Lakshmi, a homemaker from Periyapatna, who delivered her first child at government-run Chaluvamba Hospital here years ago, chose the same hospital for her second delivery, the lack of privacy notwithstanding.
The 27-year-old Lakshmi was one of 200 new mothers crammed into the wards of the century-old hospital, which sees, on an average, 40 new babies coming into the world daily. The rate at which deliveries happen at the hospital makes it Karnataka’s busiest maternity ward.
Like her, many mothers have to struggle for beds as large number of women from across the state comes here. With wards always being full, new mothers have to make do with the floor, awaiting their turn for cots. However, beds and necessary treatment will be provided to them while they wait for cots.
Hospital’s medical chief Dr B Krishnamurthy said that women from Bangalore, Ramnagara, Bidadi and Chikkamagalur have delivered here apart from women from old Mysore region of five districts. He claims may be the busiest maternity hospital in state because even in Bangalore’s Vani Vilas hospital not many deliveries are conducted than us. “I have attended state level health meetings but have never come across so many deliveries taking place in single day in any other hospital in Karnataka.”
Even Sumaya Banu from Hunsur preferred this hospital for her second delivery. Her husband, Jaffer, a driver, says the facility is no less than private hospital. Even 20-year-old Ciema Kauser, who delivered her first child, too was fine with the hospital’s situation.
Biggest challenge is to accommodate all mother to-be arriving here. We can’t say no to anyone but if they agree to the situation, we are okay with it but we ensure to provide quality treatment without for free, the medical superintendent says.
Of the total 420 beds available in hospital, over 50 pc beds are reserved for new moms, who will be treated for three days in case of normal deliveries and five days for C-section deliveries Nearly 80 pc deliveries are normal. Claiming people throng here because of quality treatment, Krishnamurthy, head of department of pediatrics, says we have improved services and security to prevent deaths and baby-swapping over the years.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Mysore> Private Hospital / by Lawrence Milton, TNN / January 11th, 2014
St Agnes Convent, Bendore is all set to celebrate the centenary of its Foundation Day (1914-2014) with a public function on Sunday January 12. The Convent was started in 1914 in order to reach out for the education of girls in the suburban area around Kadri and Kankanady. St Ann’s School, Bolar started by the Sisters of the Apostolic Carmel, founded by Mother Veronica of the Passion, an English woman, in 1870; St Mary’s School, Falnir started to accommodate the increasing number of students; and Victoria Caste School, Dongenkery, Kodialbail (later shifted to Ladyhill) started at the persistent appeal of GSB Community for the education of their daughters, were the only three schools in South Canara district, to impart quality education exclusively for girls, in the much valued medium of English.
Mother Aloysia, the second Superior General of the Apostolic Carmel after five years of assiduous search and negotiations for some twenty different sites between Kankanady and Kadri, including a plot of “Hulli Mulli” an arid area, and the surrounding plots, which were inhabited by sixteen proprietors in clustered huts and cottages measuring twelve acres of land, were bought on June 29, 1913.
February 8, 1914 was a memorable day in the history of the Apostolic Carmel when Dr Paul Perini, Bishop of Mangalore blessed the whole property and laid the foundation for St Agnes Convent, the residence for the Sisters to carry out their service to women through education. The next day a Secondary English Medium School, as it was called then, was opened with Classes I and II. There were 80 pupils on roll. A week later, an elementary school was opened for the poorer children with 46 pupils on roll. Since then the campus has grown with St Agnes School started in 1914, St Agnes College (the first college in India by an Indian private Management), St Agnes Special School for the Mentally Challenged started in 1970, as the Centenary Memorial of the establishment of the Apostolic Carmel. As the sisters of St Agnes Convent celebrate the hundred years of prayer and service on 12th January 2014, we remain ever grateful to God in transforming the Hulli Mulli Hill into an Educational hub, a light house, a city built on the hill where hundreds of students have been educated and enlightened over the past hundred glorious years and sent out to the wide world as the ambassadors of St Agnes to proclaim to all people that God is our Strength.
