Monthly Archives: May 2019
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Two women from State heading to Lok Sabha this time
Fifteen years ago, it was Tejaswini Gowda and Manorama Madhwaraj who made it to LS
After a gap of 15 years, two women candidates from Karnataka — Shobha Karandlaje from Udupi-Chikkamagaluru and Sumalatha from Mandya — have made it to the 17th Lok Sabha.
In 2004, Tejaswini Gowda had won as a Congress candidate from the then Kanakapura constituency against JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda, and Manorama Madhwaraj had won from Udupi on a BJP ticket.
In 2014 LS polls, 20 women were in the fray from the State. Of them, Ms. Karandlaje was the only one to win a seat. Likewise, in the 2009 elections, J. Shantha from the BJP was the lone woman MP from Karnataka.
Although 27 women candidates, including three from prominent parties and one Independent, had contested this time, women’s representation is abysmally low when compared with the women voter population (2.48 crore) in the State. Women in Karnataka outnumbered men in 13 of the 33 electoral divisions as per the final electoral rolls prepared for the 2019 LS polls.
Ms. Karandlaje won with a huge margin of 3.49 lakh votes, the highest ever for a woman candidate from Karnataka. In fact, this is the fourth highest margin ever among all parliamentary candidates in the State so far. Ms. Sumalatha, who won by a margin of 1.26 lakh votes, is the first Independent woman candidate to have made it to the Lok Sabha from Karnataka.
Of the total 542 MPs who will take oath as members of the 17th Lok Sabha in the next few days, 78 are women, with Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal leading at 11 each.
This is the highest ever number of women representation since 1952. In the 16th Lok Sabha, 64 women had won, while 52 were present in the 15th Lok Sabha.
From Karnataka, the best representation of women in Parliament was in 1991 when three MPs were elected — Basavarajeshwari, D.K. Taradevi and Chandraprabha Urs. The lowest representation was in 1990 and 1998 when no women made it to Parliament. Since 1977, only 15 women candidates have made it, including two in bypolls. While 12 of the 20 Congress candidates fielded since 1977 have won so far, three of the seven women candidates fielded by the BJP have won.
First woman
The first woman MP to be elected to the LS from Karnataka was in 1962 when Sarojini Mahishi contested and won from Dharwad North Lok Sabha constituency. She was re-elected in 1967, 1971 and 1977. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was elected from Chikkamagaluru in 1977.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Afshan Yasmeen / Bengaluru – May 25th, 2019
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These ‘angels’ help many reunite with relatives in India’
When she was growing up in Downingtown, Leslie Bernand (name changed)wondered whether she might someday locate a blood relative in India, from where she was adopted as a baby.
Bengaluru :
When she was growing up in Downingtown, Leslie Bernand (name changed) wondered whether she might someday locate a blood relative in India, from where she was adopted as a baby.
But she never expected that her journey towards finding would confront her to hundreds of ‘DNA search angels’ on social media who would work like ‘detectives’ to reunite her with her family which is supposedly in India.
“These are volunteers on Facebook who are helping people from many countries including the USA, The Netherlands, China, France etc to find their roots in India through genetic genealogy. Though I am yet to trace my family in India I have found many ‘angels’ who are helping me towards this,” Leslie explained.
Speaking to TNIE, the administrator of one such group ‘DNA India Adoptees’ Mirjam Bina said, “In our site on Facebook we are for and by Indian adoptees who are forever connected with India because of their DNA. Here we share our stories and then it is taken forward by the ‘angels’ who are part of this group and many such groups and work towards finding clues to hunt for
the families.”
In Bina’s case she was found alone at Chatrapathi Shivaji terminus in Mumbai and was later moved to the Netherlands. Recently she found one such DNA ‘angel’ from Mangaluru, based in UAE who told her that
her ancestral family was from a Mangaluru Catholic community.
Her search for her family still continues but through her DNA detective on Facebook she was connected to Dr Niraj Rai, Scientist and group head, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP) in Lucknow.
He explained to The New Indian Express that he has collected more than one lakh DNA samples and he also has ancestry data of more than 100 ethnic groups. He has helped several ‘angels’ from various social media groups who work as DNA detectives to help people across the world to trace their families.
“I have helped many. Confidentiality of the ‘detective’, as well as the samples, is maintained. I have collected DNA samples for my research. We work with many other genetic genalogists too,” he added.
Meanwhile, the group ‘DNA Detectives’ on Facebook which is a closed group, helps people with advice about how to use DNA to track down biological family. Also, a non-profit organisation ‘Searchangels.org’ also claims to have many volunteers from India who work towards finding birth families. “In our group the volunteers are skilled at finding the adoptee’s birth family through both traditional search and genetic genealogy.
However, no legal documents for the same will be provided. Ours is one of the largest social media resources for people interested in conducting their own searches,” said their website. Many volunteers on different such groups have made many Indian contacts who now work towards helping people who they have never met to discover the most intimate details about their origins.
AncestryDNA, the ancestry testing service, 23andMe, Living DNA, Family Tree DNA, MyHeritage, National Geographics’s Geno 2.0 and several others have many customer bases connected to India.”
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Chetana Belagere / Express News Service / May 17th, 2019
No fancy clinics, doctor couple achieves success through home visits
The couple now aims to start three more centres in other parts of the city, and bring in two nutritionists for patients facing dietary issues.
Bengaluru :
It’s been five years since Dr Navneeth Motreja and his wife Nithya decided to do something meaningful with their MBBS degree. Realising that many patients, especially senior citizens, find it tough to travel to a hospital and then wait in a long queue for consultation, the doctor couple decided to launch a service to examine patients at their homes.
