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KARNATAKA: KANNADA LANGUAGE: Study by Linguist Basavaraj Kodagunti maps Kannada beyond Karnataka borders

In all, 40 districts in the country have more than one lakh Kannada speakers; only 17 districts in Karnataka have more than 10 lakh Kannada speakers each.

Districts having more than 10,000 Kannada speakers. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

A language should have at least 10,000 speakers to be listed in the census, with anything less getting clustered under the head of “Others”. Spread across south India, as many as 67 districts have Kannada listed as a category, which includes 30 districts in Karnataka, 16 in Tamil Nadu, nine in Maharashtra, five in Telangana, three in Andhra Pradesh, two each in Kerala and Goa, when the 2011 census is taken into account.

Basavaraj Kodagunti, linguist and researcher at the Central University of Karnataka, Kalaburagi, has analysed the language-related data to shed light on the distribution of Kannada speakers on the south Indian landscape.

Only 17 districts in Karnataka have more than 10 lakh Kannada speakers each. Bidar, Yadgir, Gadag, Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Chikkamagalur, Kodagu, Chamarajanagar, Chickballapur, Ramanagara, Bengaluru Rural, and Kolar districts have less than 10 lakh Kannada speakers.

Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu

If you consider the districts that have more than five lakh and less than 10 lakh Kannada speakers, all the districts in the State expect Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu fall in the category. If you take districts that have more than four lakh and less than five lakh Kannada speakers, Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu still remain outside, but interestingly Solapur in Maharashtra enters this category.

When districts which have more than two lakh and less than four lakh Kannada speakers are considered, Solapur of Maharashtra and Coimbatore and Krishnagiri of Tamil Nadu come in and Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu still remain outside the category.

In all, 40 districts in the country have more than one lakh Kannada speakers, which include all the districts in Karnataka, four districts in Maharashtra (Solapur, Sangli, Pune, and Thane), four districts from Tamil Nadu (Coimbatore, Krishnagiri, Erode, and Nilgiris) and two districts from Andhra Pradesh (Anantapur and Kurnool).

No shared borders

Interestingly, of the 10 districts outside the State having more than one lakh Kannada speakers, three districts – Pune and Thane in Maharashtra and Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu – don’t share borders with the Karnataka

There are 46 districts in the country that have more than 50,000 Kannada speakers, including 30 districts in Karnataka, seven districts in Tamil Nadu, five districts in Maharashtra, three districts in Andhra Pradesh, and one district in Kerala.

Mr. Kodagunti says that his study gives a view of the distribution of Kannada speakers outside the State and can help the government design policies and programmes focusing on the Kannada speakers outside the State.

“Since there was no decadal census in 2021, I had to rely on the 2011 census data to analyse the distribution of Kannada speakers. The analysis showed interesting facts about the significant distribution of Kannada speakers around Karnataka,” Mr. Kodagunti told The Hindu. He plans to compile his analytical essays based on linguistic data into a book soon.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: KARNATAKA – INDIA’s FIRST: Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd ( MRPL), becomes India’s First AS 9100: D Certified Refinery

Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) has been certified with AS9100:D standard prepared by International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG) to assure customer satisfaction in aviation, space and defence organisations, under the scope of “production, storage, testing and distribution of aviation turbine fuel”.

MRPL is India’s first refinery to get this new aerospace standard. The aerospace industry demands the utmost precision, reliability, and safety in its supply chain. As a certified organization, MRPL is now well-positioned to serve as a trusted partner to aerospace companies within India and globally.

The standard ensures the interaction and configuration of various processes, from sourcing raw materials to the final product certification.

The certification process involves a stage audit of the entire life cycle of ATF, involving production criticalities like the addition of qualified additives and catalysts, standardisation of production processes, transfer through a dedicated pipeline network, ensuring fuel devoid of foreign object detection (FOD) in storage tanks, followed by certification and distribution to customers.

MRPL’s newly acquired certification is expected to give it leverage to expand its presence in the aerospace sector.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: REGIONAL: KARNATAKA: Asia Pacific conclave on Engineering Healthcare held in Mysuru, Jan 29-31

A three-day Asia Pacific conclave on Engineering Healthcare was held in Mysuru to discuss the next generation biomaterial having potential applications for cancer therapeutics, precision drug delivery, and bone replacement.

The conference organised by American Chemical Society (ACS) from January 29 to 31 brought together leading researchers from across the globe in the interdisciplinary field of bioengineering.

“The next generation biomaterials such as artificial cells, bones, and biomimetic materials, which have potential applications for cancer therapeutics, precision drug delivery, and bone replacement were showcased at the conclave held in Mysuru,” said a statement here from the organizers.

During the conclave, topics on polymer science, tissue engineering, 3D printing, drug delivery, electronic sensors, organic materials, and immunotherapy were also discussed.

The objective of the conclave, which is the first of its kind in the country, is to bring together the emerging and distinguished group of researchers under the same roof for the exchange of scientific expertise and foster potential collaborations to development of new biomedical products for the benefit of society, the statement said.

