Monthly Archives: April 2015

Centenary celebrations Rosario Cathedral on Sunday

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

Mangaluru :

The centenary celebrations of Rosario Cathedral, the first church of Mangalore diocese, will be held on Sunday.

However, the 100-year celebration merely spotlights the milestone of the present building built in 1915; the church is much older than that. Its rich history dates back to 1568.

In 1784, the edifice suffered much wear and tear when Tipu Sultan engaged in attack against churches, as he presumed the Coastal Christians were in favour of the British rule. As a result, the church suffered massive damage.

In 1799, Canara Christians returned to Mangalore. However, due to the new rules and regulations imposed by the British, Rosario Church of Bolar failed to establish its importance. Fortunately, in 1813, the devotees succeeded in building a small church.

In 1915, under the guidance of Father Henry Buzzoni and Brother Divo, the present church was constructed. Paul Perrini, the then Bishop, blessed the church.

This huge church is not only the Centre of the Diocese of Mangalore but also the Bishop’s official seat of exercising his authority. Bishops’ consecration, annual blessing of oils and all other important religious ceremonies are held here. The deceased Bishops’ burial ceremonies also held here and their tombs are found inside the church.

From the entrance of the church to the sanctuary on either side there are huge pillars on which stand the massive arches exhibiting awe and reverence. The huge pulpit (preaching place), the statue of Our Lady of Holy Rosary in the Sanctuary and baptistery enhance the beauty of the church.

The Kannada Karavali Catholics refer to the patroness of the church as Ruzar Mai, who, in their life, literature, culture, and faith, has become an inseparable part.

The bells of Rosario Cathedral have gained popularity. Each year, on the first Sunday during the Eucharistic procession from Milagres church to Rosario cathedral these bells are tolled for more than an hour. The bells announce the different hours and different events.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Mangaluru / Stanley Pinto, TNN / April 08th, 2015

Rajagopalan Award for IISc Scientists

Records, All, Science & Technology

Bengaluru :

IISc Alumni Association celebrated the birth centenary of eminent scientist Dr Srinivasa Rajagopalan here on Thursday. Dr Rajagopalan’s family has instituted a biennial cash award of `1 lakh to be given to an outstanding young Indian scientist. The first award ceremony was was shared between Dr Santanu Mukherjee of the Department of Organic Chemistry, IISc and Dr Govardhan Reddy of the Solid State Chemistry Unit, IISc. The award was given away by IISc Director Anurag Kumar.

Dr Shantanu Mukherjee is a young faculty at IISc. He works on chiral molecules that are mirror images of each other, their preparation and analysis. Dr Govardhan Reddy works on protein molecules, their folding and aggregation.

Dr Rajagopalan made a mark for himself in organic chemistry especially in the field of tropical medicine and early research on steroids. He began his scientific career as a research scholar at IISc in 1938.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Express News Service  / April 10th, 2015

When Gandhi came to Badanavalu …

Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, All

The village in Mysuru district will host National Convention for Sustainable Living on April 19.

The first “star” to arrive at Badanavalu village in Mysuru district, once a prominent centre for khadi and village industries, was Mahatma Gandhi, back in 1932.

Theatre personality Prasanna and people from various walks of life have joined hands to revive Badanavalu Khadi and Gramodyog Centre which is in a shambles, and (right) Mahatma Gandhi during his visit to the village in 1932.
Theatre personality Prasanna and people from various walks of life have joined hands to revive Badanavalu Khadi and Gramodyog Centre which is in a shambles, and (right) Mahatma Gandhi during his visit to the village in 1932.

He was pleasantly surprised by the success of the khadi centre here run on a 7.5-acre campus. Badanavalu Khadi and Gramodyog Centre was established in 1927 with only four Dalit women, with the intention to uplift the economy of Dalits. Their number increased gradually and the centre introduced other trades. More than 300 women were working during its heydays.

