Sanjana Koushik, a city girl, has achieved a rare feat of being selected for the finals of All India-level Indian Classical Music competitions, conducted by Indian Association of Universities. She represented University of Mysore and has won the first prize in the South India-level of the competition.
Sanjana is a student of Maharani Arts and Science College, studying in first year BA (first semester). She was initiated to music at a young age, at Chandigarh, when her father was working there. Her first Guru was Gita Dutt of Chandigarh. When her father came back to Mysore, she continued her musical studies under Veerabhadraiah Hiremutt. Later, she came under the tutelage of Nagabhushan Hegde, who has now migrated to Sagar in Shimoga District. She later continued under Niranjan and Padma Gopal.
Currently she is pursuing her studies once again under Nagabhushan Hegde, who conducts classes in Bangalore. She is the daughter of Tara and Ravindran of J.P. Nagar.
This girl Sanjana, has made the city proud by her rare achievement and we wish that she come out victorious in the finals. —SRK.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / December 26th, 2013
The alumni of NIE 1983 batch are seen at the 30th anniversary celebrations.
Mysore :
‘The alumni play a vital role in building their alma mater,’ said S.L.Ramachandra, Hon.Secretary, NIE Managing Committee.
He was speaking at the 30th anniversary celebrations of NIE students of 1983 batch held at NIE premises in city recently.
Ramachandra said that in many Universities, more so in top-notch global Universities like Harvard and Stanford, the alumni’s involvement would be so impressive that some of those Universities have built corpus fund amounting to billions of dollars.
NIE, being one of the oldest engineering institutions started in 1946, is trying to build very strong alumni network across globe, he said.
The alumni of 1983 batch who attended the 30th anniversary celebrations included Dr. G.L. Shekar, Principal, NIE, S.B. Ravishankar, Investment Banker in London, Dinesh, Consultant in US, Rajshekar Bhat, Vivek Kutti and Mathew Joseph, entrepreneurs, Nataraj Krishnappa, General Manager (HR), BEL, R. Narayan and Sadananda Rao, ISRO Scientists and T.N.Ramesh, Executive at J.K.Tyres. About 70 alumni went around the college to see various facilities.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / December 26th, 2013
Imran Khan, a resident of Tumkur, had been bedridden for the best part of 12 years after nearly 200 kg of steel fell on his back when he was visiting a construction site.
The 28-year-old lost all hope of walking again till he found out about Ilaj bit Tadbeer (regimental therapy), a little-known system of unani medicine involving massage, cupping and leeching using herbs. Imran underwent 14 months of continuous treatment at the National Institute of Unani Medicine (NIUM), which falls under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Now, he has started walking with support.
The story of Tousif Ahmed from BTM Layout is similar to Imran’s. Tousif injured his spine in an accident in Andhra Pradesh in January 2012 in which his uncle died.
“I was told by a private hospital that I would not walk again and would be bedridden for the rest of my life. But with intervention from NIUM, I am moving in a wheelchair and also walking with crutches,” he said.
Tousif has been receiving treatment at the Institute for the past four months. He is currently shooting videos of recovering patients at NIUM in order to make a short film.
“I had wanted to set up a call-centre after getting my BCA, but the accident crippled my dream. But as I can move again, I have set a target of five months to walk out of this hospital,” he said.
Dr D A Muzzaffar Bhat, resident medical officer of NIUM, said the centre was focusing on neuro-rehabilitation. This included attending to patients who suffered from stroke, myopathy, epilepsy, motor-neuron disease, Parkinson’s disease, hemiplegia and paraplegia. He said NIUM takes up cases referred from other hospitals like NIMHANS.
He referred to the successful treatment of Mohammed Farooq, who was admitted to Victoria Hospital after meeting with an accident. He was bedridden for eight months with no sensation in his lower-back. Farooq started treatment at NIUM in January and is now walking with the help of crutches.
“No surgeries are done here and our approach is to develop cells and strengthen nerves and muscles,” Dr Bhat said .
Options for Cerebral Palsy Aditya Kholi greets you with a smile and offers a chair to those who approach him and only when he tries to walk, do people notice a problem.
