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Bengalurean gets crowned in plus-sized modelling contest

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

A Bengaluru resident, Sameera Dahiya was crowned the second runner-up at the Miss North India Plus Size 2018 held in Chandigarh on July 8.

Bengaluru  :

A Bengaluru resident, Sameera Dahiya was crowned the second runner-up at the Miss North India Plus Size 2018 held in Chandigarh on July 8.

The second edition of the event included three rounds including a three-day grooming session. Out of 800 women who auditioned for the contest, only 50 were shortlisted.

Conceptualised by Hardeep Arora, the event aims to encourage plus-sized women to embrace their bodies, and prevent body shaming.  The pageant provides plus-sized models a stage to walk the ramp.

A biker and yoga instructor, Sameera’s tale is an inspirational one. “When you travel, it gets difficult to follow a healthy routine. Before I started riding, I weighed 65 kg. Now, I weigh 20 kg more than my ideal weight. Because of a medical condition, my weight hasn’t budged in the last two years,” says Sameera, who was into sports and fitness for 12 years.

In 2016, she quit her software engineering job and decided to turn her passion for biking into a profession. “I am a professional motorcyclist and I participate in racing and off-roading competitions. I teach women biking, and 60 per cent of 300 participants we have, are plus-sized,” she says, adding that over the years, she’s come to understand that size is not a point of concern.

She highlights the importance of accepting your body type.

“This is not just for women. Plus-size men also face similar challenges. Being a slightly larger is not a curse, you just need to take care of your health,” she says.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Express News Service / July 11th, 2018

Jackfruit makes the leap from the wild to farms

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Records, All

‘About 2,000 hectares of jackfruit orchards have come up in the State since 2010’

Jackfruit, a wild fruit that once grew naturally in the countryside, is now cultivated in orchards in Karnataka as a mono crop.

About 2,000 hectares of jackfruit orchards have come up in the State since 2010, said S.V. Hittalmani, former Additional Director of Horticulture (Fruits).

From a minimum of two hectares to a maximum of more than 10 hectares, they are concentrated mainly in Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagaram, Hassan, Tumakuru, Kolar, Chickballapur in addition to some areas in the Malnad belt. About 40 grafted jackfruit varieties are available now in nursuries in the State.

Bairachandra, Toobugere Red, Swarna, Lalbagh Madura and Sadananda are some of the premium varieties which are in great demand. Value addition is required for such varieties whose quality is not up to the mark. Climate change, farm labour issues, drought and dwindling water sources have made farmers to go for jackfruit cultivation as a natural option, Shree Padre, executive editor, Adike Pathrike, a farm monthly and a crusader for jackfruit and its value-added products, told The Hindu.

Shivanna of Sakharayapatna, who is from Parivarthana, an NGO in Chikkamagaluru district, and who has been making ‘Jaffe’ health drink from jackfruit seeds and pulp from the fruit, said that a farmer,

Nagendra, planted jackfruit plants on four acres in his village three months ago. The trees on the more than 10-acre orchard of Channe Gowda in Arkalgud in Hassan district began yielding from this year.

Vishwas, a farmer near Hassan, planted jackfruit as a mixed crop with mango and sapota on 10 acres, he said.

Mr. Padre said that the orchards are coming up in the State without the government’s campaign for it.

“They are coming up as a result of the farmers’ own movement.” A National Jackfruit Research Station is needed in the State, Mr. Padre said. “Promote sale and transport of peeled ready jackfruit from production area to processing centre so that both industry owners and farmers get benefited,” he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> State> Karnataka / by Raviprasad Kamila / Mangaluru – July 08th, 2018

One orchard, 104 varieties

Agriculture, Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Records, All
The jackfruit orchard of Shivaprasad Varmudi near Perla on the border with Kerala. | Photo Credit: Supplied
The jackfruit orchard of Shivaprasad Varmudi near Perla on the border with Kerala. | Photo Credit: Supplied

Shivaprasad Varmudi, a farmer near Perla on the border with Kerala, has cultivated 104 varieties of jackfruit on two acres. He told The Hindu that 22 trees which are four years old began yielding from this year.

The orchard has 140 grafted plants. He said that the grafting was done after he personally tasted the fruits of different varieties in various places including in jackfruit festivals.

Mr. Varmudi’s plantation is about 4.45 km away from Perla town.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mangaluru – July 09th, 2018

Infosys Foundation to fund IRs.200 crore for metro station

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology
Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Dr. Sudha Murty, chairman, Infosys Foundation, in Bengaluru on Saturday.
Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Dr. Sudha Murty, chairman, Infosys Foundation, in Bengaluru on Saturday.

