Monthly Archives: October 2016

Corneal transplant gives Kalaburagi man a new life

Records, All, Science & Technology

Access to higher education makes the impossible possible

Siddaramayya Hiremath, who was born visually impaired at a remote village in Jewargi taluk, Kalaburagi district, and later underwent a corneal transplant, is a happy man today. He has now been selected for the post of Second Division Assistant (SDA) in the Directorate of Employment, Bengaluru.

Born in Kanameshwar village in Jewargi, Mr. Hiremath had his first glimpse of the world in 2009, when he was studying in Class 9 at the Government Blind School in Kalaburagi city, after a successful corneal transplant by noted ophthalmologist Prashant Kamalapurkar. This corneal transplant was reportedly a first for the Hyderabad-Karnataka region.

“I have no words to express my joy… one of my patients not only got his vision back, he also completed his education and got a government job after passing the KPSC (Karnataka Public Service Commission) examination,” said Dr. Kamalapurkar.

Mr. Hiremath said that after gaining vision, he completed SSLC at the Government Blind School in Kalaburagi and moved to Bengaluru, where he completed Pre University Course (PUC) at the A.P.S. College.

He later moved to Vijayapura district to pursue BA at the H.A. Nandi College, Almel. He said he took the KPSC exam for the post of SDA in 2015-16 and cleared it. “It would not have been possible to continue my education beyond SSLC (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) since there are no study books in Braille. The visually impaired pursue studies any further only through audio. I am grateful to the donor and Dr. Kamalapurkar, who performed the surgery and provided medicines free of cost,” Mr. Hiremath recalled.

Mr. Hiremath lost his father when he was young and his mother Sharanamma is an agricultural labourer. His brother Ningaiah Hiremath, who is also visually impaired, has been selected to the post of a First Division Assistant (FDA) in a State government department. His younger brother and sister have normal vision.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Kalaburagi – October 20th, 2016

Great-granddaughter of Lalbagh’s creator looks to restore his legacy

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

Bengaluru  :

Amid cries of protest over the steel flyover, which could sound the death knell for over 800 trees in the heart of Bengaluru, a ringing message to protect green spaces reverberates across the pages of the city’s past. Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel, the German botanist who was largely responsible for turning Lalbagh into the wonder it is today, often cycled around the city with his oldest daughter, Hilda, their baskets leaden with plants to raise awareness on the importance of trees.

 

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As the city’s lung spaces shrink, Krumbeigel’s greatgranddaughter, Alyia PhelpsGardner, 55, is all set to resurrect her forbear’s legacy . In a bid to restore the dilapidated Krumbiegel Hall, Alyia too will cycle around Bengaluru. The cost of restoration comes up to £32,000, and Alyia is being helped in her endeavour by Intech Bangalore. The plan is to have the house restored in a traditional manner, with lathe and plaster.

Pointing out that her greatgrandfather was described to her in heroic terms, Alyia said, “He was affectionately known as Krumbie, and his wife as Great Granny Krumbie.”

Seated on the Lalbagh wall, Krumbiegel sipped his coffee along with a cigarette – a ritual in itself – while his family members relaxed in the garden. This will be Alyia’s first visit to the Garden City . Her tryst with Lalbagh too, is confined to pictures. “The hall, once restored, can be used as a media library for all horticultural students. He had a special love for Lalbagh. He also loved books. In this day and age, I would like to offer books and internet access. His work, and mode of thinking will come alive,” she said. She attributes the image of Krumbiegel that she carries around in her head to the many tales and anecdotes that her grandmother, Hilda Gustav’s daughter used to narrate. “One story that makes me giggle even to this day is of a tiger jumping through a window of their house in Vadodara, when the family was having a dinner party . Only Granny Krumbie saw it. She left the room, and it jumped out again.She didn’t say anything, since she did not wish to alarm anyone,” she said.

Alyia recalled that Maharaja Wadiyar had intervened twice to prevent Krumbiegel from being sent back to Germany by the British.

