MLA calls for overall development of Music University
Mysuru :
“Dr. Gangubai Hangal’s birth anniversary celebrations will become meaningful only when the Music University established in her name achieves targeted heights and it is the duty of each and every one to ensure that the Varsity which came into existence five years ago grows in stature,” said MLA Vasu here this morning.
Delivering the inaugural address at a function organised by Srimathi Vaishnavi Hangal Talkad Music Foundation at Veene Seshanna Bhavan in Kuvempunagar here to mark the 102 birth anniversary of Padma Vibhushana Dr. Gangubai Hangal, he called for overall development of the Music Varsity to accommodate thousands of students.
Renowned Sarod artiste Pt. Rajiv Taranath, in his presidential address, said that though music cannot provide livelihood to all, it should be propagated throughout the country and the world to ensure that music is preserved and protected as it reflected the rich culture of our country.
Stating that mere passing certificate courses cannot ensure proper music education, he added that successful learning of music requires many hours of hard and dedicated learning and practice each day. He further noted that Gurukulas had performed better than Varsities in producing quality musicians while Varsities have not been able to produce at least a few quality musicians.
Sarod Maestro Pt. Rajiv Taranath, KSGH Music and Performing Arts University Vice-Chancellor Dr. Sarvamangala Shankar, Registrar Prof. Y.S. Siddegowda, Hindustani Musician Gana Tapaswi Mani Prasad, Vaishnavi Hangal and others were present.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / March 01st, 2015
1) Film director Anup Bhandari 2) Poster of the film
Anup Bhandari directed Rangitaranga Kannada movie to release soon
Joining the list of young movie directors in the country is our city’s own Anup Bhandari. Having graduated in Information Science from Vidya Vikas College of Engineering in city, Anup has been successful in fulfilling his dream of directing a full-fledged Kannada movie.
A resident of Siddarthanagar in Mysuru, Anup has drawn inspiration from his father Sudhakar Saaja (Sudhakar Bhandari), who is involved in the industry for more than 30 years. Anup developed his interest in music at a young age. In fact, Anup is also gifted with a good voice.
Speaking to Star of Mysore, Anup said that his interest to direct a movie developed when he was working on a movie script written by his father.
On getting a nod from his father, Anup engrossed himself in the movies and directed short films while working for a software company in the US. In fact, one of his short films, ‘Words,’ starring Oscar-nominee Russel Harvard of ‘There Will Be Blood’ fame has been screened in many International Film Festivals.
Anup said that Sudhakar Saaja, his father, helped him in handling the production department so that he could concentrate on the creative part of the movie more efficiently. Another specialty of the movie is that Nirup Bhandari, Anup’s younger brother, is being launched as the lead actor.
Nirup Bhandari, who is also a software engineer by profession, has undergone rigorous training in acting from MISFIT, a Bengaluru-based acting school and has also learnt hip-hop from Sridharan Pillai. After having done theatre for about three years, Nirup is being launched through Rangitaranga directed by Anup Bhandari.
Anup said that Nirup was not the first choice for the movie and that he had approached actor Rakshith Shetty for the role. As Rakshith was not available for the next three months, H.K. Prakash, producer of the movie, decided to launch Nirup as the lead character. Prakash had also seen Nirup’s acting skills in a tele-serial ‘Advocate Arjun’ directed by Sudhakar Saaja where he played a character of a psychopathic killer.
Any new director would have chosen a mass-movie subject, mixed with commercial elements, but Anup has preferred to launch himself with a movie filled with mystery and commercial elements. On asking the reason for choosing mystery as the subject, Anup said that he was always interested in mysteries and wanted to bring a new dimension to Kannada movies.
For Anup, it has not been easy working for a movie over the past one-and-a-half years. Neetha, his wife and Nishka, his three-year-old daughter, have been living in the US and Neetha continues to work in a software firm.
Anup added that he travelled to the US once in every 3-4 months to meet his wife and daughter or they would come down to India to visit him. Anup’s mother Rathna Bhandari has also been supporting him in all his endeavours.
Sudhakar Bhandari, who has been looking into the production of ‘Rangitaranga,’ said that initially he never wanted his sons to enter the film industry. In his words, “I never wanted to put all the eggs in the same basket.”
