Monthly Archives: May 2018

Farmer couple in Periyapatna cultivates 15 varieties of ladies finger

Agriculture, Amazing Feats, Records, All, Science & Technology
Farmer couple Shankar and Roopa have cultivated 13 different varieties of Ladies Finer at their land in Periyapatna taluk
Farmer couple Shankar and Roopa have cultivated 13 different varieties of Ladies Finer at their land in Periyapatna taluk

Mysuru:

Organic farming is no longer just a buzzword that inspires those living in cities to leave their highly lucrative and conventional, ‘Nine to five’ jobs and return to the roots, and till the soil to reap the dividends of their labour. Tucked away in a small village in Periyapatna taluk, a farmer couple has successfully managed to cultivate 15 different varieties of ladies using organic means.
With the help of the city-based NGO Sahaja Samrudha, farmer couple Shankar and Roopa have managed to harvest a rich yield of ladies finger crop – all 15 varieties are of Indian origin – on their half acre plot in Hittnehebbagilu village in Periyapatna taluk. The NGO had organised Field Day on May 17 to encourage farmers to grow indigenous varieties of vegetables.

The seeds of the many varieties of ladies finger and other vegetables have been collected by Sahaja Seeds, an organisation that has gathered them at crop and agriculture fairs held across the country. It was from Sahaja Seeds that Shankar and Roopa managed to get the seeds for their plot.

Star okra from Odisha, red bhindi from Puducherry, Sri bhindi from Sri Lanka, besides breeds local to Karnataka are among those that have been cultivated by Shankar and Roopa, in what was an experiment to see if different breeds of ladies finger could be grown under the same climactic conditions.

The farmer couple planted 30 seeds of each variety in single beds, and have managed to reap a rich yield, with each plant bearing at least 25 ladies finger, much to their delight.

“I have not used chemical fertilisers or pesticides in my plot. I used a type of organic pesticide called Jeevamrutha, which has earthworm compost as one of its ingredients. Compared to growing other vegetables, cultivating these Indian varieties of ladies finger did not require as much money. The seeds will be processed further,” Shankar told TOI.

Asha of Sahaja Seeds, said that on Field Day, farmers were shown a wide assortment of seeds of ladies finger. “Farmers, who had years of experience, selected those varieties that promised a good yield. Women from the village, meanwhile, prepared dishes using the ladies finger, and we held tasting sessions throughout the day. Farmers have already chosen what varieties they want to cultivate,” she told TOI.

Assistant professor at the College of Horticulture JS Aravind Kumar said, “Organic breeds are rich in nutritional value, when compared to other vegetables. In the coming days, through participatory varietal selection, more farmers in Periyapatna will be able to grow different breeds of vegetables. Lately, there is a lot of buzz around organic food and health consciousness, and demand for ‘Desi’ ladies finger will be high on the market.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Mysore News / May 24th, 2018

Archaeologists stumble upon 5th-century wall in Mysuru district

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All
The wall was built to save the then settlement from floods
The wall was built to save the then settlement from floods

Bengaluru :

A team of archaeologists recently discovered a 10-ft thick and100-ft deep masonry wall in Mysuru district, which dates back to the 5th century.

The wall, excavated in Talakadu, a desert-like town on the left bank of Cauvery river and located about 45km from Mysuru, was built to save the then settlement from floods, according to experts.

Archaeologist MS Krishna Murthy, who spearheaded the excavation work, said some portions of the wall still stand strong indicating the level of expertise of ancient engineers. “We have excavated the wall up to a length of 15ft. But evidence from the site shows the wall was once 1-km long. It is the largest masonry wall in South India. Historical and archaeological analysis shows it stood strong for at least 1,000 years from the 5th to 15th century,” he said

Murthy, who has conducted extensive excavation work in Talakadu since 1992, made this revelation as spoke on ‘New archaeological discoveries at Talakadu, Karnataka’, at an event organised by the southern regional centre of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR).
The expert said the outer side of the wall bears signs of corrosion, which can be attributed to the continuous presence of river water. “The wall is even more significant as it is mostly built of bricks, clay and mortar as stones were not available in large quantities in the region. It has three layers and an interesting design, which indicates how skilled the people were during that era.It may have been built during the regime of Kiriya Madhava, a ruler from the Ganga dynasty,” he added.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Mysore New / TNN / My 23rd, 2018

