Category Archives: Amazing Feats

Mahadevappa Pattan passes away at 107

March 24, 2018Amazing Feats, Records, All, World Opinionadmin

Mahadevappa Shivabasappa Pattan and his wife Sharadamma M. Pattan in Bangalore. (FILE) Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.

The freedom-fighter was active in the tax-denial Satyagraha against the British

Freedom fighter and former MLA Mahadevappa Pattan died in Ramdurg in Belagavi district in the early hours of Friday. He was 107.

He is survived by his wife and former MLA Sharadamma M. Pattan and his son Ashok Pattan, who is the Congress MLA from Ramdurg and the Congress chief whip in the Assembly, and daughter Mrunalini Siddaramappa.

Role in tax-denial Satyagraha

Mr. Mahadevappa was active in the tax-denial Satyagraha against the British. He also led an uprising against King Rao Saheb Bhave in 1939. The Ramdurg administration issued shoot-at-sight orders against Mahadevappa. He went underground for nearly 10 years only to return to launch another Satyagraha against the kingdom. He was jailed for some time.

He founded the Lok Seva Sangh for Sarvodaya movement. He served as the Ramdurg MLA, by defeating the Congress nominee in 1957. He joined the Congress later. He retired from politics in the early 1970s to engage in Khadi and other social activities.

The Pattans are one of the only two families in Karnataka where the father, mother and son have been MLAs from the same district. The other is of that of Allum Veerabhadrappa who represented Kurgod constituency in Ballari four times in the past.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Bengaluru – March 24th, 2018

Karnataka : Manipal Professor’s tryst with Antartica

March 23, 2018Amazing Feats, Education, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinionadmin

Balakrishna spent 95 days there as part of a research expedition

AManipal professor is back from Antarctica — what he calls a lifetime experience — where he spent 95 days at various Indian research bases such as Bharati and Maitri. Dr K Balakrishna, professor, Dept of Civil Engineering, was part of the 37th Indian Scientific Expedition to the coldest continent along with 40 other scientists from IMD, GSI, IIG, BARC, BSI, ISRO, NCAOR and logistics personnel from Army, Border Roads Organization and others.

He was the only scientist from a deemed private University for the expedition, organized by the National Centre for Antarctica and Ocean Research (NCAOR), a research institute of Ministry of Earth Sciences and based in Goa.

“The selection procedure was tough as it demanded not only research work but also physical fitness, including two weeks of snow acclimatization at the Mountain-eering and Skiing Institute of Indo-Tibetian Border Police in Auli, Uttarakhand. Acclimatization included mountaineering, trekking across the Himalayan terrains and rock-climbing,” Dr K Balakrishna said.

Describing the entire experience as thrilling and most unforgettable, Prof Balakrishna said, “It was a rewarding experience for me both professionally and personally. Though it was tough initially with temperature dipping -10 degrees, I acclimatized quickly and got down to my research.

The research was on obtaining a baseline of micro-pollutants like pharmaceuticals, personal care products and other naturally occurring metals in the seawater, sea-ice, lakes, sediments and soil of the region. He collected over 100 samples at different locations within a radius of 20 km from the Bharati station.

The samples are being analyzed at Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences lab here.

Prof Krishnamurthy Bhat is the co-investigator of the project. The sampling was done by travelling across the region through skidoo (snow scooter) and helicopter. Bharati station has 24×7 broadband internet access with comfortable rooms, , library, Indian food and so on. The Indian expedition also used MV Ivan Papanin, an Indian ship chartered exclusively for the Antarctica expedition.

His study: Effect of micro-pollutants

The professor is measuring the level of micro-pollutants in seawater, sea-ice, lakes, sediments and soil of the region. Talking about the experiment, he said, “The environment in Antarctica is pristine with minimal pollution. However, in that region there are three stations – India, Russia and China.

Whenever we go on field trips, we use sunscreen lotions and other personal care products to prevent us from UV radiation. In the stations, we use several other products like soaps/detergents. All these contents have low amount of antibiotics. There are chances that these products including medicines we eat, may go in low doses to the sea water and may affect the sensitive eco-system. The fauna may not die, but there could be side-effects.