The concluding function of the Centenary of St Agnes Convent will be held on January 12. The Centenary Mass will be celebrated by Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore, with a large number of priests concelebrating with him at St Agnes College Auditorium. The Open Air public function that follows will have the Bishop as the president, Dr Sr Agatha Mary, Superior General of the Apostolic Carmel will be the chief guest, Sr Linette, Provincial Superior, J R Lobo, local MLA and Flavia Agnes, alumna, St Agnes and legal and social activist from Mumbai will be the guests of honour. A documentary on the history of St Agnes Convent and a dance drama on the life and times of Mother Aloysia, the founder St Agnes Convent will be the highlights of the programme. The former Superiors of the Convent will also be felicitated. Among the Centenary projects will be the poor students’ fund to be initiated.
St Agnes Convent – Centenary Celebrations
(1914 – 2014)
“Foremost in the roll of Indian women educationists stands the name of Mother Aloysia of the Sacred Heart, the second Superior General of the Apostolic Carmel. Almost a pioneer in the west coast field of education, she has for half a century and more laboured with untiring energy to raise the intellectual standard of our girls to the highest accepted grade.”
This was the tribute paid by J B Machado, Secretary of the Indian Christian Civic League, Mangalore, for the achievements of Mother Aloysia, in the field of education when nominated for the Kaiser-i-Hind, Gold Medal I Class award from the British Administration, in recognition of her services. We are presenting this valiant woman and her band of committed sisters, who founded St Agnes Convent, Bendore, Mangalore as we are poised to celebrate the Centenary of its establishment and that of the school, St Agnes School. The lamp that was lit by Mother Aloysia at St Agnes in the year 1914 has been kept burning for the past hundred years by every sister who lived at St Agnes with the oil of love, prayer, sacrifice and service.
Old Primary School
St Agnes in 1921
‘The Rest’ where St Agnes Special School was started
Mother Veronica, nee Sophie Leeves, an English woman was chosen and called by God to found a “Carmel for the Missions” in India towards the faith formation of the Catholics and the education of the young girls along the west coast. The dream of education that Mother Veronica harboured in her heart when she was serving in Calicut as a sister of St Joseph of the Apparition, “…all along the coast the young girls are entirely without any means of instruction…”, was realized when she started the Apostolic Carmel in France in 1868 and the three sisters trained by her arrived in Mangalore on 19th November 1870. Mother Marie des Anges, French by origin was the First Superior General and was called the Nurturing Mother while the one who shaped the Apostolic Carmel education was Mother Aloysia nee Mary Pia Rosario. The pioneering of quality education for girls thus belongs to the Apostolic Carmel with the starting of St Ann’s Convent and School in 1870, at Pandeshwar, Mangalore preceding even a school of this caliber for boys’ education which happened only in 1880.
In the first decade of the 20th century, St Ann’s High School flourished and St Mary’s, Marjil, the offshoot of St Ann’s, to accommodate the growing number of students and the Victoria Caste School at Dongerkery, Kodialbail, (later shifted to Ladyhill) the outcome of the persistent appeal of the GSB community for the education of their daughters were the only schools in South Canara district, to impart education exclusively for girls, in the much valued medium of English. These schools were nearer the central location of Mangalore. At this time, Mother Aloysia, who was elected as the Second Superior General and who was literally the brain behind the three schools, with her wide vision and deep apostolic spirit saw the need for extending the facilities to a larger number of girls by opening a school for girls in Bendore, the suburb and an underdeveloped area away from the township at Bolar. After five years of assiduous search and negotiations for some twenty different sites, a plot of “Hulli Mulli”, an arid area belonging to the ancestors of Sr Julia’s and the surrounding plots which were inhabited by sixteen proprietors in clustered huts and cottages measuring twelve acres of land, were bought on June 29, 1913.
February 8, 1914 was a memorable day in the history of the Apostolic Carmel when Dr Paul Perini, Bishop of Mangalore blessed the whole property and laid the foundation for St Agnes Convent. The next day a Secondary English Medium School, as it was called then, was opened with Classes I and II. There were 80 pupils on roll. A week later, an elementary school was opened for the poorer children with 46 pupils on roll. Mother Aloysia chose St Agnes as the patron saint of the convent and of all the institutions on the campus with the motto “God is our strength”. Young girls desirous of studying in English medium flocked to St Agnes Convent from Udupi, Kallianpur, Kundapur, Karkal. Mulki, Kinnigoli, Belthangady and other surrounding villages. The original old cottages were fitted up as dormitories and a boarding house was started.
