** Kundapur: Black fungus treatment – Coastal Kannadiga’s research saving invaluable lives

Deadly black fungus, which has emerged as a new ailment during the Covid19 second wave, has been hounding and harassing those who become infected by this disease. One of the most effective medicines to treat this disease happens to be liposomal amphotericin B.

A Kannadiga from coastal Karnataka, Bhandya Srikanth Pai, had led a team of researchers of Bharat Serums and Vaccines Ltd that put in laborious work to find this medicine.

Srikanth is from Gangolli near here. He completed his high school and PU education at Gangolli and Kundapur before getting his BPharma course at Bengaluru in 1975 and securing MPharma degree from Manipal in 1977.

He then joined Bharat Serums and Vaccines Ltd in Mumbai

* * Udupi: Basavaraj Bommai sets up Covid Care Centre on premises of his residence

Minister of state for home, law and parliamentary affairs, Basavaraj Bommai handed over 25 oxygen concentrators to Shiggaon public hospital that can help save the lives of Covid patients. A 50-bed hospital has been also inaugurated on the premises of his residence at Shiggaon.

** BLDE varsity V-C passes away

Mallanagouda S Biradar, Vice-Chancellor of the Vijayapura-based BLDE deemed to be university, died of COVID-19-related complications in a private hospital in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

Dr. Biradar was recovering from COVID-19 when he suffered a heart attack at his house. He was airlifted to Bengaluru two days ago. But he suffered another heart attack before admission.

** Senior politician K.B. Shanappa succumbs to COVID-19

Former Minister and Rajya Sabha member K.B. Shanappa, 83, passed away at District General Hospital attached to Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) at about 3.30 p.m. on Sunday. He had tested positive for COVID-19 and was admitted to the State-run hospital after he developed complications a few days ago. He is survived by his wife, three daughters and two sons.

** Visionary urban forester S. G. Neginhal succumbs to COVID-19

Visionary urban forester and former Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer S. G. Neginhal, 93, who played a pioneering role in greening the city facing growth pangs in the 1980s succumbed to COVID-19 in the city Sunday morning.

India’s MRPL makes First Latin American Oil Purchase : January 2014

Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL), Mangalore

India’s MRPL has for the first time made the purchase of Argentina’s Escalante crude. Escalante is a medium sweet crude with a density of 24 API degrees.

MRPL operates a 300,000 barrels per day refinery in Southern India. It is a leading processor of various grades of crude oil and upstream value-added petroleum products.

MRPL is a subsidiary of ONGC (Oil & Natural Gas Corporation)

MRPL : Managing Director – P.P. Upadhya