Sudhakar added that though he gave his approval for Anup’s entry into the film industry, he had apprehensions over Nirup’s entry into films. “Before deciding on Nirup, we consulted many seniors in the industry to seek their opinion and guidance. Only when we received a positive opinion to cast a new face in the movie, we decided on launching Nirup in the lead role. Moreover, it was producer H.K. Prakash who wanted to launch Nirup,” he added. Sudhakar also remembered the support extended by Sai Kumar, who is popularly known as ‘Dialogue King’ in Kannada Film Industry. With the trio, father and sons, having worked hard to bring a new dimension into the movie, we hope Rangitaranga is received well by the audience.
— S.N. Venkatnag Sobers
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Friday – February 27th, 2015
Although we proudly proclaim that we live in a city with a heritage of art and culture, it is only very rarely that we at Mysuru get a chance to savour some soulful film music from the yesteryears. The occasions where we are able to listen, entranced to some foot-tapping numbers, either in Kannada or Hindi, are painfully few and far between although there is no paucity of lovers of vintage music in our city. This is largely because there has not been much success in getting these music lovers which include me, to understand the need to pool their resources to form a club to promote vintage music and have some concerts on a regular basis.
Many cities like Mumbai and Chennai have such music clubs that are doing a great job of entertaining their members round the year. Though efforts have been made in this direction a few times in the past, they have all somehow lost direction very quickly and have never really taken off. F. K. Irani, the most well-known industrialist from the yesteryears who put good old Mysore on the industry map with his manufacturing facility for the legendary Jawa motorcycles, made some efforts to start a music club in the city. But sadly, with his passing away, the club never saw the light of day.
But all that now seems set to change with a new venture called the ‘Sunehri Yaadein Music Club’ set for a launch. It is the brain child of a music-loving Mysurean, Venkatesh who is himself a very talented singer. A former employee of the CFTRI, supported by his wife Veena, who is also a very able singer herself, he has been striving very hard over the past few years to get music lovers to form a club through which he plans to hold at least three concerts of vintage film music in our city every year. With a very nominal fee in the form of an annual subscription he is looking at a membership of at least five hundred which he feels is the minimum that is necessary to sustain the club.
While he wants to showcase Hindi film music through one of them, he wants to present Kannada film hits through an event timed to coincide with our Rajyotsava Day. He wants to keep the third event as an occasion that offers an open platform for club members and their families to showcase their own talents before an audience of admirers in a decent auditorium, supported by a proper orchestra. While it is certainly an onerous task to float a music club and keep it going, it should not be too difficult a venture if only the music-lovers in our city decide to recognise its importance in our happiness and pitch in to keep it afloat.
Last Sunday evening, with the sponsorship of a few fellow citizens who had faith in his abilities, Venkatesh had organised a show of the legendary singer Mukesh’s songs at the Mysore Medical College Platinum Jubilee Hall which was very well-attended. Although Venkatesh and his wife Veena too sang some numbers, the star performer at the show was Mukhtar Shah, the noted singer from Ahmedabad, who has been acknowledged all over the music-lovers’ fraternity as the man who is keeping Mukesh alive all over the world today. This is the second time that he has performed in our city, with his first show, again organised by Venkatesh, at Kalamandira on 10th November, 2013 drawing a full house.
My wife and I had an occasion to attend both his shows here and I can say with confidence that he is really Mukesh, re-incarnated! Nothing less. He sings with an ease and élan that has to be experienced to be believed. The most amazing part of his performance is that he effortlessly sings all the numbers including the impromptu ones requested by the audience, without as much as a peep into their lyrics. It seems he performed in a whopping 178 shows all over the world last year and also has the reputation of having sung 121 songs of Mukesh over eleven hours in a single day!
The most touching part of both these shows presented by Venkatesh in our city was that a significant part of the proceeds from both of them went to help poor kidney failure patients on dialysis at the Holdsworth Memorial Mission Hospital. From his first show he was able to give Rs. 25,000 and from the second he intends to give Rs. 50,000. Now that is what we can call ‘A musical calling for a social cause!’
Venkatesh can be contacted on Ph: 9448474224 or 8762854751.
A holiday to contain Swine Flu
These days I have been seeing many patients who come to my clinic with minor symptoms of an upper respiratory infection who are very anxious that they may be heading for Swine Flu, the most dreaded malady that is now doing the rounds in the country. While I tell them the truth that it is very difficult to say with any degree of certainty whether they are its potential victims, I always reassure them that it is unlikely unless the symptoms have been persistent with an aggravating severity.