Aditya is a child who was born with cerebral palsy and could hardly move his legs. His father Mahesh Kohli, an IT professional, had quit his job in Dubai to research treatment options for Aditya, when a friend told him about Ilaj bit Tadbeer.
After five months of treatment, Aditya can now sit comfortably and also fold his legs and walk.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bangalore / by Mohammed Yacoob – Bangalore / November 18th, 2013
“A global index to measure the contemporariness of science shows most of India’s research dates back to the 1950s and 60s. The yesterday and today of science cannot be the same; we must do contemporary science,” Bharat Ratna-designate Prof C N R Rao said on Monday.
At the silver jubilee inaugural lecture of an in-house symposium at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research he regaled the audience with anecdotes and scientific insight.
“Time is catching up with India and we cannot say we have a lot of time. India is 66th among 140 nations in innovation. India has only 20 years to catch up with science for self-preservation, and no day is a holiday for science,” he told a gathering of young students and scientists.
To buttress his argument, he said India contributed about one per cent of the top research papers in the world annually compared to China (5 per cent) and the US (10 per cent). Referring to worries over water resources and waterborne diseases, Rao said work must be done on energy and water in the country.
He spoke about the experiences of scientists he called the ‘Gods’ of science.
He described how Excelsior magazine carried out a smear campaign to keep Madame Marie Curie out of the French Academy of Sciences only because she was a woman even though she had won two Nobel Prizes in 1903 and 1911.
Declaring that no one could equal the contributions of Michael Faraday, Rao said the beauty of his work lays in the simplicity of his thinking and experiments.
However, he did not get a Nobel Prize as he died in 1867 before the Nobel Prizes were instituted.
He also spoke of Ernest Rutherford and his Nobel Prize in 1908 for the chemistry of radioactive substances.
Rutherford took to mentoring students in his lab and under his leadership, Chadwick discovered the neutron in 1932.
Following this, John Cockcroft and Ernest Walton performed experiments to split the nucleus in a controlled environment, he added.
Rao also referred to the spiritual realm, quoting Swami Vivekananda and Rabindranath Tagore, to stress how science was a great means to make Indians selfless.
He said, “It is important that we criticise and question science. But it must be in an open process and not to belittle others. Daily trifles kill most people. Let us not pay too much attention to small things.”
Rao showed his lighter side as he spoke of the wrongs suffered by material and structural chemists at the hands of organic chemists.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bangalore / by Express News Service – Bangalore / November 19th, 2013
The under-construction Haradi Ramanna Shetty Memorial Indoor Gymnastics Stadium at Shri Bal Maruti Samstha campus, Kille in Dharwad, is all set to hold the Karnataka State Schools under-14 and under-17 gymnastics competitions for boys and girls from Tuesday (October 22).
The two-day event will be jointly organised by the district administration, Zilla Panchayat, Department of Public Instructions and Dharwad District Olympic Association.
District Olympic Association president P H Neeralakeri said Dharwad is hosting the event for the eighth time and for the second consecutive year.
Nearly 500 competitors from 15 districts will take part. Six events – floor exercise, table vault, parallel bars, horizontal bars, rings and pommel horse would be conducted for boys. Girls will have four events – floor exercise, table vault, balancing beam and uneven bars.
Siddharudha Kainadagu and Amruta Mudrebett of Dharwad and Ujwal Naidu of Bangalore, who won medals in the National School Games last year, would be the main attraction at the competitions.
Shri Bal Maruti Samstha chairman Arun Ramachandra Joshi said the new gymnastics stadium which has 70×140 feet space, would be completed at `45 lakh and `25 lakh has been spent already.
District and Minister for Basic Infrastructure and Information Santosh Lad will inaugurate the event at 9.30 am in the presence of former CM Jagadish Shettar. MLA Arvind Bellad will preside.
