Mysore District Journalists Association (MDJA) has greeted city journalist Amshi Prasannakumar for being selected for ‘The Best Developmental Journalism’ award given by the State Government.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> In Brief / Tuesday, October 28th, 2014
Former president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), former minister and veteran Congress leader Veeranna Shivlingappa Koujalgi, 77, (in pic) passed away at a private hospital here on Wednesday. He had been ailing for the past few months. He is survived by wife, son and three daughters.
Koujalgi was born on September 21, 1938 at Deshnur village in Bailhongal taluk. A mechanical engineer, he had served in the Indian Navy and had taken part in the 1965 Indo-Pak war. He joined politics in the year 1972 and got elected from Arabhavi Assembly constituency and also became minister in Devraj Urs Cabinet. He was re-elected from the constituency in the 1978, 1983, 1989, 1994 and 1999 elections. After being denied Congress ticket for the 1985 elections, Koujalgi contested as an Independent and lost. He lost the elections twice again in 2004 and 2008.
Koujalgi was also the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from February 15, 1993 to December 26, 1994. He was made KPCC president during 1999 and was minister in the S M Krishna Cabinet. As KPCC president he had successfully conducted All India Congress Committee convention in Bangalore in 2001.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State / DHNS, Belgaum – October 29th, 2014
Indians Ajai Appachu and Fouad Mirza of the Embassy International Riding School (EIRS) secured second and fourth place at the Hopetoun International horse trials in Scotland which launched the first Commonwealth cup in June.
According to an EIRS press release here Monday, Appachu finished second in the CCI event of the Commonwealth Cup with a cumulative score of 45.6 on Orleans II.
Mirza, who has been competing in the Junior National Equestrian Championships since 2002, won fourth place in the same event with a cumulative score of 49.2 on Penultimate Vision, the release added.
source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> News-IANS> Sports / IANS / Bangalore – July 07th, 2014
On Saturday afternoon, the staircase at Halasuru Metro Station turned into a mini-auditorium as a group of people sat there listening to each other’s narration about Ulsoor’s history. The concourse also exhibited Ulsoor’s rich heritage through photographs.
Halasuru, a bustling area in the heart of the city, has a tower built by Immadi Kempe Gowda, son of Hiriya Kempe Gowda, the founder of Bangalore. The tower is among the four built by him to mark the extent to which Bengaluru would grow. The lake in Halasuru is manmade, which served as a source of drinking water in the past. Now, it is an important water body for the city, an ecological landmark.
There are several streets named after the Mudaliars, a group that migrated from Arcot, Tamil Nadu, and took up posts in the British administration or became contractors, mining barons, merchants and philanthropists. One philanthropist was Rai Bahadur Arcot Narrainswamy Mudaliar, who founded RBANMS.
Meera Iyer, Co-Convener, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), said the exhibition included oral history traditions.
Memory wall
Excerpts taken from people who spoke of what they remembered were posted on a ‘memory wall’.
One, written by Damodaran Sekhar, said, “In the 1950s, Halasuru lake was completely dry. Except for an island near MEG and Centre, all islands were accessible. We would go there by foot and it was a wonderful sight. The area around the Kempe Gowda tower was a picnic spot.”
Another post said the chariot of Someshwara Temple was made of rock. Yet another said that peacocks were seen every day in the temple area.
Exhibition
The exhibition has been organised by INTACH and Rangoli Metro Art Center, Bangalore Metro Rail Corportaion Ltd.
Vasantha Rao, General Manager, BMRCL, said the project could be replicated in other areas, such as Malleswaram and Basavanagudi, which have a history.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bangalore / by Renuka Phadnis / Bengaluru – November 02nd, 2014
Chikmagalur :
Deputy Commissioner B S Shekarappa and SP R Chetan paid a visit to the Datta Peeta atop the Bababudangiri Hills on Thursday, to inspect the security measures taken by the district administration in the wake of Datta Mala Abhiyan at the Sri Guru Dattatreya Bababudan Swamy dargah on Sunday. The DC said devotees will be allowed to have a glimpse of the Datta Padukas inside the cave from 8 am to 4 pm.
