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Meet Niharika, the comedian behind viral Instagram videos
Bengaluru’s funny girl Niharika NM talks to CE about her Netflix debut, life in California, and the muse behind her characters
Bengaluru :
A South Indian aunty or a Californian girl – Niharika NM can imitate any with the same ease. Currently riding high on her latest stint in Netflix’s Behansplaining, featuring Srishti Dixit and Kusha Kapila, and her viral comic video strips on Instagram, Niharika has a lot to be beaming about these days. Getting into a show where comic artistes like Dixit and Kapila have made their niche might be a risk, but Niharika says she was ready to give it her best shot.
“It feels great to be a part of the Behensplaining universe. I was super stoked when Netflix reached out and wanted me to be a part of it. Kusha, Srishti and Aisha are super talented and I’m just trying my best to match their awesomeness,” says the Bengalurean, who is currently pursuing her MBA in Los Angeles.
Confessing that she started comedy with her ‘terrible dad jokes’, Niharika never knew it would go so far. “I did computer science engineering for my undergrad, and a year into it, I just knew that I’d be a useless engineer. I also knew that the only thing that made me tolerable to most people were my dad jokes, that were so bad they were almost good.
“So, I started a YouTube channel as a creative outlet. I started making comedy skits, sketches and rants about everything under the sun,” says Niharika. She initially started by creating characters from her childhood. “I’ve been trying to showcase my personality while creating content because it just feels more authentic to me right now and I’m getting slightly comfortable just being myself and dipping into my South Indian roots,” says the 23-year-old, who moved to LA in 2019.
“Life in the USA is different, but quite exciting. Quarantining by myself wasn’t the greatest feeling in the world especially as it was the first time I was ever away from my family. However, I did try my hand at cooking, which I very quickly realised I absolutely suck at,” jokes Niharika, who tried her hand on short format content for the first time during the lockdown.
“I think the Instagram rant that I made about the quote, ‘If you love someone, let them go’, has been a game changer for me. I did not expect it to get the type of response it got, but it definitely surprised me to see how many people could relate to it,” says Niharika, whose video was shared by South Indian actors like Khushbu Sundar.
“Every time a celebrity reposts my videos or tells me I’m funny, I can never digest it and I’m always excited about it,” says Niharika, who tries her best to stay calm while responding to them. “But Khushbu is such a legend that I could not even act calm about getting her attention,” she laughs.
Winning hearts
Earlier this month, Niharika NM posted a video on the popular saying – ‘If you love someone, let them go’. In it, she angrily rants to ask if she’s running a lodge, where one could come and go as they please. With heavy usage of Bengaluru street lingo, the video managed to reach, and crack up, all kind of audiences. The video has garnered close to 5.5 lakh views and has been shared by many. Actors Samyukta Hornad and Kavya Venkatesh left comments on it too.
Ansr acquires Bengaluru-based AI firm FastNext
The US-based Ansr on Wednesday announced acquisition of Bengaluru-based artificial intelligence (AI) firm FastNext in a cash and stock deal.
However, the company didn’t disclose the acquisition cost.
Post the acquisition, FastNext employees will join Ansr and work closely with its product Talent500.
“The acquisition will enable Ansr empower global enterprises to build the best teams for their global capability centres (GCC) by using deep learning and AI-powered tools across talent acquisition and management, smart workspace management and management and business workflows,” Ansr said in a statement.
The first of the capabilities Ansr aims to build with FastNext is in AI driven talent acquisition and management that will augment existing consulting and technology capabilities. It will help clients in areas such as talent acquisition and management.
“Ansr’s Talent500 will play a pivotal role in this partnership for achieving comprehensive 360-degree candidate profiles,” the statement said.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> City> Top Bengaluru Stories / by PTI / November 05th, 2020
Field trials of Rajamudi rice to resume soon
This is a precursor to seeking GI status
The second set of field trials to prove the unique characteristic features of Rajamudi, Karnataka’s premium variety of rice, will be resumed in due course as a precursor to seeking Geographical Indication (GI) status for it.
The results of the first set of trials — which was said to be encouraging — was published some time ago in the international rice journal Oryza and scientists involved in the exercise are confident of securing the coveted GI tag for Rajamudi within the next two years.
The process is lengthy and entails scientifically proving that the characteristic features of Rajamudi cannot be replicated when cultivated in other areas.
“It is in this connection that we intend to take up its cultivation in different parts of Karnataka, including Shivamogga, Davangere, Bidar etc. this year,” said M.P. Rajanna, a research scientist at VC Farm in Mandya, who is involved in the project.
Once successful, it will be the first paddy variety of Karnataka to share the honours with Gobindobhog of Bengal, Kalanamak of Uttar Pradesh, and Ajara Ghansal of Maharashtra, which have received the GI tag.
The State government is keen to secure the GI tag for Rajamudi, which was the preferred rice variety of the Wadiyars of Mysuru who chose to receive it from the farmers of the region in lieu of tax. This was due to its unique taste and the perceived higher nutritional value which was proved scientifically in recent years, said Krishnaprasad of Sahaja Samruddha, an NGO spearheading the movement to save and popularize the indigenous variety of rice in the State.
He said cultivation of Rajamudi variety of rice is currently restricted to parts of Holenarsipur, Arkalgud, Channarayapatna, Hassan, and Mysuru taluks in south Karnataka region. However, the acreage or area under cultivation is only around 25,000 acres to 30,000 acres and was on a decline raising concern that it could be on the brink of extinction as it is being supplanted by hybrid variety.
Explaining the rationale for securing the GI status, Mr. Krishnaprasad said it will not only help conserve the paddy variety but will prevent other variety of rice cultivated elsewhere in the State from being foisted on consumers as the genuine Rajamudi product.
The initiative to secure GI tag for Rajamudi was announced almost two years ago by the Karnataka Agricultural Price Commission and the Department of Agriculture. Besides Rajamudi, there are plans to seek GI status for other varieties of rice, including Gandhasale and Ratnachudi.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – November 23rd, 2020