But to prevent the spread of their infection to others when I tell them to stay away from their classes or work for a couple of days, most of them say that getting leave for minor ailments is not an easy task unless their applications for leave are supported by sufficiently potent medical certificates. Office going people, especially those working in the private sector, say that they have deadlines and steep targets to meet because of which they are denied leave. Many students say that if they miss their internal assessment sessions they will lose their grades as they will not be given a second chance to take them even if they produce medical certificates.
It may be interesting though not the least bit surprising to note here that it is always those in government service who say “No problem” happily whenever I tell them to apply for leave and stay off their work! But as a doctor I would like to suggest to all educational institutions and other organisations that as a contributory measure to contain the spread of Swine Flu they should adopt a more lenient policy in sanctioning leave to all their students or employees with suspicious symptoms. In this case, prevention is perhaps the best and the most certain cure!
e-mail: kjnmysore@rediffmail.com
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Friday – February 27th, 2015
The newly elected President M.N. Sumana and Vice President A. Prabhuprasad of The Mysore Merchants Co-operative Bank Ltd. who were felicitated at the bank premises here yesterday are seen with Directors R. Anand, B.R. Suresh, K. Premkumar, C.V. Somashekar, B. Kodandaramu, R.P. Krishnamurthy, K. Venugopal, L. Nagaraju, S. Sudha, CEO C. Ekambara Naidu. Manager A. Ramesh and Election Officer H.K. Satish.
Mysuru :
M.N. Sumana and A. Prabhuprasad were elected unopposed as the new President and Vice-President respectively of The Mysore Merchants Co-operative Bank Ltd. in the election held at the Bank premises yesterday.
The two were declared elected unopposed by the electoral officer H.K. Satish.
M.N. Sumana who was the Vice-President in the previous Management Council, was re-elected from woman reserved seat in the election held on Feb. 15.
The others elected to the Board of Directors in the Feb. 15 polls were R. Anand of K.R. Mohalla, B.R. Nandeesh (outgoing President) of Naraya Shastri road K. Premkumar of Mandi Mohalla, C.V. Somasekhar of N.S. Road, B. Kodandaram of Ittigegud, R.P. Krishnamurthy of Sharavana Oil Mills, K. Venugopal of Kesare, L. Nagaraj of V.V. Mohalla and N. Sudha of K. Mohalla.
The Bank’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) C. Ekambara Naidu, Manager A. Ramesh and all the Bank Directors were present.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Friday – February 27th, 2015
An unusual store offers designer wear clothes for children
Vimla Crasta has absolutely no training in dress designing. But, today she has a large number of clientele that flocks to her store, on 100 Feet Road, Koramangala, to pick up party wear. Wait! Don’t rush off, it’s not for women but for girls aged from zero to 12. She loves children and says: “There’s not much done in India or children and it’s also hard to find tailors who are willing to make clothes for them. So I decided to start with something small and the last 24 years have led me to start my own outlet here.”
Called Magic Threads, this store was first set up in Richmond Town as Little Magic and later renamed as Magic Threads. “I worked from my mother’s apartment. It was a residential area and I decided to move here,” says the self-taught designer who started designing clothes just for passion.
“It all started out with a trip in Salem. I saw the fabric industry and picked up a few meters on an impulse and created a couple of clothes for children and they were sold out. That’s how my journey began,” recalls Vimla.
“I believe that if you have the drive to do something then you will succeed. For me, running this store is more about inter-personal relationship with my customers rather than pure business. Now I have the second generation of customers, that is, women who bought clothes from me when they were children now come to buy clothes for their children! It’s really flattering,” beams Vimla, who now runs the store with her niece Natasha Balan.
Natasha, who is more into technology has been the strength to add in that modern touch to her aunt’s talents. She has designed a play area for the little children in the store. “This helps the parents browse through our collection while the kids are enjoying themselves,” explains Natasha, who also adds that most of the fabrics are not local but are imported. “Especially the flowers and the embellishments are imported and they are all attached to the dresses by hand,” explains Vimla.
The dresses are sleek and stylish with a little lace here and a little ribbon there with pretty flowers and the works. They offer clothes for baptism, christening, flower girls, wedding wear and party wear for young girls and also have a range of ethnic wear for girls which will be available during Pongal, Deepavali and so on.