It will maintain the tracks and station for 30 years after completion of the project

The Infosys Foundation is looking to fund ₹200 crore for the proposed Konappanna Agrahara Metro station at Electronics City under the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited’s Phase-II project.

A memorandum of understanding between the Infosys Foundation and BMRCL will be signed on July 19, said Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Saturday. Infosys Foundation chairperson Sudha Murty met him at his home office Krishna. Apart from donating a huge amount to Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, the foundation also has played a major role in the Education sector.

On the occasion, Ms. Murty said her foundation would also take up maintenance of the metro rail tracks and the station for a period of 30 years after the completion of the project.

“It is a win-win situation for the both the company and the BMRCL. A concourse from the metro station to the IT park will give a hassle-free access to the metro station,” said Ajay Seth, managing director, BMRCL. Infosys will reportedly also provide the land for the metro station.

“Linking the metro with IT corridors like Electronic City is very crucial as it will help people commuting to tech parks for work. The State government had given the green signal to raise funds for the project under the innovative financing scheme where companies reach an agreement with BMRCL to fund the project to build a the metro station near their campus,” Mr. Seth added.

In the past the BMRCL had reached an agreement with companies — such as Intel Technology India Pvt. Ltd., Embassy Group — to fund the construction of metro stations at Kadubeesanahalli and Bellandur on the ORR line (Silk Board to K.R. Puram). The companies also get naming rights, commercial and advertisement spaces at the metro station for certain period and others. However, the terms of references may differ for each company funding the project.

source:http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Special Correspondent / July 08th, 2018

Champion for change

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Records, All, World Opinion

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Bengaluru-based YouTube content creator Niharika Nm on representing India in YouTube’s Creators for Change initiative for the second year in a row

Amidst the sea of entertainers on the global platform that is YouTube, Bengaluru-based Niharika Nm has made it to the forefront. The third-year engineering student was recently chosen as one of the global ambassadors of Creators for Change — a YouTube initiative, which uses influencers to generate awareness and engage their audience regarding relevant social issues.

This is the second time she has been chosen for the initiative, and this year Niharika will be representing India alongside three other big names in the industry — All India Bakchod (AIB), MostlySane, and Girliyapa. Her first experience with Creators for Change involved her being flown to London by YouTube to attend their Social Camp. “It’s basically a camp in which influencers from around the globe are trained on how to make an impact with their content; to create videos that make a difference,” says Niharika, adding that being in such an environment pushes creators to learn about different cultures and helps them realize that the same problems exist in every country, just to varying extents.

But why make videos on YouTube? Niharika says she has always had a love for theatre. Growing up, she had always been attracted to plays and movies, but the idea of being a part of such productions seemed too wishful. She recollects having been introduced to YouTube when she was in Class 10, but it was nearly three years later that she started expressing herself on the Internet through her videos. She gained popularity through short, funny skits, entertaining viewers with her own brand of observational comedy. Two-and-a-half years later, she has amassed 136K followers.

When asked at what point she realized she had made it big, she answered, “I remember going to the mall and having fans run up to me, asking to take pictures. It was surreal, mostly because a lot of them were my age, or slightly younger.” This incident occurred after her second video, ‘Types of Students Before an Exam’, went viral, garnering her 10,000 new subscribers in just one week. “My dad was even sent a link to one of my videos through Whatsapp by a friend. That was when I knew I had made it,” she says.

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The Creators for Change initiative, which was launched in 2016, aims to tackle problems such as xenophobia, hate speech, extremism, and destroy social stigmas. It allows YouTubers to stay true to themselves while addressing issues, sometimes those that they have faced themselves. The social impact videos made by the chosen creators have garnered over 60 million views, and camps connected to the initiative have trained nearly 15,000 young people at over 200 locations across the globe, according to the official YouTube Creators website. The initiative’s mission includes teaching young Internet users how to tackle hate speech, identify fake news, break stereotypes, and spread positivity in their communities through workshops.

Niharika is no stranger to hate herself. “Hate is a by-product of becoming an influencer. I almost quit when I first started on YouTube, because the hate was that intense; it definitely got to me.” The overwhelming support from family, friends and fans motivated her to keep going. She was also greatly supported by Tanmay Bhat of AIB during the early stages of her channel. “I couldn’t believe that someone so influential in the industry was rooting for me, it was unfathomable.”

