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He played guitar as Bengaluru doctors fixed his brain circuits

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion
Taski Ali's brain surgery lasted for two hours, according to doctors
Taski Ali’s brain surgery lasted for two hours, according to doctors

Bengaluru :

A 31-year-old Bangladeshi computer science engineer, who was operated for a rare neurological disorder in a city hospital two weeks ago, was strumming his guitar during the procedure.

Taskin Ali was suffering from guitarist’s dystonia, which rendered his left hand numb. The two-hour brain circuit surgery to tackle the disorder was performed in Bhagawan Mahaveer Jain Hospital on May 17.

Ali first noticed the problem in 2013 when he was playing guitar for no less than 10 hours a day. He worked in a company that developed video games and his job was to provide background music for the games.

“I used to find it difficult to move my left hand fingers while playing the guitar but that was my bread and butter. I thought I should practise more and increased it to 14 hours a day. But my condition only worsened. I was not able to play guitar at all,” Ali told TOI. Soon, his condition was diagnosed as Guitarist’s Dystonia in Dhaka but he was told that there was no treatment for the same.

In 2017, Ali read a Times of India report about a surgery conducted in Bengaluru on a guitarist suffering from the same disorder. He got in touch with Dr Sharan Srinivasan, consultant neurosurgeon at Jain hospital who had conducted the surgery. He also got in touch with the guitarist, Abhishek Prasad, who had undergone surgery.

Ali sold one of his guitars and other music equipment to raise money for the surgery that cost him Rs 2.25 lakh. Ali didn’t inform his parents too and landed in Bengaluru with his uncle on May 14.

Guitarist’s dystonia occurs due to abnormal and involuntary flexion of muscles because of rigorous use. “We usually do not extensively use the last two fingers of the hand, especially left. But that’s quintessential for the guitarists. No CT scan or MRI scan can show the problem,” says Dr Sharan.

Ali was put on local anaesthesia during the surgery. He played the guitar, Dr Sharan and and Dr Sanjiv CC, a movement disorder neurologist, operated on him.

“Through a 14 mm insertion to the brain, we burnt 9.3 cm of the ‘problematic’, ‘misbehaving’ circuit the brain. We made eight burns for 40 seconds each and parallelly checked the movement of the fingers in his left hand as he played the guitar. These extremely challenging surgeries improve the quality of life. Throughout the surgery a special MRI scanning was done and we used a software for precision,” Dr Sharan explained.

The disorder is said to affect one percent of musicians, especially guitarists. “For musicians suffering from this problem, fingers do not coordinate with each other. The problem is resistant to medical drugs and surgery is the only option,” said Dr Sanjiv.

Ali said he was conscious of his finger movements throughout the surgery. “I was unable to even hold a cup of coffee in my left hand or flip a coin. Now, I have to retrain my left hand fingers for my regular work,” he said.

Ali’s parents landed in Bengaluru on Wednesday. They were shocked to learn that their son had to undergo a brain surgery to fix the problem in his hand.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Bangalore News / by Sunitha Rao R / TNN / June 01st, 2018

India’s First Aston Martin V12 Vantage AMR Delivered In Bangalore — Limited To 100 Units Globally

Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

India’s first Aston Martin V12 Vantage AMR has been delivered in Bangalore. The car has been finished in Zaffre Blue with Speed Red Graphics paint scheme

AstonMartinBF31may2018

The new Aston Martin V12 Vantage shares garage space with a number of other supercars. This includes the country’s first Lamborghini Aventador SV and the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT-R.

Other supercars in the garage: Lamborghini Huracan, the Huracan Performante, Porsche 911 Turbo S, 911 GT3, Boxster S, Cayenne Turbo and the Range Rover SVR.

The Aston Martin Vantage AMR is limited to a production number of just 300 units. With 100 units of the V12 and 200 units of the V8 engine. The Vantage AMR in Bangalore is the 11th of the 100 units, with the V12 engine available in the world.

The new Aston Martin Vantage AMR comes with a 6.0-litre V12 engine producing 595bhp. The engine is mated to an automatic manual paddle-shift gearbox as standard. With a 0 – 100km/h time of just 3.6 seconds, the V12 AMR is said to be the most powerful road-going Vantage yet.

The new Vantage features the AMR Aero kit. This kit includes carbon fibre inserts, along with a front splitter, dive planes, plus side sills and a fixed rear spoiler. The car also features the optional forged aluminium wheels and the AMR’s Titanium Exhaust.

