Monthly Archives: June 2015

Prof. Padma Shekar of Mysure is Sanskrit University VC

Education, Leaders

Dr. S.R. Niranjana Gulbarga Varsity VC

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Bengaluru :

Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala on Monday approved the names of six Vice-Chancellors for State Universities. They are Pramod B. Gai (Karnatak University, Dharwad), S.B. Hosamani (Rani Channamma University, Belagavi), S.R. Niranjana (Gulbarga University, Kalaburgi), Jogan Shankar (Kuvempu University, Shivamogga), M.S. Subhas (Krishnadevaraya University, Ballari) and Padma Shekar (Sanskrit University, Bengaluru).

Dr. S.R. Niranjana and Prof. Padma Shekar are from Mysuru. While Prof. Padma Shekar is Head of the Department of Jainology, University of Mysore, Dr. S.R. Niranjana is serving as Professor and Chairman, Department of Studies in Biotechnology, University of Mysore.

The appointments came after Chief Minister Siddharamaiah on Monday evening met Governor Vajubhai Vala, who is also the Chancellor of Universities and explained to him that the State Government had followed all norms and procedures on the issue of appointment of VCs to six State Universities.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com /Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Tuesday – June 16th, 2015

Indian origin scientist to get Russia’s highest tech award

Amazing Feats, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

St Petersburg :

B Jayant Baliga, a US-based Indian-origin scientist, is being awarded Russia’s top technology award in recognition of his work as a major development in energy management which brought about huge increase in efficiency and major savings.

B Jayant Baliga, a US-based Indian-origin scientist, is being awarded Russia's top technology award. (Representative image)
B Jayant Baliga, a US-based Indian-origin scientist, is being awarded Russia’s top technology award. (Representative image)

The award will presented to Professor Baliga and Shuji Nakamura on Friday by Russian President Vladimir Putin at a ceremony here.

Nakamura, a Nobel Laureate, is being recognised for his work on blue light emitting diodes (LEDs). In Russia, the Global Energy Prize is known as the electronics equivalent of the Nobel Prize.

Professor Baliga invented the digital switch or the insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) while working at General Electrical research & development centre in New York state in the US in 1983. The IGBT switches energy hundreds of thousands of times a second, raising the efficiency of any equipment manifold.

“Every equipment from your refrigerator to lights to motor vehicles has the need to use energy efficiently. If you take away the IGBT today, almost everything will come to a standstill,” Baliga told a visiting IANS correspondent on the eve of receiving the award.

Scientific American magazine called him among the ‘eight heroes of the semiconductor revolution’, and President Barack Obama awarded him the highest American technology prize last year and he is the 2014 recipient of the IEEE Medal of Honour, a rare distinction.

Professor Baliga, who now teaches to the North Carolina university as ‘distinguished university professor’, said that the IGBT that his invention combines two streams of electronics and electrical engineering and has possibly saved the world around $24 trillion dollars by raising efficiency, according to one detailed calculation.

“I got zero out of it. But then I did it all for humanity.”

Of course, says Prof Baliga, that he did make some money when he started three companies, but these were financed by venture capitalists who exited with enormous profits at the right time.

He says every motor today is at least 40 percent more efficient, the light bulb like the CFL better by almost 75 percent and a motor vehicle saves over 10 percent fuel because of his invention. He has written 19 books and over 500 papers in peer-reviewed journals.

Baliga passed out of IIT Madras before going to the US for his MS and PhD after electrical engineering after which he joined GE where he spent over 15 years.

After his ‘switch’ was invented, several of his colleagues told him that it would not work, and many scientists said he would fall “flat on his face”. But he said it stood the test of time.

The chairman of GE at that time, Jack Welch flew down especially to meet him when he heard what it could do. GE used the switch in the several of the equipments it sold, including medical devices.

A US citizen since 2000, he now has very little connection with India and does not travel to his home country much, especially after his parents and parents of his wife passed away. But, says Prof Baliga, an invention like his is unlikely in India, because it needs huge research infrastructure to be in place from universities to industries.

He feels, that India has a potential which has not been fully used, although in software “it has made great strides”.

