On Friday, the campus of the Government Polytechnic for Women wa s packed with models showcasing innovative and colourful themes. Themes like straw, peacock, mirror, flowers and Matsya Kanye (fish lady) attracted huge crowds.
However, most audiences were unaware that the designs were prepared by models themselves who are students of the Apparel Design and Fabrication Technology (ADFT). This show was not organised by a corporate company, but hosted by the Government Polytechnic for Women whose students are studying for a diploma in ADFT.
Polytechnic principal GM Goni said the college has girl students from poor or middle class families. “These girls sought permission to host a fashion show and since designing is part of their curriculum, we allowed it for the annual gathering,” he said.
Manjula Kadam, head of the ADFT department, said it’s a three-year course and it has been helpful for girls of middle or lower middle class families. “It’s generally assumed that fashion designing is for students of rich families. However, ADFT has enabled poor girls with a sense of fashion to do the course. Now, students have made us proud by showcasing designs stitched by themselves. It shows they have updated their knowledge on a par with industry requirement,” she said.
Kalyani L, who guided the students, said they used skills like hand embroidery and handicraft to prepare innovative themes. “In all, 23 girl students in the sixth semester prepared designs as part of their project. They started preparing eight days ago. As modeling is not prescribed in their syllabus, they practiced walking on the ramp and other actions required for the show,” she said. Shivaleela Hosamani and MS Bijapur, other faculty members of ADFT, said students were cautious while chosing themes for the show.
Annapurna Mysuru, who presented designs on the Straw theme, shared her friends’ used synthetic material. Krutika Bendigeri, who showcased the Peacock theme, said she wanted to chose a Nature-related theme. Rohini Devadas, who prepared and presented designs on the Mirror theme, said this show has given her confidence to continue in the garment industry.
Innovative designs
The students’ designs were very innovative. They ensured there was not even a hint of obscenity. When beauty is being commercialized, students proved it can be presented without compromising on the modesty of women. Young minds at work educated the audience about fashion, said writer Prajna Mattihalli .
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Hubli / Sangamesh Menasinakai / March 19th, 2016
Did you know that Carnatic vocalist Bangalore Nagarathnamma was the first ever musician to have paid taxes to the British government in the early 1900s, and was the first Indian woman to have braved her way to perform in Jaffna? She and M.S. Subbulakshmi were among the first women musicians to be accompanied by men on the mridanga and violin when it was considered a societal taboo.
Author N. Jagadish Koppa
An account of rare informationon the two musical greats, who come from a Devadasi lineage, has been recorded in two recently released books in Kannada — Ditta Kalavide Bengaluru Nagarathnamma and Manadolagina Suprabhata M.S. Subbulakshmi, authored by N. Jagadish Koppa and published by Vikasa Prakashana. “It is the first two in a series planned on artistes from the Devadasi community who have contributed to cultural progress,” said Dr. R. Poornima of Vikasa Prakashana.
“While in Tamil Nadu, I chanced upon the Devadasi cult and their poetic and melodic inheritance that contributed immensely to the country’s progress in art and culture. Both were steely women… M.S. was known as the ‘daughter of Shanmukhavadivu,’ and Nagarathnamma as the ‘daughter of Puttalakshamma’,” writes Koppa.
The author goes on to find out on Nagarathnamma that the Oxford University Press in 1991 in the chapter on ‘Women Writers of India’ includes her as the “first woman writer of India” as she had, in 1917, edited the 17th Century Telugu classical poetry Radhika Swantanamu, which got embroiled into controversies for its bold, lyrical features.
Nagarathnamma was born in 1872 at Nanjangud and was brought to Mysuru as a toddler, before she entered Bengaluru and later settled in Tamil Nadu. Her time at Nagarathpet and later at Naraharirayana Gudde, where Judge Narahari Rao built a house for her, are little known facts. “That she sold her house to make money for building a Samadhi of Tyagaraja is common knowledge now,” says Mr. Koppa.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Ranjani Govind / Bengaluru – March 30th, 2016
The students of Okinawa Karate Do Shorin Ryu are Sempai V. Prajwal, Sempai Gangadatta Sharma, Shihan Suji Kumar (Organiser), Shihan Dominic (Chief Referee), Kyoshi S. Sunil Kumar, Sensei Srinath and Somasundari, S. Aishwarya, D.S. Kishan, B.A. Darshan, T. Sumukh, T. Spoorthi, N. Nagesh, Pruthvi Raj, Advaith S. Kumar, Anvesh Naik, K.V. Varshith, Bhoomika, K.R. Vismaya and Vinay S. Gowda.
