** RSS founder’s speech now part of Kannada textbook

Hedgewar’s public speech is a lesson in Class X Kannada textbook

In a clear sign of Hindutva ideology entering school curriculum in Karnataka, the State government has adopted the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar’s speech as one of the lessons in Class X Kannada (first language, State syllabus) textbook from the 2022-23 academic year.

The text of the speech of Hedgewar was recommended to be included in the syllabus by the ​Textbook Revision Committee, headed by writer Rohith Chakrateertha.

The lesson is titled “Nijavada Adarsha Purusha Yaraagabeku?” (Who should be the real role model?). It is number 5 in the Kannada prose textbook, which is now in the process of being printed. The committee had submitted its final report to the government in March.

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** Google’s addition of Konkani in translation applauded

The lovers of Konkani language have hailed the efforts of Google to add this language to Google Translate. Konkani is widely spoken in Goa, many parts of Karnataka and Maharashtra.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has congratulated the Google team behind this initiative.

“It is heartening to know that #Konkani language has been added in Google Translate. It’s a remarkable feat for our language. This will help in enhancing global outreach for Konkani speaking people as well as global access to Konkani language.” Sawant tweeted.

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** Making a splash

As a sportsperson, irrespective of age, no emotion comes close to the joy of winning a gold for the country. 14-year-old swimmer Ridhima Veerendra Kumar, is no different. Kumar, bagged three golds at the South Africa National Swimming Championships 2022, with athletes from the world taking part in the event. 

The teen from Bengaluru grabbed medals in the 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke and the 800m freestyle events. “It’s a whole different experience competing in another country. We got to train with South African coaches and their swimmers too,” says Kumar. 

Of late, swimming as a sport has been getting a lot of attention as Vedaant Madhavan, son of actor R Madhavan, recently won gold in the men’s 800m freestyle at the Danish Open in Copenhagen. Kumar is quite happy with the positive attention the sport is getting. “Not just me, even seniors are doing pretty well too,” says the student of Delhi Public School, South, who trains at the Basavanagudi Aquatic Centre.

The medals and glory don’t come without a disciplined lifestyle and Kumar cannot emphasise its importance. Her day starts at 4.30 am and she is in the pool by 5 am. “I train in the mornings between 5.30 am and 8.30 am and evenings at the same time. In between, I have school and the gym to balance,” says Kumar, who takes care of her nutritional needs with home-cooked meals.

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** CFTRI brings out seven new technologies

Licences for some of the technologies have been taken by entrepreneurs

CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) on Wednesday announced the new technologies it has developed in the last one year, on the occasion of the National Technology Day that was observed here.

Also, the CFTRI gave licences to entrepreneurs for commercialising some of its technologies, thanks to the initiatives of the Technology Transfer and Business Development Department. Certificates and mementoes were presented to the licensee at the National Technology Day event for having used the technologies, by former Vice-Chancellor K. Chidananda Gowda who was the chief guest.

In total, seven new technologies, including gluten-free biscuits, gluten-free cookie cake, buckwheat noodles and pasta, multigrain nutri cookies, chikki with moringa, coffee brew mix, and high performance advanced oxidation process for STPs, greywater, industrial wastewaters (food and non-food), were developed by the R and D teams.

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** Mega museum on Bhagavad Gita to be inaugurated in Hubballi

‘Bhagavad Gita Jnanaloka’, a museum dedicated to the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita, with various shlokas being explained through illustrations, will be dedicated to the nation in Hubballi on May 15.

Convener of Prajapita Brahmakumaris Iswariya Vishwa Vidyalay Brahmakumari Nirmaladevi told presspersons here on Thursday that the museum would be Asia’s biggest on the Bhagavad Gita. The museum will be located at Om Shanthi Nagar on Bhairidevarakoppa- Gamanagatti Road in Hubballi.

“The museum campus is spread over five-and-a-half acres. It has 114 rooms and in each room there are artistic installations that explain the meaning of various shlokas so that even a layman can understand,” she said.

