Agam and Aks take the stage in Bangalore this weekend

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

This weekend, Bangalore-based bands Agam and Aks will take the stage at CounterCulture at 8 pm to give music lovers in the city a taste of fusion music.

Agam is a multiple award-winning contemporary Carnatic rock act from Bangalore, which is most famous for being the first band from the city to be featured on Coke Studio . The band’s name comes from the ancient Tamil word meaning ‘the inner self’. Agam’s music encapsulates the boundless, vibrant emotions of the human psyche. Aks is an Indo-Asian rock/fusion act from Bangalore that has been on the music scene since March 2011. They make music pertaining to Indian folk/fusion, with an underlying base of rock/blues.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India/ Home> Entertainment> Kannada> Music / TNN / January 17th, 2014

World’s 1st biosimilar drug for breast cancer

Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Biocon with Mylan eyes emerging markets for first joint drug.

BioconBF29jan2014

Bangalore-based bio-pharmaceutical company Biocon on Saturday launched the world’s first biosimilar (developed in an organism) Trastuzumab injection for the treatment of breast cancer here. This is the first drug developed by Biocon in partnership with US-based generic drug maker Mylan . The new drug, CANMAb, will be used to treat HER2-positive advanced breast cancer.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, chairperson and managing director, Biocon, said the company would also launch the injection in other emerging markets. The CANMab injection will compete with Roche’s Herceptin . Herceptin’s global sales were $6.4 billion in 2012 and Indian $21 million.

The drug has been jointly developed out of five molecules with Mylan, since a partnership was signed in 2009. Mylan will also launch CANMab under a different brand in India.

The injection is available in 150mg and 440mg doses at Rs 19,500 and Rs 57,500, respectively. The 440mg dose costs a fourth less than competing drugs, Mazumdar-Shaw said.

Biocon has set up a factory in Bangalore to make the new injection for itself as well as Mylan. Mylan will source its requirements from Biocon for both Indian and developed markets, a senior company official said.

Biocon entered into partnership with Mylan for joint development of a series of drugs for the treatment of various cancers in 2009. At present, four other drugs are under development, of which will begin clinical trials later this year, said Abhijit Barve, president (research and development), Biocon.

Mazumdar-Shaw said breast cancer was the most prevalent cancer among Indians and CANMAb would offer a cheaper option. About 150,000 new patients are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in India, of which nearly a fourth of the cases are HER2-positive and eligible for treatment with CANMAb. Lack of cheap treatment has limited the extent of HER2 testing and it is believed that the proportion of HER2-positive patients is probably higher, she said.

“Biocon intends to make a significant difference in the treatment paradigm for HER2-positive breast cancer in India by enhancing access to more affordable treatment with CANMAb, which offers the same level of safety and efficacy as the reference product. The launch of CANMAb in India is an important milestone for our biosimilars programme and demonstrates our ability to deliver on our promise of affordable innovation with a high quality, world- class product,” the Biocon chief said.

Biocon aims to capture about 15 per cent of the market for anti-breast cancer drugs in India in a year. The market is estimated at Rs 130 crore a year, set to double in 2014.

source:http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Companies> News / by BS Reporter / Bangalore – January 18th, 2014

IHST: Science in heritage

Education, Science & Technology

I believe this is the only university in the country with the focused mandate of bridging Indian Shastras and Western Sciences. We will develop this University into an IIT class of an Institution for the traditional Health Sciences of India….”

— Sam Pitroda, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Innovation

 

Among the few good decisions made by the decrepit and discredited BJP government last year, before it plunged into the election process, was to clear the proposal by Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT) to set up a health university in Bangalore. The university, named the Institute for Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (IHST), will be launched on Sunday. It’s heritage with science, not mumbo jumbo.

FRLHT, near Yelahanka, has been around in Bangalore for a long time — 20 years. Founded as a trust in 1993 by inventor and innovator Sam Pitroda and Darshan Shankar, FRLHT’s declared mission was the “Application of traditional knowledge blended with modern science and technology to design healthcare solutions that are low-cost, safe, effective and accessible to rural and urban populations in India and globally.” The new university itself has two clear purposes: One, it is for “lowering costs and enhancing access, quality and reach of healthcare to millions,” and two, to “facilitate creation of transformative knowledge and original Indian contributions, to the world of medicine and life sciences.”

What is interesting, and indeed ironical, is that in the midst of all the chicaneries that our netas across political parties are engaged in to scuttle the implementation of the Madhav Gadgil committee recommendations on the Western Ghats, or the modified Kasturirangan panel version of it, these two pioneers chose Bangalore to set up the venture because of its proximity to the ghats. The city is situated so that it provides the best access to both the Western and Eastern Ghats, which are rich in medicinal plants.