Shorin Kai Association, India, who participated in the National Invitational Karate Championship-2016 organised by Japanese Goju Ryu Sports Karate Association at M.M.H. Hall, Karaikal, Pondicherry, on Feb. 27 and 28, have bagged the Overall Winner’s Trophy-2016 by winning 16 Gold, eight Silver and two Bronze medals under the guidance of Kyoshi S. Sunil Kumar, Chief Instructor, Examiner & Asian Representative.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports News / March 24th, 2016
Losing one’s voice after an operation is very traumatic, and for patients with throat cancer, it becomes an added burden. India witnesses about 25,000-30,000 throat cancer cases each year, out of which at least 5,000 patients stand to lose their voice box due to the advanced stages of the disease.
Thanks to Dr. Vishal Rao, head and neck surgeon at Bengaluru-based HCG Hospital who has come up with a simple and affordable voice box prosthesis, patients can ‘speak’ again and swallow food.
According to Rao, one of the major disadvantages for throat cancer patients is the loss of their voice box when they undergo laryngectomy, the surgical removal of larynx. This is a hollow muscular organ forming an air passage to the lungs and holds the vocal cords.
Rao, a visiting scholar to the Pittsburgh School of Medicine in the US, says, “The larynx houses the vocal cords through which sound is produced. It also lets air travel from the lungs to the mouth. During laryngectomy, when the trachea (windpipe) and esophagus (food pipe) are separated from each other, an opening is created between them which is called the tracheo-esophageal puncture. The device is placed in this opening. Though the patients can eat through their mouths but they cannot speak due to the absence of the voice box.” Once he saw a villager who couldn’t speak for 16 years because he could not afford the imported device. Rao thought, speech and communication are not only the basic tenet to life force but a right to freedom, peace, dignity and justice. “These poor patients were bereft of this essential means of communication owing to costs only,” he says.
Rao realised there was a need for an improved device with a one-way valve enabling laryngectomy patients to speak. In 2013, he started researching on this problem. He and his industrialist friend Shashank Mahesh came up with a technical plan to develop such a device. After working for two years with engineers, physicists, biomedical and material experts, the voice box was built.
Explaining his innovation, the 37-year-old doctor adds, “Regaining one’s voice is much like a rebirth. We have named the artificial voice box as Aum device, because that sound first resonated across the universe. If air passes through the food pipe into the lungs, it will vibrate and create noise, which can be converted into intelligent speech, with coordination from the brain. As food or water should not fall into the lungs, it is a one-way valve device. It weighs about 25 grams and is 2.5 cm long.”
An imported prosthesis is available for Rs 20,000-45,000 and needs to be changed once in six months. “As 80 per cent of patients belong to the poor socio-economic strata, a majority of them are unable to afford the western prosthesis. Our innovation comes as a boon to them. We have priced it at Rs 50, which is less than a dollar at the moment. Presently, there is a clinical study going on at HCG, after which we will take it to other cities, especially to the regional cancer centres where there is a need for such device,” says Rao.
He has used the device on a few patients. Ramakrishna, a 55-year-old watchman from Bengaluru needed to change his imported prosthesis but could not afford it. “When my voice box was removed, I was given an imported machine, which I used for two years. I had trouble eating as the food leaked through the device. I am doing better after using the Indian device,” says Ramakrishna.
With more than 20 national and international publications to his credit, Rao has also received many global awards.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> LifeStyle> Health / by Meera Bharadwaj / March 26th, 2016
Special Olympics Bharat, National Sports Federation and Union ministry of youth affairs and sports accredited Special Olympics Bharat – Karnataka, a sports event for people with intellectual disability.
To celebrate the landmark achievement, officials of Karnataka State Association for Special Educators and Supportive Staff, Bengaluru said they are organizing a felicitation programme at the Town Hall here on Monday.