____________________________

Hate is a by-product of becoming an influencer. I almost quit when I first starter on You Tube ____________________________

Niharika says balancing college and her online persona is a challenge. “I essentially have no time to hang out with my friends. If anything, I get to spend quality time with them once every few months between my college schedule and YouTube. It is harrowing, but on the other hand, so worth it.” She is now looking forward to completing her degree so she can commit herself to creating videos and use her influence in the right way..

Niharika’s video with Creators for Change, 2017, titled ‘Things People Should Stop Saying to Women’, tackles everyday sexism and has garnered over 408K views.

Her next video for the initiative is set to release sometime in September, 2018.

 

Information centre to create awareness on conservation

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Records, All
The nature information centre near M.M Hills and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.
The nature information centre near M.M Hills and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.

First such facility to benefit local communities; to be inaugurated today

A nature information centre, focused on creating awareness among local communities as against the conventional practice of catering to tourists, is set for inauguration at Yellemaala village of Kollegal taluk in Chamarajanagar district.

Established by the Nature Conservation   Foundation, it is the first such facility that will benefit local communities, school and college students living on the fringes of the protected areas and forests.

Apart from creating awareness among the public, it will help educate local political and social leaders who have an influence on wildlife conservation, according to Sanjay Gubbi, a wildlife biologist from NCF and the one who has envisaged the concept.

The information centre is named after the tree Terminalia arjuna, called Holematthi in Kannada, and is located on the edge of the M.M. Hills and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuaries, and is also close to the Biligirirangana Tempe (BRT) Tiger Reserve.

Mr. Gubbi said the centre will have information in Kannada about local flora and fauna, different kinds of wildlife habitats found in M.M. Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, all of which are depicted in an artistic form.

Apart from information on plant-animal interactions, threats to wildlife, relationship between insects and food plants, and other scientific information presented in simple understandable language, it also has games about nature, targeted at children.

As Chamarajanagar district has the highest number of tigers and elephants in Karnataka , there are dedicated sections that provide information about these species, in addition to facts about otters, East Indian satinwood tree, edible plants found in the forests and other such interesting information. Behaviour and life cycle of wildlife species are explained in a story format to make it more interesting.

Nature artist Sangeetha Kadur has designed and curated the centre, and many local youths were involved in the project. Chamarajanagar MP R. Dhruvanarayan will inaugurate the centre on Friday.

V. Yedukondalu, Deputy Conservator of Forests, M.M. Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, said the centre will also be used by the Forest Department to promote conservation through outreach programmes.

Since the local community co-exists with animals, share the same landscape, and are dependent on natural resources for their survival, educating them on such issues also makes them stakeholders in conservation which will augur well for environment and wildlife protection, said the official.

This is reckoned to be important as conservation efforts by the forest department cannot succeed without local support.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by R. Krishna Kumar / Mysuru – July 06th, 2018

First double lung transplant surgery in the State

Records, All, Science & Technology

Doctors at Narayana Health City conducted the first double lung transplant surgery in the State, giving a new lease of life to Sudeesh M.V., a 28-year-old construction worker from Thrissur, Kerala. The patient had suffered severe bronchiectasis leading to lung failure and was dependent on oxygen support.

Mr. Sudeesh said, “After a long struggle with infections and hospitalisation, I am extremely thankful to the team of doctors at Narayana Health City for giving me a new lease of life. I can now lead a normal life and get back to my work.”

The donor was from Sparsh Hospital, Yeshwantpur.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengluru / by Staff Reporter / July 04th, 2018

The chronicles of Hatworks

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

HatworksBoulevardBF04jul2018

This boulevard on Cunningham Road offers a blast from the past

Do you sometimes wish the world of Narnia were real? That there was an ordinary door you could walk through into an strange, wonderful world? Well, something similar happens on Cunningham Road. The Hatworks Boulevard seems nothing more than a billboard on the outside but when you walk in, you discover a whole new world.

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Initially, the home of the Maneckjee family, now a cottage and a commercial space for various stores which deals in clothing, beauty, crafts, desserts and art, this bungalow is over 200 years old. Stone pathways paralleled with luscious greenery, high roofs of Burma teak, French windows, tall original wooden door frames, Italian floor tiles moulded into fleur patterns are some of the architectural elements that makes this place a walk to remember.

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Rishad Minocher, oldest grandchild and one of the owners of the colonial-era house, says: “This is my family’s ancestral home. The property belongs to my grandfather who went to the UK to study hat making and returned to set up the business.” The imperial hatworks specialised in making hats for the armed forces, polo and horse riding, and also for the Maharaja of Mysore.

