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NGO’s free plasma service
Mercy Mission, a coalition of NGOs working for COVID-19 relief in Bengaluru, that runs a helpline to meet plasma needs of COVID-19 patients, has sourced 400 units so far. It has partnered with Bangalore Medical Services Trust (BMST TTK blood bank) and Healing Touch, an NGO to provide the free service.
Safeer Mohammed, a volunteer with Mercy Mission, told The Hindu that over 70% of their donors are volunteers themselves. “We prioritise requests for plasma and to ensure the request is authentic, we do a thorough check,” he said. “We cater to patients’ requests round the clock and do not ask for replacements.”
Patients can contact the Covid Plasma Helpline 080-47191133 (press 2)/ +91 8792025246.
Individuals can also visit Mercy Mission’s Twitter page (MercyMission1) or websites -http://healingtouch-society. comandhttps://covidhelpline bangalore.com/
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Bengaluru – October 22nd, 2020
Before Maruti 800, there was the quirky Sipani Dolphin, a hit in motorsport circuits
The Dolphin’s two-door design and fibreglass body were some features that made it a hit among racing enthusiasts.
Much before the era of luxury cars in India, a small Bengaluru-based car manufacturer began rolling out a two-door car modelled after the British-made Reliant Kitten. The car came with a fibreglass body, power steering, air-conditioning and a four-cylinder engine with a four-speed manual transmission.
Sometime in between the late 1970s and early 1980s, Sipani Dolphin was launched by Sipani Automobiles Ltd, formerly Sunrise Automotive Industries, which has today diversified into real estate, fabrics and various other industries. According to the company website, the Dolphin was “technically the most advanced car in India at that time”. The company had earlier made the three-wheeled Sipani Badal, designed after the British-made Reliant Robin.
However, the Dolphin had its own appeal and, since it was launched before the Maruti 800, did not face much competition in the market immediately. As one Bengaluru resident remarked, “In its day Dolphin was the queen of the road… Heads would turn when I would take the car out.”
A hit in the motorsport circuit
The Dolphin’s two-door design not only spared parents the need for child locks, but also made it a hit among the motorsport circuit, mainly in the South of India. Racing drivers such as Vicky Chandok popularised the Dolphin after taking it out for a spin at the Rallye d’Endurance and the South India rally. In fact, Ramesh Sipani, son of company head RK Sipani, completed the 1982 Karnataka-1000 rally sitting in none other than the Dolphin.
Talking to ThePrint, Chandok says the car was priced reasonably at Rs 55,000-65,000. He adds that its aluminium engine had “phenomenal” mileage” and fibreglass body was “three times stronger than metal”.
However, he recalls, the car had a weakness — the rear axle tended to bend. “We provided the company with feedback about this and they got it repaired. After that, my rally service team was able to change the complete rear end of the car within seven minutes during an event,” he says.
The car quickly became associated with endurance rallying, which usually required four-wheelers that could cover large distances across states and last at least 10 days at a stretch.
The Dolphin’s fibreglass body gave it a very attractive power-to-weight ratio which, as former national rally champion Sagar Muthappa puts it, made the car “light and nimble”. “But by the time I got into the national-level motorsport, the Dolphin had been replaced by the quicker and more efficient Maruti 1000 and the Gypsy,” he tells ThePrint.
From queen of the road to oblivion
Unfoturnately for the Dolphin, its fortunes plummeted when the Maruti 800 entered the market in 1983 and ended up becoming the go-to get-around among the masses. For the Indian middle class seeking to switch up a scooter for four wheels, a two-door car seemed like “ less of a car”, unlike the Maruti 800.
This prompted Sipani to convert the Dolphin into a four-door version called the Montana, but given the Maruti’s technological superiority, it did not take off. Within two years of the launch, Sipani rolled out the Montana D1, referred to as a “mishmash of several automobiles”. Sipani tried a number of new innovations, but just could not keep pace with Maruti, and eventually, threw in the towel.
