World Opinion – Page 6 – 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.

Commonwealth Games: Gold smash

From bronze to silver and now gold, 21-year-old ace shuttler Lakshya Sen has etched his name in history at the Commonwealth Games 2022 with the crown of champion in the Men’s single category.

A gold at the Commonwealth Games debut and beating a world champion with a stunning comeback after losing the first game narrowly, and the exhaustion vanished giving way to exhilaration for Lakshya Sen who has travelled from Birmingham to Hyderabad and finally, Bengaluru. The golden boy of the Men’s single badminton, Sen was given a rousing reception with a live band playing the dhol.

Before heading home, Sen went to the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy, where he was coached by the champion Prakash Padukone, who was the first to win a gold medal at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, and forme r national champion Vimal Kumar. For a champion, the place where he hones his skills is always sacred, and Sen was extremely grateful to his coaches for his victory by pummelling Malaysia’s Ng Tze Yong.

fter that, I will resume training for the world championship,” says the 21-year-old, who hates ice baths which help athletes recover. What does the champ do when he is not following a gruelling training regime or thrashing opponents? Like anyone his age, Sen hangs out with friends.

“Since I stay far away from the city, I have to plan out my day when I catch up with friends. I also love playing on my playstation and watching thrillers,” says Sen, who moved to Bengaluru from Uttarakhand, when he was about nine to fulfil his ‘lakshya’ of becoming a champion shuttler.

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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.

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Bengaluru International Short Film Festival: Short films, big impact

With 250 short films selected from over 90 countries, the ongoing Bengaluru International Short Film Festival 2022 offers two new categories on women-centric movies, and disabilities.

Brevity, experimentation and different varieties of storytelling in the visual medium often grips the audience quicker. Bengalureans are watching some of the best films in the 12th edition of the Bengaluru International Short Film Festival (BISFF) which will continue till August 14.

The festival is dedicated to master filmmaker Satyajit Ray to celebrate the Oscar-winning director’s birth centenary, as the poster of Pather Panchali pays homage to his legacy. More than 3,000 submissions poured in for the prestigious festival from across 90 countries, of which around 250 films have been shortlisted. Among the directors, 23 per cent are women.

The platform has been coveted by young and amateur filmmakers to make a mark in the hearts and minds of discerning audiences, and more importantly, mingle with the achievers of the field, to absorb constructive criticism and feedback. BISFF has come a long way in identifying and nurturing young and talented filmmakers. “It’s been a good reception.

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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)

Mangalorean Sydneysiders to celebrate 15 years anniversary on Sep 4

The Mangalorean Catholic Association of Sydney, popularly known as MCAS is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. The 15th anniversary celebrations will be held at Good Shepherd Parish and School, Plumpton on Sunday September 4.

The first Mangalorean Catholics arrived in Sydney in the 60s. There was a big influx in the 80-90 decades. MCAS founder Stanley D’Cruz along with adequate support from like-minded families organised an historic picnic with over 100 participants on 19 November 2006, at the Centennial Park in Homebush. They promoted the values and advantages of an official association, which led to the birth of MCAS in May 2007. It was hoped that the formation of MCAS would help in the spreading and enrichment of the culture, tradition, values and other aspects of the community.

MCAS vision is to provide a platform to bring Mangalurean Catholics together to promote and sustain Mangalurean culture, values and tradition. Its mission is to bring together through celebrations of faith and fellowship in traditional culture.

Numerous Mangalurean Catholic families in Sydney are multi ethnic, they have married spouses from Sri Lankan, Tamilian, Malayalee, Anglo Saxon, Goan, Punjabi, Gujarati, Ukraine, European, backgrounds etc. MCAS, as per government guidelines showcases the benefits of cultural diversity to promote social cohesion. Presently the community members work in the fields of education, banking, IT services, health, construction, government services etc and have participated to a great extent to the economic prosperity of NSW for the past 60 years or so.

