Category Archives: Education

Lapping up the laurels

Education, Sports

Blazing the track

ShuchindraGowdaBF30sept2015

His journey is one behind the wheels and his mind moves at the same pace as his vehicle. Final-year medical student and City-based racer, Shuchindra Gowda made his foray into motorsport four years back and since then, he is an alter ego of his car — fast-paced, edgy, rushing and rolling outside the track as well.

He is a man of few words but has traversed a long, tough journey. His first lap was ‘just for fun’, he recalls, when he was a newbie to the sport and didn’t know the basics, including tuning the car. From there, he has driven a long route.

After steering through some nail-biting rounds, he participated in the finale of Toyota’s Etios Motor Racing (EMR) recently at Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida.

He says, “It was my first time in this Circuit. It’s a very well-respected and inspiring track. Great racers with shining careers have come here. It’s a humbling feeling to have represented my State and country.” After bagging the Indian National Autocross Championship in 2012, which was one of his biggest milestones, he wishes to make his friends and family proud here now. Though he has no strategy planned out as he is yet to analyse the race track, he is mentally prepared and bustling with confidence.

The only student to be stepping into the circuit this year, especially from a world of skulls and cadavers, he practises as much as he can during the weekend at his own race tracks in Nelamangala and Hesaraghatta. Happy that he is representing Bengaluru, he wishes that the racing circuit grows in the City.

“The City lacks professional tracks and hence fails to promote more racers. Racing is still an expensive sport so the growth is slow. However, the Federation is supporting us so that the racing scene around the country can become active. There are many races now which promote freshers in the novice category, which is helpful for them so that they can gauge their interest and see if they want to continue with racing.”

Though these loopholes are taken care of, Shuchindra believes that winning a lap depends on the driver and his relationship with the car. He adds, “There is nothing like a perfect lap. One can lose out within a fraction of a second here. The most important thing is to be focussed. Racers have to understand the nuances within racing and different kinds of tracks and rallies to continue. More sponsors, race tracks and awareness will only follow after dedicated racers.”  And this dedicated racer will not stop his lap here. With veteran Michael Schumacher as his inspiration, he plans to participate in “many more races” and conquer the racing circuit.

“I feel like I am living in two different worlds altogether. There are times when I have thought of quitting medical school and taking this up professionally to continue living a swift life.”

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> Metrolife / by Anushka Sivakumar / DHNS – September 30th, 2015

NITK students design virtual lab

Education, Science & Technology

Surathkal  :

A take-home lab complete with equipment, albeit in a virtual avatar. SOLVE (Students Online Lab for Virtual Experimentation), a virtual lab designed by students of National Institute of Technology (NITK), Surathkal, can be accessed using smartphones and computers which have internet connectivity.

“Students of four streams came together to make V-lab a reality and, that too, after two years of hard work. The lab was introduced with the primary objective of experiential learning of basic concepts in engineering technology and science. SOLVE makes the labs available as per the learner’s time, pace and place, and makes it easier to conduct experiments,” said Prof KV Gangadharan, HoD, mechanical department and the lab’s co-coordinator.

SOLVE’s website (solve.nitk.ac.in or vlab.co.in) has over 1 lakh active users across the world over. NITK is among the 12 institutions to set up the lab, eight among which are IITs. “We are essentially providing a take-home lab where we share costly laboratory equipment through remote-triggered lab infrastructure,” said Gangadharan.

Simulation labs related to chemical, civil, electrical and mechanical engineering are available at NITK, while other subjects are made available through IITs. “We have around 100 simulation labs on the virtual lab website (vlab.ac.in) and 30 remote-triggered labs. A remote-triggered lab is where an actual experiment at one location can be accessed by students anywhere, and they can make changes remotely while the experiment in on,” he said. The ambitious project is an initiative of human resource development ministry under the national mission on education through information and communication technology (ICT).

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Bengaluru / by Kevin Mendonsa, TNN / September 26th, 2015

Manipal university team help discover four exotic atomic nuclei

Education, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Manipal :

Researchers from Manipal Centre of Natural Sciences (MCNS) at Manipal University in collaboration with GSI-Giessen, Germany have discovered four new atomic nuclei to be added to the chart of the nuclides. The study focuses on developing new methods of synthesis for super heavy elements. The newly discovered, exotic nuclei are one isotope each of heavy elements berkelium and neptunium and two isotopes of the element americium.

H M Devaraja, a PhD student at MCNS, participated in experimental work along with an international team of researchers at GSI Helmholtzzentrumfur Schwerionenforschung. Other participants included scientists from Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA and the joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Russia. The results are published in Physics Letters B.

