INTERNATIONAL: ARTS & CRAFTS / LITERARY : Kannada poet Mamta G. Sagar wins international award
The Bengaluru-based writer was conferred the World Literary Prize from the World Organization of Writers (WOW) on April 6 at a ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria
Mamta G. Sagar, a Bengaluru-based Kannada poet, writer, academic and activist, has recently won the World Literary Prize from the World Organization of Writers (WOW) for her contributions to the world of literature. Dr Sagar, a facilitator at Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design, and Technology, known for her involvement in diverse forms of transdisciplinary creative writing and cultural industries, received the award on April 6 at a ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria.
“I am deeply honoured to receive the award and diploma. This recognition is a testament to the power of literature to inspire and provoke thought irrespective of the language,” said Dr. Sagar on receiving the news of her win. “I am humbled to be acknowledged among such esteemed writers.”
In addition to this award, Dr. Sagar, who has always actively engaged in community-based projects centred around poetry, has also been honoured with the LIFFT award, the gold medal, and a diploma for her outstanding achievements in the field of literature. Some of the themes she has addressed in her work, over the years, include identity politics, feminism, and cultural diversity.
Sagar produced Interversions 1,2, & 3, three films based on her poetry collections, with Srishti Films as part of the Wales-India collaborative projects (2018). She has also written and produced For Gauri, a video presentation of her poem written for the late journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh. She has several works to her credit including Kaada Navilina Hejje, Chukki Chukki Chandakki, Nadiya Neerina Teva, and Illi Salluva Maatu.
Congratulating Dr. Sagar on the occasion, Dr. Arindam Das, Director, SMI said, “Dr. Sagar’s achievement not only reflects her exceptional talent but also underscores our commitment to cultivating a community of erudite and exemplary practitioners who bring their real-world experience into the classroom, enriching the academic journey of our students.”
source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)
KARNATAKA: HEALTH & MEDICAL SERVICES : Nimhans hosts special exhibition in Bengaluru
A series of informative content and interactive sessions kept the attendees engaged.
To raise awareness about bipolar disorder and combat the social stigma surrounding mental health, the Department of Psychiatry at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), in collaboration with other departments organized a special exhibition on World Bipolar Day on Saturday.
A series of informative content and interactive sessions kept the attendees engaged. They could explore more on bipolar disorder, its symptoms, treatment options, and ways to offer support to those affected by the condition.
Alongside the exhibition, the Department of Mental Health Education and the Department of Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neurotoxicology released an infographic video on Bipolar Affective Disorder in both English and Kannada. The initiative aimed to educate the public and provide them with valuable knowledge and resources.
NIMHANS Director Dr Pratima Murthy inaugurated the event and highlighted the significance of World Bipolar Day in combating the stigma surrounding mental health disorders. Dr Murthy said, “It is upon us to inspire and stand by those impacted by this disorder, affirming that they too can lead lives as fulfilling as anyone else.”
source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)
SOUTH INDIA: AVIATION & TRAVEL HUB: Air India and BIAL sign agreement to make Bengaluru premier aviation hub of south India
Air India said that this partnership will stimulate the MRO ecosystem and is projected to generate over 1,200 new job opportunities for highly skilled individuals in the State.
Air India and the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) have entered into an agreement intended to develop Bengaluru as a premier aviation hub for southern India.
Air India (along with other Tata Group airlines—AIX and Vistara) and BIAL will collaborate to enhance international connectivity, operational efficiency, and passenger experience over the next five years.
This includes strengthening the group’s presence at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) through an enhanced network and establishing a dedicated domestic lounge for premium and frequent travellers of Tata Group airlines Air India and Vistara.
As part of this initiative, Air India has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of Karnataka to establish comprehensive Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities at KIA.
Air India said that this partnership will stimulate the MRO ecosystem and is projected to generate over 1,200 new job opportunities for highly skilled individuals in the State.
