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By:

Rajendra Joshi

3 December 2024 at 3:50:26 am

Proud moment for Shivaji University researchers

Indian patent for portable sound absorption testing device Kolhapur: Researchers from Shivaji University, Kolhapur, have developed a portable sound absorption testing device that can scientifically assess whether an installed sound system and its acoustic treatment are functioning effectively. The innovation has been granted an Indian patent, marking a first-of-its-kind development in this field, the university said on Thursday. The patented device, named the Portable Sound Absorption Tester,...

Proud moment for Shivaji University researchers

Indian patent for portable sound absorption testing device Kolhapur: Researchers from Shivaji University, Kolhapur, have developed a portable sound absorption testing device that can scientifically assess whether an installed sound system and its acoustic treatment are functioning effectively. The innovation has been granted an Indian patent, marking a first-of-its-kind development in this field, the university said on Thursday. The patented device, named the Portable Sound Absorption Tester, has been developed by senior chemist Dr Kalyanrao Garadkar of Shivaji University, along with Dr Sandeep Sable and Dr Rohant Dhabbe of Jaysingpur College, and Dr Chandrala Jatkar of the D K T E Society’s Textile and Engineering Institute, Ichalkaranji. The device is designed to test the sound absorption capacity of professional acoustic systems used in recording studios, theatres, auditoriums and soundproof chambers. Until now, the effectiveness of such sound-absorbing installations has largely been assessed through experience and trial-and-error after installation. The newly developed portable tester allows for immediate and scientific evaluation of sound absorption performance once the system is installed. Sound-absorbing sheets and panels are widely used in theatres, studios and vocal recording rooms to absorb echo around microphones and create a controlled acoustic environment, enabling cleaner and more professional audio output. The new device can be used to evaluate a wide range of absorbers, including perforated foam, fibre, fabric, membranes, panels and resonant absorbers, helping improve the quality and effectiveness of acoustic materials. Explaining the working of the device, Dr Garadkar said that the human audible frequency range extends from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The device generates sound waves within this spectrum and projects them onto the acoustic material under test. The sound waves that are not absorbed are detected by a microphone and displayed on the screen in the form of current or voltage readings. This enables users to instantly determine whether the sound absorption system is functioning as intended and make corrective interventions if required. The researchers said the device would also be useful for those engaged in acoustic fabrication and sound absorption research. Apart from being portable and easy to transport, the device is also cost-effective, making it suitable for field applications. The team expressed confidence that it would prove highly useful in the sound system testing sector. Shivaji University’s in-charge Vice-Chancellor Dr Suresh Gosavi and in-charge Pro Vice-Chancellor Dr Jyoti Jadhav congratulated the research team on securing the patent.

A Sugar Pill from Sugar Belt

harshavardhan patil

In politics, they say, there are no permanent friends or enemies and this saying is best defined by harshavardhan patil, the former minister who switched parties on the eve of the 2019 elections and now, weeks before the state goes to the polls on November 20. He has travelled across parties, starting out as an independent candidate in 1995 from his home turf Indapur, was a minister for water conservation in the Shiv Sena-BJP government between 1995 and 1999 and continued his winning spree as an independent until 2004. He joined the Congress to contest the 2009 polls as the party’s candidate and held the cabinet portfolios for parliamentary affairs and the all-important cooperative department until the Congress-NCP lost power in 2014. But with his warm and affable nature, he’s known to have friends and cordial relations across parties.


Unable to secure a nomination in the 2019 elections from the Congress which was then in alliance with the undivided NCP, Patil accused the NCP of betraying him and switched to the BJP, claiming to have faith in Narendra Modi’s vision. While he contested the 2019 polls as a BJP candidate, he lost to the NCP’s Dattatrey Bharne. He went into political wilderness since then, unable to secure a nomination to the upper house of the Maharashtra legislature. In early 2024, Patil was elected as the president of the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories and has been working on resolving the issues of the sugar industry. With a good hold over his home turf, a deep understanding of the cooperative sector and a close network in the constituency, Patil had an eye on contesting the 2024 polls. With the new alliance arrangement, the BJP had to concede the seat to Ajit Pawar, prompting Patil to quickly switch over to the party, the NCP (SP), that he had accused of betrayal only five years ago. But his reach and influence over the cooperatives in Indapur could prove to be an asset to any party, a reason he was warmly welcomed into the fold despite opposite from the local rank and file of the NCP (SP).


Patil’s daughter Ankita is seen as his political heir. Director of the Indian Sugar Mills Association, she entered politics and is a member of the Zilla Parishad in Pune. Days before her father quit the BJP, Ankita resigned from the party. She is married to Bal Thackeray’s older grandson Nihar.


His departure never ruffles feathers for too long given his friendly personality. He is only known to have an uneasy rapport with Ajit Pawar while they competed for political one upmanship of Indapur, which falls within the Baramati Parliamentary constituency.


It is said that during these Lok Sabha elections, Patil offered his tacit support to Supriya Sule while the incumbent legislator moved with Ajit Pawar. Patil has been rewarded for his support with a nomination to the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections.

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