Category: Leaders, National

NATIONAL: ENGINEERING: Mangaluru’s Rajendra Kalbavi Elected Secretary General of Association of Consulting Civil Engineers (India)

Consulting civil engineer from Mangaluru and executive director of Dakshina Kannada Nirmiti Kendra was elected the secretary general of the Association of Consulting Civil Engineers (India) for two years.

Association president Vijay Kishan Sanap installed Mr. Kalbavi as the secretary general during the annual general body meeting on July 17 at Hyderabad, said a release.

Chief Returning Officer M.U. Ashwath had announced the results of the annual central committee elections held on April 26 at Nagpur and issued the certificate of election to Mr. Kalbavi for 2023-25.

Over 700 members attended the AGM at Hyderabad.

Mr. Kalbavi was conferred with the “Eminent Engineer Award” by the association in recognition of his achievement in the field of civil engineering during the Association’s Foundation Day at Nagpur recently.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL & INDIA / KARNATAKA: SPACE TECHNOLOGY: 4th edition ‘G20 Space Economy Leaders’ Meeting (SELM) in Bengaluru: ‘Space technology has entered every household in one way or the other’

G20 Space Economy Leaders’ Meeting begins in Bengaluru.

The 4th edition of G20 Space Economy Leaders’ Meeting (SELM) commenced in Bengaluru on Thursday July 6.

This is the first face-to-face meeting under the G20 umbrella, with the previous meetings organised in virtual and hybrid formats. Heads of national space agencies from 18 of the G20 countries and nine of the 11 invited members are participating in the two-day meet whose theme is ‘Towards a New Space ERA (Economy, Responsibility, Alliance)’.

Senior representatives from 32 global industries, and 53 local industries, are also participating in the meet.

During the inauguration, Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State, PMO; MoES; S&T; Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievance & Pensions; Dep. Of Space; Dept. of Atomic Energy, said that this gathering (G20 countries along with partner countries) represents nearly two-thirds of the world’s population, the best brains across the world in the space sector, 85% of the global GDP, and 75% of the world trade.

“You are not only spearheaders, torchbearers but also opinion-makers, and I am glad that India is in a position to share its inputs with other member countries as well. The new chapter of public-private participation is going to make it a value for all of us to learn the virtues of an integrated approach. An era of partnership is in the offing. Our concerns are common and our efforts have to be common. Therefore, the time has come to carry forward the collaboration to discover wider horizons in the times to come,” Dr Singh said.

“I hardly need to reiterate the importance that space technology has gained of late across the world. Rather, I would put it in a single sentence saying that space technology has virtually entered every household in one way or the other.”

He added that every aspect of human life, be it disaster management, agriculture, education, health, navigation, defence, is connected to space technology.

G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant, said the space economy is experiencing rapid growth with increasing revenues and more commercial actors entering the industry. “Studies project that space could become a trillion dollar sector in the coming decades. This exponential growth necessitates support from governments worldwide. That is why, we are discussing space as a formal element in the G20,” Mr Kanth said.

Round-table meetings for the heads of space agencies, panel discussions, bilateral meetings and a plenary session are a part of the first day of the event.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: LANGUAGES: National Training Programme On ‘Basic Indian Sign Language (ISL) at the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), Mysuru May 24-26

Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication & Sign Language, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), Mysuru, in collaboration with Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), New Delhi, is organising a 3-day Short-Term Training Prog. on Basic Indian Sign Language  (ISL) from May 24 to 26.

The resource persons are from ISLRTC, New Delhi, an institute focused on ISL teaching and research, under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.

Speech Language Pathologists, Audiologists, Special Educators and students from various parts of the country will participate in the programme.

The programme has been given the status of Continuing Rehabilitation Education (CRE) programme by the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI).

The inaugural function will be held at 9.30 am in the Seminar Hall of Academic Block, AIISH, Mysuru. K.M. Gayathri, CEO, Zilla Panchayat, Mysuru, will be the chief guest.

B. Elangovan, Principal, JSS Polytechnic for Differently Abled, Mysuru, will be the guest of honour. Prof. M. Pushavathi, Director, AIISH, will preside.

