Karnataka First

Advancements in medical procedures have come as a boon to many, saving them from the cusp of death. But the stress of arranging funds makes it harrowing for many, especially in rural areas. However, a hospital in Gadag district in North Karnataka has been serving the needy by performing kidney transplants at a nominal price and is also creating awareness about kidney transplants and other organ donations.

The Rural Medical Services KH Patil Hospital and Research Institute in Hulkoti village in the district carried out a successful kidney transplant on April 24, which the doctors here claim to be a first in a rural hospital. The hospital is equipped with modular operation theatres with the necessary medical equipment to carry out complex surgical procedures. The donor in this case was a 55-year-old woman who donated her kidney to her 32-year-old son. Both the donor and recipient have recovered well after the procedure. The donor was discharged three days after the operation, and the recipient five days later.

The hospital is the dream child of late KH Patil, senior Congress leader and former minister. Patil had envisioned a well-equipped hospital with all the amenities in Hulkoti that would enable complex medical procedures. This dream has now become a reality thanks to the dedicated team effort of the hospital management and staff under Dr SR Nagnur and leadership of Dr Avinash Odugoudar.

The doctors here claim that they are not doing it for commercial purposes, but to help needy patients. “Kidney transplants in Bengaluru cost anywhere between Rs 15 and Rs 20 lakh, but in Hulkoti it is Rs 5 lakh,” said a doctor.

The hospital team has shown that with the right human resources, equipment, perseverance and commitment to serve, such procedures are achievable even in a rural hospital. A lifesaving procedure is now affordable and accessible without any hassle, they claim.

Dr Odugoudar (Consultant Urologist and Transplant Surgeon) and Dr Deepak Kurahatti (Consultant Nephrologist) have not only trained the staff, but also guided and motivated the team to perform this operation at the hospital.

Dr Odugoudar, who completed his training in Urology at KMC Manipal and thereafter earned a fellowship in Renal Transplant from Liverpool and Robotic Surgery for Uro-Oncology from Leeds, UK, returned to his village of Hulkoti with the intention of serving his people and making renal transplants affordable and accessible to the common people.

Dr Kurahatti has undergone training at Apollo Hospitals in Bengaluru. The team also comprises Dr Bhuvanesh Aradhya, Dr Pavan Koliwad, Dr Sameer Desai, Dr Meghana Hipparagi, Dr Vishal K and Dr Vinayak Panchagar, who have worked at various hospitals.

After the first successful operation, the hospital management is now determined to continue to spread awareness about renal failure and facilitate accessible, affordable transplant services.

The team has been raising awareness about kidney diseases over the last three years. On the second Thursday of March every year, the team, in collaboration with Sankalpa Super Speciality Hospital in Gadag, organises events to educate people to identify the early signs of kidney diseases to expedite early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. A dedicated ‘Transplant Clinic’ is run every Saturday to evaluate and educate patients and their families about kidney transplants.

Dr Naganur said, “The most transplanted organ in India is the kidney. However, the current number of transplants (11,243) is insufficient to meet the estimated demand of 2,00,000 renal failures a year. India has a very high burden of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Many patients rely on dialysis for their entire lives, while waiting for a donor or financial support for a surgery in private hospital. Hence, we thought of performing this transplantation in rural areas to make it affordable for rural people.”

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

The land, in the upscale Koramangala 3rd Block, was sold to Isaac by a couple — Arvind and Geeta Reddy — who ran a family business prior to their retirement.

In what is touted as Bengaluru’s most expensive land deal, Ajit Isaac, founder and chairman of staffing company Quess Corp, has purchased a 10,000 square foot plot at a staggering Rs 70,300 per square feet, a total of Rs 67.5 crore. 

The land, in the upscale Koramangala 3rd Block, was sold to Isaac by a couple — Arvind and Geeta Reddy — who ran a family business prior to their retirement.

The deal was closed last week and the land will be utilised to develop a residential property, sources with knowledge of the matter, told DH. Prior to this, a 9,488 square foot plot sold to TVS Motors in the same locality at Rs 68,597 per square feet…

The tony neighbourhood, also referred as ‘Billionaire Street’, is home to the who’s who of the city, including Flipkart co-founder Sachin Bansal, Infosys co-founders Nandan Nilekani and Kris Gopalakrishnan, Raja Bagmane of Bagmane Developers, Narayana Health’s Dr Devi Shetty and politician Rajeev Chandrasekhar. 

Property consultancy Colliers, which was the deal advisor for the transaction, declined to answer DH’s query seeking a comment.

“These are not comparable transactions vis-a-vis the broader market dynamics,” Shantanu Mazumder, executive director for Bengaluru at property consultancy Knight Frank India, said. He credited a supply crunch in the prime locality, combined with rising aspirations and appetite of Indians to pay for boutique end-use projects, for the high valuation.

