To mark National Science Day, the Centre for Science Education and Research and KS Hegde Medical Academy (Kshema) will honour two clinician scientists, Dr VI Mathan and Dr Minnie Mathan, for their contribution to medical research on Monday.
Prof Mathan, who superannuated from Christian Medical College, Vellore, as professor of medicine and gastroenterology and director, has a number of awards to his credit. This includes the Ambedkar Award of the Indian Council of Medical Research for his lifetime contributions to health research. Prof Minnie was the head of the department of gastrointestinal sciences at the college till her superannuation in 1997.
At the event Prof Mathan will speak on the challenges of clinical research and Prof Minnie on integrated research.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Mangalore / TNN / February 29th, 2016
My friend Dr. L.R. Kadiyali died on 17th instant in Delhi at the age of 83. He is from Karnataka and his father Ramabhatta was a teacher in Kodagu.
He leaves behind his wife Bharathi and two daughters, Vrinda and Vasuda. Dr. Vrinda is an Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Marketing and Economics in Cornell University.
Dr. Kadiyali graduated from Poona Engineering college securing first rank. He took premature retirement and established his own firm called Kadiyali Associates. It was a consulting firm which did work in the field of Highways all over India. This Kannadiga was a shining star in the firmament of engineering profession and has left many footprints in Karnataka’s prestigious Highway projects.
It is not merely a personal loss because he was my colleague in the Ministry and later became my boss and mentor when I worked in Orissa. We were also family friends. In his death India has lost an outstanding engineer.
He has left an indelible imprint with his works and also with two important books titled ‘Traffic Engineering’ and ‘Transportation Planning and Highway Engineering’ which are like a bible for engineers. They were the reference books for doctoral thesis for many students. Dr. Kadiyali has also done monumental research work funded by the World Bank titled ‘Road User Cost Study,’ which specifies the optimum speed for various types of vehicles to consume minimum amount of fuel. He was passionate about concrete roads and an authority on concrete technology. He was given the Life-time Award by Vizag Engineering College and in 2015 he got Life-time Award from the Indian Road Congress also. His firm, Kadiyali Associates, did not grow nor survive because he followed the strict principle of not bribing to get contracts.
He was soft spoken, simple and lived a spartan life. Dr. Kadiyali donated one of his kidneys to his relative when he was alive. And after his death he had asked his people not to do any havan or other ceremonies including shraddha. He had also instructed that nobody needed to come for his last rites but wanted his daughter Vrinda to press the button at the electric crematorium.
Later his daughter Vrinda sent me an e-mail which said: Thank you uncle.
He had a great life and a great end, we should all be so lucky to go this way.
NOTE: I must immensely thank Bapu Satyanarayana for sending this tribute for publication. Very thoughtful of him in these days of ‘blind-liberal democracy’ where every other Tom, Dick and Harry gets an award sponsored by the State and the State-funded Cultural, Sports and Academic institutions but not those like Dr. L.R. Kadiyali.
Reading this mere pen sketch of a profile of Dr. L.R. Kadiyali, I am wowed. People like him are the patriots, they know the real meaning of ‘Nationalism,’ unlike those leaders who visited JNU to cheer those who are still in the dark even after 69 years of independence to understand what ‘Nationalism’ means for India.
Nationalism should not be equated with secularism. In Hindu majority India, specially after partition on the basis of religion alone, Nationalism means simply loving your land first, then your religion or whomsoever (your party leader and the family, for example). Therefore, for all Indians, Nationalism should simply mean Bharat Mata ki Jai or Jai Hind or Vande Mataram.
No doubt Dr. Kadiyali is one gem among many, with purest ray serene stuck in the dark caves of unfathomed ocean called India and a flower born to blush unseen wasting its sweetness on the vast merciless Indian desert air, to add my voice to Thomas Gray’s regrets in a poem quoted in the beginning of this tribute. Which is why he did not even get a Padma Shri.
