Tag: Bangalore Records

NATIONAL/ KARNATAKA: AUGUST 15th, 2023 : Benglauru’s Manekshaw Parade Ground Decks up to Welcome the Nation’s 76th Independence Day 

At 8.58 am on August 15, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will arrive at the Manekshaw Parade Ground, and hoist the Tricolour by 9 am.

 The stage is set for the 76th Independence Day celebration at Manekshaw Parade Ground, which is expected to see around 8,000 people in attendance. Nearly 1,800 police personnel will be deployed to guard the venue. BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath, along with Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda and Deputy Commissioner (Bengaluru Urban) Dayananda KA, inspected the venue and oversaw the final rehearsal of the event on Sunday morning.

Addressing the media on Sunday, Girinath said, “The stage is set for the Independence Day celebration. Around 1,500 children from different schools across the city will be taking part in cultural programmes on Tuesday. For the general public, VIPs and VVIPs and special invitees, 8,000 seats have been arranged to witness the parade.” 

At 8.58 am on August 15, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will arrive at the Manekshaw Parade Ground, and hoist the Tricolour by 9 am. He will get on an open vehicle and receive the guard of honour from various wings of the state police. 

Including the armed platoons of the Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Goa State Police, Karnataka State Reserve Police, and unarmed platoons of Excise, Fire Service, and school groups, a total of 38 platoons, with 1,350 people, will take part in a parade. 

“There will be tight security on Independence Day with 1,786 police personnel on duty. The general public will be allowed to carry only their mobile phones, wallets and handbags (women). Hundred CCTV cameras have been installed to monitor the ground, along with 20 door frame metal detectors. There will be three baggage scanners and 40 hand-held metal detectors,” the police commissioner said.

Articles prohibited
Meanwhile, matchboxes, cigarettes, pamphlets, knives, black cloth, food items, sharp objects, water bottles and cans, firecrackers and explosives, liquor, colour powder, and cameras are prohibited. 

Parking restrictions
Traffic will be diverted from 8 am to 11 am from BRV Junction to Kamaraj Road Junction on Cubbon Road. Further, people are advised not to park around Central Street from Anil Kumble Circle to Shivajinagar Bus Stand, Cubbon Road, from CTO to KR Road and Cubbon Road Junction, and MG Road from Anil Kumble Circle to Queens Circle.

Bannerghatta Park to be open on August 15
The Bannerghatta Biological Park will remain open on August 15. Usually, the zoo, safari and butterfly park are closed every Tuesday, however, the BBP said the park will be closed on August 16, instead of Tuesday.

Teachers, fishermen, artisans from K’taka to witness I-day fete in delhi
Teachers, fishermen, artisans, and beneficiaries of various programmes are among the 31 special invitees from Karnataka who will witness the Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi. The special guests include six teachers, four fishermen, three artisans, three beneficiaries of the Jal Jeevan mission, two each beneficiaries of Amrit Sarovar and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana and representatives of 13 farmer produce organisations in Karnataka. The initiative to invite people from all walks of life from across the country to be a part of the celebrations was taken by the Centre in line with its vision of ‘Jan Bhagidari’, said a statement. Around 1,800 special invitees from across the country will witness the Independence Day celebrations in the national capital, the statement added. 

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL & KARNATAKA: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: Eminent Scientist Padma Shri Prof. MRS Rao passes away in Bengaluru at 75. He was the First Scientist to initiate Chromatin Biology Research in India. 

Prof Rao was working as an Honorary Professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research and was actively running the Chromatin Biology laboratory in the institute.

Manchanahalli Rangaswamy Satyanarayana Rao, popularly known as MRS Rao, an eminent Indian scientist and Padma Shri awardee, died of cardiac arrest at 7 pm at his residence in Tata Nagar in Bengaluru on Sunday.

He was well known for his discipline, scientific knowledge, patience, soft-spoken nature and mentorship of PhD students.

The former Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research president is survived by his wife Padma S Rao and two sons Sharat and Rohan.

MR Satyanarayana Rao’s colleagues told TNIE that his last rites will be conducted on Tuesday after one of his sons returns from Brisbane. 