Medlife launches its first diagnostic lab in Bengaluru

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology

Bengaluru (Karnataka) :

Medlife, a fastest growing healthcare company and largest omni-channel pharmacy, has launched its first diagnostic lab in Bengaluru , as part of an aggressive plan to expand its offline footprint in India. The company has started off with Bengaluru  and will gradually ramp up to other metro cities in the country.
As the largest e-pharmacy in India, covering over 80 percent of the country’s pin-code, Medlife offers customers both medicines, diagnostics and other healthcare facilities through its online portal, mobile application and customer care centres.
With scalable technology and deep analytics, Medlife, in a short span, has successfully created a strong distribution network and unparalleled delivery model that has made healthcare simple, accessible and affordable to people across India. It was, thus, time to leverage these capabilities and deep learning and create a world-class offline business that provides its customers with a seamless healthcare experience.
The company expects revenue of INR 200 million by the end of this financial year from the diagnostic vertical. Medlife has already invested INR 6 Million and is planning to invest another 43 Million within the next year, to set up 6 satellite labs in addition to the centralized lab launched in Bengaluru . The lab is undergoing ISO certification and will receive its NABH and NABL certification by FY 19-20. The diagnostic lab will operate under the name ‘Medlife Labs’. Medlife Labs also promises same day report delivery and free home sample collection to all their customers.
Tushar Kumar, CEO, Medlife said, “Our focus is to build a world-class infrastructure for healthcare. We, at Medlife, have constantly endeavoured to ensure quality healthcare services with affordable rates reach the maximum number of people in India. Through our innovative tech-enabled platform, we’re building customer touch points across online and offline platforms that can seamlessly integrate to provide a high-quality healthcare experience for our end-users. The launch of lab services is in line with this commitment and endeavour.”
“Around 70 per cent of treatment decisions in India are based on lab results. Needless to say then, diagnostic services constitute one of the most critical components of medical care in India. It also helps in building a preventive care ecosystem and better diagnosis of health problems. Thus, creating substantial impact on the continuum of care,” added Kumar.
The diagnostic laboratories industry in India is poised for strong growth because of rising demand for healthcare but lack of regulation remains a major concern, considering the risks it poses to patients. The diagnostic laboratories sector in India is highly fragmented with standalone centres accounting for ~ 70 percent of the market and organized ones having ~ 30 percent shares. India has around 100,000 diagnostic laboratories, which include pathology laboratories and radiology centres.
Since its inception as an e-pharmacy company in 2014, Medlife has diversified into 24X7 e-consultation, laboratory services, and app-based healthcare-related services. In a short span of just over two years post-launch, Medlife went on to create a customer base of one million unique customers. The company recently launched its own line of generic drugs in line with the Government of India’s recent efforts to encourage the use of affordable generic drugs in India. Apart from diagnostic labs, Medlife will also be launching offline stores across 50 cities this financial year.
Backed by promoters with credible experience in pharmaceutical and healthcare e-commerce businesses, Medlife is known for its best-in-class quality, 100 percent regulatory compliance and zero-delivery error. With a planned internal investment of $30 million to scale up operations, the company expects to earn revenue of Rs 900-1000 crores by financial year 2019. (Businesswire-India)

source: http://www.aninews.in / ANI / Businesswire India / May 28th, 2018

Old ovens make great cakes

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

Bengaluru :

A look at the iconic 56-year-old Thomsons Bakery in Cox Town, where wood-fired ovens run through the day.
Tradition runs deep with this modest bakery owned by CT Abraham, popularly known as Thomsons Bakery. Founded in 1962 by the late C I Thomas and wife Anita, who moved to Bengaluru in 1943.

Business started small, in a nook tucked away in a street next to St Peter’s Church, Cox Town. Although the bakery is small, it has made its mark in Bengaluru and attracts the local population and has connected with its customers over the years. As you enter the bakery, a mouth watering aroma of freshly baked bread greets you and lures you in. The bakery is stacked with goodies rows of rich brown plum-cake, crispy samosas and light, flaky macaroons.