The Vantage AMR was first launched at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. It is the first series production car from Aston Martin’s performance range. The car takes direct inspiration from the Aston Martin Racing’s participation in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The Aston Martin Vantage AMR series is available in both coupe and roadster versions for the V8 and V12 options.

Thoughts On India’s First Aston Martin V12 Vantage AMR

The new V12 Vantage AMR shares garage with other exclusive supercar collection in the country. This Vantage AMR recently delivered is the first in the country, while its exclusivity is maintained to just 100 units worldwide.

Source: SupercarsInBangalore

source: http://www.drivespark.com / DriveSpark / Home> Four Wheelers / by Rahul Nagraj / May 23rd, 2018

This 11-year-old CEO heads an initiative that organises drum circles

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Education
SB Sharan
SB Sharan

With Drum Circle, the age barrier is lifted and everyone comes together to make music, says SB Sharan

When SB Sharan hands his business card, he does it with the confidence of someone who has done it before. Still, he is not your regular CEO: firstly, he is a grade IV-level drummer at the Trinity School of Music, and secondly, he is all of 11. In January, Sharan started his company Drums Circle, an initiative to build community harmony through percussion.

Sharan heads drum circles at corporate team building sessions and other events and parties; he plays — and teaches others how to play — djembes, bongos and shakers. “Playing drums in sync builds a feeling of togetherness and also helps relieve stress and anxiety,” says Sharan.

What does he know about stress and anxiety? “Not much,” he laughs but adds, “Playing drums has helped me develop better concentration and listening.” Most of all, he credits drums with breaking barriers and spreading happiness. “Take any gathering, you’ll see that there are children, elders— all busy among themselves. But with Drum Circle, the age barrier is lifted and everyone comes together to make music.”

DrumCircleBF31may2018

It’s surprising that drums became Sharan’s passion, given how scary his introduction to them was. “The memory of my first private drums class still horrifies me. I was just five. My teacher had long curly hair and I used to think he was a ghost,” he sheepishly admits. He quit soon after, only to join another class when he was eight. This talent for drumming translated into a business through Kidspreneur, a school for helping children run companies. His first event was with 15-20 children his age and his first corporate event was for OptiSol Business Solutions.

“The first time, I felt very shy. Nobody listened to me,” reveals Sharan. “The problem was that everyone was busy playing on their own.” Getting people to drum in sync is a skill that he has mastered over several events. He recalls the latest one he performed at, “I was heading a drum circle in an orphanage in Kolathur. The people there told me that two of those kids would rarely laugh. But while playing the djembes, they did.”

Sharan is serious about his business: with the name of his company already printed on half his clothes. “We are in talks with drummer Sivamani to act as Sharan’s mentor in Mumbai,” says Mohana Lakshmi, founder of Kidspreneur. Sharan started out with buying 10 bongos via crowd-funding. Today, after seven events, his collection has increased to 70 djembes and eight shakers; costing a sum of over ₹2 lakh. Four of those events were ticketed at ₹650 per head.

The invisible hand behind all of this is Sharan’s father, who helped him with the financial aspect when crowd-funding was not enough; Sharan promises to repay him. Sharan’s father has actively gotten contacts and promoted his son on social media because of his work in the event management field. “He is with me every step of the way,” says Sharan, “He’s my best friend and more.”

For details and bookings, log on to www.drumscircle.in or call 9790701816.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Entertainment> Music / by Sweta Akundi / May 30th, 2018

‘Museums promote cultural heritage’

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

Students of History Department at Government College and employees of Government Museum, Kalaburagi, and others took part in a function to celebrate International Museum Day, here on Friday.

“Museums collect, preserve, archive and display elements of our past and have a story to tell. The collection displayed at the museums could do with more attention,” observed Manjula Chincholli, Department of Post Graduate Studies and Research in History, Gulbarga University.

Emphasising the need to involve students in museum and archaeology studies, Dr. Chincholli added that visiting museums should be a part of the curriculum for history students. The task to draw in more people is not managed by increasing the number of objects or artifacts, but by a regular communication between people and scholars and the museum, she added.

Sarvodaya Shivaputra, head of History Department, Government College Kalaburagi, said that museums must promote exhibitions that are topical and challenging.

“They must broaden their scope and not restrict themselves solely to objects and materials in their collections. Museums must show leadership in the promotion of the heritage of the nation.”

Later, S.S. Wani, convener for INTACH, took the students around the museum and explained the significance of the artefacts.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by Staff Reporter / Kalaburagi – May 19th, 2018

Wealth from waste! This loom in Bengaluru can turn paper, rubber strips into green products

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment

Bengaluru :

Raahul Khadaliya, 36, founder, Studio ABCD, started the dialogue around reusing waste in 2011. That was when sustainability had yet not become a buzzword. “Clients didn’t want to pay extra for sustainable practices,” says Khadaliya, a NIFT Bengaluru graduate, whose design firm helped businesses with branding and visual communication with a focus on sustainability.

