MIT scores hat-trick of wins at IIMB fest

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Students of Manipal Institute of Technology who took part in IIM Bangalore’s cultural fest. | Photo Credit: handout_mail
Students of Manipal Institute of Technology who took part in IIM Bangalore’s cultural fest. | Photo Credit: handout_mail

Students of Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) emerged with flying colours at the just concluded IIM Bangalore cultural fest, Unmaad. A press release issued by the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) here on Tuesday said that it was a hat-trick of wins for MIT at the fest, which was held from February 2 to 4.

The students excelled in a number of literary and dramatics events to clinch the overall championship.

The MIT contingent comprised students from first year to the fourth. The performance this year was better than the previous years and what was encouraging was the fact that many first year students prevailed over more seasoned seniors from other colleges.

Aaina Dramatics of MIT managed to clinch the much coveted Curtain Call event, while also bagging the Best Direction and Best Actor awards.

Members of MIT’s Literary, Debate and Quiz Club swept most of the literary events, with Amandeep Singh Kalsi claiming the ‘Best Literary Award’ in addition to his many accolades.

While MIT’s students also shone in the Hindi poetry event, Nishit Singh Chauhan and Vidushee also claimed the elusive titles of Mr. Unmaad and Ms. Unmaad respectively.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Mangaluru / by Special Correspondent / Manipal – February 07th, 2018

A look at how Bengaluru’s Lady Jehangir Kothari Memorial Hall came to be

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LadyJahangirhallBF11apr2018

Most of us have crossed the Indian Express Circle umpteen times and hardly notice the surroundings as we are always in a rush. At times, when you are waiting your turn at the chaotic traffic signal, your eyes may catch a glimpse of an old structure with The Lady Jehangir Kothari Memorial Hall written in bold black letters.

The building is usually locked and sometimes is hidden from view with ugly hoardings or banners screaming out various sales that are conducted in the complex, almost robbing the building off its beauty. Be it books or saris, umpteen exhibitions and sales are conducted here. It is only when you venture into the complex, that you notice the beautiful architecture.

It has a small veranda with tall pillars at the entrance. Once inside, in spite of the huge stacks or rows of products put up for sale, you will see the pretty white interiors. It has a high ceiling with large open windows all around. It also has a tiny room inside and little platform in the main wing. The building is predominantly white – right from the walls, windows, doors and even the pillars – all of which have turned a pale grey over the years due to pollution and dust.

The building, initially, was built by Sir Jehangir in memory of his wife, Lady Goolbai Kothari. According to Parsi history, Jehangir was a globetrotter and came to Bengaluru with his wife who is believed to have fallen ill and died here.

Sir Jehangir built the place not just as a memorial for his late wife, but also as a place where Parsis could get together for parties and also celebrate their events and functions.

It is believed to have been built with a donation of ₹25,000 and started functioning in 1932.

Normally, the hall is given out for parties and events for the Parsi community. But, as the place “does not provide the proper facilities for such grandeur, most Parsis prefer conducting their weddings and functions outside,” says a representative.

“It was started as a Parsi club, initially. And, now is also open to outsiders for fairs. Some Parsi families also celebrate Navroz and Pateti here,” he adds.

So, the next time, you walk into The Lady Jehangir Kothari Hall, remember that you are walking into a slice of Parsi history.

Where we discover hidden and not so hidden nooks and crannies of the city.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Shilpa Sebastian / February 06th, 2018

Two-day Rani Abbakka Utsava from today

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The annual two-day Rani Abbakka Utsava will be held at Kolya near Someshwar from February 3. It will be inaugurated by writer Vaidehi.

Chandrahas Rai B., Assistant Director, Kannada and Culture Department, Dakshina Kannada, said the programme will begin with a procession of folk artistes from Bhagavati English Medium School to the Rani Abbakka Utsava Grounds at 3 p.m.

After the inauguration at 5 p.m., there will be a cultural competition. There will also be State-level women wrestling competition and district-level football competition.

On February 4, a seminar on ‘Freedom movement and role of women’ will be inaugurated by journalist R. Poornima at 10.30 a.m. There will be a talk by Meenakshi Ramachandra on ‘Thoughts and war strategies of Rani Abbakka’.

