India, Records – Page 8 – Karnataka First

Youth-led start-up to send 40 satellites to compile space debris data

The race to space has the downside of polluting it. A Bengaluru-based start-up plans to send out a constellation of 40 satellites that will gather data on space junk in the low-earth orbit (LEO).
The satellites that will be launched in early next year will gather information on millions of pieces of debris that litter LEO, which NASA describes as an “orbital space junk yard”.

Digantara, the start-up launched by three young engineers, has taken upon itself the mission to help clean up LEO.

Space junk can reach speeds of up to 18,000 miles per hour, according to NASA. Many of them range from 1 cm to 10 cm in diameter. Most of this orbital debris comprises “human-generated” objects such as parts of spacecraft that have long disintegrated, rocket and satellite components, and very small flecks of paint from spacecraft and whole satellites.

“The ones which are 1 cm in diameter are estimated to be a million. Besides, international space agencies have determined that they are aware of only 4 per cent of objects in space. The data for 96 per cent is still missing,” said Digantara chief operating officer Rahul Rawat, who is only 23 years old.

Digantara, which is incubated at Bengaluru’s Indian Institute of Science, sent out a small satellite, a payload about the “size of a shoe box”, according to the start-up’s CEO Anirudh Sharma, on June 30 this year to gather information on space weather, including radiation, violent storms and other phenomena that can be potentially harsh for spacecraft and burn or fry them.

While this lone satellite has been sending out data to ground sensors, Rawat pointed to Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starlink constellation of 40 of 49 satellites that were “lost in a single blow” when they encountered a gigantic “solar paroxysm” that burned the spacecraft and cost the company $100 million in February 2022.

It is precisely to avoid satellites getting caught up in such “solar outbursts” or other violent geomagnetic incidents that Digantara expects its own satellites – and the information it will send back to its ground sensors – to come to the rescue of space companies with ambitions of sending out satellites.

“We are the only start-up of its kind in India though there are competitors in the US and Canada,” Rawat said, adding the gathered data can help firms that are into remote sensing and insurance where risk analysis reports will be important.

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Swiss firm Hitachi sets up new facility at Doddaballapur

It has invested ₹100 cr for manufacture of power quality products

Hitachi Energy, a technology player that offers advanced solutions for a sustainable energy future globally, set up a new facility to manufacture power quality products (devices that test and check the quality of power) at Doddaballapur on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

The Indian arm of the Switzerland-based Hitachi Energy has invested ₹100 crore to set up this new facility that has a production capacity of 20,000 units of advanced capacitors, banks and power electronics compensators for low, medium and high-voltage systems that are used in power utilities, industries, renewables and transportation segments, as per the company.

“We have a rich heritage and extensive footprint in this country and this new manufacturing unit for power quality solutions reinforces our commitment to facilitate India’s energy transition to net-zero,” said Claudio Facchin, CEO, Hitachi Energy.

“The expansion also strengthens our long-standing presence in Karnataka as we look forward to collaborating with all stakeholders in the ecosystem,’‘ he said in a media round table held at the facility on Tuesday.

Karnataka was fueling its ambitions of industrial growth through a prism of sustainable development goals, said Basavaraj Bommai, Chief Minister, at the facility opening ceremony held separately on the day. “Karnataka is a leading contributor to India’s industrial ambitions. With long-term committed partners such as Hitachi Energy, we continue to invest to make the state a global manufacturing hub,’‘ the Chief Minister further said.

Manufacturing of electrical equipment was an energy-intensive process. Keeping sustainability goals in mind, Hitachi adopted innovative processes at this factory that were capable of reducing electrical energy consumption per process step by almost 40%, said N Venu, Managing Director and CEO, India & South Asia, Hitachi Energy.

According to the International Energy Agency, the energy demand in India is set to double over the next 20 years driven by urbanization and industrialization.

Hitachi Energy employs around 38,000 people in 90 countries and generates annual business to the tune of $10 billion. The company, which forayed into India in 1962, claims it has one of its widest manufacturing bases.

Pictorial remembrance of partition horrors at Sharnbasva University

SBU students explained about the horrors through pictures in the newspapers

The horrors of the partition of India and Pakistan were presented in a pictorial format at the Sharnbasva University. Godutai Women’s Engineering College students explained about the horrors through pictures in the newspapers.

Presidential Sena Medal awardee Subedar Shantayya Swamy went around the exhibition with Subedar Major Phool Chand Sharma of the 32 Karnataka Batallian, NCC, Kalaburagi.