Realizing that girls from their sheltered homes would hardly dare to go as far as Madras, Mother Aloysia envisioned higher education for girls. July 2, 1921 was another day of significance in the history of St Agnes when a college was started under her dynamic leadership and far sighted vision. St Agnes First Grade College was the only one for women in South India and the first in the whole of India to be run by an Indian private management. To meet the ever growing demands for admissions that came in from the rural areas a temporary “L” shaped building was put up on the plot closest to the road. This block stood for 82 years when more spacious buildings came up to accommodate the growing number of students.
Mother Theodosia another woman of caliber and a dynamic personality with practical experience took charge as Principal in 1934. She took the initiative of introducing Science into the Intermediate Course, an option till then not available to women. By adding subjects such as Mathematics in 1936, Natural science in 1937 and Chemistry in 1939, the college gradually blossomed. Through the years under the leadership of Principals and faculty with dynamism and commitment, St Agnes College has grown with several more courses and programmes. In 2007 St Agnes College obtained academic autonomy. Soon after, the Post Graduate Programmes were introduced and another block was erected for the same.
The Intermediate Course was changed into Pre-University in 1955 and at the same time St Agnes College parted ways from Madras University with the re-organization of states and was affiliated under Mysore University. In 2001 St Agnes Pre-university College was bifurcated and was accommodated in a new building.
The year 1970 was a landmark in the history of the Apostolic Carmel, the year of the Centenary of the establishment of the Apostolic Carmel in India. The pioneers of girls’ education in Mangalore had fresher avenues to explore and the education of children with disabilities was found to be the best Centenary Memorial to fill this void in Mangalore as there was no provision for the education of children with disabilities, in particular, the mentally challenged children. St Agnes Special School, the first school for the mentally challenged in the district, was inaugurated on August 4, 1970 with five children, in ‘The Rest’, a cozy house on St Agnes Convent premises with the motto, ‘In Love We Grow’. In 1973 the children were shifted to the premises opposite St Agnes Convent in the new building that was constructed.
The mission of the sisters of St Agnes Convent in educating the youth from Kindergarten to Post graduation has attained fruition where 5330 students illumine the campus today not merely aspiring towards academic excellence but very importantly using the many opportunities for strengthening faith and values of the students. Besides educating the youth, the sisters offer humane services to the society, the local church and the society at large in every possible way. In 1998 the Apostolic Carmel Association (ACA) was started for the purpose of sharing the spirituality of the congregation with lay people.
With heads bowed and hands folded in gratitude to God, as we, the sisters of St Agnes Convent celebrate the hundred years of prayer and service on January 12, we remain ever grateful to God in transforming the Hulli Mulli Hill into an educational hub, a light house, a city built on the hill where hundreds of students have been educated and enlightened over the past hundred glorious years and sent out to the wide world as the ambassadors of St Agnes to proclaim to all people that God is our Strength.
source: http://www.daijiworld.com / DaijiWorld.com / Home> Top Stories / by Sr M Lydia, St.Agnes Convent / Mangalore – January 09th, 2014
Soon, alternative medicine and two-wheeler emergency care units may be used to tackle cardiovascular disease – the world’s largest killer.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the disease accounted for 30 per cent of deaths around the globe in 2013.
A team of medical professionals from India and the USA have come up with the dual approach.
“Since cardiovascular disease is a lifestyle disease, it can be prevented with the right diet and lifestyle. Alternative medicine, that is the use of herbs, naturally derived materials and non-pharmacological tools, has demonstrated significant benefits in prevention of cardiac diseases directly or indirectly,” said Dr Naresh Shetty, president, M S Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, at a symposium held here on Wednesday.
The MS Ramaiah Medical College (MSRMC), Narayana Health, The Institute of Trans Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology and University of Illinois have taken the initiative to partner with the local community, clinics, and community health workers to provide mobile healthcare services to patients using two-wheelers.
