Category Archives: Nri’s / Pio’s

Govt unveils website for kin of deceased abroad

Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, World Opinion

Mangalore :

Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) has launched a new website to help the kin to apply online for transportation of mortal remains of the deceased emigrant in any of the ECR (Emigration Check Required) countries. The ECR countries are Malaysia, Jordan, UAE, Yemen, Lebanon, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Libya, Sudan, Syria, and Thailand.

If Indians in any of these above mentioned nations die, in such case their relatives and legal heirs can now apply at the MOIA website www.moia.gov.in with effect from August 12, 2014, an official press communique from the office of Mangalore City Police commissioner here on Tuesday states. The communique advised people to log on to this website in case of need and obtain necessary assistance from the ministry in their time of distress.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Mangalur / by Jaideep Shenoy, TNN / November 04th, 2014

Mandya Ramesh invited to direct play in US

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Nri's / Pio's, World Opinion

Mysore :

The members of Kannada Koota and Theatre enthusiasts of California in America have invited cine actor, theatrist and director Mandya Ramesh of Natana to direct a Kannada play at California.

Having seen the plays Chama Cheluve, Chora Charanadasi, Samsaradalli Sa Ni Da Pa, Agni Mattu Male and many children’s plays directed by Mandya Ramesh, the California Kannada Association has invited him to conduct theatre camp and direct a play in the US.

Mandya Ramesh has consented to stay in the US for 25 days and train America Kannadigas in Classical Theatre.

With all diplomatic formalities completed, the theatrist is scheduled to leave for the US in the second week of October along with his Natana theatre troupe artistes.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home>General  News / Tuesday , October 07th, 2014

Asian Games 2014 : Mysore-born Vikas Gowda bags Silver in Discuss Throw

Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

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Incheon :

Despite not being fully fit, Vikas Gowda managed to win a silver in the men’s discus throw event at the Asian Games 2014 being held at Incheon in South Korea yesterday. Iran’s Ehsan Hadadi, the London Olympic

Silver medalist and Asian record holder, won the gold with a 65.11mts throw to complete a hat-trick of triumphs at the Asian Games.

Commonwealth Games champion Gowda, who took a bronze in Guangzhou four years ago, produced his day’s best of 62.58 in the second throw to bring India’s lone medal in athletics for the day.

Tintu in finals: Meanwhile, Tintu Luka and Sushma Devi qualified for the women’s 800m final while Sajeesh Joseph (1:49.90) progressed to the title round in the men’s section.

Luka, the Asian leader, won the first heat in 2:04.28 sec while Devi was third in the next one, a fast heat which Kazakhstan’s Asiad defending champion Margarita Mukasheva, who is making a comeback of sorts, took in 2:02.83.

National champion Jithin Paul (51.76) made the cut after taking the second spot in the next heat in the 400 mts hurdles. Ashwini Akkunji, the women’s 400 mts hurdles winner at the Guangzhou Asiad, also qualified for the final by finishing second in her heat in 57.67 sec.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home>Sports News  / Wednesday, October 01st, 2014

PIO’s thesis to detail sex workers’ life in Mumbai

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, World Opinion

Mangalore  :

India-born German Chaya Maria Schupp, who has been searching for her biological mother from the past decade, is also another mission — documenting the lives of sex workers in Mumbai.

She is pursuing her doctorate thesis on the subject as part of an exchange programme between the University of Kassel, Germany, and Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. The thesis will document the lives of women in the red-light areas of Mumbai and how they cope with home and work.

Chaya, who started working on her thesis in 2011, plans to submit it early next year. “Only half of the work is done. I have interviewed countless sex workers and have come to understand their plight,” she said.

The major focus of her thesis is to study the system. Though Germany has many red-light districts, Chaya does not want to comment on it or compare it with the one in Mumbai.

According to her, women have been pushed into sex trade majorly due to poverty and violence at home. “There are different hues of women I have seen. Many of those who have joined voluntarily due to poverty do not enjoy it. Some come to make a fast buck. Some are forced into it. Some are happy and others unhappy,” said Chaya, who has studied women’s issues. “I like to study issues affecting women. My focus has been violation of women’s rights,” she said.

Chaya was six when she was adopted by a German couple.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Mangalore / Stanley Pinto, TNN / October 03rd, 2014

London: Mangalorean Keith Lobo bags English Asian Business Award

Business & Economy, Leaders, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, World Opinion

by Raj Francis Pereira – UK

London :

Keith Lobo, son of Richard and Christine Lobo of London is the first Mangalorean to win the prestigious English Asian Business Award for the year 2014. This event was compered by the Lloyds Banking Group on 29th of September 2014 at the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel in Manchester UK.