“Airline-airport synergy is key to elevated customer experience and efficient operations, while Bengaluru is highly attractive as an origin and destination market as well as a connecting hub,” said Campbell Wilson, Managing Director and CEO of Air India. “We are therefore delighted to be strengthening our relationship with BIAL with a view to developing a greater presence at the airport, expanding air connectivity as well as building a major MRO center. This partnership agreement is a significant milestone in the ongoing transformation of Air India,” he added.
Hari Marar, Managing Director and CEO, BIAL, said, “Given that over half of the international outbound travellers from Bengaluru and our catchment head to Europe, North America, Australia, and the Far East, our alliance with Air India represents a substantial leap towards this goal. We aim to capture a significant share of long-haul routes from the Airport over the next five years.”
source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)
KARNATAKA / & INTERNATIONAL: ARTS & CULTURE / LANGUAGE : Tulu, Kannada ambassador Bharatesha Alasandemajalu to represent Wikimedia Summit 2024, Berlin
Bharatesha Alasandemajalu has been chosen to represent the Tulu and Kannada languages at the Wikimedia Summit 2024, scheduled to take place in Berlin, Germany, from April 19 to 22.
A dedicated member of the Karavali Wikimedians User Group in Mangaluru, he will serve as an ambassador for these languages.
Joining over 150 multilingual individuals from more than 100 countries, Bharatesha will participate in various activities, including discussions on ratifying Wiki Moment 2030, attending User Group representative meetings, and addressing challenges related to regional languages.
Born and raised in Alasandemajalu, Perlampady, Puttur Taluk, Bharatesha is the son of Bojappa Gowda A and Girija A B.
Currently employed at the Bank of Baroda, he has previously been associated with the Karnataka Arebhashe Samskriti mattu Sahitya Academy.
Notably, Bharatesha collaborated with the Wikimedia Foundation to create “Pursa Kattuna,” Tulu’s inaugural research documentary, which garnered recognition at international film festivals.
With expertise in Tulu and Kannada writing, he remains committed to making significant contributions to the preservation of language and culture through meticulous archiving efforts.
source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)
KARNATAKA: HISTORY / ARTS & CULTURE / BUDDHIST: Nuggets of history from Sannati village in Kalaburagi district
Left neglected for many years after it came to light through the ASI excavations in the 1990s, the ancient Buddhist site of Sannati on the bank of the Bhima River got a restoration project in 2022.
Major Buddhist centre during the Ashokan Empire
Historians believe that the Sannati Ranamandal [war zone] was a fortified area spreading over 210 acres, of which only a couple of acres have so far been excavated. The excavations suggested that the area was one of the major Buddhist centres that flourished with the active support of Emperor Ashoka. The areas came under the control of Shatavahanas after the Mouryas.
The Maha Stupa destroyed by natural calamities
The Maha Stupa, which measures nearly 22 meters in diameter and rose to a height of about 17 meters, is believed to have been developed in three constructional phases – Maurya, Early Satavahana and Later Satavahana periods stretching from 3rd Century BC to 3rd Century AD. The archaeologists believe that the Stupa was destroyed by natural calamities.
Devanampiye and Piyadasi, titles of Emperor Ashoka
The minor rock edict found at Maski town in Raichur district in 1915 convincingly established that Devanampiye and Piyadasi (‘beloved of the gods’ and ‘one with a benevolent gaze’) were the titles of Ashoka. Till then, the identity of Devanampiye and Piyadasi which were widely referred to in ancient inscriptions remained unknown.
A major education hub between 10th and 12th Centuries
The site of ancient Nagavi Ghatikasthana, which was often termed the Takshashila of the South by historians, is around 40 km away from Sannati. The Ghatikasthana, which had the status of a present-day university, was a major education hub during rulers of the Rashtrakuta and Kalyana Chalukya dynasties between the 10th and 12th Centuries.
The Sannati Development Authority to conserve the antiquities
The Karnataka government established the Sannati Development Authority to conserve the antiquities retrieved during the excavation in Kanaganahalli and developed the ancient Buddhist site as a major tourist and pilgrimage destination. Karnataka Housing Board has built a museum building, dormitories, and staff quarters, but the museum building is not handed over to to ASI.
source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)
KARNATAKA: HISTORY: Know Your City: The Bengaluru ‘Jayamahal Palace Hotel’ connected to 03 Royal families and a musical mind of the Wodeyar family
A well-known admirer of music, Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar is said to have pursued his interests at what is now Bengaluru’s Jayamahal Palace hotel.