District Physical Education Officer M N Narasappa, District Olympic Association secretary B S Talikoti, senior coach V G Murtugudde and others were present at the press meet.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Express News Service – Dharwad / October 21st, 2013
Add a splash of colour to your garden with these brightly-hues beauties. These dramatic tropical beauties can be grown in large containers or in the ground, and they thrive in Bangalore’s climate.
In the ’80’s we could only view the exotic and brilliantly-coloured hybrid hibiscus, in the hot house in Lalbagh. On certain days, the research section was opened to the public and we oohed and aahed over the beautiful, large blooms enviously. Today the plants are sold for a reasonable price in nurseries across the city.
Two varieties are available — the garden variety and the hybrid one. The garden variety hibiscus is the one we are all familiar with from our childhood – the simple hibiscus flowers on large bushes that grew as high as our houses. They usually come in only a single solid color, or possibly a mix of two colours. The flowers are small and not very dramatic to look at. In contrast, hybrid hibiscus bushes usually don’t grow as big or as vigorously as the garden variety, but the flowers are much more spectacular. The tropical hybrids produce large multi-coloured flowers. There is nothing more rewarding than the beautiful blooms these exotic plants produce.
A personal favourite is the blue, lavender, pink and red hibiscus called Hollywood Starlet. It blooms with large, multicolored 7-9″ ruffly flowers in tangerine, lavender, and pink with a dark red eye. The bush is full, lush, and medium sized. Another beauty is soft, pretty and ruffled one called Dreamy Morning. Its large 7-9″ single flower glows in pastel yellow, orange and pink, and a two-toned red eye. Hot Babe has large, ruffled 7-9″ flowers in shades of orange with a bold fuchsia pink eye. These dramatic tropical beauties can be grown in large containers or in the ground, and they thrive in Bangalore’s climate.
“It is one of my favourite flowers and they come in such pretty colours,” shares Snehalatha Naidu who has them growing on her rooftop garden in Fraser Town, in pots. “I could never anything shoe-like about them and wondered why they were called shoe flowers. Then I found out that they were used to shine shoes in certain parts of India. The white ones are medicinal and used a lot in hair oil. These flowers are also edible and used in salads.”
They’re easy to grow. All they need is sun, soil fed with mulch, and pruning once in a while.
Hetero colored Hibiscus flower on a same plant. / Photo: G.N.Rao. / The Hindu
Fausto Cardozo who lives in Koramangala says, “In Egypt (and perhaps elsewhere) they make tea out of dried hibiscus flowers, we bought a packet when we went there.”
“In my house in HSR Layout, I have around ten varieties and each flower is huge and colourful. They are simple to cross breed and bring about an amazing range of colours and flowers. Relatively disease free, the plant is easy to grow in our Bangalore gardens with our climatic conditions,” remarks Dr AN Yellappa Reddy the former secretary, department of environment and ecology.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Habitat> Gardens / by Marianne de Nazareth / October 21st, 2013
Serving of nostalgia: The Fish Canteen in Cubbon Park, run by the Karnataka Fisheries’ Development Corporation, was once the only place in Bangalore where one was guaranteed fresh fish./ Photo: Karan Ananth / The Hindu
Cubbon Park has always meant different things to different people. To some, it is a colonial relic, to others a botanical treasure trove. A lovers’ glade to some and joggers’ park to others.
Through the late 1980s and 1990s, Cubbon Park was also the go-to place for fish lovers of the city, thanks to the Fish Canteen run by the Karnataka Fisheries’ Development Corporation.
Those were the days when the Fish Canteen was the only place in Bangalore where one was guaranteed fresh fish, raw or cooked. Mackerel and seer fish kebabs served with slices of salted bread and onion rings was a combination that was as popular as the fish thali.
The boom years of the late 1990s saw many restaurants sprout in the city, including those that served sea food. This period also saw a decline in the standards at the Fish Canteen.
Things continued to slide for over a decade with patrons at the canteen slowing down to a trickle. In 2010, the government finally gave the place a facelift, spending over Rs. 1 crore on turning it into a swanky restaurant from a basic canteen.
The menu though remained the same — fish kebabs (minus the bread) and thalis made up of ragi balls, rice, rasam, buttermilk and of course, fish curry.
