Monthly Archives: June 2013

Star this week : Chess Champ – M.S. Thej Kumar

Records, All, Sports

Mysore :

Chess is a mind game and is a very popular and traditional game played in our country. After the exploits of world champion V. Anand, many of our country’s youngsters have taken up to the game and have been making rapid strides in this sport.

ThejKumarBF22jun2013

On such chess champion from our city is IM M.S. Thej Kumar. Thej Kumar taking part in the Shri Narayanrao L. Kurtkoti Memorial Rapid Chess Championship at Dharwad yesterday won the title by scoring 8.5 points out of a possible nine. He is our Star This Week.

IM Thej Kumar, an employee of South Western Railways, Mysore, is a talented chess player who is the only player in the Karnataka who has achieved the three Grand Master norms and has another 94 points to get his Grand Master title.

He is being helped in his pursuits for this norm by encouragement from the Government of Karnataka and also with sponsorship from www.mysoresport.com and Saanvi Technologies, USA.

Taking part in the Karnataka State Rapid Chess Tournament in Dharwad recently. Thej Kumar had wins over S.G. Bharghav of Dharwad, Rahul Mayur Sharma of Bangalore, K. Shantaram of Chikmagalur, S.M. Raviprakash of Mysore, V.A. Akshay of Dharwad, Dasari Dattetreya Rao of Dharwad, S. Shreeshan of Dharwad and Vivekraj of Mangalore. He drew his seventh round with V.K. Koti of Dharwad.

Presently he is taking part in the 14th National Cities Chess Championships being held at Kottayam, Kerala representing Bangalore City. In the first round, the team beat Kottayam ‘B’ 4-0.

Thej Kumar recently taking part in the Mayor’s Cup International-rating Chess Tournament at Mumbai, fared well.

Thej Kumar had wins against Chakravarthi Reddy of India, S. Mari Arul of India and Manisha Mohanty of India.

He has been invited to play in four tournaments in France from the end of June to the end of August. He aims to play well in the tournaments and intends to work hard and gain maximum points so that he gets his Grand Master title soon.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports / June 16th, 2013

Nurses honoured with Florence Nightingale awards

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All
The nurses who received Florence Nightingale awards and Best Service awards during the Nurses' Day celebration held at Kalamandira last evening, are seen with MMC&RI Director Dr. Geetha K. Avadhani (fourth from left), MLA M.K. Somashekar, DHO Dr. S.M. Malegowda, Karnataka Govt. Employees Association District President H.K. Ramu, Nurses Assn. District President Shivamma, Medical Superintendents Dr. G.M. Kudari, Dr. B.G. Sagar, Dr. B. Krishnamurthy and others.
The nurses who received Florence Nightingale awards and Best Service awards during the Nurses’ Day celebration held at Kalamandira last evening, are seen with MMC&RI Director Dr. Geetha K. Avadhani (fourth from left), MLA M.K. Somashekar, DHO Dr. S.M. Malegowda, Karnataka Govt. Employees Association District President H.K. Ramu, Nurses Assn. District President Shivamma, Medical Superintendents Dr. G.M. Kudari, Dr. B.G. Sagar, Dr. B. Krishnamurthy and others.

Mysore :

The District Wing of Karnataka State Government Nurses’ Association had organised a programme at Kalamandira here yesterday to mark Nurses’ Day and presentation of Florence Nightingale awards to 12 Nursing Superintendents and Nursing School teachers and also Best Service awards to eight nurses.

Scholarship was distributed by the Association to 10 visually impaired students.

Inaugurating the programme, MLA M.K. Somashekar assured the nurses working at K.R. Hospital amid several odds to look into their demands and apprise the government of the same. He accepted a memorandum from the Association to be presented to the government.

Mysore Medical College and Research Institute Dean and Director Dr. Geetha K. Avadhani, District Health Officer Dr. S.M. Malegowda, Karnataka Govt. Employees Association District President H.K. Ramu, Nurses Association District President Shivamma, PKTB Sanatorium Medical Superintendent Dr. G.M. Kudari, KR Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. B.G. Sagar, Cheluvamba Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. B. Krishnamurthy and others were present.

