Soon after miraculously delivering quadruplets, a woman lost all four of her babies in Jammu and Kashmir today. Kalida Begum, who lives near Jammu and Kashmir’s Line of Control, gave birth to four babies at 2.00 am on Monday. However, all four of the babies died within 12 hours.

The woman gave birth to three boys and one girl through a rare normal delivery in government sub-district hospital in Jammu and Kashmir’ Kupwara. The hospital said that quadruplets were premature and were low birth weight babies. According to experts, such babies require immediate special care in the neonatal intensive care unit which is not available at Kupwara sub-district hospital.

Earlier today, three of the four babies died in Kupwara hospital. Soon after that, the surviving baby, a boy, and the mother were shifted to a hospital in Srinagar for special care. Later, the fourth baby also died after being shifted to Srinagar.

The Kupwara sub-district hospital lacks facilities to deal with maternal and neonatal emergency care. Mostly, the patients are referred to Srinagar. There have been several cases of patients dying while travelling long distances due to delay in timely medical care.

The Kupwara sub-district hospital had issued a statement right after the birth of the quadruplets stating that mother and the babies were doing well. “It fortunately was a normal delivery given the rarity of such cases”, Dr Mohammad Shafi, medical superintendent of sub-district hospital, Kupwara had said.

Kalida Begum was first admitted at a medical facility at Keran, a village right on the Line of Control on Sunday evening, said some officials. According to locals, a health worker there referred her to government hospital in Kupwara where she delivered the babies.

Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Monday claimed that great national freedom fighters like the Maruthu brothers and Muthuramalinga Thevar have been reduced to the stature of caste leaders in the state due to a political conspiracy to promote the British Dravidian narrative.

Celebrations commemorating their sacrifices have been privatised, he said.

“A concerted attempt has been made in this state to erase the history of this place, to write a parallel history. A false narrative on racial divide of Dravidian and Aryan was created,” RN Ravi claimed at an event here after paying floral tributes to a portrait of the Maruthu brothers, Periya Maruthu and Chinna Maruthu.

“Do you know who the father of Dravidian theory is? Who gave it? It was Robert Caldwell who created the hypothesis that Dravidian is a separate race,” the Governor said.

Robert Caldwell, a missionary, was a school dropout and over time he became an expert on languages, he added.

“It was the British design to divide the country and they picked up collaborators during the freedom movement,” he said.

A counter-freedom movement on Aryan and Dravidian divide was created during the Independence movement and it started destroying the institutions that defined this place, the Governor claimed.

But Tamil Nadu, RN Ravi said, was a land of great spiritual leaders, ‘siddhars’, ‘rishis’, and a land that produced a large number of warriors.

The Maruthu brothers were perhaps the first freedom fighters of India who ignited the national freedom movement long before others woke up to it, by giving up their lives and by providing a conceptual framework — Jambudweep prakatanam — for the whole of India, RN Ravi said, adding that the declaration was placed in Srirangam temple in Tiruchirappalli.

He recalled that two years ago, he received a list of Tamil Nadu’s freedom fighters containing less than 40 names and was disappointed to note that there was no mention of the Maruthu brothers. He wondered that if a small state like Nagaland, where he served as Governor earlier, could have more than one thousand freedom fighters, how come Tamil Nadu has only a handful.

Later on, he said, he learnt that there were several thousands of freedom fighters from the state who sacrificed their lives for independence.

He regretted that in 2012 a prohibitory order, citing a law and order incident resulting in the deaths of some people, was issued by the authorities, restraining people from assembling in large numbers from October 23 to 31 in Sivaganga district, where the Maruthu brothers carried out their activities and which was the centre of revolt against the British.

As a result, remembering the sacrifices of the Maruthu brothers has become a private affair, even 11 years after the unfortunate incident, the Governor said.

Muthuramalinga Thevar, another great national freedom fighter and associate of Netaji, has also been reduced to the stature of a caste leader, he added.

“I wonder if Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subash Chandra Bose, Sardar Patel and Bhagat Singh, too, would have been reduced to caste leaders had they been born in Tamil Nadu. Such is the situation here today. I think this is not acceptable,” he said.

Quoting a couplet from Thirukkural, authored by Tamil savant Thiruvalluvar, the Governor reminded that it was not virtuous on one’s part to forget to show gratitude to those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. 

The H-1B visa program has long been a pivotal aspect of immigration in the United States, particularly for skilled professionals and international students.

The Biden administration recently unveiled a set of changes to the H-1B program, aimed at improving its integrity and flexibility while addressing the evolving needs of the American workforce. US-based author Soundarya Balasubramani decodes the proposed changes in the H-1B visa process.

No More Multiple Entries
One of the most significant changes involves the elimination of multiple entries by employers on behalf of the same employee. In 2023, over half of the approximately 800,000 H-1B registrations were multiple entries, artificially inflating the chances of some applicants. To combat this, an employee can only be registered once, and employers will now be required to submit passport information for each employee. This allows the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to ensure a fair and equitable selection process. Attempts to bypass this rule will lead to denials or revocations.

No Need For “Employer-Employee” Relationship
The previous requirement for an “employer-employee” relationship, imposed in 2010, has been a significant hurdle for founders looking to secure H-1B visas through their own companies. The new rule eliminates this requirement, making it easier for entrepreneurs to utilize the H-1B program to build and grow their businesses, even if they own more than 50% of the company.

Job Offer Can Be Remote
In a nod to the post-pandemic world, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) acknowledges that a bona fide job offer can now include telework, remote work, or other off-site work within the United States. This change aligns with the widespread adoption of remote work arrangements.

Automatic “Cap-Gap” Extension
A substantial victory for international students is the extension of the “cap-gap” provision. Under the previous system, F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) could only be extended until October 1st. However, with the proposed rule, students can extend it until April 1st of the following year or until they receive their H-1B visa, whichever comes first.

Increased Site Visits
To combat fraud, particularly in the IT consulting sector, USCIS will conduct more and stricter site visits. Inspectors may visit unannounced, interview officials, review records, and speak with employees. These measures aim to ensure that employers comply with the H-1B program requirements.

Stricter Definition Of “Specialty Occupation”
Another notable change is the stricter definition of a “specialty occupation.” Under the new rule, there must be a direct relationship between the required degree field and the position’s duties. This change could potentially lead to more Requests for Evidence (RFEs) and denials for deserving candidates.

Public Comment Period
The proposed changes to the H-1B program have not been set in stone. The Department of Homeland Security has initiated a “public comment period” that runs until December 22nd, 2023, allowing individuals to provide feedback and input. This presents an opportunity for immigrants, employers, and other stakeholders to shape the final regulations.

The move represents a significant step in modernizing and adapting the system to the needs of today’s workforce. While some changes may face criticism, they also address long-standing issues and provide opportunities for entrepreneurs, students, and skilled professionals. It’s important to note that these proposed changes are not final.

The rule is currently open for public comment until December 22, 2023. After this period, the Department of Homeland Security will review the feedback and aim to publish a final rule, expected in 2024. This is a pivotal moment for anyone interested in the H-1B program to make their voices heard and contribute to the reform efforts.