TEA, COFFEE and COMMERCE

Tea and coffee are the most common drinks across the world despite being branded as bad beverages by most of the doctors.

Sipping Tea ...  

Ramaprasad & Rajyalakshmi

 

The  CJI,  COCKROACH,  &  COFFEE

 

The  CHIEF JUSTICE of INDIA (CJI),  on 15.05.2026, expressed his anger and likened some unemployed young lawyers and some activists in society to “COCKROACHES”, and that they attack the systems through  RTI activity (TOI, May 16, 2026) as they have nothing else to do.   I am wondering why he compared them to relatively harmless COCKROACHES, compared even to the tiny mosquitoes or flies.  This reminds me of the extensive debates on COCKROACHES  and  COFFEE.

 

“Not a new discovery

The idea of cockroaches in coffee isn’t brand-new. Back in the 1980s, concerns first surfaced when some people noticed allergic reactions from pre-ground coffee that mirrored reactions they had to cockroaches. That’s when the link between insects and coffee became a talking point. Since then, the story has resurfaced every few years, sparking fresh waves of worry among coffee lovers

 

Claims that coffee commonly contains 10% cockroach material are a massive exaggeration.  Tiny amounts of insect fragments – including cockroaches – can accidentally exist in pre-ground coffee due to storage issues. While insects are attracted to coffee beans, these particles are minimal, usually harmless, and not a deliberate ingredient.

 

Particles of cockroaches or insects getting into packaged foods is not limited to coffee, as various processed foods (like chocolate and flour) often contain traces of insect material. There is nothing like a PURE VEGETARIAN MEAL !!!  Did we not see occasional reports of insects, cockroaches, lizards, etc. in meals ?

 

Yes, the rumour about crushed cockroaches in coffee has some truth behind it, but it’s not as horrifying as it first sounds. The FDA sets limits to keep things safe, not to scare anyone. For those who prefer their coffee as clean as possible, whole beans and mindful sourcing are the way to go. At the end of the day, that morning cup is still one of the most comforting rituals and cockroach whispers aren’t going to take it away anytime soon.

 

How do cockroaches end up in coffee?

The aroma of coffee isn’t just irresistible to humans. Cockroaches are lured in too, especially when beans are stored in large warehouses. With mountains of beans being processed, a few uninvited guests manage to sneak in. And here’s the catch: removing them completely is nearly impossible. Even with modern cleaning systems, some traces slip through.

 

What the FDA allows

This is where it gets eyebrow-raising. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has actually approved a small level of insect contamination in coffee. Up to 10% insect-related content is considered acceptable. Not because anyone wants bugs in their brew, but because it’s practically impossible to guarantee a zero-insect scenario when food is produced on a massive scale.

 

Whole beans to the rescue

Before swearing off coffee altogether, here’s some comfort. The chances of insect contamination are much lower in whole beans compared to pre-ground coffee. Grinding fresh beans at home not only gives better flavour but also reduces the risk of unwanted extras. Choosing trusted brands or local sources can also make a difference if peace of mind is what you’re after.

 

Coffee still holds its place 

Even with this slightly creepy fact, coffee isn’t going anywhere. The drink is tied to countless benefits - better focus, sharper memory, and a much-needed energy lift. For most people, the joy of sipping that warm cup outweighs the possibility of tiny traces that are deemed safe by global standards. The truth is, many everyday foods contain allowable levels of natural contaminants. Coffee just happens to be the one catching headlines now.”

 

And, Cockroach as a FOOD item !!!

 

Although considered disgusting, cockroaches are eaten in many places around the world.   In Thailand and Mexico, the heads and legs are removed, and the remainder  boiled, sautéed, grilled, dried, or diced  Frying makes the insect crispy with soft innards that taste like cottage cheese.  Recipes from Thaiwan also call for its use in omelettes.  And, China has a special COFFEE with cockroach ingredients !!!”  The beverage is a mixture of standard coffee topped with finely ground, dried cockroach powder and crispy yellow mealworms.

 

Dear CHIEF  JUSTICE  OF  INDIA,  cockroach is more tolerable and less harmful than the guys you hated !!!

