Latest news with #Mehta
Time of India
32 minutes ago
- Health
- Time of India
Surgeons rebuild man's penis in rare, 9.5 hour operation
Nagpur: In a rare medical feat, surgeons at Lata Mangeshkar Hospital successfully rebuilt the penis of a young man from Rajasthan, who lost the organ to cancer eight years ago. The complex operation, lasting 9.5 hours, is believed to be the first of its kind performed in a single stage in Central India. "The patient was living without a penis for several years. Reconstructing the organ restored not just physical function but also his confidence and dignity," said Dr Jitendra Mehta, one of the lead plastic surgeons on the case. To reconstruct the penis, doctors first created the shape of the shaft and urinary passage (urethra) using tissue from the patient's forearm. This tissue was then surgically transplanted to the groin area. Crucially, the surgical team connected tiny blood vessels under a microscope — a procedure known as microvascular surgery — to ensure proper blood supply. Nerves were also attached to help restore sensation. "Such surgeries demand immense precision. We work under a microscope to join vessels thinner than a matchstick," explained Dr Sameer Mahakalkar, another plastic surgeon involved. "It's meticulous work, but it gives patients a chance to lead a normal life. " While this operation was performed due to cancer-related loss, similar techniques can help men injured in accidents or those undergoing gender-affirmation surgery. Dr Sajal Mitra, dean of NKP Salve Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, praised the surgical team's dedication. "This is not just a surgical success — it's a step forward for reconstructive medicine in our region. Such cases remind us why training, teamwork, and technology are so vital. " The surgical team included Dr Mehta, Dr Mahakalkar, Dr Ashwini Panditrao, Dr Dev Patel, Dr Abhiram Mundle, Dr Kanwarbir, and Dr Pallavi. Anaesthesia support was provided by Dr Anjali Bhure, Dr Madhushree Shah, Dr Ketaki Marodkar, and Dr Rachana Naitam. Dr Nitin Deosthale, medical superintendent and vice dean, coordinated logistics. Hospital officials confirmed the patient is recovering well and will soon be able to pass urine normally through the reconstructed organ. Such procedures are performed free of cost under govt health schemes like Ayushman Bharat and Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Aarogya Yojana, helping patients who might otherwise be unable to afford advanced surgeries. "This is a life-changing operation," said Dr Mehta. "It's about restoring hope." Recreating Manhood *Tissue Taken from Forearm: Doctors shaped skin and tissue from the patient's forearm to build new penis *Urethra Created Inside: Tube to pass urine (urethra) was crafted inside reconstructed organ *Transplanted to Groin Area: New organ carefully attached to groin region *Tiny Blood Vessels Joined: Surgeons used microscope to connect small blood vessels for blood supply *Nerves Connected for Sensation: Nerves were joined to help restore feeling and function in the new organ
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP MLA loses Rs 1.27L to cyber fraudsters
Daltonganj: Panki BJP MLA Shashi Bhushan Mehta was duped of Rs 1.27 lakh in a fake GST auction scam. The incident took place when the legislator was in Mumbai for a parliamentary conference on June 26. The fraudster, identifying himself as Ritesh Kumar from GST Customs, contacted Mehta with an offer of auctioned four-wheelers. "I got a call around 9 am from Kumar. As his phone number was saved in my cell phone, I picked up and responded to him," Mehta added. The scammer claimed to be from GST Customs Malda and proposed a fleet of luxury vehicles available for auction at a base price of Rs 12,70,000. "He asked me to pay 10%of the base money to join the auction/bidding," he said. Two payments were subsequently made through Mehta's personal assistant, Saroj Kumar Chatterjee – Rs 50,000 from an SBI account and Rs 77,000 via UPI. The fraud came to light when the perpetrators' phones were found switched off soon after. Taking immediate action, Mehta filed a complaint on the cyber fraud helpline 1930 on June 27, followed by a formal police complaint at the Ranchi cybercrime police station on June 28. The case has been filed under relevant sections of the BNS and IT Act, with inspector S K Gorai leading the investigation. Questions remain about how the fraudster's number was saved in the MLA's phone, potentially indicating sophisticated social engineering tactics. Mehta said, "I am confident this case will be cracked." Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Track 1.5 and 2.0 Dialogues way forward to South Asia's Prosperity: Experts