“Traffic and accessibility to the patient is critical in emergency situations. We have proposed the two-wheeler model of emergency care so that the paramedic can carry the required medicine and equipment to the patient,” said Dr Arunachala Ramesh, head of the department of emergency medicine at MSRMC.
“The focus is to develop preventive emergency medicine strategies for highest risk individuals. Patients identified in the highest risk category will receive more intensive healthcare that utilises ambulance, paramedics and health worker home visits,” Dr Shetty explained.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bangalore / by Express News Service – Bangalore / January 09th, 2014
Home-style food is rare to come by in a restaurant. Imli succeeds in fulfilling that void. Located at Indiranagar, this place is much sought after by vegetarians.
(Restaurant review: Imli…)
Decor
Imli is one of the hidden secrets of Indiranagar and you might easily miss it unless you happen to drive by this striking yellow corner bungalow with minimalistic decor. Conceived as a casual hangout, it’s an ‘adda’, serving popular snacks and basic chai with a small artists’ corner. Free Wi-Fi access attracts many regular customers who flock here during lunch and evening hours. Try some board games like Scrabble, Jenga or Uno while your food is being prepared.
Food
Order the Khichdi aur Baigun Bhaaja or Stuffed Moong Dal Cheela and you will remember mom’s cooking. A wide range of parathas is available — stuffed with aloo, gobi, paneer, matar, methi, mooli, pyaaz and papad. Intrigued, we ordered the latter — roasted papad, crumbled and stuffed in a paratha! During lunch and dinner times, they serve a ‘Pet Puja’ Thali, which has phulkas/ rice, two vegetables of the day, dal, roasted papad, vinegared onions, dessert and some amazing pickles. Soya Pulao is flavoursome and very popular. Baingan Bharta, Missi Roti and one of their many seasonal fruit Lassis is a combination hard to beat. The owners take pride in their home-style food and are present to greet you most of the time. Chaats are well represented here, including our favourite — the Kolkata-style Jhal Muri, with just the right amount of sharp mustard oil. Or simply drop in here to snack a little and have one of their many varieties of chai.
Service
The wait staff is well trained, so expect good service.
Plus and minus
Very few places in Bangalore can match up to the ‘Ghar ka Swad’ taste here. Service can be patchy on busy days.
Must try: Papad Paratha, Pet Puja Thali and Jhal Muri
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Life & Style> Food> Indiranagar / by Suresh Hinduja, TNN / January 18th, 2014
A three-day conference on women organized by Konkani Language and Cultural Foundation in commemoration of the 110th year of social reformer and freedom fighter Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya got under way at Nehru Maidan here on Thursday January 9. The conference has been organized as part of the ongoing NBT book fair.
Basti Vaman Shenoy, president of World Konkani Centre welcomed the guests.
Speaking after inaugurating the conference, Kannada writer Padma M Shenoy said, “Mangalore abounds with culture and writers, which is very good. They serve as a guidance for the youth.”
She further said that women’s writing today is improving and as they are sharing their work openly.
Commenting on the issues and problems prevalent today, “In these days in newspapers we only read about gang-rape, molestation, kidnapping and many more bad things. Criminals who are doing all this must be dragged on to the streets and have their faces exposed to everyone,” she said.
“Woman is everything in this world. It is a shame that the youth of our country are involved in bad habits,” she added.
Books ‘Janara Kathegalu’ by Mumtaz Begum, ‘Vaishaka Fullo’ by Padma Shenoy, ‘Nanna Aduge’ by Geetha Kini and ‘Ajjiya Katha Bhandara’ by Geetha Shenoy were released on the occasion.
Writer Prema Bhat, addressing the gathering, she said “The dais looks very clean with none of the corrupt politicians being invited to the programme.”
“Writing is life and life is writing. It is easy to write your life story when you are not corrupted,” she said.
Writer Dr Vasundhara Bhupathi said “I can see women’s writing conferences happening in a few places. We want the youth to read more novels. They must start reading books. A book provides all the information you need. Kannada is a rich language and everyone must spread Kannada everywhere, in all the places. Mangaloreans are lucky to have good libraries. If a person gets addicted to books, he will stay away from all bad habits. Education must teach social values, and encourage youth to stay away from bad habits. Media is being used for wrong purposes these days.”