Born on January 21, 1948, in Mysuru, the 75-year-old scientist, was the first scientist to initiate Chromatin Biology research in India. 

Prior to his demise, he was working as an Honorary Professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research and was actively running the Chromatin Biology laboratory in the institute.

He was honoured with the Padma Sri award in 2010 for his contributions to the field of science and engineering.

He was also honoured by the Karnataka state government with the Sir MV Visvesvaraya Award for his contribution to the field of science and research.

He was the President of the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, from 2003-13.

He was also the chairman of many central government science committees. He was also on all committees of the Indian Council of medical research. 

Prof Rao completed his BSc in 1966 and Msc in 1968 from Bengaluru University. He did his PhD in biochemistry from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru in 1973.

He then did his postdoctoral research at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston from 1974–76, where he also worked as an assistant professor.

When he returned to India, he joined the Department of Biochemistry at IISc.

In over 30 years of his research career, Prof Rao has mentored and guided over 35 PhD students and hundreds of trainees. 

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: AI in HEALTH & MEDICAL SERVICES / OPTHALMOLOGY: AI can Predict Severity of Conjunctivitis, says Dr. Rohit Shetty, Narayana Nethralaya, Bengaluru

Addressing reporters on Thursday, the doctor said that using imaging and molecular diagnostics has enabled them to use AI and bio-markers in conjunctivitis to predict severity.

 In an effort to identify and treat severe conjunctivitis cases early, Narayana Nethralaya has managed to predict the severity of such cases using Artificial Intelligence (AI). “We are using AI to predict the severity of conjunctivitis. This can help clinicians provide the right treatment that helps in better recovery. This bio-marker work in tears is probably one of the first in the country, and could also be one of the first conjunctivitis-related tear bio-marker research in the world,” said Dr Rohit Shetty, chairman, Narayana Nethralaya explained. 

Addressing reporters on Thursday, the doctor said that using imaging and molecular diagnostics has enabled them to use AI and bio-markers in conjunctivitis to predict severity. This AI-driven research has highlighted that people who are more prone to allergies or asthma and have low Vitamin D levels are getting severely affected. The AI model has demonstrated 97 per cent accuracy, affirming its successful interpretation.

Cases of conjunctivitis, commonly known as ‘pink eye’, are on the rise in Bengaluru in the past few weeks. Doctors at Narayana see over 100 patients daily, with 30% of them being children. Most cases are caused due to adenovirus, and is not just a summer infection, but occurs in all seasons.

“This research is of paramount importance to patients and doctors, as the disease has been addressed with a blanket approach that may not be suitable for all. Depending on the severity, we can decide what medications would be suitable, and starting topical steroids early can be beneficial,” said Dr Gairik, consultant of cornea and refractive surgery, Narayana Nethralaya.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: CITY NEWS: Bengaluru hailed Best ‘RRR’ City in State

My Life, My Clean City was a national campaign launched by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

Bengaluru has been chosen as the best RRR (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) city in the State in a campaign run by the Directorate Municipal Administration of Urban Development Department. My Life, My Clean City was a national campaign launched by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

Under the programme that was held from May 25 to June 5, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) set up 49 RRR plants for the public to give used plastic and other materials. According to the officials, the campaign received massive response with people giving used materials in large numbers.

On Thursday, Municipal Administration Minister Rahim Khan issued a certificate to BBMP for excelling in the work carried out under the programme.

BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath lauded the efforts of Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: NATIONAL & KARNATAKA: Bengaluru becomes First Indian City to join World Cities Culture Forum

The network currently has 40 cities spanning six continents.

The network currently has 40 cities spanning six continents, and Bengaluru is set to join the league of cities like New York, London, Paris, Tokyo and Dubai among others.

Bengaluru has become the first Indian city to become part of the World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF,) a global network of cities that share research and intelligence, and explore the role of culture in future prosperity.

The network currently has 40 cities spanning six continents. Bengaluru being the latest addition is set to join the league of cities like New York, London, Paris, Tokyo and Dubai among others.

The global consortium was founded in 2012 by Justine Simons OBE, London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture & the Creative Industries.