Apart from discoveries themselves, first proof of the new technique for production of these exotic nuclides will pave way for a new generation of exciting experiments at the frontiers of experimental physics. It is a proud moment indeed for the team and the collaboration. I expect that continuing investigations will uncover many more surprises as our team explores previously unknown areas and extends the chart of the nuclides, Dr Bhat said.

Gottfried Munzenberg who initiated the Giessen-GSI-Manipal collaboration together with Mohini Gupta expressing happiness at the discoveries, said “Synthesis of new isotopes in nuclear transfer reactions is milestone in search for new methods for SHE synthesis, the principal research goal of our collaboration”. Mohini Gupta, director, MCNS said, “Now that we know this method is viable, interpretation and prediction is two other important aspects of the discovery.”

Newly discovered isotopes have fewer neutrons and are lighter than previously known isotopes of the respective elements. To date, the known Periodic Table comprises over 3,000 isotopes of 114 chemical elements. According to scientific estimates, more than 4,000 additional, undiscovered isotopes should also exist. “By using this method, we have succeeded in generating many different atomic nuclei at once,” says Dr Sophia Heinz who headed the experiment at GSI.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Mangaluru / TNN / September 16th, 2015

City girl bags Gold Medals in Naturopathy Sciences

Education, Records, All
Dr. Jasmine D’Souza is seen receiving the certificates from Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade at the convocation ceremony held at Dharmasthala as Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Health Minister U.T. Khader look on.
Dr. Jasmine D’Souza is seen receiving the certificates from Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade at the convocation ceremony held at Dharmasthala as Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Health Minister U.T. Khader look on.

Mysuru :

City girl Dr. Jasmine D’Souza, a student of SDM College of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences, Ujire, affiliated to Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, has won two gold medals for academic excellence and Best Outgoing Doctor for the Year 2014-15.

She received President’s gold medal and Sitaram Jindal Foundation gold medal from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at the convocation ceremony held at Srikshetra Dharmasthala on Sept. 9.

Dharmadhikari of Dharmasthala Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade and Health Minister U.T. Khader were present on the occasion.

Jasmine had bagged 2nd rank in 1st and 2nd year cousre, 1st rank in 3rd year and now being the University gold medalist in the final year. She has been honoured with Dr. M. Gayathri Silver Medal, Dr. B. Narayana Rao Endowement Cash Prize, Dr. J.V. Chandrika Cash Prize and Dr. Ashok Kumar Memorial Cash Prize.

She is the daughter of John William D’Souza (BEML employee and Secretary of Konkani Christian Association, Mysuru) and Florine D’Souza, residents of KHB Layout, Hootagalli, Mysuru. She completed her schooling at Notre Dame School securing 87.6% in 10th ICSE board exam (topper of Notre Dame school in 2007-08) and PU from Sri Raghavendra Gurukula, Mysuru, with 94.3%.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Tuesday – September 15th, 2015

SJCE students win prize at PACE Forum, Brazil

Education, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion
From left: Prof. V. Basavaraj, SJCE- PACE Coordinator and Dr. K. Chandrashekara, SJCE - CIC Project Mentor, along with the students of SJCE, seen receiving the award from Dr. Delia J. Valles Rosales (extreme left), Professor & PACE- CIC Coordinator, New Mexico State University
From left: Prof. V. Basavaraj, SJCE- PACE Coordinator and Dr. K. Chandrashekara, SJCE – CIC Project Mentor, along with the students of SJCE, seen receiving the award from Dr. Delia J. Valles Rosales (extreme left), Professor & PACE- CIC Coordinator, New Mexico State University

Mysuru :

The “iREACTOR” project by the students of Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering (SJCE), Mysuru, won the II prize in Pace Global Annual Forum held in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It was a Collaborative Innovative Challenge competition in University of São Paulo, Brazil.

The students involved in this project were Aniketh Mohan Rao, Abhiram Madenur Venkatesha, Suraj Handithavalli Purushothama and Vadiraja Mysore Nagendra. This project was guided by Dr. K. Chandrashekara and mentored by Prof. V. Basavaraj.

“A Comparative FEM Analysis of Tribological and strength characteristics of composites of PF and ER matrices reinforced with GF and other filler materials with commercially available Brake pads” won the III prize for outstanding poster preparation and presentation. The students involved in this project were M.N. Vadiraja and Mohan Kumar. This project was guided by Dr. K. Chandrashekara and mentored by Prof. V. Basavaraj.

