Associate Editor, Down To Earth. She joined the magazine in 2000 and has written extensively on health and science issues. She is a biologist by training and holds a PhD in Botany
Indian Science Congress: The circus comes to an end
This annual researchers’ meet, the 106th edition of which ends today, has a history of controversies that have taken its stature down
Zika needs to be controlled but how?
With 131 cases of Zika infections being reported in Rajasthan, the country is up in arms against the disease but has no reliable way of dealing …
Affordable medicine for tuberculosis to get a push at UN General Assembly
In a rare win, developing countries managed to thwart USA's plan to derail a tuberculosis declaration that will be signed at the UN General …
Saffola study, a marketing ploy?
Saffolalife’s online survey on risk of cardiovascular diseases could help Marico which positions its Saffola oil brands as healthy for heart
It is time we protect our oceans
Oceans also drive the climate, and most importantly, they act as a buffer against climate change
Vacuum in governance on genetically modified foods in India
FSSAI has so far dragged its feet on regulating GM foods. Its recent attempt to regulate the industry may do more harm than good as the draft …
Consumers cannot make informed decision without GM labelling
21 of the 65 processed foods tested had genetically modified ingredients; most of these products do not mention anything about GM on their labels.
Taste the genetically modified buffet
CSE tested 64 processed food products bought from retail stores in Delhi-NCR, Punjab and Gujarat and one sample of crude cottonseed oil. These …
Glyphosate use increased 1500% since genetically modified crops were introduced
Cultivation of genetically modified herbicide tolerant crops relies heavily on glyphosate, a possible carcinogen
The cervical cancer puzzle
Data on cervical cancer suggests we do not need HPV vaccine, especially when there is doubt about its efficacy
Can India achieve its goal to be a zero trans fats nation by 2022?
Not if the food industry has its way. They do not see a link between trans fats and ill health
Poorly regulated Medical Council of India could soon be defunct, what next?
If the National Medical Commission Bill, 2017 becomes an Act, the Medical Council of India will be replaced and doctors will not have regulatory …
Health of India’s states: What the latest health report means
Although non-communicable diseases now contribute more to India’s disease burden than communicable diseases, it does not mean that …
Worrying trend of hospital deaths
Recent death of children in Gorakhpur hospital is emblematic of a larger malaise
Voluntary commitments can protect the ocean
Since the time taken to negotiate environmental commitments is not always worth the outcome, the UN Ocean Conference is doing away with this time lag
Saving oceans: shipping industry to go green
All businesses affect the oceans. Some like marine tourism have a direct effect on the health of oceans
Why did Centre take late action despite signs of Zika's presence?
It took the governmnet 11 months to test the blood sample that has now been cofirmed positive for Zika
Depression’s other face
Factors linking depression to air pollution, food habits and environmental degradation are not commonly considered
Does Science Congress provide direction to research?
If the science congress is a reflection of the best research in the country, then we surely need to worry
Wasting an opportunity to create safer alternatives to fossil fuels
Generating methane from organic wastes might be a more rational choice than pinning hopes only on coal
Why no debate on independence of research?
There was no discussion on how promoting PPP model will affect independence of research
Why dengue needs out of the box thinking
India should learn from success of its malaria control efforts
World Health Assembly: bogged down by slow decisions
Crucial decisions, like those on curbing antimicrobial resistance and tackling air pollution and its health effects, are yet to be taken
Hoping to collide at CERN
The second phase of experiments, being conducted at world’s leading laboratory, to develop more understanding of sub atomic physics is …
What’s in a name? Everything, if its botany
Taxonomists who can identify plant samples correctly are in great shortage, affecting research in applied sciences like biotechnology and genetics
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