Writers Vijayalakshmi B Shetty, Janaki Brahmavar, Karnataka Tulu Academy registrar Chandrahasa Rai B and others were present.
source: http://www.daijiworld.com / Daijiworld.com / Home> Top Stories / by Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (MD) / January 09th, 2014
Infosys’ former board member TV Mohandas Pai will deliver a lecture on “How to make India a $10-trillion economy”. PTI
Day before Infosys Q3 results were unveiled, it has been revealed the company will brainstorm its future strategic direction in Mysore, in a three-day annual summit to be held during January 11-13.
The internal event will host former directors, board members, investors, key customers, foreign analysts and academicians. Former board member TV Mohandas Pai will deliver a lecture on “How to make India a $10-trillion economy” while co-founder Nandan Nilekani will talk on “Handling large projects.”
The other key non-Infosys executive will be Vishal Sikka, member of the executive board at SAP, who will speak on innovation. Sources indicated that former independe-nt director Deepak Satwale-kar and co-founder K Dinesh are also expected to attend the event called STRAP 2014, add-ing “the idea is to get all the key people together from Infosys across the globe and provide a networking platform.”
There has been a growing disquiet in the manner in which the over $7-billion IT-services firm was drifting away from a highly competitive Indian IT landscape, with growth lagging its peers’, and losing its status as the bellwether of the industry.
The annual strategy and the action-plan meet will focus on the IT major’s roadmap and the preliminary understanding of the overall demand environment. Traditionally, the event is held in Mysore but, last year, it was held in Bangalore.
source: http://www.financialexpress.com / The Financial Express / Home> Economy / by fe Bureau / Bangalore – January 10th, 2014
It is to honour people for excellence in the field of education
The prestigious Derozio award for excellence in the field of education was conferred upon four heads of schools from across the country during the valedictory function of the 92nd Association of Heads of Anglo-Indian Schools of India held at Bishop Cotton Boys’ School on Wednesday.
The award, which was instituted by the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations in 1999, is in the memory of Anglo-Indian leader Henry Louis Vivian Derozio – a nationalist poet and teacher from West Bengal.
The winners of the 2013 Derozio award are John K. Zachariah, principal of Bishop Cotton Boys’ School in Bangalore; Norina Fernandez, principal of Lilavatibai Podar High School in Mumbai, Maharashtra; Jagpreet Singh, headmaster of Punjab Public School in Nabha, Punjab; Neena Singh, principal of Himalayan Public School in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
The Laksman Public School in New Delhi and Ashadeep School in Guwahati also received the award in the special educational institution category.
The award consists of an engraved gold medal, a citation, a silver plaque, certificate and Rs. one lakh in cash.
Giving away the awards, Governor H R Bhardwaj lauded the contribution of Anglo-Indian and missionary institutions such as Bishop Cotton and The Doon School. “I often meet highly motivated and successful people who are from these schools,” he said. He also recalled the contribution of the Jesuit priest and educationist Marshall D. Moran and said, “We have a powerful system of education inherited from missionary-run institutions.”
English necessary
Mr. Bhardwaj expressed displeasure at the growing linguistic fanaticism and provincialism, which is resulting in rejection of English education in several regions of the country.
“Dismantling the systems established by Anglo-Indian educationists and replacing them with linguistic institutions is not good,” he said.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bangalore / by Staff Reporter / Bangalore – January 10th, 2014
Ashraff, 15, can rattle off the atomic weight of the first 15 elements in the periodic table in one breath. Vaibhav, a Class 11 student, says he reads 25,000 words per minute.
Geniuses in the making? But both these kids introduce themselves as average students. The magic mantra, they say, are memory enhancing workshops.
It’s the season to charge those grey cells, and what better way than a workshop. From pills and tonics to tips and techniques, memory enhancers are the in thing. And these workshops have much on offer to help students fare well.