She also has a range of designer high heels for the girls! “Heels are in and most young children love wearing them, though I am against it, they insist on buying them. So I have a very limited collection of them,” explains Vimla, who then adds that she also plans to start off a boy’s collection soon. As of now they have a very limited range for the boys.
“We also custom design the clothes and soon plan to start off an online store,” explains Natasha who has used the store space even for weekend workshops for parents and children to “help them bond. Being a working mother myself I realised that I hardly spent any quality time with my children.”
Vimla and Natash / The Hindu
So they also conduct crafts workshops, mother toddler programmes, dance activities and so on every Wednesday and Saturday. “It’s either just one weekend programme or stretched over eight weeks,” explains Natasha.
Magic Threads can be contacted on 41265111 or go to mymagicthreads.com
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Shilpa Sebastian K / Bengaluru – March 03rd, 2015
A Wildlife Photography Exhibition was conducted by City’s Freelance Photographer Praphul at SBRR Mahajana First Grade College, Jayalakshmipuram in city on Feb.24.
The exhibition was inaugurated by City’s Photo Journalist Nagesh Panathale.
The exhibition showcased pictures of animals and birds including Jackal, Crocodile, Tiger, Sambar deer, Bar-headed Goose, Indian eagle-owl, Vernal hanging parrot, Stork-billed kingfisher, Peregrine falcon, Spotted owlet, Orange minivet, Indian roller (State bird of Karnataka), Malabar hornbill, Indian bush lark, Spotted deer, Elephant, Macaque, Langoor and snake.
Praphul said that he started clicking wildlife photographs when he was studying in high school at Atomic Energy Central School, Mysuru and has so far clicked over 25,000 Wildlife photographs at various places across the country.
In the year 2010, Praphul participated in ‘Your Shot,’ a National-level Wildife Photography Competition conducted by National Geographic Channel. He even participated in ‘Nature & Lounge,’ a National-level Wildlife Photography competition on the theme ‘Animal Behaviour’ and won the first place.
Praphul is pursuing BA in Criminology & Forensic Science at SBRR Mahajana First Grade College. He owns a studio called ‘Chayachitra Studio’ at Kuvempunagar in city. He is the son of Gopal, an employee in the RMP factory and Nalina, a Homemaker, residents of RMP Colony, Kuvempunagar, Mysuru.
M.R. Indrani, English Faculty, SBRR Mahajana First Grade College and Convenor of Praphul’s Wildlife Photography Exhibition, speaking to Star of Mysore said, ” I am always ready to support the students who want to showcase their talent. Praphul approached me with his wildlife photographs and asked if he could display a few photos in the College library for a few hours. Learning about his talent, I asked him to conduct a grand Wildlife Photography exhibition in our College so that his talent can be showcased.”
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / February 26th, 2015
On March 13, 2013, India had to destroy its nuclear-ready cruise missile Nirbhay which was on its first flight trial. The reason: Nirbhay deviated from its intended course, sparking fears. The kind of damage and loss such incidents can cause in the absence of a self-destruct mechanism is grave. Yet India doesn’t completely posses the software and intellectual property for such technology.
As the Prime Minister’s Make-in-India campaign gains pitch in the defence sector, the DRDO has found a reliable partner in Kaynes Technology, a Mysuru firm.
A senior DRDO official said the company has developed an Electronic Safe Arm Fire Systems (ESAFS) ballistic missile actuator unit, which is being evaluated by DRDO’s missile teams for integration into various platforms.
Kaynes’ system consists of two processor cards and one communication/connector card that carries the commands, and facilitates relay control.
“Not only can the missile be self-destructed after launch, it also has a feature wherein it destroys itself upon recognizing unauthorized access,” the official explained. Apart from the self-destruction feature, the system also helps prevent tampering and is able to function in most conditions.
“It’s thermal, humidity, vibration and shock-compliant,” he added.
Kaynes vice-president (business development) Lt Col (retd) Sharath Bhatt said: “I can’t comment on the technology as it’s sensitive and DRDO is evaluating it. Only DRDO can speak about it.”
“What such technologies mean is that India will have its own intellectual property in critical areas and will not have to depend on other countries,” Bhatt added.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Business> India Business / by Chethan Kumar, TNN / March 02nd, 2015
The new Jammu and Kashmir government has a Karnataka link.
