** Early-yielding jackfruit variety ready for release

Called Mangala Early, it is said to be a farmers variety

Saplings of an early-yielding jackfruit variety from whose trees fruits can be harvested from late November is all set to be released in the city in June.

A joint private initiative of B. Sarvesha Rao, a nursery owner, Gururaja Balthillaya, a well-known grafter of the coastal belt, and Gabriel Stany Veigas, a retired District Forest Officer (DFO), who is a pioneer in raising a jackfruit orchard spread over 10 acres in the coastal belt, the variety has been named Mangala Early. It is a farmers variety.

The plantation of Mr. Veigas at Neerakere in Tenka Mijar village near Moodbidri has about 900 trees/plants of different jackfruit varieties with many of them bearing fruit now. It is probably the largest jackfruit orchard in the coastal belt now. He began planting them in 2013-14.

** MoU inked with British Council to impart global skills to youth in Karnataka

he Government of Karnataka and the British Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Friday to renew their partnership in the areas of education, English, and arts aimed at creating global opportunities for the youth of Karnataka, stated a press release. 

It also paves the way to develop sustainable partnerships in research and innovation between centers of excellence (CoE) in the UK and Karnataka across areas of artificial intelligence, machine learning, ed-tech, biosciences, and cybersecurity, said Minister of Higher Education Ashwath Narayan. The MoU, which is for the duration of three years, was signed at Vikasa Soudha.

** Felicitations to achievers mark women’s day at CSIR-CFTRI

International Women’s Day was celebrated at CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) here recently.

D. Swaroopa Rani, senior scientist and President, CFTRI Women’s Association, welcomed the gathering and highlighted the importance of International Women’s Day while emphasising the need for removing gender bias in society.

Villoo Morawala-Patell, Founder and Chairperson, Avesthagen Limited, Bengaluru, who was the chief guest, spoke about women’s role in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). She explained how women with perseverance and dedication have achieved success in most fields. They have successfully balanced work and family.

The special invitee of the event was Marthamma Mary, a woman auto driver of Mysuru city. She narrated her journey as an autorickshaw driver. Confidence and determination helped her achieve success in a vocation that is dominated by men, she said.

Sridevi Annapurna Singh, the first woman director of CSIR-CFTRI, gave her presidential remarks and talked about how women should respect themselves and feel strong.

On the occasion, the CSIR-CFTRI Women’s Association felicitated K. Kusuma, CFTRI staff member, for her achievement at the State-level para swimming competition where she won one gold and two silver medals.

** ‘A. Shankara Chetty And Sons’ Wins Best Heritage Jeweller Award

A. Shankara Chetty and Sons, Mysuru, has been recognised and awarded as the ‘Best Heritage Jeweller’ by Karnataka State Jewellers Federation, representing 31 districts and 174 taluks. Adarsh K. Murthy, Managing Director, A. Shankara Chetty and Sons, is seen receiving the award from Major Irrigation & Water Resources Minister Govind Karjol at South Jewellery Show, White Petals, Palace Grounds, in Bengaluru on Mar. 5 as Sharavana of Sai Gold Palace and Federation Members look on.

** Drawing the fine lines of Bangalore Metro stations – meet Sushma G

Architect Sushma G has spent all her working life at Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL). Having joined in 2008 as a Junior Engineer, she is the today Manager, Planning and Design. She has grown with BMRCL and moved from designing Metro’s Phase-I stations to Phase-II stations.

“I take the Metro from my home at Baiyappanahalli to MG Road, and then take a cab to Shanti Nagar. It fills me with such pride that I am seeing what I drew on a daily basis,” the architect told TNIE. The Bengalurean completed her B.Arch at UVCE. 

** Seven women loco pilots honoured by Government Railway Police

The Government Railway Police (GRP) on International Women’s Day honoured seven women serving as loco pilots and assistant loco pilots in trains operated by the South Western Railway. In recognition of their exemplary services to the Railways, S B Gayatri Krishna, V S Abhirami, C Minu Mubaraka, Nimi Chand, Rangoli Patel, Nimisha Kumari and P Noorul Meharna were honoured.

Additional Director General of Police, Railways, Bhaskar Rao and Superintendent, GRP, DR Siri Gowri were present at the event held at KSR Railway station. M P Omkareshwari, Road Transport Joint Commissioner (Bengaluru Rural), Psychologist Soujayna Vashista, and Senior Divisional Security Commissioner, RPF, Debashmita Chattopadhyay Banerjee, were also present on the occasion.

** Bengaluru entrepreneur to float $1bn venture fund

Our plan is to launch at least five additional venture funds focused on diverse domains to support the growth of the female economy in multiple geographies’

Bengaluru-based venture capitalist, Ankita Vashishta, will launch a $1 billion venture capital fund to assist 1,000 women-led or women-focused start-ups in India and overseas in the next five years.

To start with, her venture firm, StrongHer Ventures, floated a $100 million venture fund to fund women start-ups in fintech, future of work, healthcare, consumer, and Web 3.0 that comprises crypto (NXT), metaverse, blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning, etc.

** Professor of Mahajana PG Centre receives Award of Excellence in Mysuru

University of Mysore has presented this year’s Award of Excellence to Dr. Mahadesh Prasad, Professor in Department of Biochemistry, Mahajana Post Graduate Centre, Mysuru, in recognition of his research work in “vaccine development for Corona viruses and Flavi viruses”. 

** Social worker gets award

For 40-year-old contractor-turned-philanthropist Ravi Kakkepadavu an incident of getting tied in a room for stealing and eating cashew apple during his childhood still remains afresh.

Mr. Kakkepadavu revealed a glimpse of his personality after receiving this year’s Mangaluru Press Club Award given away jointly by the Mangaluru Press Club, Dakshina Kannada Union of Working Journalists and Patrikabhavan Trust, here on Sunday.

** Mangalorean beauty with brains Veena Rodrigues is VPR Mrs India 2022 second runner-up

Veena Rodrigues has been adjudged the second runner-up in the VPR Mrs India 2022 contest.

Forty two year old Veena is a finance manager by profession. She is very passionate about makeup and fashion.