      

                                                        Dr. T. Rama Prasad

 

If interested to know something about COFFEE &  TEA,  read my writing at :  

https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/tea-coffee-and-commerce_30.html  

STORM  in a  CORONA  TEACUP ... 

          While tea industry was grinding to a halt in 2020 because of lockdowns around the world,  tea was making grand rounds on the Internet.   Social media flashed fake news about the benefits of tea in COVID-19.   One hurriedly published article (which was later removed),  in the WeChat account of Zhejiang CDC on Feb 26, 2020 claimed that drinking tea may help prevent COVID-19,  based on the flimsy evidence that tea inhibited proliferation of the virus in vitro (test tubes).  Added to this, was the news circulating that the whistleblower Chinese ophthalmologist, Dr. Li Wenliang  (who died of coronavirus) had documented evidence to support that tea has anti-coronavirus properties, and that tea was being given 3 times a day to patients in hospitals in China.  This was a big fat fake news.

            For more on this, read the article titled "Tea and Covid" written by  Rama Prasad and Versha, and published in 'HEALTH' journal :      Rama Prasad, T., Versha Rajeev.  Tea and Covid. Health.  2020 October;  Vol.98; No.10; P: 4-6.

            To tide over the stagnancy in tea business due to the 'novel Corona' lockdowns, novel varieties of tea were introduced in Nilgiris -- Blue Tea, Virgin Green, Long Ding, Twirl Green, White Tea, Oolong, Masala Chai, Saffron Chai, Silver Needle, Gujarati Kawa, Kashmiri Kawa, etc.  The tea experimenters and connoisseurs have been tasting them.  

Take TEA with a pinch of SALT  !!!

https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/tea-coffee-and-commerce_30.html   

2023  WORLD  COFFEE  CELEBRATION  in  INDIA

            Before 16th century, live coffee seeds were not permitted to be taken out of the coffee-growing Middle East countries.  The story is that Baba Budan smuggled seven coffee seeds (by strapping them to his chest) to MYSORE  (Karnataka) STATE in India.  It made the Karnataka's capital city Bengaluru the coffee capital of India now.  Showcasing the coffee heritage to the world, the  5th WORLD COFFEE CONFERENCE of 2023 (WCC 2023) was held in Bengaluru in September 2023.  Tennis player and coffee planter Rohan Bopanna is the Brand Ambassador for the WCC 2023.

        Koraput Coffee :  At the World Conference in Bengaluru, brands of coffee grown in Koraput district in Odisha (a recent entry into coffee cultivation - 2017) won awards.  The district once a byword for tribal poverty is now emerging as a new coffee hub in India.  For city coffee aficionados, Koraput's coffee brands are now just a click away on e-commerce sites.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20201028-the-benefits-of-coffee-is-coffee-good-for-health 

         

CHEERFUL COFFEE NEWS … July 2017

CONGRATULATIONS, Miss Coffee. Ultimately you won the case. Doctors all over the world accused you as a health spoiler ... they painted you black ... weaned away your lovers. Surprisingly, however, California researchers produced evidence that you contributed positively to the longevity of human beings. The American guys said that you must be enjoyed thrice a day for optimum health benefits ! They made you now more lovable and desirable. Yes, you are more cheerful and assertive too.  And you have the irresistible redolent flavour.

           With all the research evidence in your pocket, you can confidently tell your lovers to laugh when their doctors say: “ Stop taking coffee.” Dance lady, dance ... coffee lovers all over the world would be joining your ”Miss Coffee Dance Party” sipping you merrily without guilt !!!                                                                                                

Dance, dance, dance  ...  Miss Coffee Dance Party

          Yes, there is strong evidence in favour of coffee now. Staggering verdict ... confusing the laity and doctors as well ! Researchers from University of California, after studying about 200,000 persons for around 15 years, reported in the journal, ‘Annals of Internal Medicine’ (2017) that people who consumed a cup of coffee a day were 12 per cent less likely to die earlier compared to those who did not drink coffee … and 18 per cent for those who drank three to five cups a day … and the coffee drinking was found to be associated with a lower risk of death due to heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and respiratory and kidney disease. This study is claimed to be the largest of its kind in the world, covering ethnically diverse participants from various countries. Another of this kind of large study endorsing the goodness of coffee was published in the ‘New England Journal of Medicine’ in 2012. These, along with some other favourable studies, put coffee in the “healthy diet and lifestyle” category, scientifically.