“He always wanted independence for India. One of his last planning assignments was Mahatma Gandhi’s tomb. One of his greatest wishes was to start a horticultural school, a dream not many were aware of,” she added.

Alyia’s granddaughter, Sofia too shares her love for planting flowers and other planting.Alyia said that she is regaling her grandchildren with Krumbie’s any adventures in India.

Krumbiegel Hall
Previously a horticulture lecture hall, it was named Krumbiegel Hall to honour the German botanist. Built in accordance with the classical principles of Greek architecture, one of the distinctive features of the structure is the Gandaberunda – the two-headed mythological bird, which is believed to possess magical strength.

The many years of neglect have rendered restoration both difficult and expensive. The lime and mortar that the British builders used cannot be replaced with regular cement or plaster of Paris.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City News> Bangalore / by Aditi Sequeira / TNN / October 27th, 2016

G Balakrishna, Bengaluru driver, wins Mr. Asia 2016 title

Sports, World Opinion

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25-year-old water tanker driver from Bengaluru has won two distinctive bodybuilding titles – the Mr Asia 2016 and “Arnold Schwarzenegger of Whitefield” – during the 5th Phil-Asia bodybuilding championships in the Philippines. G Balakrishna, a gym instructor, is a resident of Ramagondanahalli near Varthur, who has a list of accolades behind him.
“I am proud of my achievement and hope to repeat it more often with some financial support,”I owe it to my mother, Parvathamma, and brother Rajesh who have been my pillars of support,” he said.

Balakrishna, an ardent fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger, said he practices nearly six hours a day and is trained by renowned bodybuilders from Mumbai and Punjab, named Sangram Chougla and Manish Kumar respectively. Balakrishna adds that he’d followed strict diet to bring down his weight for the tournament.

“I am maintaining my position with a rich daily diet that includes 750 gms of chicken, 25 eggs, 300 gms of rice, 200 gms of vegetables along with fish for extra protein and fruits,” he said.

He has earlier won the Mr Universe Under-24 junior contest in 2013 in Germany and the Mr Universe title in the same category at the world championship in Athens in 2014. He joined the water-tanker business in 2010 in Whitefild, Bengaluru.

Balakrishna’s journey to the Mr Asia platform was not easy. Whitefield Settlers’ and Residents Association funded helped him raise funds for the competition. Despite winning the championship, he says, With no government support, I still struggle to participate in bodybuilding championships outside the country,”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Beauty Pageants> Others / TNN / October 26th, 2016

Kittur gets ready for cultural fest

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, Uncategorized
The Kittur Fort will be the venue for the event.– PHOTO: VIJAYKUMAR PATIL
The Kittur Fort will be the venue for the event.– PHOTO: VIJAYKUMAR PATIL

The historical Kittur Fort, the seat of the erstwhile princely state of Kittur ruled by Rani Chennamma in the early 19th century, is being readied for ‘Kittur Utsav-2016’, the annual cultural extravaganza organised by the district administration and the Department of Kannada and Culture.

The three-day event will begin on Sunday.

The State-sponsored festival is organised to celebrate ‘Vijayothsava’, the heroic battle the queen of Kittur fought against the British army in 1824. Since then, her historic deeds have celebrated in songs and stories.

This time of year is festive for the residents Kittur town of Bailhongal taluk, situated along the Pune-Bengaluru NH-4, and for the large number people from adjoining villages and towns who converge at Kittur to watch the cultural programmes depicting various art forms and sports native to north Karnataka and other parts of the State.

The festivities were symbolically set off last Sunday with Small Scale Industries and district in-charge Minister Ramesh L. Jarkiholi offering ceremonial puja at the memorial of Rani Chennamma in Bailhongal town before flagging off the ‘Vijay Jyoti’.

The main events will commence with the arrival of the Vijay Jyoti, after travelling through all the 10 taluks of the district, in Kuttur town on the morning of October 23. After according a ceremonial reception to the Vijay Jyoti, a grand cultural rally will be flagged off at 10 a.m.

