Karnataka urges Centre to set up National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka is at the forefront of science and pharmaceutical research, and the union government should establish a unit of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research in the state, Minister M B Patil said on Wednesday.
In a letter addressed to Union Health Minister J P Nadda, Patil assured that the state government would promptly provide the necessary land, infrastructure, support, and opportunities for collaboration.
According to a statement from the minister’s office, Patil recalled that the union government had earlier considered setting up the institute in Karnataka, though the proposal did not materialise at the time.
He urged the Centre to revive the plan, citing the state’s strong ecosystem of scientific research institutions and biotechnology companies.
Highlighting Karnataka’s leadership in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and healthcare services, Patil noted that Bengaluru alone is home to over 400 biotechnology companies.
"The state also hosts premier institutions such as the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), and the Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB)," the statement said.
He added that innovation in the sector is actively supported through the state government’s bio-innovation centre and a progressive biotechnology policy.
With nearly 60 per cent of the country’s biotechnology companies based in Karnataka, the state accounts for about 12 per cent of India’s total pharmaceutical exports, the statement noted.
"It also has a robust ecosystem for clinical research, medical device manufacturing, and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) production. Taking all these factors into consideration, Patil urged the union government to sanction a National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research for Karnataka," it added.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