One common technique is the pegging model, where subjects difficult to memorize are pegged to something else. “We train them in the law of imagination. Students are taught to visualize. Next, they connect the visuals to themselves. The link could be ridiculous but helps easy recall,” says Biswaroop Roy Chowdhury, a memory trainer, Dynamic Memory, Faridabad. Biswaroop visits Karnataka often to conduct workshops.
D Krishnamurthy, a memory technologist in Hanumanthnagar, works on similar lines. “Rote memory is constant repetition. If you forget one key word, you tend to forget everything. Here, you aren’t losing anything because it’s systematic. There are visual and imaginary elements to it,” he says. Predictably, January is a busy time for him. “There are more students during January and February, when the knowledge gathered through the year is cluttered and needs organization,” he says.
There are others who promise more. Life strategist Md A A Ahmed conducts exam maximizer programmes which comes in beginners and advanced capsules. Level 1 gives tips on learning long answers in a single reading, memorizing key words in 120 seconds, and helps concentrate on boring subjects. Ahmed wants to patent a technique called flash reading, which he has developed. Here, a student can read 30,000 words in a minute. According to him, the student actually comprehends what he reads, and it’s not merely rote learning.
Midbrain Masters, a training centre headquartered in Malaysia, says it can help children activate their ‘midbrain’. “An activated midbrain helps improve concentration, enhance memory and speed up the learning process,” says Rajeev Ahuja, trainer.
Experts, however, feel sheer rote learning is promoted in such cases. “Many of these techniques look at rote or associative memory. Since our academic system is based on rote learning, and not much on analytical skills, it helps score marks. The methods assist them retain more facts but doesn’t do much to improve cognitive ability,” points out Sulatha Shenoy, director, Turning Point Psychological Centre.
“There are some simple facts where there’s nothing to understand; like Gandhiji’s date of birth, or the boiling point of a liquid. One has to have an imaginary understanding of it,” says Biswaroop.
Memory apart, these workshops also focus on concerns like confidence levels, stress, emotional baggage, etc. “Students complain about issues like the mood to study and short attention span. We train them to overcome such obstacles,” says Ahmed.
POINTS TO BE NOTED
Workshops should look at emotional, social abilities, leadership skills and teamwork. Most students I get are looking to improve memory. What they really need is an interest in the subject, some motivation, and better teachers.
Sulatha Shenoy | director, turning point psychological centre
Several factors lead to poor memory. Most kids multi-task while studying; some fiddle with their phones, some listen to music. Many suffer from low self-esteem and become anxious. All workshops address these problems. However, the techniques they learn don’t help in the long run. Boards like CBSE have started insisting on analytical learning. When Narayana Murthy says our engineering graduates are not employable, it is not surprising. Marks are important, but there’s more to life.
Vikram Prabhu | psychiatrist, sagar hospital
There’s no quick-fix to enhance memory. The techniques cannot be universally applicable. Factors like emotional stress, motivation level and interest affect memory. Feedback and follow-up is important to see if the techniques are working.
Meera Ravi | psychologist, prerana academy
Such workshops stem from the idea of rote learning. If a teacher deals with a subject engagingly, kids will learn. If not, they will have to look at mechanical ways of doing it. It boils down to good teaching approaches and pedagogy.
Maya Menon | teacher foundation
I feel like I have textbooks in my head. I know what’s on which page. When we have to look at tabular columns during exams, things are much easier for me because I know them by heart.
Vaibhav | class 11 student who attended Ahmed’s workshop
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Bangalore> Rote / by Sruthy Susan Ullas, TNN / January 10th, 2014
Akshara is a promising entrepreneur. She is smart and clear about her goals and knows what she wants for life, all at the age of 25 which makes her exceptional.
“I intended to do something of my own ever since my college days and thus happened — Truly Essential — my dream company of essential fragrant oils,” says Akshara, talking of her nearly a-year-old firm.
Akshara Kumar, daughter of entrepreneur Ashok Kumar form Mysore, is a second generation entrepreneur who has set up her own aromatic essential oils firm in the Heritage City.
A determined and dedicated woman, Akshara has chosen an aromatic oil industry not only for the sake of pursuing her dreams but also for she believes essential oils are wonderful products about which every person should not just have the knowledge but also utilise them for they are full of benefits.