Could a Nobel be on its way in the future? “I used to say no way,” but with so many recognitions and this “global prize where I am being feted with a Nobel Laureate, who knows”, he says. His regret though is that India does not know much about him.

“Top scientists that I meet always ask me, why has India not recognised your achievement?” And with characteristic modesty, Baliga told IANS, “I tell them that perhaps my country does not know about what I did.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> NRI / IANS / June 18th, 2015

This Samaritan Contributes 5kW Solar Power to HESCOM

Green Initiatives / Environment, Science & Technology

Sirsi :

A house in Gurunagar has become a solar power-generating station with the owner contributing power to HESCOM. ‘Shreyas’, the residence of Shrikant Hegde, an entrepreneur, has a 5 kW-capacity solar rooftop power unit, linked to the power grid.

The state’s solar energy policy encourages individuals, societies, institutions and companies to set up grid-connected rooftop solar units, and for ESCOMs to buy power from these units. The houses have to install a two-way meter to measure the flow of power in both the directions. The scheme is administered by respective ESCOMs, including registration, approval, metering protocols, standards and safety protocol.

Hegde has signed a 25-year agreement with HESCOM to export excess solar power to its grid. He is able to contribute a surplus of 500-600 units of power per month to the HESCOM grid at Rs 9.56 per unit.

In the first five years, HESCOM will purchase power at Rs 9.56 per unit (later at revised rates fixed by Karnataka Regulatory Energy Commission). “I will earn at least Rs 60,000 per annum,” Hegde said, adding that he will recover his investment in about seven years.

On the technical side, Hegde got the support from Apollo Power Systems Private Ltd, Bengaluru, and Tejas Energy,

Sirsi. The rooftop unit has been installed at a cost of about Rs 5 lakh. Gurucharana, executive, Apollo Power Systems Private Ltd, said the project was started in November 2014 by the state government on a power-purchase agreement (PPA) for 25 years.

Sunilkumar, head of the Renewable Energy of Appollo Renewable, said that even in rainy season like in Sirsi and Malnad area, 4-5 units of power could be generated daily.

Nagendra Honnalli, assistant commissioner of Sirsi, said that he would send a proposal to the government to provide finance through cooperative societies to farmers who want to take up this project. It costs about Rs 1 lakh per 1kW capacity.

He said this project would reduce transmission losses and dissemination costs. Panduranga Pai, general manager, Sirsi Urban Cooperative Bank, has offered to provide a loan of up to 75 per cent of the cost of the project at 2 per cent interest.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Shripad Bhat / June 21st, 2015

Bengaluru becomes a magnet for MNCs, startups again

Business & Economy, World Opinion

Traffic can be a nightmare at peak hours. Many roads are pot-holed. Experts warn of an inevitable water crisis. But still companies and people are moving to Bengaluru like never before. Some estimate that an investment of over $1 billion has been proposed in the past 18 months.

The availability of a young, technologically skilled population is driving not just many of the world’s biggest brands but many of India’s tech-based startups to move or expand into Bengaluru. The trend is accelerating as the world gets redefined by new technological phenomena such as smartphones, social media, artificial intelligence, et al.

Bengaluru accounts for more than a third of the over 1,000 global inhouse centres (GICs) – facilities that combine technology development with back-office functions – of MNCs in India. But the spate of new announcements of GICs over the past 18 months suggests a fresh urgency. Some of the proposed investments are massive.

US oil and gas major Exxon Mobil, one of the world’s biggest companies, is making a $400-500 million (Rs 2,500 crore-Rs 3,150 crore) investment in Bengaluru to establish a technical and business support services centre. Derivatives marketplace CME Group, which handles 3 billion contracts worth approximately $1 quadrillion (that’s 1 followed by 15 zeros) annually, is said to be setting up a GIC in Bengaluru.

JCPenny, the leading American apparel and home furnishing retailer, L Brands, makers of lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret, and Lowe’s, the US-based home improvement and appliance store chain, have established technology captive centres here recently. Payments technology company Visa is establishing an inhouse R&D centre in Bengaluru that will hire 1,000 people over the next three years. Payments solutions major Network International, wholly owned by Emirates NBD Bank, is looking to hire 300 people in the city to set up a GIC.

