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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.

The Bandra Boys

Baba Siddiqui

Barely a month before his son Zeeshan could contest for a second term in the Maharashtra state legislative assembly, Baba Siddiqui was fatally shot in Bandra. The killing brought an end to this career spanning more than three decades during which Siddiqui garnered attention with his proximity to Bollywood actors. Starting his career as a corporator from Bandra in 1992 as a Congressman, Siddiqui was elected as an MLA for three terms between 1995 and 2009. A well- recognised face from Bandra West, he served as a minister of state for food and civil supplies and labour in the Vilasrao Deshmukh government between 2004 and 2008.


But beyond his role in public life, he grew into a real estate mogul and developed numerous properties across Bandra. As a corporator and then an MLA, he is believed to have taken keen financial interest in every big budget building that came up in the tony neighbourhood. His constituency houses swanky areas of Pali Hill, Bandstand and Carter Road which see some of the highest property prices in the city. His political career was marred by a raid of his properties by the Enforcement Directorate and his opponents often spoke, in hushed whispers, about his connections with the underworld.


Siddiqui was flamboyant and revelled in the company of film actors. Apart from being the MLA, he was best known for his star-studded Iftar parties at a Bandra five-star hotel and made headlines when he brokered a truce between two superstars, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan during one such party. A regular face at Bandra soirees, he won.


His son Zeeshan is comparatively low profile as an MLA from Bandra East but made his beginnings in public life by sponsoring football and cricket tournaments in Bandra West. Zeeshan’s sister, Arshiya, briefly entered politics but returned to his medical career. In August this year, Zeeshan was expelled from the Congress for cross voting during the legislative council polls and a few months before the elections, he quit the Congress to join the Aji Pawar-led NCP. His father Baba Siddiqui had joined Ajit Pawar earlier this year. The father-son’s move to the NCP came after they realised that according to the seat sharing arrangement of the MVA, the Bandra East constituency would go into the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s kitty considering that the Thackeray family lives in the area.

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