In addition, 1 CIC project, 2 CIC poster presentations and 2 Technical paper poster presentations were presented by SJCE in the Global Forum, which consisted of 65 globally recognised PACE institutions from all around the world, five of which are located in India. A total of 5 students participated in the Siemens NX Basic certification training programme in the Forum and Srikanth of I&P and Mohammad Anshad of Mechanical Engineering cleared the NX Certification exam and they were awarded the Basic NX trainer certificates by Siemens PLM software, USA.

Further, the students of SJCE who participated in RSMS (Reconfigurable Shared use Mobility System) project as TEAM 6 with other Universities — PES University, Bangalore, MSRUAS, Bangalore, Wuhan University of Technology, China, Michigan Technological University, USA and ITAM, Mexico — prepared a prototype model of RSMS which is a four -wheeler vehicle with the provision of reconfigurable and shared use mobility system.

SJCE students Srinidhi Bukkapatanam, Nikhil Somashekar Murthy, Vijayeendra Rao Harnall Padmanabh, Suraj Handithavalli Purushothama and Srikanth Nanjundaswamy participated in this project. RSMS project was sponsored fully by General Motors and PACE consortium. This project was guided by Prof. V.Basavaraj and Dr.R.Srinidhi and mentored by Dr. V. Ramesh.

SJCE PACE Coordinator Prof. V. Basavaraj along with project mentor Dr.K. Chandrashekara with 13 students of SJCE attended the PACE Global Forum and received these awards.

This is the 5th consecutive time that SJCE has excelled at the Forum.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Monday – September 14th, 2015

Workshop on Agnihotra Therapy in city

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education
Dr. Dhwani Sharma, National Secretary of BJP, is seen inaugurating the workshop on ‘Agnihotra Therapy’ at Rajendra Kalamandira on Ramanuja Road in city yesterday as others look on. Picture right shows a section of the participants.
Dr. Dhwani Sharma, National Secretary of BJP, is seen inaugurating the workshop on ‘Agnihotra Therapy’ at Rajendra Kalamandira on Ramanuja Road in city yesterday as others look on. Picture right shows a section of the participants.

Mysuru :

A day-long workshop on ‘Agnihotra Therapy,’ organised by the city-based Anantha Bharatha Charitable Trust (ABCT), in association with GSS Foundation and Asha Kirana, began at Rajendra Kalamandirs on Ramanuja Road in city yesterday.

Dr. Dhwani Sharma, National Secretary of BJP, inaugurated the event.

ABCT Founder and former Minister, S.A. Ramdas, speaking on the occasion, said that the workshop has been organised in order to spread the significance of Agnihotra Therapy, which is a process of purifying the atmosphere through a specially prepared fire and added that the Therapy helps to increase immunity among HIV positive children.

Stating that there were 27 lakh HIV-affected people in the country, with 1.5 lakh among them being children, Ramdas said that out of the 18,786 affected children living in Karnataka, 8,626 have lost their parents.

Ramdas said that he started ABCT a year ago with a mission for ‘Virus-free India’ after his mother asked him to do something for these children.

Pointing out that the Therapy was widely used in ancient India for preventing all kinds of diseases, the former Minister said that the benefits of the Therapy have been explored by scientists and experts. The objective behind the workshop is to reach the needy, he added.

Muthappa Rai, Founder-President of Jaya Karnataka organisation, who spoke after releasing ‘Agnihotra Kit,’ said that he was inspired by Ramdas on Agnihotra Therapy. Stating that he practised the Therapy in his home following Ramdas’s advice, Rai highlighted the health benefits he got by practising the Agnihotra Therapy.

Actress Nabha Natesh released Agnihotra CD on the occasion. Agnihotra scientists Balendu Prakash, Arun Anand and Germany’s Kareen Heschelle were felicitated on the occasion.

Maharaja Sanskrit College Principal and Vijayanagar Yoga Narasimha Swamy Temple Founder, Prof. Bhashyam Swamiji, graced the occasion. MP Pratap Simha presided.

Praja TV Director Gururanjan Shetty, Karnataka Pradesh Hotel Owners’ Association President M. Rajendra, GSS Foundation Trustee Sri Hari, Vijaya vittala Educational Institutions Hon. Secretary R. Vasudev Bhat, Industrialist Sundar Menon and others were present. Hundreds of HIV+ve children, auto drivers, pourakarmikas and others took part. Today, demo on Agnihotra Farming was held at Mahajana College.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Saturday – September 06th, 2015

Karkala to host workshop on analytical instruments

Education, Science & Technology

Sri Bhuvanendra College will be organising a UGC-sponsored national-level workshop on ‘Operation and maintenance of analytical instruments’ at Karkala in Udupi district from September 7 to 11.