Connections to the bygone royals are everywhere in Bengaluru for those looking in the right place, from the Gangas to Kempe Gowda. But today, the most common reminders are those of the Wodeyar dynasty, most often seen in the marks of the twin-headed Gandaberunda sigil. But one heritage hotel can draw its lineage back to not one but three of India’s erstwhile royal families—Jayamahal Palace.
The earliest trace of the history of the building, blending colonial and Indian architecture of the time, is from around 1892, by which time it had already been built for the Jagirdar of Arni. This was a small state dating back to around the time of Shivaji, when the founder of the jagir had been granted the territory by Shivaji’s father Shahaji as a reward. By the early 20th century, however, the palace had passed into the hands of the Wodeyar family.
The hotel probably takes its current name from Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar’s successor. His nephew, Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar, was a well-known admirer of music and is said to have pursued his interests at Jayamahal. A composer in his own right, Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar was the president of the Philharmonia Concert Society in London and a patron to composers as far afield as Europe.
One of these musicians was Nikolai Medtner. This association happened towards the close of Medtner’s life, during a period of relative obscurity. The New York Times noted in October 1948, “In characteristic regal fashion, this Hindu ruler has expressed a desire, backed by a special endowment, that the entire stock of Medtner’s works—sixty works in all—be recorded on gramophone disks, so that posterity may avail itself of the composer’s neglected contribution to musical art. For the past twelve years Nicholas Medtner has been living quietly and modestly… One may well imagine the composer’s complete bewilderment when…he was informed of the Maharaja’s friendly wish.”
After a stint of about a half century with the Wodeyars, the building was by 1950 in the hands of the erstwhile royal family of Gondal, a princely state of Rajput origin located in Gujarat. According to Sanjay Sinhji, a member of the family, “The connection with the family is that Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar was married to my grandfather’s sister (Maharani Pratapa Kumari), who hailed from Vana in Gujarat. The hotel later was sold to Vikram Sinhji, the head of the family and erstwhile king of Gondal. Today, it is owned by his grandson.”
source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)
KARNATAKA: EDUCATION / UNSUNG HEROES : Hit hard by daughter’s death, this Bengaluru Police Officer Asst SI D.Lokeshappa now supports 600 school children in their studies
Assistant SI Lokeshappa lost his 3-year-old daughter to a garbage fire that broke out in police staff quarters in Bengaluru 5 years ago; now donates study materials for govt school children, equivalent to the amount that he would have spent on his daughter’s education if she were alive.
13 March, 2019, was a tragic day in the life of Assistant Police Sub-Inspector D Lokeshappa’s life when he lost his three-year-old daughter to the garbage fire that broke out in police quarters in Bengaluru.
Unable to come to terms with the loss, Lokeshappa chose a meaningful way to compensate himself by helping over 600 government school children every year in memory of his daughter.
On March 5, 2019, Harshali, daughter of Lokeshappa and Sudhamani was playing with her ball on the police staff quarters premises located in Shivajinagar. While her father was at work in Vidhana Soudha, around 5 pm he received the most unexpected call that Harshali has sustained over 60 per cent burn injuries in the garbage fire accident.
Harshaali was rushed to Victoria Hospital where she was treated for the next few days before she succumbed to burn injuries on March 13.
“I was unable to digest the fact that I will not be able to see my daughter any more. It was traumatic for her and me as well. She was being treated in the burning ward and was screaming ‘Appa’ (father) whenever she saw me which I cannot digest to this day and she suffered a lot before her death,” recalls the 43-year-old.
After his daughter’s death, a mentally shattered Lokeshappa was confined to his house for two months. “It was my wife who tried to console me as our other daughter was just six months old then. I had no choice but to return back to work but I did not want to go to the same police quarters. My department had allotted me quarters in Binnypet,” says Lokeshappa who opens up about how he came out of the pain.