With an idea to launch a project that was sustainable from a social, innovation and environmental impact, Khadaliya, started The Second Life Project in 2012 that was upcycling newspapers using traditional block printing technique to turn discarded paper into gift wrapping paper.

 “Block printers are losing their livelihood to machine printed products. The idea was to think of an alternative livelihood for these craftsmen. It had three purposes — waste management, sustainable livelihoods and to raise consumer awareness on reusing waste,” he adds.

Over time, Khadaliya realised that a large amount of paper was also wasted in printing presses. “There is 5-8% of wastage when brochures and other such things are printed. On a large scale that amounts to a lot. These end up in landfills or waste because there’s no place to store them,” he says.

 It was then that the idea of weaving handloom from waste paper began to take shape. After eight months of research, Khadaliya built a paper weave loom, a redesigned version of the handloom. Made from waste wood, it can weave flat substances into raw material to be used further. “While our current focus is on paper, in future, we have identified waste materials like rubber tube strips and flex banners, which are a great nuisance, to be turned into woven handloom. The loom works completely on renewable human energy and the entire process is green,” he adds.

 While making garment is not possible from this woven handloom, it can be used for panelling in interiors, making removable partitions, linings, wall art, gift wrapping. “We are currently looking at funds to scale this up. In future, we will collaborate with nonprofits to increase production. The final aim is to build a cooperative like the Lijjat Papad and provide meaningful and sustainable livelihoods to artisans and people,” Khadaliya says

According to Sunitha Jayaram, product lead, Saahas Zero Waste, a socio-environmental enterprise that believes in a circular economy, an innovation like this can help raise awareness about not only waste produced by different industries but also how to put that to good use. “Using the waste of one industry as a raw material for another is what circular economy is. Once people see products that come out of waste, it can also help behavioural change towards reduce, reuse and recycle,” Jayaram adds.

source: http://www.economictimes.indiatimes.com / The Economic Times / ET Home> Magazine> Panache / by Ipsita Basu, ET Bureau / May 24th, 2018

Bewitched by Bengaluru

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

PriyankaUpendraBF30may2018

Actress Priyanka Upendra talks about what she loves and hates about this city

I moved to Bengaluru after my marriage in 2003 and have been living in Banashankari ever since. We never moved from here. The one thing I remember about Bengaluru is that it was very green when I first came here and there was hardly any traffic. It was a lot easier to get around and the weather was cooler. Sadly, over the years, the city has changed so much. Traffic has increased, trees have been cut down in the name of development and the population has increased drastically. I see an influx of people in every part of this city. There are people everywhere and I find the city is getting crowded everyday. No matter where you go, you will see people and more people everywhere – be it at parks, lakes or restaurants.

Our residential area had so many empty sites when I first moved there. Now all I see is huge commercial complexes. Those days we could hear birds chirp in our garden and our home was also visited by monkeys. Now all we see is concrete buildings and hear traffic snarls. The main road in front of my home is now going to house the metro. So, more trees are being cut down to make the new flyover. It is good to have the metro as it connects places and cuts down on traffic. What’s heart breaking is the number of trees that have been cut down to accomplish this project.

There are also many ups in namma Bengaluru. One is the numerous Bengali associations that have come up. When I moved here, there were hardly any Bengali associations or Durga pujas. Now you are treated to so many Durga pujas happening in and around our city. We also have so many options of the festive food. Initially, I would travel all the way to the Ulsoor Bengali Association. Now I go to the one on Bannerghatta Road as it is closer home. I have always loved Bengaluru and the various festivals that are celebrated here.

I love the food we get here. The typical uppittu, the Bengaluru breakfast places like MTR, Kamat and Halli Thindi. I specially love the Davangere benne dose. I love the people of this city. I find it to be a nice cosmopolitan crowd, which is calm and friendly.

We have people living in harmony – be it a software engineer from outside, the typical Bengalurean or the expat – they all blend in well, each with his/her own culture and lifestyle.

The city has many options when it comes to entertainment. You can take off to Koramangala, Sadashivanagar or Basavanagudi, and you sure will find something unique to that particular area when it comes to food, culture and people. If you go to Whitefield you will get that ex-pat experience, at Gandhinagar, you get the old Bengaluru charm, and so on.