Later in the evening, Revenue Minister Kagodu Thimmappa will inaugurate the cultural festivities at 7 p.m. at the huge pandal erected on the fort premises.

The State government has sanctioned Rs. 30 lakh for the festivities, said Vidyavathi Bhjantri, assistant director, Department of Kannada and Culture.

All about it

  • It will be on fromOctober 23 to 25.
  • A huge pandal with 6,000 chairs and a big stage measuring 140×260 ft has been erected.
  • Sports events onOct. 24: Bicycle race for men and women, 7 a.m.; open volleyball competitions for men and women, 11 a.m. onwards; open kabbadi competitions, 12 noon onwards.
  • Sports events onOct. 25: Open marathon, 7 a.m.; stone-lifting contest, 11 a.m.; wrestling bouts for men & women, from 2 p.m.
  • Valedictory function at 7 p.m. on October 25

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Rose Society formed in Belagavi

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment

The Belgaum Rose Society was inaugurated here on Sunday to encourage, create and develop a love for roses and disseminate systematic knowledge about the flower to the people. It was inaugurated by M.R. Kulkarni, chairman, Karnataka Law Society.

Suresh Patil, president of the society, said that the organisation would organise awareness and training programmes on the cultivation of rose. Growers would be trained in budding, pruning, fertigation, plant protection and disease control as per local climatic conditions. It would establish nurseries, gardens and trial grounds for rose plants and carry out scientific research on hybridisation and development of new varieties of rose plants.

It has plans to organise national and international-level rose exhibitions; take up exchange programmes with sister societies; set up a library on roses for the benefit of its members; and organise seminars, discussions, conferences, demonstrations, refresher courses, and lectures.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Belgavi – October 18th, 2016

Martyrs remembered at their school, college

Uncategorized
Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police Bhushan Gulabrao Borase paying tributes to martyrs at the Banadka Government Higher Primary School near Subramanya on the occasion of Police Commemoration Day.
Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police Bhushan Gulabrao Borase paying tributes to martyrs at the Banadka Government Higher Primary School near Subramanya on the occasion of Police Commemoration Day.

It was 15 years ago that Border Security Force head constable Ram Naika died following a terrorist attack on the BSF team guarding the Indo-Bangladesh border. His bravery and sacrifice were remembered on Saturday by students of Banadka Government Higher Primary School near Subramanya, where he studied.

A similar programme was held at SDM College in Ujire to remember Mohandasan of Central Reserve Police Force, who died following a terrorist attack in Manipur in 1998. Mohandasan did his PU in this college.

These programmes were organised by the district police. While Superintendent of Police Bhushan Gulabrao Borase attended the programme at Banadka school, Additional Superintendent of Police C.B. Vedamurthy attended the programme at Ujire.

Village residents came in good numbers at Banadaka school and SDM College on Friday afternoon. The Banadka School Development and Monitoring Committee on Friday opened a memorial in the name of Ram Naika where wreaths were laid. Ram Naika’s younger brother and sister participated in the programme.

In Ujire, Mohandasan’s father A.K. Vittaman and mother V.R. Madhavi attended the programme.

At the end of the programme, the district police presented a five-minute film about the work of defence forces that was coupled with information about the two martyrs.

This film had packaged this information with songs ‘Maa Tujhe Salam’ and ‘Ee Mere Vatan Ke Logon’ sung by Lata Mangeshkar.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Mangaluru / by Staff Reporter / Mangaluru – October 23rd, 2016

150 patients undergo free angioplasty procedure at Jayadeva hospital

Amazing Feats, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Science & Technology

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 Around 150 patients underwent free angioplasty and stenting procedures at the ongoing angioplasty workshop conducted by Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research.

The institute, in collaboration with Dr Govindaraju Subramani Heart Foundation and Medtronic Vascular Division, Santarosa, USA, gave away stents worth Rs 1.25 crore free of cost to all patients including farmers, labourers, vendors, autorickshaw drivers, senior citizens from Karnataka, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and other states, since October 17, when the workshop began.

