Researchers from about 100 institutions across India, present a comprehensive picture of the deaths, diseases and reduced life expectancy caused by polluted air in different states of India.

Have you ever admired red skies or criticised early morning haze? Atmospheric aerosols, tiny solid or liquid particles suspended in air, also called Particulate Matter (PM), are responsible for the myriad hues created by the evening sky. Not just that, aerosols impact the global climate and play a role in ozone depletion. These particles generally range from about a nanometre to ten micrometre in size and are either directly emitted or formed by the conversion of a gas to particles.

Tuberculosis, caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is a leading cause of death worldwide. In 2017 alone, 10 million people across the globe were affected by the disease, and about 1.6 million succumbed to it.

Prof Rohini M. Godbole and Prof Sharada Srinivasan, two Bengaluru-based scientists, were among those conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri award announced yesterday by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Prof Rohini Godbole is a Professor at the Centre for High Energy Physics, Indian Institute of Science. Prof Sharada Srinivasan is a Professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.