CONTROVERSIES

          So, my dear coffee lovers, go and hit the cups and embrace Miss Coffee before some studies come out with stronger evidence against coffee. Yes, that may happen … that is modern science and modern medicine !!! A drug which is said to be very effective and least toxic today may be banned after some time. Yes, it happened with many in the past. And, amusingly, a 'ban' on a drug may be lifted within weeks -- it happened with the anti-diabetic drug, Pioglitazone in India, the incredible India !  So, there are ups and downs for everything.  And here is an unpleasant news for Miss Coffee -- ironically from California the researchers of which State put her on cloud 9 earlier -- a California judge had ruled (March 2018) that coffee sold in the U.S. State should carry a CANCER warning !  This has come as a buzz-kill for many.  Of course, like many foods that are fried, coffee-roastng also produces a chemical called ACRYLAMIDE which is a carcinogen.  Coffee promoters argue that any such theoretical risk is outweighed by the benefits of coffee drinking.  Don't worry, Miss Coffee ... even polluted air which we are breathing is classified as a carcinogen by the  WHO !  No judge or government can ban polluted air ! As long as you please our palate, no judge can pull you down.

MUSHROOM  COFFEE

          There are a myriad varieties of coffee around the world.  Oddly, some varieties had sprung up with the addition of things like charcoal, banana, eggs, avocado, etc.  The latest (2023) is the "Mushroom coffee" which  is a mix of coffee beans and medicinal mushrooms (Reishi, Lion's mane, Chaga and Turkey's tail).  These mushrooms contain adaptogens, antioxidants, carotenoids, polyphenols, vitamins and minerals which are said to offer many health benefits. The ordinary culinary mushrooms (Oyster, Shiitake, and Portobello) are not used.  

          To taste my detailed comments on this subject, read my article titled “Of tea, coffee and commerce” that was published in  THE HINDU of January 12, 2014. You may access the article online by clicking on: http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/of-tea-coffee-and-commerce/article5567951.ece 

Dr. T. Rama Prasad, BLOG: https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com

'PAY WHAT YOU CAN’ Clinic, Perundurai, Erode Dt., TN, India., Former Medical Superintendent (Special), RTS & IRT Perundurai Medical College and Research Centre.
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TEA -- the Good and the BAD

          Now, let's have a look at tea which has become a huge emotional anchor for people in India who are wedded to it.  Tea, a redolent and routine drink has come to help aficionados and connoisseurs brew a myriad varieties --  oolong to green, black and even white -- in a variety of eateries --  roadside tapri to premium five-star hotels.  One brand "Radhikas Fine ... Teas & Whatnots" offers 55 flavours of tea,  experimenting with a variety of blends, infusions,  floral notes and tissues to tickle and satiate the taste buds of tea lovers visiting quirky / quaint joints to premium lounges.  Tea lovers love the finer nuances of the art of making tea.  Some technology-based services are supplying tea (BoxC.in) through 'Cloud-based beverage services platform' that provides tea through 'Android-based disposers - also in heat-retaining disposable flasks through 'App-based channel', in India.  Of course tea has methylxanthines which are beneficial in some conditions.  Some asthma patients get some relief with a hot cup of tea.  Now, go on to read my published article which is reprinted below:

OPEN PAGE.         THE HINDU  of January 12, 2014

Of tea, coffee and commerce

T. Rama Prasad

JANUARY 12, 2014 03:22 IST

UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 08, 2016 20:37 IST

•    SHARE ARTICLE

         

Doctors usually advise against the consumption of alcohol, tobacco, coffee and tea. But a patient asked me during consultation: “How many cups of tea should I give my kids each day?” Before I could comprehend what he was saying, he waved a copy of The Hindu(Oct. 10, 2013, Coimbatore edition), which quoted an official of the Tea Board as saying: “The benefits of tea on the health front should be widely propagated.” An office-bearer of an organisation was also quoted as saying that a series of meetings would be held with the help of the Tea Board to promote tea-drinking among children.

         
 The Tea Board has often urged the public to drink more tea to lower the risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer ( The Hindu, Sept. 25, 2001), quoting scientific literature on the value of tea in protecting people from these diseases, but conveniently ignoring literature on the possible and proven adverse effects of excessive tea consumption.

