Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh

Rice bacterial blight resistance executor R genes, Xa27 and Xa23, are known for conferring wide-ranging resistance to diverse Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) races. Through bioinformatics approaches, we conducted an in-depth structural analysis to characterize these genes. To investigate their genomic organization, a 100 Kb gene locus flanking region was isolated. In this region, we identified and predicted a total of 13 indica-specific and 17 japonica-specific functional genes associated with Xa27, while Xa23 exhibited 19 indica-specific and 16 japonica-specific genes. We calculated the average GC content of functional genes. For Xa27, the average GC content was 58.01

A total of 100 groundwater samples collected during the pre-monsoon (PRM) and post-monsoon (POM) seasons of 2019 were analyzed to evaluate hydrogeochemistry and groundwater quality in the southwestern part of Y.S.R. Kadapa District, Andhra Pradesh, India. Groundwater is predominantly alkaline and hard in nature. Nitrate concentrations exceeded the drinking water limit (45 mg/L) in 42

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s contribution to women’s rights has frequently been overshadowed by his widely acknowledged role as a critic of caste and the principal architect of the Indian Constitution. This paper argues that B. R. Ambedkar developed a distinctive and theoretically sophisticated model of constitutional feminism grounded in the intersection of caste, gender, class, labour, and religion. Moving beyond reformist and nationalist approaches that framed women’s issues within moral, cultural, or paternalistic paradigms, Ambedkar sought to institutionalise gender justice through constitutional guarantees, legislative reform, and active state intervention. His feminist vision located women’s oppression within broader structures of social hierarchy and emphasised that democracy could not survive without substantive equality for women. The study critically analyses Ambedkar’s writings, speeches, parliamentary interventions, and legislative initiatives—particularly his engagement with the Hindu Code Bill—to examine his critique of patriarchy, caste endogamy, Brahmanical social order, and religious authority. It further explores his sustained emphasis on women’s education, labour rights, maternity benefits, equal wages, and economic independence as indispensable foundations of social democracy. Ambedkar’s insistence that women’s rights must be constitutionally guaranteed and legally enforceable represented a decisive shift from symbolic reform to structural transformation. His interventions challenged not only social customs but also the institutional mechanisms through which caste and patriarchy reproduced inequality. By situating Ambedkar within contemporary debates on intersectional and Dalit feminism, the paper demonstrates the continuing relevance of his thought in addressing gender inequality in neoliberal India. It argues that Ambedkar anticipated many key concerns of contemporary feminist theory by foregrounding the interconnected nature of caste, gender, class, and labour exploitation. The paper also contends that his concept of constitutional morality provides a powerful normative framework for reconciling legal equality with substantive social justice in a society marked by persistent structural inequalities. The paper concludes that Ambedkar must be recognised not merely as a social reformer or constitutional architect but as a foundational feminist thinker whose integrated vision of equality, dignity, democratic citizenship, and social justice remains indispensable for achieving transformative gender justice in contemporary India.

Myths and misconceptions surrounding sickle cell disease (SCD) can shape stigma and influence the treatment and interaction with healthcare services. In India, where SCD disproportionately affects tribal populations, limited evidence exists on myths and misconceptions across endemic regions. This study explored culturally embedded myths and misconceptions related to SCD among tribal communities in India and examined their implications for stigma and healthcare-seeking behaviour. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted across nine SCD-endemic tribal districts in India. Data, collected through in-depth interviews with key informants and focus group discussions with community members, were analysed using thematic content analysis. Themes were organised around domains of causation, transmission, heredity, prognosis and treatment. The study identified diverse SCD-related beliefs, myths and misconceptions across the study sites. These were organised around domains and grouped into four broad categories: locally rooted explanatory beliefs, including supernatural, spiritual, dietary and lifestyle-related explanations; misconceptions arising from incomplete biomedical understanding, particularly regarding contagion, heredity and consanguineous marriage; distorted interpretations of medical or programme-related messages, especially around marriage, reproduction and long-term treatment; and social consequences related to stigma, fatalism, perceived productivity and economic burden. These categories overlapped across sites, with some beliefs being locally specific and others commonly reported across tribal settings. SCD-related myths and misconceptions in tribal India are socially embedded and extend beyond simple informational gaps. Culturally responsive communication and counselling approaches that acknowledge local explanatory frameworks, while strengthening accurate understanding of inheritance, treatment and long-term care, are needed within SCD care programmes in endemic regions.

A simple and efficient method for the direct N-nitration of benzamides using tert-butyl nitrite (t-BuONO) has been described. Various benzamides were converted to the corresponding N-nitrobenzamides under metal-free conditions without strong acids or external oxidants. Mechanistic studies suggest that t-BuONO serves as the nitrating reagent in the presence of air. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing the direct use of t-BuONO for benzamide N-nitration, providing a practical approach to efficiently synthesizing N-nitrobenzamide derivatives.