He directing the PWD assistant executive engineer to expedite the repair of roads on the way to the Peeta.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Express News Service / October 31st, 2014
Two-day seminar ‘Nagabharana-Cinemaavarana’ begins
Mysore :
“Director T.S. Nagabharana is known as a ‘strict master’ in the Kannada film industry. His films, most of whom have a universal appeal, have made a mark for themselves in the film industry,” opined senior Actor Sundar Raj.
He was speaking after inaugurating a two-day seminar on director T.S. Nagabharana’s films titled ‘Nagabharana-Cinemaavarana’, organised by the city’s cultural group Gubbigoodu Samskrutika Siri Samasthe at Rani Bahadur Auditorium in Manasagangotri this morning.
Pointing out that both he and Nagabharana grew up under theatre giant B.V. Karanth, Sundar Raj said Nagabharana grew up in the film industry step by step, working hard without much publicity.
“That 16 of his 35 films he has directed have bagged national awards, while 9 others have earned State awards, speaks volumes about Nagabharana’s efforts,” Sundar Raj said while underlining the success of Nagabharana’s films in reaching out to the audience.
Noting that Nagabharana’s success lies in sheer hard work and immaculate planning, Sundar Raj observed that success can be achieved only through hard work.
Writer Jayant Kaikini, who was the chief guest, regretted the declining quality of cinemas, with the universal transformation that is taking place.
Expressing disappointment over the quality of cinemas being produced today, Kaikini called upon the current crop of cine directors to choose the best from the new lot of novels that are hitting the stands today. He lauded Nagabharana’s efforts in making cinemas that appealed to everyone.
Kaikini sent the audience into peels of laughter by lending a humorous touch to his speech. Director Prakash Belawadi also spoke on the occasion.
Journalist Rajashekar Koti, DDPUE K.M. Puttu, Karnataka Nataka Academy member B.M. Ramachandra, Gubbigoodu Samskritika Siri Samsthe President Gubbigoodu Ramesh and others were present.
The auditorium was jam packed with students, theatrists, literary and cinema enthusiasts and members of the public.
The seminar, featuring six sessions, with 3 sessions each on both the days, will conclude tomorrow.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Tuesday, October 28th, 2014
KA Hospitality which has pioneered introducing international luxury dining restaurants in the country is to open Yauatcha in Bangalore.
The company in short span has brought Hakkasan and Yauatcha, the Michelin Starred restaurant from London in to India. The first restaurant opened in Mumbai, a couple of years ago and now company has ventured into Bangalore. “Yauatcha is a Michelin-starred Dim Sum restaurant from London and the uniqueness of the restaurant is the very concept of being a tea and dim sum house with a modern interpretation of the traditional Chinese teahouse,” Nitin Motwani, CEO, KA hospitality told Business Line.
The restaurants specialises in offering over 50 different types of dim sums, special vegetarian delights and an array of desserts. Motwani said “The uniqueness of the restaurant is the very concept of being a tea and dim sum house with a modern interpretation of the traditional Chinese teahouse which offers over 50 different types of dim sums, special vegetarian delights and an array of desserts. Yauatcha a 150 seat restaurant offers an all-day dining with dim sums, wok preparations, macaroons and petit gateaux. The restaurant is located at 1 MG Road Mall, MG Road.
anil.u@thehindu.co.in
source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> News> National / by Anil Urs / Bangalore – September 15th, 2014
They came. They saw and they conquered. But ironically, the conquests and achievements of many great people are only but a memory. People rise and people fall. Only their memories remain buried in the annals of history. However, some are more fortunate and are remembered better – thanks to monuments and places named after them or in this case – having a statue erected for them.
The city of Bangalore boasts an array of interesting statues of phenomenal people and one of the prime locations to spot them is the historic Cubbon Park. The large lung-space in the heart of the city bears testament to five of the most remarkable personalities to have etched a mark in Bangalore and India’s histories. With a history of its own – the park is home to the statues of Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, Major General Sir Mark Cubbon, Rajya Dhurandhara Sir K. Sheshadri Iyer and Sri. Chamarajendra Wodeyar.