Over a period of time, however, the place saw a decline, with work sheds falling into disuse.

Theatre personality Prasanna and people from various walks of life have joined hands to revive Badanavalu Khadi and Gramodyog Centre which is in a shambles, and (right) Mahatma Gandhi during his visit to the village in 1932.
Theatre personality Prasanna and people from various walks of life have joined hands to revive Badanavalu Khadi and Gramodyog Centre which is in a shambles, and (right) Mahatma Gandhi during his visit to the village in 1932.

Now, led by theatre personality Prasanna, a group of volunteers have been living in the village and rebuilding the sheds besides holding meetings, workshops, street performances, and visual art campaigns since March 21.

Six padayatras will begin on April 12 from various parts of the State and culminate at Badanavalu for the National Convention for Sustainable Living on April 19. According to Mr. Prasanna, panchayats will be held on different aspects of sustainability throughout that day and there will be exhibitions, sale, demonstrations and prayer meetings at the convention.

Artistes, activists and leaders of various people’s movements are now camping with Mr. Prasanna and joining their hands in temporarily resurrecting the centre which is in a shambles.

“We don’t demand anything from the government, as successive governments have failed in sustainable development. Equally blaming the people for the situation, we want to create awareness among them on the need for sustainable development,” Mr. Prasanna said.

The plan is to expand the movement across the country, using Badanavalu as a symbol. Redesigning Badanavalu, without harming the original design of the existing structure, and making the village a “pilgrimage place” for people who believe in sustainable living were all part of the plan, he explained.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Muralidhara Khajane / Bengaluru – April 10th, 2015

From Single Screen to Multiplex…

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Records, All

VaishaliBF09apr2015

Vaishali has it first for our city 

by Sujata Rajpal

Call it destiny or seizing the opportunity but all big things in life are the result of taking the right decision at the right time.

Vaishali Hanumanth, the Managing Partner of DRC Cinemas in Mysuru, is a perfect testimony to the above sentiment. Not only this, such once-in-a-lifetime situations always come disguised in the most innocuous forms such as the driver taking off on that particular day. The golden opportunity to set up the first multiplex in Mysuru knocked at Vaishali’s door when one day she had to drive her father to the office of Dr. C.B. Murthy of B.M. Hospital. The proposal to build and operate a multiplex was offered initially to Vaishali’s father, who runs a Finance company but he had his hands already full. Turning down such an offer on the phone would have been discourteous.

Vaishali sat in Dr. Murthy’s office flipping the pages of a random magazine as the duo got engrossed in the business talk. Dr. Murthy asked her father, “If you can’t do it let your daughter take it.” And the gutsy woman signed the deal without blinking an eyelid and the rest as they say is history which was made on Oct. 1, 2011 when the royal city got its first multiplex located at B.M. Habitat Mall in Jayalakshmipuram.

“Sometimes ignorance is bliss. If I had known about the challenges involved in this high risk industry, perhaps I wouldn’t have taken this project,” says Vaishali, who admits being an intuitive person.

“The challenges have been aplenty right from the construction stage to dealings with distributors to operations. Since the cost of construction was huge, I decided to procure the material and personally supervise the construction which enabled me to bring down the cost of construction drastically. Even though well-wishers warned me about making such a huge Investment in a laid-back city, the response has been encouraging right from the beginning. I never had an iota of doubt about its success. Though laid-back, Mysureans indulge if they get value for money,” believes Vaishali, who is an unadulterated Mysurean.

An alumna of CKC School and Marimallappa College, Vaishali graduated in Commerce from JSS College of Commerce. At the age of three-and-half years, Vaishali had her Aksharabhyasam at the Shanthala theatre jointly owned by her grandfather.

“It is interesting that today I am running a multiplex,” Vaishali says dreamily.

