Monthly Archives: January 2017

‘Guerillas’, ‘bombers’ march into Bengaluru

Amazing Feats, Education
Corporate executives making seedballs using native seeds and cow dung
Corporate executives making seedballs using native seeds and cow dung

Bengaluru :

Students, corporates and NGOs have turned ‘bombers’ to save the city from becoming a concrete jungle. There is no cause for worry though, the ‘bombs’ aren’t explosives but mud balls that hold seeds.

If they come to pass any degraded land, they make a seedball and hurl it over the fencing or wall.
Some NGOs say that they have thrown over lakhs of seedballs in and around the city. Students and corporates say they have shot about thousands. The idea is to green the city once more.

One-foot Tall Forests
Uttishta Bharata, a Bengaluru-based NGO, took to seed-balling in 2015. In their first outing, the seedballs were scattered in the foothills of the Madhugiri mountains in Tumkuru. “The plants are now about one foot tall,” says Neeraj Kamath, co-ordinator with the NGO.

Citizens turn ‘bombers’ to save the city from becoming a concrete jungle
Citizens turn ‘bombers’ to save the city from
becoming a concrete jungle

The same NGO, last year, tossed 3.5 lakh seedballs with the help of school students. “Some primary school students and those in Classes 8 to 10 participated in the seedball fest last June and they thoroughly enjoyed it,” says Asha, school teacher of Agara School.

Children Are Best Recruits

Hundreds of seedballs were distributed that were tossed along a 5 km stretch of Kanakapura Road, says Asha. “Children are the best people to do this,” says Neeraj. “They are enthusiastic and love throwing these balls.”  The appeal lies in the simplicity of throwing the seedballs instead of the elaborate digging.
The seedballs are thrown in common land areas on the side of the streets or the land surrounding the lakes.

Terra Taala, a social enterprise and a subsidiary of Art Plantz, a plant incubating platform, also started seed-balling (or seed bombing, as it is also known) in 2015. They conduct workshops for students and corporates and usually prefer scattering the seeds in the outskirts of the city such as Tumakuru, Kolar and villages beyond Bengaluru.

‘Green Terrorists are a Must’

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Regina Gurung / Express News Service / January 31st, 2017

A Good Samaritan

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, Uncategorized

An award in recognition of some good social service or contribution to the society is not an end itself but puts up greater responsibility on individuals, says the Karnataka State ‘Jeeva Rakshak Prashasti’ winner Rajesh Gopalrao Khatavkar of Belagavi city.

A few months ago, two senior citizens were seriously injured in an accident on Fort Road in the city. They were hit by a motorbike rider from the rear. They fell down in a pool of blood oozing out from head injuries and injuries in other parts of their body. Mr. Khatavkar, who was passing by, immediately shifted them to the district government hospital and ensured quick medical help instead of calling and waiting for an ambulance to arrive. The injured victims survived the accident.

But, what followed was days of unexpected ordeal with the police often calling him in connection with the accident. Finally, his name was recommended to the district administration for the award, which was presented to him on the occasion of Republic Day by Deputy Commissioner N. Jayaram.

Speaking to a section of the media here on Tuesday, he appealed to citizens to play a proactive role instead of being mute spectators to various unexpected happenings, in order to save life and property.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Belagavi – January 31st, 2017

Ravalkatta Baba, revered guardian of the night

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Uncategorized

Belagavi  :

Almost six decades ago, he walked the streets of Sangargali and neighbouring villages at night, guarding them from thieves and other crimes. Ravalkatta Baba went on to become a local hero and was so revered that villagers built a temple in his honour.

The temple is built on the spot where Ravalkatta Baba used to rest | tushar a majukar
The temple is built on the spot where Ravalkatta Baba used to rest | tushar a majukar

The initiative to build the temple was taken up by ex-serviceman Vasant Bandodkar, a resident of Sangargali. He recalls stories of Baba roaming Sangargali, Gunji and nearby villages with a stick fitted with a bell in one hand and a lamp in the other. As he moved around, he would tap the stick on the ground, sounding the bell every time.

After his death, other watchmen tried to take Baba’s place but one of them died and another fled due to unknown reasons. Some villagers believe they can still hear the sound of Baba’s bell.
Bandodkar said in 2006 villagers decided to build a temple to honour his service. “We searched the whole forest for 3-4 days along with forest department personnel, but could not find the spot where Baba used to sit.

