Arts, Culture & Entertainment – Page 31

** Mangaluru: Vimala V Pai Vishwa Konkani Puraskar winners announced

Vimala V Pai Vishwa Konkani Sahitya Puraskar, the annual literary awards for Konkani literature instituted by World Konkani Centre for the year 2021 have been announced by The Konkani Bhas ani Sanskriti Prathistan, World Konkani Centre, Mangaluru.

Massam, a collection of Konkani short stories by Antony Barkur (Antony Prakash D’Souza) has been chosen as the Best Konkani Book of the Year (Prose) for Vimala V Pai Vishwa Konkani Sahitya Puraskar 2021.

Indradhonu Udeum a collection of Konkani poems by Uday Narasinha Mhambro has been selected as the Best Konkani Book of the Year (Poetry) for Vimala V Pai Vishwa Konkani Kavita Kruti Puraskar 2021.

Suresh Jaywant Borkar has been identified as the recipient for the Vimala V Pai Vishwa Konkani Jeevan Siddhi Samman 2021 for his life time contribution to Konkani language pedagogy, grammar and lexicography

** Bengaluru’s St Matthew’s Church — 125 years of blessings

For the devout, Bengaluru’s cosmopolitan culturescape provides various calm retreats. Many church spires have stood testimony to its tryst with the British Raj, with a few institutions dating bck centuries.

One such quaint, yet magnificent institution — St Matthew’s Church — tucked inside the MG Railway Colony on Magadi Road in Bengaluru, has enriched the lives of people, while also providing them a spiritual sanctuary during troubled times. This Protestant CSI church, which was consecrated on November 10, 1896, by the Bishop of Madras, is a part of Railway history in Bengaluru.

** Zoology Museum gets new building

The Zoology Museum at Karnatak College, Dharwad, where rare exhibits, including 2,500 specimens of animals and birds, are on display, has now got a spacious new premises. The new facility was inaugurated on Friday.

Inaugurating the new building, Vice-Chancellor of Karnatak University K.B. Gudasi said that the Zoology Museum was nothing but a treasure trove for degree and research students.

Prof. Gudasi said that the museum, a one-of-its-kind in the State, had over 2,500 specimens of animals and birds that have been preserved in pristine condition. “A curator too has been appointed for the museum to provide information to research students and students should make use of the facility,” he said.

** Hampana’s Charu-Vasantha translated into English

The English version of Ham.Pa. Nagarajaiah’s epic poem Charu-Vasantha, translated by P.P. Giridhar was released recently by Sapna Book House. It has already been translated into 13 Indian languages.

The epic poem is the re-interpreatation of the ancient tale of Charudatta and Vasanthalathike. Mr. Nagarajaiah, scholar, critic and poet, says that this epic-poem is not a chronicle of wars or heroic deeds, but an attempt at uncovering layers of human nature and human values in their complexities.

The octegenarian scholar better known as “Hampana”, specialising particularly in Jain traditions and literature, is the author of several academic and creative works. He has travelled the world giving lectures of Jainism and Jain literature.

** A cycle expedition for social awareness

20 girls and boys of Odanadi NGO are visiting tribal hamlets in Hunsur, H.D.Kote

A total of 20 inmates of Odanadi Seva Samsthe, a Mysuru-based NGO engaged in rescue, rehabilitation, reintegration and empowerment of trafficked and sexually exploited women and children, embarked upon a four-day-long cycle expedition through the tribal hamlets and dalit colonies in parts of Hunsur and H.D. Kote taluk of Mysuru district.

Accompanied by five staff members of Odanadi Seva Samsthe including founders Stanley and Parashuram, the 12 girls and eight boys sheltered will pedal an estimated 400 km through the rural parts of the district and interact with the residents of the hamlets.

** Fair showcasing products made by women SHGs registers significant success

Asmite, a State-sponsored fair for showcasing products of women self-help groups held in Belagavi recently, has achieved significant success.

The week-long trade fair that coincided with the first week of the Winter Session of the State Legislature saw a total sales of ₹60 lakh.

The trade fair has also seen some other benefits such as exposing women entrepreneurs to other markets and to introduce consumers to several products that could be made by women’s groups, Minister for Higher Education, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood C.N. Ashwath Narayan said in a release.

As many as 140 stalls, including seven food stalls, were put up during the fair. They achieved sales worth ₹60 lakh, including pre- and post-order bookings.

Yashoda Self-Help Group from NRLM, Vijayapura, which makes jute bags, achieved the highest sales figure of ₹1,26,900.

Mata Savitri Bai Self-Help Group of Belagavi, which makes cotton bags and quilts, received orders worth over ₹1.19 lakh.

Chamundeshwari Self-Help Group from Mysuru, whose members create wood inlay works, received orders worth ₹1.1 lakh, Sri Revansiddeshwar Self-Help Group of Bagalkot that weaves Ilkal saris registered sales worth ₹1 lakh and Janavani Matha Self-Help Group, Belagavi, that makes jewellery and paintings, sold products worth ₹87,420.

** Thathaiah Award-2021 For Renowned Indologist Dr. A.V. Narasimhamurthy

The Anathalaya in Mysuru is celebrating the 177th birth anniversary of its Founder, Vrudhapitamaha, Daya Sagara, M. Venkatakrishnaiah. The Anathalaya, serving the poor students, has been in existence since 1896.

As part of Founder’s Day celebration, the institute confers ‘Thathaiah Award’ (Vrudhapitamaha, Daya Sagara, M. Venkatakrishnaiah Award) every year and this carries a purse of Rs. 25,000, a plaque and a citation. Persons who have achieved greater heights in the field of education, journalism, social reforms and service to society are selected for this award.

Thathaiah award for the year 2021 will be presented to renowned Indologist Dr. A.V. Narasimhamurthy (AVN) at ceremony to be held on Dec. 26 at 4 pm at Anathalaya premises on Narayana Shastri Road.

** KLS GIT team wins Hackathon Manthan

A team of students from KLS Gogte Institute of Technology won the National Security Hackathon Manthan-2021 jointly organised by the Ministry of Education Innovation Cell and the Bureau of Police Research and Development.

The team developed a solution to a problem statement, Analysis of Hinglish Text, where the task was to identify abusive content written in language that combines Hindi and English words on social media posts and report it to the authorities.

Belagavi….

** Discovery Channel Makes A Feature Film On The First Indian Wildlife Photographer, Yashas Narayan

Yashas Narayan, one of the most reputed wildlife photographers of India. It would be prudent to say that he is one of the best big cat trackers that India has seen. Proudly known for his astonishing and mesmerising portfolio of India’s tigers, leopards, and black panthers, he is now the first Indian wildlife photographer to get a feature film made by the Discovery networks.

Titled “Eye to Eye With a Tiger”, Yashas got an opportunity to lead a team of highly dedicated professionals to capture the serenity amidst the short lives in the modern world. Partnering with the World Wildlife Fund to support Project CAT, Discovery’s collaboration aims to double the number of tigers in the wild by 2022 by spreading awareness about deforestation, poaching, and overhunting of the tigers’ prey. Similarly, Samsung has sponsored this film to raise awareness about Project CAT.

** Backwater kayaking amid mangroves beckon tourists near Saligrama

Two enterprising youth deploy eight kayaks in the Seetha backwaters at Parampalli.

Two youngsters from Kodi in the vicinity of Parampalli near Saligrama have procured as many as eight kayaks investing close to ₹4.5 lakh on their own to take tourists amidst the lush mangroves.

While the backwater formed by Seetha is about 8 km long, Lokesh and Mithun, the entrepreneurs, take tourists for about 3+3 km ride in about two hours.