In a press release issued here on Thursday, P. Venkataramana Gowda, college principal, said that the workshop would be held with the technical support from Western Regional Instrumentation Centre (WRIC), University of Mumbai.

The objective of the workshop was to train the teachers and technicians of Chemistry and Life Sciences departments of degree colleges about the operation, maintenance and repair of electric/electronic laboratory equipment, including refractometer, conductivity meter, potentiometer, colorimeter, centrifuge, laminar air flow, autoclave, microscopes, electric oven, incubator, heating mantle, and magnetic stirrer.

Practical training on glass blowing will also arranged to teach the technique of joining/repairing broken glasswares.

The participants were advised to bring the faulty equipment and broken glasswares from their laboratories so that they can learn to repair it during the workshop.

The training programme will be inaugurated by B.L. Jadhav, Director of WRIC.

Each college can depute two faculty members and one lab technician for the three-day training from the Chemistry Department and for the two-day training from the Life Sciences Departments. For details, call: K. Narayana Poojary on 9480231161 or email: knpoojary_61@yahoo.com

Teachers from Chemistry and Life Sciences departments of degree colleges to be trained on maintenance of laboratory equipment

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by Ganesh Prabhu / Udupi – September 04th, 2015

Rotary fetes First Blind Lady PH.D holder of Mysuru

Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features
Rtn. R. Guru, Chairman, Ranga Rao & Sons, is seen felicitating Dr. S. Kavyashree, a visual impaired Ph.D awardee, at a programme organised by Rotary Mysore Mid-Town at Rotary Centre on JLB Road in city last evening. Others seen are (from left) Rotary Mid-Town President Rtn. K. Umesh, Kavyashree’s parents Meenakshi and B. Siddaramu and Rotary Mid-Town Hon. Secretary Rtn. N. Narendra Babu.
Rtn. R. Guru, Chairman, Ranga Rao & Sons, is seen felicitating Dr. S. Kavyashree, a visual impaired Ph.D awardee, at a programme organised by Rotary Mysore Mid-Town at Rotary Centre on JLB Road in city last evening. Others seen are (from left) Rotary Mid-Town President Rtn. K. Umesh, Kavyashree’s parents Meenakshi and B. Siddaramu and Rotary Mid-Town Hon. Secretary Rtn. N. Narendra Babu.

Mysuru :

Rotary Mysore Mid-Town felicitated first blind lady Ph.D holder of Mysuru, Dr. S. Kavyashree, at a programme organised at Rotary Centre, opposite MUDA on JLB Road here last evening.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Kavyashree said that this unforgettable moment cannot be explained in words. Noting that the society has been kind to her, she said that there are problems in everyone’s life and we need to go ahead getting over them. There was nothing special about her and maybe, she had to strive a little hander, she said while explaining the challenges and problems she faced as a blind student.

Stating that we should never ever forget our teachers, Dr. Kavyashree said she was always grateful to her parents, teachers, friends and all others who whole-heartedly supported her in her endeavours.

Noting that every disability is generally considered as a curse, she said that she, however, considered her visually impairedness as vagaries of nature.

Recalling her schooling days at Ranga Rao Memorial School for the Blind at Metagalli, she said that she always treated the School as her own home and the teachers always remained at her heart. She also expressed her gratitude to the School Founder R. Guru of Ranga Rao & Sons.

Stating that she has attended an interview for Post Doctoral research at Delhi, Dr. Kavyashree said she was very much hopeful of getting into it as she topped the selection list.

Rtn. R. Guru, Chairman, Ranga Rao & Sons, was the chief guest on the occasion. Rotary Midtown President K. Umesh, Hon. Secretary N. Narendra Babu, Dr. Kavyashree’s parents B. Siddaramu and Meenakshi and others were present.

Profile of Dr. Kavyashree: Born blind to Siddaramu, a retired Commercial Tax Inspector and Meenakshi, a homemaker, Dr. Kavyashree did her initial schooling at Ranga Rao Memorial School for the Blind, Metagalli, PUC at Sri Vivekananda Composite Junior College in Jayalakshmipuram, BA at Viswakavi Kuvempu FGC and MA from Mysore University in Kannada medium.

Later for her Ph.D, she mastered English and submitted thesis on ‘Dynamics of Administration in Karnataka with Special Reference to Kengal Hanumanthaiah’s Regime.’

She has also presented papers on ‘Social work ethics and human values’ in Anantapur, AP and on ‘Politico-Administative Relations’ at Sri Venkateswara University,Tirupati.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / September 03rd, 2015

Driver Mohana is now Dr. Mohana

Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

MohanaBF01sept2015

Mysuru :

There are many who despite having access to best of the facilities fail to make use of the same in pursuing their education. But, there are also people who make use of the limited access to excel in education and achieve their goal. One such person is 37-year-old H.M. Mohana, a KSRTC driver-cum-conductor.