One day, as we were searching, an old man from a neighbouring village was passing by and asked us what we were searching for. He directed us to a spot. When we cleaned the bushes, we found the platform on which the Baba used to rest.

BabaBF29jan2017

We built the temple at this spot and cleaned up the platform,” said Bandodkar.
Villagers used to earlier conduct a jatra (fair) once a year. Devotees sacrifice hens, goats and sheep at the temple as part of the pooja. “Baba used to take a train every day to the village and he would arrive at the neighbouring Gunji railway station around 12 noon. It became a practice to sacrifice the animal only after 12 noon or after hearing the sound of an approaching train,” he said.

In 2012, however, the practice of conducting the jatra was stopped by villagers after seniors of the village said it was improper. Forest department too objected to the jatra, saying it was disturbing wildlife.
But this hasn’t stopped devotees from thronging the temple. The temple is open only on Sundays and Wednesdays, but devotees visit throughout the week. Villagers from Sangargali, Gunji and surrounding villages, and from neighbouring states like Goa and Maharashtra make their journey to the temple to seek Baba’s blessings. The temple restricts entry to women. With the temple gaining such popularity, a local MLA provided `2.5 lakh for development of the temple a few years back.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Tushar A Majukar / Express News Service / January 29th, 2017

Mysuru-Born Vikas Gowda chosen for Padma Shri Award

Amazing Feats, Records, All, Sports

VikasGowdaBF28jan2017

New Delhi:

Olympian and Mysuru-born Vikas Gowda has been chosen for the prestigious Padma Shri award by the Government of India. The Government of India announced Padma Awards 2017 on Jan. 25.

Discus thrower Vikas represented India at four Olympics-2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing, 2012 London & 2016 Rio.

The athlete from Mysuru, based in the US, Vikas also made India proud by winning two consecutive gold medals at the Asian championships in Pune, Indian in 2013 and Wuhan, China in 2015.

He also won the gold medal at Glasgow Commonwealth games in 2014.

Vikas Gowda is the son of Shive Gowda, a former Mysore University athlete, who initially was based in Saraswathipuram, Mysuru and later on shifted to the US for better prospects.

PERSONAL BEST – OUTDOOR: Shot Put- 19.62 Atlanta, GA 13 May 2006; Shot Put (6kg)- 19.30 Kingston, JAM 16 July 2002; Discus Throw- 66.28 Norman, OK 12 April 2012; Discus Throw (1.750kg)- 56.93 Kingston, JAM 17 July 2002; PERSONAL BEST – INDOOR Shot Put- 19.60 Chapel Hill, NC 18 February 2005.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports News / January 27th, 2017

Bengaluru woman braves Russia’s ‘highway of bones’

Amazing Feats, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion
Daunting task: Nidhi Tiwari completed 5,080 km from Yakutsk to Magadan and back. | Photo Credit: Handout E Mail
Daunting task: Nidhi Tiwari completed 5,080 km from Yakutsk to Magadan and back. | Photo Credit: Handout E Mail

Adventure lover flew to Yakutsk and drove East solo for 14 days along icy roads, to Magadan and back

Even for experienced drivers at home in extreme terrain, the route to the icy Russian village Oymyakon, dubbed the Pole of Cold, and Magadan beyond can be daunting. So when Nidhi Tiwari, an outdoor educator and a passionate driver from Bengaluru steered her Toyota Prado through –50° C temperatures, many Russian villagers were surprised.

The 36-year-old adventure lover and mother of two completed her 5,080 km solo expedition from Yakutsk to Magadan and back, through the coldest regions of Sakha Republic to become the first Indian to get there.

Ms. Tiwari, born in Dharwad and raised in Bengaluru, wears her badge for inter-continental expeditions proudly. “My drive from New Delhi to London in 2015 put me on the road for 97 days, covering 23,800 km across 17 countries,” she says. She zeroed in on Oymyakon in December 2016, as she wanted to see the coldest place on earth, and take the treacherous ‘Highway of Bones’ route from Yakutsk to Magadan, viewed by some as one of the world’s most dangerous roads.

The trip started with a flight to Yakutsk, followed by the drive for 14 days with a low temperature record of –59° at Ustnera near Sakha Republic. “I would drive for 14 hours a day on rough snow and ice. Even a minute’s exposure would freeze me with pain,” the explorer says.

During the trip, she had Skype conversations with 5,000 school children in India on what she saw.