But Akshara has done none of these without prior planning. She comes with about two years of experience at an established employee engagement company from Bangalore where she went to gain some working knowledge before heading towards setting up her firm. “That was my dream job too,” recalls Akshara saying, “I thoroughly enjoyed doing the employee engagement service though my educational background is something all together different,” who is an engineering graduate from a city based college.
“I admire and thank my parents completely for what I am today as it is only because of their support that I am doing what I dreamt of. Though I come from an engineering background, they never forced me to work as an engineer but let me follow my heart and chase my dreams.”
Currently manufactured at the Truly Essential are about 28 varieties of mesmerising natural fragrant oils, each of which are not just proven to be rejuvenating but are also essential and useful for the well-being of one’s mind and body. Here, one can find oils such as those of citrus, herbs, flowers, resins and roots, trees and woods and spices to name a few, each of which are renowned for the wonders they play on the human body.
“And since these products are applied onto the skin directly, we at our firm ensures that the quality of these oils is perfect,” explains Akshara in whose factory the oils are subjected to a Gas Liquid Chromatography (GLC) test to ensure purity and quality of oils.
Further, the youngster plans to take Truly Essential global, which has already been marketing its products to various places across the nation and a few places abroad currently. However, she regrets not many; especially in the city of Mysore know the meaning of aromatic oils and aroma therapy which is a setback, “and when I say set back, I do not mean it is for my company but for the people themselves as most of them have absolutely no clue about the beautiful benefits of these essential oils,” asserts Akshara. But having said so, the smart one isn’t keeping quite. She is doing her best to educate people about the uses and the wonders these oils and fragrances can play on one’s mind and body through her blogs. “I post something about every essential oil, its source and uses of its by-products regularly.” She says.
As the knowledge about natural oils is quite less among people, she acknowledges that the demand for them is still quite less. But when it comes to advising other youngsters about starting a business, Akshara says, “Once we start a firm of our own, our responsibilities doubly increase. Unlike the push that you receive from someone experienced and senior behind you when you are employed by somebody, things are much different when in your own firm. You need to motivate yourself every minute without getting lethargic, which is no easy job.”
Akshara is the daughter of industrialist Ashok Kumar and advocate Vimala Kumar.
To learn more about Akshara Kumar’s dream firm, visit: www.trulyessential.in—AN
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / January 19th, 2014
1) Satish N. Chandra 2) The silver team: Staff of Ag Flex Technologies Ltd.,
by S. Kenneth Shishir
Mysore :
Most of us are unaware that silver has been used as anti-microbial agent in our daily lives without realising this. For example, the silver plates our elders used to eat their meals in, silver tumbler for con-sumption of water. If we look around Silver has always been referred to in a positive aspect; Every cloud has a silver lining; Silver bullet; think silver etc.
We all know that silver is a soft, white, lustrous transition metal, which possess the highest electrical con-ductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal. The metal which occurs naturally in its pure, free form (native silver) is used in manufacturing jewellery and other articles.
During Medieval times, from Romans to Persians and even our own Raja of Jaipur used to carry water in silver containers. They used silver in one form or the other to help in keeping themselves healthy.
But in recent years, silver is being used in medical sector and is used as disinfectant and micro-biocides and for burn care as creams and ointments. While many medical anti-microbial uses of silver have been supplanted by antibiotics, further research into clinical potential continues due to presence of many anti-biotic resistant bacteria. Silver is an inherently immune Noble metal to virtually all pathological bacterium found including MRSA, VRE, Acinatobacter, etc.
Action of silver against bacteria is multi-pronged attack. First, it cleaves the cell wall then disrupts the breathing mechanism of bacteria. Finally it binds to the DNA assuring total kill of the bacteria and no chance of resistance to silve.r
City based industry Ag Flex Technologies Ltd., an ISO 9001-2008 Export oriented unit at Hebbal Industrial Area in city has been into this process since many years and is now supplying silver coated materials to Industries manufacturing health care products such as wound dressings, therapy socks for regular wear and Diabetic wear and other textiles related products.