For details, contact  A.R. Keerthi, PRO, AIISH, on Mob: 98441-81080.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: KARNATAKA: TELECOM/CABLE NETWORKS: 1st Time in India – Bengaluru Hosts ‘International Telecommunication Union ITU-T Study Group 9 (SG-9)’ Meeting to Advance International Standards for Television Technology

The meeting on Broadband Cable and Television/Audiovisual content transmission and integrated broadband cable networks, is currently being held at the IISc.

The meeting of International Telecommunication Union ITU-T Study Group 9 (SG-9) is being hosted in India for the first time.

The meeting of SG-9 on “Broadband Cable and Television/Audiovisual content transmission and integrated broadband cable networks” is currently being held at the Indian Institute of Science.

First physical meeting

This is the first physical meeting of the SG-9 after the pandemic and the event was attended by delegates and representatives from Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Congo, Egypt, France, Gambia, Germany, India, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Myanmar, Nepal, Palestine, Sri Lanka, Syria, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Ukraine, and other countries. In addition, representatives of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a UN organisation, and many other experts attended the meeting.

ITU is the oldest UN agency, found in 1865, to facilitate international connectivity in communications networks. ITU allocates global radio spectrum and satellite orbits, develops the technical standards that ensure networks and technologies seamlessly interconnect, and strives to improve access to Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) to underserved communities worldwide.

The SG-9 at ITU is responsible for telecommunication systems for primary and secondary distribution of audiovisual content, including accessibility services and emerging interactive media.

The Study Group meeting also comprised the ITU Workshop on The Future of Television for South Asia, Arab and Africa Regions, covering regulatory and policy frameworks, emerging and convergent ICT infrastructures and services, as well as user interfaces and human factors.

Transitioning from analog

“At the workshop, while the future technologies of digital broadcasting were discussed, it was also highlighted that many countries are still facing challenges in transitioning from analog to digital broadcasting. I hope that the ITU workshop will serve as a platform for sharing best practices and help bridge the gap,” Seizo Oneo, director, Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB) said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: ILLUSTRIOUS PERSONALITY: R3 – R.R. Rao: a Book of Family History and Personal M Memories

Dr. Githa has collected 51 pictorial memories of her husband to document his life journey and construct a personal archive.

A book of memories compiled by Dr. Githa U. Badikillaya titled “R 3 – R. R. Rao: Resplendent, Resonating Reflections” was released by former ambassador Gurjit Singh on Sunday, April 17, 2023.

In the book, Dr. Githa has collected 51 pictorial memories of her husband, fondly called R-Cube, from his colleagues, friends and relatives.

The author saw in this project an opportunity to document her husband’s life journey, construct his personal archive, define family history and gift it to their 10-month-old granddaughter Ira, said a release. It’s a perfect way of preserving knowledge, wisdom and memories down the ages, the release added.

Value of individual memories

On what motivated her, Dr. Githa said, “Every family member has stories that need to be told and archived. These individual memoires are of great value to the members and extended members of the family as it humanises our ancestors. These are the micro-narratives that form a part of the larger societal multi-layered legacies. There is a need for documenting a collection of anecdotes from our ancestors even if its contemporary, as memories become fragmented and are lost over time.”

“Families are becoming diversified and cross cultural across the globe. As such, future generations will have more than one family history, and documenting family histories is an investment in oneself and one’s family. The impact leads to understand how the family has interacted with larger historical changes, and the specific family traditions that depict a changing social milieu.” 

The book is available for sale at an early-bird price of ₹150. Readers can contact 9845327145 to order their copies.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: AIRPORTS & AVIATION: PM Modi Inaugurates ‘lotus-shaped’ Shivamogga Airport, launches slew of development projects

PM Modi also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for development projects worth over ₹3,600 crore in the district.

In what is his fifth visit to poll-bound Karnataka in two months, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Shivamogga airport at Sogane. The event coincided with the 80th birthday of BJP strongman from the State and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa.

He also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for development projects worth over Rs. 3,600 crore in the district. Later in the afternoon, he will take part in a nine-km roadshow and inaugurate the renovated railway station in Belagavi.

Airport to bring improved connectivity

The new airport has a lotus-shaped terminal and has been developed at a cost of around ₹450 crore. The passenger terminal building of the airport can handle 300 passengers per hour.

Built on 775 acres of land, the airport has aa 3.2 km long runway, and the passenger terminal has a built-up area of 4,320 sqft. The airport can handle aircraft ranging from the ATR 72 to the Airbus 320.  