Professor and HoD of cardiology and director, Jayadeva Institute, Dr C N Manjunath said the youngest patient at the workshop was a 38-year-old agricultural labourer and the oldest was 83.

He said: “Heart ailments are no more a disease of the elite and elderly population, it also affects the younger age group, women and poor people.”

Pre-discharge counselling sessions were also arranged during the workshop for the patients where doctors gave them suggestions on diet and lifestyle practices to be adopted to reduce health risks.

Interviews rescheduled

The Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research has said that the interviews to fill jobs reserved for the Hyderabad-Karnataka region that were postponed, will now be held on October 24 and 25.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> City / DHNS – Bengaluru, October 21st, 2016

Tribute : Anita Kaul , one of Karnataka’s finest Bureaucrats

Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Leaders

She had served as Director-General of ATI Mysuru

by Dr. R. Balasubramaniam, Founder & President, Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement

With communication being what it is nowadays, my day began with a piece of bad news arriving on WhatsApp. A friend had sent me a message that Anita Kaul (62), one of Karnataka’s finest IAS (Indian Administrative Service) officers had passed away after a brief illness last night (Oct. 10). This news was hard to believe (as with many WhatsApp messages nowadays) and I called up another good friend and erstwhile colleague of hers to verify. He had just reached Delhi to be with her family and told me the inevitable. She leaves behind her husband Sanjay Kaul and son Rohan.

Anita Kaul had retired from the IAS just more than a year ago after a long and distinguished service in the Karnataka Cadre. She was the Secretary to the Ministry of Law, Government of India, at the time of her retirement, and post-retirement had associated with a social sciences research organisation. I had first met her a few decades ago and was impressed with her efficiency and insightful thinking right from this first interaction. She was with the HRD Ministry of the Government of India and had come visiting to Karnataka to launch one of her favourite women empowerment programmes — Mahila Samakhya. What left me changed was the manner in which she accepted the prevailing realities of gender imbalance and was making suggestions that were practical, embedded in the context and implementable on a large scale. Her fiery passion for improving the lot of women was only matched with her sense of pragmatism.

Her visit to our tribal school at Hosahalli when she was the head of the DPEP programme in Karnataka is still fresh in my memory. Her desire to know about all our educational experiments, her eye for detail and her constant questioning about the idea of the school’s architecture influencing the learning process was a learning exercise for all present. My closest interaction with her was when she was the Director-General of Administrative Training Institute (ATI) at Mysuru [9.1.2002 to 24.12.2004]. It was during her time that this Institute along with the State Institute of Rural Development (SIRD) reached its peak. The innovative programmes and the impactful training sessions that she personally designed needed to be seen to be believed. One could scarcely believe that this was a Government Institution and the professionalism that every member of ATI and SIRD demonstrated was a tribute to her leadership.

The next location where she left her deep imprint was in the Ministry of Planning in the Government of Karnataka. She tried hard to bring in evidence-based policy-making and rigorous programme evaluations into the system but with limited success.

Every person who came in contact with her will remember her not just for her administrative brilliance but also for her humaneness, her constant concern for the common man, her instinctive ‘people-centric’ thinking and her stubbornness. Yes, she was stubbornly honest and unwilling to deviate even slightly from the path of the high standards of ethics and morality that she subscribed to. She was also known to take thoughtful decisions, but once she had made them, would stubbornly resist changing it.

Another endearing quality of hers was the freedom that she gave everyone around her to argue and challenge her. One could feel very comfortable criticising her, knowing fully well that soon she would be her caring motherly self again. Yet another dimension of her that people would hardly know was her concern for her aging in-law and mother. She was always trying to be by their side and care for them during their old age and infirmity.