South Asia grapples with historical tensions and modern rivalries, hindering regional cooperation on shared challenges like climate change and trade. India's evolving military posture and Sri Lanka's geostrategic importance were highlighted. Experts emphasized the need for deeper engagement from the EU and the importance of mutual respect for security and sovereignty to foster progress. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads South Asia is a vibrant yet volatile region, where historical ties and modern rivalries collide—amplified by global power plays, said Pradeep S. Mehta, Secretary General, CUTS International in his opening a session titled Perpetual Conundrums in South Asia, Mehta emphasised the need for regional cooperation to tackle shared challenges, from climate change to trade to the recent India-Pakistan conflict, Lt Gen Subrata Saha (Retd.), former Member National Security Advisory Board of India, highlighted India's shifting military posture, noting its response to cross-border terrorism. 'From surgical strikes post-Uri to deeper incursions after Pulwama, India's suppression of Pakistani air defences and subsequent ceasefire requests marked a turning point in deterrence.'Former Foreign Secretary of Sri Lanka, Amb. Prasad Kariyawasam, underscored the geostrategic importance of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean. 'Ninety percent of global trade is seaborne. A stable Indian Ocean is vital for Sri Lanka's economic security, and there's strong bipartisan support for deeper ties with India,' he Tariq Ahmad Karim, Advisor, Centre for Bay of Bengal Studies, Independent University, Bangladesh and former Bangladesh envoy to India reflected on the region's challenges, stating, 'South Asia's inability to cooperate stems from a failure to learn from shared history. Geography ensures we can't escape each other, yet we remain stuck in the past'.Discussing the role of other countries and regions, especially the US in this region, Michael Kugelman, Senior Fellow, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada remarked, 'Under a potential Trump 2.0 administration, trade and great-power competition will likely dominate U.S. engagement, though strategic ambiguity persists,''South Asia remains low on the EU's agenda. Moving beyond symbolic gestures to meaningful engagement is critical,' said Shada Islam, Founder, New Horizons Project, Belgium, as she critiqued the EU's approach.'The EU's engagement is ritualistic, overly influenced by the transatlantic partnership. There is an urgent need to move beyond symbolism to meaningful regional engagement.' she added.'India's resistance to Chinese projects curbs BRI's South Asian reach. Nepal's vision of trilateral connectivity remains aspirational without India's involvement', said Apekshya Shah, Senior Fellow, Nepal Economic Forum. She further added governance issues and limited political consensus remain major challenges in delivering the closing remarks, Bipul Chattopadhyay, Executive Director of CUTS International, called for a stronger focus on fostering not only physical connectivity but also energy and people-to-people linkages in the future. He emphasised that security remains supreme, noting that 'mutual respect for each nation's security and sovereignty is essential to forging a path towards incremental progress in regional cooperation.'
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
X complies with takedowns globally but seeks special treatment in India: Govt
X (formerly Twitter) complies with takedown laws globally but seeks special treatment in India, the Union government told the Karnataka high court on Tuesday while opposing the social media giant's petition against joining the Sahyog portal for automated notices. The Karnataka high court will hear the matter next on July 8. (Shutterstock) Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the government, said X must join the platform and comply with all takedown notices issued by designated authorities. 'In every other country, they follow the law. Only in India, they expect these luxuries,' Mehta said. X has challenged the government's direction, asking it to join the portal, arguing that Sahyog opens the door for 'indiscriminate censorship.' Senior advocate KG Raghavan, who appeared for the company, cited the case of the Indian Railways asking X to remove a viral video of a woman driving on railway tracks in Telangana. Raghavan questioned how such content was unlawful. He claimed 'every Tom, Dick, and Harry' could issue takedown notices under Sahyog. Mehta objected to Raghavan's choice of words and said the officers sending such notices were the competent authority, and the government would not tolerate anyone calling them names. Justice M Nagaprasanna, hearing the matter, said the senior counsel must exercise restraint for these were officers of the 'government of India' and had 'statutory powers.' The government reiterated that X has no legal right to challenge takedown orders. It previously told the court in an affidavit that social media intermediaries did not have the locus to fight for their users in court. The government also cautioned that if X resisted, it might lose safe harbour. Under Section 79 of the Information Technology (IT) Act, platforms like X are protected from liability for user content, provided they comply with takedown requests within 36 hours of receiving official notice. X has argued that this provision has been misused to create a parallel blocking mechanism that violates the Supreme Court's judgment in the case of Shreya Singhal vs Union of India, which provides for orders for content removal only under a defined process established under the IT Act. The high court will hear the matter next on July 8.
