Amazing Feats – Page 14 – Karnataka First

‘American firms in Bengaluru bolstering US-India economic ties’

On her first visit to Bengaluru after assuming charge in September 2021, US Mission India Charge d’Affaires, Patricia Lacina met with business leaders and entrepreneurs to underscore the strong US-India economic and commercial ties.

Lacina acknowledged the immense contributions of over 650 US companies in Bengaluru that employ tens of thousands of Indian citizens in high-standard work environments in the formal sector.

She applauded their immense contribution to the US-India bilateral relationship — not only through their economic ties and investments, but also through corporate social responsibility initiatives and a commitment to the development of employee skills.

“This year, as our two countries commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations and trusted partnership, we celebrate a US-India partnership defined by US President Joe Biden recently as deep connection between our people – ties of family, of friendship, and of shared values. It is because of these shared values that US and Indian firms work so well together, forging a path for innovation and prosperity.”

Joining her in Bengaluru were US Consul General in Chennai Judith Ravin and Director of the US National Science Foundation (NSF) Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan.

The NSF Director visited Bengaluru to expand upon the strong partnership within the fields of science and technology. A Chennai native and graduate of the Indian Institute of Science, Panchanathan is in India to announce NSF funding for 35 collaborative research projects between US and Indian university laboratories.

NSF, under the direction of Panchanathan, is tasked with keeping the US at the leading edge of discovery in a wide range of scientific areas.

NSF has recently been the subject of major legislation which, in addition to supporting funding in all areas of basic research, establishes a new directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnership to greatly accelerate the translation of research to application.

Panchanathan also gave the Dr. M.A. Govind Rau Founder Memorial Lecture at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.

Lacina used the occasion to mark the arrival of the new Counsellor for Commercial Affairs Carey Arun.

Based in Chennai, Arun will oversee the US Commercial Service’s efforts in south India, supporting opportunities for US-India trade and business. The US Commercial Service has offices in Chennai and Bengaluru.

Governor honours three freedom fighters

On the anniversary of the Quit India Movement and the Amrit Mahotsav of India’s Independence, Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Tuesday visited residences of freedom fighters and felicitated them.

Mr. Gehlot visited the residence of H.V. Nagabhushan Rao at Malleswaram in the city and felicitated him with a shawl, Mysore peta, and a bouquet. “I was jailed twice,” Mr. Nagabhushan, 102, said. “The first time was in 1942. Then, in 1947, when we started the fight against colonial British rule”.

Minister for Higher Education C.N. Ashwath Narayan, also the Malleswaram MLA, accompanied Mr. Gehlot.

The Governor also visited 97-year-old freedom fighter R. Narayanappa’s residence at J.P. Nagar. He recalled his teenage days during the freedom struggle. Revenue Minister R. Ashok accompanied the Governor.

In a statement, Mr. Gehlot said no one can appreciate freedom without those who fought for it. “It is our duty to respect and serve all of our freedom fighters and their families for their selfless dedication and sacrifices,” he said.

Mr. Gehlot then visited Shankaranaraya Rao, a 91-year-old freedom fighter residing in Banashankari III Stage. He took part in the Quit India Movement as well as a rally in 1947.

Generally, the State government extends invitations to freedom fighters requesting them to participate in the Independence Day celebrations at Manekshaw Parade Grounds in Bengaluru.

On the same day, in the evening, the Governor has the tradition of hosting high tea at Raj Bhavan for freedom fighters and other dignitaries of the State.

Writing A New Story In Premium Pen Business

William Penn, India’s leading brand for premium writing instruments and lifestyle accessories recently acquired Sheaffer, the 110-year-old iconic American manufacturing company of writing instruments, mainly known for their luxury fountain pens.

In 1907, Walter A. Sheaffer invented an ink-loading system for fountain pens and W.A. Sheaffer Pen Company was incorporated in the US on May 16, 1913 and grew to spread its footprint in over 75 countries. With the Sheaffer ac quisition, William Penn has become a global brand.

Founder and Managing Director of William Penn Nikhil Ranjan, who is a Mysurean, always believed in the power of the written word. After getting a mechanical engineering degree in Mysuru, Nikhil thought out-of-the-box and founded William Penn in Bengaluru in 2002, to introduce the beauty of fine stationery. He launched a line of luxury stationery and soon, his business flourished. Today, William Penn is also credited with bringingthe fountain pen and ink back from the brink and reclaiming its rightful place in fine writing. B.C. Thimmaiah of Star of Mysore spoke to him about the acquisition and what it means to William Penn. —Excerpts:

Star of Mysore (SOM): What do you have to say about this acquisition?