Florence Nightingale awardees

E.P. Leela (Lecturer, Govt. Nursing School), Sugandi (Nursing Superintendent Gr. II), Senior Nurses Shanta Anandakumari, A. Sagai Mary, Nurses C.S. Devaki, E.P. Asha, Ramamani, R. Susheela, K.A. Chandramma, A.S. Parvati, Lalitha and Revathi.

Best Service awardees

Nurses Tulajabai, Shirley, B.T. Rathi, P.J. Saloni, Mahadevamma, N.M. Devaki, Philomena Shiromani and T.T. Mahalakshmi.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / June 16th, 2013

Scientists activate memory building enzyme

Science & Technology

What happens when we forget? In diseases like Alzheimer’s, remembering basic details about who we are, where our home is and whether  the man standing close by is the husband, become arduous tasks that cannot be fathomed.

But, what if we had a pill to help us remember? The research of a couple of scientists in the city may make this a reality.

Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awardee Professor Tapas Kundu and Prof M Eswaramoorthy, along with their research groups at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, have figured out a way to activate an enzyme that builds memory.

Kundu designed a molecule about 10 years ago that will kick into action chemicals in the brain that are necessary for making memory.

But now, Eswaramoorthy’s group of researchers have figured a way to deliver this molecule to the brain by tagging it to a nano particle, one-thousandth the width of a human hair, of glucose-based carbon.

“We have found that the molecule supports neurogenesis, that is, the growth of new cells in the brain. We are confident that these molecules can be be used in therapy of neuro degenerative diseases,” Kundu said.

Eswaramoorthy and his group facilitate this with the nano particle, that was seen to cross the blood brain barrier.

By attaching the activator molecule to it, the researchers managed to effectively reach the brain of mice and activate the acetyltransferase enzymes there.

Kundu is a bit worried about using the glucose based particle to send the activator molecule to the brain, as it can be broken down in the body quite easily.

Sorting this issue could be crucial for human trials.Kundu has collaborated with Dr Anne Laurette Boutillier’s group in Strasbourg, France for furthering this study.

They have also shown through experiments with mice, that the activator molecule actually increases the enzyme activity in the brain that helps build memory.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Nation / by Papiya Bhattacharya / ENS – Bangalore / June 12th, 2013

Flight of the flamingo

Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Travel

FlamingoBF20jun2013

If you love bird-watching and are on the look-out for spots in the State where you can spot an exquisite kind of birds such as flamingos, look no further than the banks of the backwaters of Krishna river in North Karnataka, or near Bagalkot.

You can also spot these birds in Raichur’s Manchalapura. The many lakes and tanks here are home to flamingos which land here in January. You can spot them till the months of May-June.

The flurry of activities revolving around the flight of these birds is a treat to watch. A feast for any photographer. The birds gather in huge flocks; their attempts at self-defence, their foraging for food and their mutual co-operation are all worth observing.

The Greater Flamingo (phoenicopterus roseus), the species that can typically be spotted in India  is the most widespread species of the flamingo family. It is found in parts of Africa, southern Asia (coastal regions of Pakistan and India), and southern Europe.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> Spectrum / by M. R. Manjunath / DHNS – June 11th, 2013

Mother Teresa Award

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Records, All

Mysore :

Reginald Lawrence Sharaon, Course Director of Mysore Interiors and Designs Academy, has been selected for ‘Mother Teresa Award’ for his outstanding achievements in the field of Interior Design Studies.

The award will be presented by Integrated Council for Socio-Economic Progress at a function to be held at the Central Court Hotel, Hyderabad, on June 23 at 4 pm.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> In Brief  / June 14th, 2013

Oh God! Who is driving the car?

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, Sports

 

26-year-old Farhan from Koramangala who controls the steering of the vehicle with just two fingers and the brake and accelerator from the side passenger seat. / The New Indian Express
26-year-old Farhan from Koramangala who controls the steering of the vehicle with just two fingers and the brake and accelerator from the side passenger seat. / The New Indian Express

Caution! No driver in this car. These words may seem familiar to those few who may have come across this placard but definitely strange to many of those Bangaloreans who may have not witnessed this. We are talking about 26-year-old Farhan from Koramangala who controls the steering of the vehicle with just two fingers and the brake and accelerator from the side passenger seat. People look at his car with amusement when they realise that the car is without a driver. It makes them wonder as to who is driving the car and that too amidst the chaotic traffic of Bangalore city.