The “English Asian Business Awards” is awarded to accolade the resoluteness, strenuous effort and personal achievements of English Asian Business men and women at the forefront of their industries. Each year, the competition has become more excruciating as the event itself has grown into a highly reverenced occurrence, where the best and most effulgent are adored.

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Businesses from across the UK gathered at the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel in Manchester to celebrate success at this year’s Lloyds Banking Group English Asian Business Awards. There were 16 awards presented, a triumpher from each category. Keith Lobo was a finalist in the new business of the year category.

Over 300 attendees, including golden glove champion and actor Joe Egan, Author Fiaz Rafiq and DJ Noreen Khan, the black tie event was hosted by Miss United Kingdom Supranational, Rachelle Perez along with businessman and chef director at Mushtaq’s Restaurant, Ajmal Mushtaq.

Attending the black tie event on the night the judges decided who the victor was, they had secret shoppers and researchers scouting the business who were finalist. Within the catergory the other finalist were the following:

New Business of the Year award is for a business which has been prosperously operating for approximately 24 months and was set up despite the negativity that subsists in the current climate. The following were the nominees under the incipient business category.

LOBO Meat & Poultry (London)

Timber Door Merchants (Keighley)

Tipu Sultan (Birmingham)

GMR (Birmingham)

Usortd.com (London)

Scarlet Bindi (London)

Gift Wellness.co.uk (Derby)

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Keith Lobo of Lobo Meat & Poultry was announced the winner for new business of the year 2014 in the evening. A very jubilant Keith Lobo accepted the award. In his brief speech he expressed his thanks to his parents for their fortification and being such a great inspiration. He also thanked his wife Sushma Lobo for being a woman behind his success.

source: http://www.daijiworld.com / DaijiWorld.com / Home> Top Stories / by Raj Francis Pereira – UK , London October 02nd 2014 / DaijiWorld.com – Thursday, October 02nd, 2014

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

Leaders, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion
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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

‘BIMS to get autonomous status next year ’

Business & Economy, Education, Nri's / Pio's, World Opinion

Bahadur couple nominated as Overseas Brand Ambassadors for the Centenary Celebrations of Mysore University

Prof. K.S. Rangappa, Vice-Chancellor, University of Mysore, is seen handing over a citation to Dr. B.N. Bahadur nominating the Bahadur couple as Overseas Brand Ambassadors for the Centenary Celebrations of Mysore University at a programme in city this morning as R.C. Jagadesh, Chairman, CII, Mysore Zone and Prof. Aisha M. Sheriff, BIMS Chairperson, look on.
Prof. K.S. Rangappa, Vice-Chancellor, University of Mysore, is seen handing over a citation to Dr. B.N. Bahadur nominating the Bahadur couple as Overseas Brand Ambassadors for the Centenary Celebrations of Mysore University at a programme in city this morning as R.C. Jagadesh, Chairman, CII, Mysore Zone and Prof. Aisha M. Sheriff, BIMS Chairperson, look on.

Mysore :

“B.N. Bahadur Institute of Management Sciences (BIMS) in Manasagangotri will be granted autonomous status from the next academic year,” said Prof. K.S. Rangappa, Vice- Chancellor, University of Mysore (UoM), here this morning.

Speaking after presiding over B.N. Bahadur Institute of Management Sciences’ Decennial Celebration Lecture Series on “Contemporary challenges in Managing Business” at Rani Bahadur Auditorium in city, he said the University had taken this decision at its Advisory Board meeting held yesterday.

He pointed out that the granting of autonomous status would help in the comprehensive development of the Institute and take it to much greater heights.

Dr. B.N.Bahadur, an alumni of the UoM and President & CEO of Blue Nectar Spirits Company, Michigan & Colorado, USA, who was the chief guest on the occasion, said that it gave him immense pleasure to come back to the Varsity Campus, especially at BIMS.

Recalling the then Vice-Chancellor Dr. S.N. Hegde’s visit to his house in USA approximately 12 years ago, Dr. Bahadur said that Dr. Hegde asked him whether he could support the UoM in building a Business Management school offering MBA programmes.