Nikhil Ranjan: Well, we have been in the business for the last 20 years and until now, we have been the retailer and distributor of global brands. This is an opportunity for us to own a global brand and that’s a big step for us. This allows us to design and market products across the world because Sheaffer is an iconic brand, it is a 110-year-old brand present in 75 countries. We will have a footprint in those countries and it is a huge leap.

We also believe that as a company which is home-grown, out of India and being a global brand, having the opportunity to design and market products to have an impact around the world is what excites us.

som

Bidar school launches online database of freedom fighters

Bidar-based Shaheen Group of Institutions has launched a multi media programme to spread awareness about freedom fighters and their contribution to India’s Independence movement. QR codes used to share text, audio and videos

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

The school and colleges in the group will share a database on the lives of 100 freedom fighters that includes photos, videos, audios and documents. The sharing will be done online using social media and websites, and offline by attaching Quick Response codes (QR codes) to the images of freedom fighters that are pasted in prominent places across Karnataka.

“We hope to reach at least one crore people with this programme,” Abdul Quadeer, school society chairman, told journalists on August 8 during an exhibition of photographs and images in the park adjoining Shaheen PUC College in Shahapur in Bidar.

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

The exhibition will be open till August 10. Each of the 100 photographs has a QR code at the bottom. Scanning the QR code will lead to the data base of text, audio and video clips related to the image in Kannada, English and Urdu languages.

The exhibition has images of Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Bhagat Singh, Sukh Dev, Chandrashekar Azad, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Nana Saheb, Lala Lajpat Rai, 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 Karnataka.

“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,” said Dr. Quadeer said.

This exhibition is part of the Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav, which is a celebration 75 years of independence.

The group will promote hoisting of the national flag as part of the Har Ghar Tiranga programme. The group will motivate at least 1,000 students to fly the tricolour in their homes. It aims to distribute 50,000 pocket-size flags and 10,000 hand-held flags among the people.

The activities include essay writing and elocution competitions with a focus on the independence movement.

Governor, minister felicitate freedom fighter H V Nagabhushan Rao at home

As part of the commemoration of Quit India movement, State Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot and Higher Education Minister Dr C N Narayan visited the residence of freedom fighter H V Nagabhushan Rao at his residence in Malleswarm in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

A very happy, Nagabhushan Rao recalled the part played by him in the freedom struggle and undergoing jail term twice.

Speaking to media persons after felicitating the freedom fighter in his assembly constituency, Dr Narayan said patriotism and love for the country must be part of all Indians. The BJP governments at the Centre and in the State want to rekindle the spirit of nationalism in all citizens, he said pointing out that the Narendra Modi has relaxed most of the restrictions on hoisting national tricolour by the citizens.

Dr Narayan took the occasion to criticize Congress Opposition leader in the Assembly Siddaramaiah for finding fault with the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign and termed it as a political drama. “If one cannot perform good deeds, let them remain silent instead finding faults,’’ he said.

Kittel’s kin invited for Haveri Sahitya Sammelana

Three-day sammelana starts on November 11

The 86th Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana (All-India Kannada literary meet) is scheduled to be held at Haveri from November 11 to 13 and will be chaired by poet Doddarange Gowda.

A descendent of Ferdinand Kittel (1832-1903), the much-respected lexicographer of Kannada, who lives in Germany, and Chandra Arya, Canadian MP, from Karnataka, who spoke in Kannada in Parliament, have been invited to participate in the conference.

The organisers are trying to make this a “dust-free and plastic-free” event.

Two-year break

Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the 86th sammelana was not held for the last two years, though the place and the person to chair it had been announced by the Kannada Sahitya Parishath (KSP).

KSP president Mahesh Joshi told The Hindu that the event will be inaugurated on November 11, which also happens to be Kanakadasa Jayanti. November 12 is second Saturday and November 13 is Sunday, which will make it convenient for people to participate, he said.

“Extensive discussions will be held in the conference on many issues, including the issue of closure of Kannada schools,’’ he explained. Speaking on the draft of the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Bill, 2022, he emphasised the need to speed up its implementation.

86 books

“We are publishing 86 Kannada books through KSP and 37 books are related to Haveri district’s art, literature, and culture. In addition of this, we will honour and felicitate 86 people who have worked for the development of Kannada and Karnataka,’’ he said.

“We have already formed overseas units and we will try to involve them in this conference,” Mr. Joshi revealed.

HAL developing AI-driven long-endurance drone for vigil over China border

State-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is working on an AI-driven multi-role, advanced and long-endurance drone for strategic missions in high-altitude areas including along the frontiers with China, people familiar with the development said on Sunday.