Just to remind readers, some netas and sundry entrepreneurs have been severely distressed in peninsular India ever since UNESCO inscribed 39 serial sites in the Western Ghats on the World Heritage List in recognition of their bio-diversity and natural habitat values. The heritage status, alongside the Gadgil committee recommendations, had seemingly put paid to their ‘development’ project proposals in the ghats. Their hopes are now revived since Very-Moving Veerappa Moily has taken over the Union environment portfolio and has begun to approve doubtful proposals at dizzying speed. The good minister, perhaps, should meditate on them through a weekend at Kedarnath. It’s all very quiet over there.

Pitroda and Shankar, and their team of unheralded, quiet and studious professionals, are moved by completely different concerns. They believe that the Indian knowledge systems could have “contemporary relevance” and lament that “post colonial India has forgotten its own heritage.” They are working with the belief that along with the rigour of modern methods and applications standards of medicinal research, if investments could be made in the modernisation of Indian systems of medicine, there could be big dividends in terms of “low cost solutions for millions in primary health care.” To achieve this, they seek the “conservation of medicinal flora, fauna, metal and minerals.”

The field of study is broad and inclusive. They take in “the village-based prakrit stream with one million community-supported healers (birth attendants, bonesetter, herbal healers),” as well as “the town-based samskrit stream with 400,000 licensed physicians.” The database at FRLHT includes 6,560 medicinal plants, 200,000 herbal formulations and 100,000 medical manuscripts. All this to “construct a new Indian model of integrative healthcare for the 21st century.” The database cross-references local systems of medicine and ingredients in several Indian languages and compares them with modern pharmacopeia.

The foundation’s work has been recognised elsewhere in India and abroad. The modest 17-acre campus in north Bangalore has research laboratories and a 100-bed research hospital with over 150 professionals — scientists, physicians and paramedics; botanists, ecologists, Sanskrit scholars, computer programmers, and community health strategists. Among the interventions they propose to evolve are strategies for nutrition, healthy ageing, low-cost delivery of safe drinking water, herbal remedy for malaria, and programmes for trans-disciplinary health sciences and technology. Because, “no single system of healthcare has best health solutions for all health needs.”

FRLHT is an organisation that has been taken seriously by health experts around the world. Among other achievements, it has already led “the largest global program for insitu conservation of medicinal plant gene pools at 110 conservation sites… across 13 States” and, as mentioned, set up India’s “only comprehensive computerised database and herbarium of medicinal plants.” It has even set up a network of village “folk healers.”

This is rare good news for Bangalore, which is otherwise burdened with an inept and unimaginative state government and an officialdom in the limbo of an election year. If Pitroda could do to healthcare and wellness what he and his team of dedicated professionals did for Indian telecommunications, we will all live in a happier and healthier India. So, welcome IHST.

source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> Columns> Views / by Prakash Belawadi, BM Bureau / January 17th, 2014

Elected as Fellow by Natl. Academy of Psychology

Education, Leaders, Records, All, Science & Technology

DrPrakashBF29jan2014

Mysore :

Dr. P. Prakash, professor in Psychology, Mysore University, has been elected as a Fellow by National Academy of Psychology (NAOP), India, for his contribution to the discipline and distinguishing himself as an authority on reading and dyslexia in India.

He has been working in the area employing multiple approaches — methods that include behavioural (including eye tracking), neural (includes brain imaging), and genetic basis of reading and dyslexia.

This year Prof. Prakash has co-edited a volume on Psycholinguistics in South Asia and South East Asia, which has just been published by Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

A recipient of many prestigious fellowships, he has been a Mombusho scholar (Japanese Government Fellowship, 1991-93) and later AIEJ Fellow (1999) in Japan. He was also a Fulbright Fellow twice – during 2000-01 at A & M University, Texas and later in 2011 at Haskins Laboratories, Yale University. He was also Erasmus Mundus Visiting Professor at Potsdam University, Potsdam, Germany (2006). He was visiting colleague in Singapore National University, University of Alberta (Canada).

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / January 29th, 2014

Mangalore: St Gerosa School celebrates golden jubilee

Education, Records, All

Mangalore :

St Gerosa School inaugurated its golden jubilee year recently with a colourful event. The programme commenced with a prayer service. Sr Matilda Monteiro, provincial superior, Sisters of Charity presided over the function.

Unveiling the logo of the golden jubilee celebrations, Sr Matilda in her address urged people to sow the seeds of education in order to reap the harvest a hundred fold.

Fr Bonaventure Nazareth, parish priest of St Vincent Ferrer Church, Velencia was the chief guest of the day. Jacintha Alfred, corporator, Falnir ward, Sr Grace Joseph P, secretary to educational society, sisters of charity, Mangalore, Philomena Tauro, the first teacher of the school were the guests of honour.

Sr Marcelline Braggs, the correspondent of the school, Sr Emma Aranha, the head mistress of the high school, Ida Sequeira and Jean Crasta, the vice-presidents of PTA and GEXSA escorted the guests.