British Telecom is leasing out 1.2 lakh sqft of office space in the city and is expected to hire 600 engineers over the next 18 months. Wells Fargo, the largest US bank by market cap, is said to be expanding its technology back office in Bengaluru with a fresh lease deal for 1 million sqft.

It’s been no different with many domestic startups. Entrepreneurs who started their ventures elsewhere in the country, are making Bengaluru their new home. Others, like Snapdeal, may not have shifted their base, but their big new R&D expansions are in Bengaluru. As Snapdeal says, for the scale of hi-tech talent they now need, there’s no option but to come to Bengaluru.

Lalit Ahuja, co-founder of ANSR Consulting, a firm that’s helping Fortune 500 companies establish strategic offshore captive centres in India, says Bengaluru has the right mix of talent, and contextual business expertise.

Sejal Shah Gulati’s tryst with Bengaluru has turned out to be longer than she expected. The managing director of Time Inc India – publisher of over 90 magazine titles including Time, People, Sports Illustrated, InStyle, and Real Simple – moved to Bengaluru from New York to set up a wholly owned subsidiary of Time that would do circulation, web and tablet analytics, among other things. It has 550 employees, and Gulati says the plan now is to more than double the headcount to 1,000-1,200 in the next 12-18 months. The focus is on technology and analytics talent. Despite the broken infrastructure and traffic snarls, Gulati felt welcomed in this city of immigrants. “I didn’t expect to stay so long. It was a very soft-landing for me. And how can I not mention the ideal weather,” she says.

Nasscom Product Council chairman Ravi Gururaj says: “E-commerce and consumer internet firms, technology back-office and R&D centres of MNCs, apart from the IT services firms and the plethora of startups, make the city very unique.”

Aditya Rao of Localoye says he faced problems in hiring when he was in Mumbai, and he found it difficult to get Bengaluru folk to shift to Mumbai. So, when the startup secured funding from PE firm Tiger Global, he shifted his base to Bengaluru.

Harshvardhan Lunia, cofounder and CEO of Lendingkart, an NBFC that lends short term working capital to sellers on e-commerce platforms, says there is no good pool of big data talent outside of Bengaluru. Hence his shift from Ahmedabad, though he continues to spend time in that city too.

Bengaluru has talent gaps, in areas like product management, software architecture, and user design. And this is pushing some companies to import talent from Silicon Valley. But Sharad Sharma, cofounder of software product think-tank iSpirt, says Bengaluru will be the first city to close the demand-supply gap in these areas. “The Institute of Product Leadership and IPMA (India Product Management Association) are attacking the product management gap.

Hasgeek and Zinnov are addressing the architect gap. And a number of players, including Shristi, are addressing the user design expert gap. MNC R&D captives are rapidly building technical career tracks for these specialists,” he says.

There are also signs that road infrastructure – the bane of Bengaluru – is improving. Chief minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday launched the first of the new high-quality TenderSure roads, built in collaboration with external expertise. If this governmental spirit sustains, Bengaluru could look forward to a remarkable hi-tech future.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Business> India Business / by Shilpa Phadnis & Anand J,  TNN / June 21st, 2015

The Mysore that was … Part 30: Lansdowne building , The oldest shopping complex of Mysuru

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All

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by M.L. Krishnaswami

Heritage — The Oxford Dictionary meaning is Nation’s Historic Buildings or Countryside. The Government’s definition is a building which has completed its life for over 100 years; this naturally excludes private person’s buildings which have no historic value or have no significance to public interest. Public building built at public cost and being used for general or public purposes like music halls, shopping arcades, colleges, etc. which have put their physical weight on Mother Earth for hundred years or more will naturally be named as heritage structures. In any country it becomes the bounden duty of the State to preserve and maintain in good shape such buildings. In this category, Lansdowne Building, the oldest shopping complex in Mysuru built a hundred years ago, eminently qualified for this sobriquet.