          
          Green tea, black tea, white tea, oolong tea, pu-erh tea, and so on are all derived from the plant Camellia sinensis, native to China and India. Tea has for long been considered to be a healthy drink full of flavonoids and other goodies like antioxidants that have a variety of positive health benefits — reducing risk of cardiovascular diseases, stroke, cancer, obesity, infections, osteoporosis, hypertension, neurological disease, cognitive impairment, and so on. Scientific literature carries evidence in favour of tea, especially green tea which has more than 30 polyphenols and a catechin called epigallocatechin (EGCg) which act on the human system in positive ways.

          How much of this evidence is created by “paid research” is a different question. Industry has a big stake as after water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage, and as there does not seem to be a downside to tea. But some studies indicate that excessive consumption of tea or tea-based dietary supplements may cause osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s Disease, digestive disorders, premenstrual syndrome, cardiovascular problems, urinary system disturbances, sleeplessness, kidney stones, oesophageal cancer, nervous disorders, and so on.

Side-effects 

          Adverse effects are caused by the presence of fluoride, aluminium, tannins, oxalates, caffeine, and so on in tea leaves, especially in those that are not hand-picked and are machine-processed. Caffeine-related side-effects are more pronounced in children even when consumption is in small doses. Canadian guidelines recommend that young children should not get more than 45 mg of caffeine a day.

          A study by Jashua Lambert et al at Rutgers University, funded by the National Institutes of Health, revealed that excessive consumption of tea or tea-based products could cause chromosomal damage, foetal leukaemia and liver damage. One commercial brand of green tea extract was found to contain excessive levels of polyphenols, or plant-based antioxidants, whereas a cup of green tea has only about 8 mg.

          Another study led by Dr. Kashif Shafique of Glasgow University found that the risk of getting prostate cancer is 50 per cent more in men who drank more than seven cups of tea a day, compared to those who consumed less.

Propaganda

          All the negative evidence is drowned in the cacophony of aggressive marketing propaganda. Nowadays, even in the medical field, industry seems to define the diagnostic and treatment options — through controlled and sponsored (read ‘paid’) research.

Business promoters often use scientific observations selectively to mislead the public and augment the sale of their products. One may quote from the Journal of the American Medical Association(June 1999), and the “Nurses’ Health Study” and “Physicians’ Health Study” and appeal to the public to drink more coffee to lower the risk of gallstones, and to drink alcohol daily to protect against heart attacks and bad cholesterol levels.

Claims

                   No doubt, tea leaves are generally and nutritionally good, like many other leaves we use in our diet, but the tall claims are commercially motivated. A little tea may be good, but it is unduly glorified by business. And now it seems it makes business sense to get children addicted to tea. They are already victims of irresistible commercial junk food that is unfit for human consumption.

          There is no conclusive scientific evidence that tea, including ‘green tea’, reduces the risk of coronary artery disease, stroke, cancer or early death due to any cause. The U.S. National Cancer Institute “does not recommend for or against the use of tea to reduce the risk of any type of cancer.”

          Dissemination of imbalanced information does more harm than good. And if a little tea is good, more of it need necessarily not be better. So, take the Tea Board’s words with a pinch of salt.

(The writer is a Respirologist at the Pay What You Can Clinic, Perundurai, Tamil Nadu. He earlier served at the Perundurai Medical College & Research Centre. E-mail: drtramaprasad @gmail.com )

THE ABOVE ARTICLE IS REPRINTED FROM

An excerpt from one of my 'scribblings':

" ... CONFUSING  INFORMATION

We talk a whole lot these days about the perfidies of junk food, but it doesn’t crowd out a measure of sustained pique at all of the aggressively marketed fast-food industry, the snack-food industry and the soft-drink industry.

