Monthly Archives: October 2020

Letters signed by Mahatma to go on the block

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

The letter in English, dated March 6, 1930, with a personal letterhead of ‘Gandhi Niwas , Rajkot, India’, is written in blue ink.

A handwritten letter of Mahatma Gandhi to the secretary of Congress, a week before he started the Dandi March to defy the salt tax from Sabarmati Ashram, are among three of his memorabilia that are going under the hammer in Bengaluru on Gandhi Jayanti on Friday.

While a physical auction is taking place in the city, bids are being invited online too.

The letter in English, dated March 6, 1930, with a personal letterhead of ‘Gandhi Niwas , Rajkot, India’, is written in blue ink.

The letter just says: “I will go next Sunday. All the member should present in the meeting. The meeting is very important for us.” The Mahatma signed the letter as ‘MK Gandhi’.

He commenced the 240-mile, 24-day Dandi March on March 12 as part of the Civil Disobedience Movement and tax resistance. While the letter was written on a Thursday, the “next Sunday” was March 9. The important meeting that he was referring to could be a meeting ahead of the Dandi march.

Rajender Maru of Marudhar Arts, one of the few ASI-licenced auction houses in India, which is auctioning the memorabilia, said that the other handwritten letter of the Mahatma is in Gujarati. The letter received by Kumar Ranjit Singhji, the ruler of Nawanagar, on April 12, 1939, is written in blue ink on handmade paper, which is still in good condition.

The third item is a rare black-and-white photograph of the Mahatma with an undated signature in Hindi in black ink as ‘M.K. Gandhi’.

“Handwritten and signed letters of Mahatma Gandhi are unequivocally rare and are amongst the most sought after collectibles in the Indian autographs category. This is important due to its rarity,” Mr. Maru told The Hindu.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Sharath S Srivatsava / Bengaluru – October 01st, 2020

Former VC on AIIMS advisory body, chosen as CSIR-Emeritus Scientist

Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All, Science & Technology

Recognition has come to him over his contribution to the field of biological sciences and development of science, says K.S. Rangappa

Former Vice-Chancellor and scientist K.S. Rangappa has been nominated to the top advisory body of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has chosen him as a member of AIIMS PGIMER in Chandigarh and AIIMS in Bhubaneswar, Bathinda, Guwahati and Srinagar.

Speaking to reporters here on Saturday, Prof. Rangappa said the nomination for a period of five years had been made in recognition of his contribution to the field of biological sciences and development of science in the country.

“Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has appreciated my research work and publications, particularly on cancer drug research, in various journals and my work as the chairman of the Indian Science Congress. The AIIMS is a prestigious central institution and I have been nominated to offer my opinion on research and other areas of science,” he said.

The former V-C of University of Mysore said he has been selected as CSIR-Emeritus Scientist (ES) by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi. “The CSIR-ES scheme was launched to recognise and encourage meritorious scientists who are above the age of 62. I believe it’s an honour for the University of Mysore to have a CSIR-Emeritus Scientist on its campus.”

COVID-19 vaccine race

On the COVID-19 vaccine race, Prof. Rangappa, who is into cancer research, said several vaccine candidates are in various clinical evaluation stages and some are undergoing clinical trials in India, China and Europe.

Usually, a vaccine takes at least two years to be available considering the evaluation processes involved in its development. In the case of COVID-19, which is spreading rapidly with a high transmission rate, many top-rated universities and research institutions have expedited their vaccine development and some are said to be close to achieving a breakthrough, the scientist explained.

A time-frame for availability of the vaccine cannot be fixed as it has to go through various trials before it is made available, he said, adding that the vaccine development has not been slowed down as seeming as researchers are moving thoughtfully to ensure no side-effects of the vaccine are felt on normal human health.

On cancer research with China

About his research collaboration with China, the former VC said he had entered into an understanding with a Chinese University which wanted to conduct clinical trials on six of his patents pertaining to cancer research. The mega research project had been kept in abeyance after the COVID-19 outbreak despite more than 10 video conference sessions between scientists from India and China on the project so far.

To a question on whether he would pursue the project in the wake of strained relations between India and China, he said, “The project has not taken off yet. It is in a deferment mode. It will be pursued only if the relations are good since my country is my priority and I will comply with what the laws say.”

‘Wake-up call’

The COVID-19 pandemic has come as a wake-up call for India to step up its funding to research, especially in science, as United States, China, South Korea and others set aside huge research grants in field of research and development.

Mr. Rangappa, while welcoming the National Education Policy (NEP), said India spends 0.69 per cent of its GDP on research while it is 4 per cent in Israel, 3 per cent in United States, and 4.5 percent in South Korea. “The allocation is very less for a thickly populated country like ours. The NEP has laid emphasis on research but there is no clarity on the extent of funding the area should get. As a scientist, I suggest India spends more on research like others since the pandemic has come as a lesson for all us,” he opined.

He said the NEP will help to erase discrepancies in the education sector and provide ample opportunities to the people from the deprived sections of the society for accessing quality education.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – October 03rd, 2020

Exhibition-cum-sale to revive purchase of handmade products made by rural women

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy
A file photo of Gandhi Bhavan in Kumara Park East, which will be the venue of the first exhibition-cum-sale of handmade products.   | Photo Credit: K_MURALI_KUMAR

The slogan is ‘Come in as a consumer, go out as an activist’

The Heggodu-based Charaka and Desi Trust, which had shut down operations due to huge losses and lack of sales due to the pandemic and the lockdown, is organising a series of exhibition-cum-sale of handmade products to get back on its feet. The first such exhibition will be held at Gandhi Bhavan, Kumara Park East from October 2 to 4.

Charaka, the largest naturally-dyed handloom fabric manufacturer in the country being run as a co-operative by women, is saddled with a whopping 87,000 metres of unsold fabric and about ₹16 lakh worth of garments.

Desi, which markets products of Charaka through 15 stores in Karnataka, has a stock of garments worth around ₹1 crore. “We continued working during the lockdown to ensure the women do not lose jobs. But there was no sale, which has left us with unsold stock. We have run out of cash and were left with no choice but to shut down operations,” said theatre person Prasanna, the key force behind Charaka and Desi Trust.

Grama Seva Sangh has now taken up ‘Save Gramodyog’, a two-part initiative which will include a rural campaign where villagers will picket panchayat offices seeking answers as to why the rural economy is in dire straits, and an urban campaign led by consumers to encourage the purchase and support of handmade products.

The exhibition at Gandhi Bhavan is the first of a series of exhibitions, which will be held across the State. The slogan for the exhibition is ‘Come in as a consumer, go out as an activist’

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Staff Reporter / Bengaluru – September 29th, 2020