Month: June 2021

** Editor of Sanskrit newspaper passes away

K.V. Sampath Kumar, 64, editor of Sudharma, reckoned to be the country’s and the world’s only Sanskrit daily, passed away in Mysuru on Wednesday afternoon following cardiac arrest.

He, along with his wife Vidushi K.S. Jayalakshmi, were awarded the Padma Shri in 2020 by the government in recognition of their untiring efforts to keep the publication alive against all odds

Sampath Kumar had taken over the mantle from his father Pandit K.N. Varadaraja Iyengar who had launched Sudharma in 1970, and ensured that the publication reached its readers. He worked as a reporter, proof-reader, editor and publisher.

** Kannada cinema making waves in international film festivals

In what can be termed rare, five Kannada indie films — Prithvi Konanur’s Pinki Elli?, Abhilash Shetty’s Koli Taal, Ganesh Hegde’s Neeli Hakki, Baraguru Ramachandrappa’s Amrutamati and Siddu Poornachandra’s Daari yavudayya Vaikunthake? — are being screened and winning accolades this season.

** Bengaluru: CM releases Kempegowda philatelic cover: 3-day Jayanti from next year

A series of programmes to mark the 512th birth anniversary of the founder of Bengaluru Kempegowda including the release of a philatelic cover and commencement of works on construction of the Kempegowda Study Centre in the Jnanabharati campus by chief minister B S Yediyurappa through the virtual mode from the banquet hall of Vidhana Soudha and offering puja at the Samadhi of the Bengaluru founder at Kempapura in Magadi by deputy chief minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, who also garlanded statue at Mekhri Circle on Sunday.

** Decoding history cast in stone

To D Ismail, the mastigallu (masti stone) is a fascinating storyteller. It talks about the history and the people as he peers into the inscrutable inscriptions whether it is in Modi lipi or Halegannada (ancient Kannada).

The epigraphist from Birur town in Chikkamagaluru district took a fancy to the knowledge hidden in stones, and is one among a small number of people who can understand ‘Modi lipi’, a cursive script used to write several languages, including Kannada.

** ‘Was challenging’: Mangaluru doctor on leading world’s first mucor lung surgery

Dr Klein Dantis, a 35-year-old thoracic surgeon from the coastal city of Mangaluru, was part of the world’s first successful mucor lung surgery that took place at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Raipur, early this month.

Raised in Kinnigoli, Klein completed his MBBS and MS in Mangaluru, and superspeciality training at National Institute of TB and Respiratory Diseases, New Delhi. He worked for a year at All India Institute of Medical Sciences-Bhopal, before being appointed consultant at AIIMS Raipur.

** Bengaluru gets largest Miyawaki forest

“The project started in November 2018 and now the saplings stand tall and dense. The area will be with us till January 2023 after which it will be handed over to the Railways.

The 4.75 acres of Miyawaki forest created on Indian Railway Institute of Disaster Management land in Hejjalla, Mysuru Road, is the largest man-made forest in Bengaluru, according to Say Trees, an NGO group. The area is covered with 60 native species in four layers — trees, sub-trees, canopy and shrubs.

** Krithi Karanth becomes first Asian woman to win WILD Innovators Award for her work in understanding human-animal conflict

For her efforts, Krithi was awarded the WILD Innovators Award, the first for an Asian woman on April 27, 2021.

This award is bestowed by the WILD ELEMENTS Foundation that brings together innovators, advocates and partners to identify solutions for conservation.

The foundation partners with premier science and conservation experts across the world and also with celebrities and influencers who promote interdependence.

According to the citation, Krithi was given the award for researching human dimensions in wildlife for over 20 years.

** Farmer’s feat in growing apples in Chitradurga surprises others

Jyoti Prakash from Godabanahal village in Chitradurga has made people turn to him in awe. The farmers here have struggled and lost in their effort to successfully grow areca nuts.

Many have maintained plantations by getting water in tankers for years together. Jyoti Prakash thought differently and planned to raise this alternative crop.

After getting to know that apples can be grown in this climate, he planted 300 apple saplings in his plantation. He brought these saplings from Himachal Pradesh.