Tag: Karnataka First

KARNATAKA’s Judiciary is leading social transformation with Highest Number of Women Civil Judges: CJI Chandrachud 

In Karnataka, of the 447 civil judges, 200 are women, which constitutes about 44% of the working strength in the civil judges’ cadre.

The Karnataka district judiciary is leading social transformation in the country by employing the highest number of women civil judges and its rate of disposal of cases is truly a performance to replicate across the country, said Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud in Bengaluru on Saturday.

Speaking at the 21st biennial State-level conference of judicial officers of Karnataka in Bengaluru, he said the number of women in judiciary is heartening as its 37% of its working strength in district judiciary.

In Karnataka, of the 447 civil judges, 200 are women, which constitutes about 44% of the working strength in the civil judges’ cadre, the CJI said while pointing out that the increase in the number of women judicial officers is crucial not only to correct historic lack of representation in our courts but also to bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the table, resulting in the more effective adjudication process.

“Your contribution to judiciary is of immense importance and you serve as a source of inspiration for the future generation of women aspiring to purpose career in law and Indian judiciary,” the CJI told the women judicial officers.

Disposal of cases

On disposal of cases by the district judiciary in Karnataka, he said that 20.62 lakh cases were disposed of the 22.25 lakh cases instituted between January 1, 2023, and March 23, 2024, while stating this performance is a model to replicate across the country. 

Stating that work-life balance is integral to fulfil duties effectively, the CJI said that a judge, who is overwhelmed with work and unable to prioritise personal time with family and self care may struggle to perform optimally. “Therefore, the ability to manage stress and to achieve work-life balance is not separate from but rather intertwined with delivering justice,” he added. 

The CJI said that the judiciary must have objective yardsticks to access what is its output and what is the quality of work that it is rendering, and how different the judiciary is making the life of citizens by the expenditure and investment of public revenue.

Stating that the district judiciary and grassroots-level judges are the backbone of the Indian judiciary, Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court N.V. Anjaria has said that the common man’s faith in judicial institution originates from here as the district courts and its judges bear a direct connection to the litigants for their plight and aspiration of justice more than the role played by the High Courts or the Supreme Court.

On language 

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that language should not be a barrier to justice. “The use of the local language in court proceedings, or the integration of artificial intelligence to provide real-time updates and translations, can significantly enhance the understanding and participation of litigants in the judicial process,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.

‘I was trolled through doctored video’

CJI Chandrachud recalled a recent incident where he was subjected to trolling and vicious abuse through a doctored video clip, from the Supreme Court’s live streaming, posted on social media, for merely adjusting his seating position during the hearing of a case.

“I was labelled as arrogant by some social media users claiming I got up in the midst of an important argument in court,” he said while pointing out that he had some pain in his back, and all that he did was that he placed his elbows on the armchair in the court and just shifted position.

“I didn’t leave the court. I only shifted my position but I was subject to vicious abuse, trolling, the knives were out…” he said while talking about work-life balance and stress management for judges.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: KARNATAKA: HORTICULTURE & AGRICULTURE: Innovation on display at National Horticulture Fair (NHF) 2024 in IIHR

From seeds of different varieties of fruit, flower and vegetable plants to advanced technological advancements, are available at the 250 stalls put up at the fair.

For any horticulture enthusiasts in Bengaluru, from home gardeners to orchard owners, National Horticulture Fair (NHF) organised at Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) – Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) between March 5 and March 7 is the place to be.

From seeds of different varieties of fruit, flower and vegetable plants to advanced technological advancements, are available at the 250 stalls put up at the fair.

Innovative products like purple coloured ladies finger, dragon fruit juice, ready-to-eat jackfruit curry, millet health bars and jackfruit it seed and mushroom powder cookies are also available at the fair.

More than 30 agricultural institutes from 18 States are taking part in the fair. “Our Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) brought us to this fair. I had never been to an agricultural fair on such a large scale. I have spent more than half day just going through the stall here,” said Pradeep, a farmer from Sira taluk in Tumakuru who was at NHF on the inaugural day.

Arka Mealy Melt, which works against mealy bugs, which are soft oval insects which affect crops in even kitchen gardens, home gardens, landscapes and indoor gardens, is also among the new products developed by IIHR using technology. The product will help dissolve the mealy bug wax due to which hinders the penetration of insecticides to work against the bugs.