DRC changed the definition of entertainment for the residents of Mysuru. When visitors enter the premises, they are awed by the alluring ambience, spic-and-span floor, sparkling clean restrooms and the courteous staff as if everything functions on auto mode. The drive behind the auto mode is the managing partner herself who spends around ten hours every day at her office-cum-second home. “Actually my family calls DRC my first home. This theatre is my passion. I enjoy my work thoroughly,” laughs the doe-eyed woman.

“How do you manage to maintain it so well?” I ask.

“Don’t we take pride in maintaining our house?” she counter questions me. Vaishali fondly recalls the incident when N.R. Narayana Murthy, who had come to watch a movie, complimented her on the impeccable maintenance of the multiplex.

Not the kind to sit back and bask in the glory, Vaishali is constantly scaling up the theatre. When the theatre was started, only one screen was 3D compatible. Now all four screens are 3D compatible.

The spunky woman is up and running everywhere in the theatre premises personally supervising if all is fine in the projector room, ticket counters, snack counters, with the house-keeping and even catching up with the visitors who stop by to say hello.

“I couldn’t have managed this multiplex without the support of my family. I am fortunate to get tremendous family support. My husband and my father are my backbones,” admits the lady with the contagious smile. Her daughter Manasa, is studying Law at Symbiosis Law School, Pune and son Krishna, is a class 12 student at NPS International School.

Fact file on

DRC was started on Oct. 1, 2011

All the four screens are 3D compatible

Average 20 shows are screened daily

Four movies – Force (Hindi), Dookudu (Telugu), Kung Fu Panda (English) and Lifeu Ishtene (Kannada) were screened on the first day

Life of Pi ran for 200 days (the maximum number of days at DRC until now)

The theatre has a total seating capacity of 958

5.6 lakh visitors visited DRC in the first year

In the first eleven months of 2014, 5.86 lakh people visited this multiplex

DRC is built on a total area of 30,625 sqft

Each projector lamp required to screen a film costs Rs. 80,000

Each lamp has a life of 1000 hours

The most delectable Samosas in Mysuru are sold at DRC [I take the liberty to add the last fact as I make my way to the Samosa counter].

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Friday – April 03rd, 2015

Musings on awards and years past …

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

A reason to go down memory lane

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The year 2015 seems to have begun well for me considering the way it went so far. To begin with, I was on a North India tour on Royal Rajasthan on Wheels (RROW) about which I have been writing in this column quite for some time now and still to write the concluding part; then I went to Dubai and, of course, a thanksgiving visit to Tirupati!

And then came the Award from the Government of Karnataka with the Journalism Awards Selection Committee headed by Justice Arali Nagaraj (retired) selecting me for the prestigious Mohare Hanamantharaya Award, carrying rupees one lakh reward, for Excellence in Journalism for the year 2013. This was given at a function held at Bengaluru by Chief Minister Siddharamaiah on 27th March, 2015. There were eight recipients of awards under four categories and all these awards were given away at the function. Siddharamaiah was the third Chief Minister to give me an award, instituted by the government; the other two earlier ones were given by S.M. Krishna and B.S. Yeddyurappa.

The then Chief Minister S.M. Krishna gave me the Karnataka State Press Academy Award at the Ravindra Kalakshetra on Thursday, 5th April, 2002. On that occasion, Krishna also gave away a Special Award of the Press Academy to H.Y. Sharada Prasad, the legendary Press Advisor to Indira Gandhi and other Prime Ministers. Veteran journalist, Prajavani, Arjun Deva was the Chairman of the Press Academy then. I was extremely delighted this time to find Arjun Deva being a recipient of TSR Memorial Journalism Award for 2012 (Lifetime Achievement Award) which was also presented by Siddharamaiah on 27th March, 2015 at Sulochana Hall, Bengaluru.