Looking at our roads, I wonder how many road building engineers might have read his books!
As in life, in death too Dr. Kadiyali has kept his ‘sacred’ sense of understanding life in its natural state and equanimity seen in the manner he wanted his mortal body’s disposal. Everything to the furrow, nothing to the grave. Even in death this man only thought about common good to all. To speak the language of Shakespeare:
His life was gentle, and the elements
So mixed in him that Nature might start up
And say to all the world, “This was a man.” — KBG
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Monday – February 29th, 2016
The kit comes in three languages — Kannada, English and Urdu
Vidwath Innovative Solutions, a city-based company, has developed a smart class kit for students of Classes 1 to 10. One of the features of the kit is digitalised, animated versions of all subject material. The kit comes in three languages — Kannada, English and Urdu — in order to cater to more students across the State.
Rohit M. Patil, managing director and chief executive officer of Vidwath, and Venugopal Rangaraju, the chief operating officer, told The Hindu on Friday that after working for three years straight with a team of over 35 software engineers, technicians and subject experts, they had managed to prepare digitalised and animated versions of all the lessons.
The lessons have been designed in such a way that students can easily grasp the ideas by actually seeing their representation instead of having to imagine them. For example, if a science teacher wants to explain the human heart or a rocket to students, he or she can just show them on screen and teach.
The kit includes a multi-touch interactive board, which is just like a touchscreen monitor. Even students can use the interactive board and open math tools like compass to draw diagrams on the screen.
According to Vidwath, there is great demand for their product and over 700 schools across Karnataka have already bought it. Of the 700 schools, 500 are Urdu schools.
Besides this, for many schools in rural areas, where backward class students are in large numbers, Vidwath has not only supplied the kit free of cost but has also appointed a tutor to teach the concept of ‘smart teaching’ to the teachers.
Mr. Venugopal said they have used high-end software and hardware to make the kits, which has all the lessons in 3-D. Mr. Patil said he plans to hold discussions with the higher-ups in the Education Department soon to make this “first-of-its-kind” kit available in all government schools. They also said Vidwath had supplied smart class kits to schools in Mysuru with children with hearing and speech disabilities.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by H.S.Narasimha Kumar / Mysuru – February 27th, 2016
Manas Nanda, founder of Harvest Wild which offers livelihood to people living in remote forest areas
Bengaluru :
A graduate from Oxford University, Manas Nanda’s dream was to make a social change. He found his way back to his roots by starting ‘Harvest Wild’, a social enterprise, with an aim to create livelihood opportunities for people living in remote forest areas in India. It was at IIM-Bangalore’s incubation cell, NS Raghavan Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (NSRCEL), where his idea of bubble nut wash was mentored.
“I launched the pilot project at my hometown in Odisha in January 2015. I got sackful of soap nuts from nearby villages and did a few trials on how we can present them in a format to be used as laundry detergents. The product is now available in organic stores in Bengaluru. We are also taking online orders from across India and the UK,” Manas, 40, says.
His first task was to identify his role as a bridge between rural communities and health and environment-conscious urban consumers. “I was fascinated by the fact that we could make a dual impact—create livelihood in rural India and reduce use of toxic chemicals in modern detergents that affect people’s health and water bodies. I would travel to forest areas to see if some of the fruits and berries can be processed into marketable products that urban consumers would value,” he adds.
His proposal was chosen from hundreds of early pre-product entrepreneurial ideas that NSRCEL, one of the oldest incubation cells across all IIMs, receive every year. Such ideas go through several mentoring sessions by screening committees before emerging as market ready.
“Today, the scenario has changed from what it was some 15 years ago and the market is full of incubators. Our first challenge is to distinguish ourselves from the clutter. At NSRCEL, we are working with enterprises which have nothing more than a slide deck and a team. We help them acquire customers and build capital in 12 months. We look for impact-making ideas; the process starts after the entrepreneur presents his/her business plan to the committee. The possibility of incubation is informed to the entrepreneur in two days. During incubation, there are a number of review meetings with NSRCEL team to monitor the progress the company makes while incubating at the centre,” said NSRCEL chairperson Prof. G Sabarinathan.