Sr Marcelline Braggs welcomed the gathering. Sr Emma Aranha read out the various programmes of the golden jubilee year. Teacher Nimitha proposed the vote of thanks. Teachers Marie Vas and Molly D’Souza compered the programme.

A colourful programme was showcased by the multi-talented, vibrant and energetic students wearing colourful attire, which captivated the attention of the audience.

source: http://www.daijiworld.com / DaijiWorld.com / Home> Karnataka / Media Release / Mangalore – Sunday, January 19th, 2014

State girls sweep Miss South India titles

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

 

Abhishikta Shetty
Abhishikta Shetty

Abhishikta Shetty of Karnataka has been crowned Miss South India 2014. Aditi Shetty and Meghana Shetty, also from Karnataka, were adjudged the first and second runners-up at the 11th Edition of Miss South India Pageant organised by Pegasus here last night.

Ms. Shetty was crowned by the last year’s title winner Anusha Venkataraman of Tamil Nadu, Pegasus founder chairman Ajith Ravi said in a release on Sunday. R. Raxshmi won the Miss Queen Andhra Pradesh title while Darshithmita Gowda won the Miss Queen Karnataka, Archana Jayakrishnan the Miss Queen Kerala and Shree Iraa bagged the Miss Tamil Nadu titles, it said.

The pageant was judged by Miss World Parvathy Omanakuttan, film director Major Ravi, Mrs. India Jeemole Jaibin, actor and fashion designer Sajimon Parayil and Media personality Toshma Biju.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bangalore / by PTI / Coimbatore – January 20th, 2014

Awarded Cardiology Fellowship

Education, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

dr.ArunaBF28jan2014

Mysore :

Dr. Arun Srinivas, Senior Interventional Cardiologist, Professor & Head, JSS Hospital, was awarded the prestigious Fellowship of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC) at the ESC meeting held in Mumbai on Jan. 17 & 18.

Dr. Arun Srinivas was awarded the Fellowship for his outstanding services and experience in Interventional Cardiology for over 25 years.

He has the distinction of having pioneered and introduced interventional cardiology services in city 12 years ago.

He has treated more than 50,000 patients and performed over 20,000 angiography and angioplasty procedures, valvuloplaties, congenital heart disease device closures, pacemaker/ICD implantations and peripheral arterial inter- ventions.

Dr. Arun Srinivas is one of the senior-most Interventional Cardiologists in Karnataka and has obtained fellowship in Coronary Interventions & Pediatric Cardiology from Royal Melbourne Hospital, Australia and Peripheral Vascular Interventions from Miami Vascular Institute, Florida, USA.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / January 22nd, 2014

Soha on the Success Trail

Records, All, Sports
S Soha is a promising player
S Soha is a promising player

Karnataka’s junior tennis player S Soha made history of sorts when she emerged as champion in the National School Games (NSG) tennis tournament in Pune earlier this month, thereby, beginning the new year on a rousing note.

The 15-year-old, 10th standard student of Cluny Convent, Jalahalli, thus became the first Karnataka girl to win the NSG tennis title in recent years. Soha defeated Urmi Pandey of Gujarat 5-4 (5) in the final.

“I am happy I won the title as it was a tough tournament, especially the semi-finals and finals,” said Soha, a trainee of the Mahesh Bhupathi Tennis Academy. Soha was quick to acknowledge that she owed her success to the support of her parents, school and her coaches Krishna Bhupathi, S Praveen Kumar and Prakash.

“My coaches have been encouraging me in every respect and I have learnt everything from them. I owe my success to them,” she added. Prior to the NSG title, Soha had won the under-16 title AITA Championship Series conducted by the Topspin Academy at Bangalore and was a runner-up in the AITA Super Series at Chandigarh.

She managed to reach the semi-finals in the R T Narayan Cup National Series in Bangalore. She has won about 50 titles in her fledgling career in the under-12, under-14, under-16 sections so far. A commendable achievement by any standards.

Her coach at MBTA, S Praveen Kumar, a former ITF and ATP player, was all praise for her. “She is a dedicated youngster with a lot of promise. She can go up the ladder, with more exposure, especially in Junior ITF category. She works very hard and is a very willing learner. That makes it easier to coach her,” Praveen added.

P R Ramaswamy, Joint Secretary of the KSLTA, while  congratulating Soha said, “After a long time, we have a champion in the National School Games and KSLTA wishes Soha more such successes.  We will see how best we can support her.”

Soha had done very well in the AITA Talent Series Tennis tournament for under-14 and under-16 (boys and girls) at the MTC and Raghuveer Tennis courts in Mysore as a tiny tot way back in 2009. That’s when she showed a lot of promise and though she did not win the title there, there was no doubt that a young girl with loads of talent had arrived on the tennis scene in the state.

