Prior to joining Netflix, he was with Uber and has also worked for Google and Infosys
Streaming giant Netflix has announced the appointment of Nanjappa Palekanda as Vice President, Experience and Operations.
With 18 years of experience, Nanjappa has worked with big names, including Infosys, Uber and Google. His expertise lies in HR Service Delivery, M&A, Risk & Compliance and Portfolio Management for the People function.
On his appointment, he wrote, “I am grateful for the incredible professionals and amazing well-wishers I have come across throughout my career – Infosys, Google and Uber.
I now head into an exciting new adventure at Netflix, with the same drive to work with amazing people.
During this special personal moment, I would like to urge all my well-wishers to spare a positive thought/action in support of all those in India (or those who have loved ones in India), who are braving the heart-breaking situation brought upon by the pandemic.
There’s loss and suffering for sure, but there are also numerous everyday heroes, going out of their way to support others, many of whom they have never met before.”
source: http://www.exchange4media.com / Exchange4Media / Home> Internet Announcement News / by exchange4media.com Staff / May 20th, 2021
Through his four-year-old ‘Bhuvanam Foundation’ and initiative ‘Feed Karnataka’, Bhuvan with support from actress Harshika Poonacha handed over 200 food kits to the Municipal Council Commissioner.
Food kits were distributed in Madikeri Mann’s Compound Ground on Tuesday (Photo | Special arrangement)
Madikeri :
It is not common for an actor to share his mobile number across social media. But Bhuvan Ponnanna, the Sandalwood actor and native of Kodagu, has done just that even as he is working relentlessly to extend a helping hand to the needy during the pandemic.
Through his four-year-old ‘Bhuvanam Foundation’ and initiative ‘Feed Karnataka’, Bhuvan with support from actress Harshika Poonacha on Tuesday handed over 200 food kits to the Madikeri City Municipal Council Commissioner Ramdas. These kits will be handed over to needy families across the city. Further, the home guards, police and a few journalists also received food kits from the foundation.
The actor has also taken a unique initiative where food kits and medicines will be home delivered to needy residents across Kodagu. Two vehicles equipped with food kits and medicines will start doing the rounds across Madikeri, Gonikoppal and Virajpet areas from May 26 and the needy can avail food kits from the foundation following verification. The medicines will be supplied with display of prescriptions only. To avail the services, the eligible beneficiaries can contact the helpline number 9945008004.
Also, the initiative helps local farmers by buying vegetables from them and distributing it to the needy along with the food kits. Many donors including doctors have donated to the foundation and the organisation has so far distributed over 2000 food kits to the poor across Karnataka.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Pragna GR, Express News Service / May 25th, 2021
A Bengaluru organisation is building a multimedia archive of tribal music in Karnataka, starting with the Kudiyas of Kodagu.
Still from the video: Who are these Kudiyas?
Bengaluru :
A life without songs sung to the beats of drums is probably unimaginable for the Kudiya people of the Western Ghats. “We sing about the plants and trees in the forests, the roots, stones, snakes, and elephants… There is a rhythm to each song, and we play the drum to that rhythm,” Kudiya musician Sharada Somaiah says in an interview with Bengaluru-based Gobal Kulture, which is taking the first steps towards building an archive of tribal music in Karnataka.
On April 13, Global Kulture released a 2.50-minute video titled “Hidden Sounds: Who are these Kudiyas?” on its YouTube channel. They’ve started with the Kudiya community, but Arun Sivag, percussionist and founder of Global Kulture, says the idea is to collect audio and video recordings of songs, interviews and dances of artistes from 40 communities (the state government lists 50 Scheduled Tribes), and compile it into the Budakattu Music Archive, a partial multimedia ethnography of tribal music and culture.
“It took one-and-a-half years of research to figure out how to go about this,” says Arun. This includes conversations with several people – including playback singer and co-founder of Global Kulture, Sangeetha Ravindranath, and Sumanto Mondal, who is editorial and communications partner at the organisation. However, the idea of the archive comes from Arun’s own experiences, and thoughts about music and musicians. “I always saw musicians on the street, and wondered why they weren’t on stage. Folk artistes are not given a stage, but they are the torch-bearers of music,” says the 29-year-old.
pic: a shot
In 2019, he began visiting government offices looking for a list of tribal musicians, and realised that the government didn’t really have one. But the idea stuck, and he came in contact with folk and tribal art expert Srinivas Murthy, who worked with Sharada’s father decades ago. With the little footage they collected in February at Sharada’s house in Tora village (Virajpet, Kodagu), they know they’ve barely scratched the surface. “One would need a whole life to understand their music. We are doing what the government is supposed to do,” says Arun.