Some of the popular events MCAS organises are the Monthi Fest, Lenten pilgrimage, popular Bollywood event, ManGo Cup cricket tournament, annual picnic etc. Charity has always been a hallmark of MCAS. Since inception, MCAS has donated to the Mangalore diocese, African Mission, Poor Sisters of St Claire, Infant Jesus Orphanage, Mukta Trust, White Doves etc. In 2021, MCAS through a Covid fundraiser helped 24 students in Mangaluru whose breadwinner parent died due to Covid, with assistance from the Catholic Association of South Kanara (CASK). In September 2021, MCAS organised a zoom homage meeting for the late Oscar Fernandes, eminent Mangalurean in the Indian government. This meeting was addressed by Cardinal Oswald Gracious and many other eminent Mangalureans. MCAS was also active during the past two Covid years.

Several eminent Mangalureans have been hosted by MCAS during the past many years. These include Bishop Aloysius D’Souza, late Oscar Fernandes, late Octavia Albuquerque, women’s leader, Francis Colaco, retired inspector general of police in Karnataka and Andhra states, Brig Gerry Gonsalves president KCA, Bengaluru, Fr Swebert D’Silva SJ and Fr Praveen Martis SJ, principals St Aloysius College, and Sr Olivia AC, retired principal St Agnes College.

CWG 2022: Kundapur weightlifter Gururaj Poojary wins India’s 2nd medal

Weightlifter Gururaj Poojary won the second medal for India at Commonwealth Games 2022 after he bagged a bronze medal in the men’s 61kg event, here on Saturday July 30.

Poojary successfully pulled off a combined lift of 269kg, (118kg in snatch and 151kg in clean and jerk) to claim a podium finish at Birmingham 2022. This was also his second straight CWG medal after he won the men’s 56kg silver medal at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia.

Gururaj Poojary hails from Jeddu in Chittur gram panchayat of Kundapur. Gururaj, son of Mahabala Poojary and Paddu Poojary couple living at Jeddu village.

Royal Mysuru Sailing Club to host ranking event from Friday

The National Youth Championship that concludes on August 4 is supported by the Yachting Association of India

The Royal Mysore Sailing Club (RMSC) is hosting its 4th event on the KRS backwaters – the National Youth Championship – which was allotted to it by the National Federation- Yachting Association of India (YAI).

The event is a ranking event and will take place from July 29 to August 4.

The RMSC is also shortly launching a programme titled ‘Vision 2028 Olympics’ which is an endeavor directed towards producing Olympians from Karnataka, in line with the National Sports Policy launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a release here.

Following the ranking event, RMSC is organising a National Fun Regatta event from August 4 to 7 which will help bring participants and visitors from across the country to come together and explore Mysuru as a tourist destination. By elevating Mysuru’s presence as a metropolis city and a noteworthy vacation spot, the event will also aid in boosting the city’s tourism, the release stated.

The Royal Mysore Sailing Club (RMSC) is also taking the initiative in launching a campaign directed towards the growth of Mysuru as a city. The campaign is titled ‘City of Sails’ which refers to the significance of sailing as a sport and the importance of the KRS backwaters associated with Mysuru.

The Royal Mysore Sailing Club (RMSC) is approved by the Karnataka State Sailing Association (KSSA) and the Mysore District Sailing Association (MDSA).

HAL signs $100m contract with Honeywell for HTT-40 Engines

There is potential requirement of 70 aircraft.

Defence Public Sector Undertaking Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) on Wednesday signed a contract worth over $100 million with Honeywell for supply and manufacture of 88 TPE331-12B engines/kits along with maintenance and support services to power the Hindustan Trainer Aircraft (HTT-40), the basic trainer aircraft The contract was exchanged by Eric Walters, Senior Director OE Sales, Honeywell Defense & Space, and B Krishna Kumar, Executive Director (E & IMGT) in the presence of R Madhavan, Chairman & Managing Director, HAL.

Entering into this ‘Manufacturing & Repair license agreement for Honeywell TPE331-12B Turboprop engine’ marks a major milestone in the execution of 70 HTT-40 aircraft contract with IAF. HAL is working closely with Honeywell for its support for export potential of HTT-40. HAL and Honeywell are exploring other areas such as 1MW Turbo Generators, manufacturing, Repair & Overhaul of TPE 331-10GP / 12JR engines for variants of Dornier. “HAL has successfully developed the Basic Trainer Aircraft (HTT-40) to address the basic training requirements of the IAF.

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