Mr.Nallasamy Selvan, a bio-technology research scholar, in Muthyammal College of Arts and Science at Rasipuram, has developed a new reagent, which he claims is environmental friendly, safe and cheap reagent to detect the dreaded Newcastle disease (also known as Ranikhet disease, because the disease was first reported in India from Ranikhet in UP)
Mr.Selvan developed the process without the help of modern gadgets or any funds from the University or the government.
Ranikhet disease used to take heavy toll in the district’s poultry sector.’There are three crore birds in the district which lay 1.5 crore eggs per day. Poultry is the main stay of the district and any contagious disease will shatter its economy.’said Mr.Selvan.Though a vaccine had been developed to fight the disease, the diagnosis of the disease is plagued with problems. ‘The diagnosis is done using the whole virus which causes the disease. The process is not only unsafe, but a laborious one,’ said Prof.Ranjit Singh, HOD of Biotechnology, Sri Paramakalyani college, Thirunelveli, who was Selvan’s research guide.
Selvan’s brief was to develop a process to diagnose the Ranikhet disease without depending on the virus. His mission was to produce the same reagent for diagnosing the virus without actually culturing the virus.Encouraged by the success of his research, Mr.Selvan is planning to develop a safe, cheap and eco-friendly vaccine for the Ranikhet disease. ‘It will be a vaccine which suits the local climate and environment.’said Mr.Selvan. A team of scientists from Tamil Nadu, support him.