Vasanth Kumar Shetty, secretary of the association, said special olympics programme brings the joy of sports to people with intellectual disability by providing life transforming experiences for athletes, coaches and volunteers. Special Olympics Bharat, which offers 25 different sports, has its presence in 36 states and union territories in India. It serves 679 districts and has 12,43,246 registered athletes. In Karnataka, it has 67,662 registered athletes.
Vasanth Kumar, who is also the administrator of Saanidhya Residential School and Training Centre, Mangaluru, was the area director of Special Olympics Bharat from 2001 to 2006. He is named the area director again this year.
The event is being conducted at eight regions in Karnataka. The event will have district-, region- and state-level sports. The programme envisages training special educators in different sports and make them certified coaches. “Our aim is to bring out the hidden talents of the intellectually disabled persons and bring them to the main stream of the society,” Vasanth Kumar added.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Mangalore / by Jaideep Shenoy / TNN / March 25th, 2016
Basketball player Dilip Gurumurthy, the only player from Karnataka on the Indian team that went to the 1980 Moscow Olympics, gets nostalgic over the experience
There were whispers among those present at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, at Bambolim. “Did an Indian basketball team really make it to the Olympics?” they asked.
This wonder was evoked during the Federation Cup Basketball Tournament recently, where the cagers who represented the country at the 1980 Moscow Olympics were felicitated by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI).
On the podium, the players exchanged stories from their heyday. Among the many other topics covered in their conversation, one stood out. How did our national side gain a spot in the most coveted of sporting events?
Led by then U.S. President Jimmy Carter, 65 countries boycotted the Games, in protest of Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. This left gaping holes in the entry list, across disciplines.
India – ranked fifth in Asia – suddenly found itself in the main draw, after Japan, South Korea and Philippines (all ranked above India) withdrew. In a twist of fate, the rank outsiders took the court against Brazil, Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia in the main draw. Unable to keep up with their vastly-superior opponents, India was blown away by over 60 points in all three group stage fixtures. In the placement encounters, the hoopsters once again fell short, this time to Senegal, Sweden and Australia.
The results may have been a downer, but overall, there was an undeniable feeling of euphoria among the members of the squad. India had made its debut on the Olympic basketball court, and this feat has not been repeated since.
Centre Dilip Gurumurthy, the only player from Karnataka on that team, speaks about the experience with pride. He says that staying at the Olympic Village felt like heaven, even if the other athletes did not speak the same language. The Vijaya Bank stalwart, however, stated that the nation has a long way to go before dreams of reaching another mega-event can be realised. Excerpts:
Talk us through the Olympic qualification process.
We were fortunate to gain a spot. On the political level, India and the Soviet Union had a very good relationship, so that helped. The National Basketball Federation and the government pushed our case, and it worked. The Indian Volleyball Team was also slated to travel to Moscow, but somehow we got the nod. Of course, all of this was possible only because so many countries withdrew from the Games. After receiving news of the entry confirmation, we had only three weeks to get ready. The team selection was done during the Inter-Zonal Tournament in Calcutta.
What was it like to stay at the Olympic village?
It was like heaven. World-class athletes, from all over the world, interacted with one another in a friendly manner. We would exchange medals, badges and jerseys. There was a lot of security, as those were the days of the Communist regime. Our basketball team followed the fortunes of our countrymen with great interest. If you had the correct ID card, you could enter any stadium and watch any event. Language was never a problem, and we would use sign language to convey our thoughts. The facilities were unbelievable. I saw the marathon guys train even past midnight. I felt like I was living in a dream.
Who were the biggest stars that you wanted to meet?
Sebastian Coe (British middle-distance runner, who won the 1,500m gold at Moscow) and his countryman (track and field legend) Edwin Moses. Unfortunately, we could not meet them as security was too strict. I also saw Cuban boxer Teofilo Stevenson (one of the greatest amateurs in boxing history. He is best known for refusing to defect to the USA in order to fight pro heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali, despite being offered one million dollars to do so).
On the floor, the Indian basketball team could not compete against its rivals. We were able to score about 60 points in each match, but that was never going to be enough. The other teams were superior is many aspects – physique, skill and strategy. A side like Senegal which was supposed to be the lowest-ranked Africa unit, was tough to guard. We just could not match their physique. In fact, the average height for a player in any team was around 6’6”. And not only were they big, they were athletic as well. We could do well only till half-time, and after that, they would take over.
How did life change after the Olympics?