Interestingly, for the last one month, Farhan has been using his unique talent to promote awareness on many issues. He has pasted a few messages like ‘Wear helmet and drive’, ‘Give respect to women’, Leave sooner, ‘drive safely, safety is must’, ‘Do not drink and drive, ‘ ‘Keep the city clean’ and ‘Do not use mobile while driving.’

Speaking to City Express, he says, “It is because of my friends’ support that I came up with this idea. Since I am a working professional, I do it during the weekends only. But I am happy to do something which hopefully people will implement in their personal life.”

It has been nine years since Farhan has been driving, steering from the side passenger seat. He has even made it to the Limca Book of Records in 2009 by covering the distance from Bangalore to Ooty. Even the Guiness Book of world records have taken note of this unique record. He says, “They have not approved this feat as of now as they feel it is not legal to drive on the roads in this manner. Now I want to drive from Kanyakumari to Ladakh to set a new record, but the Regional Transport Office has not approved it. I am on my own and do not have any backing from any other organisation. Since what I do is considered illegal, it is difficult to get the permission.”

Give him any vehicle and any type of traffic, Farhan can manage it perfectly. It all started from his father’s old Fiat car when he was in his second year of his B.Com.

He said, “Being a tall guy, I had problems driving my father’s vehicle from the driver’s seat. One day, when my younger brother was sitting beside me, I told him to move back and took the side passenger seat and tried driving it from there. I was able to drive the Fiat without any glitch and from that day onwards, I am on a roll and there is no stopping to my passion.”

Farhan has neither faced any problems with the traffic department nor been fined by them anytime.  But he has undergone his share of many challenges. Farhan tried to convince Dr M A Saleem, Additional Commissioner of Bangalore Traffic Police to grant him permission to drive from  Kanyakumari to Ladakh but was disappointed when he was threatened to put behind bars.

“There are so many people doing wrong things, why are they not threatened with arrest? What is wrong with what I do?” he questioned.

In another instance, a  journalist from a TV channel who interviewed him, took the matter to a traffic personnel stationed at MG Road who threatened him with dire consequences if seen on MG Road again.

His talent has not only grabbed the eyeballs of the common people but also politicians.

He was once approached by a member of the Aam Aadmi Party to travel around in his car with posters of Aam Aadmi but Farhan said, “I do not want to be associated with politics. I want to support causes that I believe in and that too as an individual.”

Undoubtedly, he attracts a lot of attention when he is in his car and he loves it. He says, “I love every bit of it. When I am walking on the streets of Bangalore, I am like any other person but as soon as I am in my car I am treated differently by everyone around.  I feel that they are in a dilemma whether to come up and start a conversation. In fact, I am happy to speak to anybody who approaches me.”

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bangalore / by Sangeeta Bora – Bangalore / June 11th, 2013

Doctors for low-cost devices to reduce maternal mortality

Science & Technology

Bangalore,  (IANS) :

Specialist doctors favour low-cost devices to reduce maternal mortality and ensure better healthcare for women in India.

“By using low-cost devices, quality healthcare can be provided to reduce the maternal mortality ratio in our country, where divergent people live in remote and inaccessible areas,” a leading practitioner said at a medical conference here late Monday.

On a pilot basis, the Federation of Obstetrics & Gynecologists  Societies has introduced low-cost devices in partnership with Jhpiego, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University, to train doctors in modern reproductive system and demonstrate the benefits of smart technology.

“There is an urgent need for low-cost technology to provide quality healthcare services in distant and remote areas where trained medical staff are inadequate,” Jhpiego vice president Harshad Sanghvi told about 500 delegates at the World Congress on Obstetrics and Gynaecologists.

Jhpiego has developed a labour monitoring tool, a hand-held device that allows recording of clinical observations, predictions of complications and quick decision-making.

The device includes a sensor module for partial automation of data collection and a telemedicine module to allow midwives seek guidance from distant clinicians.

“The electronic partogram supports main workers and brings essential services to women. We also collaborated with the (state-run) National institute of Design in Ahmedabad to produce better user interfaces,” Sanghvi pointed out.

Similarly, Jhpiego developed another low cost device – HemoGlobe – to detect anaemia among women without drawing blood.

The device, developed in collaboration with the bio-engineering centre at John Hopkins, has been designed to convert mobile phones of health workers into a ‘prick-free’ system for detecting anaemia at the community level.

