Category Archives: Records, All

Nandan Nilekani to be given Legend in Leadership award by Yale

Business & Economy, Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Washington :

IT Czar Nandan Nilekani  has been selected for the ‘Legend in Leadership Award’, becoming the first Indian to receive Yale University’s top honour.

Nilekani, 54, Chairman of India’s Unique Identification Database Authority will be presented with award given by the Yale University President Richard C Levin at the Yale CEO Leadership Summit of The Chief Executive Leadership Institute in New Delhi on November 6.

The summit will convene one hundred world-renowned business leaders in New Delhi on November 5 and 6 to discuss the theme of ‘Navigating the Global Oceans of Opportunity for Indian Business,’ a media release said.

The ‘Legend in Leadership Award’ was created 20 years ago to honor current and former CEOs who serve as living legends to inspire chief executives across industries, sectors, and nations.

Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase; Robert Iger of The Walt Disney Company; Stephen Schwarzman of The Blackstone Group; Roger Enrico of PepsiCo; John Pepper of Proctor & Gamble and Don Keough of The Coca-Cola Co were some of the other people who received the prestigious honour.

Others who had earlier received the honour include were McKinsey founder Marvin Bower;Richard Teerlink of Harley-Davidson.; Holiday Inn founder Kemmons Wilson; financier Wilbur Ross; and Lou Gerstner of IBM.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> India / PTI / November 03rd, 2009

President Dr. S. Radhakrishnan made school prayer of DMS secular

Amazing Feats, Education, Leaders, Records, All

by Dr. C.G. Nagaraja ,  Retd. Head Master,  DMS,  RIE,  Mysore

It was a very pleasant morning on 7th December 1965. The staff and the students of Demonstration Multipurpose School (DMS), attached to the Regional College of Education, Mysore (RIE), had a very important function to attend in their school premises, which is also the campus of RIE. It was the visit of the great Teacher of our country, the then President of India, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan.

The writer of this article was a Teacher in RIE at that time and was assigned to teach in DMS, a school attached to the RIE as a laboratory school for innovative practices.

On this occasion, the President planted a sapling to commemorate his visit and then we were asked to render the school prayer in front of the President of India which we deemed as a great moment for all of us. The school prayer is and was a Sanskrit shloka, that is yam shaivaha…

We the staff and the selected students chanted the shloka in front of all the dignitaries including the President of India, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan. The moment we finished the prayer, the President asked us to sing again. He listened to the rendering carefully and asked us to include one more line and to our surprise he said, ‘sing along with me.’ It was such an excitement to all the people in the open-air function of planting a sapling, we readily joined him. He told us to write down and added one line in Sanskrit to match the shloka. He added on the spot a line which included the names of Jesus and Mohammed. The shloka now reads as shown in the box below.

It is almost 50 years now since this event took place. What an intellectual he must be to add the most secular phrase to our epic shloka !

Today, Regional Institute of Education maintains the spot where our President stood and sung the shloka at the park and a gardener maintains it since the past 49 years. Every year Teachers Day is celebrated at this spot in memory of Dr. Radhakrishnan and the students of DMS sing the amended shloka as school prayer daily.

As an educator and a Principal of Schools, wherever I worked I introduced this shloka as school prayer.

Some of the old photographs show the tree that was a sapling of a few inches. It has now grown to a huge tree and stands majestically, singing the same Prayer in silence, heralding the spirit of secularism of this country.

PlantBF21sept2014

I am very grateful to my colleagues of RIE who assisted in getting some of the photographs from the library. I am grateful to Rekha and Sharada who were students of RIE in 1965 and a team member of the singing group, Shivakumar, a crafts teacher who carved the bust of our late President to install at the spot where the sapling has now grown into a mighty tree.

*The Shloka before the 2 lines were added:

Yam Shaivaha Samupasathe

Shiva ethi brahmethi vedanthinaha

Bhoudhatha Buddha ethi pramanapatavaha

Karthethi Niyayikaha

Arhan Ethyatha Jaina Shasanarataha

Karmethi meemamsakaha

Soyam vo vidadhathu vaanchitha phalam

Trilokyanatho vibuhu.

The Shloka after the 2 lines were added:

Yam Shaivaha Samupasathe

Shiva ethi brahmethi vedanthinaha

Bhoudhatha Buddha ethi pramanapatavaha

Karthethi Niyayikaha

Arhan Ethyatha Jaina Shasanarataha

Karmethi meemamsakaha

Kristhaha – kristha ethi Kriyapararathaha

Allethi Mohamadaha

Soyamvo vidadhathu vanchitha phalam

Trilokya naatho vibhuhu

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / September 15th,  2014

Young Indian architect named ‘leader of tomorrow’ by Time magazine

Leaders, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion
AlokShettyBF20sept2014
New York :

A 28-year-old Indian architect has been named “young leader of tomorrow” by Time magazine for his pioneering work in designing affordable flood-proof houses for slum dwellers.

