Month: October 2021

** Magnum founder Sudhir Ghate passes away

The company was a nationally renowned institution in public relations and advertisement

Sudhir P. Ghate, founder, chairman and managing director of Magnum Intergrafiks Pvt. Ltd., passed away in Mangaluru on October 22. He was 64. He leaves behind his wife, a son and a daughter.

He was active in politics and had served as general secretary of BJP Yuva Morcha in 1995. He was closely associated with senior BJP leaders, including A.B. Vajpayee, Sushma Swaraj, and Murli Manohar Joshi.

** Mass singing of Kannada songs a hit in coastal belt

One group went by boat into Arabian Sea to render the songs

The mass singing of three Kannada songs as desired by the State Government in the runup to Karnataka Rajyotsava celebrations was a big hit in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts with thousands participating in the events.

Barisu Kannada Dimdimava, Jogada Siri Belakinalli and Huttidare Kannada Nadalli Huttabeku, which highlight Kannada language and the culture of the State, were rendered by the groups.

** Students of Bengaluru polytechnic can now study in US

Three-year fee for the course will be Rs 20 lakh per student and include tuition fees, boarding and lodging, local travel and medical insurance.

The department has chosen two courses, Tourism & Hospitality and Cyber Security, which will be offered in partnership with Montgomery County Community College, Pennsylvania. 

** JNCASR-Bengaluru scientists devise way to convert carbon dioxide to methane without toxicity

Bengaluru scientists have devised a toxic-free method that converts the most common greenhouse gas (GHG) carbon dioxide (CO2) to methane (CH4) – known to be the cleanest fossil fuel – a process that can effectively help in reducing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels which is a major climate change concern.

The scientists from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru, achieved this using non-metal catalysts, unlike procedures that are in use, which are found to release toxic gases in the process.

In doing so, the scientists, led by Professor Tapas Kumar Maji from the Chemistry and Physics of Materials Unit of JNCASR, have designed a cost-effective metal-free catalyst to achieve the conversion by absorption of visible light.

** IISc test can now detect adulteration in milk

Virkeshwar Kumar, a postdoctoral researcher, and Susmita Dash, an assistant professor at IISc, developed the method, and believe it can be revolutionary in its cost effectiveness, and the lack of equipment needed to conduct the test.

The method is able to detect when milk has been contaminated with water and urea, two of the most common contaminants in the dairy product. The team had found differences in the structure of evaporated, undiluted, diluted, and urea contaminated milk that led to the breakthrough.