The rotary-wing drone will have the capability to carry a load of 40 kgs, including missiles and sensors, and it is being developed considering the requirement of the armed forces to keep a strong vigil over the mountainous areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), they said.

The HAL has set a target of conducting the maiden test-flying of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) by the middle of next year and plans to produce 60 such platforms in the first phase of the project, the people in the know told PTI.

They said the operating system of the long-endurance drone will feature applications of Artificial Intelligence and the armed forces will be able to use it for multiple purposes including transporting essential supplies.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

A martyrdom saga that lives on ballads, continues to inspire Kannadigas

Sangolli Rayanna’s martyrdom stories continue to inspire crores of Kannadigas with every child given examples of his bravery against the British. The giant banyan tree from where Sangolli and his revolutionary associates were hanged serves as a memorial to the martyrs and kindles the spirit of patriotism among the youth.

The tree also forms an integral part of school excursions to inculcate a sense of patriotism in the little hearts. Not just a railway station in Bengaluru, every city in the state has a junction or memorial named after him.

Born on August 15, 1796, in Sangolli village of Belagavi district, Rayanna hailed from the Kuruba (shepherd) community and inherited the valour and loyalty from ancestors to the Kittur kingdom.

Folk tales describe him as a 7-foot-tall warrior who brought shivers to the hearts of his enemies, particularly the East India Company. He rose to become the commander-in-chief of the army of Kittur led by an equally heroic Rani Chennamma.

Sangolli was upset over the British policy of expansion and their treacherous ways of capturing powers from Indians. After the defeat of the Kittur Army by the British forces, he raised a guerilla force to fight the British and successfully defeated them on several occasions.

His guerrilla Army moved from place to place, setting the government offices afire. Led by Sangolli Rayanna, his force attacked the British army, plundered and looted treasuries and helped the locals.

Sangolli had become a nightmare for the British and his heroics against the British were celebrated by the local people making him a legendary figure.

The British did defeat him in an open battle, but they were never able to face his guerrilla warfare and incurred humiliating defeats. Desperate to put an end to Sangolli Rayanna, the British caught hold of his uncle Lakshmana and hatched a plan to nab the rebel.

Later, they caught Sangolli while he was taking a bath. The folk songs describe that even then Sangolli kept asking his uncle to pass on the sword, he left him on the banks of the river and handed it to the British soldiers.

Karnataka Farmer Grows 700 Different Types of Exotic Fruits in His Farm

Anil Balanja, a farmer in Karnataka, has been growing exotic fruits from 40 different nations on his land for the past 20 years.

Anil Balanja, a native of Karnataka, grew up seeing his father grow several jackfruit and mango varieties. He always knew he wanted to be a farmer, and at the age of 19, he began by sowing areca, coconut, and rubber.

The youngster made the decision to emulate his father five years ago. On his farm, he grew a variety of exotic fruits that are uncommonly grown in the nation. This includes foods like avocados, Malaysian santol, Indonesian kepel, and many others.

Currently, Anil’s farm in the Dakshina-Kannada district is flourishing with over 700 exotic fruit types gathered from 40 different nations. Each fruit’s seeds are obtained from nurseries and his international pals.

Additionally, he maintains a thorough record of every fruit, including its scientific name, therapeutic properties, ideal growing temperature, and kind of soil. To continue growing the fruits he collected, he now owns and operates his own nursery.

krishijagran.com

Ranganathittu bird sanctuary is Karnataka’s first Ramsar site

Ranganathittu sanctuary also finds a place in the Important Bird Areas (IBA) list of 42 sites in Karnataka that are identified by the Bombay Natural History Society.

After a wait of over ten years, Karnataka got its first Ramsar site on Wednesday.

The ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEFCC) declared Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary in Mandya as a Ramsar site. With this, the forest department, local administration and tourism department will not just be able to ensure better conservation but also scale up its eco-tourism potential to international standards. Located in the mid-stream of the Cauvery river, Ranganathittu is an integral part of the wetland system and spreads across 517.70 hectares.

It also finds a place in the Important Bird Areas (IBA) list of 42 sites in Karnataka that are identified by the Bombay Natural History Society. Ranganthittu houses 188 species of plants, 225 species of birds, 69 species of fish, 13 species of frogs, 98 species of medicinal plants and 30 species of butterflies.

It is an important breeding site for around 20 species of water birds, 17 of which breed on trees growing on islands on the spot. It houses healthy populations of mugger crocodiles (Crocodylus palustris), smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) and the endangered hump-backed mahseer fish (Tor remadevii).

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