On the first day of NHF, around 20,000 people were in attendance while on the second day, around 25,000 people thronged the IIHR premises.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: ARTS & CULTURE: Hampi Art Labs: A new residency and cultural hub amidst Karnataka’s iron-rich terrain

Residency director Meera Curam says, “We are hoping to make this a space where critical conversations about contemporary art can happen.

It’s the colour of burnt orange all around. It is a hue that is unmissable when you are in Toranagallu in Bellary, Karnataka, thanks to the iron-rich land. The newly inaugurated Hampi Art Labs (HAL) near the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hampi boasts the same colour palette. The expansive nine-acre space by the JSW Foundation is spearheaded by founder Sangita Jindal and her daughter Tarini Jindal Handa, the creative director. The concept is to primarily work as a residency. There are five large studios that will host as many artists every quarter, selected from an open call.

Residency director Meera Curam says, “We are hoping to make this a space where critical conversations about contemporary art can happen. This is where artists can come and work without any expectation. Sometimes you may not have anything at the end of three months but just a very strong concept and multiple prototypes or ideas which you may not have the time to develop here but can take back with you. We want the artists to go off the beaten paths.”

Inspired by the surrounding landscape, much of the building structure mimics the organic shapes and fluid forms carved by the Tungabhadra River that flows through the region. “As the founder of Echo, one of India’s first collected design galleries, I wanted to bring in what we try to achieve there with design, craft and art making. We adopt and create new lenses and unique languages to revisit Indian craft heritage through contemporary design. In the same way, I have tried to make the overall philosophy of HAL to be experimental, inclusive, and fluid in design and in vision,” says Sangita Jindal.

The space has been designed by Mumbai-based Sameep Padora from studio sP+a. Tarini Jindal Handa was also involved in the design conversation. The project itself has been in conception for over four years.

“We wanted to do something to give back to the world of art and culture,” says Handa. The site location incidentally was completely barren and did not have any vegetation, or features.

“We were looking at a reference point to develop the project from and being in the proximity of the incredible ruins of Hampi, its boulders and its riverine landscape was the starting point. The river in some sense became a metaphor for movement through our site and each of the buildings became the riverine landscape seen here,” says Padora.

HAL serves as a space for large-scale work and will be a production facility that the JSW Foundation will support. The inaugural exhibition—Right Foot First—on till May 31, showcases works from Sangita Jindal’s personal art collection and includes works of artists like Ai Weiwei, BV Doshi, Dayanita Singh, Tushar Joag and Zarina Hashmi, among others. HAL is a space that comes with a charm like no other as it makes art accessible, inclusive, and open for more people to enjoy and interpret in their own unique way.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited0

NATIONAL: BEAUTY : Ishika Shetty Wins Miss Teen Global World India Oceana 2024 Crown

Mangaluru girl Ishika Shetty was crowned as Miss Teen Global World India Oceana – 2024 at Mr and Miss and Miss Teen Global World beauty pageant in New Delhi on February 27, organized by Global India Entertainment Production and Ali Sharma.

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and model Jathin Kirbath were the jury members for the final round and 65 contestants from all over the country took part in the beauty pageant.

Ishika Shetty hails from Kavoor. She is the daughter of Sharath Kumar Shetty and Shwetha Sharath Kumar Shetty. Presently, she is pursuing her degree at St Aloysius College.

In the year 2022, Ishika bagged Miss Teen Mangaluru and Miss Teen Karnataka in 2023 in Bengaluru. Since childhood, she has been inclined towards acting, dancing and modeling.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: EDUCATION TOPPERS : Chikkamagaluru girl Snehashree S, emerges Topper with 10 gold medals for UAS-B convocation

During the 58th convocation of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru which is scheduled on March 4, on the GKVK Campus, the gold medals and degrees will be conferred to the achievers.

Snehashree S., a graduate of Agricultural Science (B.Sc-Agri) from the College of Agriculture of GKVK, has emerged as the topper of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru (UAS-B) with 10 gold medals and three gold medal certificates.

A daughter of a teacher from Chikkamagaluru, Ms. Snehashree dreams of becoming a civil servant by cracking the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam in the future.

Speaking to The Hindu, Ms. Snehashree said, “I didn’t have any idea that I would top the university with 10 gold medals. I didn’t put too much effort into becoming a topper. Instead, I used to study normally and used to prepare for the UPSC exam. But I tried to improve my marks semester to semester and finally, it was fruitful,” she said.

