Monthly Archives: November 2017

Scholar throws light on the origin, evolution of Kannada numerals

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All
A file photo of the pillar inscription in Gudnapur.
A file photo of the pillar inscription in Gudnapur.

‘The earliest inscription in which all the 9 numerals have been engraved is the one at Gudnapur’

While the Halmidi inscription is the earliest known inscription documenting the Kannada script and is well celebrated, a history scholar has sought to throw light on the Gudnapur inscription – another inscription of equal historical importance though one that is not as well known.

This is being done in the light of the Kannada sahitya sammelana that began in Mysuru on Friday.

N.S. Rangaraju, retired professor, Ancient History and Archaeology, University of Mysore, has sought to highlight the origin and evolution of the Kannada numeral as found in inscriptions. He said that in some of the early Karnataka inscriptions, there are instances of a couple of Kannada numericals. “But the earliest inscription in which all the 9 numerals have been engraved is the Gudnapur inscription engraved during the time of Kadamba Ravivarma,” he said.

The proper dating of the engraving of the inscription is not available and as per available records, the date of the Kadamba Ravivarma is 485 A.D. to 519 A.D.

Hence, it might have been engraved in the early 6th century A.D., Dr. Rangaraju said. While the Halmidi inscription if the first and earliest Kannada inscription, the Gudnapur inscription is the first with the nine Kannada numerals and hence is historically significant, he said.

Describing the discovery, he said that B.R. Gopal, an epigraphist and a great scholar, was engaged in field work in 1971 in Banavasi region. About five km from Banavasi is Gudnapur where Dr. Gopal discovered a 16 feet high stone pillar.

“Like the Banavasi inscription of Kadamba Mrigesvarma, this Gudnapur inscription is also engraved from bottom to top and there are 27 lines of writing,” Dr. Rangaraju said.

Pointing out the numerals present in the inscription, Dr. Rangaraju said number 1 figures in line 18; 2, 3, 4 and 5 in the line 19; 6 in line 20, 7 and 8 in line 21 and 9 in the line 22.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – November 25th, 2017

Kannada Book Authority to document Karnataka’s publishing history in a book

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

Mangaluru :

Keen to learn about printing and publishing history of the state? Want to know more about first paper Mangaluru Samachara published in the state? Striving to answer this and other related questions is the Kannada Book Authority with its much vaunted project Kannada Pusthaka Samskruthi: Pustakodhyama Charithre, a book in three volumes that will run in to estimated 1,800 pages or 600 pages per volume, according to its chairperson Vasundhara Bhupathi.

Kannada Book Authority to document Karnataka's publishing history in a book | Mangaluru News - Times of India
Kannada Book Authority to document Karnataka’s publishing history in a book | Mangaluru News – Times of India

With the authority completing 25-years next year, Vasundhara told reporters here that this book will be a perfect gift to all the bibliophiles to cherish the history of the printed work in an era of e-books. The authority has set up a five-member committee comprising M H Krishnaiah, Apparao Akkodi, A V Navada, Ramakanth Joshi and Sujnana Murthy that will document facts about the book with help of regional committees and PhD scholars in state universities.

While one volume will look at books published in 19th Century, the other two volumes will trace history of publishing and printing in Karnataka in subsequent two centuries. Approximating that the work could take the better part of one-year, Vasundhara said the authority is working out the project cost and will approach the state government for funds. “We have set aside a portion of our annual grants to chalk out the working details for this ambitious project,” she said.

Navada, committee member said documentation of any subject is need of the hour. A folklorist of repute, Navada said lot of rich folklore of the state and even the country has been lost to posterity for lack of documentation. “The state has a rich history in the world of publishing starting with Mangaluru Samachara and it is time that this history is captured in the form of a compendium for the future,” he said. The authority will also make available the book in e-format, he added.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Mangalore News / by Jaideep Shenoy / TNN / November 21st, 2017

Bengaluru students bag Cambridge Learner awards

Education, Records, All

Bengaluru:

City students have emerged toppers in various categories in the Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards in the 2016-17 examination series.

Three students from Inventure Academy received six awards. Pranav Manoj Kumar bagged the maximum number, including A Level Math – Top in Country (Nov 2016); A Level Computer Science – High Achievement Award (June 2017); Further Math – High Achievement Award (June 2017) and Best Across 3 subjects in Country (March/June 2017). Pranav has commenced his studies at Carnegie Mellon University  in computer science.

Other students from Inventure who bagged awards include Raveena Ray for AS Level Psychology – Top in Country (June 2017) and Anand Karthikeyan Madathil for A Level Mathematics – Top in Country (June 2017).