“I always had a lot of respect for Mr. RK Sipani but I think he was trying to run before he could walk,” says Chandok. “They should have stuck with the Dolphin. It had potential.”
source: http://www.theprint.in / The Print / Home> Features> Brandma / by Pia Krishnamkutty / October 24th, 2020
Mangalore University establishes facility for Carbon-14 dating of archaeological artefacts
The Centre for Advanced Research in Environmental Radioactivity (CARER) at Mangalore University has established a facility for Carbon-14 dating of archaeological artefacts or material of biogenic origin based on Liquid Scintillation Counting technique.
Carbon-14 dating is a method for determining the age of an object containing organic material by using the properties of radiocarbon, a radioactive isotope of carbon. The method was developed in the late 1940s at the University of Chicago by Willard Libby, who received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry to this work in 1960.
Measuring the amount of Carbon-14 in a sample from a dead plant or animal, such as a piece of wood or a fragment of bone, provides information that can be used to calculate when the animal or plant died, a release from the university said on Thursday.
This facility has been established through financial support from the Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences (BRNS), Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). Through a research project sanctioned by BRNS and with collaboration with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, the CARER had undertaken a study for standardising the method for Carbon-14 measurements in the vicinity of nuclear power plants, it said.
A team of scientists led by Karunakara N., a professor and coordinator, CARER, in collaboration with BARC has standardised a batch method for the thermal combustion of the samples by tube furnace system for Carbon-14 measurements. The spin-off application of this method is its application for determining the age of the material up to 30,000 years old, the release issued by K. Raju Mogaveera, Registrar (administration), said.
The CARER with state-of-the-art facilities has been established by the university as a national facility through financial support from BRNS. This is an advanced centre for radioecological and radiation protection research in the country with collaborations with many advanced laboratories of the world. The centre is serving the research needs of various research groups from national laboratories/institutions/universities.
Those who are interested in using this facility may contact through email carermu@gmail.com, or drkarunakara@gmail.com. Phone : 0824 2888754.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mangaluru – October 22nd, 2020
First woman IAF officer Wing Commander Vijayalakshmi Ramanan dies at 96 in Bengaluru
She and her husband K V Ramanan, who was also an IAF officer and had persuaded her to join the Army Medical Corps, were also the first couple to serve in the Air Force
Bengaluru :
The first woman officer of the Indian Air Force (IAF), Wing Commander Vijayalakshmi Ramanan, passed away in Bengaluru on Sunday night at the age of 96.
She had pursued her MBBS from Madras Medical College in 1943. Awarded the best outgoing student in 1948, she went on to do her DGO and MD in obstetrics and gynaecology, and worked at Egmore Maternity Hospital, Chennai.
Later, she joined the Army Medical Corps in 1955 on Short Service Commission and was seconded to the Air Force as the first lady commissioned officer as a gynaecologist. She was posted in the Air Force Hospitals in Kanpur, Secunderabad and Bengaluru. During the wars in 1962, 1966 and 1971, she treated wounded soldiers.
She and her husband K V Ramanan, who was also an IAF officer and had persuaded her to join the Army Medical Corps, were also the first couple to serve in the Air Force. He passed away at the age of 47, in 1971, after battling cancer.
“Even until 11 days ago, she was alert and had written a note to her attending doctor. And until a few months ago, she was filing her income tax returns,” shares son-in-law SVL Narayan, a retired IT professional.
She pursued her interest in Carnatic music, having learnt from eminent musicians. “She was an AIR artiste from the age of 15 and represented her college in music competitions. She broadcast regularly from Delhi, Lucknow, Secunderabad and Bangalore,” says Narayan.
Ramanan was elated when one of her “interns” visited to seek her blessings last year. “Padma Bandopadhyay, who went on to become the first air marshal in the Air Force, was facing opposition from family when she wanted to marry her Bengali colleague. That’s when my grandfather intervened and oversaw the marriage in Secunderabad,” recalls her granddaughter Sukanya.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Vidya Iyengar / Express News Service / October 21st, 2020
Gold on the block
City-based label Abraham and Thakore’s new block-printed collection, showcased on Day 1 of Lakme Fashion Week, is chic, comfortable and full of colours that are perfect for a low-key festive season
Bengaluru :
Fashion lovers, here’s some good news for you. Lakme Fashion Week officially kickstarted on Wednesday, after a grand digital premiere with Manish Malhotra’s collection Ruhaaniyat on Tuesday. Day 1’s showcase included city-based label Abraham and Thakore, who used their gold and beige collection to highlight a sustainable fashion line, filled with fun elements.