India has reduced the maternal mortality ratio to 254 for every 100,000 births during the past decade though any preventable maternal death is one too many.

According to federation president Hema Divakar, maternal death is a serious concern and the direct causes were haemorrhage (38 percent), sepsis (11 percent), hypertensive disorders (five percent) and abortion (eight percent), a category that can include indirect causes such as anaemia.

“In the labour room, we are always fighting to save two lives – mother and baby . With our population growing exponentially, technology plays a vital  role in ensuring quality healthcare services,” Divakar observed.

The federation has also launched a fast track initiative – ‘Helping Mothers Survive’ (HMS) – to reduce the maternal mortality ratio.

The three-day congress of the specialist doctors deliberated on women’s health-related such as infertility management, challenges in setting up low-cost fertile centre, scarless surgery, infertility practices and high-risk pregnancy .

With 219 member societies and about 27,000 members from across the country, the 63-year-old federation is the largest apex body representing practitioners of obstetrics and gynaecology across the country.

source: http://www.newstrackindia.com / News Track India / Home> Others> Karnataka, Health/Medicine / IANS / Tuesday – June 11th, 2013

And this fella pulled it through from a powerless home

Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features
This is how Sucheth had to study every night, relying entirely on LED lamps. - Mohan Kumar B N/DNA
This is how Sucheth had to study every night, relying entirely on LED lamps. – Mohan Kumar B N/DNA

To live in a house that has no power can be arduous in itself. But when a boy from this very building studies his way to bag the second rank in both CET and COMED-K exams, the story is probably one of much more than simply resilience, perseverance and grit. But Sucheth S Kunchem of Chandra Layout has done just that.

Sucheth studied under solar lamps and using torches, all because of a civic agency goof-up that left the family groping in the dark. The culprit essentially is a high tension wire that passes through their compound.

When Sucheth’s father Suresh Prabhu started construction of the house, the civic regulation was that the roofs of houses should be at least four metres below such wires.

Yet, by the time the construction could be completed, the new regulation spoke of a five-and-half metre cut-off height. The house was denied power, and the family was told that this would remain so till the first floor of the house was demolished. Since then, the travails have been endless: the family has to fill up the overhead tanks manually, and Prabhu has to charge the cellphone at his office.

Sucheth believes he could have fared better still if his house had a power connection. He could, at the most, study for four hours at night, and thus decided not to appear for the JEE exams. He, needless to say, didn’t have access to a computer at home either.

After his son’s achievement, Prabhu had approached the local MLA, who had assured that he would look into the matter. So far, there has been silence from that end.

source: http://www.dnaindia.com / DNA / Home> Bangalore> Report / by Allen Reji Varghese, Agency:DNA, Place: Bangalore / Wednesday – June 12th, 2013

Puttur: Deviprakash represents India at Romania World Karate Championship

Sports

Puttur :

Deviprakash Bhandari from Puttur is representing All India Budokan Karate Federation, India in the World Union of Karate Do Federations (WUKF) World Karate Championship at Bucharest, Romania from June 5 to June 9.

He had participated in the WUKF intercontinental championships held at Delhi in November 2012 and also the National Level Championship at Vishakhapatnam in February this year and had emerged winner in both Kata and Kumite categories.

DeviPrakashBF16jun2013

Apart from these recent competitions, he has also participated and won in several state and national-level championships in his martial arts career spanning the last 15-plus years.

Introduced to Karate at a very early age, Deviprakash has been practicing different forms of martial arts from the last 15 years under the guidance of his coach and instructor Shihan Suresh M who is the assistant chief instructor of Institute of Karate and Allied Arts (IKAA), Mangalore and is one among the senior-most instructors of the institute.

In spite of having more than 15 years of practice in Karate, Deviprakash still holds a brown belt and is yet to appear for his black belt grading which typically takes 4 to 5 years.  When asked about it, he humbly says that he still has lots to achieve in the field and his longtime dream has been to win a Grand Champion Title in a karate competition before he can consider himself eligible to receive the coveted black belt degree.

