Delhi Confidential: In Covid Times

In a bid to be self-sufficient and reduce dependence on countries like China for drugs and its raw materials, Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr Harsh Vardhan, along with Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, on Thursday launched the country’s first Drug Discovery Hackathon — a joint initiative of HRD Ministry’s Innovation Cell, AICTE, CSIR and CDAC. The hackathon is likely to see participation from professionals, faculty, researchers and students from science institutes. Both ministers said that apart from repurposing drugs for Covid-19, the drug discovery initiative was aimed at a wide range of drugs across ailments.

Old Ties

The Ministry of External Affairs had an interesting response to questions on Nepal PM K P Sharma Oli’s allegation that India was trying to topple his government. The MEA spokesperson said India and Nepal have age-old civilisational ties of friendship, rooted in deep cultural and societal linkages, and New Delhi remains committed to continuously strengthening these ties.

Paying Respects

LJP leader and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, whose birthday is on July 5, has decided not to celebrate the day this year. He tweeted that he came to know about party workers, Dalit Sena workers and other well-wishers planning to celebrate his birthday in a grand manner. “However as a mark of respect to our brave army officer and soldiers martyred recently on Indo Chine border, maximum of whom were from Bihar, I have decided not to celebrate my birthday,” Paswan tweeted.