The Queen Victoria statue welcomes visitors to the park near the corner of Mahatma Gandhi Circle. Sculpted by Thomas Brock in England and shipped to India in 1905, the 11-foot statue was inaugurated by George Frederick Ernest Albert, the Prince of Wales (later King George V), on February 5, 1906. The Queen, who used the additional title of Empress of India, is the most notable sight in the garden.
A noble tribute to the member of the royal family of Great Britain to hold the prestigious crown for the longest time from the age of 18 for almost 64 years, the statue has the Queen holding a scroll and an orb. Alexandrina Victoria was given the title Empress of India after the dissolution of the East India Company following which she took reign of the administration of the subcontinent. Marked for restoration, the statue has a finger missing while the orb has lost its cross.
On the other corner of Queen’s park is the King Edward VII statue. Often ignored due to the stagnating Metro construction that has overridden the park’s beauty, the statue of the King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India between 1901 and 1910, lies neglected in a layer of dust and dirt. The statue was unveiled by Frederic John Napier Baron Chelmsford, the Viceroy and Governor General of India, in November 1919.
The bearded king, who was responsible for modernisation of the British Home Fleet and reorganisation of the British Army, was known to be a peacemaker. But with the World War I beginning just four years after his death, many believe the Germans paranoia increased because of the British King’s massive transformation of the forces. He toured the subcontinent while being the Prince of Wales in 1875 but King Edward VII never visited India after he took over the throne. His short reign and subsequent passing over of the mantle to his second son George V saw only a time of peace, often credited to be the golden age for the upper class in Europe and America. He was also one of the first Kings to become social with people believing in the seeing and being seen by the people.
The statue of Major General Sir Mark Cubbon adorns the terrace garden and is part of the Karnataka High Court. The British Army officer who became the British Commissioner of Mysore state moved the capital from Mysore to Bangalore and is respected for creating a prosperous government here. The statue of Sir Cubbon seated on a horse was unveiled by the Commissioner of Mysore Lewin Bowring.
A fading tribute to these foreigners who left a lasting impression on the destiny of the country, these statues may not stand the test of time, but they will remain in the weathered memories of Bangalore’s residents.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Society / by Allan Moses Rodricks / October 31st, 2014
Eight years after it received a proposal from Karnataka government, the Centre today cleared renaming 12 cities and towns of the state including Belgaum as Belagavi and Bangalore as Bengaluru.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh gave his approval to the proposal of the Karnataka government made on October 27, 2006 to change the names of the 12 towns and cities in consonance with their pronunciation in Kannada language. Karnataka and Maharashtra, where the Assembly elections had just concluded, are locked in a boundary row over Belgaum.
The Karnataka government had taken the decision to rechristen these cities on the occasion of the golden jubilee of formation of the state of Karnataka on November one, 2006.
The Home Minister’s nod came after Survey of India, Ministry of Railways, Department of Posts, Ministry of Science and Technology and Intelligence Bureau have given their No Objection and clearance for the change in the nomenclature of the identified cities.
Besides Bangalore and Belgaum, the other cities and towns which will be known by new names(which are in brackets) are Mangalore(Mangaluru), Bellary(Ballari), Bijapur(Vijapura), Chikmagalur(Chikkamagaluru), Gulbarga(Kalaburagi), Mysore(Mysure), Hospet(Hosapete), Shimoga(Shivamogga), Hubli (Hubballi) and Tumkur(Tumakuru).
Instructions have also been issued for rechristening the post offices and Railway stations, a Union Home Ministry oficial said.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State / PTI / New Delhi – October 17th, 2014
by D. Lalitha Rao
When I was studying for my Library Science degree, we had a professor who would teach through anecdotes that often had us in splits. To stress how important it is for a librarian to know the location and appearance of every single book on the shelves he would narrate how a student came to him once and asked him, “Sir, please give me the red book with four authors.” Only the librarian’s years of experience plus the fact that, the particular book was most in demand among the students of B.Com prevented him from throwing the student out.
We librarians are used to the strangest demands, believe me. I have always felt that a library should be the friendliest place, where you can curl up in a corner with your book or browse shelves undisturbed by time or crowds.