The second time I was honoured by the Karnataka Government was on 1st November, 2008 when the then Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa presented the Rajyotsava Award at Sri Kanteerava Indoor Stadium, Bengaluru. The other three distinguished persons in the area of their specialisation were former Dean and Founder of CAVA (Chamarajendra Academy of Visual Arts) Prof. V.M. Sholapurkar, Dr. Ambalike Hiriyanna (folk) and Dr. Vijaya Dabbe (literature). Inlay artist Puttaraju was also bestowed the Rajyotsava award that year apart from two others.

Now, in the Year of Our Lord 2015, for the third time I received another award, as mentioned earlier, from the present Chief Minister Siddharamaiah. Hat-trick of a sort. Be that as it may, I must recall here another occasion many years ago, 16.2.1998, when I had Siddharamaiah to preside over the 20th anniversary of Star of Mysore along with M.C. Nanaiah and Dr. U.R. Ananthamurthy at Kalamandira. It was the Janata Government, Siddharamaiah was the Deputy Chief Minister and M.C. Nanaiah was the Law Minister. Siddharamaiah was notorious for not keeping the time; not known for punctuality. Since I knew M.C. Nanaiah well from our college days, I entrusted him the job of getting this man to the function on time. It was a great victory for M.C. Nanaiah. However, Siddharamaiah spoiled the post-function programmes of a dance-drama by a renowned troupe from Bengaluru and also the dinner at Regaalis (then Quality Inn Southern Star) by speaking for fifty minutes in a dull-drab drawl of a speech unconnected to the subject of the function.

Surprisingly this time at the Sulochana Hall in Bengaluru though he came late by one hour at 7.30 pm, he acquitted himself like an experienced professional on the stage and also in delivering his speech. He spoke for 15 minutes to the point. It was short enough to be interesting and long enough to cover the subject. Just like a lady’s skirt. A good speech delivered with aplomb in his booming voice befitting a Chief Minister. All of us felt proud of him. Indeed, he has come a long way from 1998 to 2015 and has learnt his trade well. His Kannada was chaste, grammatically accurate, used apt words and more importantly, did not deviate from the theme of the function. He even indulged in a couple of light- hearted banter bringing smile on the faces of the audience and he himself breaking his lips to a smile of his special brand – smirk. Thank you Sir.

You will make a good Chief Minister in public and may even last full five years’ term if you break away from the present venal coterie of advisors. Make yourself a “People’s Chief Minister” (like Princess Diana who was called “People’s Princess”). You are not the Chief Minister only for Ahinda or a certain section of the people. Other sections of people too have their own problems. Address them openly. Otherwise you will get into many snares and traps like the one created following the death of D.K. Ravi, IAS Officer, in which you lost your face.

And finally, I am also reminded of the great disappointment I suffered as a result of trusting the then Minister H. Vishwanath in the year 2003. I wanted to conduct the Silver Jubilee of Star of Mysore in a grand manner. S.M. Krishna was the Chief Minister. I wanted him to preside over the function. Vishwanath being from Mysore, whom I knew personally well, had assured me (100%) to get the Chief Minister on 16.2.2003, for the Silver Jubilee function. Till the last moment, Vishwanath’s assurance remained typical of a politician’s promise. If only he had told me his inability at least in advance…that’s history’s one more If.

Star of Mysore News Editor M.R. Shivanna was the one who made me trust Vishwanath for getting S.M. Krishna. I trusted Shivanna being our own man and who knew Vishwanath better than me. We even had a few dinner meetings to review the arrangements with Vishwanath. Well, some live and never learn. I am one such dullard.

M.R. Shivanna was my ‘right hand’ man in the matter of news gathering and news writing for Star of Mysore. He had been with Star of Mysore for 30 years till he breathed his last on 21.5.2011. When S. Bangarappa was the Chief Minister, 17.10.1990 – 19.11.1992, Govindaraju was the Chairman of MUDA and was too close to Bangarappa. Shivanna too was close to Govindaraju who was given huge news coverage in Star of Mysore and Mysooru Mithra by Shivanna taking advantage of my long absence of over 40 days. The papers, Star of Mysore and Mysooru Mithra, drew flak from the readers. Later, when November approached Shivanna was tipped for the Rajyotsava Award that year which seemed like a quid pro quo.