“We have developed silhouettes with frills and ruffles, which soften the look and add a playful element,” says Abraham, adding that they have played with a softer colour palette. “The collection is in shades of beige and sand, which are printed in gold ‘kari’, which is a form of pigment printing. The colours are appropriate for a low-key festive look, with the gold adding a spark,” he adds.
The duo’s collection came as a part of the segment All About India, where LFW (which is on till Oct. 25) is showcasing designer collaborations that revive the livelihoods of craftsmen affected by Covid-19. The segment showcased other ace designers like Rajesh Pratap Singh for Satya Paul, Anavila, Suket Dhir, Payal Khandwala and Urvashi Kaur, where they put the spotlight on Ikkat, Katwa and linen weaving, brocade, Jamdani, and Shibori, respectively.
Through their designs, the duo shine a spotlight on the traditional technique of block printing, as they explore geometric patterns with it. “Block printing is one the oldest techniques of creating patterns on cloth. We manipulated the possibilities that this technique offered us and created engineered textile patterns in very contemporary geometric forms by working with polka dots and stripes,” explains Abraham.
A veteran in the field of fashion, Abraham called the digital avatar of the fashion show, “an excellent form of communication.” The fashion guru adds, “Now there is a more subdued approach to fashion. People are looking for elegance but they also want comfort, ease and practicality. In other words, people want clothes that look as elegant at home as they do outside home.”
Designs from a distance
While many might miss the energy that radiates off the ramp at Lakme Fashion Week (LFW), its digital avatar does feel close to a movie. From Kartik Aaryan oozing royal glam in Manish Malhotra’s collection to Gurang Shah’s line, Taramati, being showcased against the backdrop of a heritage building with folk music in the background… The designers went above and beyond for their videos. They didn’t have to worry about mistakes made on the ramp since each video was shot and edited to perfection.
Register on LFW website to watch the shows live or check LFW’s Instagram page.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Monika Monalisa / Express News Service / October 21st, 2020
Visually-challenged girl defies all odds, bags medals at University of Mysore centenary convocation
Kavya S Bhat has studied carnatic music besides learning the keyboard, but since she wanted to become a teacher so she gave NET and cleared it with flying colours.
Mysuru :
At the age of two, she was diagnosed with bilateral retinoblastoma, an eye condition resulting in the loss of vision. However, this did not dampen Kavya S Bhat’s dream to complete her higher education.
She was the cynosure of all eyes at the University of Mysore’s centenary convocation on Monday when she climbed the stage to receive two gold medals and two cash prizes for scoring the highest marks in MA (Political Science).
Like many of other specially-abled children, she completed her schooling in a blind school and graduated from Bengaluru. She relied on her parents, Srinivas Bhat and Ravikala Bhat, who helped her all through the way.
She then joined the University of Mysore for a PG programme. However, she hit a hurdle when several faculty members opposed her decision to take computerized exams here but she did not lose hope. She managed to appear for a computerized exam in all four-semester exams.
This also makes her the first person from the varsity to give computerized exams without the aid scribes. “I wanted to write the exam myself. So I requested a computerised exam for all four-semesters,” she said.
Kavya has studied carnatic music besides learning the keyboard, but since she wanted to become a teacher so she gave NET and cleared it with flying colours. Kavya said, “My father actually wanted me to have a career in the field of music. Though I love music, I wanted to prove myself and wanted to take up the teaching profession which made me choose this.”
When asked about how she accomplished this feat, she said, “Even we want to be more independent and that makes us find perfection in everything we do. This compulsion is what helped me accomplish this feat.”
