Monthly Archives: July 2015

Centenary celebrations of City Central Library from Aug. 2

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All

CM likely to inaugurate; ‘Kuvempu Mobile Library’ to be revived

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Mysuru :

The City Central Library (CCL) on Sayyaji Rao Road, established in 1915, is a treasure house for lakhs of knowledge seekers. Now, preparations are afoot to celebrate the 100 years of CCL.

Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, Sir M. Visvesvaraya and Sir Mirza Ismail were instrumental in the construction of CCL. Janab M. Hussain, B. M. Shri, Rao Bahadur Ranga Iyengar, M. Venkatakrishnaiah, Rev. E. W. Thomson, N. S. Subbarao and B. G. Lakshman Rao were the other key players in establishing this library in the heart of the city.

CCL was inaugurated on October 15, 1915 by the then Mysore King Narasimharaja Wadiyar and since then lakhs of Mysureans have benefitted from the vast collection of books in the library.

Centenary celebrations

To mark 100 years of CCL, various programmes will be held from August 12, 2015 to November 14, 2015 in city, according to B. Manjunath, Deputy Director, City Central Library, Mysuru.

Chief Minister Siddharamaiah is likely to inaugurate CCL’s centenary celebrations on August 12, the National Librarians’ Day. The CCL’s Centenary Day valedictory will be held on November 14, the National Library Day.

Tenders have been invited by Public Works Department (PWD) to get the CCL building painted for the Centenary celebrations. New furniture is provided for the inner hall of the library.

An Editorial Committee has been constituted to bring out a Souvenir on the occasion. Articles written by litterateurs, members of the library and other prominent persons which have already been submitted will be featured in the Souvenir.

Mysuru District Publishers’ Association has come forward to sponsor the printing of the Souvenir.

The CCL in Mysuru was the first to introduce ‘Kuvempu Mobile Library’ in the State and due to various reasons the Mobile Library stopped functioning a few years back. Now the authorities have taken a decision to revive the Kuvempu Mobile Library.

Apart from this, it has been decided to construct a library building in People’s Park.

The CCL run by Public Library Department has 17 other libraries in city, 9 Seva Kendra Libraries, 5 Vachanalayas, one Community Children’s Centre and two affiliated centres. Around 50,476 people are registered members of CCL in city. CCL has a collection of over 55,000 rare books and it keeps adding new books every year. The library was handed over to the State Government in 1965, when the Public Library Act was passed.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Sunday – June 28th, 2015

A market steeped in heritage value

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All

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Considering the heritage value of 86-year-old Johnson Market, which is proposed to be demolished, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has written to Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner G. Kumar Naik with a request to reconsider the decision to bring down the market.

The communication comes in the paradoxical backdrop of the market finding its name prominently in the first comprehensive heritage listing for Bengaluru and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announcing that tenders would be called to bring down the structure to make way for a modern multi-storeyed complex.

“From the time it was built when the British ruled us to the day when its heritage value was considered and included in T.P. Issar’s book The City Beautiful, Bengalureans know that Johnson Market is steeped in heritage value,” says Meera Iyer of INTACH, which had also included the market in its list of heritage buildings drawn in the 1980s.

Johnson Market also finds mention in the recent heritage structure listing backed by the Department of Archaeology, Heritage and Museums, undertaken by Hubballi-based ADEI Consultants.

Johnson Market made it into the heritage listing as “it is one of the few landmarks left in the area; a public realm with distinct architectural and urban design character. It reflects a strong associational value built through the ages, bridging the past and the present,” explained architect and urban designer Gitanjali Rao of ADEI Consultants.

“The market structure has not reached a complete state of deterioration which calls for pulling it down,” says Ms. Rao, although she suggests that the condition assessment for the building, even in a case of adaptable reuse, has to be done by bringing together traders, local people and experts along with local bodies for taking a decision.

 

‘No structural threat to the building’

Pankaj Modi, conservation architect of INTACH, says their first-hand “visual assessment” or the “architects’ scan” of Johnson Market done in January this year says, “It is stable, with no structural threat to the building seen.” What is required though is a redevelopment of the open spaces within the market and providing better infrastructure and services, says Mr. Modi.

“The plan is excellent with four large open pockets running through the length of the building. The building should be redone and made adaptable to include better flooring, lighting, along with new toilet blocks. The defunct water tank has to be made accessible to all. Imagine all this with cultural activity in the open spaces?” he says, underlining the fact that markets don’t really work on upper floors, as proposed by the BBMP.

* Johnson Market in Richmond Town was built in 1929 and was part of then Bangalore Cantonment.