In addition to the above description, even houses built and lived by eminent figures in the fields of culture and arts, literature and drama also fall under this definition. This category includes houses of Kuvempu, R.K. Narayan, Bendre, Karanth and others. When it comes to a large linear shopping complex like the Lansdowne Building, some of the owners and tenants of individual shops have made enormous contribution to the growth of their particular brand of trade or avocation over this period. They had established their brand names in Mysuru State and beyond also. In this sense they have added their own glamour to the total heritage tag of the building. An attempt is made here to highlight a few samples in this category. Now read on:

Lansdowne Building was a much longer one before 1956, extending at an angle upto the junction of the Dufferin Clock Tower on the South of Devaraja Market, when a portion was pulled down to facilitate construction of the K.R. Circle and making a through road from there westwards upto DC’s Office. This road is now called Devaraja Urs Road.

1. Phalamrutha Products, Founded by the late venerable Gundappa: Gundappa originally came from Chamarajanagar and after great initial hardships, established his industry and trading outlet for fruit juices, essences, ice creams and the like. His working place was in Ittigegud and the factory was mainly manned by his three sons and their families including the ladies. He had made such meticulous work in detail by distributing the work schedule among his sons and daughters-in-law, in shifts like an experienced works manager in a large factory. Besides, he had also employed a few people for outside work. Some of the processes were mechanised also. Utmost importance was given to maintaining the quality tag of the product. So much so, for people visiting Mysuru on vacation, both local and outside, a jaunt to the Phalamrutha outlet in Lansdowne Building was a must.

2. Late Hari Rao and his two sons ran “Brahmins Soda Factory” three or four shops towards North. The specialty of this unit was they used to make the essences of fruits at their house and bring them to their shop. Hari Rao used to trickle three or four drops of the particular essence in a glass, mix it with water or soda as per the client’s demands and serve it. This shop came under the portion of Lansdowne Building demolished in 1956 and thereafter his sons shifted the same to Old Bank Road. Another not so popular joint was the Padaki Soda Factory.

3. Khaddar Co-operative Society had occupied two adjacent shops and used to sell quality Khadi cloth. It had a large clientele comprising freedom fighters and lawyers. A small departure here: One experienced and Khadi clad tailor by name Bagare Narasingarao, popularly known by his nickname ‘Bachu,’ had occupied a part of the frontage of one of the shops here and people who bought Khaddar cloth in the Society gave him business to stitch their ware. He had good business.

My father who was a staunch Gandhian lawyer wore Khadi all his life and his sons, five in number, were perfect Khadiites. When we were school-going kids, we were taken there for measurement of knickers and pants. Bachu, the tailor, would invariably ask us which side right or left, we would hang our tool, as if he would make suitable provision for the same accordingly!! We would give a very wry small at his joke.

4. J. Nanumal and Son was another popular bookstall, selling stationery as also textbooks. They were Sindhis and the senior father was always in mill-dhoti worn with two identical pants like partitions fitting tight on both legs. His son Bhagwandas was a normally dressed person with two sons, all of whom shifted their shop up North near Chamundeshwari Talkies in 1956 when that portion of Lansdowne Building was demolished.

5. Other miscellaneous shops included a book shop (Venkateshwara), a photo frame unit and most importantly, a rubber stamp making venture, M.V.N. & Sons run by late M.V. Narasimhachar. A typing centre run by three Raju brothers had occupied two shops in a vantage location where half-a-dozen people were ready with their typewriters. The first floor portion of this linear building was occupied by auditors, lawyers, consultant engineers, who ran their professional practices there successfully for many years. A major portion of the first floor was occupied by Sarada Vilas Institutions who ran their primary and middle school sections there for a long-time.

The people who ran the above enterprises had become great hallmarks in their particular ventures and professions and had silently enhanced the heritage quotient of the brick and mortar building they occupied for a long time. Architecture adds looks to the building and enhances its livability value, but the people who live and work inside the four walls of the same breathe life into the edifice. Thus, we have ‘Stratford on Avon’ where Shakespeare’s memorial is housed and R.K. Narayan’s house in our own city which have the heritage tag not because of the buildings but because of the persons who lived there and added eternal value to the world by their works and life.

