Category: Karnataka, Records

** A gecko named Jackie Chan in the Western Ghats

A new revision of Cnemaspis gecko in the Western Ghats has described 12 new species

A new revision of Cnemaspis geckos (day gecko) in the Western Ghats has described 12 new species, including ones named, among others, after Jackie Chan and dragons from Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings. Of the 12 species, 10 were found in southern Western Ghats.

The paper, ‘Diversifying on the Ark: multiple new endemic lineages of dwarf geckos from the Western Ghats provide insights into the systematics and biogeography of South Asian Cnemaspis (Reptilia: Squamata)’, authored by Saunak Pal, from the Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, Princia D’Souza and Kartik Shanker from the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science (IISc.), Bengaluru; and Zeeshan A. Mirza from the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru, was published in Zoological Research recently.

** Actor, activist G.K. Govind Rao passes away

A prominent voice championing secularism and constitutional values, he never minced his words and often ran into controversies

Writer, theatre personality, film actor and activist Prof. G. K. Govind Rao, 86, passed away in Hubballi on October 15. He breathed his last at 4.30 a.m. in his daughter’s house. As per his last wish, he was cremated in a simple manner, family sources said.

He is survived by two daughters. He was suffering from age-related illnesses, and was with his daughter in Hubballi for some time now.

** Mangaluru: Ullal municipality bags award for solid waste management

From the last two years, Ullal municipality has been encouraging people to sort out solid waste at source, and use wet waste for growing vegetables etc after preparing manure at homes. As reward for its successful use of solid waste by creating awareness, the municipality has bagged the state government award.

** Mangaluru: Assistant professor raises beautiful lotus terrace garden

  • Sneha Bhat, resident of Ullal in the city outskirts, is an assistant professor in a private college here. During spare time, she also serves as an announcer in Mangaluru Akashvani. She also has lot of interest in agriculture.

Because of shortage of space and also as she lives in city, she undertook terrace farming initially. She grew vegetables needed for household use on her terrace. The idea of growing lotuses struck her and she thought of raising a lotus garden at her home. Now, this thought has blossomed into a deep interest in raising variety of lotus plants.

** Mangaluru: 17th ‘Kalakar Puraskar’ to be conferred on singer Nihal Tauro

The Kalakar Puraskar of the Carvalho Ghoranne (family) and Mandd Sobhann, will be conferred on famous singer and Sony TV Indian Idol reality show finalist, Nihal Hanson Tauro, Alangar.

The award will be presented by cine lyricist and Kannada litterateur Jayant Kaikini at the awarding ceremony, to be held in Kalangann on Sunday November 7 at 6.00 pm. He will be honoured with a cash prize of Rs 25,000, a memento, shawl, floral bouquet, fruits and a felicitation certificate.

** Five scientists, engineers get IISc’s Distinguished Alumnus Award

This year’s awardees are Dr Anuradha M Annaswamy, a senior research scientist at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Professor Sajal K Das of Missouri University of Science and Technology, Professor T Pradeep of IIT Madras, Professor C S Raghavendra of the University of Southern California and Dr Ritu Shrivastava, a former vice president of Technology Development at SanDisk Corporation.

** Koratagere girl who was denied admission in school tops state in SSLC exams

The state government on Monday announced the results of the supplementary examinations and Greeshma Nayak from Koratagere, who was studying at Alvas English Medium School in Moodbidri, Dakshina Kannada, has secured 599 marks out of 625.

** India’s second govt hospital for gastroenterology opens in Bengaluru

The Institute of Gastroenterology and Organ Transplant (IGOT), which opened on the Victoria Hospital campus on Sunday, is India’s second government facility dedicated to the treatment of the disorders of the stomach and intestines. 

Delhi’s Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), run by that state government, was the only state-run gastroenterology facility in the country

** Fifth grader’s click of web-weaving spider wins global award

Vidyun R Hebbar.

A fifth grader from the city who snapped the picture of a web-weaving spider against a splash of colours has won the international ‘Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year’ award.

** AASSC ties up with Bengaluru-based company to launch drone learning course

ndian youth will soon be skilled to capitalise on developments in the drone industry. The Aerospace and Aviation Sector Skill Council (AASSC) apex body set-up under the Government-led initiative of “Skill India” to train the Indian workforce has signed an MoU with a Bengaluru-based Drone Learning and Research Company. 

“With Drones being one of the fastest growing industries in India , AASSC and we have jointly developed a Drone professional certificate course for our youth to get them ready for future jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities,” said  Capt Gaurav Nath, Founder & CEO, ClearSkies Aviation OPC Pvt Ltd, a Drone Learning & Research Company founded by Industry leaders and academician focused on Unmanned Aviation sector.