The Thomases initially started supplying bread and other bakery goods in bulk to industrial canteens like ITI and MICO, besides the Army and Air Force canteens as their quality and reasonable prices made them popular.

“When World War II broke out, Dad came down from Kerala to look for a job, as a lad of 25. He worked in various places and after picking up experience in business, decided that it was a good idea to get into the food business because bakery products were always in demand and there were no established bakeries in east Bengaluru,” says son C T Abraham, a chartered accountant.

Thomsons Bakery has, over the years, gained popularity for its plum cakes. The secret, says Abraham, is the wood fire technique. “It give the plum cake a unique flavour which is hard to get in any other oven. Even our bread and other products have a distinctive flavour because of this,” he says.

The fireboard is set aflame every day at 9:30 am. The wood is burned for an hour, after which the ashes are removed and the baking process begins, going on for about 45 minutes or so, and voilà, a fragrant batch of 150 loaves is out. The concept of using a fireboard and following tradition is quite crucial as they believe that using it adds a woody flavour to the bread. “It is indeed a big responsibility to maintain quality day in day out and especially in a food business. Support of family members is crucial”, added Abraham.

Just as son Abraham took over the bakery, loyal customers have extended to new generations too. The bakery has seen a number of weddings, having supplied plum cakes and other goodies too. Their products are bought by customers to gift to friends and family abroad.

Abraham says, “Business blooms in the wedding season as well as during Christmas, when over 6000kg of plum cake is produced.” Their recipe goes back generations, with roots in English tradition. A lengthy process is followed, involving the fermenting of fruits for six months. The cakes last for two to three months at least.

The bakery has a menu with 45 to 50 varied items that range from apple cake, cream cookies, chocolate pastries and jam roll to chicken puffs, samosas and vegetable cutlets. The 56-year-old bakery does quite well, while remaining on the quieter side with its advertising and promotion, and reaching out to retail customers. They have no plans of expanding as they prefer to stay that way such that quality can be maintained.

“It takes a lot of commitment, hard work and constant supervision to produce a few tons of quality plum cakes every year to satisfy our customer base and reputation,” included Abraham.

Big brands and bakery chains have left a dent in Thomsons business, but Abraham knows that no mechanized bakery can beat their plum cakes.

The bakery produces most of its products in its own small factory located down the road from the bakery. Nine employees work within the humble ambience of the bakery and factory. Even with the steady pace of business, the future of the bakery is uncertain because of the probable absence of someone to take over the enterprise in future.

—Pariza Khan

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Bangalore News / TNN / May 26th, 2018

Indo-Israeli tie-up increases mango produce in Kolar

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

MangoBF28may2018

Bengaluru :

Mango cultivators in Hogalagere village of Kolar have reason to cheer. The yield has doubled as more than 600 mango trees can be grown within one acre of land as against the previous limit of 60.

Lavanya, project manager at the Kolar centre of excellence for mango cultivation and horticulture, said this has been possible only due to the partnership between India and Israel. “The tie-up has helped us get better yields since 2016,” added Lavanya. Earlier, it was possible to grow only 60 mango trees in an acre but employing the root stocking technique, where grafting is done to increase production, has upped the number to 600. “This method reduces the lifespan of trees. Normally, a mango trees lives for 100 years but the technology decreases it to 25 years,” explained Lavanya.

The partnership began with a project called Mashav, initiated by the Israeli foreign ministry, which is aimed at achieving sustainable development and ensuring food security. Under the project, work is on in four main sectors — agriculture and rural development, socio-economic development, rural and urban development and education. It began in 2008 was later extended.

At present, the Kolar centre is growing Mallika, a mango variety which is being sold at Rs 80 per kg. “The yield has been comparatively good. We use drip irrigation to water the trees and don’t depend on rain,” said Lavanya.

The Indo-Israel agricultural cooperation has benefited both the countries, said the deputy chief of mission, Embassy of Israel, Dana Krush. “The new Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy had visited Israel in August and wanted to send state farmers to the country to learn new technologies and implement them here,” said Krush.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Bangalore News / TNN / May 25th, 2018

Bengaluru boy bags 1st rank in ComedK

Education, Records, All
Durbha Aditya
Durbha Aditya

Bengaluru :

Springing a surprise a day ahead of the expected date, ComedK authorities announced the results on Sunday evening, for students across the country seeking admission to engineering colleges in Karnataka .