Later, addressing the students, Mr. Swamy recalled his exploits as the leader of the commando group which ambushed a team of Pakistan soldiers during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war and asked the students to come forward to join the Armed Forces for a bright future and also get a chance to serve the nation.

He said even during his school days, he was enamoured by the exploits of the Armed Forces and had joined the NCC when he was in school and with those NCC certificates he joined the Madras Regiment in 1961.

“With just 50 paise in my pocket, I travelled to Secunderabad in Andhra Pradesh to join the Armed Forces. After his six months training at Madras Regiment in Wellington at Ootacamund (Udhagamandalam), I was posted at the Indo-China Border. After my participation in the Indo-China War in 1961, I was transferred to several other forward areas and participated in the 1965 Indo-Pakistan and Indo-Pakistan 1971 war in which Bangladesh was created,” Mr. Swamy said.

KSR Bengaluru railway station to have first Aadhaar unit in SWR

A much-needed Aadhaar centre is set to be launched at KSR Bengaluru railway station in due course, which will become the first station in the South Western Railway Zone to have the facility.

Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) will be taking care of its operations. The equipment to take pictures, capture biometrics and other devices have been provided by UIDAI.”

The issue of new Aadhaar cards as well as changes to be made to existing card will be done here. The DRM said that based on the response it would receive, the facility would be extended to other stations in the Division. The initiative was being undertaken in line with the guidelines issued by the Railway Board, he added. “The Railways wants to increase its public outreach and connect more with its passengers and this is a step in that direction,” he said.

A UIDAI source said that they are ready to provide kits to 10 railway stations within Karnataka.

Singh said that under the Centre’s ‘One Station One Product’ scheme, many stalls have opened up at smaller stations in the Division. Products from millets and honey sourced by tribals are sold at Bengaluru Cantonment; silk and cotton sarees from Krishnarajapuram, Yelahanka and Doddaballapur station at KR Puram station; and Muddireddipalya sarees at Hindupur, are among outlets that have opened up recently.

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Bommai condoles the death Gandhian Meerabhai Koppikar

Leading Gandhian Meerabhai Koppikar, a close follower and associate of Bhoodan movement leader Vinoba Bhave has expired at her home in Mudhol of Bagalkot district.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has expressed his deep sense of grief and extended condolences on the death of a leading freedom fighter, who had followed Gandhian ideals and philosophy.

The Chief Minister, has in a condolence message, said Meerabhai aged 97 years had practiced simple living, shramdan, dairying and organic farming. When she was conferred the Rajyothsava award, the Gandhian lady had utilized the amount of the award for the welfare of the poor.

Karnataka has lost a veteran freedom fighter and Gandhian, the chief minister said.

Freedom fighters gallery launched in Bidar

Bidar-based Shaheen Group of Institutions has launched a multi-media programme to spread awareness among the general public about freedom fighters and their contribution to India’s Independence movement.

A school and colleges run by the group have shared database of the lives of 100 freedom fighters that includes photos, videos, audios and documents. The sharing has been done online using social media and websites and offline by attaching Quick Response codes (QR codes) to images of freedom fighters that are pasted in prominent places across the State.

They were showcased in an offline exhibition on the college campus in Bidar between August 8 and August 10. It is on continuous online display on the Shaheen College website, https://shaheengroup.org/.

“We hope to reach at least one crore people with this project,’’ Abdul Quadeer, school society chairman, said at the inauguration. “Our freedom fighters are already well known. We hope that the exhibition and the online data base will kindle the spirit of the Independence movement among the youth and students,’’ Dr. Quadeer said. This programme is part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav event.

Each one of the 100 photographs has a QR code at the bottom. Scanning it will lead to the database of text, audio and video clips in Kannada, English and Urdu.

The exhibition has images of Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdeo, Chandrashekar Azad, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Nana Saheb, Lala Lajpatrai, Rani Lakshmibai, Tipu Sultan, Hyder Ali, Mirza Khasim Ali Khan, Siraj-ud- Daula, Haji Shariatullah, Begum Hazrat Mahal and others.

After the exhibition, the images will be kept in public places around the State.

Shaheen Group is also promoting flag hoisting as part of the Har Ghar Tiranga programme. At least 1,000 students have hoisted the tricolour in their homes. “We have distributed to the public, 50,000 pocket sized flags and 10,000 hand-held flags,” he said.

Deputy Commissioner Govind Reddy and Superintendent of Police Dekka Kishor Babu inaugurated the exhibition.

