelines, and confidentiality protocols need to be delineated. Talent from think tanks, academic institutions, consulting agencies, and experts from organisations such as the World Bank, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the United Nations Development Programme can add depth to its work. This is not merely an administrative reform. It is an investment in the quality of lawmaking, accountability, and governance. For a complex country such as India, the cost of misinformed policy can be staggering. A state-of-the-art research service would bridge the information asymmetry between legislature and executive, enhance the quality of debates, and strengthen the trust of citizens in parliamentary processes. Swati Sudhakaran is with Chase Advisors, a public policy advisory firm in New Delhi. Abantika Ghosh is with Chase Advisors, a public policy advisory firm in New Delhi. The views expressed are personal
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Covid Vaccines Not Behind Sudden Deaths, Suggests Top Medical Body Study
New Delhi: None of the Covid vaccine doses are linked to heart attacks and deaths, said Dr Sudheer Arava from AIIMS, who is part of the research currently underway by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Speaking to IANS, he noted that preliminary data so far has shown no indication between heart attack and Covid jabs, developed in the country. "Till now, our study data says that the vaccine has no effect on the cause of death, whether it is a first dose, second dose or third dose, there is no difference in it," Arava added. His comments amid concerns over several heart attack deaths being seen in the country. About the study, Arava, from AIIMS' Department of Pathology, said that it was launched by the ICMR, in the aftermath of deaths happening in the country after the arrival of Covid. Initial results, soon to be published, indicate that 50 per cent of the deaths caused among individuals between 18 to 45 years are due to heart attacks. The other finding is "unexplained death, in which we could not ascertain the cause". Further, to understand whether the deaths match with those during pre-COVID days, they analysed previous data but found no difference in the cause of death. "We found out that the pattern of death rate among young individuals in pre-COVID times is similar to that of during COVID. We did not find any effect of the vaccine in this... There is no clear-cut indication saying that the vaccine causes sudden death in young individuals," Arava told IANS. "The benefits of vaccines far outweigh the very small possible side effects," added Dr Rajiv Narang from the Department of Cardiology, AIIMS. He added that "people should be aware that a heart attack is not a simple issue -- there can be many causes for sudden cardiac arrest". Meanwhile, the Indian Vaccine Manufacturers Association (IVMA) also issued a statement assuring the safety of the Covid vaccines developed in the country. "Covid-19 vaccines of India were developed and manufactured with the highest safety and quality standards," IVMA Director General, Dr G.V.J.A. Harshavardhan, said. "All Covid-19 vaccines in India were approved for Emergency Use Authorisation (restricted use in emergency situations of the WHO guidelines)," he added. Harshavardhan noted that the approvals were based on extensive evaluation in preclinical studies and human clinical trials. He stated that the Indian vaccines not only helped "control the Covid-19 pandemic and restrict its impact on lives, livelihoods, but most importantly, enabling India's economic activity and GDP to rebound and grow to new heights globally". Harshavardhan said that the benefits of India-made Covid jabs were also extended to several countries worldwide, under the government's Vaccine Maitri programme. "We hereby reassure the public on the safety and efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines," he said.
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
Anil Menon: NASA Astronaut To Fly To ISS On First Space Mission In 2026
Indian-origin astronaut Anil Menon has been assigned his first space mission by NASA. Mr Menon will serve as a flight engineer aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Expedition 75. The mission is scheduled for launch in June 2026 aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft, alongside Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. The crew will lift off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and is expected to spend approximately eight months aboard the ISS. During the expedition, Anil Menon will support critical scientific research and technology demonstrations designed to advance long-duration human spaceflight and benefit life on Earth. Who Is Anil Menon? Anil Menon was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Indian and Ukrainian immigrant parents. He graduated from Saint Paul Academy and Summit School in 1995. He earned a bachelor's degree in neurobiology from Harvard University in 1999. At Harvard, he conducted research on Huntington's disease and later spent a year in India as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar supporting polio vaccination efforts. Anil Menon earned engineering and medical degrees from Stanford, followed by residencies in emergency and aerospace medicine, and a Master's in Public Health from University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in 2012. During his training, Mr Menon joined the California Air National Guard, supported remote wilderness races and served as a first responder in major disasters including the Haiti and Nepal earthquakes. As part of Operation Enduring Freedom, he deployed to Afghanistan to provide emergency medical care. He was later transferred to the 173rd Fighter Wing, logging over 100 sorties in F-15s and transporting over 100 patients with the US Air Force's critical care air transport team. He joined NASA as a flight surgeon in 2014. In 2018, Anil Menon became SpaceX's first flight surgeon and helped launch the first crewed Dragon spacecraft during the Demo-2 mission. He was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2021 and reported for duty in January 2022. He completed two years of astronaut training and graduated with NASA's 23rd astronaut class in 2024. Anil Menon continues to practice emergency medicine at Memorial Hermann's Texas Medical Center and teaches at the University of Texas. He is married to Anna Menon, a SpaceX employee, and they have two children. Anil Menon has received numerous awards, including the US Air Force Commendation Medal, NASA and SpaceX team awards, and multiple honours for academic and medical excellence.