Three students from The International School Bangalore also bagged awards. Kushagra Jain topped in chemistry, Anusha Sarathy excelled in drama and Aniket Pratapneni in English language.

Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards are issued by Cambridge Assessment International Education. They recognize exceptional learner achievement in Cambridge examinations around the world. The awards will be distributed in January 2018.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.cosm / The Times of India / News> City News> Bangalore News> Schools & Colleges / TNN / November 25th, 2017

Sankalp Semiconductor receives STPI Highest Exporter award

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

Sankalp wins the award third time in a row as the Highest Exporter in ITES – Hubbali Region

Bengaluru :

Sankalp Semiconductor, a design service company offering comprehensive digital & mixed signal SoC services and solutions, today received an award from Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) for being the Highest Exporter – ITES in the Hubballi Region award. Sankalp Semiconductor has consecutively third time won the award. According to STPI, the state of Karnataka has touched Rs 1,41,846 Cr worth of exports from STPI member units during 2016-17. Karnataka contributes 40% of the total software export from the country.

“The award is validation of our contribution to the worldwide customers in the technology semiconductor domain. We thank STPI for recognizing our contribution and achievements for more than 12 years. We very excited since Sankalp Hubbali is a great success story for creating and scaling excellent semiconductor talent from tier-II cities. Our model has been successful due to our ability to build teams grounds up by leveraging well-planned technical and soft skill in-house training.” said Nagaraj Azhakesan, COO, Sankalp Semiconductor.

Sankalp Semiconductor was founded from Hubbali in 2005, with a focus to serve the semiconductor companies primarily offering analog & mixed signal design services. Today, Sankalp with a team of 650+ engineering professionals has design centers in Hubli, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Ottawa, Canada. The company provides unique advantage to its semiconductor customers by enabling them at any point of semiconductor services life cycle with the ability to provide end-to-end solutions.

source: http://www.design-reuse.com / Design & Reuse / Home / Bengaluru – November 16th, 2017

Turning around impoverished schools, one step at a time

Amazing Feats, Education
The OSAAT Rotary Government Primary School at Neelakanta Agrahara in Malur.
The OSAAT Rotary Government Primary School at Neelakanta Agrahara in Malur.

NRIs, expatriates in San Francisco conduct events to raise funds

In the heart of Kolar district, a winding tar road embraced by clusters of brick kiln on either side gives way to a muddy path that leads to a little-known village, Neelakanta Agrahara. The kilns relinquish their hold on the rugged road as rocks and the deceptively appealing but invasive lantana flowers dominate the landscape. One building stands out, its walls adorned with drawings of popular toons, birds and even vegetables. With a see-saw, swing and other playground fixtures, it has the trappings of a well-funded private school, beyond the budget of most village households. But locals know better. The village’s government primary school occupies pride of place here.

A year-and-a-half ago, however, it fit the standard stereotype of government-run schools with just three rooms, and overworked teachers taking combined classes to make up for the shortfall of staff. “Sometimes, we had classes in the open as there was a shortage of rooms. During the rainy season, water would drip into the classroom,” says Rakshitha R, now a class five student.

What the children and even teachers don’t know is that a fundraising event with music and dance performances by children in San Francisco helped turn their school around. The credit goes to a group of Indian origin and NRI software professionals living in San Francisco’s Bay Area as well as volunteers in India. Their organisation, One School At a Time (OSAAT), identifies schools in the country that are in desperate need of a facelift and provides funds for infrastructure work. Since its inception, nearly 15 years ago, the organisation has turned around 21 schools in India, of which17 are from Karnataka, two in Uttar Pradesh, one each in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. A majority of these are government schools in rural areas.

Explaining how it all began, Vadiraja Bhatt, Managing Trustee, OSAAT India said that a group of eight enthusiastic IT professionals of Indian origin living in the Bay Area in the U.S. wanted to do something for a “good cause.” “Our first fund raised $3000 in 2003, which went into the development of a government school in Bajegoli, Karkala taluk, Udupi,” he said.

OSAAT USA chairperson B.V. Jagadish, who studied till class seven at the Bagalur Primary and middle school in Devanahalli taluk in Bengaluru Rural district, said that the organisation raises funds by holding music and dance events in the San Francisco Bay Area. At these events, they raise anywhere between ₹60 lakh to ₹1 crore per annum. “We use our programmes as an anchor to get attention from people who later sponsor for OSAAT,” said Mr. Jagadish. Their signature annual event is NaatyaRaaga, conducted in February, which sees the participation of 1,200 to 1,500 children from 150 dance and music schools in the US. “Now there are several people who are willing to fund schools in their local States,” he added.