It is considered the second largest airport in the State, after Kempe Gowda International Airport in Bengaluru. The exterior design of the passenger terminal resembles lotus, symbol of the ruling BJP, which was objected to by some people earlier.

The airport is expected to improve connectivity and accessibility from Shivamogga and other neighbouring areas in the Malnad region of Karnataka, officials said.

A view of the Shivamogga Airport that was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 27, 2023 | Photo Credit: ANI

The new airport was the dream project of four-time Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa who hails from Shivamogga district. Though he announced his retirement from electoral politics, Mr. Yediyurappa remains a key leader for the party’s poll campaign. He was the Deputy Chief Minister in the Janata Dal (S)-BJP coalition government in 2007 when an airport for Shivamogga was approved.

Earlier, a section of BJP leaders in Shivamogga had proposed that the airport be named after Mr. Yediyurappa. But the former Chief Minister himself suggested that it be named after Kuvempu, the first Kannada poet to get the Jnanpith award and who also hails from Shivamogga.

Frequent visits

Mr. Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP president J.P. Nadda have been visiting the State frequently for the last two months, and this would be the Prime Minister’s fifth visit to Karnataka in two months, and the third in February alone. Earlier, he visited Hubballi (January 12), Kalaburagi (January 19), Bengaluru and Tumakuru (February 6), and again Bengaluru to inaugurate Aero India on February 13.

(With inputs from PTI)

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: HEALTH & MEDICAL SCIENCES: 52nd Conference of Indian Pharmacological Society (IPSCON 2023) & Awards Presentation to be held in Mysuru, February 22-25th

The JSS College of Pharmacy will host the 52 nd annual conference of Indian Pharmacological Society to be held in the city from February 23 to 25 and will showcase the developments in the field of pharmacology in India.

M Pramod Kumar, Organising Chairman of 52nd IPSCON 2023, and Principal, G.V. Pujar, to media persons here on Tuesday that the theme will be latest technologies and better strategies to discover new drugs and the conference will also highlight several crucial and contemporary issues in pharmacology.

In all, 110 talks are planned by scientists from across the globe and experts as part of the conference and there will be a pre-conference workshop on Wednesday. More than 1,000 delegates are participating from across the country and there will be 17 scientific sessions comprising symposiums, plenary lectures, distinguished lecture series, current scientific updates, brainstorming sessions and panel discussions

The conference will also feature an exhibition of scientific equipment while a walkathon will be held on February 24 to create awareness about health. The walkathon will be led by former Indian cricketer Javagal Srinath, according to the organisers.

During the inauguration three eminent pharmacologists will receive ‘’Lifetime Achievements Awards” for the contribution to drug discovery and development; 10 teachers will be awarded as “Best Teachers Awards”; 4 eminent pharmacologists will be given “Fellow of Indian Pharmacological Society-FIPS”; and eight researchers will be delivering the ‘orations’ talk during the conference.

Vice-Principal K.L. Krishna, Organizing Secretary of 52nd IPSCON 2023, B.R. Prashantha Kumar, Associate Professor, and other officials of JSS AHER and JSS College of Pharmacy faculty were present.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL : NATIONAL: KARNATAKA Showcases Ecotourism Hotspots to G20 summit Delegates from 30 countries

G20 summit delegates from 30 countries visited the Bannerghatta Biological Park, Kalkere Arboretum, and the Jungle Lodges and Resorts as part of the series of events organised by the Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG).

During this excursion, curated by the Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka, the state showcased its models for the restoration of forest ecosystems and the different types of forests curated at the arboretum, stated in its official release.

At Bannerghatta, the delegates visited the famous butterfly park and a short animal safari curated for them, where they were able to learn about the state’s sustainable ecotourism model. The Globally acclaimed “Wild Karnataka” movie was screened for the delegates at Jungle Lodges and Resorts.

The visit is part of India’s efforts to shift focus to the climate-change challenges and towards sustainable models of development such as eco-tourism, which can play a vital role, and will balance the needs of the growing economy with necessary measures for protecting the environment.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. V. Ram Prasath Manohar, IAS, Director, Karnataka Tourism said, “Karnataka has an abundance of natural beauty, including the Western Ghats, a site listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This mountain range is renowned for its great diversity of flora and fauna. The state has 35 wildlife sanctuaries and five national parks. It is also home to over 100 species of animals, and 600 species of birds, including 524 tigers and over 6000 elephants, making Karnataka, truly India’s wildlife capital.