Sébastien Lecommandoux from France, who participated in the conclave, delved into the field of biomimetics and presented synthetic strategies for designing materials made from natural resources that can contribute towards advances in nanomedicine, biomaterials and artificial cells for biomedical applications such as detecting and healing diseases.

Bikramjit Basu from Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, shared details of India’s National Medical Devices Policy, 2023, and said there was a huge multi-billion-dollar market potential for biomaterials in India. He and his team have developed new biomaterials for bone replacement and dental implants, said the statement.

Siddarth Jhunjhunwala and Kaushik Chatterjee from Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, too emphasized that bioengineering had enormous potential for improvement of health care.

The conclave not only highlighted some of the emerging technologies that were likely to find wide clinical use, but also enabled doctoral students and early career researchers to discuss their work with global experts in person, the statement added.

Rajesh Parishwad from ACS said the Society was bringing global programs to India and the region. “Our aim is to promote broader engagement in the area of health care engineering,” he said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL : KARNATAKA: Bengaluru Kendriya Vidyala Student R. Bhavana presents Science Project at PM’s Pariksha pe Charcha

R. Bhavana represented the KVS Bengaluru region at the programme in Delhi.

R. Bhavana, a class 9 student of Kendriya Vidyalaya, DRDO, Bengaluru, presented her science project at the Pariksha Pe Charcha programme held on January 29 in Bharath Mandapam, Pragathi Maidan, New Delhi. As part of the programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with students appearing for board exams this year.

R. Bhavana represented the KVS Bengaluru region at the programme in Delhi. Her project on a health monitoring system has earned recognition for its innovative approach, according to Kendriya Vidyalaya, DRDO, Bengaluru.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited0

NATIONAL: KARNATAKA: Two students from Kundapur, Sullia selected to participate in Pariksha Pe Charcha with PM Modi

Two students from Kundapur and Sullia have been selected to participate in the Pariksha Pe Charcha programme with Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, which will be held on Monday, January 29, in New Delhi.

Gargi Devi, a ninth-grade student at HMM English Medium Primary and V K R Acharya High School, promoted by Kundapur Education Society, and Achal Bilinele, a first PU science student at Mudipu Jawahara Navodaya Vidyalaya, are the participants in this event.

This year, 2.05 crore students, 14.93 lakh teachers, and 5.69 lakh parents from all over the country will take part in the Pariksha Pe Charcha programme online.

Two individuals who won in the national-level art festival have the opportunity to participate in the Republic Day parade and have a discussion in person with PM Modi during Pariksha Pe Charcha.

Gargi Devi secured the first place in the state-level art festival of 2023-24 and won a bronze medal in the classical dance competition of the national-level art festival.

Achal Bilinele has been selected to demonstrate a science model that explains the functioning of Chandrayana-3 in a simple manner understandable by commoners.

Achal is representing the Hyderabad zone of Navodaya Vidyalaya. Out of the 600 Jawahara Navodaya Vidyalayas in the country, eight have the opportunity to participate in the programme. Achal is the son of lecturer Chandrashekhara Bilinele and Dr Anuradha Kurunji.

Achal’s mother, Dr Anuradha, met the then PM Atal Bihari Vajapayee exactly 25 years ago on January 29, 1999. Achal will be meeting PM Modi on the same date and month after 25 years.

Gargi is the daughter of Ashok Suvarna and Natya Vidushi Pravita Ashok, a couple from Devalkunda. She is the second student from Kundapur to be selected to participate in the Pariksha Pe Charcha programme. In March 2021, Anusha, a student of Albady-Ardy Charamakki Narayana Shetty Memorial High School, participated in the same programme.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited0

KARNATAKA: AI in MEDICINE: Siemens Healthineers opens Precision Medicine Lab at IISc

Siemens Healthineers and IISc inaugurated the Siemens Healthineers-Computational Data Sciences (CDS) Collaborative Laboratory for AI in Precision Medicine at IISc campus in the city.

The laboratory would develop open-source AI-based tools to precisely automate the segmentation of pathological findings in neuroimaging data, with a focus on accurately diagnosing neurological diseases and analysing their clinical impact at a population level, said Peter Schardt, Chief Technology Officer, Siemens Healthineers while inaugurating the lab.

The focus of this collaborative laboratory would be to work closely with neurologists, radiologists and Siemens Healthineers and integrate the developed computational models into their regular clinical workflows, the company said.

Mr. Schardt said, “The collaboration with IISc solidifies our commitment to advancing precision medicine through AI using state-of-the-art, data-driven deep-learning techniques. Leveraging IISc’s academic excellence and our strong core in medical imaging, smart solutions developed through this collaboration will help us ultimately save lives through precise diagnoses and evidence-based treatments”.

Govindan Rangarajan, Director, Indian Institute of Science, said, “This lab marks a crucial step forward in unlocking the potential of AI for precision medicine.”

India was one of the four global innovation hubs for Siemens Healthineers, and the company was committed to being catalysts in interdisciplinary research, stated Dileep Mangsuli, Executive Director, Siemens Healthineers.