Ironically, in today's day and age, we are fed with a lot of 'scientific' evidence in favour of bad foods  through sponsored (? ‘paid’) research.  Not a day passes without the report of a scientific study making us think that the unreal is proved to be real, and the real is proved to be unreal ! With the advent of the Internet, WhatsApp, and social media sites, a lot of unauthentic information is spread.  Industry takes advantage of this. Media also give  distorted impressions to sensationalise study reports. For instance, a newspaper carried a report under a big and bold heading “Three-Four Cups of Coffee a Day may Cut Diabetes Risk” (TNIE, 4 Dec 2015).  It gave details of a study done at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark.   What all the study found is that some coffee substances (cafestol and caffeic acid) increased insulin secretion/glucose uptake in muscle cells in rat cell lines in the laboratory.  It also said that coffee filters eliminate much of the cafestol in drip coffee.  People reading the headline and the coffee manufacturers go on promoting coffee drinking,  quoting the study out of context.  Read about how they promote tea drinking among children on ‘scientific’ grounds in my article titled “Tea, coffee and commerce” that was published in THE HINDU of January 12, 2014 ( http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/of-tea-coffee-and-commerce/article5567951.ece ). ..."

For more on this subject, go to the heading "Food, exercise and sleep" on my BLOG.

The following is a list of some of my 'scribblings', including a few from the 28 articles on COVID published in a monthly medical journal in 30 months (a world record).   To open them, click on any of the titles.  --  T. Rama Prasad

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 Dr. T. Rama Prasad

A  brief  introduction

 

In the words of Prof C H Sivaraman, FRCP (London):

 

 “ ... Dr. T. Rama Prasad belongs to a distinctly different and unconventional species of doctors. He speaks sparingly and does not even display his qualifications or merits, but his innumerable published writings (he calls them ‘scribblings’ though they are ‘pearls of wisdom and knowledge’, sprinkled with a bit of humour and sarcasm) which received wide acclaim talk eloquently for him. The ‘PAY WHAT YOU CAN’ Clinic where services are available for which one may pay whatever one can is a facility run by Dr. Prasad for a very long time which could be a world record. Dr. Prasad is called a “god” by his patients, and many of them named their children after his name “Prasad” -- that is the height of recognition of goodness of a human being... ”

Service to humanity is service to God;  Kindness costs nothing

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An anecdote about  “GORU”

 

During my childhood, one of my schoolmates had huge nails.  Her name was Gowri.  We nicknamed her as ‘Goru’ (‘goru’ in Telugu means nail of a finger or toe ).  They used to say that her huge nails caused a problem in her heart.  It might be a case of ‘Digital Clubbing’ (abnormal nails present in some ‘Congenital Heart Diseases’).  After one summer vacation, ‘Goru’ didn’t come back to the school.  It was learnt that she died due to the nail / heart problem, and that treatment could not be availed as they didn’t have money to pay for it. 

Perhaps, this incident prompted me to look at everyone’s nails from that time which might have led me to report the first case from India of ‘Yellow Nail Syndrome (YNS)’ from India in 1980 and the first case in the world of ‘Yellow nails & Covid’ in 2023  (https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/yellow-nail syndrome_28.html ).  

And perhaps, the preventable death of ‘Goru’ due to the inability to pay for the treatment motivated me to start my ‘PAY WHAT YOU CAN’ Clinic (PWYCC) half-a-century ago where patients may pay whatever they can. No fixed fee ( http://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/06/pay-what-you-can-clinic.html ).  

 The credit for these case reports on YNS and the starting of my PWYCC should go to ‘Goru’.  Thanks to “Goru”.

                                                        --     T. Rama Prasad

 

More at :  https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/dr-t-rama-prasad.html  

 

This is not an ad,  it’s about an odd service.

GREETINGS  from

‘PAY  WHAT  YOU  CAN’  Clinic

“Thena  thyakthena  bhoojithaha”– Ishopanishad

   ( Translated by  Prof. B.M. Hegde  as: “Rejoice  in  giving.”)

          True to this quote, I have been rejoicing at what little I could give.  Defying stereotypes, this clinic has been in existence for a very long time, sans glitz, blitz, ads, microphones, speeches and noise.  As a matter of my policy, publicity is shunned.  The reason is simple.  Good work needs no noise and nonsense.  My ‘SCRIBBLINGS’ on related topics may be accessed at:  http://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com

 

 

My consultation fee is not decided by me.  It is the patient’s pleasure. The patient may pay (donate) whatever he can and what he wishes.  If one is short of money, he or she need not pay anything.  The money may just be put into the ‘hundi’ box kept outside the consultation room.  And the money thus received is used for charity to help the needy, the poor and the less fortunate.  If interested to know more about this facility, go to: http://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/06/pay-what-you-can-clinic.html . 