The original version expanded OSAAT as One Step At a Time. It was corrected to One School At a Time.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka > Sunday Special / by Tanu Kulkarni / November 25th, 2017

Karnatak College to celebrate centenary

Education, Records, All
A file photo of Karnatak College which was set up in 1917 in Dharwad
A file photo of Karnatak College which was set up in 1917 in Dharwad

Celebrations will begin from tomorrow

Karnatak College, Dharwad (KCD), is is all set to celebrate its centenary, this year.

Karnatak University Dharwad (KUD)s Vice-Chancellor Pramod Gai told presspersons here on Thursday that the celebrations will begin at a function on Saturday.

The college was started following a popular demand in 1917. Since its inception, it has played a key role in helping the region’s youth have access to collegiate education. It has been planned to have year-long programmes to mark the occasion, he said.

Supreme Court Judge Mohan Shantangoudar will be the chief guest for the inaugural function of the centenary celebration. ISRO Chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar, Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayaraddi, Industries Minister R.V. Deshpande, RDPR Minister H.K. Patil, Labour Minister Santosh Lad and district in-charge Minister Vinay Kulkarni will take part in the programme. Plans to invite Chief Minister Siddaramaiah did not materialise due to his busy schedule.

The college, which had a handful of departments in the initial days, has witnessed tremendous growth and today it offers various courses. The student strength as on the date is over 5,000 at the undergraduate level. The college also offers postgraduate courses including Master of Arts in English, Economics, Master of Commerce, Master of Science in physics, chemistry and mathematics and Master of Tourism Administration, he added.

Prof. Gai stated that to make the centenary year memorable the university had planned a series of development works in the college.

Accordingly, it has submitted a proposal seeking Rs. 50 crore for the college. However, the State government has sanctioned Rs. 10 crore to the college of which Rs. 1.25 crore has been released, he said.

Construction of a ‘Centenary Hall’, renovation of Shriranga Open Air Theatre, launching of tree planting campaign, publication of 100 books to mark the centenary, release of souvenir ‘Ninada Smruti’, organising a lecture series, a week-long Karnatak University Inter-Collegiate and Inter-University cultural festival, special sports meet, film festival are some of the programmes planned. Mr. Rayaraddi, who is an alumnus of the college, has evinced keen interest in making the event meaningful.

Meanwhile, the Karnatak College Old Students’ Association has also chalked out plans for the year and has actively involved in the preparations, Mr. Gai added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by Staff Reporter / Dharwad – November 24th, 2017

Local lad composes Hindi rap on city

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All
Aaron Pinto aka Prince, 25, a resident of Jeppinamogaru, a Kudla-based youth has now come up with a rap on the city.
Aaron Pinto aka Prince, 25, a resident of Jeppinamogaru, a Kudla-based youth has now come up with a rap on the city.

Mangaluru :

Drawing inspiration from the local lads of Mumbai and Delhi, among other places, who immortalized their cities by glorifying them through music, a Kudla-based youth has composed a rap on the city.

What’s notable is that the rap ‘Mera Shehar -feat Prince’ is composed in Hindi – perhaps for the first time from Mangaluru – hoping to reach out to the masses across the length and breadth of the country. Songs on the coastal city, brought out in Kannada and Tulu by various artistes, have already garnered good views on the web.
Pinto  said he always liked the idea of giving a desi touch to the west-originated rap genre. This is when he started listening to Indian rappers and soon got influenced by Hindi and Punjabi rap songs. “One day, I stumbled upon ‘Mera Bombay’ by rapper Divine. I got so hooked to it that I wanted my own version of a rap on my city. It took me a few years to realize this, as I had to take care of my career prospects as well. Today, I am happy that my rap on Mangaluru is on the web,” Pinto, who is soon expected to come up with a rap in Tulu, too, said.

Aaron Pinto aka Prince, 25, a resident of Jeppinamogaru, says he jotted down lyrics for the rap a few years ago, when he was employed in the UAE. “I wanted to glorify my city. Hence, I jotted down some lines about Mangaluru. Recently, after I migrated back, I weaved them into a rap,” said Pinto, who brought out the video a couple of months ago on You Tube .

The video, that lasts for 2.46 minutes ,speaks about the city as a whole, its reputation to deliver class-apart actors to various film industries, its scenic beauty, and the kind-heartedness of Mangalureans.

Successful running of Tulu movies overseas, and the frequent visits of stars from the city there, have helped popularize the name of the city across the globe. Little is known about the city in its own country’s north, where Hindi is spoken at large. Pinto also hopes to bring native Hindi speakers a notch closer to Kudla with his rap.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Mangalore News / TNN / November 21st, 2017

Veteran editor Rajashekar Koti dead

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

KotiBF25nov2017

Mysuru :

Veteran journalist and editor of Kannada daily Andolana, Rajashekar Koti, passed away following a massive cardiac arrest at a hospital in Bengaluru on Thursday. He was 71.