It was then he decided to do something in his daughter’s name. Donate study materials for government school children, equivalent to the amount that he would have spent on his daughter’s education.
“If my daughter was alive, I would have spent at least Rs 50,000 – Rs 70,000 for her education. The same money I spend for poor children. Before the start of every academic year, we provide the children with the required materials. At least 500-600 children from five government schools benefit out of this,” he says.
The police officer zeroed in on five schools – a government school in Dhodda Hosuru in Mysuru district which has many tribal children, Jodi Gubbi government school in Hassan district, government school at Kodigehalli in Bengaluru, and two others in Jannavara and Valehalli in Hassan districts for his charity work. “While I spend about 70,000 every year, some of my colleagues, family members and friends also contribute for the cause and every year we spend about Rs 1.5- Rs 2 lakh,” Lokeshappa reveals.
Mary Stella, a teacher with the Dhodda Hosuru school, recalls how the charity activities have helped her students. “Many of the students come from Haadis (hamlets) and belong to tribal communities. There is a Tibetian camp here and these students used to wait for some visitors to throw a used water bottle on roadside (mineral water bottle) to reuse it. We insisted them not to take them. Lokeshappa donated proper school water bottles to all the 120 children here. This comes besides, geometry boxes, notebooks and pencils. They no longer pick those water bottles,” smiles Mary Stella.
Government schools in Bengaluru are fraught with problems as well. The Kodigehalli government school sees a lot of migrants from north Karnataka and north India who require support. “From Classes 1 to 5, we provide pencils, geometry boxes and box notebooks. From Class 5 to 10, we provide pens and notebooks according to their demands,” Lokeshappa says.
Every year, the police officer and his family celebrate Harshaali’s birthday at orphan houses. “The Rotary Club near Cubbon Park has given us space for free for a day to hold an event, he says.
Lokeshappa is currently the assistant sub-inspector at Shivajinagar women’s police station in Bengaluru.
source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)
KARNATAKA: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: WATER FROM AIR: How some institutions in Bengaluru are harvesting water out of thin air
Atmospheric Water Generator uses cutting-edge technology under which water vapour in the air is converted into fresh and cleaning drinking water, which is 100% microbe-free.
Imagine getting around 100 litres of water every day from thin air when Bengaluru is battling a water crisis. Thanks to a technology called atmospheric water generation, several institutions in Bengaluru, including government schools and hospitals, have regular water supply source on their premises.
The Atmospheric Water Generator (AWG) uses cutting edge technology under which water vapour in the air is converted into fresh and clean drinking water, which is 100% microbe-free. The vapour is converted to water droplets through the process of condensation. The water then goes through multiple filtration processes and is also passed through a mineral cartridge to infuse necessary minerals.
K. R. Puram Government Hospital was among the initial beneficiaries of this technology with the installation of two AWGs almost four years ago. With an installed capacity of 300 litres, the water from these generators is used for the dialysis centre and maternity division in the hospital in east Bengaluru.
“As we also have an RO plant, we do not use all of 300 litres every day, but we make use of 50 – 100 litres for drinking purposes. We get both hot and cold water. The generator keeps filling up as we draw water from it. However, if the air supply to the AWGs was better (currently, it is obstructed by a tree and glass casing around one AWG), then the water generation would have been much better,” said Praveena, in-charge nursing superintendent at the hospital.
Recently, an AWG of 250-litre capacity was installed at Government Higher Primary School, Rajarajeshwari Nagar. Kashinath Prabhu, the district director, CSR of Rotary District 3191, which implemented the project in collaboration with other institutions, said, “With this, we can provide at least half a litre of drinking water to each of the 300 children who come there. We are currently able to harvest 80% yield every day.”
Yield reduces in summer
While the yield from AWGs is usually higher in the rainy and winter seasons, the absence of humidity in the air during summer reduces the yield at some installations. According to sources, the yield from the AWG at Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium has been around 50-60% of the installed capacity this summer.