The list of top 10 rank holders was an all-male affair, and of them, three ranks went to Bengaluru-based students.

Durbha Aditya , a student of NPS, HSR Layout, bagged the first rank and expressed interest in pursuing artificial intelligence.

Nikhil S Pai and Pratik Sanjay Bhirud bagged ranks 5 and 6 respectively.

Of the first 100 rank holders, 42 are from Karnataka.

The exam, held on May 13, was taken by 62,306 students. The test was conducted online in 291 centres located in 137 cities across the country. Details regarding the number of seats, fees and counselling dates would be notified by the Karnataka Examiniation Authority at a later date.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Bangalore New / TNN / May 28th, 2018

Photo journalist dead

Arts, Culture & Entertainment
Keshav Vitla
Keshav Vitla

Photo journalist Keshav Vitla passed away here on Monday. He was 56 and was suffering from renal problem.

Born in Vitla in Dakshina Kannada district, he began his career with the Kannada daily Mungaru. Later he joined the Indian Express group. Recently he was into freelance photography.

The funeral will be conducted at Vitla this afternoon.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mangaluru – May 28th, 2018

US scientist dedicates book to Bengaluru physicist

Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Bengaluru :

When the LIGO team discovered gravitational waves for the first time in 2015, it didn’t just prove Albert Einstein’s theories right, but also an important concept proposed by city-based scientist CV Vishveshwara, a black holes expert, who died in January 2017.

The team publicly acknowledged his contributions, although Vishvewshwara was never directly part of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). It was his work in 1968-1970 that provided fundamental insights into the nature of black holes, which became instrumental in LIGO’s findings.

He used the equations of Einstein’s theory of general relativity to carry out meticulous calculations and analyse the structure of black holes. He went on to prove the stability of black holes that assured their continued existence in nature once they were formed.

Forty-eight years after he published histheory and a year after hisdeath,Prof Nils Andersson of the University of Southampton has dedicated a book, A Gentle Wizard, to Vishveshwara. While Andersson’s dedication has been lauded by the scientific community, the scientist himself had spent most his life away from the limelight.

The India launch of the book, which discussesEinstein’s viewsof theuniverse, starting with 1905 and ending with the recentdiscovery of gravitationalwaves from colliding black holes, was in Bengaluru on Thursday. The International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS), which organised the launch, plans to distribute free copies to interested students and researchers.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Bangalore News / TNN  / May 26th, 2018

IIHR in the process of developing elite mango variety

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Records, All, Science & Technology

The proposed variety is an improvement on the Amrapali variety, to get red colour from Vanraj

The biggest mangoes (Tenneru variety from Andhra Pradesh), with each fruit weighing around 2 kg, alongside smaller varieties. | Photo Credit: Handout E Mail
The biggest mangoes (Tenneru variety from Andhra Pradesh), with each fruit weighing around 2 kg, alongside smaller varieties. | Photo Credit: Handout E Mail

If mango is the king of fruits, the Alphonso variety is the king among mangoes due to its taste, attractive colour and moderate size. However, horticultural scientists are in the process of developing another elite mango variety, which is said to be superior to Alphonso.

What is a matter of pride for the State as well as the Garden City of Bengaluru is that the research is taking place in the Hessarghatta-based Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR).

Dr. M. Shankaran, principal scientist in IIHR’s Fruit Crops Division, told The Hindu that the researchers are trying to get ‘red shoulders’ for the proposed elite variety from the Vanraj variety of mango. “The new variety is going to be an improvement on the Amrapali variety of mangoes by getting characteristics responsible for colour from the Vanraj variety,” he said. “The research has entered the fifth year,” he pointed out.

The new elite variety is expected to be preferred for exports, he said.

IIHR researchers are also working towards developing mango varieties that can be grown in saline soil. If successful, several non-mango regions of the country, particularly coastal areas, may see cultivation of the fruit, Dr. Shankaran said.