According to him, the biggest strength of NSRCEL is its mentors who guide and mentor the incubates and play a major role in shaping up the new ideas.
Women top ideators
Annually, NSRCEL considers 80 ideas, promoted by teams comprising five members each. The maximum number of ideas are floated by women.
Chippersage, incubated at NSRCEL in 2012, was founded by Latha Srinivasan, a former software engineer. The software, which promotes English teaching in a fun way, is being used by schools in and around Bengaluru. Chippersage has developed a product to kickstart reading independence among children.
Alma Nourisher, a child nutrition and wellness firm, which aims to bridge nutrition gap in preschool/school segment with an analytic platform, is founded by Priyamvada Chandramouli. The wellness portal helps parents track their child’s nutrition levels and contribute to prevention of lifestyle diseases like obesity, cardiac ailments and diabetes.
The market winners
The past incubatees at NSRCEL include companies like JustBooks, Amagi, Milap, MeshLabs, Alma Nourisher, Brizz Tv that have made an impact or even redefined the markets they serve.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Bangalore / by Shilpa Baburaj, TNN / February 23rd, 2016
Saanya Verma, 11, the youngest to get the maximum possible score of 162 in Mensa IQ test, with parents
Bengaluru:
When Saanya Verma took the Mensa IQ challenge, her aim was to win a bet of 10 pounds with her father. The 11-year-old from Bengaluru went on to crack the toughest test and bag the maximum score of 162.
People of all age groups participate in this IQ competition; it can be taken by people over the age of 10 and half years.
Her mother Sunita Verma said Saanya has always been eager to take part in competitive exams. She had challenged her father Sunil Verma of cracking the Mensa IQ test to get 10 pounds, she recalled.
Saanya, who was born in Bengaluru, is a class VII student in London. Sunita, an HR professional, and Sunil, a banker, shifted to London a decade ago. “I want to participate in as many competitions as possible,” said an elated Saanya.
“Saanya has won public speaking, robotics and many other competitions at the school level. She is gearing up for a regional-level French spelling competition in London. I think very few children have cracked the test in the world,” Sunita added.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Bangalore / Pavan M V, TNN / February 19th, 2016
With children falling into borewells now a common phenomenon, mechanical engineering students Sharath Babu L, Dhanush Kumar A and Giridhara G set about finding a solution to save those trapped.
They came up with a simple pulley system to lift up babies who accidentally fall into open wells or borewells, giving a humane touch to their budding careers.
Researching the subject, they found that 14 babies had fallen and died in open borewells in 2014. Till the end of 2015, 36 children had died in a similar manner.
“This was around August, when a six-year old boy had fallen into a borewell in Sulikere village in Bagalkot district. The incident moved us, and our teacher also suggested that we try and find a solution,” said Sharath Babu.
The three students were then pursuing a diploma in engineering and had to submit a project to get their degree. They are now in the second year of engineering in different colleges in the city. This pulley is better than those used in times of crisis, because it has a camera and LED light fitted in, that enables rescuers to locate the baby in a dark borewell.
“The images captured by the camera can be seen through a computer by people managing the rescue on the ground. We also send oxygen through assistive devices. Once the baby is found, the pulley covers the baby entirely and a balloon-like cushion is remotely swollen to help hold it securely.
There are side covers of the pulley that grip the hands of the victim and it is pulled out through the simple mechanics of a pulley system.