“I want to become a civil servant and have applied for the UPSC Exam-2024, for which the preliminary exam will be held in May. I have joined coaching classes. Since class 10, I used to improve my marks and results gradually year by year. I will also use the same formula in the UPSC exam,” she added.

Aparna. T.M., a student of the College of Agriculture, Mandya, is the second topper with eight gold medals, and Shreya S. Hanji, GKVK, UAS-B the third with seven gold medals in M.Sc (Agri Economics).

During the 58th convocation of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru which is scheduled on March 4, on the GKVK Campus, the gold medals and degrees will be conferred to the achievers. This year, a total of 1,244 students will be conferred with various degrees, of which 870 students will receive Bachelor’s degrees, 291 students will receive Master’s degrees, and 83 students will be conferred Doctoral degrees, said S.V. Suresh, Vice-Chancellor of UAS at the press conference on Friday, March 1. During the convocation, 156 gold medals and certificates will be awarded.

Honorary doctorate

M.C. Rangaswamy, a farmer from Doddamagge village, Arkalgud taluk, Hassan district will be felicitated with an honorary doctorate.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: KARNATAKA: SPORTS – FIRST: Karnataka govt launches ‘India’s First ever International Stand up-Paddling (SUP) event’, Mar 08-10 Mangaluru

The Government of Karnataka officially launched India’s first-ever International Stand-Up Paddling event here. 

The announcement was made in the presence of UT Khader, Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Minister of Health and District In-Charge Minister of Dakshina Kannada, Govt of Karnataka, and Dhananjaya Shetty, Chairman, Surfing Swami Foundation.

Additionally, the occasion featured the unveiling of the India Paddle Festival logo.

The three-day SUP championship is scheduled to take place at Sasihithlu Beach from March 8-10, 2024, preceding the launch of the 2024 APP World Tour.

Speaking on the occasion, UT Khader said, “We need more of these events in Dakshina Kannada to highlight the beauty of our coastline, culture and cuisine. We are excited to host the inaugural India Paddle Festival in Mangaluru.”

Meanwhile, Dhananjaya Shetty said, “On behalf of the surfing community, I would like to express my gratitude towards the Government of Karnataka for stepping up and supporting us to host the country’s first-ever International Stand-Up Paddling event. We take pride and immense pleasure in hosting the event on such a grand scale, and we will leave no stone unturned to make this event a grand success.”

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: ASTRONOMY: NIE’s Vijnana Tharangini Hosts First Sky Watch Programme in Mysuru

The National Institute of Engineering (NIE) in Mysuru hosted its first ever Sky Watch Programme, captivating attendees with celestial wonders.

Organised by the Vijnana Tharangini – The NIE Student’s Science Club under Department of Physics, in association with the Gravity Science Foundation, Chamarajanagar, the event drew enthusiasts from the region.

Esteemed guests, including Dr. S.N. Prasad, former Principal and Professor of Physics, RIE, Mysuru and M. Krishna Murthy, Amateur Astronomer, were present, offering attendees a mesmerising journey through the cosmos with a Telescope Show.

Dr. Prasad, who holds a habit of travelling to different countries to observe total solar eclipse, delivered a special lecture on the wonders of night sky.

A.S. Abhishek, Founder of the Gravity Science Foundation, highlighted the significance of initiatives like the Sky Watch Programme in fostering scientific curiosity.

Faculty Coordinators Dr. M.V. Deepa Urs, Dr. P. Parameshwara and Dr. Chandra played vital roles in ensuring the event’s success.

Participants marvelled at sights like the Orion constellation and Jupiter with its moons, observed up close through high-powered telescopes.

Dr. Prasad commended the organisers for promoting scientific awareness and nurturing inquiry among students, emphasising its importance in grooming future scientists.

Organisers expressed gratitude to participants, guests and supporters, envisioning the Sky Watch Programme as a recurring event, fostering greater exploration and discovery in astronomy and other scientific fields.

In conclusion, the Sky Watch Programme at NIE marked a significant milestone in promoting scientific education and exploration, igniting curiosity and fascination among attendees.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: KARNATAKA: PRODIGY: 2-year-old Chirush Preetham Poojary bags India Book of Records ‘IBR Achiever’ title

Chirush Preetham Poojary (born on January 9, 2022) of Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, is titled as ‘IBR Achiever.’