On Thursday, the G20 delegates were given a short insight into the state’s rich biodiversity and stunning wildlife during the excursion”.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL / NATIONAL: Infosys Prize for 6 Researchers

IISc Prof Mahesh Kakde received the award in the mathematical sciences category for his contributions to algebraic number theory which is predicted to help in computing and cryptography.

Six researchers were awarded the Infosys Prize 2022 on Saturday in recognition of their work in their respective fields.The Infosys Science Foundation, a not-for-profit trust, annually honours researchers in the fields of engineering and computer science, humanities, life sciences, mathematical sciences, physical sciences and social sciences.

“The Infosys Science Foundation has instituted the Infosys Prize to highlight the importance of scientific research for the development of India and the world. From exploring the frontiers of brain research and astronomy to developing solutions for the urgent healthcare needs of underserved populations to examining the notions of justice in a fast-changing world inundated by the climate emergency and pandemics, our laureates are working on the cutting edge of science, technology, and scholarship….,” said Kris Gopalakrishnan, president, Infosys Science Foundation.

Prof Suman Chakraborty of IIT-Kharagpur has won the award in the engineering and science category for developing diagnostic devices for easy access and use in rural areas. In the humanities category, Vice-Chancellor of National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, Sudhir Krishnaswamy, was honoured for his work on “the importance of the basic structure doctrine of the  Constitution that was adopted by the Supreme Court in 1973”.

IISc Prof Mahesh Kakde received the award in the mathematical sciences category for his contributions to algebraic number theory which is predicted to help in computing and cryptography.

Chairperson, Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, Vidita Vaidya was honoured under the life sciences category for her work on understanding the brain in the context of mood disorders like anxiety and depression.

Prof Nissim Kanekar of National Centre for Radio Astronomy, Pune, and Prof Rohini Pande, director, Economic Growth Center, Yale University, were respectively awarded for their work in the field of physical sciences and social sciences. Prof Kanekar was awarded for his studies on galaxies during the ‘cosmic noon’ era, while Prof Pande was awarded for her research on governance and potential policy change for the benefit of social justice.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: AIRPORTS / TRAVEL/ METAVERSE: Kempegowda Intl Airport’s Terminal-2 (KIA T-2) is One of the First in the World that can be Experienced on the Metaverse. First phase of ‘BLR Metaport’ Launched

The Kempegowda International Airport’s Terminal-2 has become one of the first terminals in the world that can be experienced on the metaverse, after Bangalore International Airport Limited, operator of the KIA, on Tuesday announced the first phase launch of the BLR Metaport.

The Kempegowda International Airport’s (KIA) Terminal-2 has become one of the first terminals in the world that can be experienced on the metaverse, after Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), operator of the KIA, on Tuesday announced the first phase launch of the BLR Metaport.

Built in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Polygon, the BLR Metaport offers an immersive, three-dimensional (3D) virtual experience of the newly launched terminal.

Interested travellers and members of the public can log on to www.blrmetaport.com and virtually tour and navigate the new terminal using their smart devices.

The BLR Metaport is an outcome of the Joint Innovation Centre (JIC), announced in April 2022 by BIAL, AWS, and Intel. The JIC focuses on driving the development and adoption of digital solutions in aviation.

“For BIAL, the mission of the JIC is to leverage emerging technologies to build new business models and passenger experiences and be at the forefront of technology innovation in India’s commercial aviation,” BIAL added.

Developed in line with this mission, the BLR Metaport is one of the first airport metaverse experiences, designed to deliver an enhanced digital experience.

A 3D interface will offer customers new ways to interact with the airport, such as checking into flights, navigating terminals, shopping, and social aspects like connecting with other travellers.

BLR Metaport brings the virtual and physical worlds together to provide consistent engagement, and aims to excite travellers with new, unique, and immersive experiences.

BIAL’s Chief Strategy and Development Officer, Satyaki Raghunath said, “We are very excited that BIAL is entering into the new world of metaverse through the BLR Metaport.

This is our first foray into the world of Web3 and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and we aim to delight travellers with a unique, immersive, and virtual experience. We believe that it is important to connect with a new generation of our global audience through the metaverse.

We also have several initiatives planned around the BLR Metaport, which promise to increase ways in which we can engage with our global audience and enhance business impact over the next few years.”

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)