The only thing that bugs me about this city is the traffic situation. I hope it improves and that we plant more trees so that we can enjoy the city as it was. I wish we could take off on long walks amidst the lush greenery that this city was once known for.

(As told to Shilpa Sebastian R)

This column features the city through the eyes of a prominent Bengalurean

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Entertainment> Movies / by Shilpa Sebastian R / May 24th, 2018

Heritage buffs find 13th-century stone inscription in Bengaluru

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All
SLICE OF HISTORY: The inscription bears the name of king Veera Ballala
SLICE OF HISTORY: The inscription bears the name of king Veera Ballala

Bengaluru :

A team of heritage enthusiasts has stumbled upon a 13th-century stone inscription in JP Nagar’s Sarakki in south Bengaluru. Strangely, a major portion of the relic is buried in the foundation of Anjaneya temple and talks are on with the temple trust to recover the same.

Rajeeva Nrupathunga, founder of Revival Heritage Hub (RHH), an NGO, said the inscription bears the name Veera Ballala, who was a king of the Hosyala empire. “The Hosyala dynasty ruled the present Karnataka region between the 10th and 14th centuries. A large portion of the stone, which measures 8×8 ft, is buried in the foundation. Going by the dimensions, it could be the second-biggest stone inscription for the city after the Hero Stone Inscription in Begur, which dates back to 900AD,” he added.

“After speaking to the temple trustee, we learnt that the stone inscription might have shifted to the foundation area during the temple’s renovation about 60 years ago or another makeover the temple went through 15 years ago. The temple has ahistory of over 350 years,” said Prashanth B, a heritage buff.

RHH is in talks with temple authorities to restore the stone inscription so that it can be studied. “There was more than one king by the name Veera Ballala under the Hoysalas. Only after analysing the entire inscription can we say which one it mentions,” said an RHH member.

According to historians, Bengaluru was home to over 175 recorded stone inscriptions in the early 21st century, with some dating back to the 5th century. But 70% of them have either been lost or are in bad shape due to negligence.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Bangalore News / by Rohith BR / TNN/ May 29th, 2018

75 years of Bengaluru’s famed benne masala dose

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All
The management keeps track of the number of customers each day through a dose lekka . | Photo Credit: V Sreenivasa Murthy
The management keeps track of the number of customers each day through a dose lekka . | Photo Credit: V Sreenivasa Murthy

Vidyarthi Bhavan in Basavanagudi has stood the test of time

What started as a modest eatery for students has, over the years, become a landmark of sorts. Vidyarthi Bhavan in Basavanagudi has come a long way since it was established in 1943. This year, as it turns 75, the restaurant has managed to stand the test of time, the changing palates of Bengalureans, and the onslaught of newcomers in the food and beverages space offering everything from Mediterranean to Vietnamese cuisine, with its staple six offerings.

To this day, the benne masala dose is the top seller. In fact, the management keeps track of the number of customers each day through a dose lekka. The number is around 1,250 on a weekday, and up to 2,200 per day on a weekend. The other items are poori-saagu, khara bath and kesari bath, idli-sambar, uppittu and rave vade.

The menu has more or less remained the same over the years. One item that disappeared, said Arun Adiga, managing partner, Vidyarthi Bhavan, was the gulab jamun (not in the regular round shape) after the chef who made it from scratch passed away in the 1980s.

The benne masala dose remains the top seller. | Photo Credit: KARAN ANANTH
The benne masala dose remains the top seller. | Photo Credit: KARAN ANANTH

Changes over the years

The timings have been extended only slightly, closing at 8 p.m. now instead of 7.30 p.m., on popular demand. There are no plans to extend this further though, as the restaurant does not offer meals. The management pointed out that it will have implications on the shift timings of the 28 employees.

The rates, though, have seen a huge change: from ₹1 in the 1980s to ₹46 for a dosa now. This, Mr. Adiga said, was proportional to other overheads.

Their customer base has expanded. “Bengaluru has changed. In the 1940s, when Vidyarthi Bhavan was started, people were conservative about eating out. People who came here were students and people who came to Bengaluru. Now, it is the other way round. People barely cook at home and eating out is the norm. People will search for new restaurants. But, unless you maintain quality, there will not be repeat customers,” he said.

he timings have been changed only slightly. | Photo Credit: V Sreenivasa Murthy
he timings have been changed only slightly. | Photo Credit: V Sreenivasa Murthy

Flip side of popularity

From being an adda of intellectuals, writers and famous personalities, including the likes of Rajnikanth — who apparently comes in disguise, Masti Venkatesh Iyengar, D.V. Gundappa, C. Ashwath and Nissar Ahmed, to becoming one of the must-go destinations for anyone who lives in or is exploring Bengaluru, publicity through media, particularly social media, has expanded its popularity beyond its regular circles and south Bengaluru. But, there is a flip side.