I came back with a strong desire to prove myself as a good player. I was supposed to get selected for the 1982 Asian Games, but somehow, that did not happen. So I decided to give up my international dreams. In 1983, I had an ACL injury which required surgery. Those days, even techniques like orthoscopy did not exist. The surgery was done and though, I was supposed to rest for six months, I returned to action in three months. I went on to play regularly for several more years. Towards the end of my career, I helped the Vijaya Bank side by being a player-coach. I retired from my service at Vijaya Bank only last year. They have supported me well for many years.
You are here to watch the best in the country compete in the Federation Cup. How would you compare your generation to the current generation?
We never had these facilities. It makes me cherish all the hardships we went through. Travelling in unreserved tickets to tournaments, eating whatever we could – all for the sake of basketball.
I was known for my defence and asked to mark the toughest man. I’m not boasting, but I was never taken out of the game for not doing my job. See these current players. After their match, they should sit in the venue and analyse other matches. But they never do that. Doing your homework is important. Somehow I feel that current players have no real fighting qualities in them. Players may be taller now, but where are the results? That drive to succeed is not there. Coaching wise, the emphasis should be on defence. My take is that if you stop two points on defence and then score on the counter, you are up by four points.
I don’t know, these guys seem casual in their approach. If a team is winning by 20 points, they want to try fancy passes and dunks. At the national level, players should remain serious and composed, with a sharp focus on being productive.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Ashwin Achal / Bangalore – March 28th, 2016
Car collector Dr Ravi Prakash promises to pull the wraps off over 900 classic beauties
Classic car lovers may soon be spotted wheeling down the state highway more frequently than ever before. Giving the finishing touch to his glossies, doctor-turned-vintage-car-collector Ravi Prakash is almost ready to steer open the doors of a nine lakh square feet property on the fringes of Bengaluru that will house a covetable collection of more than 900 classic cars, together with a range of time-honoured motorbikes and carriages.
Describing it as an ‘auto-history museum’, Dr Ravi says, “More than a treasure trove of vintage automotives, I hope to create an aural-visual and educative experience that every vehicle enthusiast and historian would want to have. The museum will illustrate the evolution of motor vehicles through its exhibits. But more importantly, it will replicate the bygone era, complete with the classic favourites, road networks as well as the people and attire of old times.”
From the Bentleys, Aston Martins and Rolls-Royces to the Mini Coopers, the museum will showcase a diverse collection of glistening steel beauties that could make even the most hard-nosed cynic quiver with excitement. Located on a farmland near Rajarajeshwari Nagar along the Mysore Road, the museum will not just line up the cars in an array. “Expected to be one of the 10 largest vintage car museums in the world, this state-of-the-art venue will promote awareness about old-style vehicles. The property will also comprise an automotive mall, serving as a platform for buyers and sellers,” adds the collector, who himself was a national rallying and racing champion between 1981 and 1984, and is a die-hard fan of the Mercedes Benz classics.
It’s not just this cardiothoracic surgeon who likes to travel back in time. His daughter Rupali also takes interest in old cars. “She is into vintage car merchandising and is quite passionate about it,” sums up Dr Ravi, who dreams to make this museum a major tourist hub in the coming years.
Zooming facts
The museum will be equipped with advanced technology, wherein each car will be displayed under individual sheds.
Among the lot will be a car driven by Motilal Nehru.
Visitors will have access to an enviable collection of 18,000 books and journals on automobiles, apart from other antiques.
Typically, the restoration and modification process for every car takes around six to nine months, while it may also vary between three to four years, depending on the amount of work required on the vehicle.
The restoration of the vehicles is a done by a team of 15 motor experts at a special workshop.
A restaurant featuring car-themed design and decor will be the star attraction of the auto-mall.
A charitable foundation will run the museum, the proceeds of which will be primarily spent for the treatment of road accident victims, while the rest of the money will be used for the acquisition and restoration of cars.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Bangalore / by Reema Gowalla / TNN / March 28th, 2016
Kadri Gopalnath of Mangaluru may have bagged a multitude of awards, but this year’s S.V. Narayanaswany Rao National Award from the Chamarajpet Ramaseva Mandali seems extra special to him.