“Devi” as he is popularly known, is the son of well-known Yakshagana artiste Sridhar and Usha Bhandari from Puttur, and is currently employed with Airtel as territory manager.

source: http://www.daijiworld.com / DaijiWorld.com / Home> Top Stories / Saturday, June 08th, 2013

Luka, Sahana win gold, long jumper Prem Kumar sets new meet record

Records, All, Sports

Chennai :

Olympians Sahana Kumari  of Karnataka and  Tintu Luka  of Kerala won their respective events while Tamil Nadu long jumper Prem Kumar set a new meet record on the second day of the 53rd National Inter-State Senior Athletic Championships on Wednesday.

Prem Kumar cleared 8m in his fifth and final jump to set a new meet record. Arshad of Karnataka (7.85m) was second while Ankit Sharma  of Madhya Pradesh was third in 7.67m.

Favourite Luka, watched by her mentor P T Usha, won the women’s 800m race in 2min 04.14secs. She led all through the race and finished three seconds ahead of Gomathi of Tamil Nadu (2:07.33). Haryana’s Sushma Devi (2:07.95s) was third.

32-year-old Sahana, a mother of a seven-year-old girl, was the main attraction at high jump event and she won it with an effort of 1.88m. She, however, flopped in her all three attempts to reach her own mark of 1.92m, which is also the national record.

Mallika Mondal of Bengal (1.74m) and N D Tintu of Kerala (1.68m) won the silver and bronze medals respectively.

Coming back from an injury after two years, G Gayathry, a local collegiate from St Joseph’s Academy, brought cheers to the home state, as she won gold in 100m hurdles, while Kerala’s Pinto Mathew bagged her maiden title at senior level when he clinched gold in a tight race in men’s 110m hurdles.

22-year-old Gayathry covered the distance in 13.97secs which was just 0.53 seconds below Anuradha Biswal’s meet record set in July 2000. It was one-two for Tamil Nadu as J Hamasree (14.04s) claimed the silver, while Kerala’s K V Sajitha (14.33s) settled for bronze.

In the men’s hurdles, Pinto won gold in 14.56secs, while Tamil Nadu’s Balamurugan (14.76s) and Sandeep Parmar of Maharashtra (14.82s) were second and third respectively.

In women’s shot put, Andhra Pradesh’s Udaya Laxmi, a silver medallist at home last year, threw the iron ball to 13.68m to win gold while Neha Singh (13.56m) of M P and Punjab’s Navjit Kaur (13.49m) won silver and bronze respectively.

Results: Men: 400m: 1. Kunhu Mohammad (Ker) 46.71 secs, 2. Neeraj Pawar (UP) 46.97secs, 3. Rajiv Arokia (TN) 47.08secs.

800m: 1. Sajeesh Joseph (Ker) 1:49.04secs, 2. Manjit Singh (Har) 1:49.11 secs, 3. Francis Sahayam (TN) 1:49.77 secs.

110m Hurdles: 1. Pinto Mathew (Ker) 14.56 secs, 2. Balamurugan (TN) 14.76secs, 3. Sadeep Parmar (Maha) 14.82secs.

Long Jump: 1. Prem Kumar (TN) 8.00m, 2. Arshad (Karna) 7.85m, 3. Ankit Sharma (MP) 7.67m.

Decathlon: 1. Bharatainder Singh (Har) 6963 pts, 2. Daya Ram (Raj) 6925 pts, 3. Kumbhar K Dilip (Maha) 6831pts.

Shot Put: 1. Inderjeet Singh (Har) 18.92m, 2. Ashwani Solanki (Del) 18.35m, 3. Tejinderpal Singh (Pun) 18.30m.

Javelin: 1. Krishna Kumar (UP) 74.80m, 2. Samarjeet Singh (Raj) 73.16m, 3. Rajender Singh (Har) 72.96m.

Women: 400m: 1. Poovamma (Karna) 52.85secs, 2. Nirmala (Har) 53.94 secs, 3. Anu Mariam Joseph (Ker) 54.59 secs.

800m: 1. Tintu Luka (Ker) 2.04.14secs, 2. Gomathi (TN) 2:07.33secs, 3. Sushma Devi (Har) 2:07.95 secs.

100m Hurdles: 1. G Gayathry (TN) 13.97 secs, 2. J Hamashree (TN) 14.04secs, 3. K V Sajitha (Ker) 14.33secs.

High Jump: 1. Sahana Kumari (Karna) 1.88m, 2. Mallika Mondal (Ben) 1.74m, 3. N D Tintu (Ker) 1.68m.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Sports> More Sports / by PTI / June 05th, 2013