Mohammad Ashraf Mir, who took oath as a minister in the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Cabinet in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, is married to a girl from this port town.
Residents of Bhatkal, especially the Navayath community members, celebrated the news of Mir’s appointment as a minister in the PDP-BJP coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir.
Mir was also in the news after he defeated former chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah from Sonawar constituency in last year’s Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
While, Mir secured 14,283 votes, Omar Abdullah managed just 9,500 votes.
Mir married Zareen in Bengaluru in 1996. Zareen is the daughter of Farooq Udyavar, a businessman, who is a resident of Port Road in Bhatkal.
A close relative of the family told Express that Mir and Zareen’s marriage was love-cum-arranged.
Mir and Zareen did MBA at a private college in Bengaluru. At present, Zareen’s parents are residing in Bengaluru as they are renovating their old house in Bhatkal town.
The family members are planning to visit Srinagar to congratulate Mir.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Marx Tejaswi / March 02nd, 2015
Suttur seer Shivaratri Deshikendra Swami inaugurating the Raitha Mitra FarmersProducer Company Ltd. in Mysuru on Monday.— PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM
Farmers in the State have turned entrepreneurial.
They have launched a start-up company to market their produce and provide agricultural inputs, including seeds and fertilizer, at less than market price. The Raitha Mitra Farmers Producer Company Ltd. took 8 months in the making and has 1,000 members from across the State.
Inspired by a similar endeavour of turmeric producers in Erode in Tamil Nadu and coconut cultivators in Kerala, the company was inaugurated by Suttur seer Shivaratri Deshikendra Swami on Tuesday.
The membership is open only to genuine land-holding farmers. Membership is restricted to one representative from each farmer family.
Besides proving agricultural implements at lower price, the company intends extend to loan at nominal interest, create warehouse facilities so that farmers can hold on to their produce instead of engaging in distress sale when the market slumps, said Kurubur Shanthakumar, chairman of the company.
Described as the first-of-its-kind initiative in the State, there are members from Belagavi, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Karwar, Dharwad, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Haveri to name a few, he said.
“Each member farmer has to buy 50 company shares at the rate of Rs. 100 each and the capital will be used in part for financing some of its activities and profits shared in accordance with the share held by the members,” he added.
One of the main objectives is to help reduce cultivation cost by procuring agricultural inputs at cost price and selling it to the members at less than market price, which will add to the company’s profit while resulting in helping farmers save.
“The scourge of middlemen in agriculture will be eliminated to a large extent and the sale of spurious seeds and fertilizers will be scorched,” Mr. Shanthakumar said.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by R. Krishna Kumar / Musuru – March 03rd, 2015
Bangalore Medical College students exulting during the convocation at the institute on Sunday I NAGESH POLALI
Bengaluru :
“I want to serve my nation that has given me an identity as a doctor,” said Dr Gowra Chattannavar, who received five gold medals at the convocation ceremony held by Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute for the 2009 batch MBBS students on Sunday.
She secured gold medals in biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology, general medicine and pediatrics.
Dr Kishen Rao, who hails from Sullia, received the best outgoing student award in sports category. He said, “Now I want to pursue my IAS exam to serve my people and make my poor parents proud of me.”
Dr P K Devadas, dean, Bangalore Medical College and Research, said a trauma centre at Victoria Hospital will become operational from next month. The disaster management unit would be the first in the state, and would have 40 beds for disaster management and 40 beds for intensive care.
Dr Devadas congratulated the 150 graduates and asked them to serve patients without any bias. He said BMCRI has already started the construction of a new seven-storey complex, which will have all the latest facilities including a food court and gym. This will be at a cost of `130 crore.
Medical Education Minister Dr Sharan Prakash Patil said more than the students, parents should be congratulated for taking the pain to educate their children.
Dr S S Harsoor, director of medical education, Dr T K Ramesh, director of Minto Eye Hospital, Dr Syed Iqbalulla Khadri, medical superintendent of Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital, Dr Girish, special officer of PMSSY Hospital, Dr I Durganna, medical superintendent of Victoria Hospital, and Dr Gangadhar Velvadi, medical superintendent of Vani Vilas Hospital were present.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Express News Service / March 02nd, 2015
