** Ad filmmaker walking across Karnataka, without a penny in his pocket

Vivekananda H.K., 53, is walking across Karnataka; his aim is to ‘revive human values’. What is unique about his journey is that he is travelling without a rupee in his pocket and has vowed not to touch currency, literally.

** A golden future for turmeric

For CV Prakash — a former naval officer who is also recognised as an expert in soil-less agriculture — making turmeric (Curcuma longa) more profitable for the ordinary farmer has become a passion during lockdown.

His ongoing Mission Turmeric 2021 aims to begin an “orange revolution”, he says, by teaching people to cultivate the spice in grow bags (large porous containers made of high density polyethelene) packed with coco-peat (made from the pith of the coconut husk) instead of soil, in shade houses.

  • India is the world’s biggest producer of turmeric, (centred in the states of Telangana, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Arunachal Pradesh and Orissa ). At least 30 varieties of cultivars are grown in the country.

** KIA 1 of 6 airports in world to get Roll of Excellence

The Kempegowda International Airport has been inducted into the Airports Council International (ACI) Director General’s Roll of Excellence for the year 2020. It’s one of six airports worldwide to get this recognition.

** Feeding poultry with insects, this project solves garbage, agrarian crises

Narendra Pasuparthy, founder and CEO of Nandus Foods, said time is ripe to tackle the twin issues of the animal feed industry that eats into the agricultural sector and the urban food waste affecting cities like Bengaluru. His search for a solution resulted in the start-up Insectifii with Mitali Poovayya, a neurobiology researcher from Amsterdam University. The start-up converts food waste into high-grade protein for poultry using the Black Soldier Fly (BSF).

** New book maps south Indian clans’ 6,000-year-old Gandhara trek

6,000 years ago, some clans of forest settlers from South India set out on a great journey, which took them along the coast, traversing through several areas up North, and reaching as far as Gandhara (Kandahar in present-day Afghanistan)

‘India Before History’, will be a 1,500-page documentation-orientated work, which will also involve close to 70 articles from the country’s eminent scholars

** Writer M.M. Kanakeri dead

Senior writer, editor and publisher of Susheel magazine M.M. Kanakeri passed away in Hubballi on Sunday. He was 90.

Mr. Kanakeri single-handedly published the magazine for five decades and used to circulate it among literary enthusiasts and friends.

He presided over the sixth Hubballi Taluk Kannada Sahitya Sammelan held in Hubballi in 2018.

He is survived by his wife and four daughters.

** Beltangady: ‘Guruvayanakere’s ten rupee doctor’ – Uninterrupted service through corona time

Dr Sharma accepts just ten rupees from the patients. He speaks to patients with a smile, cuts jokes, instils confidence in his patients, and charges only ten rupees. The people lovingly call him with the name, ‘ten rupee doctor’.

Dr Sharma has never fixed any rate for the treatment and never sought a fee based on individual health checks he does. He has been serving as doctor at Guruvayanakere for the last three decades. Even during the corona period, he charges ten rupees to poor people.

** Mangaluru: ‘Patrode’ earns place in Ayush list of traditional, beneficial dishes

‘Patrode’, a popular dish of coastal Karnataka and Malnad region that is made from Colocasia (taro) leaves, has been recognized by the union Ayush ministry as a traditional food under Ayush system of medicines.

The ministry has prepared a booklet in which names of 26 food items have been listed. Patrode has occupied a place of pride in this list.

This booklet is also available in the website of the department now. Along with each of the items listed, photos, recipe, and health benefits have been listed.

** India’s first tunnel aquarium opens at KSR railway station

From now on, anyone waiting to board a train, or to receive someone, at the KSR railway station can look forward to an exciting and relaxing activity.

For, a first of its kind aquatic kingdom set up in any railway station in India will be launched in the concourse portion at the entry of the station on Thursday. The joint venture by the Indian Railway Station Development Corporation (IRSDC) and HNI Enterprises was planned for an April launch, but the Covid second wave delayed it.

** Winning verses

Having recently won the ‘Poet of India’ title on a poetry reality show, this Bengalurean shares his deep connection with writing.

From the time he can remember, Amandeep Singh, a city-based IT professional, has been expressing his thoughts and emotions through poetry.

It’s no surprise then that Singh recently walked away with the title Sau Karod ka Kavi (Poet of India) for 2021 on India’s first poetry reality show Sau Karod Ka Kavi.

A performance poet and storyteller, Singh, who hails from Patna, grew up writing poems since the age of nine. “I used to change the lyrics of Bollywood songs keeping the music intact.

Bengaluru / Patna