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Aarogya Setu’s problems go beyond its privacy flaws!

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Launched over a month ago, the Aarogya Setu app, India’s contact tracing app developed as a means to alert users of contact with a COVID-19 patient who has tested positive, has been a mixed bag of results. While the government has claimed moral victory for being the most downloaded app , privacy critics have been slamming the app for hiding more than it is revealing to the public.   The World Health Organization states that contact tracing has three components, identification (of the person who is infected), listing (listing all people he may have come in contact with) and follow-up (where all listed people need to be monitored for symptoms and signs of infection). Almost all of the work that goes into contact tracing is manual work and generates a lot of data. This data needs to be stored and analysed to identify the potential spread of infection in your area (district, state or country). The manual method works when the number of infected people are low but as numbers increase, the
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With COVID-19, ICMR has bitten more than it can chew

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India went into a surprise lockdown on the 22nd of March 2020, after the Prime Minister called for a voluntary lockdown or “ Janata Curfew ” on a Sunday, in the wake of the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) caused by a novel Coronavirus strain, now known as COVID-19. As of that date, India had 360 positive cases of the virus and 7 deaths. Ever since, officials from ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) started providing daily updates on the turn of events and the efforts being taken by the institute to determine the extent of spread of COVID-19 in the country.  By its own admission , ICMR is the apex body for formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research in the country. Established in British era as Indian Fund Research Association (IFRA), the organisation got its current name in 1949 and was later included into the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 1976. The primary aim of the institute is to promote biomedical research to reduce the burd
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Where DoorDarshan Lost the plot!

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Growing up in the 1990s in India did not give you a lot of options when it came to watching television. Doordarshan or commonly known as DD was your sole source of entertainment, news and learning. Cable TV ushered in a large variety of channels to watch from, while recent advances in Satellite television, give you the option to actually pick the channels you would want to see.  Although, I have stopped watching direct television for over a couple of years now, television content (without the irritating adverts) continues to garner my attention.  It is needless to say that I am no fan of the Ekta Kapoor drama series, the laughter bouquet of SAB TV is something I keep going to. Whether the light hearted comedy of Tarak Mehta ka Oolta Chasma or the politico-social satire of Lapatagunj, the channel offers laughter to all and also at all times.  The comedy is natural, simple and unlike the comedy challenge shows, unforceful. SAB started another series in November last year, c
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Re: No science in 'cut and paste'

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Image from www.devosdevine.com This is my opinion on the recent 'Opinion' posted by Mr. Rahul Siddhathan in the Hindu, on the 9th of March 2012. The original article can be read here .  After a suggestion from a friend, I spent some time writing to the Editor of the Hindu. He was kind enough to post my views in his paper. Just that my point of view was (severely) edited and can be found  Ameya's Letter to the editor of Hindu    or below (for those who are too lazy to click)  Below is the full text of the letter for the interested reader :  Dear Sir,  Reference to  Mr. Rahul Siddharthan's 'Opinion' titled  No science in 'cut and paste'.   It is disheartening to see a senior scientist being dragged into the muck of plagiarism. What is even unfortunate is that the first author, who actually did the lab work, (or atleast some work in this case and deserves recognition) is being made a victim by his superiors. One must also not forget that this is
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Location: Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
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Our tryst with the Internet

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Image from www.cicerolounge.wordpress.com  With all the downloading of torrents, (okay) buffering of YouTube videos at 360p and the fastest browser available to us (that too free!!!!) the very definition of Internet has changed for us.  I still remember the day when we pre-decided to share the cost of an hour of internet surfing which was available only at our school. The price we paid was to have a peek at the Internet and all the hype surrounding it. It was a price to know what the future held for us and why the internet was termed as a vast ocean of knowledge. At that age, we just did not understand what upload/ download speeds  were (or even what they meant), who was hosting the sites that were looking for and the biggest question of all: What are we looking for on the computer?  From the hour I spent on the internet, I learnt three things : what Internet Explorer did, what Yahoo was and how to set up a Hotmail account. So strong are these memories that my password for this b
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Being Indian in 2011

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                             15th August - Our Independence Day. Years of struggle finally bore fruit in 1947 and we were proud that we had earned our freedom. As we remember the sacrifices of our forefathers and salute the valiant for their struggle, we must also not forget the struggle of those living in free India. I am not talking of those who saw wars nor of those who fought society to establish themselves. I am talking of every, you and me, who stays in the country and struggles everyday, with the hope of a better tomorrow.  Our nation stands on the brink of history. The struggle for a stronger Lokpal Bill, will resume again. The ruling party refuses to let the PM be open to questioning. A call for greater transparency in the country's affairs has been thwarted since 1972 and will be neglected every time. People from all walks of life have supported the passing of a strong Bill. Once passed, the Law will prove to everybody that in free India, every individual is accountable
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Location: Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
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Rome was not built in day, will Telangana be?

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???????? ???????? Another two day bandh called for the separation of Telangana state from Andhra, has crippled life in the city. Buses not plying, MMTS shut down and non-availability of our exotic friend, petrol, has disturbed routines and already cost businesses, big and small, alike. People have paid Rs. 100/- for a litre of petrol or paid more than thrice the usual fare to the auto-driver, who is willing to risk his vehicle and reach passengers to their destinations. As usual, the political leaders we elect to be our representatives have shown no maturity, whatsoever, to handle this situation. Ironically, it is their decision making inability that has brought this day upon us. While MLAs threaten the government with resignation letters, the unelected and self-proclaimed voices of the people of Telangana, threaten rickshaw drivers and the common man from reporting to work and earning their bread for the day. One of the main reasons, why students of the university
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