They were the pioneers in making the sola topee in India, which provide the wearer protection from the sun. They also made skull caps, velvet hats and other kinds of headwear, he adds.

“My grandfather was the first to develop the pre-tied Mysore peta donned by the Maharaja of Mysore” says Rishad. The business continued until the early 80s. In 2004 Imperial Hatworks was changed to Hatworks Boulevard.

“I am a firm believer that the house has a life of its own,” Rishad says. The Minochers have done their best to preserve the building. The original stone gate posts, high-raised Mangalore tiled roofs and a blue roof are some of the elements preserved. The tiles used here have also been used in the Mysore Palace and the Bowring Institute as well.

The house also boasts of the Poliphone, an ancient musical instrument, preserved as a show piece. There are some grand old trees at Hatworks Boulevard including mango, banana, raintrees, gulmohar and tamarind.

Where we discover hidden and not so hidden nooks and crannies of the city

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Life & Style> Homes and Gardens> Spaces / by Beaulah Sahana A / June 18th, 2018

A desi keyboard for Indian languages

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion
Guru Prasad with his Ka-naada keyboard for Indian languages | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Guru Prasad with his Ka-naada keyboard for Indian languages | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Simulator Guru Prasad has developed a keyboard suited for Indian languages

A small room on a terrace in Uttarahalli, Bengaluru, is bursting with a big idea. It is the office of KaNaada Phonetics Pvt Ltd which has just launched their new product, ‘Ka-Naada’, in April this year.

Ka-Naada (ka-naada.com) is a patented keyboard layout available as both hardware (with a USB cable) and software. It groups letters according to phonetics, creating a more intuitive interface for languages based on the Brahmi (the common ancestor of Indian scripts) script. The keyboard is available in multiple languages: Kannada, Gujarati, Gurumukhi, Malayalam, Tulu, Oriya and more. A user can switch languages, using the keyboard of one script to type in another. The current keyboard requires QWERTY for certain commands, such as the control and function keys. The future version of Ka-Naada will have these commands as well.

A long time coming

The idea was born in 2009 when Guru Prasad — a simulator based in Orlando, Florida — saw children struggling to learn their mother tongues. With a Ph.D in industrial engineering (simulation systems) he is an expert in simulation, network architecture, distributed systems and systems modeling. The QWERTY keyboard, he determined, was unfit for Indian languages. Navigating a keyboard meant for English disrupted ‘native thinking’. He worked predominantly with linguist Professor BVK Sastry at theYoga-Samskrutham University in Florida, and a few others, to find a solution. The Ka-Naada keyboard layout was finalised by 2011, the first prototype was done by 2012 and the first full keyboard, by 2015. It was an uncomfortable square shape, and had to be redesigned to be rectangular.

KaNaada has received funding from associations such as Kannada Praadhikaara and ITBT (Department of Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science and Technology of Government of Karnataka) and design assistance from the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Centre of Excellence, IISc. They received their patent in 2017.

“The response, particularly, has been very overwhelming,” Prasad says. “It is highly intuitive for users, right from the get go. Children, particularly, are thrilled to use it. I have heard comments like, Maine aankhe band karke, type kiya (I was able to type with my eyes closed), from them. For adults, there were some training issues because they are so accustomed to QWERTY. We are trying to work to come closer to that keyboard ergonomically.” While maintaining their current layout, the company is experimenting with the size and qualities of the keys and keyboard for the most user-friendly combinations.

For Prasad, the most fascinating part of his journey has been reviving the script of his mother-tongue — Tulu. “The language came alive. All of a sudden, we have a user interface for Tulu. It is the same with Kashmiri (in the Sharada script) and for all the other languages that might go out of use. This might be a boon, that we can keep them alive through our children.”

Increase accessibility

The entrepreneur lights up when asked about the potential of his product. It could open up job opportunities for those in the rural areas who do not know English. It could be a key learning device, and he plans on introducing a toy keyboard for children to use, as they learn their mother tongue. It could be used in government offices, for desktop publishing, or by visually-impaired users. It will soon be available in foreign languages, including Malay, Sinhalese, and Nepalese, which are all Brahmi-based.

As his dreams grow, so does his work. Currently, the entrepreneur is juggling production, research and development, and marketing. He receives his supplies from vendors across the country and is co-sharing a production facility in Bengaluru. However, a large machine has been ordered in anticipation of a full-scale production unit. He has now tied up with NGOs and is working with overseas students who come as part of a Youth Ambassador programme to distribute the keyboard in various rural schools in India.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sci-Tech> Technology / by Priya Saraff / July 02nd, 2018