The Kudiyas’ culture is oral — their songs and stories are the historical record of their existence. “They sing songs while working, after getting back from work, when there is a birth or a death, during festivals… They even have a song about the daughters of the tribe and how they wish the best for them,” says Sangeetha, who is working on translating the songs from Kodava to English.
The archive will also have interviews of the artistes, such as the one in which Sharada talks about the community’s origin story, and why they call themselves Kudiyas, says Mondal, who is translating her interviews from Kannada to English. They are looking for institutional funding that will allow them to retain creative independence. But for now, they are using their own resources to fund the project. Arun put in the stipend he got from OneBeat, a US government fellowship.
A part of that was used as honorarium for the artistes. “We are artists too. We want to pay them for their work. Right now, the only opportunities they have are annual performances at Vidhana Soudha and Ravindra Kalakshetra (auditorium in Bengaluru). When the government calls, these are the people who get the peanuts,” Arun says. Sharada’s earnings are paltry and not steady, like many artistes.
She pretty much kept the music of her community alive by teaching younger generations, but knows survival is at stake without economic opportunity. In the trailer, Sharada talks about her “biggest dream”. “…If our art is to survive, the government and other organisations must help us get a good platform, give us respect. Only if this happens will our music become a livelihood for us and for our children, and only this way will our art survive.”
Arun too has big dreams. He eventually wants tribal musicians to get the recognition and remuneration they deserve. “We want to build a not-for-profit artist management system for them. They should be treated just like any other artiste.”
Preserving history Global Kulture aims to collect audio and video recordings of songs, interviews and dances of artists from 40 communities and compile it into the Budakattu Music Archive.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Anisha Sheth, Express News Service / May 23rd, 2021
Medical help is pouring in for Kodagu, not just locally but also from overseas, for its fight against COVID-19.
With medical oxygen becoming vital for saving the lives of those battling the infection, Chottera Shobha Tuttu, a psychiatrist of Kodagu origin who is settled in New Jersey, and the United States’ gofundme.org have joined hands to support the battle against the virus in the district.
The 5-litre and 10-litre oxygen concentrators donated by Dr. Tuttu and gofundme.org were handed over to the district COVID-19 hospital in Madikeri on Sunday. Cariappa, Dean of Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Sunnavunda Kaverappa of Napoklu village, and doctors from the institute were present when KIMS received the equipment.
It was thanks to the efforts of retired IAS officer K. Monnappa that Dr. Tuttu, who belongs to Guyya village in Siddapura, offered help to Kodagu.
In a note released by the Information Department, Madikeri, Dr. Kaverappa said doctors in the U.S., including Dr. Tuttu, had created a WhatsApp group and discussed with the Kodagu Deputy Commissioner ways to help the district. Accordingly, the oxygen concentrators were donated.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – May 23rd, 2021
The 30-bed dedicated free COVID healthcare centre established by Lopamudra Medical Centre (LMC) and Karuna Trust at Gonikoppal in South Kodagu has been receiving donations in kind from donors and philanthropists.
Mysuru-based Skanray Technologies has donated critical high-tech equipment to treat virus-infected patients at all the 30 beds of the hospital. Managing Director of Skanray Vishwaprasad Alva got to know about the noble cause and has voluntarily come forward with donations and has been a pillar of strength for this zero-billing facility, said Dr. Mukkatira Amrit Nanaiah, Head of Lopamudra Medical Centre.
The Puthari Farmer Producer Company Limited has come forward to offer free food to the patients till their stay in the hospital.
