Category: Nature, Environment

GLOBAL RECORDS: INDIA RECORDS: KARNATAKA RECORDS : India-born Scientist & Conservation Biologist Kamal Bawa Elected to US National Academy of Sciences

Conservation biologist Kamal Bawa has been elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. Kamal Bawa is president of the Bengaluru-based Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE) as well as an elected fellow of the Royal Society (London) and the American Philosophical Society.

“The election is a reaffirmation of our important work on the ecology, conservation, and management of tropical forests that are declining all over the world but are critical to humanity’s well-being,” said Dr. Bawa.

A few years ago, Dr. Bawa brought together scientists from India’s leading institutions to develop the National Mission on Biodiversity and Human Wellbeing under the banner of the Biodiversity Collaborative.

The effort was supported by the office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, and is currently funded by the Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies.

source/content: thehindu.com (edited)

KARNATAKA: Bengaluru’s Vani Murthy, the Only Urban Farmer in List of Environmental Changemakers by National Geographic India

Meet the only urban farmer from Bengaluru who made it to the list of environmental changemakers by National Geographic India.

 In 2007, Vani Murthy started composting at her Malleswaram home on a whim and posted details of her zero-waste lifestyle on Facebook. Today, the ‘worm rani’ as she is known, has a following of 23,80,000 on Instagram and has made it to the list of the ‘One for Change’ campaign by National Geographic India.

Bengaluru to make it to this list, Murthy says that there’s never been a day when she feels like she’s actually working. “I love all things trash — from composting to making things sustainable. That’s the only thing I never complain about, so I absolutely love what I do and I’m thrilled to be recognised for my passion.”

source/content: newindianexpress.com (edited)

First Time in India for an Institute to have Eponymous Insect Genus. New Genus of Parasitoid Wasp dedicated to Bengaluru’s ATREE

ATREE – Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment.

A new genus of Braconid wasp has been named ‘Atree’, after the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), a leading research institution and environmental think tank based in Bengaluru.

This is said to be the first time in India that an institute has an eponymous insect genus.

The development comes with the discovery of a new species of wasp, Atree rajathae and two other already known species.

The newly described species is a parasitoid wasp.

An ATREE statement explained that parasitoids are the most important natural enemies of other insects, and humans exploit this behaviour for the biological control of crop pests.

source/content: thehindu.com (edited)

India’s first digital water bank sets up shop in Bengaluru

India, and possibly the world, got its first digital water bank, an initiative to aggregate water resources under a single platform, on Monday. 

Science and Technology Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, who inaugurated the water bank in Bengaluru, extended the state government’s full support for the initiative, undertaken by AquaKraft Ventures, a company that specialises in sustainable initiatives to provide drinking water and sanitation to all. 

source: newindianexpress.com

* Bengaluru-based biotech lab develops tabletop papaya variety ‘Dawn Delight’

Developed by Thomas Biotech Lab, the papaya variety, christened ‘Dawn Delight’, grows only up to three or four feet and is best for cultivation on the terrace, balconies, and kitchen gardens.

* Techie-turned-farmer teaches kids about forgotten flora

He is a storehouse of knowledge on Indian trees, plants and herbs, and in his farm, which is nothing like the traditional setup, the flora grows wildly and naturally.

The farm has over 300 species of plants and trees, all either edible or used for medicinal purposes. 

Srivathsa Govindaraju, a software engineer-turned-farmer, started his farm 13 years ago with the intent of “respecting nature as it is and to understand how it functions”.

* The Royal Route

On the 156th birth anniversary of GH Krumbiegel, Ganesh Shankar Raj, a city-based filmmaker captures the life and times of the botanist in The Maharaja’s German Gardener

Though Bengaluru was always a green city, it earned the title of Garden City because of one particular person – Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel. And city-based filmmaker Ganesh Shankar Raj’s latest documentary, The Maharaja’s German Gardener, is based on the story of this German botanist. The movie released on YouTube channel, Mindia

* Mangaluru: Nitte University receives international recognition for green initiatives

Nitte (Deemed to be University) has been ranked 253rd in the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings in 2021.

These international rankings recognize the contributions of universities across the world to policies and actions related to green campus and environmental sustainability.

NitteDU participated in this ranking survey for the first time in 2021.

* NASI recognition for Bengaluru scientist

Dinesh A. Nagegowda, Senior Principal Scientist and scientist in-charge of CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Research Centre, Bengaluru, has been elected as a fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India, for his significant contribution in plant science, particularly in the area of molecular biology and biotechnology of specialised metabolites in medicinal and aromatic plants.