** Medal-Winners In Muaythai National Championship

Nine Muaythai fighters (7 male and 2 female) of the Smite Academy of Martial Arts participated in the 22nd MTI Muaythai National Championship under the aegis of Mysore Muaythai Trust (MDMT) and Mysore Combat Sports Association (MCSA).

The event was held at Sheen Sports Alliance, Bengaluru, between Dec. 16 and 19.

The team bagged 4 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze medals. 200 athletes from various States and UT participated in the event that was hosted by Muaythai Association of Karnataka (MAK) and sanctioned by MTI.

** Athletic Championship: Two meet records set on Day 2

Two new meet records were created on the second day of the 81st All India Inter-University Athletic Championship 2022 being organised at Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri on Wednesday. 

Akshdeep Singh of Punjabi University, Patiala, created a new record in the 20 km race walk clocking 1:26:09.08 sec. breaking the previous record (1:26:39.78) of Juned K T of Mangalore University, set in 2020.

In the same event, Paramjeet Singh and Hardeep of Mangalore University bettered the record clocking 1:26:39.15 and 1:27:13.89 respectively.

** Sharana Mela to be held in Koodala Sangama in north Karnataka

Sharana Mela, an annual gathering of Lingayats, is scheduled to be held between January 12 and 14 at Koodala Sangama in Bagalkot district, the holy place where 12th century philosopher and reformer Basavanna is believed to have breathed his last.

Addressing a media conference in Kalaburagi on January 6, Ravindra Shabadi, State convenor of Jagathika Lingayat Mahasabha, and other Lingayat leaders, including Prabhuling Mahagaonkar and R.G. Shetagar, said that the event would be organised in compliance with the revised COVID-19 guidelines issued by the Karnataka Government.

Activists Medha Patkar and C.T. Bevanur would be honoured with Basavatmaje national award and Sharana Kayaka Ratna State award respectively during the event.

** Documenting History

Meet the Bengaluru-based podcast creators who have made it big at the Asia Podcast Festival 2021.

Documenting the abolishment of Sec 377 and tracing the iconic moments of India’s space history – not just made it to the podcast trend list on Spotify but was recognised at the Asia Podcast Festival 2021. Created by podcast studio, All Things Small (ATS), 377 and Mission ISRO, won the award under the Best Arts, Society and Culture and in Science,Technology and Business category in the Asia Podcast Festival this year. 

Bengaluru-based Gaurav Vaz, founder of ATS, bagged the award for stories that have actually been landmark and historic moments in India’s social and technological space, respectively. However, the moments that transpired behind the mic for both the stories are exhaustive and distinctive. While 377 dealt with the abolishment of Sec 377, an ‘archaic’ law criminalising homosexuality, the podcast team had to navigate the contradictory perspectives within the LGBTQ community itself. Meanwhile, Mission ISRO was a project that spread its wings right in the middle of the pandemic, which meant that the makers connected with top scientists aged above 80 years, over virtual platforms, which made the task all the more harder. 

** Bengaluru creative Shubhashree will guide you on how to pause and reflect to prep for 2022

Illustrator Shubhashree Sangameswaran shows how visual journaling helps reflect on the year gone by and set a personal planner for this year

Intimidated by what 2022 may hold? Bengaluru-based illustrator and visual artist Shubhashree Sangameswaran is conducting a Visual Journaling workshop titled ‘Looking forward, Looking back.’ Also an author of books (Everyday Eco-warrior and (Im)perfectly Zero Waste (co-authored with Srini Swaminathan) that teach us to manage our trash, Shubhashree says visual journaling is simply a form of reflection using words and images.

She adds that even someone who cannot draw or paint can get into visual journaling. She explains, “In fact, you need not know how to sketch or paint for visual journaling or not drawn anything since childhood. One can just draw, paint, simply cut and paste images from magazines, use hand-lettering, or even basic doodli