A multilingual poet meet of women will be held at 3 p.m. Writer Sara Aboobacker and actor Vinaya Prasad will receive Rani Abbakka awards, he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States / by Special Correspondent / Mangaluru – February 03rd, 2018

Kalaburagi student honoured with Junior Scientist Award

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Praveen Kumar V., a geology student from Central University of Karnataka (CUK), Kalaburagi, has been honoured with the Junior Scientist Award of 2017 for his research on the earth and the environment.

The award was conferred by International Foundation of Environment and Ecology (IFEE), Kolkata, at the fourth international seminar held at Guwahati, Assam, recently.

Mr. Kumar was the one among the ten students and the only one from Karnataka selected for the award that is given to young achievers under the age of 32 in the field of earth sciences.

A joint committee of Association of Indian Universities, New Delhi and IFEE, Kolkata, had been formed to select the achievers for the award.

Groundwater recharge

The CUK authorities said that Mr. Kumar’s research on earth and environment, particularly on artificial recharge of groundwater, water management and conservation, hydrology, solid waste management, the impact of solid waste on surface water and disparity in rains had got him the prestigious award.

With an M.Sc. and a B.Sc. in geology from CUK, Mr. Kumar is presently pursuing a Ph.D. under the guidance of Mohammad Aslam at CUK. University Vice-Chancellor H.M. Maheshwaraiah, in a release, congratulated the young scientist and expressed his commitment to create a conducive and research-friendly environment in CUK.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Staff Reporter / Kalaburagi – February 21st, 2018

Kanaka Durgamma Sidi in Ballari

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Thousands of devotees witnessing the Sri Kanaka Durgamma Sidi in Ballari on Tuesday
Thousands of devotees witnessing the Sri Kanaka Durgamma Sidi in Ballari on Tuesday

Tens of thousands of devotees congregated to witness the annual Sri Kanaka Durgamma Sidi here on Tuesday.

Sri Kanaka Durgamma is the principal deity of the city and devotees spread across not only Ballari but also from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh come to witness the event and also worship the goddess.

As has been the practice during the Sidi Bandi festival, an idol, symbolising evil, is hung on a pole with hooks, and tied to a cart pulled by three pairs of bullocks, owned by the Ganiga community, and taken round the temple thrice with the belief that it would protect all from evils.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Ballari – February 28th, 2018

110 bird species recorded at Mangalagangothri

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The bird-counting exercise was undertaken between February 16 and 19. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The bird-counting exercise was undertaken between February 16 and 19. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Birders from Mangalore University were able to record 110 species of birds during the Campus Bird Counting (CBC), an initiative taken up under Great Backyard Bird Count of Bird Count India, during the three-day bird-counting exercise between February 16 and 19 at the university’s Mangalagangothri campus in Konaje near here.

While the initiative began in 2016, when 77 species of birds were recorded. The number rose to 95 last year. Though the number of species recorded this year is higher, several species recorded earlier were found to be missing, according to a release from the organisers. The increase in numbers indicates the possibility of the presence of more species on the campus — something that can be recorded with more continuous efforts.

CBC is a collaborative effort to document bird life on campuses across the country, to gather information about the diversity, distribution and frequency of bird species outside the protected areas. As many as 230 campuses across India registered for this year’s CBC, including 23 from Karnataka .

Mangalore University, spread over an area of 300 acres, is home to a variety of avian fauna. Birders from the university have been actively participating in the CBC for the past three years.

This year, the team was led by K. Vineeth Kumar, Jagdish Paithankar (both research scholars), and M.Sc students U. J. Bhagya and Donald Preetam Henry from the Department of Applied Zoology.

Students and research scholars from various postgraduate departments of the university, with a few staffers of the university as well as P.A. College of Engineering and Ambika Vidyalaya and Govinda Dasa College, along with a few independent birdwatchers from Mangaluru, participated in the initiative.

Some rare birds found during the survey include the Sri Lanka frogmouth, Savanna nightjar, common hoopoe, Black-headed ibis, Small minivet, Tickell’s blue flycatcher, Yellow-wattled lapwing, White-browed bulbul, Plum-headed parakeet, and Indian roller.