I am trying to get the current status of the micro-pollutants- pharmaceuticals. They may be in very low concentration, but this can affect the sensitive fauna. I am measuring the level of micro-pollutants in seawater or lakes and so on.”

source: http://www.bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> News> States / March 22nd, 2018

Bengaluru-based firm saves kids with birth defect

February 28, 2018Amazing Feats, Records, All, Science & Technologyadmin

Bengaluru :

The year is 2012. Dr Meenakshi Bhat, a clinical genetics consultant at Centre for Human Genetics, approached the country’s premium research institutes to devise low-cost nutrition products for children with the birth defect Phenylketonuria (PKU), but to no avail.

Enter Bengaluru-based Pristine Organics, and today at least 5,000 children aged below 9, and who are suffering from 27 different conditions, have benefited from ‘Metanutrition’. This is a formula powder for those whose body cannot turn food into energy for the lack of specific enzymes or proteins.

On the sidelines of Blue Ribbon Rare Diseases Symposium held here, Dr Meenakshi told The New Indian Express, “It costs Rs 16,000 to get a tin of this powder meant for PKU-1 children from outside India. Pristine offers it for Rs 1,000.”

PKU is a birth defect that causes an amino acid called phenylalanine to build up in the body. Untreated PKU can lead to brain damage, intellectual disabilities, behavioural symptoms or seizures. Treatment includes a strict diet with limited protein. It can last for years or be lifelong. In India, one lakh children are diagnosed with it annually. In December last year, Pristine was one of the five companies that the country’s food regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) gave licence to, to manufacture specialised diet for inborn errors of metabolism (IEM).

Of these five companies, Pristine was the only Indian company. In India, the prevalence of IEM is one in 2,497 newborns. Children affected by IEM don’t survive beyond the age of one, due to complications caused by protein build-up in the body.

Shruti Kumbla, senior nutritionist, Pristine Organics, said, “Previously, parents would import it from US-based Nutritia, Abott, Mead Johnson Nutrition and Switzerland-based Nestle that would cost a lot.”

Low-cost nutrition solutions for children suffering from rare diseases can do wonders if Indian companies take up manufacturing, Dr Meenakshi said.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bangalore / by Suraksha P / Express News Service / March 15th, 2018

1837: When the rebel flag fluttered high

January 16, 2018Amazing Feats, Records, All, World Opinionadmin

In 1837, this anger turned to action for freedom and the British suffered a temporary defeat, says N.S. Deviprasad Sampaje, Writer.

The Jangama Kalyanaswamy's flag used during the Sullia rebellion was hoisted by Guddera (Guddemane) Appaiah against the British in 1837 was later adopted as the Kodagu Gowda coat of arms. They are also called Arebhashe Gowdas — The Jangama Kalyanaswamy’s flag used during the Sullia rebellion was hoisted by Guddera (Guddemane) Appaiah against the British in 1837 was later adopted as the Kodagu Gowda coat of arms. They are also called Arebhashe Gowdas

Mangaluru:

It was the first armed uprising against the British, which took place 20 years before the First War of Indian Independence in 1857. The men who laid down their lives in this uprising of 1837 in Mangaluru are not forgotten.

The Tulunadu Rakshana Vedike and several others organisations marked the 179th anniversary of the uprising on Tuesday at Bavutagudda, where the rebels hoisted the Indian flag to mark their victory over the British on April 5, 1837.

“The people of Kodagu and Canara (coastal Karnataka) were unhappy with the British for various reasons. In 1837 this anger turned to action for freedom and the British suffered a temporary defeat,” recalls writer, N.S. Deviprasad Sampaje.

Mr Sampage , who wrote the book ‘Amara Sulliyada Swatantrya Sangrama,’ detailing this early struggle for freedom, says it was a mass movement and not restricted to some villages or caste.