From just one or two appointments a day to 20,000 patients in the last five years, they have come a long way, and now have a team comprising eight doctors, six nurses and three physiotherapists. They later also launched two clinics, at Halasuru and Malleswaram, that work as a reporting centre for the staff.
“We have a centre in Frazer Town for call coordination. The coordinators receive calls from patients and inform the nearest clinic. In case the doctor cannot reach their house immediately during emergency cases, the coordinators check with the hospital nearest to the patient and get an ambulance free of cost,” Motreja said.
Celebrating the fifth anniversary of their joint venture, Care on Call, this Saturday, he said, “We found that it was difficult for the elderly, bed-ridden and the sick to get dressed and drive to the hospital. So we decided to go the old-fashioned way, and carry a tool-kit to the patient’s house. Care on Call now receives over 50 appointments a day.”
The venture is also getting popular with people visiting the city. “Many visitors do not know about nearby hospitals and would prefer to get treated at their hotel room. So we also started receiving calls from hotels to consult their guests,” Motreja told CE, adding that they provide 24×7 service. “Pharmacies are closed during the night and we provide basic medication. The fee is Rs 100 for a one-hour consultation if the area is within 5km of our clinics,” he added.
The couple now aims to start three more centres in other parts of the city, and bring in two nutritionists for patients facing dietary issues. “We may also expand to other cities if this goes well. This is the best way to ensure quality and affordable healthcare,” said Nithya.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Preeja Prasad / Express News Service / May 16th, 2019
Bengalurean pursues soccer dreams in Spain
Brishti Bagchi has a dream. One that sees her kicking a football on the sun-soaked pitches of Spain. And unlike many, she even has a chance to realise it.
The footballer from Bengaluru has a foot in the door – an opportunity to play for the reserve side of Madrid Club de Futbol Femenino, a La Liga Division 1 side. She feels that’s all she needs to kick open that metaphorical door to be a full-time professional.
But the stumbling block remains finances, forcing her to turn to crowd-funding.
“I made the reserve team in Madrid and I want to return there in August,” she puts it matter-of-factly. “So I have to go back and train for four to six months with the reserve team before I can play for the first team.”
“Yes, because I have a visa based on that. The visa would be a student visa and I have the license to compete for the reserve team. Only once I make the main team and get a contract can I get a work permit and be paid. But until I do, I have to take care of my expenses.”
Brishti, playing for Bangalore United FC in the ongoing Indian Women’s League in Ludhiana, had a trial towards the end of 2018 with the Spanish club. After being scouted during her time with Dallas City FC B in the Women’s Premier Soccer League in the United States, she was picked for the reserve team at the end of her trial.
Having played in the National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics league for the Oklahoma City University side before moving to North Texas University Club while pursuing a degree and research in Kinesiology, the attacker knows the level needed to make it as a professional.
“I had a trial for Houston Dash (in the US). I made it to the second round and they said international players have only four spots in the team and they were taken,” she opens up about her path.
The 25-year-old, coached by BUFC coach Chitra Gangadharan during her early years for SAI, was in the state and national circles before moving to the US. has knocked on many a door to help pursue her passion. The midfielder started a fundraising campaign on Milaap where she has detailed her ambitions and struggles. So far she has raised Rs 3,55,400. There is still a long way to go.
“This is a short-term investment so I’m hoping for a corporate sponsor.”
While her future remains in the balance, Brishti is keen to help in raising the popularity of women’s football and don the national colours. “Women’s football in India definitely has gone up. I think there is more hope but there needs to be more support. I know they are working on it and hopefully it will happen in the future,” she says.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Sports> Football / by Sandeep Menon / DH News Service / Bengaluru – May 15th, 2019
Stories behind names of some Bengaluru localities
Bengaluru or Bangalore got its name from ‘benda kaluru’ or boiled beans.
Similarly, the name of almost every locality in Bengaluru has a story behind it.
Here are some of them:
Marathahalli: The area received its name from a fighter aircraft named ‘Marut’, which was designed and assembled at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited facility that’s located close to this area. ‘Halli’ in Kannada means village.
Ulsoor: This area used to have a jackfruit orchard. Jackfruit is called ‘halasu’ in Kannada. ‘Halasu-ooru’ became Ulsoor.
Domlur: This area, which was dominated by people of Telugu origin, was notorious for its mosquito menace. Mosquitoes are called ‘domalu’ in Telugu. Hence, the place came to be known as Domlur.
Doddenekundi: Another Telugu-dominated area, it was originally called ‘Dodda Nakka Vundi’, which translates to ‘there’s a big jackal there’. Eventually, it became Doddanekundi.
Nagarabhavi: The name ‘Nagarabhavi’ literally translates to ‘well of snakes’. Before urbanisation, a large number of snakes were found in the area and that led to its name Nagarabhavi.
Jayanagar: The name Jayanagar translates to ‘victory city’. It is said to symbolise the first name of one of the rulers of the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore, Maharaja Jayachamaraja.
Yelahanka: The region was called ‘Ilakipakka Naadu’ during the rule of the Cholas. During the Hoysala reign, the city was known as ‘Elavanka’. It eventually evolved to Yelahanka.
Kodigehalli: Kodigehalli was a gift from King Veera Ballala to a resident of that area who gave him a meal. In Kannada, ‘Kodige’ translates to gift.
Madiwala: ‘Madiwala’ in Kannada means washerman. The locality was home to a community of washermen and washerwomen and the place was named for them.
Malleshwaram: The locality derives its name from the famous Kaadu Malleshwara Temple.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Specials / by Rashmi Shetty / DH Web Desk , Benglauru / May 13th, 2019