Alok Shetty is among “leaders of tomorrow” who are “working hard to change their worlds on Saturday,” Time said as it named six inspirational young persons in its first class of “next generation leaders”.

Time said Shetty is “building hope in India” as an architect who is “finding simple solutions to complex problems.”

Shetty, working with the Bangalore-based nonprofit Parinaam Foundation, is designing homes for hundreds of slum dwellers whose makeshift houses flood during the heavy rains and become breeding grounds for diseases like malaria.

He has been working in Bangalore’s LRDE slum, which lies next to one of the southern Indian city’s sprawling technology parks and is home to some 2,000 people.

Shetty, who studied Master’s in architecture at Columbia University, “came at the problem with an approach he brings to all of his projects – marrying smart design with a commitment to sustainability.”

He designed flood-proof houses, costing USD 300, out of discarded scaffolding, bamboo and wood. The houses are affordable and easy to set up as it takes only four hours to erect and dismantle them.

Shetty is seeking government subsidies to bring the price down further for those who cannot afford the units.

“Shetty epitomizes a growing breed of young leaders and entrepreneurs in India who are committed to finding solutions for a country undergoing rapid social and economic changes, some of which can leave India’s poorest straggling behind,” Time said.

Another venture by is a plan to boost access to healthcare and education in remote communities.

“In my travels I saw vast stretches of rural India where infrastructure for health care and education was severely underdeveloped,” he says in the Time report.

“Building facilities in these areas is not impossible but it is time-consuming. Adaptive architecture can be an extremely effective solution to help address our developmental problems,” he said, adding that “often the simplest solutions are the best solutions.”

The list also includes Israeli social entrepreneur Adi Altschuler (27), China’s Zhao Bowen (22) who is working on improving medical testing and activist Ikram Ben Said (34) who founded ‘Aswat Nissa’ in Tunisia that is dedicated to women’s rights and the first to involve Tunisian women politicians.

Online music video mogul Jamal Edwards (24) is building an online music video empire and giving other entrepreneurs a helping hand while British-Nigerian Ola Orekunrin (28) is the founder and managing director of Flying Doctors Nigeria, the first emergency air ambulance service in the country.

–PTI

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> NRI’s Corner / Saturday – September 20th, 2014

R.S. Naidu Award for Mandya Ramesh

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

Mysore :

R.S. Naidu Art & Cultural Welfare Trust has organised a function to present RSN Excellent Award- 2014 to actor Mandya Ramesh, founder of Natana, to mark the 109th birth anniversary of freedom fighter R.S. Naidu, on Sept. 15 at Vijaya Vittala High School in Saraswathipuram at 5.30 pm, according to a press release.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> In Brief  / September 13th,  2014

When the Queen of Song captured the West

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, World Opinion
M.S. Subbulakshmi and her husband, T. Sadasivam (third from left), are greeted by the Duke of Edinburgh at the International Music Festival. / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu
M.S. Subbulakshmi and her husband, T. Sadasivam (third from left), are greeted by the Duke of Edinburgh at the International Music Festival. / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu

In 1963, M.S. Subbulakshmi enthralled audiences at the International Music Festival in Edinburgh

M.S. Subbulakshmi, the ‘queen of song’ would have turned 98 on September 16. While she continues to be celebrated as a legend of Indian classical music around the globe, not many are aware that up until 1963, the Western world knew little of her or her music.

It was only with the International Music Festival held in Edinburgh in September that year that things changed. The West finally discovered Carnatic music as it were, and the voice that rendered it best.

The Carnatic musician and her husband, T. Sadasivam, received Lord Harewood, the president of the festival, at their home in Madras. / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu
The Carnatic musician and her husband, T. Sadasivam, received Lord Harewood, the president of the festival, at their home in Madras. / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu

Lord Harewood, the president of the festival and a cousin of Queen Elizabeth, however, had the good fortune of hearing M.S. five years prior to his fellow countrymen. It was in October 1958, in Delhi, that Lord Harewood and his Countess found themselves enthralled by one of M.S.’ many national broadcasts.

T. Sadasivam, the icon’s husband, writes in M.S: The Queen of Song (1987): “Evidently they were taken up by her music and later gave us the pleasure of receiving them in our home in Madras. They invited us to Edinburgh in order that Subbulakshmi could participate in the International Music Festival.”

The show, conceived as an opportunity to initiate Western audiences to the riches of India’s performing arts, also featured sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar, violinist Yehudi Menuhin and dancer Balasaraswati, among others.

