** From Kannada medium school to NASA’s doorsteps: Karnataka village thrilled by local lad’s feat

Dinesh Vasanth Hegde, a research assistant in space science at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), is on the moon after being selected for the scholarship of 1.35 lakh dollars by NASA

** Mangaluru: Indian Idol finalist Nihal Tauro receives grand welcome in hometown

Nihal was welcomed by parish priest of Holy Rosary Church Alangar Fr Walter D’Souza, Fr Rakesh Matthias, assistant parish priest, pastoral council members and parents Herald Tauro and Precilla Tauro, family members brother Nishan Tauro, former MLC Ivan D’Souza and others.

** Bengaluru teacher gets award for microscale experiments, taking up recycling

He used the same model during Vidyagama classes during the pandemic to ensure continuity of lab experiments for his students.

Government high school teacher Nagaraja CM, from Doddabanahalli, Bengaluru, has been  selected for the National Awards for Teachers (NAT) for bringing the ‘reuse and recycle’ trend to his school, and ensuring the continuity of lab experiments for students through the pandemic.

** Blast from the past

If you’re active on social media, there’s no way to have missed a forward on ‘The Bollywood actor who broke 8 cycling world records’ that has been doing the rounds.

Jankidas Mehra has a Bengaluru connect. Mehra happens to be the maternal grandfather of Grammy award-winning musician Ricky Kej. As netizens wondered about Mehra’s multiple achievements, Kej took to social media to clear the air.

Growing up, Kej would hear stories from his Nanaji, who, born in Lahore, started off as a cyclist and went on to be the only Indian participant in the International Olympic Squad from the British Imperial Empire in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He also went onto establish the Indian Cycling Federation for the Olympics. Ahead of participating in the Berlin Olympics, Mahatma Gandhi met Mehra and gave him the flag of the Indian National Congress.”Gandhi gifted Nanaji the flag and asked him to hoist it in foreign soil after winning,” says Kej about his grandfather who passed away in 2003 in Mumbai.

** Non-Kannadigas can now learn Kannada, take exam

To help non-Kannadigas learn the state’s language, the Kannada Development Authority, in association with Kannada University in Hampi, is planning to conduct exams. They are developing textbooks for those who want to learn the language and write exams. An online module will also be developed.