I have always loved cataloguing books. To determine the subject of a book, and to give it the appropriate numbers in the cataloguing system and then place it correctly in the shelves — it gives me a sense of joy. The circulation desk is, of course, where all the activities go on in a library, with people coming and going constantly, borrowing or returning books, and searching for particular volumes. However, the stacks — the shelves where books are stored — is where the heart of the library resides.
The simplest arrangement of books is by subject matter and the world’s libraries use mostly what is known as the Dewey Decimal System of cataloguing created by Professor Melvil Dewey in America in the 19th century. You may have seen in libraries like The British Council numbers on the spine of any book: a set of 3 numbers followed by a decimal point and then further sets of numbers. The first number is the code for the subject and can be from 0 to 9. Thus 954 is the number classification for Indian History. Anyway, to get a librarian started on the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system is asking for trouble, so I will spare you the details.
At first this whole classification business was confined to ten subjects and a hundred sub-categories. Now, as the frontiers of knowledge become ever distant, there is no limit to subjects. The DDC is already in its 23rd edition and has 4 volumes compared to the 4-page pamphlet published in 1876 by Dewey.
In the 1930s, Dr. Ranganathan of Madras University invented the Colon Classification, an extremely complex system but one which could include many more subjects than the Western-centric DDC. Madras University Library and then Delhi University Library were among those catalogued according to the Colon Classification (CC). The system has now fallen into disuse as there are not many people proficient enough to teach it to students of Library Science. Even the very old Nilgiris Library in Ooty which used CC is now digitizing its catalogue as per the DDC.
Sooner or later one has to make way for new ideas, improvements and new versions of the old. Browsing in my personal library some days ago, I unearthed the Agatha Christies that I own, and was happily leafing through them. Coincidentally, I found in an online bookstore a brand new mystery that I ordered right away. It so happened that I read two newly published books which I must share with you.
The first book I read was the mystery I have mentioned above, by British author Sophie Hannah, in which she brings back to life the legendary Agatha Christie detective Hercule Poirot. This is not the first time that fictional icons that died with their creators have been revived. Anthony Horowitz a few years ago wrote The House Of Silk, a riveting story of Sherlock Holmes, and has now written Moriarty, which I am eagerly waiting for.
So, Hercule Poirot in The Monogram Murders. Was it an interesting read? Most certainly. Was it Hercule Poirot? To my mind, and I feel most Christie loyalists will feel the same, Poirot as presented by Hannah lacks a certain gentleness that Christie’s character possessed. This Poirot is more egotistical, rather boastful, as brilliant as ever, but perhaps not as endearing. The humour is not Christie’s, naturally but then the plot has more complexity. In fact, in terms of complexity it compares with some of the classic cases that are solved by Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. Sleeping Murder comes to mind as also The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. I think this is probably the reason that for the first time the heirs of Agatha Christie’s estate have given permission to publish a book containing her characters, so I assume Miss Marple will also reappear some time. To read The Monogram Murders, you must forget that Hercule Poirot existed before (very difficult) and just go with the story. The only way to enjoy it.
The other book was Chetan Bhagat’s latest, called Half Girlfriend. Set in Bihar, New Delhi and New York, the story takes us through several years in the life of a boy from rural India, as he falls in love with a typically wealthy Delhiwali but has neither the social skills nor the smarts to deal with it. The same goes for his super rich girlfriend as she leads him a merry dance. Even though you can sense that our author has a soft corner for her, perhaps more than for the hero, I found it difficult to feel much sympathy for her. Supposedly she has psychological issues that we get to hear about much later in the story.
At another level the story of rural India is sensitively told, with the clash of feudalism, local politics and corruption sharply defined. All ends well, but I was left feeling slightly irritated at the end of the saga and several times I felt that both protagonists needed a good smack on the head. No, I haven’t forgotten what it was like to be in love, but why has Mr. Bhagat forgotten that he can write better? Where is the superb timing of Five Point Someone, the humour of Two States? You should read this because it’s a Chetan Bhagat quick read, but don’t expect too much.
I am myself working on a modern revamping of a very ancient and much loved story and will share it with you when done. Till then happy reading.
[e-mail: raolalitha@hotmail.com]
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Sunday, October 26th, 2014