The food will include three meals a day and snacks. “They have agreed to provide all the materials required to supply healthy and nutritious meals to patients and have also offered to provide their vehicle for our use till the pandemic lasts. These contributions made by the company President Subaiah, Board of Directors, CEO and team are worth emulating,” Dr. Amrit Nanaiah added.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / May 17th, 2021
Lopamudra Medical Centre, Karuna Trust, donors and volunteers make the much-needed facility a reality
Mysore/Mysuru:
A 30-bed dedicated COVID Healthcare Centre has begun functioning at Lopamudra Medical Centre (LMC) at Gonikoppal in South Kodagu. COVID patients will be treated here free of cost. This Hospital will prove a boon to patients in South Kodagu who were earlier forced to travel either to Mysuru or Bengaluru that are already under pressure due to mounting infections.
The facility was inaugurated last evening by Kodagu District Minister V. Somanna who holds the Housing portfolio. He assured the Hospital authorities that he would take measures to give 30 oxygen cylinders to 30 beds and an additional stock of 60 cylinders as a back-up.
The COVID Healthcare Centre has been established by Karuna Trust, a Charitable Trust that has enabled integrated rural development and empowered the masses, Kodava Koota in the US, Kodava Deenabandhu Charitable Trust, Kodava Samajas and a dedicated team of volunteers, donors and various organisations, who have spared no efforts in making the COVID Centre a reality.
Businessman Jammada Aiyanna, Dr. Kalyatanda Gautham Subbaiah from University of Florida, Brigadier (Retd.) Maletira Devaiah, Kokkanda Pavan Aiyappa, Cheppudira Geetha Chengappa, Karuna Trust Joint Secretary Venkat Chekuri, Ponnampet Kodava Samaja President Chottekmada Rajeev Bopaiah and several others have made invaluable contribution to the facility.
They have raised funds alongside the Karuna Trust for infrastructure and also equipment and even many residents of Kodagu have contributed to the noble cause. The centre officially began functioning on May 15 under the leadership of Mukkatira Amrit Nanaiah, Consultant Physician and Diabetologist, and is located on the third floor of the LMC at Athur village, two kilometres from Gonikoppal.
Minister Somanna, MLA K.G. Bopaiah, Dr. Amrit Nanaiah, Dr. Sudarshan and hospital staff during the inauguration last evening.
Apart from Madikeri District Hospital and the Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences there is no hospital in Kodagu to treat COVID patients. Thanks to the negligence of the Government and elected representatives who did not bother all these years to set up an advanced hospital. In this direction, the COVID Healthcare Centre at LMC will help save lives at the time of crisis.
The COVID Healthcare Centre will have 15 beds with piped oxygen, five beds with oxygen concentrators and 10 beds with BiPAP machines, a sort of a ventilator that is used to treat chronic conditions that affect breathing. The centre will have a pharmacy and lab facility and will be a high dependency unit. Separate entrances have been made to facilitate the entry of COVID patients so that other patients who come to the LMC are not affected in any way.
The LMC administration and the Karuna Trust will take care of providing doctors and nurses including consultations from doctors who are working in foreign shores. Donors are contributing to purchase oxygen, medicines including life-saving ones and also free food to the patients. On an average, a COVID patient has to spend lakhs of rupees for treatment and this healthcare centre provides free treatment and quality care.
The centre will treat moderate COVID patients, who will be referred by the Kodagu District Administration and Deputy Commissioner Charulata Somal has assured full support. The authorities are providing ambulance facility to the centre and the administration has assured to provide hassle-free oxygen supply from Mysuru.
A 200 Kilo Litre oxygen unit will be installed at the LMC facility by Karuna Trust. Well-known social worker and tribal activist recognised for his work with the Soligas in B.R. Hills Dr. H. Sudarshan is a guiding force behind the COVID Healthcare Centre and he is also the founder and Honorary Secretary of the Karuna Trust.
Dr. Mukkatira Amrit Nanaiah
‘Committed to treat patients’
The hospital has become a reality, thanks to the efforts of Karuna Trust. We have an aim to provide the finest care and are committed to treat patients in complete transparency and the centre is a zero-billing facility. Our intention is to come to the rescue of patients who are in need of medical care. The COVID Healthcare Centre has been created in such a way that it is bifurcated from the other treatment units of the hospital.
Dr. Kalyatanda Gautham Subbaiah, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, who has treated over 1,000 COVID patients in the US, will guide doctors at the facility.— Dr. Mukkatira Amrit Nanaiah, head of Lopamudra Medical Centre
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / May 16th, 2021
The group carried the dead body to the estate – nearly 0.5 km away – for cremation. “The path was slippery and we had to cross a farm to reach the spot,” said a member, a photojournalist.