          "We need not run after money.  If we are meritorious and compassionate, money would run after us, and it eludes us if we run after it.”

                                                          --  T. Rama Prasad

            “Richness is not having lots of money.  It is the feeling that one has enough of it.   Contentment sans comparison is what makes one really rich.” 

                                                         --  T. Rama Prasad.      

 

          Facebook: T Rama Prasad   Twitter: @DrRamaprasadt     Telegram :  Dr T Rama Prasad

Consult your local doctor before rushing to me

Most ailments can be cured at local level

                           

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ABOUT  THE  AUTHOR,  

            Dr. T. Rama Prasad

 

 

        Dr. T. Rama Prasad is the WORLD RECORD holder of authoring  28 articles related to COVID-19 in 30 months, published in a medical journal (The Antiseptic – www.theantiseptic.in -- Indexed in IndMED), and reporting in the same journal the WORLD’s FIRST CASE of ‘Yellow Nail Syndrome’ associated with COVID-19, PT & DM (https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/yellow-nail syndrome_28.html ).    Interestingly, he reported the first case of YNS from India in an American medical journal long ago in 1980. 

        He wrote his first article in the premier journal, The Antiseptic, four decades ago.  Many of his articles written over half-a-century may be accessed at  https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/dr-t-rama-prasad.html  &  https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/my-in-newspapers_28.html   & https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com  . 

        He is the former MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT (Special) of R.T. Sanatorium & Perundurai Medical College and Research Centre.

 

 

KINDNESS  and  EMPATHY  COST  NOTHING

Scientific integrity is crucial to promote both trust in science and trustworthy science.

 

The integrity manifests only by refraining from hype and by being transparent about conflicts of interest.  “Ethics in medical practice is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.”  Good science and kind practice are the twin towers for medical progress.  Tentativeness is the hallmark of science and one must adopt what the philosopher of science Lee McIntyre calls a scientific attitude – an openness to seeking new evidence and a willingness to change one’s mind.  All the same, we have to keep in mind the following quote:

 

“Philosophy of science is about as useful to scientists as ornithology is to birds.”

-- Richard P. Feynman 

Dear Dr. Rama Prasad

                                              I   am sure  the  world  will  be a better place,   if  people  understand  your  writings  ...  ‘EXCELLENT’  is the word.                                I cannot  find any other  word  in  this  language to  describe what  you  have  written  without  any  pretensions.  You have brought out some home truths to those who care to read your website  ...  You are a great thinker, writer and crusader ...  As usual, your messages are incisive, to the point and make lots of sense, much better than my articles …

 

  ...  You  are  not  only  GREAT,  but  are  a  true  missionary  in  medicine.  May your tribe increase for the good of mankind.  ….          

Love,

    -- Padma Bhushan  Prof. B. M. Hegde,  (awarded Padma Vibhushan in 2021)

 

MD, FRCP (Lond), FRCP (Edin), FRCP (Glas), FRCP (Dub), FACC (USA), FAMS,  Former Professor of Cardiology, Middlesex Hospital Medical School,  University of London, UK,  Former Vice-Chancellor, Manipal University, India, Affiliate Professor of Human Health, Northern Colorado University, USA,   Editor-in-Chief, The Journal of the Science of Healing Outcomes,  Chairman, State Health Society’s Expert Committee, Govt of Bihar, India  and  Padma Bhushan  awardee  of  2010.  www.bmhegde.com

 

 

 

CLICK ON THE HEADINGS BELOW TO ACCESS THE “SCRIBBLINGS”