For M.S., this was a first on many accounts. Not only was it her first overseas performance, but also her very first trip abroad.

On August 21, she left Madras by train to Bombay, from where she flew to London four days later. During her two-hour-long recitals on August 30 and September 2, she was accompanied by R.S. Gopalakrishnan on the violin, T.K. Murthy on the mridangam, and Alangudi Ramachandran on the ghatam.

Narayana Menon, secretary of the Sangeet Natak Academy, also educated the unfamiliar audience in the history, dynamics and nuances of the Carnatic music system, with special reference to the songs being performed.

M.S.’ concerts ran to packed houses in the Freemason Hall. A jubilant headline on the front page of The Hindu on September 4 read ‘M.S In Top Form at Edinburgh’.

The artist exhilarated crowds with her performance of compositions by Thyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, Swathi Thirunal, Papanasam Sivan, Panchanadeeswarar Aiyar and Tagore. It was Hari tuma haro, a favourite of Mahatma Gandhi, with which she chose to conclude.

Soon after, M.S. was invited to Europe and then America to perform.

This was the landmark which enabled Carnatic music to be unveiled to the West and find a truly international audience. For that, and much more, we have M.S. Subbulakshmi to thank.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Nitya Menon / Chennai – September 18th, 2014

Hyderabad student is ‘World Topper in Mathematics’

Education, Records, All, World Opinion

Rishikesh Reddy Kayathi of Oakridge International School has been declared a ‘World Topper in Mathematics’, in the Grade X International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) Examinations conducted by Cambridge University.

Toppers in IGCSE exam: report from Bangalore

Three Class X students of a private school in Bangalore have topped the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examination held in June 2014 in three subjects at the national level. While Ami Mehta has secured the first rank in English, Uma Shekhawat topped in Entrepreneurship and Mahesh Bhide has stood first in Chemistry. They are students of Indus International School.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Education Plus / September 04th, 2014

Teen Conquers Bhagirathi River

Education, Records, All, Sports

 Belgaum :

At just 13, Belgaum boy Aditya Shailesh Prabhu stunned spectators by swimming 81 km non-stop in the Bhagirathi river at the 71st Open Water Long-distance Swimming Competition (OWLDSC) held in Jangipur, West Bengal, recently.

He was the youngest of the participants, drawn from various parts of the country.

AdityaBF17sept2014

Aditya had to swim from Ahiron Ghat in Jangipur to Gora Bazar Ghat, which he completed in 12 hours, 29 minutes and 43 seconds. Of the 25 participants, only 12 could complete the stretch and Aditya came 8th.

He told Express that the competition was a “dream come true.”  He recalled participating in the 19-km OWLDSC last year, where he had witnessed the 81-km challenge. “From then onwards, I started preparing,” he said. Aditya is a student of KLS English Medium School in Belgaum.

His mother Seema Prabhu said the strong will of her son was the reason he was able to participate. All year, Aditya maintained a strict diet and exercised under the guidance of retired Subedar Maruti Ghadi, a national-level wrestler. Aditya’s father Shailesh Prabhu said his son needed more time to practise and so he had approached the school authorities. The school staff responded positively. Three months before the competition, Aditya started practising eight hours a day. Once in 15 days, he pushed himself to swim 12 hours.  He was in the pool from early morning to afternoon.

Aditya now dreams of swimming the English Channel next year.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Tushar A. Majukar / September 16th, 2014

Tulu script brought out in Unicode

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

The Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy on Monday released the Unicode version of Tulu script, bringing the language spoken in coastal districts of Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Kasaragod on the world-language platform.

The academy termed it a major milestone towards getting the language included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mangalore – September 16th, 2014

69 monuments in State to be restored, renovated

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, Travel

It will cost the exchequer Rs. 15.63 crore

Historical site: The State's Archaeology Department is repairing mantapas at the kalyani at Melkote at a cost of Rs. 50 lakh. — Photo: M.A. Sriram / The Hindu
Historical site: The State’s Archaeology Department is repairing mantapas at the kalyani at Melkote at a cost of Rs. 50 lakh. — Photo: M.A. Sriram / The Hindu

The State Archaeology Department has taken up the restoration and renovation of 69 protected monuments in the State at an estimated cost of Rs. 15.63 crore.

This includes the restoration of mantapas around the kalyani at Melkote at a cost of Rs. 50 lakh, the renovation and restoration of Parsvanath Basdi at Kanakagiri in Chamarajanagar district at a cost of Rs. 30 lakh, the Srikanteshwara temple at KM Halli on the outskirts of Mysore at a cost of Rs. 50 lakh, among others.