Famous as ‘Koti’ among readers, he was a socialist know for fearless writings. He is survived by wife Nirmala, son and journalist Ravi Koti and two daughters.

Koti, a native of Huyilagol in Gadag district, graduated from Karnatak University and started his career in journalism with Vishwavani, edited by Patil Puttappa in Dharwad.

Later, he worked as a sub-editor for Prapancha newspaper. Koti came in contact with dalit writer Devanoor Mahadeva, Prof M D Nanjundaswamy, Prof K Ramdas, Nelamane Deve Gowda and others and started Kannada-weekly Andolana and stopped the publication during Emergency.

With support from his friends, he converted his weekly into a daily and managed to have his own printing press. Koti identified himself with dalit and farmers movements and was also active in Gokak and Cauvery agitations. He lived in a dalit colony at Ashokpuram and was the voice of the downtrodden and deprived sections.

Andolana’s circulation crossed 50,000 in Mysuru and later the newspaper started editions in neighbouring districts. His stories on the famous Sathyadev murder case and Veerappan  left a mark among readers.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Express News Service / November 24th, 2017

In the quest for Geographical Indication tags, Karnataka is way ahead of Bengal or Odisha

Business & Economy, Records, All, World Opinion

Over 300 products have received the GI certification in India, including Meerut scissors and Chamba handkerchief.

 

As a debate rages across state borders and on Twitter about the true origins of the rosogulla and Mysore pak, a long-drawn bureaucratic process of stamping state ownership over a commodity has become an unlikely talking point.

Over the past 13 years, as many as 28 Indian states and seven countries have registered for a Geographical Indication tag with the Indian Patent Office, the government agency that recognises the origin of a product. This status allows a state or a geographical region to lay an exclusive claim over a product, gives an assurance of quality, and is often an alibi for producers to command a higher price in the market.

So far, 301 products have been registered with the Indian Patent Office since April 2004. The list – typically made up of agricultural, manufactured or natural goods – is broad, varied and dominated by South Indian states.

Karnataka has successfully applied for GI certification at least 11 of the past 12 years, and notched 39 GI tags for everything from Mysore Sandal Soap to Udupi Sarees. Jharkhand is the only Indian state that doesn’t have a GI-tagged product against its name.

GI02BG25nov2017

Though handicrafts dominate nearly 60% of the list, there is no dearth of agricultural products on it, especially rice. Thirteen variations of rice have been granted the tag, five of which belong to Kerala. In the case of Basmati rice, seven states share the certification. Eight varieties of mangoes, six kinds of banana and five types of chillies have made it to the list, just over the past 10 years.

Last year, over 33 products were granted GI status, notable among which were three products from Italy – Prosecco wine, and Parmesan and Asiago cheeses. Italy, in fact, has been the most active among foreign nations in getting the exclusive status – most others, such as Peru, France, United States, United Kingdom, Portugal and Italy, have gained Indian GI tags for their respective alcohols.

GI03BF25nov2017

Here are some lesser-known Indian products that enjoy GI certification:

Solapur terry towel

Photo credit: SolapurChaddarsTowel/Facebook
Photo credit: SolapurChaddarsTowel/Facebook

Made with cotton yarn, the towel is manufactured in the Solapur district of Maharashtra. Its application for GI certification said: “Solapur is historically well known and owns unbeatable reputation for its uniqueness in terry towels allied product of Jacquard Chaddar. The fabric used for manufacturing terry towels…with its unique characteristics has created a demand in global market… (sic).”

Chamba rumal

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons [Public Domain]
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons [Public Domain]
The embroidered handicraft from Chamba in Himachal Pradesh has a long history. It is believed that Guru Nanak’s elder sister Bebe Nanaki made one in the 16th century. The Victoria and Albert Museum in London has in its collection a Chamba rumal from the 18th century that depicts “Hindu god Krishna in a variety of poses – playing his flute or talking to the female cow-herds (gopis)”. The handicraft lost its royal patronage after Independence, although it’s still a common item of gift at weddings.

Meerut scissors

Photo credit: MeerutScissors/Facebook
Photo credit: MeerutScissors/Facebook

These scissors from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh are made entirely with metal scrap – according to a report in The Hindu, the blades are fashioned from carbon steel sourced from metal found in automobiles and the handles are made of alloys and plastics recycled from old utensils.

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source: http://www.scroll.in / Scroll.in / Home> Magazine> Royal Brand / by Anand Katakam / November 23rd, 2017