·   ABOUT ME and MY SCRIBBLINGS  (2)  'PAY WHAT YOU CAN' Clinic

·   MY LOVE STORY & good old days  (4)  BETTER HALF  (4)  SHIVA, KRISHNA, Ramanuja & Ramanujan  (5)  MOTHER-IN-LAW  (6)  YOU ARE NOT OLD  (7)  MODERN MEDICINE -- the Good, the Bad and th...  (8)  Dr. Peon, PhD  (9)  MEDICAL CONFERENCES & Clinical meetings  (10)  RUN ON MONEY  (11)  MEDICINE IN RURAL INDIA  (12)  RURAL ARE THE REAL  (13)  INTERNET EFFECT  (14)  MARKETING TRICKS & INNOVATIONS  (15)  INCREDIBLE INDIA !  (16)  SCHOOL EDUCATION  (17)  DEVALUED DEGREES  (18)  TEA, COFFEE and COMMERCE  (19)   SEX. and MARRIAGE  (20)  THE CHANGING WORLD  (21)  RAPE  (22)  SEXUAL HARASSMENT  (23)  DRESS SENSE  (24)  OPEN AIR DEFECATION  (25)  ONAM 2017  (26)  TEST-TUBE BABIES and TERMINATION BABIES  (27)  TEST-TUBE PUPPIES  (28)  ASTHMA, ALLERGY & COPD  (29)  GIRL CHILD : GOLDEN CHILD  (30)  MY REAL AWARDS  (31)  TREES and PLANTS  (32)  PERUNDURAI MEDICAL COLLEGE & SANATORIUM campus  (33)  SOPHISTICATED CHEATING  (34)  NIPAH & ZIKA viruses  (35)  SWINE FLU -- A (H1 N1) influenza  (36)  INDIAN SUPERBUG  (37)  HCQ, IVERMECTIN, CORONAVIRUS and FRAUDS  (38)  YOGA  (39)  CORONA and CHARLES DARWIN  (40)  GOD, RELIGION & UNIVERSE  (41)  LOCKDOWN MEDICINE  (42)  CODUP  (43)  GOD-MEN  (44)  DOGS  (45)  CANCER  (46)  SMILE and STRESS  (47)  CIVIC SENSE & MANNERS  (48)  MY ART  (49)  TUBERCULOSIS in India  (50)  DIABETES  (51)  FOOLED TO BELIEVE  (52)  DENGUE, ZIKA and MOSQUITO  (53)  COMPLEXION  (54)  BAHUBALI  (55)  VINAYAKA chathurdhi 2017  (56)  SUNDAY LUNCH ... Dec 3, 2017  (57)  ABDUL KALAM  (58)  BIRDS and DRUGS  (59)  YELLOW NAIL SYNDROME  (60)  RICHNESS and HAPPINESS  (61)  FISHES  (62)  KMCH  (63)  MY 'SCRIBBLES' IN NEWSPAPERS  (64)  To live in INDIA or ABROAD ?  (65)  SILENT, ISOLATED and INSULATED  (66)  PONGAL FESTIVAL  (67)  SPB  (68)  CESAREAN DELIVERY  (69)  POLLUTION, Disease and Deepaavali  (70)  HAPPY 2018  (71)  BRINGING UP CHILDREN  (72)  SINGAPORE  (73)  STAFF & STUDENTS. -- photos  (74)  "AHIMSA"  (75)  GRADUATION DAY -- 2018, Perundurai Medical Col...  (76)  PERUNDURAI is the GEM  (77)  WORLD CANCER DAY ..February 4, 2017  (78)  INDIAN ENGLISH  (79)  FOOD, EXERCISE and SLEEP  (80)  Nurses Day 2017  (81)  DEEPAAVALI  (82)  PUTHAANDU -- Tamil New Year Day - 2018 & 2017  (83)  COMPUTER. ILLITERATE  (84)  SMILE and LAUGHTER  (85)  REMOTE ANCESTORS  (86)  ODD things ... wow, whacky & weird !  (87)  FACEBOOK 'scribbles'  (88)  HANDWRITING  (89)  MY QUOTES

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GREAT  HOLY  SOUL

                                                                    16.10.2017 

" ... I always wonder that we both seem to be identical in our thoughts, deeds and actions. ... I always cherish your friendship and appreciate your humanitarian attitude towards life, poor rural people and the needy. ... I went through your articles ... especially, the 'PAY WHAT YOU CAN Clinic' touched my heart, and after studying, I wondered: "What a great holy soul you are !"  You are a living example of Swami Vivekananda. ... "

 

Dr.  J.K.K. Munirajahh,  M.Tech (Bolton)

Chairman,  JKKM Group of Institutions & Industries

Komarapalayam, Tamil Nadu, India

 

 

"...A study of your work reveals how fertile is your brain and how facile is your pen.  Your command of English is breathtaking.   One cannot help being astounded by your encyclopaedic range of knowledge and its depth is unfathomable......Your sense of humour is very much to be appreciated.  Your invaluable treasure "SCRIBBLINGS"  is to be preserved for posterity....."