But the icing on the cake is the conversion of Dewan Purnaiah’s bungalow at Yellandur into a full-fledged museum for which the property is being acquired on a lease for 33 years.

Disclosing this, Mr. R. Gopal, Director, Department of Archaeology and Museums, told The Hindu that the descendants of Dewan Purnaiah have agreed to lease out the bungalow to the Archaeology Department for 33 years at a cost of Rs. 1,000 per annum. The lease deed was being finalised and has gone to the legal cell for approval, he added.

Once acquired on lease, the bungalow would be restored befitting its heritage status. The work is expected to be ready by the end of the current financial year while the Dewan Purnaiah Memorial Government Museum would take some time for development. However, it is likely to be thrown open to the public by 2011-12, according to Mr. Gopal.

He said plans are to display all the records pertaining to Dewan Purnaiah in the historical context while a gallery exclusively devoted to the art and architecture of Karnataka would be developed. Also on the anvil is an epigraphy gallery, an inscription gallery which will showcase copies of important inscriptions of the State apart from a sculpture gallery.

History

Dewan Purnaiah was a Minister under Tipu Sultan and after the death of Tipu in the Fourth Mysore War in May, 1799, the Mysore kingdom was restored to the Wadiyars and Purnaiah, who was reckoned to be an able administrator was made the Dewan of the Mysore kingdom. Among the notable achievements of Purnaiah included suppression of the palegars of the region, administrative division of the kingdom for better efficiency, initiatives for public works like the Sagarkatte Dam across the Cauvery at K.R. Nagar.

The Mysore Gazetteer notes that the vaccination against small pox was introduced in Mysore by Dewan Purnaiah in 1806, for the first time in India. Historians say the region was so prosperous under his Dewanship that people migrated from Nizam’s dominion during the 1804 famine. In recognition of his services, the British granted him Yellandur as a jagir in 1807.

Mr. Gopal said a wax museum showcasing life-style statue of important historical personalities of the region including some of the prominent rulers of the Wadiyar dynasty, Tipu Sultan and Hyder Ali was also in the offing. The museum would be an attraction to tourists visiting B.R. Hills as they would have to pass through Yellandur and hence was expected to be popular.

  • Dewan Purnaiah Memorial Government Museum will come up in Purnaiah’s bungalow
  • Purnaiah’s descendants to lease it out to the Archaeology Department for 33 years 

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by R Krishna Kumar / Mysore – December 24th, 2010

Narayana MultiSpeciality Hospital launches Mysore’s first heart valve clinic

Records, All, Science & Technology

Mysore :

Narayana Multispeciality Hospital Mysore today announced the launch of Mysore’s first dedicated ‘Heart Valve Clinic’ that will offer advanced care for repair of the diseased valve. The advanced technology along with a team of senior cardiac experts will ensure early accurate diagnosis and treatment to patients suffering from heart related disorders.

The city has witnessed a steady rise in heart valve disease cases and unfortunately there are a high percentage of children also suffering from such conditions. This created a critical need for a specialised clinic that can perform specialised surgeries and procedures to address the growing disease burden and provide accurate screening and treatment planning. Valve diseases can be congenital or could happen due to infections or degenerative at a later stage in life. Rheumatic heart disease with valvular stenosis or leaks in the young and adult age groups, myxomatous valve disease in the adult women with minimal discomfort (asymptomatic MR) and elderly with degenerative valve disease are common in the area.

Dr. M.N Ravi – Senior Cardiac Surgeon, is seen addressing.
Dr. M.N Ravi – Senior Cardiac Surgeon, is seen addressing.

Speaking about the launch of the clinic, Dr. M.N Ravi – Senior Cardiac Surgeon at Narayana Multispeciality Hospital Mysore said, “According to data, 2 – 4% of school going children in the rural areas of Mysore suffer from rheumatic heart disease. In most cases, patients develop heart valve disease during childhood but often due to poor awareness the disease goes undiagnosed till it reaches advanced stage. With timely and accurate diagnosis and advanced surgical techniques we can effectively perform complex repair on patients who were considered inoperable.”

The clinic will provide outpatient support for all non-emergency patients with free consultation from Cardiac Surgeon and free investigations like ECG, ECHO scan.

Commenting on the launch of the Heart Valve Clinic, K.S. Dattatreya, Director of the hospital said, “Narayana Multispeciality Hospital Mysore is considered as a centre of excellence to treat heart valve disorders. Our goal is to set-up a speciality clinic that offers high quality care to patients suffering from any kind of valve disease to bring down the mortality rate and disease burden in and around Mysore.”

The Department of Cardiac Science specialises in all streams of cardiac treatments and deals with complex heart problems.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News  / September 10th,  2014