“I took Dr. Hegde’s request under consideration and discussed with my family and agreed to build a business school at this present location. I asked my friend late Dr.P.N. Reddy to take the lead in this venture along with Dr. Hegde and Dr. Shamanna. Thereafter the trio acted as a bridge in overseeing the construction of the Institute with the assistance of P.S. Prasad under the Bahadur Family Foundation. A couple of years later, the BIMS was born and today it has a total strength of over 450 national and international students,” said Dr. B.N. Bahadur.

Before his address, Dr. Bahadur greeted the gathering in 17 Indian and Foreign languages, much to their delight. On this momentous occasion, Prof. Rangappa handed over a citation nominating Dr. B.N. Bahadur and Rani Bahadur as the Overseas Brand Ambassador couple for the Centenary Celebration of University of Mysore.

Senior Journalist Niranjan Nikkam, Consultant for Centenary Celebrations, gave a brief on the significance of nominating Dr. Bahadur couple.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / September 12th,  2014

The many talents of a promising danseuse

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, Science & Technology

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Budding danseuse Anoosha Sri’s story is special for reasons way too many. A dancer, actor, singer, swimmer and a pianist that she is, Anoosha is aptly gifted, well-trained and highly intelligent. She has several good endowments all in the bag and no wonder; her feats are big as the girl is still all of 12!

Though lass of many hats, we wish to tell you about one special feat of Anoosha’s today. The girl is all set to present her Bharatanatyam Rangapravesha. Wondering what is special about it, as way too many of them often present Rangapravesha performances? Anoosha’s Rangapravesha is an achievement in itself as the girl has been tutored through Skype — the widely used voice-over-IP service and she has gained expertise to reach up to the stage of performing a Rangapravesha in the beautiful traditional Indian dance form in just a year’s time. Having decided to learn it this unique way as she happens to be a resident of Louisville, USA, Anoosha’s classes began through online training by noted city-based dancers Badari Divya Bhushan and Dr. Anjana Bhushan last July.

“It wasn’t easy at all,” says Bhushan, talking of his favourite Skype student who is here to meet him in person for the first time, ever since he began training her last year. “My academy has been tutoring students via Skype since a few years now. We tutor about 16 students from countries like Berlin, USA, Dubai and Australia of whom, Anoosha is one who is excellent and my favourite. I never agree to teach students via Skype easily as it’s strenuous for the student as well as us tutors since we need to adjust to each other’s country’s timings,” explains he, “But before I decide to say yes, I interview the student over phone. And when I did it with Anoosha, I found that she is really interested in learning and had perfectly done her homework about the art and was not wanting to learn the dance just for the sake of gaining a so called degree in Bharatanatyam, which many receive but do nothing than simply add it to their personal bio-data.”

According to him, Anoosha who was already trained in the basics of Bharatanatyam by tutors Akila Iyer and Smitha Paily at the US seemed to be really interested in learning it with momentousness and they thus began her classes and that too in Tamil (their mother tongue) during weekends since July last year. Such was her keenness that in just a few months’ time, Anoosha requested Bhushan to tutor her for more hours, jut to expertise the skills better, says the tutor. And slowly with time, she picked up several skills to perfection all by Skype which was amusing to watch and she even performed at a couple of events in the US by learning exclusive moves for different dance shows, he adds.

But how is it that she developed such keen interest in this Indian art though born and brought up in the USA? “I love this dance form the most as I believe it is the hardest one to learn as well as to be executed,” explains the little girl who is getting all geared up to present performances at several places in India after her Rangapravesha in Bangalore this weekend. Anoosha is here exclusively for these performances along with her parents Srinivasa and Mayura, both engineers at the USA.

Talking of her achievements, they explain: “It was at the age of 3 that she first performed on stage. She sang at an event. But we always saw that she loved dancing as she used to dance for every music that played on TV. And we thus decided to get her trained. However, we wanted her to learn the same more precisely under more able guidance and that is when we came across this online training by Bhushans which we took to. We are extremely happy she has learnt so much from them in such a short period of time.”

And their happiness about their child’s achievements knows no bounds as dance is not the only thing she excels in. Apart from this, Anoosha is a talented pianist who has been part of an International Piano Composition Contest and was rated excellent for her composition, she is well-trained in both Karnatak and Hindustani Classical music, is excellent at academics because of which she skipped two grades once she joined school and she is a prize-winning essayist and the 12-year-old is a member of the National Junior Honour Society, Donna Wilkinson Chapter, too. “All her teachers at her schools too are extremely proud of her back in the US, which makes us feel wonderful about her,” gushes Anoosha’s mom who can go on and on about her little daughters achievements with excitement brimming in her eyes.