“It received unprecedented support from the people of Dakshina Kannada. However there were efforts to tone it down by labelling it ‘Kalyanappa na Katakayi, or ‘loot of Kalyanappa’.

But in reality it was a major movement for freedom in the region, which scared the British. The reports of the then Collector of Dakshina Kannada, Leven, reveals this,” he says.

The rebellion was led in Kodagu by leaders such as Aparampara, Kalyanappa and Putta Basappa and continued in Sullia, Puttur before culminating in Mangaluru, the seat of the British Collector.

It is said the rebels held control of the city for 13 days before British reinforcements arrived in Mangaluru and recaptured it.
But it took two months more for the British to arrest the rebels and hang them in public to silence the movement.

“The government must do a proper study of the entire movement so people get to know its importance,” emphasises Mr Sampaje.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation>Current Affairs / by Gururaj A. Paniyadi, Deccan Chronicle / April 06th, 2016

Exhibition of products by women entrepreneurs in Udupi from tomorrow

January 16, 2018Amazing Feats, Business & Economyadmin

The Platform of Women Entrepreneurs (POWER) will be organising an exhibition-cum-sale of products manufactured by women entrepreneurs of Udupi district and other places, titled “Power Parba” (Power Fest) at the Mahatma Gandhi Bayalu Ranga Manidra, Beedinagudde, here from January 11 to 14.

Addressing presspersons on Tuesday, Gayathri R., president of Power, said various items, including handicrafts, jewellery, textiles, garments, fashion accessories, cosmetics, home décor, food, and paintings, would be on display at the exhibition. Women entrepreneurs from not just Udupi but also other districts and States have already registered. A total of 170 stalls will be put up.

The theme of the fest is “Go green,” as the district administration was giving importance to cleanliness. Hence, buyers should bring their own cloth bags. Only steel and paper plates would be used in food stalls.

The objectives of the parba included providing a platform for women entrepreneurs to display and sell and thereby promote their products, bringing rural and urban women entrepreneurs under one umbrella, and promoting mutual learning and collective learning between the rural and urban entrepreneurs. It aimed at creating awareness amongst the local community about these entrepreneurs. It would disseminate marketing, management, and technical knowledge.As a precursor to the fest, a car and bike rally would be held from Rajatadri in Manipal to Udupi and back to Rajatadri. Members of Power and exhibitors will be participating in this rally. The rally will be flagged off by DC Priyanka Mary Francis at 4.30 p.m. on Wednesday. Pramod Madhwaraj, Minister for Fisheries, Youth Empowerment and Fisheries, will inaugurate the Power Parba on Thursday.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Udupi – January 10th, 2018

Students create world record in singing ‘Vande Mataram’

January 14, 2018Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, World Opinionadmin

Students sing Vande Mataram on the shores of Malpe beach in Udupi on Saturday. DH photo/Umesh Marpalli.

As many as 4,580 students from 23 colleges sung ‘Vande Mataram’ on the shore of Malpe beach in the backdrop of the rhythmic tune provided by the jingles of waves on Saturday.

The programme by Samvedana Foundation, Malpe, organised to create a world record by reciting Vande Mataram, indeed spread the fervour of patriotism all over the surrounding. Although the aim was to achieve a Golden Book of World Record, the major goal was to create patriotic fervour among the students.

Singers, like Sangeetha Ravindranath, Malini Keshav, Suhana Sayeed and others joined the group of students. A 200 metre-long national flag was carried in a grand procession from Gandhi Shathabdhi Maidan in Malpe to the beach before the programme. More than 5,000 people, excluding students, were mute spectators to the mega event.

The uniqueness of the event was that it was held to mark the birth anniversary celebrations of Swami Vivekananda.

The record was created for the green initiative is already being considered at Udupi by the foundation which enabled the students to wear the badges carrying the slogan of saving nature for future. The students were trained for a couple of days to join the chorus of patriotism.

Speaking on the occasion, District In-charge Minister Pramod Madhwaraj said that youths should strive for building the country following the ideals of the greate visionaries like Swami Vivekananda.