One evening, he came to me and sheepishly disclosed the news. “Sir, I asked Govindaraju to recommend your name. But he refused…,” explained Shivanna. I smiled. “How can I receive the award when you are here…,” lamented Shivanna. I said, “Don’t you worry. Tell me what comes with the Award?”

Shivanna: “Rs. 10,000 and I think a house site at MUDA rate.”

“Okay,” I said. “Look here Shivanna, I do not need that Rs. 10,000 nor that site. You can sell the site later and MAKE SOME MONEY. Don’t feel bad that you are superseding me… Go ahead and receive the award,” I told him without mincing words. A man of few words, he quietly withdrew. I don’t think he ever got the site. But Shivanna was very happy when I too got the Rajyotsava Award in 2008. For the first time the reward money was raised to Rs. one lakh and told Shivanna it was good I got the award so late after you !

At the awards function on 27th March 2015, I could not see Chief Minister’s Media Advisor Dinesh Amin Mattu but I was told by my Editor Govinde Gowda that he was there.

Here I would like to contemplate on Amin Mattu’s connection to this 27th March Awards function. Wonder, if this function would have ever happened at all on this date but for Amin Mattu’s intervention, if there was. However, I guess, there was his intervention and he must have been prompted by my remark at a function held at Mysuru District Journalists Association (MDJA) Hall where Amin Mattu was the chief guest. This function was held on 9th March 2015 to felicitate me for getting the Journalism Award and also Amshi Prasanna Kumar for getting the Award for ‘Development Journalism’ apart from awarding others under an endowment.

When I was asked to speak I said I was reluctant to be felicitated for fear that the award, not yet given to me though announced nearly eight months ago, might as well be withdrawn as a mistake or for some other reason. So saying I drew the attention of our Chief Minister’s Media Advisor Amin Mattu to the apparent incompetence of the government in a simple matter of organising a function to give the award announced nearly a year ago. As a sting in the tail, I had said that since a couple of awardees were past 75 years, the government should not find itself giving the award posthumously! Amin Mattu must have got the message and lo and behold, on the 18th day after I said this, the awards were given away by CM Siddharamaiah himself.

Thank you Amin Mattu.

e-mail: kbg@starofmysore.com

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Abracadabra…Abracadabra / Friday – April 03rd, 2015

Dr. Chandrashekar conferred Sri Mahaveer Ahimsa award

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, Science & Technology

DrChandrasekharBF09apr2015

Mysuru :

Medical Practitioner and Social Worker Dr. Chandrashekar was conferred ‘Sri Mahaveer Ahimsa’ award at the Bhagawan Mahaveer Jayanti celebrations organised under the aegis of Sri Mahaveer Seva Samsthan at M.L. Jain Boarding Home on Chandragupta road in city yesterday.

Speaking on the occasion, Srirangapatna Court Judge Sushat Mahaveer Chowgule, who was the chief guest, said that he had previously listened to a discourse presented by Munimaharaj Swamiji, when the Swamiji had explained on how we had deviated from Jain religion’s philosophies and principles to suit out selfish ends. He stressed on the need for making a pledge on following Jain religion philosophies in our daily life. Digambar Jain Samaj President S.N. Prakash Babu presided.

Mahaveer Bhavan working President M.A. Sudhir Kumar, M.L. Jain Boarding Home Secretary Madan Kumar and others were present.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Friday – April 03rd, 2015

City Doctor chairs ‘Hip Session’ at US

Leaders, Science & Technology, World Opinion
Dr. B.R. Prashanth (right) and Dr. J. Marsh, Chairpersons for the ‘Hip Session,’ seen at the AAOS meet in Las Vegas recently.
Dr. B.R. Prashanth (right) and Dr. J. Marsh, Chairpersons for the ‘Hip Session,’ seen at the AAOS meet in Las Vegas recently.