However, it must be noted that the Garden City has been in the spotlight for its soaring property prices. According to a Knight Frank report released earlier this month, average residential real estate prices in Bengaluru during the January-March quarter of calendar 2024 grew 9% year-on-year, second only to Hyderabad at 13%. Sequentially, this marked a 4% growth from the previous quarter (October-December).

Isaac set up Quess Corp in 2007, which has since grown into a $2 billion company with its footprint spread across nine countries, employing a workforce of over 5 lakh. He has also drawn attention for his philanthropic engagements.

source/content: deccanherald.com (headline edited)

From ancient tree specimens to various insects that depend on wood and a xylarium with samples from over 300 species of trees, the Woods Museum cum Interpretation Centre in Bengaluru also offers courses.

In a city known for its green cover, one does not often think about the trees that contribute to the fundamental needs of humans. At the Institute of Wood Science and Technology in Bengaluru’s Malleswaram, the Woods Museum cum Interpretation Centre (WMIC) highlights the various uses of wood and houses specimens of various species of trees.

Of particular interest are the ancient tree specimens housed within the museum, which largely caters to students from schools and colleges. One of them, a teak log cross-section, was taken from a tree that sprouted sometime around the foundation of the East India Company in 1600, and lived until shortly after Independence. Another such teak cross-section is nearly eight centuries old.

The museum, established in January 2012, also has a large collection of posters devoted to various facts about trees and wood — from what the darkest wood in the world is to what kind produces the most heat when burned.

Among the interactive displays, which can be handled by visitors, include various wood samples showing the contrast between regular wood and wood that has undergone processes such as heat treatment. Other display cases show the various insects that depend on wood in their ecosystem. The effect of pests on trees is also on display in the form of a completely hollow trunk of a Gulmohar tree that once stood in Malleswaram.

Of particular interest at the museum is a xylarium which houses wood samples from more than 300 different species of trees. The idea behind the xylarium is to serve as a wood repository to compare with other wood samples that may need to be identified. These samples are taken from the main xylarium of the Institute of Wood Science, which currently houses over 2,000 different wood samples. This is one of the two primary xylariums in the country, with the other one in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun.

An interactive Interpretation Centre for the museum is also currently awaiting funding.

Another interesting spot is the Institute’s Advanced Woodworking Training Centre located below the museum. Taking wood a step further than carpentry, the Centre, which was originally set up as a joint venture with the Italian government, offers courses ranging from a month to a year, catering mainly to hobbyists, prospective workers in the woodworking industry, and entrepreneurs looking to learn about the field. The Centre also makes use of precision Computerised Numerical Control machines, which were also used to create an engraving of the Mysore Palace for the Wood Museum.

The Wood Museum is open on weekdays until 5 pm.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

Jitesh Prasad, a globally acclaimed photographer hailing from Moodbidri, commonly referred to as ‘Porlu’, has been chosen to receive the prestigious ‘Gold of Golden Medal’ award presented by the Asian Photographic Union and Golden Peacock Award Singapore in Singapore.

Addressing press persons here on Saturday, Tharanath Gatty Kapikad, president of Tulu Sahitya academy, proudly presented Jitesh Prasad as, “The district’s unique photographer who has been representing Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts on the international stage, bringing immense pride to our community. In the year 2023, he bagged Chitranjali award along with a cash prize of Rs 1 lac, organised by the Central Government Human Resource Department. And now, he has been chosen for the ‘Gold of Golden Medal Award’ in Singapore. He is someone who has widely travelled across countries, just as much as across different districts within Karnataka for capturing seasonal festivals and various folk sports through his photography.”

Jitesh Prasad presented his numerous medals of all sizes, bagged from photography competitions held at different countries throughout the year. He said, “To be selected for the ‘Gold of Golden award’, one must be qualified as an annual top ten photographers and exhibitor in the world, which is not easy. Yet, I have been achieving this position consecutively for the past three years.”

Highlighting the importance of participating in such competitions he added, “You might question the worth of such honour but it is not merely honorary, it enables you to test yourself. Otherwise, you run the risk of thinking you are the best photographer. The more you realise your smallness, the larger you are growing. Another benefit included is the invitations I would receive is to be the jury member of the international photography completions.”

“This is not my first time receiving honorary medals but as I am not very much inclined to self publication, I remained in the dark however, after receiving ‘golden of gold medal’ I was compelled to come to the light to inspire other aspiring photographers.”

“The photography competitions at Singapore are held 10 to 12 times annually. They are theme-based namely, ‘people’, ‘monochrome’ and ‘travel’; we can enter our photos in any of these three categories. By the process of averaging, a yearly winner is selected. This year, three individuals from India won this award, but within Karnataka, I was the sole recipient.”

Jitesh Prasad’s photographs have been exhibited in countries like Cyprus, Singapore, Russia, Ukraine, Bosnia, Greece, Malaysia, Romania, and many others. Within India, he was recognised as the top five best photographers for two consecutive years by Indian Photographic Federation (FIP).