Post script: Lansdowne Building is now in a comatose state after a roof slab in a typing shop in the Southern wing collapsed on Aug. 25, 2012, and the entire building is barred for human dwelling and is earmarked for renovation. Sooner this work is taken up and completed the better as a few of the original tenants may not live to see the light of day when the renovation is completed. I am told this building is the property of the City Corporation and it is not out of place here if a request nay, appeal, is made to the Honourable Mayor and Commissioner to taken up restoration work.

Six months passed…

Whatever happened to Rs. 6 crore restoration work?

The restoration work of Lansdowne Building is being taken up as per the specifications given by the Heritage Department at an estimated cost of Rs. 6 crore — Rs. 3 crore for strengthening the building, water proofing the roof, wooden works and painting; another Rs. 3 crore for providing toilets, road and drain works and concreting. The work is yet to start as the two persons, who took part in the tender process, could not produce proper documents. Hence, the MCC has called for a re-tender. It may be recalled, Chief Minister Siddharamaiah had launched the restoration work of the Lansdowne Building and performed the ground-breaking ceremony in city on Jan. 11, 2015.

e-mail: mlkswami@yahoo.in

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Monday – June 15th, 2015

Two friends join hands to spread Bicycle culture in city

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Sports
Vikas Hosahalli & Mahesh Siddegowda
Vikas Hosahalli & Mahesh Siddegowda

Mysuru :

‘If passion can take you places, then Mysuru is the place to polish your passions till perfection.’ This seems to be the collective conscience among the young in city who are leaving behind fat-pay cheques from multi-national corporate companies to follow their hearts.

Like Rohan Abijith and Dhruva Rao, who gave up their lucrative jobs to start the ‘Science Ashram’ at Jayalakshmipuram, there is a rising trend among the young in the city to innovate, collaborate and start ventures that are benefiting the society on the whole.

Now two friends have joined hands to inculcate bicycle culture among Mysureans that can not only save the environment from pollution but can also keep individuals fit!

Nowadays in the fast paced modern world, man is totally dependent on petroleum products to keep moving about in his two and four-wheelers. The gasoline-run vehicles not only pollute the environment, but have also been cause for numerous accidents and deaths in the world. People suffer from breathing problems after inhaling the air polluted by the carbon dioxide emission from these vehicles.

Before it is too late, human beings must realise the importance of clean air and environment and in this context, several environmentalists and naturalists have come forward to work for a people-friendly environment.

The city is not lagging behind on such environmentally conscious matters and is fortunate to have two young men namely Vikas Hosahalli, a resident of Kuvempunagar and Mahesh Siddegowda, residing at Kesare, the founders of ‘Green Wheel Ride’ who have been trying to instill ‘Cycling Culture’ among Mysureans. In the first phase of cycling promotion, the duo have opened centres near State Bank of Mysore in Chamundipuram, near Gnanaganga School in Kuvempunagar, near Vikram Nursing School in Gokulam and near Corporation Bank branch in V. V. Mohalla.

Green Wheel Ride has plans to open 75 to 100 franchise points at various locations in city. The unique feature of this ‘Cycling Concept’ is that one may hire a bicycle from one centre and hand over the bicycle at the nearest destination centre.

Speaking to SOM, Vikas said that the duo was looking for places to set up their franchisees and are happy to engage in partnerships with institutions and environmentally conscious corporate houses.

“There are lots of un-used spaces in government office buildings and they are perfect to have these e-bikes installed there. The officials can use these bikes for their transport, but we are not getting any positive response from them,” says Vikas.

After having relinquished their plum positions in MNCs, Mahesh, a mechanical engineer by profession, has been engaged in altering the bicycles and Vikas is into the maintenance work of these bicycles.

Battery operated bicycles: We may be wondering how to pedal on these bicycles especially during summer, relax; these bicycles operate on eco-friendly batteries. ‘Lithium Ion’ technology is used for these bicycles and once the battery is charged, the bicycle runs for 70 kms at 20 km per hour. The cost for 3-hour charge will be less than a Rupee.

Triple mechanism on bicycle: An individual can ride the bicycle by pedalling if he or she wants to exercise; the bicycle can also be operated with pedals and accelerator on battery. The bicycle has the option of being operated only on accelerator.