The title was achieved for reciting an English nursery rhyme, recalling 26 associated words of the English alphabet, counting from 1 to 10, identifying 8 relatives, 7 fruits, 9 vegetables, 18 parts of the body, 6 birds, 23 animals, 9 colors, 10 vehicles and 47 miscellaneous items performing 6 actions and mimicking the sounds.

source/content/pix : daijiworld.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL / KARNATAKA : MANUFACTURING & AVIATION : MAKE IN INDIA : Airbus contracts Bengaluru based Dynamatic Technologies to make doors for A220 aircraft

Will double sourcing from India from a value of $750 mn to $1.5 bn.

French aerospace manufacturer Airbus on Thursday announced the awarding of a contract for the manufacturing and assembly of its A220 aircraft doors to Bengaluru-based Dynamatic Technologies in what it called “one of the largest aerospace export contracts to India.”

Dynamatic will manufacture and assemble the cargo, passenger and service doors along with the over-wing emergency exit doors for the A220 family aircraft, which total to eight doors per aircraft.

The order signifies implementation of “complex assembling and integration of aerospace manufacturing, which will create downstream opportunities in the Indian aviation supply chain,” Airbus CEO Remi Maillard, President and Managing Director, Airbus India and South Asia said at a press event.

Thursday’s contract is also among the orders that will enable Airbus to double its sourcing from India, which is valued at about $750 million every year. This is expected to rise to $1.5 billion over the next few years.

To a question on when Airbus plans a final assembly line for commercial aircraft given large orders from IndiGo and Air India, Mr. Maillard said Airbus provided more jobs and more value for India today than any Final Assembly Line (FAL) will achieve.

According to Dynamatic’s Udayant Malhoutra only 15% of value generated from manufacturing an aircraft comes from a FAL.

Airbus recently announced a FAL for H125 helicopter for the private sector and in 2022 announced a FAL for C-295 transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: ELECTRIC SCOOTERS: Bengaluru-based EV start-up, River, raises $40 Million in oversubscribed Series B round

The deal was led by Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd. Existing investors Al Futtaim Group, Lowercarbon Capital, Toyota Ventures and Maniv Mobility also participated in the round.

River, a Bengaluru-based start-up building multi-utility electric scooters, has announced a $40 million (335 INR Crores) Series B led by Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. The round also saw participation from existing investors Al-Futtaim Automotive, Lowercarbon Capital, Toyota Ventures and Maniv Mobility.

This round takes the cumulative fund raised by the company to $68 Million (565 INR Crores) since its inception in March 2021. With this funding, the company plans to scale the distribution and service network across the country and invest further in R&D for future lineup of products.

“We are impressed by the progress that River has achieved in such a short span of time, especially with the strong focus on design and technology. We are excited about the conviction that Aravind and Vipin have for River and how Yamaha can support the company to achieve this”,said Hajime “Jim” Aota, Chief General Manager of New Business Development Centre, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.

River started selling its first product Indie, the SUV of scooters in October 2023. Indie was fully designed and developed at the River R&D facility in Bengaluru and manufactured in the River Factory at Hoskote in the outskirts of Bengaluru. The first River store opened in Bangalore in January 2024.

“It’s been a pleasure to watch River grow since our first investment in 2023. Indie made a strong debut in the Indian market and stands out from anything that is out there. We also see strong potential for Indie in many international markets. We are excited about the next phase of growth for River both inside and outside India”, said Paul Willis, CEO of Al-Futtaim Automotive.

River is the first Indian investment of all its investors – Tel Aviv based Maniv Mobility, San Francisco based Trucks VC, Lowercarbon Capital, Toyota Ventures and Dubai based conglomerate Al-Futtaim Automotive.

“The investment is a significant boost for our plan to build a Billion-dollar global utility-lifestyle brand by 2030. We have built a great base in R&D and manufacturing over the last two years and now, it’s time to grow,” said Aravind Mani, Co-founder and CEO of River.

“The collaboration with Yamaha will help us leverage the design and technology capability that we have built at River,”said Vipin George, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer at River. “I learned to ride on a Yamaha motorcycle and have been amazed by the highest levels of performance that they stand for. And now, Yamaha investing in River is quite a surreal feeling. I’m excited about what the partnership can achieve,” he added.

River started selling its units in October 2023 and close to 200 vehicles have been sold till January 2024. The company which plans to expand its presence to 10 cities including in the next six months and 100 cities in the next two years, has seen a valuation increase of 15-20x in the last 2.5 years.

According to a release from the company the start-up plans to launch one more product by 2026.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)