With many geographical surprises popping up en route, adaptability was crucial. “The weather pierces the skin, and one has to deal with fatigue,” she says. What helped her was perfect four months of road-mapping and planning. Her SUV achieved an average of 12 km per litre.

Villagers surprised

As she covered the miles to Magadan, people could only stare in disbelief that someone from faraway India had made it to Oymyakon. “Shocked people offered free food and told me that I was crazy to be driving there,” says Ms. Tiwari who had to get used to just reindeer and horse meat with hot soup.

As the goal was reached, historian Vasielia Tamara Yagerovna of the Russian Geographic Society said on Facebook that the list of visitors from 47 countries to Oymyakon now had an Indian name, the first.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Ranjani Govind / Bengaluru – January 27th, 2017

RamaGovinda Puraskara – 2017 Awards Ceremony on Jan. 29

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

Mysuru :

A programme has been organised at Kalamandira in city on Jan. 29 at 6.30 pm to present RamaGovinda Puraskara-2017, under the aegis of Sri D. Ramabai Charitable Foundation and M. Gopinath Shenoi Charitable Trust – Mangalore Ganesh Beedi Works, Mysuru. This year’s awardees are Dr. Prakash Baba Amte, Dr. Mandakini Amte and Dr. Vijayanatha Shenoi.

P. Mallesh will present the award in the presence of M. Ramanatha Shenoi couple, M. Jagannatha Shenoi couple and M. Gopinath Shenoi couple.

Play ‘Mayabazaar’: At 7.15 pm, Surabhi theatre troupe will be staging the play ‘Mayabazaar.’ Surabhi is a Hyderabad-based troupe which has 60 artistes who belong to a single family. Having 130 years of history, this troupe has been performing plays based on Indian mythology.

About D. Ramabai Charitable Foundation and M. Gopinath Shenoi Charitable Trust: These two institutions are associated with a pro-societal cause in education, health and cultural sectors, immensely involving human welfare and development. As an extension of their social endeavours these two institutions have collectively instituted an award named RamaGovinda Puraskara, to be presented annually since last year. This award will be an yearly event, preceded by meticulously selecting an institution and some individuals working for societal development.

Awardees’ Profile: The epitome of humanism, Dr. Prakash Baba Amte walks on the path paved by his father Baba Amte. Prakash Amte has dedicated his life to the welfare of tribals at the dense forests of Hemalaska in Gadchiroli District of Maharashtra. Dr. Mandakini, his wife, has joined hands with him for all his selfless endeavours. They are so fond of wild animals that leopard and bear play in the courtyard of their house. The life of this couple has been portrayed on screen too. In this film, Nana Patekar and Sonali Kulakarni have enacted the roles of this couple.

Dr. Vijayanatha Shenoy of Manipal is well-known as a person who has interacted with the local experts and international stalwarts in various fields like philosophy, music, literature, dance and yakshagana. Having a refined taste in all these fields, he has organised various kinds of programmes and projects. He treasures some of the best architectural constructions through his ‘Hastashilpa’ and ‘Heritage Village.’ He runs the movement of enriching the knowledge of the society regarding the values of life that are entwined with the physical aspects of tradition.

His letters, in Kannada and English exchanged with the masters in various fields are a great gift to the epistolary literature of this land. Dr. Vijayanatha Shenoy is a ‘cultural saint’ of our times.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / January 27th, 2017

Manipal institute’s diamond jubilee celebrations to begin on Friday

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Records, All

The Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) celebrates its diamond jubilee this year and different programmes have been chalked up for the celebrations to be held throughout the year.

Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, G.K. Prabhu, institute director, said that Subramanian Swamy, Rajya Sabha member, will deliver a lecture on “The impact of Demonetization on Indian Economy” here on January 28.

Anant Talaulicar, managing director, Cummins India Ltd., will formally launch the celebrations here on January 27. Established as Manipal Engineering College in 1957, the college had maintained a long-standing relationship with quality technical education and student diversity. In 1974, it was renamed as Manipal Institute of Technology. It is now the largest constitute institution of Manipal University.

A key feature of the celebrations is the extramural lectures. A number of prominent persons would visit the campus for the lecture and interact with the students. Ashwani Gujral, Technical Analyst, Investment and Portfolio Management, Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda, MP, are among them.

Other programmes planned for the year include, a series of workshops to hone skills in engineering, basic sciences, management, and humanities. A number of national and international conferences on contemporary themes, by various departments of engineering and other disciplines would be held.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Mangaluru / by Special Correspondent / Manipal – January 26th, 2017