People like Anita Kaul come along very rarely. Bureaucrats like her are rarer. She set high standards not just for the IAS but for the entire development community. She was a unique combination of passion, compassion, integrity, hard work, discipline and concern for the last man on the street. We will all miss you Madam, we pray to the Lord to give your family the strength to bear with the loss. May your soul rest in peace.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / October 19th, 2016

Bags Best Poster Award

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

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Mysuru :

A. Pramod Kumar, Research Scholar, working in Asha Kirana Charitable Trust Hospital (from JSS College of Pharmacy), has received the prestigious AIDS Society of India (ASI) Best Poster Award for his presentation titled “Effect of Cinnarizine on Efavirenz induced dizziness among Antiretroviral Therapy Naïve HIV patients” at the 9th ASICON – National Conference of AIDS Society of India held from Oct. 7 to 9 in Mumbai.

As prevalence of HIV infection is increasing, Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) programmes continue to expand and large population are being exposed to Anti-Retro Virals (ARVs). The safety of ARVs is a major concern as it can cause both serious short-term and long-term adverse reactions. Patients do not adhere to their medications due to adverse effects resulting in resistance and ultimately treatment failure. His research findings suggested the development of strategies to prevent such Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR) will help physicians to gain understanding of factors to develop an ADR in HIV positive patients and prevent these reactions, which in turn help improve the adherence to medications. This paper has driven the attention of various authorities seeking the programme implementation at ART centre level, according to a press release from Dr. Srirama, Medical Officer, Asha Kirana Hospital.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / October 18th, 2016

Star this week : Skating Champ: Varsha S. Puranik

Records, All, Sports

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Our city’s Varsha S. Puranik, a talented Roller-Skater, who is the National Champion in the women’s category for the last six successive years, has earned selection to represent the country. She will be representing India in the Asian Roller Skating Championship to be held at Lishui, China, from October 18 to November 2, 2016. She is our ‘Star This Week.’

Two other skaters from Mysuru, Aditya S. Rao, Elizabeth Achaiah will also be representing India in the Championship. The Indian team will be coached by Mysuru’s K. Srikanth S. Rao.

Varsha has performed well in the 12th Short Track National Speed Ice Skating Championships at Gulmarg, Jammu & Kashmir and won gold in the women’s section for Karnataka. She was part of the Karnataka team which won the Team Championship title with 12 golds, 12 silvers and 11 bronze medals.

Earlier, she had taken part in the 2015 National 52nd National Roller Skating Championships held at Navi Mumbai and won gold in the women’s 500mtrs event and won her 36th gold in the National Championships.

Varsha was awarded the prestigious Ekalavya Award by the Government of Karnataka last year. She represented India in the World Games 2013 at Cali, Colombia and fared well.

Varsha, a Doctor by profession, is the daughter of R. Srirama Krishna (retd. IOB) and Thara Srirama, who have been her great support. She has a elder brother in Sri Harsha, whose roller-skating exploits inspired her also to take up this sport. Starting skating at a young age of three, Varsha began her basics at Bal Bhavan Roller Skating rink under the guidance of Ravi in 1990. She jointed Vishwamithra Roller Skating Club in 1993 and started to train under the guidance of late K. Sridhar Rao at J.K. Grounds. Presently she trains with R. Srikanta Rao, a Ekalavya Award winner, at the Rao’s Roller Skating Club.

Varsha first represented the country in the International level in 2001 in the World Inline Speed Skating Championships held at France in 2001 and took part in the 10km race and finished 16th. She got her first International medal when she was part of the Indian relay team which won the bronze medal in the 5km relay event in the Asian Roller Skating Championships.

In 2003, she represented India in the World Junior Championships at Venezuela (5km race-finished 15th). In 2004, she finished 4th in the Individual event at the 10th Asian Championships held in Japan.In 2010, she represented India in the 16th Asian Games at Guangzhou, China and finished 7th in the 3000m Time Trials. In 2012, Varsha took part in the Wold Championships and finished in the top 20 skaters in the World and qualified for the World Games. Varsha took part in the World Games in Cali, Columbia and finished 16th in the 500m Road race.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports News / October 16th, 2016