Migratory species recorded during the CBC include Indian Pitta, Brown shrike, Booted eagle, Ashy Drongo, Blyth’s reed Warbler, Green/Greenish Warbler, Brown-breasted Flycatcher, Eurasian Blackbird, Gray wagtail, and Blyth’s Pipit.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Mangaluru / by Special Correspondent / Mangaluru – February 28th, 2018

Kannada film industry mourns death of iconic actor Sridevi

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Sridevi | Photo Credit: Nagara Gopal
Sridevi | Photo Credit: Nagara Gopal

Biffes paid tributes to legendary actor

The Kannada film fraternity expressed shock and grief over the sudden demise of actor Sridevi, who died of a cardiac arrest in Dubai late on Saturday, as it cast a shadow of gloom over the ongoing 10th edition of the Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes).

Before the day’s schedule began on Sunday, BIFFes officials mourned the untimely death of the veteran actor, who had proven her acting prowess in films irrespective of language. Members, officials, patrons, actors and technicians offered their condolences.

Sridevi has acted in a few Kannada films in her five-decade career in celluloid. She had acted in Bhakta Kumbara (1974) directed by Hunsur Krishnamurthy along with Dr. Rajkumar, Leelavathi, Manjula and others as child artist. Her other films as a child artist include Bala Bharata, Sampoorna Ramayanam and Yashoda Krishna. Later, she essayed a role in Hennu Samsarada Kannu (1975) directed A.V. Sheshagiri Rao along with yesteryear Kannada stars Srinath, Manjula, K.S. Ashwath, Balakrishna, Shivaram, Ashok, Leelavathi. This was in fact actor Ashok’s first Kannada film opposite Sridevi.

Sridevi acted opposite Ambarish in Priya (1978), which was made in Tamil and Kannada by S.P. Muthurraman. Star-turned politician Rajinikanth also essayed a major character in this film. Priya was a blockbuster and ran for over 175 days in the theatres and still considered as huge box office hit.

Her co-star in Bhakta Kumbara and Hennu Samsarada Kannu, Leelavathi recalled the time when Sridevi sought her blessings. “She was glamorous actor who grew up in front of our eyes and is now no more,” said a teary-eyed Leelavathi.

Tributes

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah paid rich tributes to departed actor. In his condolence message, Mr, Siddaramaiah, who is also a film buff said he was deeply shocked by the sad demise of Sridevi, who was an epitome of beauty. Her death has created a vacuum in the Indian film industry, he said.

Union Minister Ananth Kumar, former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy also paid tributes to departed actor. Mr. Ananth Kumar, in his tweet, said: “Deeply saddened to hear the tragic news of sudden death of versatile actor, #Sridevi. She will be remembered for her brilliant portrayal in many unique roles. Condolences to her family & fans.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Entertainment> Movies> Sridevi – The Full Story / by Special Correspondent / Bengaluru – February 25th, 2018

INTACH takes up restoration of paintings at St. Aloysius Chapel

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Subhash Basu, convener of INTACH Mangaluru, with Major Gen. L.V. Gupta (retd), chairman, INTACH, in Mangaluru on Thursday. | Photo Credit: H.S. MANJUNATH
Subhash Basu, convener of INTACH Mangaluru, with Major Gen. L.V. Gupta (retd), chairman, INTACH, in Mangaluru on Thursday. | Photo Credit: H.S. MANJUNATH

Mangaluru chapter to document Guttu houses

The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has taken up the restoration of old paintings at St. Aloysius Chapel in the city since a month, according to its chairman Major Gen. L.V. Gupta (retd).

Addressing a gathering after inaugurating the Mangaluru chapter of the INTACH here on Thursday, he said: “We are glad that the church has invested in this work. Please do visit the chapel and see the laboratory set up for restoration work.”

Stressing the need to protect and conserve heritage monuments and structures, he said that no country can be great without its heritage.

Mr. Gupta said that largely people are ignorant of India’s diverse history and heritage.

“Only 7,500 monuments have so far been declared as protected monuments. As per an estimate by INTACH, there are five million heritage sites in the country. Many of these monuments and structures are unprotected. They were being destroyed for lack of awareness of heritage value of these monuments,” he said.

He said the INTACH was working on listing and documentation of heritage structures and monuments and asking the government and people to protect them.

Subash Basu, convener of INTACH Mangaluru chapter, said that the chapter will document old Guttu houses and also visit houses of fishermen and artisans to document the way they build their houses.

They will work to revive some traditional methods of building houses that includes use of mud, timber and lime for construction.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Mangaluru / by Special Correspondent / Mangaluru – February 23rd, 2018