The boys have already shaped a prototype and done experiments to make it a market-ready solution. “But our problem is we’ve devised it out of reused materials like aluminium, cardboard, simple steel strings and a deflated football. We are trying to mobilize resources to develop this product that will save many children in rural areas across India,” said Dhanush.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
* First send the assistive device into the borewell
* With this, supply oxygen through a pipe
* Keep LED light on throughout the process
* With help of a camera, visualize the situation near the child on the monitor
* Based on kid’s position, mechanical arms can be rotated and the child safely grabbed
* Allow the piston to eject through the cylinder under pneumatic pressure
* When it reaches below the child, it flattens the safety balloon, which acts as a cushioning seat for the child
* The child is now in the safe custody of the device
* The device with the child can be pulled out slowly and safely
TEAM PLAYERS
Sharath Babu L, KSIT, Bangalore
Dhanush Kumar A, Alva’s Engineering College
Giridhara G, Alva’s Engineering College
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Bangalore / TNN / February 15th, 2016
Rachel Althea Sequeira from Mangaluru has topped the Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka’s (COMEDK) Post Graduate Entrance Test (PGET) in the medical stream while Siddharth Datta Bandodkar from Goa topped the dental category.
The results were announced on Thursday and the counselling will begin shortly.
The first three toppers in the medical stream are from Karnataka. Anand K N N and Devesh Sanjeev Ballal, both from Bengaluru, secured the second and third rank respectively. In the dental stream, the second topper is B S Sai Harinath from Telangana and the third topper Shilpi Tiwari from Uttar Pradesh.
The entrance test for admissions to postgraduate medical and dental courses in unaided colleges in Karnataka was held on January 17, 2016. For the first time, COMEDK conducted the test online at 141 centres in 72 cities across the country.
As many as 17,482 candidates applied for the medical test, but only 16,577 of them took it. In the dental stream, the number of examinees was 4,462 as against 4,659 applicants.
Out of the first 1,000 rank holders, 248 had scored more than 70 per cent marks in the MBBS examination, 287 between 66 and 70 per cent, 395 between 60 and 65 per cent and the remaining 70 less than 60 per cent but more than the minimum marks required.
In dental stream
In the dental stream, out of the first 1,000 rank holders, 216 had scored more than 70 per cent marks in the BDS course, 280 between 66 and 70 per cent, 426 between 60 and 65 per cent and the remaining 78 students less than 60 per cent but more than the minimum marks required.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> States / DHNS, Bengaluru – February 05th, 2016
Its 12 noon at the government school in DJ Halli, northeast Bengaluru. Hundreds of little faces are fixed on the van that has carried their lunch. For 15 years, every afternoon, the Bengaluru headquartered Akshaya Patra Foundation (APF) has been bringing smiles on faces of 1.4 million children.
And in a few weeks, it will serve its two billionth meal.
APF,founded by IITian Madhu Pandit Dasa, who was conferred the Padma Shri last month, is the world’s largest school lunch programme
APF, founded by IITian Madhu Pandit Dasa who was conferred the Padma Shri last month, is the world’s largest school lunch programme.
“I still remember the day when I took the first meal to a government school. The children loved it. I did not believe that we would go with the food the next day. But for 15 years now, we have been able to sustain,” Dasa said. From ensuring that no child in India shall be deprived of education because of hunger, the scheme has won many accolades for its transparency, hygiene and tech savvy delivery of cooked meals.
Says APF CEO Shridhar Venkat: “Growth has not been a challenge but sustainably growing is a challenge. Every time we start a kitchen, children come with a hope that they will get a good meal every day. Ensuring food safety especially at the school level which is the last mile and on a daily basis is a challenge. The road ahead is to implement innovative ideas in operations, fundraising and sourcing. We also would like to freely share our learnings with any organigation or an individual who wants to work on alleviating hunger amongst children.”
APF trustee T V Mohandas Pai told TOI: “I think the reason for our success has been how different competencies which are mutually inclusive and collectively exclusive have come together to fight hunger among children.”