“We have been keen to have an Indian city and a lot of other cities that are part of the network have also been keen about it. Bengaluru is a fast-growing city. It’s very diverse and has got a big commitment to culture,” said Ms. Simons in an exclusive interaction with The Hindu.

“It feels like there is real ambition and drive in Bengaluru around the culture story. It is known as a tech city in the rest of the world. This is a fantastic opportunity for Bengaluru to bring the cultural story alongside the tech story, and to really grow its economy and its status as a global city,” she added.

Bengaluru’s entry into WCCF comes after several discussions that have been happening for over a year. Unboxing Bangalore, a participative project to create a new narrative around Bengaluru through multimedia properties, have been representing the city and leading the discussions.

“Bengaluru, in many ways, represents an aspirational India. There is a lot of culture to the city that is not being talked about,” said Prashanth Prakash, chairman of UnboxingBLR Foundation and founding partner at Accel India.

(Detailed interview in e-paper)

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: KARNATAKA: Bengaluru-based Drone Startup ‘Squadrone Infra & Mining’ Deployed in Indonesia’s Islands to Explore Critical Minerals

Its advanced system enables the mapping of shallow and deep-seated virgin mineral deposits, reaching depths of up to 1,500 metres below the ground.

City-based drone startup Squadrone Infra and Mining Pvt. Ltd. has deployed drone-based geophysical surveys for prospecting and exploration of nickel, gold, bauxite, coal and other critical minerals at Indonesia’s Kalimantan and Sulawesi Islands.

The startup has deployed MagArrow and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technologies, a UAV-enabled drone-based solution equipped with a non-radioactive laser-pumped cesium vapor total field scalar magnetometer.

This advanced system enables the mapping of shallow and deep-seated virgin mineral deposits, reaching depths of up to 1,000 to 1,500 m below ground level.

Geologists, geophysicists, and researchers can now conduct comprehensive studies of the earth’s strata for new and greenfield mineral discoveries in previously inaccessible areas, significantly enhancing efficiency and accuracy. The GPR adds great value to nickel, gold, bauxite and coal prospecting, with high precision.

Kalimantan Island, known for its unique and diverse ecosystems, poses significant challenges to traditional mining surveys due to its remote and difficult-to-access terrain.

With the introduction of MagArrow and GPR, Squadrone offers a revolutionary solution that allows for geophysical surveying without adversely affecting the ecology of the region and minimising the need for human intervention. This technology marks a significant milestone in the field of mineral exploration in such environmentally sensitive areas.

Squadrone Infra and Mining with its expansion into Indonesia and plans to enter other regions of Southeast Asia and Africa, is set to contribute significantly to Net Zero operations and the sustainable development of the global mining industry.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: INDIA & KARNATAKA: MATHS OLYMPIAD: Bengaluru boy Atul Shatvart Nadig Bags Gold Medal at 64th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), Chiba, Japan

Atul Shatavart Nadig, student of Shri Ram Global School, Whitefield, bagged the gold medal at the 64th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), held in Chiba, Japan, from July 2 to 13.

Six-member Indian team has done the country proud by securing two gold, two silver and two bronze medals and finished 9th out of 112 countries. Along with Atul, Arjun Gupta of Delhi secured gold at the event.

“In terms of Olympiad Math, I am mostly self-taught. Ever since grade 10, I have been doing Olympiad Math, through the Art of Problem Solving website, classes on the Online Math Club and handouts by Evan Chen, a past Olympiad medallist. I won a gold medal and placed 12th overall in this year’s event,” said Atul.

He got a perfect score of 1600 on the SAT last year and he will be continuing my future studies, doing Mathematics and Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. “I am also the director of the Sophie Fellowship, an initiative to prepare Indian students for Math Olympiads by showing them its beauty. With this, I also hope to reach out to more students in India, most of who are unaware of the prospects mathematics holds as a career,” he added.