ATREE celebrates its silver jubilee this year

The two-day event is open to the public that will include discussion on state of conservation science, sustainable development debates and other activities

Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) is celebrating its silver jubilee on August 18 and 19 at the JN Tata Auditorium in IISc campus with several panel discussions, guest talks, film screenings and other events taking place.

Started in January 1996 as a research organisation to address environmental challenges of biodiversity loss and conservation for sustainable livelihoods, ATREE has worked in the areas of conservation of biological diversity and sustainable development, improvisation of institutional and policy framework for conservation of biodiversity and has helped several government and Non Government Organisations to make best use of the scientific knowledge to solve the problems of conservation.

After its initial days, a PhD in Conservation Science and Sustainability Studies programme was started in 2008 and in 2009, another interdisciplinary research institution, CISED was also established by ATREE with donor support. Further, the Centre for Environment and Development, the Centre for Biodiversity Conservation and 20 research faculty members including environmentalists, geographers, sociologists and hydrologists also emerged. In 2019, ATREE launched two new centres, the Centre for Social and Environmental Innovation (CSEI) and the Centre for Policy design (CPD) for scaling up its environmental knowledge to the society and for engaging more with the government towards effective policy design and implementation.

Speaking to The Hindu on the occassion, Kamal Bawa — Founder, President & Chair, ATREE, said, “Our country has rich biodiversity and when we established ATREE, there was no institute that was looking at biodiversity in a holistic manner, that is all life in our forests, wetlands, rivers, oceans. Furthermore, we all know that biodiversity is declining all over the world and India was no exception, but this decline had ecological, social, political and economic dimensions. Thus, an institution was needed that had an interdisciplinary approach to conserving biodiversity and thus ATREE was born. ATREE is one of the few institutions that deals with the three major environmental challenges of declining biodiversity, water, and mitigation of climate change.”

The two-day event which is open to the public, will have discussion on state of conservation science and sustainable development, debates, book launches, film screenings and traditional performances.

HAL opens office in Kuala Lumpur to explore business operations in Southeast Asia

HAL’s new office in Kuala Lumpur would take up the market promotion of the company’s range of products and services not only in Malaysia but also all of Southeast Asia

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited will set up an office in Kuala Lumpur to tap business opportunities in Malaysia and the entire Southeast Asian region, the PSU said in a statement on Thursday.

The new office is expected to help the public sector firm to explore business around Fighter Lead-in Trainer (FLIT) LCA and other requirements of Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) like Su-30 MKM and Hawk upgrades, as per HAL.

“It will reinforce the commitment of India in supporting the Malaysian Defence Forces and industry for sustainable aerospace and defence landscape in Malaysia,’‘ said a company communique.

According to HAL, the company had submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), Malaysia in October 2021 for the supply of 18 FLIT LCAs against a global tender issued by RMAF.

The final winner of the tender is expected to be declared soon by Malaysian authorities and LCA Tejas stands a fair chance of selection in the bid as it meets all the parameters sought by RMAF, as per the release.

Mangaluru: Education minister congratulates international Taekwondo student achiever

State minister of education B C Nagesh has congratulated over the phone Samhita Alevooraya, first PUC student of Sharada College here who won silver medal in the world Taekwondo championships.

The education minister who telephoned Vasudev Bhat Kunjathodi, the parent of Samhita residing at Kadri here, congratulated the student. He appreciated the encouragement provided to the student in the sport and said that he will inform the chief minister about her.

Bantwal MLA Rajesh Naik also telephoned and congratulated the student for her achievement and said that it is an inspiration to other students.

SBI opens first branch for startups in Bengaluru

State Bank of India, while inaugurating the ‘SBI Start-Up Branch’ at Koramangala, said the facility comes under a pact between the Karnataka government and SBI to further boost the state’s startup ecosystem

India’s largest lender SBI on Tuesday opened its first-ever startup branch in Bengaluru, which will be dedicated to fund and support early-stage entrepreneurs in setting up new companies till their listing on stock exchanges.

Karnataka has been ranked the best state in the country in terms of startup ecosystem and creating new avenues for them to access credit and funding, SBI said in a release.

“It is the first in the country to provide financing to support startup growth, facilitating entrepreneurs all the way to realise their dreams,” Ashwath Narayan C. N., Minister for Higher Education; IT & BT, Science & Technology; Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood, government of Karnataka, said on Twitter, the release said.

Exclusively for startups

The exclusive branch for startups will provide services such as loans, deposits, transaction banking, outward and inward remittances, payments, cash management, forex, insurance, custodial services, capital market and legal advisory, structuring, demat and trading.