You can watch her sway in the traditional dance form at the Guruvandana programme to be held at Jaganmohan Palace in Mysore on July 25 from 6 pm onwards. —AN

Anoosha’s feats: 2012-2014: Member of the National Junior Honour Society, Donna Wilkison Chapter

2014: Won Daughters of the American Revolution Essay Contest; Participated in the Tuttle Memorial Music Competition at Cleveland, USA.

2013 and 2014: Won an honourable mention and rated superior for her composition in International Piano Composition Contest.

2013: Value of Life Award Essay Contest winner; Invited to the grand recognition ceremony at Duke University USA, based on ACT Test Scores as part of the Duke Talent Identification (TIP) programme.

2010-2013: National Piano Playing Auditions – National Member.

2010: Won Kentucky Tamil Sangham Tamil Competition.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home>Feature Articles  / July 20th, 2014

US President’s education award to students with Mysore link

Education, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, World Opinion

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Mysore :

In order to recognise academic success in the classroom, the US Department of Education presents President’s Award for Educational Excellence every year.

Nikitha Chalgeri, daughter of Smitha R. Chalgeri and Raju Chalgeri, residents of US, has been awarded American President’s Education Award for outstanding excellence for achieving all-round progress in Academic as well as extra curricular activities during 2014. She is pursuing her 7th standard in Tesoro Del Velle School, California, USA. Nikitha’s elder sister Nidhi Chalgeri was also awarded similar education award during 2010.

President Barack Obama has also sent a congratulatory message from White House for achieving this unique Education Award which reads as follows:

“Please accept my congratulations on receiving the President’s Education Award. I am pleased to join your family, friends and teachers in honouring this tremendous achievement.

America’s continued success depends on how well your generation is prepared for the future, and this special recognition is a testament to the dedication and skill you have shown in the classroom. I am proud of you for pushing yourself academically, and I am counting on you to continue to set a good example and help others whenever you have the opportunity. Smart, driven young people like you remind me that America’s best days are yet to come. And as long as you continue to stay focused on your education and work hard, no dream will be beyond reach.

Congratulations, again. I hope this award inspires you to continue seeking out new challenges and setting your sights on new horizons. I wish you all the best for the years ahead.”

Nikitha and Nidhi are the grand-daughters of Rohini and Dr. P.D. Padmakumar Jain, retd. Joint Director of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services, residing in Kuvempunagar, Mysore.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News  / July 16th, 2014

Dr. B R Shetty Honoured with Frost & Sullivan – Lifetime Achievement Award for the Year 2013

Business & Economy, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, World Opinion

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Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Frost & Sullivan).

Dr. B R Shetty is the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of the Abu Dhabi-based NMC Healthcare and Managing Director & CEO of UAE Exchange. He was recently presented with the Frost & Sullivan – Lifetime Achievement Award of the Year 2013 by Y.S. Shashidhar, Managing Director – Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, Frost & Sullivan and Sandeep Sinha, Vice President – Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, Healthcare & Life Sciences at Frost & Sullivan.

Speaking about the Award, Dr. B R Shetty said, “I feel honoured to have been conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award. I want to thank Frost & Sullivan for their encouragement and appreciation. Awards such as these are always a source of motivation to dream bigger and achieve higher. They act as the fuel that drives my passion towards serving the society through my professional ventures and personal pursuits.”

Frost & Sullivan Awards are presented to companies and individuals who have pushed the boundaries of excellence in the industry – rising above the competition and demonstrating outstanding contribution to industry and economic growth. Through this award, Dr. Shetty was recognised for playing a pivotal role in development and strengthening of the healthcare sector in the UAE and for his exemplary leadership qualities and involvement in philanthropic activities. Dr. Shetty’s journey is an inspiration to many and exemplifies the power of the human will.

Presenting the Award to Dr. Shetty, Y.S. Shashidhar, Managing Director – Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, Frost & Sullivan, said, “Dr. Shetty’s contribution to the healthcare sector in the UAE is exemplary. Achieving one’s ambition through path-breaking innovation, ability to turn challenges into opportunities and strategic thought leadership to ensure sustainable growth are skills which the Lifetime Achievement Award recognises. We are therefore, proud to present this Award to Dr. Shetty for the phenomenal impact he has made through hard work and perseverance.”

source: http://www.moneylife.com / MoneyLife / Dubai, UAE / July 03rd, 2014