Mysuru :

Dr. B.R. Prashanth, Orthopaedic Surgeon attached to Columbia Asia Hospital, Mysuru and Committee Member representing India, chaired a ‘Hip Session’ along with Dr. John Marsh from USA at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) 85th Annual Meeting that concluded on Mar. 28 at the Venetian Sands expo, Las Vegas, USA.

Scientific papers from US, Canada, Europe and Asia pacific were presented. The consensus on hip fracture treatment was that these patients should be operated upon with in forty eight hours to reduce the mortality and morbidity in these elderly, osteoporotic individuals. Also, the role of hip replacement surgery in these patients was also presented.

Dr. Prashanth also critically evaluated five Instructional Course Lectures (ICL) ranging from Knee replacement Surgery to knee sporting injuries. The ‘Metal free Replacement’ for patients with metal allergies, ‘Fast track’ knee replacements for faster recovery and the new generation computer-assisted knee replacements besides ‘Gel one,’ a non-operative treatment for knee arthritis, were the latest developments which were presented and will be introduced in India shortly, says Dr. Prashanth.

China was the guest nation at AAOS and the advancements in Orthopaedic Surgery from China were highlighted. Dr. Mihalko, Chair of Committee Members, appreciated the efforts of the International Committee Members contributing to the development of the prestigious AAOS at the inaugural event.

A total of over twenty thousand orthopaedic surgeons from around the globe attended this annual event.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Friday – April 03rd, 2015

The pioneer of electronic tambura

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

“Can you not manufacture a pocket-sized electronic tambura,” the doyen M. Balamuralikrishna had asked G. Raj Narayan of Radel Electronics, the pioneer of electronic tambura, and a flautist, in the 1980s.

“Miniatures don’t serve the purpose as the size of the speaker determines the needed tonal throw and quality,” explains Mr. Raj Narayan, who first brought out electronic tamburas in 1979 and bagged several awards for his innovation.

Tambura apps are linked to fashion and the mindset of people now, Mr. Raj Narayan says, and adds that such apps cannot go beyond a point as “an external amplifier and speaker have to be connected for use on stage, which makes it cumbersome.”

There are seven variants in Radel’s electronic tamburas, catering to both the Carnatic and Hindustani genres. The price ranges from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 6,500 and “some are even shaped like a tambura,” he says

Honour for tambura artistes

Despite not many artistes using tamburas, all concerts at the Sree Ramaseva Mandali, Chamarajpet, feature the instrument. For the first time, three well-known tambura artistes V. Jagannatha Rao, Sripada Rao and Hulikal Prasad will be honoured by the mandali.

Family members of the tambura artistes cherish the days when artistes such as T. Chowdiah, Honnappa Bhagavathar, Doreswamy Iyengar, T.R. Mahalingam, Bhimsen Joshi and M.S. Subbulakshmi used to send inland letters requesting them for their tambura accompaniment. All India Radio, until the late 1970s, used to appoint tambura artistes with an underlying rule that they possess good vocal knowledge.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Ranjani Govind / Bengaluru – April 06th, 2015

India and US share a common vision of peaceful and stable world : Richard Verma

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Leaders, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, World Opinion

US Ambassador to India inaugurates renovated ORI building

US Ambassador to India Richard Verma being felicitated by University of Mysore Vice-Chancellor Prof. K.S. Rangappa with a Mysuru Peta, silk shawl, sandal garland and a memento (wood-inlay of the Crawford Hall) during the inauguration of the renovated building of Oriental Research Institute (ORI) in city last evening. Also seen are Director of ORI Dr. H.P. Devaki (extreme left) and Registrar of UoM Prof. C. Basavaraju.
US Ambassador to India Richard Verma being felicitated by University of Mysore Vice-Chancellor Prof. K.S. Rangappa with a Mysuru Peta, silk shawl, sandal garland and a memento (wood-inlay of the Crawford Hall) during the inauguration of the renovated building of Oriental Research Institute (ORI) in city last evening. Also seen are Director of ORI Dr. H.P. Devaki (extreme left) and Registrar of UoM Prof. C. Basavaraju.

