India ends ISSF Junior World Championship with 30 medals, tops table
Lima (PTI): Indian shooters Anish Bhanwala, Adarsh SIngh and Vijayveer Sidhu combined to win the gold medal in the men's 25m rapid fire pistol team event as the country ended the ISSF Junior World Championship on top of the standings here.
The Indian trio shot a total of 10 to finish ahead of their German counterparts Fabian Otto, Felix Luca Hollfoth and Tobias Gsoell (2) in the gold medal contest on Friday.
India's Manvi Soni (105) bagged the junior double trap gold medal ahead of compatriot Yeshaya Hafiz Contractor (90). The bronze was won by Hitasha (76) in an event that only featured Indians.
Vinay Pratap Singh Chandrawat claimed the gold medal men's double trap event with a score of 120, while the silver went to Sehajpreet Singh (114) and the bronze to Mayank Shokeen (/111).
Earlier on Friday, Ayushi Podder and Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar won the silver in the 50m rifle 3 positions mixed team event to continue India's dominance in the tournament.
Ayushi and Aishwary shot 17 in the gold medal match to finish second to the 31 shot by the German pair of Max Braun and Anna Janssen. The Indian duo had topped the qualification round with a world record-equalling score of 590, with the eventual gold medallists finishing in second spot.
The other Indian team of Nischal and Sartaj Singh Tiwana finished eighth in the qualification round with a score of 574. This was after the Indian pair of Rhythm Sangwan and Vijayveer Sidhu clinched the 25m rapid fire pistol mixed team gold medal.
Sangwan and Sidhu defeated Thailand's Kanyakorn Hirunphoem and Schwakon Triniphakorn 9-1 to fetch India's 10th gold of the ongoing event.
The country also claimed the bronze medal in this event with Tejaswani and Anish triumphing 10-8 against another Thai team in Chawisa Paduka and Ram Khamhaeng.
In the junior women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions, Prasiddhi Mahant, Nishcal and Ayushi Podder clinched the silver medal after going down to the American trio of Elizabeth McGhin, Lorraine Zaun, and Carolynn Tucker. The Indians were beaten 43-47.
Table-toppers India ended the tournament with 30 medals including 13 gold, 11 silver and six bronze. USA finished second with 6 gold, 8 silver and 6 bronze.
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Over 70 pc maternal deaths in Karnataka could've been prevented: Audit report
Bengaluru, Apr 04 (PTI): Nearly 70 per cent of maternal deaths that occurred between April 1 and December 31, 2024, could have been prevented by following certain practices such as optimising cesarean rates and ensuring health facility preparedness, according to the interim maternal death audit report released by the Health and Family Welfare Department on Friday.
Following a sudden spurt in maternal deaths in Ballari during November 2024, the Karnataka government constituted a technical team of experts to examine all maternal deaths from April 1, 2024, and submit an audit report.
According to the report, out of the 464 maternal deaths analysed across districts in the state during this period, 18 were linked to the use of substandard Ringer Lactate solution, reportedly supplied by West Bengal-based manufacturer Paschim Banga Pharmaceuticals.
Of the 18 maternal deaths associated with the Ringer Lactate issue, five were reported in Ballari, four in Raichur, four in Bengaluru Urban, three in Uttara Kannada, and one each in the Yadgir and Belagavi districts.
The audit found that 65 per cent of the total maternal deaths occurred in government hospitals, 22 per cent in private hospitals, 10 per cent in transit, and 2 per cent at home.
It noted that the 10 deaths that occurred in transit were caused due to "negligence of the service providers."
The report also revealed that 50 per cent of the maternal deaths occurred among women aged 19 to 25 years, while 6 per cent were among women aged above 35.
Further, 72 per cent of the deaths were among first-time and second-time pregnant women.
Notably, 68.5 per cent of the women who died had one or more risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, infections, or severe anemia—indicating that high-risk pregnancies significantly contributed to maternal mortality.
In contrast, 31 per cent of the deaths occurred in women with no known risk factors.
The audit report stated that 37 per cent of the maternal deaths followed normal deliveries, while 63 per cent were associated with cesarean sections.
According to the state government, Karnataka has made steady progress in reducing maternal deaths and has already achieved the Sustainable Development Goal of a Maternal Mortality Ratio below 70 by 2030.
"As per the latest 2024–25 statistics, the state MMR is 57. Compared to the previous financial year, maternal deaths have decreased in the first three months of this year. In January–March 2024, 148 maternal deaths were reported, while in the same period in 2025, the number dropped to 102," the department said in a statement.
The state-level expert committee also submitted 27 recommendations to improve the quality of antenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum services in healthcare facilities.
Key recommendations include capacity building, equipping facilities with essential drugs and equipment, strengthening blood storage units, and mandating hospital stays of three days after normal delivery and seven days after cesarean delivery.
The committee also recommended post-mortem examinations in cases where the cause of death is unclear.
"Birth planning should be done for all pregnant women, including decisions on the time, place, and mode of delivery. Necessary logistics such as transportation—via 108 services or local transport—should be discussed and finalised well before the expected delivery date," the report stated.
According to the Health Department, the committee reviewed all maternal deaths, including those in private facilities, that occurred in Karnataka from April 1 to December 31, 2024.
The audits were conducted by examining healthcare processes based on medical records and oral submissions from doctors and specialists involved in the care of the deceased patients.