Mr. Adiga said some customers come in with high expectations, and end up disappointed with the way things are, be it the building (the management has brought in some changes, yet kept it like its old self), the fact that they may have to share a table with strangers, or if they are not blown away by the taste of the food.

“Some people ask for the menu. They are disappointed when we tell them that we have only six items to offer. In other cases, even before they have paid the bill, they have reviewed the food on social media and branded it good or bad. But we can’t satisfy everyone, though we try to satisfy at least 90% of the customers,” he said.

VidyarthiBhavan04BF30may2018

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Staff Reporter / May 29th, 2018

Nyamagouda laid to rest in Jamkhandi

Business & Economy, Records, All
Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah paying tributes to Siddu Nyamagouda, veteran Congress leader, at Jamkhandi in Bagalkot district on Tuesday.
Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah paying tributes to Siddu Nyamagouda, veteran Congress leader, at Jamkhandi in Bagalkot district on Tuesday.

The last rites of Siddu Nyamagouda, Jamkhandi MLA, were performed with full State honours at his native town of Jamkhandi on Tuesday.

The Congress veteran died in a road accident in Bagalkot taluk on Monday.

His body was first kept at Polo Grounds in town for the people to pay their last respects. Later, the body was taken in a procession to Jamkhandi sugar factory premises — of which he was the chairman — where he was buried.

Thousands of people, mainly farmers, participated in the procession and paid tribute to the leader.

Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, KPCC president G. Parameshwara, elected representatives of various parties of Bagalkot district, and several seers were present on the occasion.

In his condolence message, Mr. Siddaramaiah remembered Nyamagouda as ‘Barrage Siddu’ a moniker he got when he took the onus of constructing a barrage at Chikkapadasalagi village for the farmers, with public money and support.

In his address, Dr. Parameshwara said the party has lost a true public leader and down-to-earth man.

Chikkapadasalagi barrage

Karnataka Pradesh Campaign Committee chairman D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday urged Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to name Chikkapadasalagi barrage after Congress legislator Siddu Nyamagouda. In a letter, he said Siddu Nyamegouda was instrumental in building the barrage across the Krishna through shramdhan and donations received from farmers. Naming the barrage after him and installing his statue would be a befitting honour, he added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Bagalkot – May 29th, 2018

60 mushroom species documented at Yenepoya campus

Agriculture, Education, Records, All, Science & Technology

Mangaluru :

In an unique initiative, Yenepoya (deemed to be university), has undertaken a comprehensive study of the mushrooms present on the Derlakatte campus.

MushroomsYenepoyaMPOs29may2018

The study, which was conducted over a period of six months, has yielded rich information on the macrofungal resources of the campus. About 60 species of mushrooms have been observed on the campus, out of which about 40 have been described in the book. Out of the 40 species published, 12 species are edible, 12 species are medicinal, two species ectomycorrhizal and one species is parasitic. Two species which are rare and known to be poisonous are also recorded.

The information was documented in a ready reference book titled ,‘Macrofungal resources of Yenepoya University’. Yenepoya chancellor Abdullah Kunhi released the book at a ceremony held on the campus on Tuesday, in the presence of vice-chancellor M Vijayakumar and registrar G Shreekumar Menon. The book is dedicated to M Abdul Rahiman, former vice-chancellor, Kannur and Calicut Universities.

Yenepoya is the first educational institution in the region to initiate such a study of mushrooms on the campus. Though mushrooms play a unique role in the ecosystem, importance is always given to only flora and fauna, said sources. Yenepoya has initiated other similar studies to document the flora and fauna of the campus too.

The study of macrofungal life on the campus was undertaken by a research team led by K R Sridhar, Dr N C Karun and Dr Bhagya B Sharma from June-November 2016.

Yenepoya has striven to make its 32 acre campus into an eco-friendly zone. The institution has undertaken various measures for greening the campus with different landscapes like lawns, arboretum, bamboo thickets, medicinal plant garden, areca plantation and acacia grove. The campus includes a large rainwater harvesting pond, roof water harvesting facilities, waste water treatment and recycling plant, vermicompost unit and solar power generation facility. The university carries out a regular environmental audit of the campus and has an eco club for students. It is hoped that these activities will inculcate a love for nature among the students who study here, and inspire them to act as brand ambassadors for nature conservation in their future life.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Mangalore News / by Kevin Mendonsa / TNN / May 23rd, 2018