This is the fourth time India secured a position in the Top 10. The team was accompanied by Prithwijit De, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Mumbai, Sahil Mhaskar, Chennai Mathematical Institute, Chennai, Anant Mudgal, University of California, USA and Pranjal Srivastava, MIT, USA.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

SOUTH INDIA: KARNATAKA: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI): Meet Soundarya, South India’s First AI News Presenter by Kannada News Channel ‘Power TV’

The channel will also experiment with various news shows, featuring the new AI presenter, Soundarya.

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) news presenters started entering into the Indian TV news industry, Kannada channel Power TV launched south India’s first AI news presenter. The management named the AI presenter Soundarya and on Tuesday, the first news show was rolled out, featuring her.

In the first show, Soundarya introduced self by saying, “Hello everyone. AI is leaving its footprint in every industry, and it has entered the TV news industry as well. A few of me colleagues (AI news presenters) started presenting news in some of the channels in north India. I am Soundarya, south India’s first robotic anchor by Power TV.” The channel will also experiment with various news shows, featuring the new AI presenter, Soundarya.

A few other channels in the country too have come up with their own AI powered news presenters.

Recently, an Odia channel called OTV launched state’s first AI news presenter Lisa. Lisa took the internet by storm after the flawless news presentation in both English and Odia impressed many people.

In March, India Today group launched country’s first AI news presenter Sana for their Hindi channel Aaj Tak.

Though there is a long way to go for the seamless AI news presenters to take over the human news presenters, the AI enthusiasts are calling it an interesting development in Indian TV journalism.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headlines edited)

INDIA & KARNATAKA: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / RESEARCH: IISc. Scientists Develop Composite Semiconductor for Next-Gen Foldable Phones and Wearable Devices

Traditional semiconductor devices – such as transistors – are either made of amorphous silicon or amorphous oxides, both of which are not flexible and strain tolerant.

Scientists in the Department of Materials Engineering at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) have developed a super flexible, composite semiconductor material that can have possible applications in next-generation flexible or curved display and foldable phones, and in wearable electronics.

Traditional semiconductor devices – such as transistors, the building blocks of most electronic circuits – used in display units are either made of amorphous silicon or amorphous oxides, both of which are not flexible and strain tolerant.

According to IISc, adding polymers to the oxide semiconductors may increase their flexibility, but there is a limit to how much can be added without compromising the semiconductor’s performance.

In the current study, published in Advanced Materials Technologies, researchers have found a way to fabricate a composite containing a significant amount of polymer – up to 40% of the material weight – using a solution-process technique, specifically inkjet printing.

In contrast, previous studies have reported only up to 1-2% polymer addition. Interestingly, the approach enabled the semiconducting properties of the oxide semiconductor to remain unaltered with the polymer addition. The large quantity of polymer made the composite semiconductor highly flexible and foldable without deteriorating its performance.

The composite semiconductor is made up of two materials – a water-insoluble polymer, such as ethyl cellulose that provides flexibility, and indium oxide, a semiconductor which brings in excellent electronic transport properties.

How researchers came up with the new material

To design the material, researchers mixed the polymer with the oxide precursor in such a way that interconnected oxide nanoparticle channels are formed (around phase-separated polymer islands) through which electrons can move from one end of a transistor (source) to the other (drain), ensuring a steady flow of current. The key to form these connected pathways, the researchers found, was the choice of the right kind of water-insoluble polymer that does not mix with the oxide lattice when the oxide semiconductor is being fabricated.

“This phase separation and the formation of polymer-rich islands helps in crack arrest, making it super flexible,” said Subho Dasgupta, Associate Professor in the Department of Materials Engineering, and corresponding author of the study.

Semiconductor materials are usually fabricated using deposition techniques, such as sputtering. Instead, Prof. Dasgupta’s team uses inkjet printing to deposit their material onto various flexible substrates ranging from plastic to paper. In the present study, a polymer called Kapton was used.

Potential use scenarios

Prof. Dasgupta adds that, in the future, such printed semiconductors can be used to fabricate fully printed and flexible television screens, wearables, and large electronic billboards alongside printed organic light emitting diode (OLED) display front-ends. These printed semiconductors will be low cost and easy to manufacture, which could potentially revolutionise the display industry.

The team has obtained a patent for their material, and plans to test its shelf life and quality control from device to device before it can be scaled up for mass production.

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)