Although the menu remained the same, there was a huge improvement in the quality for the first two years.
Standards have fallen again in the last year. The fish is often stale and rarely marinated. As a result, it seems like the fish and the curry were cooked separately and dunked together just before serving. The kebabs still have some sting left, though not half as good as what was served even 10 or 15 years ago.
Visit the Fish Canteen for the love of the place and the abundant fresh air, the prices aren’t bad either. But if you are have a desperate craving for fish, look yonder.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bangalore / by Sudipto Monday / April 11th, 2013
He was the first to introduce Bowling to Mysoreans, the first to introduce them to Go-Karting, the first to introduce them to networked Video-Gaming and most importantly, every weekend Mysore danced to his tunes at the popular Hookah Bar. Then K. Panduranga Shenoy shut down Planet-X and disappeared. Many in Mysore were wondering what happened to this bold entrepreneur from the city. It turns out he’s been busy on an Italian Job. Panduranga Shenoy recently opened a Showroom of Italian Motorcycles, Aprilia and Moto Guzzi in Bangalore. SOM met up with the enterprising Shenoy to ask what he has been upto and why he shut down Planet-X.
Panduranga Shenoy is seen with Bollywood actor Sunny Leone at the launch of his motorcycle dealership for Italian bikes Aprilia and Moto Guzzi at Sheraton Hotel in Bangalore recently.
SOM: So, where have you been over the past year, you seem to have disappeared from Mysore?
Shenoy: I did not disappear, I was just dealing with some issues and had trouble running Planet-X, so I finally shut down the place and took some time off. Now I have started this motorcycle dealership.
SOM: Why a motorcycle dealership, why not another Planet-X or a Hookah Bar?
Shenoy: I love motorcycles, always have. So when I got an opportunity to have the franchise for one of the best motorcycles in the world — Italy’s Aprilia and Moto Guzzi — I couldn’t help myself. Also, I am done trying to open themed parks or even clubs or discothèques in Mysore or Bangalore. It is not worth the trouble. It’s ironic that for a nation that loves to dance at the drop of a hat, every effort has been made by law to prevent it.
SOM: Now, many Mysoreans are disappointed that you shut down Planet-X and they want to know why and also if you will ever open it ?
Shenoy: I never wanted to shut down Planet-X, but I was harassed into closing it. I started off with a lot of enthusiasm. I wanted Mysoreans to look forward for a weekend or an evening of fun. But ever since I opened Planet-X, senior officials have harassed me. First, the bureaucracy, then the Police, after I got a Police officer trapped by Lokayukta. After ten years, I had so many enemies that they made sure I was in perennial trouble. Finally, I couldn’t take it any more and I shut the place down.
SOM: Why didn’t you go to the Hotel and Restaurant Owners’ Association and take their help?
Shenoy: Whom are we kidding? Every hotelier, restaurant owner and even a small-time bar owner in city survives on the mercy of officialdom. What could they do?
SOM: Are you saying the officialdom was vengeful?
Shenoy: Yes, I do. But it doesn’t matter anymore. For now, the bureaucracy and the Police many feel victorious that they shut me down. They may feel that they have sent a message to others, “Never take on us”. But in the bigger picture Mysore has lost.
So by forcing me to fail, the bureaucracy and Police have failed the city.
And it is funny they (officials) still vehemently talk about making Mysore a tourist city, when all their actions prove to the contrary.
SOM: Will you open Planet-X again?
Shenoy: No. I won’t try any business in Mysore.
In Mysore, any new business which is slightly big becomes a target. I ended up being a big fish in a small city and I got harpooned, whereas here in Bangalore, I am a small fish, so I go unnoticed.
SOM: So you are a Bangalorean now?
Shenoy: Never. I love Mysore. It is my city. That is why I invested so much in Mysore. I will always be a Mysorean. I just refuse to start any business there, that’s all.