Team Madhyama Spandana seen here in PPE kits for the last rites of a COVID victim in Kodagu. (Photo | Special Arrangement)
Madikeri :
Till recently, volunteers were the only ones risking their lives and undertaking the cremation of Covid victims in Kodagu. But on Sunday, with volunteers unavailable, a group of journalists took over and performed the last rites of a Covid victim.
The cremation took place after an 85-year-old resident of Balamuri village in Kodagu succumbed to Covid at his residence on Sunday. He had initially been hospitalised before being discharged a week later.
The family of the deceased, who had also tested positive for Covid, wished to carry out the cremation at an estate located half a kilometre from their residence. But as they were Covid positive, none of the villagers were willing to help them.
The son of the deceased man then reached out to a group of volunteers in Napoklu town, which is over 10 km from the village. The volunteers in turn requested the family to shift the dead body to the crematorium at Napoklu.
Helpless to do this as they had tested positive, the family turned to the Maadhyama Spandana group – a social service group started by a few journalists in the district to help the needy during the time of the pandemic.
“Through the Maadhyama Spandana group, I received a call and we immediately swung into action to help the family,” shared Pappu Thimmaiah, a photojournalist. He, along with journalist Rejith Kumar roped in three other friends from outside the media group – Praveen, Aneesh and Sherin. All of the donned PPE kits and headed to help the distressed family.
“We wore PPE kits and left from Siddapura to reach the victim’s residence. The dead body of the victim was also unpacked and we packed it in a PPE kit,” Rejith explained.
The group then carried the dead body to the estate – nearly 0.5 km away. “The path was slippery and we had to cross a farm to reach the spot,” said Pappu.
They then lit the pyre after ensuring that the cremation was carried out following the proper rituals.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Pragna G R, Express News Service / May 17th, 2021
Actors Bhuvann Ponnanna and Harshika Poonacha are again back with their social welfare works and this time have started free oxygen service through auto-rickshaws to the needy.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Actor Bhuvann Ponnanna runs Bhuvanam Foundation which is into social welfare activities
Actress Harshika Poonach has joined her hands with Bhuvann for this social cause
Health minister of Karnataka state has inaugurated the free oxygen service initiated by the actor
Free oxygen service from Bhuvanam Foundation owner and actor | Photo Credit: Twitter
Bengaluru is going through its most difficult time as the devastating second wave of Covid-19 has created a lot of trouble for the city by targeting the people on daily basis.
As a matter of fact, the city is facing a shortage of oxygen as the demand for it has been increased tremendously in the last 15 days. Those who are infected with the virus and are facing breathing issues are requesting authorities for the supply of oxygen. But, due to the high demand, it has become challenging for the local authorities to arrange for it.
Meantime, several eminent personalities, political leaders, generous industrialists from the city are trying their best to provide oxygen for the needy. Even film personalities are coming forward to do their bit.
In one such instance, the Kannada actors Bhuvann Ponnanna and Harshika Poonacha have started free oxygen supply service to the needy through bus and auto-rickshaw loaded with oxygen cylinders.
The service has been named “Oxygen Express” and it was inaugurated today by the state health minister Dr. K Sudhakar in Bengaluru. The whole initiative is being funded by the Bhuvanam Foundation run by the actor Bhuvann who was also a participant in the reality show of Kannada Bigg Boss Season 4 hosted by Sudeep.
Appreciating the initiative taken by both Bhuvann and Harshika Poonacha the state health minister has also tweeted in his official Twitter account.
Harshika has also replied to the minister’s tweet by tweeting, “Honourable Health Minister Dr. @mla_sudhakar sir inaugurated our projects #Shwasa and #Bhandawa from @BhuvanamF today Thankyou so much for honoring us with your presence sir #BhuvanamFoundation The Religion of Love and Kindness”.
This is not the first time for Bhuvann to carry out social welfare works for the people, he had helped the people during the flood time in Karnataka in 2019 too. Also just a few days back the actor had distributed thousands of food kits to the poor.
It can be remembered that a few days back Bhuvann had started a helpline to help those who are suffering from Covid and are in need of emergency help. He had given his private number for the cause and started receiving thousands of calls in a day. He then hired some people and made a team that is serving the people.