                                                                 --  Prof. P. Lakshmi, MA,

                                                                                              Principal,  Vellalar  College for Women,

                                                                                                      Thindal, Erode,  Tamil Nadu, India

Dear Dr. Rama Prasad,

 “..When I saw a copy (of your book titled  "Some of my SCRIBBLINGS")  in the  medical college library, curiosity got the better of me and I borrowed it.  As I went through it,  curiosity turned into admiration. What struck me first and the most was your command over the language.   I appreciated your interest in widely varied subjects,  from pornography to piano,  as the saying goes.  I also realised that the interest was not just superficial,  but substantial as evidenced by the statistics quoted to emphasise a point.   When I finished with it,   it left me wondering how you continued to sustain your interest despite having spent more than 3 decades in this place,  well  isolated and insulated from academic and intellectual environment...” 

 ---  Group Captain (Retd)    Prof. N. Ramachandran, MD,

         Professor of Paediatrics,  Perundurai Medical College Perundurai,  Erode District,  Tamil Nadu,  India

 

 

“…  I am amazed to find how the book (Some of my “Scribblings”) mirrors your multifaceted personality – the sterling qualities of head and heart.  It reflects the encyclopedic range of your mind.  I am struck by the fact that there was no subject that is untouched – from physical to metaphysical,  sacred to secular,  all under the sun have been dealt with quite thoroughly, authenticated and well-documented to reveal a genuine humanist at work.  …  Combined with the ­­­art of healing is your art of drawing and painting. …  We are amazed to see your paintings and to learn that the illustrations in the “Scribblings” are your own. …”

                                             --  Prof. V. Prafulla,

M.A.,  Ph.D. (Eng.),  M.A. (Hindi),  P.G.T.E.,  Former Principal,  Erode Arts College for Women, Erode, Tamil Nadu,  India;  Former  Professor of  English,  Visalakshi College,  Udamalpet,  Tamil Nadu,  India. 

 

 

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The following is the comment  written by the internationally renowned scholar, Pritam Bhattacharyya (Editor-at-Large of Pentasect and Founder and Chief of Wordsmith at Wordsmith Communication,  Chairman of Freelance Foundation,  )  on the blog article on Coronavirus and COVID-19

(1) https://wordsmithofbengal.wordpress.com/2012/01/16/health-un-heath-and-fear-of-un-health/

 (2)  https://wordsmithofbengal.wordpress.com/2012/04/23/google-effect-and-kali-yuga-prophecies/  

                        
wordsmithApril 12, 2020 at 10:42 PM


 

                        “One of the best articles I have read on this theme and having balance, measure and proportion. Miss Corona in hindsight is really kind and benign in a sense - Nature has rolled a dice with fatality of 2-3%. She is under no obligation not to roll a dice of fatality 40,50,60% with Ms. Corona being "size zero" and "air-borne". Consider what would have happened ? 

                        

                        Dr. Prasad is one of the few doctors whom I know who fall into the rare category of "healers". A healer knows the art, science and commerce of healing, i.e. allowing the innate immunity of the body to manifest itself. 

                        

                        One should be very careful and critical about three things in the world : Big Pharma, Big Government, Big Science. In the proverbial Kali-Yuga, all three converge with overlapped agendas and sometimes not with the best interest in mind of the end users : patients, citizens, learners. 

                        

                        Finally, this pandemic will also pass. The system will come to a new equilibrium. But I think a whole generation will carry this impression forward and may become saner with this. 

                        

                        I nurture another hope : just like pivotal events propel a whole generation (Apollo Mission and interest in space science), this may inspire many young Indians to shift their focus into public healthcare, virology, immunology, public immunity, psychological counselling and learning the art and science of healing. 

                        

                        Again, it was very nice to find an article of this time in the avalanche of printed words in this theme. 

                        

                        Continue your good work.”

 

                                                       

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