She further added, “There will be people to support as well as oppose each of our decisions, but one must be strong to decide what they want.” Despite reaching her goal, she was still not very happy as two weeks ago her father passed away and couldn’t see her getting the medal.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Good News / by Karthik KK / Express News Service / October 20th. 2020
Hampi Zoo to have first wildlife rescue and rehab centre in North Karnataka
The rescue centre is coming up at the zoo premises and will be constructed at a cost of Rs 80 lakh.
Ballari
The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Zoological Park in Hampi of Ballari is all set to expand its services to the region. The zoo which is also known as Hampi Zoo will now have a rescue and rehabilitation facility for the wildlife animals such as woof, leopard and sloth bear.
The move comes a month after Mysuru Zoo helped the Hampi zoo set up a veterinary hospital on their premises. The rescue centre aims to help in mitigating the human animal conflict and will also have state-of-art facilities to deal with any kind of wildlife situation in the Kalyan Karnataka region.
The rescue centre is coming up at the zoo premises and will be constructed at a cost of Rs 80 lakh. This will be first such facility in North Karnataka and third in the state after Bengaluru and Mysuru. The centre will also take up treatment for the injured wildlife.
Kiran M N, Executive Director Hampi Zoo said that the new centre will reduce the response time during man-animal conflict, thus helping to save the animals. “The Daroji Sloth Bear sanctuary in Ballari has numbers of bears and leopards which come into conflict with humans on many occasions. The rescue centre will also act as rehab facility for the injured animals,” he explained.
Currently Ballari zoo houses white tiger and lions besides other animals. The rescue centre will be set up in the zoo premises and will have separate staff for the facility.
“There will be three dedicated staff at the rescue centre and during field operations we can use staff from zoo and local forest divisions depending on the case. There have been instances were leopards and bears are injured or seen regularly in human populated areas and during such times the role of rescue centre is very important. This will help mitigate conflict,” pointed out a wildlife expert from Ballari.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Kiran Balannanavar / Express News Service / October 19th, 2020
Students from Dakshina Kannada fare well in NEET
Students from Dakshina Kannada, including those studying in Alvas PU College, Excellent Science and Commerce PU College, Expert PU College, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, and Chaitanya PU College, have fared well in the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2020, the results of which were declared on Friday.
As many as 914 students from Alvas PU College, Moodbidri, scored good marks in NEET. of which eight scored more than 650 marks, 37 scored between 600 and 650, 139 students between 500 and 600, and 203 students between 400 and 500 marks. Arnav Ayappa topped with 685 marks, followed by Anargya K. (683), and P.S. Ravindra (670), chairman of Alvas Education Foundation Mohan Alva said in a press release.
Of the 1,085 students from Expert PU College who qualified, Aakarsh R. Pai topped with 691 marks, followed by Akash G. (687), and H.C. Gourish (675). As many as 14 students scored more than 650 marks, followed by 112 students between 600 and 650, and 482 students scored between 500 and 600 marks, said Narendra L. Nayak, chairman of the Expert Educational and Charitable Foundation.
Chirag Rao topped among students from Chaitanya PU College by scoring 685 marks. In all, five students scored more than 600 marks, while 17 scored between 500 and 600 marks, said a release by college principal Ramakrishna Bhogyam.
All the 119 students coached by Excellent Science and Commerce Pre-university College, Moodbidri, qualified. Shreyas G.R. topped with 660 marks, followed by Sahana V.P. (653), and Dheeraj Hegde (645). Seven students scored above 600 and 35 students scored between 500 and 600, said Yuvaraj Jain, chairman of Excellent Group of Institutions, in a press release.
Abdul H. Shahrukh, Spandana M.N. and Sudeep S. from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Mudipu, qualified in the examination, said V. Srinivasan, principal of the vidyalaya.
Anjali E.D. topped among five students from Vikaas PU College, Mangaluru, with 600 marks, followed by Kousar Ibrahim (571), and Ashritha M. (553). A total of 67 students qualified in NEET, said a release by the college.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Mangaluru / by Special Correspondent / Mangaluru – October 17th, 2020