* The market is Sir Mirza Ismail’s gift to the city, as recorded in T.P. Issar’s The City Beautiful

* Shaped like an aeroplane, Issar called this market the poor brother of Russell Market

* Earlier called Richmond Town Market, it was renamed Johnson Market after a Municipal Commissioner of the British times.

* The market has the evenings up and alive when the surrounding kebab joints spring to life, and the aroma of smoking meat on skewers goes well with Irani cafes, giving the market a distinct Hyderabadi flavour.

***

Such a heritage listing is crucial to a city where urban design, and land and building use come into play in urban contexts. The inventory leads us to special areas of importance when city plans and regulatory frameworks are being drawn up. The growth of a city can be guided by such ‘selection lists.’

Gitanjali Rao, architect and urban designer, ADEI Consultants, Hubballi

 

In association with the Kannada and Culture Department and the BBMP, INTACH can speak of the glory of Johnson Market with a plaque installed on its premises for the public to be aware of its heritage value. I had suggested to INTACH that heritage buildings and areas with a hoary history in Bengaluru could be highlighted by installing boards akin to the ‘blue plaque’ system of the U.K.

Chiranjeev Singh, former IAS Officer

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Rajani Govind /Bengaluru – July 03rd, 2015

DYES to present cash awards to Sports-Persons this evening

Sports

Mysuru :

The Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), will be honouring the sports-persons who have represented India and also won medals in the national level for the year 2012 & 2013 with cash prizes at a function to be held at MCC&RI Platinum Jubilee Hall, J.K. Grounds at 4 pm.

Chief Minister Siddharamiah will inaugurate the function. District In-charge Minister V. Sreenivasa Prasad will distribute the cash prizes. Minister for Youth Empowerment and Sports Abhayachandra Jain, MLA Vasu will be present on the occasion.

Mysuru’s skaters top the prize money list bagging a total cash prize of Rs.30,55,000. City’s roller skater Varsha S. Puranik, who represented India in the Asian Championships in China, will be awarded a cash prize of Rs. 9.5 lakh in the women’s section and V. Varshith, also a roller skater, will be p represented with a prize of Rs. 5. 40 lakh in the boys section.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports News / Saturday – June 27th, 2015

Wins Gold in Rowing Team event

Sports

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Mysuru :

Team Karnataka topped the medal tally with 6 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze in the recently concluded 18th Sub-junior and 19th Sprint National Rowing Championship 2015 held at Bengaluru.

Among the medalists was Karthachira Nitya Devayya, who was part of a team event that won gold. Nitya is a student of class 9 and lives in Bengaluru. She is the younger daughter of Brig. and Mrs. Karthachira Kumar Devayya and grand-daughter of Col. and Mrs. Pattamada Ganapathy (Vijayanagar 3rd Stage, Mysuru) and Mr. and Mrs. Karthachira Ganapathy (Bogadi).

Nitya’s sister Sitara Devayya had represented Ernakulam district in the State-level swimming championship in 2011 and 2012.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports News / Friday, June 26th, 2015

Renshi Johnson for seminar at Japan

Records, All, Sports

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Mysuru :

Renshi Johnson, Karate Master from city, has been invited by the Governor of Okinawa (Japan) to participate in the World Karate and Kobudo Seminar to be held in Okinawa, Japan, from July 14 to 19. This seminar is organised by the Government of Japan (Okinawa Prefecture).

Renshi Johnson, a 5th Dan Black belt in Karate and 2nd Dan Black Belt in Kobudo, is the Director and Chief Instructor of Okinawa Shorinryu Karate Shinkokai and Kobudo Association, India.

He has a Post Graduate Diploma in Karate from Tamil Nadu Sports University and is the first Post Graduate Diploma holder in Karate from Karnataka.

A resident of Roopanagar, he has also been awarded 5th Dan black belt by Karate Association of India and teaches Karate in various schools here.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports News / Friday, June 26th, 2015

Implantation of Microchips to captive Elephants begins

Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology

To prevent illegal sale and for easy identification

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Mysore :

Hereafter identifying captive elephants in the State will be very easy as microchips are being implanted in them to help their identification and prevent illegal transportation of such elephants.

There are 42 elephants maintained by private players like Mysore Palace which has six (Chanchala, Ruby, Neeta, Preethi, Jamuna and Rajeshwari) Suttur Mutt which has two (Champa and Drona) and Nanjangud Srikanteshwara Temple has one (Gauri).

Elsewhere in the State, there are 188 elephants including 125 in Mysuru Division housed in elephant camps like Dubare,Thithimathi, Balle, Veeranahosahalli, Sakrebailu, Bandipura, K.Gudi and 26 in Mysuru and Bengaluru Zoos.