The message of patriotism imbibed among the youths should send the unique message of oneness and brotherhood, he added.

Singer Suhana Sayeed said that event is an outstanding and memorable one.

It is a special experience that thousands of students joined hands to sing Vande Mataram, she added.

Golden Book of World Record, Delhi, chief organiser Santhosh Agarwal said that Udupi has created a world record wherein a large congregation has come together to sing the national song.

“This is for the first time that the maximum number of people gathered at one place and wore the badges. This is a new world record,” he added.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DH News Service, Udupi / January 13th, 2018

City student wins Young Scientist Award in the field of mathematics

January 13, 2018Amazing Feats, Education, Records, Alladmin

Curiosity often makes us question, and that is exactly what pushed Sebastian Thomas, a first year BSc student from St. Joseph’s College to work on his research that won him laurels recently.

Sebastian was awarded the Albertian Best Young Scientist Award and the grand prize in the model exhibition at the International Science Conference held in Kochi earlier this month.

From a group of 5,000 participants across the world, his work on the Fibonacci sequence — the golden ratio pattern and its application to five different fields — received appreciation from the panel.

Speaking to us about his achievement, Sebastian says, “The competition has a lot of place for mathematics. So, when I got to know about it, I started working towards participating in this competition. I discovered unique properties in Fibonacci numbers. The Fibonacci series has a special position in analytical number theory, basically for its pattern and golden ratio. Hence, I began exploring and thought of its application in five different fields.”

The result of Sebastian’s research can be applied in five different fields — in the field of Fourier analysis, in the growth of Hollyhock flowers (which he discovered on the college campus), in genetics where the human genes follow the golden ratio pattern), in the field of ECG and drug monitoring system.

He says, “In the field of ECG, to get an analysis done is very expensive. During an ECG, doctors mainly look at the QT interval and tell the condition of your heart. So, I thought of inter-linking my work to find the QT wave interval and I devised a new mathematical formula and the result coincided with the results of an ECG.”

Maria Thomas, faculty at St. Joseph’s College and guide for Sebastian’s research work calls him the young Ramanujan, and says, “I feel extremely overwhelmed and proud of his hard work. I am proud to say that I am his teacher. I haven’t seen such potential in anyone in the past 14 years of my career. His month-long research work is being applied in five different areas is something extraordinary. Sebastian’s research work is more about real-life applications such as in the field of ECG, which is cost-effective.”

Sebastian hopes that his findings will help the pharmaceutical industries to come up with cost effective methods in the field of research.

The next step, however, he says will be to submit his findings to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he hopes to have an equation named after him.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Bangalore News / by Sandra Marina Fernandes / TNN / January 12th, 2018

Bikers organise ride to help differently abled

January 9, 2018Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainmentadmin

One purpose and one ride on the same day in 18 different cities – this is what the ‘We Are One’ ride was all about. In Bangalore, 200 bikers from Road Thrill, Sanchari Bikers and Gixxer Club came together to raise funds for the ‘super humans’, as they call the differently-abled people. The collected funds will be donated to Knowndisability.org that supports differently-abled people across the country.

On a cool Sunday morning, the ride started from Parle G toll gate at 7:30 and ended at Tumkur Road. Road Thrill, which is spread in many cities in India, organised the ride in 5 out of 18 cities.

Sandeep KC, one of the three admins of the Bengaluru chapter of Road Thrill, says, “I joined RT 4 years ago. This ride was a different experience. Out of the 18 cities, where the ride took place, Road Thrill organized it in Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai, Delhi and Coimbatore.”

Starting the ride on a positive note, the bikers invited two differently-abled bikers – BV Srinivas and Abhi – who rode along on their customised bikes and were honoured at the end of the ride.

BV Srinivas had polio since birth. He walks using crutches but his energy is infectious. Once when he was lured seeing a bike, the owner mocked him saying that people like him should not dream of bikes. There was no turning back for him after that. He was invited as a special guest to join the ride today.