Mohana has been considered by the University of Mysore for the award of Ph.D in History for his thesis ‘Hoysala Raja Santhathiya Avanathi: Ondu Adhyayana (1000-1336 AD),’ submitted in Kannada under the guidance of Dr. N. Saraswathi, which has brought smiles on the faces of his family members, relatives and friends. Having completed his High School and PU education at his native Harohalli in Mandya district, Mohana shifted to Mysuru to pursue his graduation. However, he could clear the backlog and emerge as a graduate from Maharaja’s College only in 2009, three years after joining the KSRTC service in 2006.

He later completed his MA (History) from KSOU and enrolled for Ph.D in 2012. Mohana submitted his thesis on Dec. 17, 2014 and was confirmed by the University for being considered for the award of Ph.D on Aug. 20, 2015.

Speaking to SOM, Mohana said that the subject he chose for his Ph.D was on the Hoysala dynasty which had the courage to fight against Delhi Sultanate but was destroyed due to internal quarrel.

Mohana, who works at Vijayanagar bus depot in 8-hour shift, says that he spent most of his free hours at the Manasagangotri Library, Maharaja College Library, Prasaranga Library, collecting information for his thesis. He has thanked the senior officials at the KSRTC for supporting him in his endeavour to pursue Ph.D. He has also cleared his K-SET exams and is looking forward to appear for UGC-NET exam.

“I have applied for the Assistant Professor’s post called by the Karnataka Examination Authority for which the Authority is yet to conduct the exam. Taking no chances, I have been preparing for the same as the examinations can be held anytime,” he added. Mohana’s father late K.S. Mukunda was a ‘D’ group employee at Taluk Agriculture Produce Marketing Board in Pandavapura. Married to M.K. Pavithra on June 8, 2015, Mohana resides with mother H.L. Mahadevamma and wife at Vinayakanagar (Paduvarahalli) in city.

It may be recalled, in yet another commendable achievement, M. Lingaraja, Traffic Police Constable at Devaraja Traffic Police Station, too had received Ph.D in Economics for his thesis ‘Gandhiji’s concept of self-reliance and role of Self Help Groups in empowerment of women’ from the UoM early this year. (Refer SOM dated Jan.3, 2015).

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / September 01st, 2015

Nursery to address ‘green disparity’

Education, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature
The centre will also sell gardening equipment, seeds, saplings and manure
The centre will also sell gardening equipment, seeds, saplings and manure

Addressing a ‘green disparity’ that had left Bengaluru North and East high and dry, the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) and Horticulture department have embarked on a major mission create more gardens in these part of the city.

Executing an ambitious plan, both the organisations have set up a sprawling two-acre nursery on airport road that would provide all the required inputs to people for greening the area.
The UAS in association with the Nursery Men Cooperative Society, an affiliate of the Horticulture department, on Friday inaugurated the nursery that will nurture the green need of the people of North and East Bengaluru.
The resource centre will also be a place for people to buy gardening equipments, seeds, saplings and manure.
Giving details of the project, Dr N Rajanna, manager and head of the Agricultural Technology Information Centre (ATIC) which is supervising the setting up of nursery unit said, “Bengaluru had only one nursery set up by Nurserymen Cooperative Society. But it was based in Lalbagh and largely benefitted the people of Bengaluru south. People from other parts of the city wanted to buy any plants or saplings, they had to go all the way to Lalbagh.

Hence, many from North and East had refrained from gardening activities. Now, with the nursery on UAS campus, adjacent to the airport road, people from these areas of people can be benefitted and take up gardening.”
The officials are hopeful that availability of nursery inputs at a closer distance would only attract more and more people to take up gardening and public planting exercise.

What will it do
* The society will be supplying seedlings and plants at the same cost as Lalbagh * People can buy all sorts of plants including ornamental, flower, fruit and medicinal plants * There will be gardeners at the centre who would help with the queries on setting up a kitchen garden or terrace garden * Besides, there will be availability of nursery inputs like equipments and seeds

Green disparity
Several reports by IISc experts over the condition of green cover in IT city, Bengaluru North and East revealed more built up area when compared to Bengaluru South that is replete with gardens and vast green patches.

The Location
The nursery has been set up conveniently at the entrance of UAS campus from the Airport road making it easier for people to visit, park and spend considerable time in choosing plants.

source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> Bangalore> Others / by Niranjan Kaggere, Bangalore Mirror Bureau / August 30th, 2015