“It was nearly 40 years ago that I was in the process of rediscovering and exploring the Belgian instrument for adapting it to Carnatic genre. After years of research and modifications to suit the genre, I was rearing to showcase my Carnatic experimentations when mandali founder S.V.N. Rao was open-minded to offer me a morning slot. Today, I feel rewarded to be taking an award instituted in his name,” says Mr. Gopalnath, who will receive the award during Ramothsava on May 1.
Mr. Gopalnath was at the right place at the right time, according to S.N. Varadaraj, general secretary of the mandali.
“In 1977, when some of the best Nadaswara professionals were unable to make it to the mandali, Gopalnath’s approach proved timely as audiences were exposed to a foreign instrument on a classical platform,” says Mr. Varadaraj.
Belgian instrument-maker and musician Adolphe Sax, who invented saxophone in 1840, would never have imagined that his invention would one day see Carnatic flourishes on it.
“My modifications with controlled blow, apart from altering the pads and fastening some keys for easier Carnatic oscillations helped me tackle every composition in every raga. In a way, my hard work not only helped me propagate classical Indian music on an established European instrument, but it is more rewarding to see hundreds of enthusiasts taking to the instrument in the last two decades. The instrument has gained a niche in Carnatic,” says Mr. Gopalnath.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Ranjani Govind / Bengaluru – March 28th, 2016
City’s Sneha Spandana Mahila Mandali, Kuvempunagar, was conferred with District Youth Club Award at the District Youth Convention jointly organised by Nehru Yuva Kendra, Department of Collegiate Education, Student Welfare Wing and NSS Unit, University of Mysore, (UoM) at Humanities auditorium, Manasagangotri here recently.
The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 25,000 and a citation.
Speaking on the occasion of award presentation, Mayor B.L. Bhyrappa said that Mysuru bagging the ‘Cleanest City in India’ tag for the second consecutive time, has brought enormous joy to him.
Pointing out that many Self Help Groups had joined hands with the MCC in keeping the city clean, Bhyrappa observed that relentless co-operation by Associations and Organisations, civic groups and members of the public, will go a long way in the city retaining the tag for a long time.
Maintaining that the MCC has launched several initiatives for making the city plastic-free, he called upon the co-operation of all stakeholders in this regard.
Noting that every individual has his/her own strengths, he opined that everyone should utilise their strengths for the betterment of society. He called upon Organisations to guide the youths in the right direction.
Joint Director of Collegiate Education Prof. Morabada Mallikarjuna, University of Mysore Dean Dr. M. Rudraiah, Administrative Officer Prof. C. Ramaswamy, Nehru Yuva Kendra’s M.N. Nataraj and others were present.
A total of 25 youth groups of the district were presented sports equipments on the occasion.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / March 28th, 2016
“By not fixing time for return of their wives, who go to their parents’ homes, men need to provide mental independence to women as even if they are at their parents’ house, they always think about the safety and well-being of their family,” observed Assistant Professor of Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies Dr. N. K. Lolakshi here yesterday.
Speaking after inaugurating a function organised by Karnataka Rajya Sarvajana Mahila Hitharakshana Vedike to present various awards to achievers as part of International Women’s Day celebrations at Rotary Centre on JLB Road in city, she said that laws should be formulated to make it binding on sons-in-law to take care of women who do not have sons.
Speaking after conferring Mysuru Rathna award on P. Supreeth, Chiguru Rathna and Sadhana Rathna awards on others, litterateur and former Sanskrit Professor Prof. K.R. Premaleela called upon the electronic media not to glorify events like child-marriages, sati, honour killing etc., which need to be shunned in the interest of safety of women, who have often been victimised for no fault of theirs.
The other awardees are: C. Vani Raghavendra – Sahityashree award, Lalitha Sharma – Prathibha Rathna award, Chithra Nanjappa and Vidu. P.H.Vijayalakshmi – Shikshana Rathna awards.
C. Vikyath, S. Pratheek Gowda, K.S. Dhanush, S. Vidyadhar and H.S.Vinay – Chiguru Rathna awards; H.S. Vinayraj, N. Ranjini, B.S.Sahana Sharma, V. Ambika, N. Dhanushree, C. Kailash and Preethu Manjunath – Sadhana Rathna awards.
Vedike State President Yashodha Narayan presided. Vedike District President Amitha Subbaiah, General Secretary Latha Ranganath and others were present on the occasion.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / March 28th, 2016
