News Item: NRI Scientist Earns US Patent

NRI scientist earns US patent
Tuesday, 23 August , 2005, 02:01
Houston:

An Indian American scientist has earned a US patent for his unique research work involving the synthesis of chemical processes and compounds in an environment friendly manner. T K Vinod, professor of chemistry at Western llinoisUniversity, earned his first-ever US patent, which was awarded for the synthesis of a water-soluble reagent named modified o-iodoxybenzoic acid and its demonstration as an effective oxidising agent.

The discovery, according to Vinod, began in a unique way:
His son, Arun Thottumkara, who was in eighth grade then, had to work for a science project for his school fair. The goal was to create DEET, the active ingredient in many insect repellents, in an eco-friendly fashion. All went well, Arun presented an impressive project, but did not win a single prize.

"Seeing how disappointed he was, I was determined to help Arun find a science project that would teach him a significant amount of chemistry, and more importantly, help him regain his confidence," Vinod said.

"Originally I thought it would merely be a small science project in which I could teach Arun chemistry and laboratory techniques.” "This is the work for which Arun and I recently received a US patent," Vinod said. The US Patent and Trademark Office allowed the issuance of the patent to Western Illinois University based on this research. The actual patent will be issued within the next few months.

Vinod came to the Western Illinois University in 1997 after his master's degrees from the University of Calicut, India, and his PhD from Canada.

You are special - Don't ever forget it!

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?"

Hands started going up.

He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up.

He then asked, "Who still wants it?"

Still the hands were up in the air.

"Well," he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.

He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty. "Now who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.

"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. You are special - Don't ever forget it!

Dear All! It is For Your Reading...

Dear Children,

The following are a few statements that would tell the most about our family philosophy of life.

With Love, Amma-Nana

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~What do we live for, if not to make life less difficult for each other.
~We can become better tomorrow than we are today.
~Start with a vision and never, never doubt your abilities to fulfill it.
~Of all human resources, the most precious is the desire to improve.
~Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes but they don’t quit. They view the failure as a healthy inevitable part of the process of getting to the top.
~The difference between where we are and where we want to be will create healthy tension that can move us forward.
~Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.
~Life is never static; for each moment is ever new and fresh.
~No body is perfect. Let us look for good in others. Forget the rest.
~Loyalty is most valuable, when it is not blind.
~The best way to cope with change is to help create it.
~Doing the best at this moment puts us in the best place for the next moment.
~Every decision we make and every action we take is based on our present level of awareness.
~Social support should be facet of everyday life. Support must be reciprocal, give and take.
~Let us learn more and more how to downsize, eliminate, and get rid of all those tasks we neither enjoy nor benefit from.
~Our parents are imperfect but we can learn as much from their mistakes as from their successes.

Be Thankful...

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something,

for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.

During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations,

because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge,

because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes.

They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary,

because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.

With Love, Amma-Naana

A Professor and His Rival...

A professor was one day walking along a very narrow street. Then he came face to face with a rival. The street was too narrow for two to pass.

The rival, pulling himself up to his full height, said haughtily, "I never make way for fools!" Smiling, the professor stepped aside and said, "I always do."

Perspectives...

One day a father and his rich family took his young son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose to show him how poor people can be. They spent a day and a night in the farm of a very poor family. When they got back from their trip the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"

Very good, Dad!"

"Did you see how poor people can be?" the father asked.

"Yeah!" "And what did you learn?"

The son answered, "I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden, they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lamps in the garden, they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front yard, they have a whole horizon.

When the little boy was finishing, his father was speechless. His son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are!" Isn't it true that it all depends on the way you look at things? If you have love, friends, family, health, good humor and a positive attitude toward life, you've got everything! You can't buy any of these things.

You can have all the material possessions you can imagine, provisions for the future, etc., but if you are poor of spirit, you have nothing!

The Echo of Life...

A son and his father were walking on the mountains. Suddenly, the son falls, hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
Curious, he yells: "Who are you?"
He receives the answer: "Who are you?"
Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!"
He receives the answer: "Coward!"
He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?"
The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention."
And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!"
The voice answers: "I admire you!"
Again the man screams: "You are a champion!"
The voice answers: "You are a champion!"
The boy is surprised, but does not understand.
Then the father explains: "People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE.

It gives you back everything you say or do. Our life is simply a reflection of our actions. If you want more love in the world, Create more love in your heart. If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence. This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life; Life will give you back everything you have given to it.

Thought for the day...

The human race is divided into two classes, those who go a head and do something, and those who sit and inquire why wasn`t it done the other way.

We can do anything we want to do if we stick with it long enough.

A parent is not a person to lean on, but a person to make leaning unnecessary!

If you try to please everyone, you will eventually lose

There was an old man, a boy and a donkey. They were going to town and it was decided that the boy should ride. As they went along they passed some people who thought that it was a shame for the boy to ride and the old man to walk. The man and boy decided that may be the critics were right so they changed positions. Later, they passed some more people who thought that it was a real shame for the man to make such a small boy walk. The two decided that may be they both should walk.

Soon they passed some more people who thought that it was stupid to walk when they had a donkey to ride. The man and the boy decided maybe the critics were right so they decided that they both should ride. They soon passed other people who thought that it was a shame to put such a load on a poor little animal. The old man and the boy decided that maybe the critics were right so they decided to carry the donkey. As they crossed a bridge they lost their grip on the animal and it fell into the river and drowned.

The moral of the story is...if you try to please everyone, you will eventually lose.