Satish N. Chandra, CEO and MD, Ag Flex Technologies Pvt. Ltd. who, along with his brother N.S. Prasad started the industry in city in 2008 and the industry was fully functional in the year 2009. It took them over 3 years to get various approvals from their customers who have been testing it continuously to assure themselves of the quality and longevity of the products which are branded as Flexsil.
Satish, speaking to SOM said that they started the industry in Mysore as it was the home town of his father and because of availability of natural resources and smart interactive labour.
He said that our goal is to bring commonsense science using the most commonly used delivery medium in the world -textiles. The focus of our group of highly dedicated scientists and innovative business development team is application based product line, from healthcare to home goods with everything in between cutting across Consumer, Industrial and Institutional arenas.
He said that they were trying to put science to work by creating sustainable silver solutions which was essential for better, safer and healthier life of the people.
Ag Flex offers a wide range of innovative products and services through its silver metalized fibres and yarns for markets including Military, Health Care, Consumer and Home Products.
He said that silver coated yarns used in the manufacture of socks and sportswear inhibits the growth of odour causing bacteria and neutrali-ses odour causing ammonia. It is also used in surgical dressings because of its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. A clinical trial is being undertaken at a multi- specialty hospital in city. The silver coated yarn is now being used in the sportswear of cyclists to prevent odour, fungal and bacterial infections due to sweat.
Satish said that many multi-national companies were working with them and they would release the products soon.
Some of their major clients are Toyota, Yamaha and Panasonic in Japan and their manufacturing partners for socks are in Turkey and Bangalore. Currently, tests are going on at a prominent University in Japan for checking flow of blood in lungs to determine if lungs are working well. This will help immensely as there is no need for X-ray, Doppler, etc. which are momentary tests. With this new technology one can be monitored round the clock to see lung function. Their aim is to have multiple sensors using the very conductive Flexsil products to help get a 3D view of the lung function. This indeed will be a real game changer for pulmonary diagnosis.
Ag Flex also plans to use similar technology to monitor blood sugar levels without invasive actions. This is something down the line but certainly on the radar of Ag Flex. The conductive properties of Flexsil are also used for various anti-static applications and for what is called as “Electro Magnetic Interference (EMI) Shielding.” This will enable one to be protected against harmful radiation from various electronic devices. For example, for pregnant ladies EMI Shielding inner-wear will be offered to protect the foetus from being exposed to dangerous radiation from every day appliances to instrumentation. This effect was shown by wrapping a mobile phone with Flexsil and when one tried to call the number the phone was “not-reachable” though the phone was very much on. Once the fabric was removed the phone functioned normally.
All these products can sustain laundry cycles and yet maintain their efficacy. Ag Flex has tested data after 100 commercial laundry cycles without dimini-shing the properties. Hence they say that their product is good for the life of the finished goods.
Besides manufacturing silver coated yarn the company also supplies silver in other forms too. Actimist, a sanitizer spray which also uses silver and will be available in the market soon. Test data from Japan shows reduction of anti-biotic resistant bacteria called as MRSA, E.Coli and Salmonella by 99.99999% in one minute. This is something Ag Flex is very proud of since this is their proprietary technology and can be used on any hard surfaces at home, hospitals, public places and even on one’s hands as sanitizer. Actimist also controls offensive odours without perfumes as perfumes may cause allergic reaction to many individuals.
Ag Flex also makes metalized foam (sponge) which is used for both anti-microbial and EMI Shielding applications. These foam when metalized with Silver are so unique that when you cut the foam you can see the silver coating uniformly even in the inner layers of the foam
Ag Flex also houses a beautiful garden where they have flowers, fruits and vegetables using treated water from process. The water used in highly purified as their process requires this. For this, they use complex and multi-step purification process. As they make very good water they also use the same for their drinking purposes.
Inside the tank Satish showed SOM a silver metalized sleeve which has helped in keeping the water fresh even when not used for many days.
Satish said that the mission at Ag Flex Technologies is to be a world class silver solution provider for anti-microbial and conductive applications and is committed to achieve this goal by being environ-mentally responsible and offering innovative products in an ethical manner.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / January 18th, 2014
