Month: December 2021

** 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.

** All for the road

Dr Pramod Chinder, a bone cancer surgeon, is not just an avid biker but is also part of various biking groups which often takes off on trips to offbeat places.

Well, Dr Pramod Chinder loves riding his motorbikes that he has collected over several years. Chinder, who is a bone cancer surgeon, has also done trips to the Himalayas and has extensively covered offbeat places across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

** 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.

** BMTC launches electric bus services in Bengaluru

The first service will be to Kengeri

In a green milestone, the first fleet of electric buses and BS-VI diesel standard buses hit the city’s road on Monday. With this, the long wait for green public transport of seven years has come to an end.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai flagged off the State’s first batch of these buses deployed on a long-term basis on Monday morning and the buses hit the streets making their maiden trips later in the day.

** Grasslands are treated as wastelands and diverted for other uses: Infosys Prize 2021 winner

Says window of opportunity to combat climate change is closing rapidly

COVID-19 has put the focus on zoonotic disease like nothing else did before. The bigger issue here, Mahesh Sankaran from National Center For Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru says, is habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation.

Prof. Sankaran was awarded the Infosys Prize 2021 in the Life Sciences category in recognition of his work on the ecology of tropical savanna ecosystems, and his contributions to highlighting the biodiversity of important Indian ecosystems such as the Western Ghats.

** Woman Farmer Feted

Outstanding woman farmer Chandrika of Hunsur village in T. Narasipur taluk was felicitated during the press meet at Jaladarshini.

Chandrika has taken up farming in her 8-acre agriculture field for the past eight years following the death of her husband, growing a variety of crops.

World Farmers Day Celebration Committee President Dr. Shivarajappa, Dr. Mahadevaiah, retired Principal N.M. Nayak, Karnataka Sugarcane Growers Association office-bearers Attahalli Devaraj, Somashekar, Hallikerehundi Bhagyaraj, Kiragasur Shankar and others were present.

** 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.