The spare parts for these bicycles are manufactured by Green Wheel Ride at their Hootagalli unit in city. Bicycles are assembled at the Vidyaranyapuram unit, here, and the brand name for these bicycles is ‘Made in Mysuru.’

These bicycles may be hired at 50 paise per minute for members and Re. 1 per minute for non-members. Bicycles are available for hire between 8 am and 6 pm at the designated bicycle centres in city.

Riders who wish to avail these bicycles on hire should submit a passport sized photograph, identity card, address proof and give their thumb impression on biometric machine. The firm has its own App for registration of members and to identify the path travelled by the bicycle rider.

E-Bike: The battery-operated bicycle was launched only 18 days ago in Mysuru and has been christened ‘E-Bike’ for its eco-friendly mechanism. Our aim is to save the environment from pollution and reduce the dependency on petrol, diesel operated vehicles. Even if 10 percent of our population uses these bicycles, the country would save lakhs of rupees on petroleum products import. Ten bicycles have been made available at the Karanji Kere premises for the convenience of the public. A fee of Rs. 25 will be charged for 30 minutes use. About 3,500 people have used 10 bicycles which were operational at Karanji Lake during the last 10 months covering a distance of 15,000kms.

Green Wheel Ride has plans to open such Bicycle Centres in other cities too and those interested to join the organisation may contact: 95358 50001 or visit the website: www.ecobike.rentals

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Sunday – June 14th, 2015

‘Sita Ashoka’, The sacred tree with medicinal values

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Nature

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by Dr. Mahadeswara Swamy, Scientist, Mob: 97429-91057, e-mail: swamy_clri@hotmail.com

Ashoka’ or ‘Sita Ashoka,’ one of the most beautiful indigenous trees, looks marvellous when fragrant, pale apricot (scarlet) Ixora like blooms are fashioned amidst the deep green shiny foliage. It is a sacred tree for Hindus and Buddhists. Therefore, it is widely grown in gardens adjoining temples and monasteries. According to one belief, Lord Buddha was born under an ‘Ashoka tree.’ According to Ramayana, it is associated with chastity. Sita, after being abducted by Ravana, spent her days grieving for Rama in Ashoka Vana. A quaint Hindu belief is that the tree will flower only in places trodden upon by a woman’s foot!

In West Bengal, women eat the flower buds on ‘Ashoka Shanthi’ day. The scientific name is ‘Saraca asoca’ belonging to Fabaceae (pea family). ‘Saraca’ is derived from Western Indian vernacular name for the tree; ‘asoca’ means ‘sorrow – less’ in Sanskrit. It is native to India, Sri Lanka, Burma and Malaysia. It is found wild in forests of Khasia Hills in Assam and Western Ghats and grown all over India.

It is a medium-sized, evergreen, hardy tree with erect trunk, rounded crown and drooping foliage. The bark is distinguished by the presence of warty protuberances on its outer surface. The compound leaves are arranged alternately on the stem; leaflets, 3-6 pairs, opposite, deep green, elliptic oblong in shape with wavy edges; surface is glabrous and shiny.

Young leaves are coppery red and flaccid — the distinguishing feature. Large clusters of golden yellow fragrant flowers appear on trunks and old branches, 4-6” across. The flowers have no petals and the sepals form a tube at the base and open up into 4-6 petal like lobes, first orange and later turn to scarlet. The stamens are orange near the base and scarlet upwards.

The fruit is a dehiscent pod with 4 to 8 seeds. They are fleshy and red when young and closely resemble the young tamarind pods.

Uses: The tree has immense medicinal value. The bark is astringent and used in uterine infections, menorrhagia (scant menses), dysmenorrheal (painful menses, menstrual cramps), leucorrhoea, as a uterine sedative and tonic. The bark powder is also used for improving skin complexion. The flowers are used in diabetes and dysentery. Seeds are chewed as a substitute for betel-nuts. Ayurvedic medicines ‘Ashokarishtam’, ‘Ashoka Ghrita’ and ‘Chandranadi Thailam’ contain ingredients from this tree. The timber is used for house building in Sri Lanka.

