** AIISH Hosts National Communication Meet

A two-day 53rd national conference of the Indian Speech Language and Hearing Association (ISHA), Mysuru chapter, began at All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), Manasagangothri campus this morning.

The event, titled ISHACON, began at the Knowledge Park of the AIISH and is being organised by the Mysuru Indian Speech Language and Hearing Association (MyISHA). More than 1,300 delegates are participating in the event that will be a venue for over 16 plenary talks, 36 oral research paper presentations and 115 poster presentations.

At the conference, three eminent personalities in the field of speech and hearing were felicitated with prestigious oration awards in recognition of their contribution to the field — Dr. M. Pushpavathi, Director, AIISH, received Dr. N. Rathna Oration award, Dr. U. Ajith Kumar, Professor of Audiology, received Prof. S. Kameswaran Endowment Oration award and S. Rajapandian received Prof. R.K. Oza Oration award. Dr. Kalyani Mandke, Director, Mandke Hearing Services, Pune, received the “Bharat award” in recognition of her services as the President of ISHA during 2011-12.

** Juice of kindness: Dharwad man’s way of paying back to society

Quenching the thirst of visually challenged people and offering them juice free of cost is this juice shop owner’s small and well-intended gesture to give back to society.

Krishna Nayak, who runs his juice centre on University Road in Kalyan Nagar of Dharwad, says he was inspired by visually challenged Hindustani and Carnatic vocalist, late Puttaraj Gawai. A proponent of Gwalior Gharana, Gawai had set up a theatre company to raise funds to provide free food, shelter and education to differently-abled orphans.

** Bengaluru techie-turned-farmer to host farming workshop

In order to create awareness among children about the importance of nature, Srivathsa Govindaraju, a techie-turned-farmer, has decided to conduct a three-day bio-diversity and farming workshop in April.

Govindaraju is known for his unconventional farm which looks more like a forest or a natural reserve. The uniqueness of the farm, which has around 250 species of plants and more than 50 species of wildlife, is that everything that is cultivated is edible or can be used for medicinal purposes. The farmer endeavours to make children aware about India’s heritage as an agricultural country and share knowledge on forgotten food and herbs.

** International workshop on gender issues in water management in Mysuru

The workshop will address gender-related issues in water resource management in developing countries

An international workshop on Gender Issues in Water Management in Developing Countries and Sustainable Development will be held JSS Medical College in Mysuru on February 22 and 23.

JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research (JSSAHER), Mysuru, is organising the workshop in partnership with the Centre for Science and Technology of Non-Aligned and Other Developing Countries (NAM S&T Centre) and Scientific Committee on Problems of Environment (SCOPE), Amstelveen, The Netherlands.

** KDEM, SJCE-STEP sign MoU to boost start-ups, innovation

Aim is to develop a global entrepreneurship centre to harbour more than 100 start-ups for innovation and enterprise development

The Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), in its effort to boost the start-up ecosystem and collaborative innovation, on Saturday entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering-Science and Technology Entrepreneurs’ Park (SJCE-STEP) here. The MoU aims to build a robust start-up ecosystem while underlining the need for skill development, employment generation, and overall development in the State. 

Proxelera, the city’s first chip design company which has established a VLSI Design Centre at SJCE-STEP, was inaugurated in the presence of Shivarathri Deshikendra Swami of Suttur Mutt, JSS Mahavidyapeeta Executive Secretary C.G. Betsurmath, B. Suresh, Director, JSS TED, JSS Mahavidyapeeta, and Ramachandra B., General Manager, Global Head, Autonomous Driving and Robotics, Wipro. On the occasion, the SJCE-STEP also unveiled new programmes for innovators, entrepreneurs and start-ups.

** Mojini tool allows farmers online access to land records in Karnataka

The Karnataka Government has released Mojini, a digital tool to allow farmers to get copies of some land survey documents, without the need to frequent government offices

The State Government has released Mojini, a digital tool to allow farmers to get copies of some land survey documents, without the need to frequent government offices.

The Mojini tool has been uploaded on the website of the Department of Revenue. It enables farmers to check the online status and take copies of several land documents.

The Department of Revenue has digitised all records of farmers and other land owners and made them searchable. The records can be searched by using the mobile number, the survey number, or the application number of the farmer or applicant. Farmers can also apply for a survey of their land and pay fees through the website.

** ‘Skill on Wheels’ ready to reach rural Karnataka

Youths, aged 18 years and above with a grade 8 pass certificate, can avail the benefit of the programme.

The department of skill development, employability and entrepreneurship is launching a unique programme called ‘Skill on Wheels’ (Kaushalya Ratha). It will reach various villages across the state and train youngsters on board.

** Student develops mini-oxygen plant in just eight months, all by himself

A 19-year-old engineering student has single-handedly invented a prototype of a mini-oxygen plant that produces up to 94.5 per cent pure oxygen and can be used in homes, hospitals as well as industries.

Called OxiPlant, the device works on the pressure swing adsorption (PSA) process.

It took Tejas P Karanji, a first-year student of electronics and communication engineering at PES University, all of eight months to conceptualise, design, fabricate and develop the product.

** Karnataka’s Chamarajanagar has best air quality among Indian cities: CPCB data

 Chamarajanagar has the best air quality among 132 cities in the country, as per the Air Quality Index (AQI) by the Central Pollution Control Board. Though the air quality in Karnataka’s Bagalkot (50), Vijayapura (46) and Thoothukudi (39) in Tamil Nadu is good, Chamarajanagar claims an AQI of 36.

** Cabinet decides to reduce interview marks for KAS from 50 to 25

This is to bring about transparency in recruitment of gazette probationers

In an attempt to ensure transparency in recruitment of gazette probationers by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), the State Cabinet on Friday decided to reduce the maximum marks prescribed for the interview from the present 50 to 25.

According to sources in the State Cabinet, the decision was taken to reduce corruption in the recruitment process. Allocating high marks for the interview would increase the scope of influencing the interviewers to give more marks which would impact the overall marks of candidates.