Mint
2 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Torrent Pharma not planning to make leadership changes after buying JB Pharma
Ahmedabad-based drugmaker Torrent Pharmaceuticals will not to make leadership changes at JB Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals, its management told investors in a call on Monday, a day after the announcement of its nearly ₹ 19,500-crore deal to acquire a controlling stake. Torrent said on Sunday that it would acquire a controlling stake in JB Pharma from global investment firm KKR, at an equity value of ₹ 25,689 crore. The deal will be followed by a merger of the two entities. The deal is expected to be completed in 15-18 months, and is likely to be funded through debt. 'At this stage, all we can share is that there is no intention to change anything in business as usual,' Aman Mehta, whole time director and managing director-designate at Torrent Pharmaceuticals, told investors when asked about leadership plans for JB Pharma. 'In terms of how we plan to integrate, we do recognize that the scale of this acquisition is far larger than our past ones. So it's not really comparable in that sense,' said Mehta. '...directionally, even in this case, it should be fairly similar to what we've seen in the past three deals,' he added. In the last five years, under the leadership of chief execuitve officer Nikhil Chopra, JB Pharma has emerged as one of the fastest growing pharma companies in India. Chopra, who was previously executive vice president—India business at Cipla, was brought on after investment firm KKR acquired a 54% stake in JB Pharma from the promoters, the Mody family, in July 2020 for about ₹ 3,100 crore, or ₹ 745 per share. Torrent's management declined to share specifics on future plans for the deal. The transaction is expected to be EPS (earnings per share) accretive by FY28, which would be the first year of the merged entity, said Sudhir Menon, chief financial officer at Torrent Pharma. Torrent is acquiring a 46.39% equity stake (on a fully diluted basis) in JB Pharma through a share purchase agreement for ₹ 11,917 crore at ₹ 1,600 per share, followed by a mandatory open offer to acquire up to 26% of the company's shares from public shareholders, at an open offer price of ₹ 1,639.18 per share, amounting to about ₹ 6,843 crore. Torrent also intends to acquire up to 2.80% of equity shares from certain employees of JB Pharma at the same share price as KKR, that is ₹ 1,600 per share, totalling about ₹ 719 crore. The acquisition will be followed by a merger between Torrent and JB Pharma through a scheme of arrangement, subject to necessary regulatory approvals. The acquisition will provide Torrent access to a fast-growing India franchise, with JB's leading brands in the chronic segment, and entry into untapped therapeutic areas like ophthalmology, and IVF. Following the deal, Torrent moves up the rank in the Indian drug market from the 7th position to 5th position. 'If the double digit growth sustains in merged entity, we think Torrent can become #4 ranked company in India in 3-4 years,' said brokerage Nuvama in a note. The deal also facilitates Torrent's entry into the contract development and manufacturing organization segment. It will also aid consolidation in key international markets. 'Although JB Chemicals has been operating efficiently under KKR's ownership, the merger is expected to unlock further value through the reduction of corporate costs and potential synergies in the field force, particularly as both companies have a strong presence in cardiology and gastroenterology therapies,' analysts at JM Financial said in a note. Torrent is likely to finance the deal through debt. 'At the outset, the leverage required for this transaction is looking quite comfortable from a servicing point of view. However, depending on the MTO (mandatory tender offer) outcome, which is a variability which is there, we will see if equity mix is required at all,' Menon told investors.