Other related species: S. cauliflora: Yellow and orange flowers (yellow turning red) on thin woody branches, but not on trunks; S.declinata (red asoca): Large clusters of red flowers on old branches and twigs; S.thaipingensis (yellow saraca): Large clusters of golden yellow flowers on trunks and old branches.

Note: Polyalthia longifolia is often planted in many places in the name of ‘Ashoka’ tree. This is a misnomer. At best, it can be labeled as ‘Madras Ashoka’ or ‘False Ashoka.’

Useful tips: Suitable for small avenues, parks, big gardens as well as home gardens.

Prefers shady situation and a porous, moist soil.

Needs shelter from dry wind in hot places.

Easily propagated from seeds.

Looks beautiful when planted in the corner of a lawn.

Peak flowering season: February to June.

This beautiful tree can be seen in Curzon Park, park adjacent to B.M. Hospital on Hunsur Road and many other places.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Sunday – June 14th, 2015

DC Office to move out of 120-year old Monument

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All

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by S.N. Venkatnag Sobers

One of the heritage structures in Mysuru is the Deputy Commissioner’s office. Though, there are no authentic documentation regarding the building, it is said that the foundation for the building was laid on June 20, 1887 and the construction was completed in 1895.

The building constructed at a cost of Rs. 1.75 lakh, had two halls and 27 rooms which served as the offices and chambers. It was also the place where the Mysore Representative Assembly was held during the Wadiyars rule in early 1900s. Built in European style, the building has octagonal dome with an unusual double-bulb final resting on an elaborately composed square drum, ardhes of different shapes, with corinthian pilasters, open verandahs leading into high ceilings.

The area where DC office is located was called as ‘Gordon Park’ named after Sir James Davidson Gordon, the British Administrator, who was the guardian of Maharaja Chamaraja Wadiyar.

The building which is spread over 30,000 sq ft was surrounded by 92 acre open space. The building was dedicated to Sir Gordon as a gratitude for his services extended to Mysore Kingdom till Chamaraja Wadiyar became an adult and took over the administration. Chamaraja Wadiyar was coronated at the age of five.

Some of the important offices which were housed at Deputy Commissioner’s office were the District Treasury, District Excise Office, Judicial Records Room, Revenue Records Room, Office of the Superintendent of Police, the District Forest Office on the ground floor and District Health Office, Mysore Sub-Divisional Office on the first floor.

The present DC office building which is 120-year-old heritage building houses the offices of Additional Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner (Mysuru Taluk), District Treasury, Department of Food and Civil Supplies, Deputy Director of Land Records and District Urban Development Cell (DUDC). Offices belonging to Department of Social Welfare, and Department of Backward Communities and Minorities (BCM) which were at the DC’s office have been shifted owing to space constraint.

Attara Kacheri: The Deputy Commissioner’s office in Mysuru was earlier known as ‘Attara Kacheri’ as it housed offices of 18 different departments. It is believed that the then King Chikkadevaraja Wadiyar (1673 to 1704) had divided the administration of Mysore State to 18 departments for smooth functioning of the kingdom. Chikkadevaraja Wadiyar was influenced by Mughal Emperor Aurangazeb who had also divided the administration into 18 departments. After the British left the Kingdom, the Deputy Commissioner’s Office was converted into Dewan’s Office which housed the offices of 18 departments.

Sir James Davidson Gordon: Right in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, there is a bronze statue of Sir James Davidson Gordon, who served as the Chief Commissioner of Mysuru from 1878-81. He was also the guardian to the then King Chamaraja Wadiyar from 1871-1873.

Sir Gordon was born to Evelyn Meadows during 1835. After joining the Civil Service in 1854, he worked as the Private Secretary to Governor General Lord Lawrence from 1866-73. Later, he became the Judicial Commissioner of Mysore, Chief Commissioner in 1878 and a Resident of Mysore in 1882. Sir Gordon retired in 1883 and died on June 27, 1889.