“We do not see much generation during the day. But it happens during evenings and nights in summer. It has certainly proven to be helpful for drinking water purposes at the planetarium,” according to a source.
Maithri Aquatech is the technology partner for these installations, under their project Meghdoot. Including the aforementioned, they have a total of 21 installations in and around Bengaluru with capacity ranging from 40 litres to 5,000 litres. The installations are in residential buildings, corporate companies, educational institutions and the latest, the College of Horticulture in Kolar.
Cost concerns
According to S. Sridhar, director of a non-profit organisation Applying Technology For Social Changes (ATFSC) who has partnered with Maithri Aquatech to provide potable water to communities, there is an increased interest in the technology in light of the recent water crisis in Bengaluru.
“However, people are hesitant about installation due to power costs. The AWG consumes 0.25 units per litre. Overall, the cost comes up to ₹2 per litre, and maintenance is minimal. Just like RO systems, there are two filters inside, which should be cleaned once a year,” Mr. Sridhar said.
source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)
KARNATAKA: KANNADA : Vatican Radio-News adds Kannada as 53rd language for its media coverage
Vatican Radio – Vatican News have added Karnataka’s official language of Kannada as the 53rd language to provide coverage of Papal, Vatican, and Church news, offering the Gospel Proclamation in the mother tongue of 35 million Indians.
Vatican Radio – Vatican News will be available in Kannada language spoken by millions of people in India on the Vatican News web portal.
The initiative arises from collaboration between the Dicastery for Communication and the Archdiocese of Bangalore, in the Indian state of Karnataka.
“I am delighted with the launch of these pages in Kannada,” remarked the Archbishop of Bangalore Dr Peter Machado.
“News about the Pope, the Vatican, the universal Church, and the world will be of great interest and importance for the local Church in Karnataka. I thank our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis, for his continual emphasis on synodality and on bringing the Church to the peripheries. The faithful will surely benefit from reading these articles and, in a later phase when possible, also from their broadcast in audio/video. I am sure that our Communication Centre of the Archdiocese of Bangalore will bring the universal Church closer to the people,’’ said the Archbishop.
“A new language is added to those spoken by Vatican News. It is an ancient language, yet very much alive,” highlighted Dr Paolo Ruffini, the Prefect of the Holy See’s Dicastery for Communication.
“It is alive just as is the Catholic community that helps us in this small but great enterprise: to speak the language of 35 million Indians. It is an act of homage to their culture, and a service to authentic communication, a way of walking together, one step after the other. It represents great effort, certainly. ‘Effort always pays,’’ he said.
“The decision to also add the Kannada language to the existing 52 of Vatican Radio – Vatican News to offer the word of the Pope in the mother tongue of millions of Indians,” said Andrea Tornielli, editorial director of Vatican Media, “confirms our vocation of service to the Bishop of Rome and the Churches that form the universal Church.”
In a historical moment characterised by difficulties, uncertainties, wars, and violence, it is comforting that the Church bears witness to communion and sharing, strengthening the ties between Rome and the world.
“The breadth of the Church is truly wonderful. 93 years ago, Pope Pius XI entrusted Guglielmo Marconi with the task of building Vatican Radio to bring hope to the world,” emphasised Massimiliano Menichetti, head of Vatican Radio – Vatican News, “to spread the Christian proclamation, and to build up the Church of Christ. In the 1990s, the waves of the Pope’s Radio reached Vietnam, that Proclamation generated “radio Christians”; a new living Church.
Today, new technologies (shortwaves, satellites, and internet) offer us many opportunities to bring the Good News to our wounded world. The Kannada language is another example of vitality and fraternity and our wish is to continue to weave these paths in responsibility and unity.”
‘’We are excited to announce that Vatican news is now broadcast in Kannada, courtesy of the Archdiocese of Bangalore. Today, Dr Peter Machado, Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangalore, officially inaugurated and launched the channel.
This addition makes Kannada the 53rd language in which Vatican news is accessible worldwide, joining other major languages such as Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam.
source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)