For this, the scientists have chosen root stocks from the natural varieties, which have resistance to salinity. These root stocks will be grafted with other improved varieties to get good quality fruits with resistance to salinity, he said. “Presently, such natural varieties do not have quality fruits while the varieties with quality fruits do not have resistance to salinity,” he noted.

Meanwhile, the three-day mango and jackfruit diversity fair began on Thursday at the IIHR campus in Hessarghatta with 350 varieties of mango and 150 varieties of jackfruits, including those grown by farmers, on display.

The varieties of mango on display include appe midi (used as pickles), table varieties and those preferred for juice. A dozen exotic varieties from various countries, including the US, too were on display.

The jackfruit collection had interesting variety in terms of taste, colour and size.

Custodian of genetic diversity

In a bid to encourage farmers to protect native varieties, the IIHR on Thursday nominated farmer Shankaraiah from Hulikatte of Gubbi taluk in Tumakuru district as custodian of an unique variety of jackfruit being grown by his family.

The jackfruit with copri red flakes is very sweet in taste and weighs around 3 kg. As per the agreement, IIHR scientists will take up multiplication of the variety and also sell them. Proceeds from the sale would be shared by the farmer and the institute.

This is the second such farmers’ variety to be identified by the IIHR under the custodian of genetic diversity scheme. Recently, another jackfruit variety titled ‘Siddu jackfruit’ from the same district had been chosen.

Cine personality-turned-environmentalist Suresh Heblikar inaugurated the three-day fair in the presence of environmentalist Yellappa Reddy and IIHR Director Dr. M.R. Dinesh and Additional Director of Horticulture Dr. Parashivamurthy.

A mango that weighs two kg

It was not just the variety, but also the variations in size, colour and shape that mesmerised visitors.

The fair displayed the biggest mangoes with each fruit weighing around 2 kg (Tenneru variety of Andhra Pradesh) and several small-size varieties whose fruits weighed just around 40 gm.

There was one variety from Andhra Pradesh titled ‘elephant head’, as it resembled the head of a pachyderm.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by B S Satish Kumar / May 24th, 2018

15-year-old on cycling journey

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Records, All, Sports
Maharshi Sanket set out from Bengaluru on May 21. | Photo Credit: The Hindu
Maharshi Sanket set out from Bengaluru on May 21. | Photo Credit: The Hindu

The student wants to raise awareness about abuse, bullying

A song asking the perpetrator of abuse to think from the perspective of the victim; paintings that depict the theme of bullying; a cycle tour from Bengaluru to Mumbai to spread awareness — this is what a 15-year-old has embarked on to get people to ‘Speak out’ against bullying and sexual abuse.

Maharshi Sanket, a student of Treamis World School, launched the campaign to break the silence around abuse.

“We keep hearing news about rape and abuse every day, so much so that people have become used to it. I have seen many of my friends who have silently endured abuse, unable to speak about the trauma. All of this is disturbing. I wanted to do something about it,” said Sanket.

To spread awareness among people in rural and urban areas, he decided to go on a cycle tour from Bengaluru to Mumbai, covering towns and cities along the way. “I chose to cycle because unlike travelling by a car, this ensures there are no barriers and brings you closer to people,” the young campaigner said.

He started from Cubbon Park on May 21 and will bicycle through Tumakuru, Sira, Chitradurga, Davangere, Haveri, Dharwad, Belagavi, Kolhapur, Satara, Pune and Lonavala. He expects to reach Navi Mumbai and Mumbai by June 2. He is accompanied by art director Sukant Panigrahy, and a social activist to speak on the cause.

The idea occurred to him during his board exams. Once he was done with the exams, he started planning the campaign.

He always found art to be an effective medium for expression. Before venturing out on his cycle, he launched the campaign with an event displaying his paintings on the theme of abuse and its effect on the victims. He also released an anthem, which was produced and composed by Chris Avinash, penned by Sadhu Nityanand and sung by Ankita Kundu.

“Bullying is still not part of the mainstream discourse and victims are asked to ignore the issue. When boys try to talk about it, their masculinity is questioned. Such abuse can have long-term effects. Hopefully, my campaign will encourage people to open up and talk about the issue, without shame or taboo,” said Sanket.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Staff Reporter / May 23rd, 2018