PM Narendra Modi has congratulated the foundation for the milestone. “I am happy to learn that the foundation will complete 15 years of serving midday meal to schoolchildren and will serve its second billionth meal soon. These milestones and efforts inspire many to serve children,” he said.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> India / by Seetha Lakshmi, TNN / February 10th, 2016
Alumni Centenary Walk from entrance Arch at 3.45 pm
Mysuru :
University of Mysore Alumni Association (UMAA) will host the first Global Alumni Meet on Feb. 6 at 5 pm at the Bahadur Institute of Management Sciences in Manasagangotri here.
Nearly 300 alumni including about 25 from USA and other parts of the world are expected to participate in this event.
Prof. B. Sheik Ali, former Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore and Goa Universities and also an alumnus of the University, will be the chief guest while Dr B.N. Bahadur, Overseas Brand Ambassador of the UoM Centenary Celebrations and President UMAA Overseas Chapter will be the guest of honour. Prof. K.S. Rangappa, Vice-Chancellor, University of Mysore and Chairman UMAA, will preside.
Seven distinguished alumni including Dr. S. Kantha Jadhav (Medicine), Dr. Roddam Narasimha (Science & Technology), Dr. R. Balasubramaniam (Youth Service), Dr. Y.K. Puttasome Gowda (Public Service), Dr. Na. Rathna (Science and Art), Dr. B.N. Bahadur (Philanthrophy) and Prof. M.H. Dhananjaya (Education), will be felicitated on the occasion.
Alumni Centenary Walk: The members of the University of Mysore Alumni Association and the students of the University of Mysore will gather at the Kuvempu Statue at the main entrance arch of the Manasagangotri Gate at 3.45 pm on the same day (Feb. 6) and walk towards the Centenary Clock Tower to create awareness among the students and faculty of the University to become members of UMAA.
The symbolic Alumni Centenary Walk will be led by Prof. K.S. Rangappa. Faculty, students, officials and alumni are requested to take part in large numbers.
New team of UMAA: The new team of UMAA was formed last year. Vice-Chancellor Prof K.S. Rangappa is the ex-officio Chairman of UMAA and Pramoda Devi Wadiyar is the Chief Patron.
K. Arkesh was elected the President of the Association. The other office-bearers are: Dr. M.A. Shekar, Vice-President; Arjun Ranga, Vice-President; Hemant Achaya, Secretary; K. Narendra, Joint Secretary and Prof H. Rajashekar, Treasurer. The following are the executive members: Prof. Chambi Puranik, M. Mahadevaswamy, Prof. M. Hemanth Kumar, Prof. C. Naganna, Prof. B. S. Vishwanath, Prof. B.K. Jagadisha, Dr. Vasanth Thimkapura, Prof. Ramachandregowda, Prof. H.M. Vasanthamma, D. Sudhanva and N. Niranjan Nikam.
Chief Minister Siddharamaiah and former Minister M.C. Nanaiah are among the alumni members of UMAA.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Friday – February 05th, 2016
Dr C. Ganesh Pai, Professor and Head of the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kasturba Medical College and Hospital, Manipal has been awarded a research grant of Rs 49.92 lakh for the project titled: “Thiopurine Therapy in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Optimizing Existing Strategies”.
The research is funded by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are a group of incurable chronic intestinal diseases that contribute to a lot of suffering.
Currently available treatment options work well at best in half the patients suffering from these conditions leaving thereby a large unmet need.
The project is expected to identify ways of improving the proportions of patients who benefit from currently available, affordable drugs belonging to the class of thiopurines and also decrease the adverse events from these drugs. The research will also lay the groundwork for designing newer drugs related to thiopurine compounds which are more effective in IBD.
Medical Superintendent and COO of Kasturba Hospital Manipal Dr M Dayananda said: This type of funding is available only for established research leaders to pursue ground-breaking, high-in-tensity projects that open new directions and advancements in their respective research fields. Selection of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department at Kasturba Hospital depicts the advanced treatment modalities and quality of care for patients provided here.
Dr. Krishnamurthy Bhat, Head of Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal University is a co-investigator on the project, which runs for three years.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Mangalore / by Stanley Pinto, TNN / January 22nd, 2016