He is a member of Bangalore youth photographic society and his dynamic profession allows him to involve with many photographic organizations of India and abroad. Over the past 30 years, he has amassed a distinctive collection of rare photographs that he himself captured.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

Ankita Basappa Konnur, 15, the daughter of a farmer from Bagalkot district, topped the Karnataka Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination by scoring a perfect 625 out of 625.

Ankita Basappa Konnur, 15, the daughter of a farmer from Bagalkot district, topped the Karnataka Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination by scoring a perfect 625 out of 625. A student of Morarji Desai Residential School-Mudhol, Konnur aspires to become an IAS officer.

“I am really excited about my performance. I never used to over-study or study late in the night. I used to stick to the normal study schedule. This way, I was able to overcome anxiety. I want to pursue science in PU (Pre University),” said Konnur.

Konnur’s English teacher Vinayak Mantor dubbed her as a “sharp” student who had a solid grasp of general knowledge. She also used to regularly participate in public speaking and quiz competitions. Konnur recently bagged the first prize during a public speaking competition, wherein she spoke on ‘Chandrayaan-3’.

“Ankita has been our student since sixth grade. She is always updated about current affairs and has a very sharp IQ. Her grasping power is very efficient. During her free time, she browses the internet and is always eager to glean new information,” added Mantor.

Meanwhile, Chinmay GK in Dakshina Kannada scored 624. Known as a soft-spoken person, Chinmay GK studied only three hours a day.

Speaking to The Indian Express, he said, “I was definitely expecting above 620. I lost one mark in Science. I will go for a revaluation after accessing the scanned answer keys. I am a classical singer and I sing whenever I take a break from studying. It helps me focus better. I want to be a computer science engineer.”

He credits his success to his parents – Malini Hegde and Ganesha Ramachandra Bhat – who are both teachers.

Bengaluru students shine bright

Three students from Bengaluru – Medha Shetty (624), Sourav Kaushik (623), and Ankita Anand Andewadikar (623) – feature in the top 10 list of SSLC candidates. Bengaluru also improved its ranking from 2023 – Bengaluru South improved its ranking from 33 to 12 and Bengaluru North from 32 to 14.

Andewadikar, a student of VVS Sardar Patel English High School, said, “I am slightly disappointed because I lost two marks… I did not follow any fixed timings for studying. I followed concept-based learning, and studied concepts until I understood them,” said Andewadikar.

She further said, “My teachers always supported me and cleared my doubts. I also received immense support from my sister and my parents who are highly qualified. I still don’t have clarity on what to pursue in higher education. But I will take up science in PU for now.”

Kaushik from the same school also scored 623. “I think my teachers have helped me achieve this score. They helped me balance my focus between academics and extracurricular activities. Solving previous years’ question papers enhanced my performance,” he said, adding that he overcame anxiety by spending quality time with friends and family.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

Dedicated to the postal history of India, the Sandesha Museum of Communication in Bengaluru displays artefacts and exhibits showcasing the evolution of the Indian communication system.

From the British-era General Post Office that once stood in place of the modern one to the ancient Anche system of the Wodeyar rulers, Bengaluru has a long history intertwined with the postal service. For history enthusiasts and stamp collectors, the Sandesha Museum of Communication on Museum Road is well worth a visit.

To start with, the very name of the road is intertwined with the building that now houses the Sandesha Museum. While Sandesha itself is barely five years old, its high-roofed colonial bungalow is from the mid-1800s and is associated with the Government Museum — one of the oldest museums in India.

Located on Kasturba Gandhi Road, the Government Museum is housed in a heritage building dating back to 1865, and before this building was completed, the museum’s displays were housed in two buildings on Museum Road at different points in time — one of which is now the Sandesha Museum.

Preserved at the Sandesha Museum are relics from across the history of the postal service. The entry hall features a stack of letters pierced on a metal pole, as they were often arranged in days past. Interestingly, these were sourced from the house of Siddanagowda Patil, a leading figure in starting Asia’s first cooperative society in the Gadag district. On its shelves are unclaimed goods from throughout the decades — from small brass sculptures to beads and even entire logs of sandalwood. Charts with stamps attached also list the types of stamps and their histories, such as joint issue and omnibus issue stamps.

Timekeeping has also always been an important part of the postal service, and as such India Post has preserved a rare Ansonia wall clock, manufactured in New York. Another simpler clock is more sombre — it stopped at 11.18 pm when floods inundated the post office at Lolsur near Gokak where it hung at the time. Older equipment no longer in use is also on display — very recent equipment such as a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) dish that was once used to transmit money order data, old mallets and wooden machines employed to arrange records and punch holes in bundles of paper, along with old uniforms and leather satchels once worn by postmen.

The museum also has an audiovisual room to host visiting schoolchildren that examines the history of the postal service in pre-colonial times.

The museum is open on all days except Sundays and public holidays, with tickets available at Rs 25.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)