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** Citizens can report potholes on ‘Fix My Street’ app from Monday

Once ratified by a civic official, the app will automatically generate a work order to fill them

Public can now report potholes on the city streets to BBMP on the ‘FixMyStreet’ mobile application, which will be thrown open from next Monday. Not only report potholes, once ratified by a civic official, the app will automatically generate a work order to fill them.

“Citizens could use the app from Monday. If the pothole is new (i.e. not mapped in the app), it will have to be certified by the jurisdictional assistant engineer. Once certified, the work order gets generated automatically. In case of major roads, it will go to the ‘Python’ contractor, who has been entrusted with maintenance of 182 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads. In case of other stretches, the work order will get sent to the hot mix plant,” Chief Civic Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath said, after a review meeting with zonal chief engineers.

So far, the app was being used internally. There are some technical glitches, which are being fixed. The zonal civic officials have been given time till Thursday to map all the potholes coming under their respective jurisdictions and feed it into the app with photographs. The Chief Civic Commissioner also said that that he had directed the executive engineers to cross check 30% of the pothole filling work in their jurisdiction, 5% by zonal chief engineer and 1% by the zonal Special Commissioners.

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** JNCASR may have a cure for dementia

Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) signs IP transfer agreement on molecule that can be potential drug candidate for dementia

Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) signed two agreements with business establishments for transfer of two technologies from its research initiatives, on the eve of ‘Technology Day 2022’, on May 10. JNCASR is an autonomous institute in Bengaluru under the Department of Science and Technology of the Central Government.

One IP transfer agreement pertains to a molecule that could be a potential drug candidate for dementia. The other is for a robust, mobile group oxygen concentrator that can be used in remote settings and deployed in emergencies.

T Govindaraju, a scientist at the JNCASR, and his team have developed the molecule that could be a potential drug candidate to halt or cure the leading cause of dementia in 70 to 80% cases worldwide. This research work was patented and published in the journal Advanced Therapeutics and patented by the JNCASR. The research aimed to design and synthesise molecules that can reduce the toxicity of amyloid peptide — that accumulates in the central nervous system, it said.

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** Centre recognises Karnataka’s progress in malaria eradication

The state health department has progressed from Category 2 to Category 1 status between 2015 and 2021.

The Union Health Department has awarded the State Department of Health and Family Welfare with a certificate of appreciation, in recognition of its performance towards malaria eradication. The state health department has progressed from Category 2 to Category 1 status between 2015 and 2021.

According to Dr Ramesh K Kaulgud, Joint Director-NVBDCP, Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services, there were 7,381 cases of malaria in 2017, 5,289 in 2018, 3,499 in 2019, 1,701 in 2020 and 913 in 2021. Speaking about the achievement, Dr Ramesh said malaria prevention and control activities are implemented across the state as per the directives of National Centre for Vector Borne Disease Control, Government of India. The surveillance parameters as defined by the programme guidelines have been achieved, facilitating the state to progress towards the set goal of complete eradication.

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** Vet services at the doorstep of livestock owners

Now Karnataka farmers can call toll-free number 1962 for availing emergency veterinary ambulance services

The State Government on Saturday flagged off 70 veterinary mobile ambulances to provide emergency services to domestic animals at the doorsteps of farmers.

Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai launched the facility.

Minister for Animal Husbandry Prabhu Chavan said 275 animal ambulances would be rolled out. In the first phase, 70 ambulances have been delivered. The State has 290 lakh domestic animals and on average one ambulance would provide services to one lakh animals.

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** Toyota signs MoU with State to invest ₹ 4,800 crore in new technologies

The investments are aimed at promoting greener technologies

Toyota Group of Companies will invest ₹4,800 crore in Karnataka for the local production of powertrain parts, components of electric vehicles, and also to boost innovation around electrification and greener technologies.

The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Karnataka to invest ₹4,100 crore on Saturday. Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) along with Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts (TKAP) will put in ₹4,100 crore, while a related company, Toyota Industries Engine India (TIEI), will pitch in with another ₹700 crore later.

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