“Along with IISc, we aim to reshape the landscape of neuroscientific progress through the capabilities of artificial intelligence, translating laboratory insights into intelligent solutions. We want to empower the broader clinical research community and be changemakers in the fight against world’s most life-threatening diseases,” Mr. Mangsuli added.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

REGIONAL: KARNATAKA: TRAVEL & TOURISM: Bengaluru to function as Hub of Thomas Cook’s Charter Operations for South India

The travel firm’s maiden air charter service will be between Bengaluru and Bhutanese Capital Thimphu, a three-hour flight, starting in April 2024.

Thomas Cook (India) Limited, an omnichannel travel services company, has forayed into charter services to cater to the growing interest among customers in South India for holiday destinations in South Asian and European countries.

Bengaluru will function as the hub of Thomas Cook’s charter operations for South India and leisure/holidays tourists from across the region would be able to board the charter flights departing from the city, Romil Pant, executive vice-president & Business Head (Holidays), Thomas Cook, told The Hindu on Wednesday.

The travel firm’s maiden air charter service will be between Bengaluru and Bhutanese Capital Thimphu, a three-hour flight, starting in April 2024.

“We will hire a 126-seater airplane from Bhutan Airlines and will operate five charter flights every eight days starting from April 27. This is the first time we are entering into the chartering space and we may extend this service to connect other neighbouring countries, including Nepal and Sri Lanka and also some European destinations,” Mr Pant said.

Commenting on the rationale of starting the charter service from Bengaluru, he said Karnataka and Bengaluru were the company’s biggest markets in the country. For instance, the southern region solely contributed 45% of Thomas Cook’s total business in the country.

Currently, there is no direct flight to Bhutan from the southern region, only Delhi and Kolkata offer direct flights and land travel also takes a lot of time.

“South India is the largest contributor to the holidays business for us, overtaking the West and North India. Bengaluru and Karnatka has emerged as our number 1 source market for the leisure segment. Huge demand is coming from small cities including Mysuru, Udupi, and Hubballi too,” he added.

Commenting on travel trends in Bengaluru, Mr. Pant said the travel firm had witnessed a 60% increase in demand this year compared to 2019, the travel spend also increased by up to 30%, and average holiday duration has increased to seven days from three days compared to 2019 levels. The most favourite destinations for Bengalureans have been Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Mauritius, Singapore, Dubai, Vietnam, Azerbaijan, and Georgia while Andamans, Kashmir, North-East, Rajasthan, Kerala, Coorg, Chickmagaluru, Kabini, and Ooty are their favourite domestic getaways.

“We are very bullish on Bengaluru and Karnataka and we are investing deeply in this high potential market and are expanding our footprint here. We expect to see a business uptick of 30% from Karnataka in 2024,” Mr. Pant added.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: 9 PADMA AWARDS 2024: Burns survivor, wheelchair-bound educationist among 9 from Karnataka conferred with Padma awards

As many as nine achievers in various fields from Karnataka have been conferred with the prestigious Padma awards on Thursday for their contributions to society.

Reputed industrialist Sitaram Jindal has been named for the Padma Bhushan in the field of Trade and Industry.

The 90-year-old veteran industrialist and philanthropist is promoting naturopathy through Jindal NatureCure Institute in Bengaluru.

The list of Padma Shri awardees includes a burns survivor-turned-surgeon, a divyang social worker, a wheelchair-bound educationist, a puppetry artist, a welfare activist and Doubles World No.1 tennis player Rohan Bopanna.

Prema Dhanraj, a 72–year-old burns surgeon is awarded the prestigious award in the field of Medicine. She is a pioneer in the field of reconstructive surgery and operated 25,000 burn victims. Dhanraj, a burn survivor, committed herself to their welfare.

K. Rajanna who lost both his hands and legs to polio has been conferred the prestigious award in the field of social work. 63 year-old- Rajanna is a divyang social worker committed to the welfare of persons with disabilities.

Sridhar Makam Krishnamurthy has been conferred with the Padma Shri in the field of literature and education. The 69-year-old wheelchair-bound educationist and administrator made important contributions to the country’s education policies.

Chandrashekar Channapatna Rajannachar has achieved the feat for free treatment for mental diseases. A 75-year-old veteran psychiatrist is providing free mental health treatment to 50,000 patients and trained 20,000 professionals.

59-year-old Anupama Hoskere has been conferred with the Padma Shri for contributions in the field of art. She is a puppetry artist promoting ‘Dhaatu Puppetry’ for over three decades in Karnataka and other places. Hoskere has performed in international puppet festivals, and trained puppeteers globally.

Famous sportsperson Rohan Machanda Bopanna has been named for the Padma Shri in Sports for 2024. The 43-year-old tennis player is currently Doubles World Number 1.

66-year-old Somanna has been conferred with the Padma Shri for social work. A tribal welfare worker from Mysuru, he has been working for the upliftment of the Jenu Kuruba forest-dwelling community for four decades.

Shashi Soni has also been conferred with the Padma Shri for her contributions in trade and industry. The 82-year-old achiever is an old serial entrepreneur powering global success in hi-tech automotive and defence manufacturing.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)