When Sir Gordon was serving as the Chief Commissioner, Chamaraja Wadiyar was the heir to the throne. Since Chamaraja Wadiyar was a minor, Sir Gordon took care of his education and guided him with the administration. After he became the King, Gordon continued to guide him and resided in the building in Mysuru.

New DC office: The construction of the new Deputy Commissioner’s Office will be taken up on a 15 acre land located in German Press premises in Siddharthanagar. Around 100 acre of land belonging to State Government was leased to Central Government for a period of 99 years for Re.1 annual rent agreement. Now, the Central Government has handed over 15 acre land to the State Government following its request to accommodate the new DC’s office. The matter was also pursued by Mysuru-Kodagu MP Prathap Simha.

Though, the lease period of the land was valid till 2061, the Central Government handed over the land back to the State Government to go ahead with the project. Previously, the State Government had earmarked Rs. 35 crore for the construction of new DC Office complex and had instructed the District Administration to identify the land.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, DC C. Shikha said that the new building with a basement and two floors will have offices of 25 departments including those which are functioning in rented premises.

The built up area will be around 17,000 sq mts and will be designed by the State Public Works Department keeping in mind the heritage and cultural values of the Mysuru district, said Shikha.

She also mentioned that new building will be public, disabled and senior citizen friendly with ample parking space and lung space around the building.

When asked about the new DC office being too far from the city, DC Shikha mentioned that it would not be difficult for people to reach the new DC office as it was well connected with transport facilities and was near to the sub-urban bus stand.

Adding that the land identified for the new DC office was ideal, Shikha mentioned that it would have been difficult for the District Administration to find a suitable land in city limits.

Now the question arises as to what would happen to the old DC office building after completion of the new building. Reacting to this, DC Shikha said that the old office building will be retained by the Revenue Department and the State Government would decide on the measures to be taken to preserve and conserve the heritage structure.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Sunday – June 14th, 2015

Satyanarayana Nadig passes away

Business & Economy, Leaders
Satyanarayana S. Nadig
Satyanarayana S. Nadig

Mysuru :

City’s prominent industrialist and builder Satyanarayana S. Nadig passed away early this morning at a hospital in Bengaluru after a brief illness. He was 70.

He leaves behind his wife Jayalakshmi Satyanarayana, sons Vikram S. Nadig and Raghav S. Nadig, a host of relatives and friends.

The body of Nadig, which is expected to be brought to city this afternoon, will be kept at his residence on 4th Main, Jayalakshmipuram. Last rites will be performed tomorrow (June 15) at 10 am at Chirashanthi Dhama in Gokulam.

Profile: Born on Feb. 3, 1945, Satyanarayana S. Nadig, a civil engineer by profession, was the Managing Director of Nadig Promoters and Developers Pvt. Ltd., and Nadisons Resorts Pvt. Ltd. He was the Past Chairman of the Builders Association of India (BAI), Mysore Centre.

A cricket enthusiast, Nadig was the KSCA Mysore Zone Convener from 2007-2010 and was representing the National Cricket Club (NCC). He was instrumental in reviving several cricket grounds in city.

Apart from being the Founder-Member of Sarawathipuram Recreation Club, Nadig was the member of JWGC, Vonti- koppal Club and Babbur Kamme Sangha.

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

Roundle Table India and Ladies Circle India Felicitates 12 ‘true legends’ from Karnataka in Bangalore

Business & Economy, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All

Seagram’s 100 Pipers Music CDs in association with Pride of Karnataka, an initiative of Round Table India and Ladies Circle India felicitated 12 ‘true legends’ from the state.

Ashwini Nachappa and Pramoda Devi
Ashwini Nachappa and Pramoda Devi

Among those felicitated were Priya Mani, Ricky Kej, RK Misra, Prasad Bidpa, Manoviraj Khosla, Shukla Bose, Ashwini Nachappa and Robin Uthappa. Kartik Mohindra, Business Head, International Brands, Pernod Ricard India, said, “True legends are successful people who lead a positive change on society. The True Legends awards recognizes and felicitates successful personalities who have risen above the material pursuits of success, and believe in giving back to humanity. Each True Legend story is very inspiring and will forever be remembered for good.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Bengaluru / TNN / June 19th, 2015