 

Mysuru :

US Ambassador to India, Richard Verma inaugurated the renovated building of the Oriental Research Institute (ORI) here yesterday. The renovation was funded by the US Consulate, which had donated $50,000 in the year 2012.

Speaking on the occasion, Verma said that both India and the United States have entered into a ‘strategic plus’ phase in their relationship, sharing a common vision of a peaceful, prosperous and stable world. He further stated that the partnership is bolstered by people-to-people ties between the two nations and said, “How we work together to achieve a common vision defines our strategic plus partnership, be it with regard to economic and trade relations, energy, space, climate change, science and technology etc.”

The US Ambassador referred to the ancient Indian treatise of Arthashastra by Chanakya and said that Chanakya had told that a ‘true friend’ in international affairs was someone who shared common objectives and added that India and the US share democratic values and can be called ‘true friends,’ if they accept the wisdom of Chanakya.

Speaking at the programme, Vice-Chancellor of University of Mysore (UoM), Prof. K.S. Rangappa requested Verma to contribute $2,00,000 dollars for the restoration of various heritage buildings of the University.

The ORI now houses more than 30,000 paper and palm-leaf manuscripts and over 45,000 rare books. The items were put on display for the Ambassador including a rare manuscript of Chanakya’s Arthashastra, transliterated versions of the religious work commissioned by the then Maharaja of Mysuru, Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar and rare palm-leaf manuscripts with treatise on astronomy, medicine and mythology.

Looking at the manuscripts, Verma said that he was thrilled to see the only copy of the Arthashastra in Mysuru.

Registrar of UoM Prof. C. Basavaraju and Director of ORI Dr. H.P. Devaki were present during the VIP’s visit.

Richard’s Mysuru Connection

It might be surprising to know that the US Ambassador to India, Richard Verma has a closer connection with Mysuru than we had thought.

Richard’s sister Roma Murthy is married to Bala Murthy from Mysuru. Bala Murthy’s father late N. Narasimha Murthy was the former Principal of National Institute of Engineering (NIE).

Speaking after the inauguration of the renovated ORI building, Verma said that it was a great honour to be in the city where he was able to meet some of his family members. He recalled that his father, who went to the US to pursue a Master’s degree in English Literature, had a close interaction with scholars of the Department of English, UoM.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Wednesday – April 01st, 2015

US Envoy awestruck by Palace

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Leaders, Uncategorized, World Opinion

PalaceBF07apr2015

Mysuru :

US Ambassador to India Richard Verma, who arrived in city yesterday to inaugurate the renovated building of Oriental Research Institute (ORI), visited the Amba Vilas Palace, popularly known as Mysore Palace, in city this morning.

On his arrival, he visited the residence of late Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar to meet Pramoda Devi Wadiyar and had a brief chat over a cup of tea.

Later, Richard Verma visited the Private Durbar Hall, ornate Kalyana Mantap and other prominent sections inside the Mysore Palace.

He expressed his happiness over the maintenance of the Mysore Palace, the gold leafing works and the recently introduced Braille book facility.

Verma told the Palace Board officials accompanying him that he would spend more time at the Palace during his next visit to Mysuru.

Earlier, Mysore Palace Board Deputy Director T.S. Subramanya welcomed Richard Verma with the traditional Mysuru Peta and a shawl.

During his Palace visit, Richard was accompanied by his brother-in-law Bala Murthy, President, i4 Now Solutions, USA and Co-ordinator Ariel H. Pollock.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Wednesday – April 01st, 2015