The golden-hearted actor Bhuvann Ponnanna has entered the Kannada film industry by appearing in a guest role in Just Maath Maathalli starring Sudeep in the lead role. He then appeared in negative shades in a couple of movies before participating in the Kannada Bigg Boss reality show.
Images Credit: Dr. K Sudhakar/Twitter
source: http://www.timesnownews.com / Times Now News / Home> News> Entertainment News > Kannada Cinema News/ byTimes Now Digital / May 14th, 2021
“The facility will have 15 beds with pipelined oxygen, five beds with oxygen concentrators and 10 beds with Bipap machines (a type of ventilator),” said Venkat Chekuri, joint secretary of Karuna Trust.
The COVID care centre in Kodagu (Photo | Special arrangement)
Madikeri :
A 30-bed Dedicated Covid Healthcare Centre (DCHC) will be inaugurated at a private hospital in Gonikoppal to provide improved treatment to COVID patients free of cost. The DCHC has been established following efforts by the Karuna Trust – a charitable trust that has enabled integrated rural development.
The facility will start functioning from May 15 at Lopamudra Private Hospital in Gonikoppal. “The facility will have 15 beds with pipelined oxygen, five beds with oxygen concentrators and 10 beds with Bipap machines (a type of ventilator),” explained Venkat Chekuri, joint secretary of Karuna Trust.
He explained that the facility has seen the light of day following efforts from Kodava Koota members in the US, Concerned Citizens of Coorg organization members and members of Kodava Samaj who have raised funds alongside Karuna Turst to establish the DCHC. The centre will have a pharmacy and lab facility and will be a high dependency unit.
“The centre will treat moderate COVID patients who will be referred by the district administration. The centre will provide free treatment to the patients alongside three meals a day and snacks. The administration of Kodagu alongside DC Charulata Somal has offered complete support and the ambulance facility to the centre is being provided by the district administration. The administration has also assured to provide hassle-free oxygen supply to the centre from Mysuru,” explained Venkat. He further added that a 200-litre oxygen unit will shortly be installed at the centre by the trust.
The trust will bear the rent charges for the place provided at the private hospital and will have doctors and nurses appointed by the trust itself. “Dr Sudarshan, the founding member of the trust, is guiding the entire project. Also, Dr Gautham Subbaiah, assistant professor at the University of Florida – who has treated over 1000 COVID patients in the US – will guide local doctors in treating the patients. Experts from the University of Florida will review the ground work at the centre,” added Venkat.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Prajna GR, Express News Service / May 14th, 2021
Kodagu was among the first districts to report COVID cases and had sought the help of volunteers, especially for the cremation and burial of COVID victims.
Madikeri :
“When we started this service a year ago, we did not know it would become so severe. We are stressed and emotionally drained. But we cannot abandon it now,” said a volunteer from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, which is involved in conducting the last rites of COVID victims in Kodagu.
It was among the first districts to report COVID cases and had sought the help of volunteers, especially for the cremation and burial of COVID victims. Over 100 volunteers came forward from Popular Front of India, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and Seva Bharathi.
While the district rarely reported COVID deaths last year, it is seeing an average of six deaths per day over the last one month, the highest being 16 on a single day. The designated crematorium for COVID victims in Madikeri is equipped to raise only three pyres at a time.
“We can arrange two pyres on the cemented structure and the third on the temporary setup that has been arranged with the increase in COVID deaths. When there are more than three deaths, we have to wait for nearly three to four hours for all the three bodies to burn completely. We then collect the ashes and hand them over to relatives,” a volunteer said.
“We dispose of our PPE kits, sanitise ourselves and then go back to the Madikeri COVID Hospital to collect the remaining bodies. We repeat the same process. When there are more deaths, most of our day is spent at the crematorium,” they added.
Volunteers of VHP and Bajrang Dal have conducted the last rites of 101 victims, and they do selfless service as they don’t accept any monetary donations. “But I request the district administration to provide us with health insurance. If anything happens to us tomorrow, at least our families can survive with the insurance money. Social service alone has been a part of most of our lives. Also, if the government can expand and improve the crematorium, it would reduce a lot of our stress,” a volunteer said.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Prajna GR, Express News Service / May 10th, 2021
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