For the first time in the State, nine captive elephants coming under the jurisdiction of Mysuru Territorial Range got the chips implanted on Wednesday in the inner portion of the left inner lobe of their ears by Dr. Nagaraj, under the supervision of DCP Dr. V. Karikalan.

The microchip displays a 10-digit number read on a chip reader and the unique identification number will be recorded in the registry maintained by the Forest Department and linked to its server. Right now, the elephants are identified only through mahouts which are not fool proof as it widens the scope for illegal transportation.

It is said that 9 of the 10 chips, produced by an Indore (Madhya Pradesh) based company at Rs. 2000 per chip has been given to the Mysuru Zoo to be implanted to the main captive elephants there.

“Microchips will become mandatory for seeking licence to maintain captive elephants. The microchip implantation will be permanent and the licence should be renewed once in five years,” said DCF Dr. Karikalan.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Friday – June 26th, 2015

City girl breaks world record

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All, World Opinion
City girl breaks world record
City girl breaks world record

Bengaluru girl Rebecca Taylor has sealed her place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Rebecca has made the largest tealight candle, which is 5’5″ in diameter.

The previous record-holding candle measured 3’3″ in diameter.

“I had applied for the record on June 1, 2014, but got the confirmation only on June 27 this year,” said the 27-year-old cartoonist.

Rebecca took five hours to make the candle through a unique process called hand moulding, in which semi-hot wax is sculpted into different shapes.Each petal of the pink rose-shaped candle is unique in shape and size, and measures one-and-half to two feet.

“This is an amalgamation of my love for nature and passion for the arts. However, it turned out to be a Herculean task to work on a candle of this magnitude.

It took me a lot of time to understand the behaviour of the wax and work in various temperatures,” she added.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Life & Style> People / by Stuti Agarwal, TNN / July 02nd, 2015

App to give info on land you stand on

Business & Economy, Science & Technology

Bengaluru:

Eyeing a piece of land but unsure of buying it? Soon, finding out details of land records will be as easy as booking a cab on your smartphone — thanks to an app that will be unveiled in the next few weeks. All you need to do is key in your name and mobile number.

For instance, if you’re sipping a cuppa at an MG Road cafe and use the app, you will get the plot number of the place via SMS and know whether it’s a government or private property.

The government is in the final stages of testing the app, with officials at the survey, settlement and land records department already using it. The app is like an android application but the back-end work of syncing details of land records has been a mammoth task and is being verified.

Munish Moudgil, commissioner, survey, settlement and land records department, said: “The app will use longitude and latitude details from GPS coordinates and give citizens the requisite information. Not only will it benefit them during transactions, but also help government officials who now have to go back to dusty files to check records.”

The app is meant to serve a twofold purpose. “…One, to give government officials from various departments easy access to information on land so they can do their job without having to rummage through their desks. Second, it aims to help citizens,” he said.

It’ll come in handy for those looking at buying land — they’ll get to know if someone is trying to sell them government land or if it is the right survey number.

HOW IT WORKS

You have to enter your name and mobile number. Within minutes, you’ll get an SMS with details like survey number/plot number, whether it is a lake (as per records), forest land, rajakaluve, government or private land. “We are factoring a 30-metre error that could pop up because of the GPS coordinate of the person. If there is another plot with a survey number within 30 metres of the person’s location, details of that will also be sent to the user,” said Munish Moudgil, commissioner, survey, settlement and land records department.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Bengaluru / by Chethan Kumar / July 01st, 2015

Former National Chess Champ from City conducts camp in USA

Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, Sports
Kavana Mallanna (left), a National Chess Medallist and an eight-time State Champion from Mysuru, is seen being felicitated by a representative of JSS Spiritual Centre, Maryland, USA, for conducting chess coaching classes.
Kavana Mallanna (left), a National Chess Medallist and an eight-time State Champion from Mysuru, is seen being felicitated by a representative of JSS Spiritual Centre, Maryland, USA, for conducting chess coaching classes.

Mysuru :

Kavana Mallanna, a National Chess Medallist and a eight time State Champion, from Mysuru, conducted a free chess coaching camp under the banner of JSS Spiritual Mission, Maryland, USA, recently.

Kavana’s credentials and JSS SM attracted over 30 Chess players and enthusiasts from the Washington DC area. Players got encouraged to pursue this mental game and have shown inclination for more courses by her at the Spiritual Centre.

Kavana was felicitated by the organisers on the last day of the camp. Kavana, who hails from Mysuru, currently works as a Business Process Consultant at IBM, USA.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Thursday – June 25th, 2015