Shenoy: I would love to entertain Mysoreans, but now they will have to come to Bangalore. See, today I have invited all my friends from Mysore and I’ll make sure they have a good time.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / September 26th, 2013
I was strolling down the lanes of an upcoming Bangalore suburb when I came across a stall run by two women selling food items. They were very well dressed and if they stood in a crowd, no one could pick them apart from the regular IT crowd in Bangalore. And the surprising part is that they are IT Professionals. Well, atleast one of them still is while the other quit her job 3 years ago.
(L to R) Divya Anne Joseph, Cheryl George, Anto Roy
The two women in question are Cheryl George and Divya Anne Joseph who both were in their typical IT jobs when they felt this pang to do something more. Acting on their gut, they decided to work to their strength which was cooking and setup a stall outside their building in February 2013. Their friend Anto Roy also joined them with the endeavor. They tried the mobile stall concept to begin with but half of their day went in just explaining what they were doing and they weren’t seeing many returns. Hence they decided to stick to one place and setup the stall outside their building.
They have a Facebook Page where they update the menu (usually snacks and light dinner items) and stand on the streets, alongside the coconut vendor and others to sell their items. And it’s not something they did for a few weeks. The team of three have persisted and it’s been more than 6 months now where they stand out (in all weathers) and take in the joy of serving. “We’re not doing this for money or to build a grand business, we’re doing it for the joy we get out of it,” says Cheryl.
The ladies cook at their home and the three of them then bring the items to the stall in their cars. Anto Roy handles the other stall and the two stall together are serving around 80-90 customers every day. They call themselves ‘Street Eats’ and their average ticket size is around INR 50.
Divya is into this fulltime while Cheryl still holds her job. They don’t have immediate plans to scale and formalize but are taking it as it comes. “We’re really enjoying what we are doing and the kind of people we’re meeting everyday is just phenomenal!” says the team in chorus.
This is the kind of spirit that thrills us here at YourStory and gives us the motivation to go out there discover more such interesting people. Follow StreetXEats on Facebook.
source: http://www.yourstory.in / Your Story / Home / by Jubin Mehta / August 10th, 2013
A Food stall at the ‘Uttara Karnataka Utsava’ organised by the Uttara Karnataka Nagareekara Abhivruddhi Vedike at Palace grounds in Bangalore./ Photo : K . Bhagya Prakash / The Hindu
If you want to experience the art, culture and distinct cuisine of north Karnataka, head to Palace Grounds over the weekend to witness the Uttara Karnataka Utsava 2013.
When you enter, you’re greeted by loud percussion and the sight of men and women performing the ‘dollu kunita’. On display are stalls selling paintings, traditional clothes and handicraft — Ilkal saris from Bagalkot, cotton towels, the Gandhi cap, a traditional north Karnataka accessory for men — but food remains the star attraction.
Businessman Ranganath said, “I tasted the mandakki and it was a change compared to the food we eat regularly. I will try the jolada rotiand brinjal curry next.”
Virupaksha B.T., whose stall, Jolaa, had a large number of visitors, said, “Our food has a lot of variety and our USP is the spiciness. It is special, yet it is like homemade food.” Of course, a wide variety of pickles and chutney powders are also a big draw.
After all that spice, you may need some sugar andkaradantu, a sweet made of dryfruits, would be ideal. Mahantesh Savaligeppa Aiholli of Pooja Sweets said he was the third generation of a family that has been selling the sweet from Aminagad, Bagalkot, since 1907. He explained to a perplexed customer, “This sweet is made of cashew, badam, pista, raisins, dried coconut and jaggery procured from Belgaum.”
The Dharwad peda, kunda and peanut laddus are also there to add to your sugar rush.
However, there were some visitors who were disappointed. Kasturi Devandrakumar, an artist said, “The food stalls have hogged all the limelight. It could have been better if there was more emphasis on the art and culture of the region.”
The fair is on till August 11.
WELFARE
Earlier, speaking at the inauguration, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the government was keen to work for the welfare of the people of the north Karnataka region. They had accepted all recommendations made by the Cabinet sub-committee on the implementation of Article 371(J) of the Constitution, providing special status to the Hyderabad Karnataka region.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bangalore / by Staff Reporter / Bangalore – August 10th, 2013
