Mangalorean Harsha Bhat chosen for French Scientist Award
Award would be conferred on November 20
Mangaluru : Harsha S. Bhat, a CNRS (The French National Centre for Scientific Research) researcher at the Ecole Normale Superieure Laboratory of Geology, has been chosen for the prestigious Michel Gouilloud Schlumberger prize for 2018.
Komu Souharda Vedike Dakshina Kannada unit President Suresh Bhat Bakrabail's son Harsha Bhat would receive the award on November 20.
The researcher is rewarded for his original work on the mechanics of earthquakes. The award carries a purse of € 20,000 and a medal. The prize is awarded to researchers under 45 years of age for a significant discovery made before the age of 35 years in the field of sciences of the universe (geology or geophysics).
His most recent discovery is that some types of earthquake faults may also tend to open up, contrary to the traditional understanding that faults only slide past one another.
After completing his PhD at Harvard University, Harsha Bhat completed postdoctoral studies at Caltech and the University of Southern California. He is a solid mechanician and seismologist by training. He joined the CNRS in 2012 as Senior Research Scientist.
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Catholic Bishops' body slams Bhagwat's remarks
New Delhi: The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India on Thursday slammed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his reported remark that Pranab Mukherjee, when he was President, had said tribals would turn "anti-national" if there is no "ghar wapsi"Catholic Bishops.'
In a statement issued here, CBCI, a body of Catholic Bishops, referred to reports which said Bhagwat, at an event on Monday, claimed that Mukherjee, while he was President had appreciated ghar wapsi and told him that had it not been for the Sangh's work on reconversion, a section of Adivasis would have turned "anti-national".The CBCI called the report "shocking".
"Fabricated personal conversation being attributed to a former president of India and its posthumous publication with the vested interest of an organization with questionable credibility raises a grave issue of national importance," the CBCI claimed.
"Is it not the violent ghar wapsi program of VHP and other similar organizations, curtailing the exercise of freedom of conscience of economically deprived tribals, the real anti-national activity?" it asked.
'Ghar wapsi' is a term used by the RSS and affiliated organisations to refer to reconversion of Muslims and Christians to Hinduism, based on the belief that they were originally Hindus before converting to other religions.
The CBCI also questioned why Bhagwat did not speak about it while Mukherjee was alive.
"We, the 2.3 percent of Indian citizens who are Christians feel extremely hurt by such manipulated and motivated propaganda unleashed," it said.
In a post on X following the statement issued by CBCI, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said, "Speak up. This is a start!"
"Bishops body have issued a statement condemning remarks made by Dr Mohan Bhagwat and RSS for defaming the Christian community," he said.
O'Brien added that they should ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi more questions, including why Christmas Day has been turned into "Good Governance Day".
The TMC leader, in a blogpost earlier this month, had said "hard questions" must be asked to the government with regards to the Christian community, including why the FCRA has been 'weaponised', and why has Manipur been 'ignored'.