Soha beat Priyanka M 6-0, 6-1 on her way to the semis in the R T Narayan memorial tournament and displayed her confidence in executing her forehand and backhand strokes. She also has a good first serve and surely should be able to improve her stamina as she progresses.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bangalore /  by S Shreekumar – Bangalore / January 16th, 2014

India’s MRPL makes first Latin American oil purchase: Reports

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion
(MRPL, which operates a 300,000…)
(MRPL, which operates a 300,000…)

New Delhi :

India’s Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals has made its first purchase of Argentina’s  Escalante crude , two sources with knowledge of the tender award said, in another sign trade routes have been redrawn by the US shale oil boom.

The purchase was for loading in end-February or early March and trader Glencore will deliver a one million barrel parcel at prices flat to dated Brent, the sources said.

“If they are getting South American and Caribbean grades through spot tenders this means these grades are available at cheaper rates than their competitors in west Africa and the Middle East,” said an Asian oil trader.

“Voyage time for a cargo from South America to India is about a month. This could be the begining of South American grades gradually showing up in state refiners’ oil purchases,” he said.

It is the first time MRPL has purchased any Latin American grade.

MRPL, which operates a 300,000 barrels per day refinery in Southern India, aims to buy as much as 40,000 bpd of Latin American grades in the next fiscal year beginning from April 1, Vijay G Joshi, its refinery director said on Wednesday.

Rising US shale oil output is re-routing the flow of Algerian, Latin American, Canadian and West African crudes, which used to flow regularly to the United States.

India’s biggest refiner Indian Oil Corp last year bought one million barrels of Canadian White Rose through a spot tender, becoming India’s first state-run refiner to buy Canadian oil .

Indian refiners are seeking to diversify their oil sources as Western sanctions over Tehran’s nuclear programme squeeze imports from Iran, once India’s second-biggest supplier. Supplies from Libya and Sudan have also been disrupted.

Escalante is a medium sweet crude with a density of 24 API degrees, extracted from the basin with the same name in southern Argentina by Pan American Energy, controlled by British BP.

source: http://www.articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com / The Economic Times / Home> News> International> Business> World News / Home> Collections> Indian Oil Corp / by Reuters / January 16th, 2014

Sahitya Sambhrama takes a leaf out of Jaipur litfest

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Dharwad :

The literary and cultural hub of Karnataka is all set to host the three-day literary festival — Dharwad Sahitya Sambhrama — beginning on Friday at the picturesque Karnatak University campus.

The mega event will be conducted on the lines of the Jaipur Litertature Festival with modifications to suit local conditions. This is the second edition of the festival.

The first meet had been a tremendous success last year despite protests and threats by a section of literary buffs. A section of the literary circle had taken umbrage at the fest, alleging that it was being organized for the ‘elites’.

Patil Puttappa, president of Karnataka Vidyavardhaka Sangha, had claimed that the event had commercial overtones. He had questioned the rationale behind the collection of fee from delegates and had sought a probe into it.

Some activists under the banner of the Forum of Progressive Writers and Organizations had threatened to organize a parallel literary meet. Following intervention by veteran writers, though, they opted to hold their proposed meet on a later date.

Puttappa, however, has continued to express his displeasure with this edition as well. He has complained that the meet does not have a discussion on the medium of instruction to be adopted at primary schools in the state. “The issue is a burning one. It is common sense that the medium of instruction at primary schools should be in the child’s mother tongue (aka the regional language). Some parents are arguing that it is their right to decide what should be the medium for their children. The matter has reached the Supreme Court. The Karnataka government, which has ordered that Kannada be the medium of instruction till class V, should place its arguments effectively. Litterateurs should deliberate on this issue seriously. But, the Sahitya Sambhrama is not discussing this issue. The writers are shirking their responsibility.”

There is no clarity on whether the issue will be taken up during the fest.

Prominent litterateurs — Jnanpith awardee Chandrashekhar Kambar, S L Bhyrappa, Vivek Rai, Narahalli Balasubrahmanya, Siddalingaiah, T S Nagabharana, Nagatihalli Chandrashekhar, H S Venkatesh Murthy, N S Laxminarayan Bhat, film director P Sheshadri, actor Dattatraya, Vivek Shabhag, Jogi, S Shettar, M M Kalburgi, T P Ashok, Channaveera Kanavi, Channanna Walikar, K H Shrinivas, Y S V Datta, K Satyanarayana, Lt Gen (retired) S C Sardeshpande, Madhav Kulkarni, Padmaraj Dandavati, Mallika Ghanti, Hampa Nagarahaiah, B Sukanya, Shatavadhani Ganesh, Jayant Kaikini and Vasudhendra, among others — have confirmed their participation. Girish Karnad will be a part of the audience.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hubli> Mother Tongue / by Gururaj Jamkhandi, TNN / January 17th, 2014