Srinivas says, “My mantra is that nothing is impossible. I never give up. Especially when someone challenges me saying that I cannot do it, I get more motivated.

After the first incident, I went to a dealer at Bannerghatta and asked him to modify a Royal Enfield bike for me. Mine has a side wheel for support and gears and break near the handle and the petrol tank which make it easy for me to control it.”

Currently, Road Thrill has two chapters in Karnataka – Bengaluru and Shimoga – and plans to extend to Mysuru this year.

On Republic Day, 26th January, Road Thrill is organidsing yet another ride to promote road safety.

source: http://www.bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> Bangalore> Others / by Reya Mehrotra / Bangalore Mirror Bureau / January 08th, 2018

Baldev Raj no more

January 7, 2018Amazing Feats, Records, All, Science & Technologyadmin

Baldev Raj, 71, Director of the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), passed away on Saturday in Pune, Maharashtra, while attending a conference.

A recipient of the Padma Shri award, he took over as director of NIAS, Bengaluru, in 2014. He had also served as director of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research in Kalpakkam.

Author of around 1,000 academic papers in peer reviewed journals and more than 70 books, the professor won more than 100 awards and assignments in more than 30 countries, according to a NIAS release.

He was also the recipient of the Life Time Achievement Award of the Indian Nuclear Society, the Homi Bhabha Gold Medal, and the Dr.Y. Nayudamma Memorial Award.

A member of the Circle of Advisors, University of Cambridge, and a member of the Search Group for the Queen Elizabeth Prize in Engineering, he was also a Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy and the World Academy of Sciences.

He was also the chairman of the Board of Governors of IIT Gandhinagar and a member of the court of JNU, New Delhi, the release added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Staff Reporter / Bengaluru = January 06th, 2018

These swimmers are making waves

December 28, 2017Amazing Feats, Records, All, Sportsadmin

One thing that inspires fitness enthusiasts not to miss their training sessions is Shridhar Malagi pumping weights at Jairaj Gym in Tilakwadi.

While others sweat it out, Mr. Malagi seems to do it effortlessly and that too with just one hand. Doctors had amputated his left hand after he met with an accident.

Mr. Malagi visits the gym only to keep himself fit. His real prowess is seen in swimming. He is part of the State team that won several medals at the recent national para swimming event. He won five medals under various categories and plans to compete at the 2020 Paralympics.

Mr. Malagi remembers the fateful day when he lost his arm. He was returning home in Belagavi when his school auto met with an accident. Multiple visits to hospitals, before and after surgery, and many painful nights later, he returned to school. That was 12 years ago when he was in Class 1. “I was feeling down and out. We were poor and could not afford any special school. My father works as an assistant in a factory and mother a maid,” he told The Hindu. And then his swimming story began. Coach Umesh Kalaghatagi, who trains children at the JNMC swimming pool and the Rotary sports centre, spotted him at the edge of the pool, and asked him if he wanted to swim.

Mr. Malagi hesitantly said yes and brought his parents to meet the coach the next day.

“I have seldom missed my swimming classes since that day,” he says.

In his para swimming career of over five years he has won 27 medals at national events.

A similar inspiring story is that of Simran Gaundalkar who won two medals at the recent World Dwarf Games at Ontario in Canada. The 14-year-old girl has collected 24 medals at the national and international events.

Born with Achondroplasia, a genetic disorder that restricts growth and leads to dwarfism, she was ridiculed by neighbours and schoolmates. But her parents supported her and sent her to study in a normal school in Belagavi.

“Coach Kalaghatagi spotted me and initiated me into swimming. I never believed I would do it, but now I enjoy it,” she said. She has been training since she was in Class 2.

Zilla Panchayat CEO R. Ramachandran felicitated the swimmers on Monday. He promised all help to the swimmers and their coach Mr. Kalaghatagi.

“We will help them in their search for sponsors and try to provide them with other assistance,” he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> States> Karnataka / by Rishikesh Bahadur Desai / Belagavi – December 27th, 2017

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