Dr Afreen Amir, a native of Kodagu, is now part of a research team in London that is already working towards finding a vaccine for Covid-19 pandemic.The research team has been researching on ‘Dexamethasone’, a steroid, which has given a new hope by possibly being a potent vaccine against the Covid-19.
After completing her MBBS in Mangaluru, Dr Afreen pursued her higher education in London and has been working as a doctor there. Her husband Mushir too, is a doctor in London. Afreen’s father S I Amiruddin is currently based in Dubai. He is the elder brother of Kodagu Zilla Janapada Parishat General Secretary Munir Ahmed.
“Afreen completed her SSLC from St Joseph School in Madikeri. She had emerged as the second topper in the district, in the Class 10 board exams. Currently, she is one of the seven experts who are working on the Covid-19 vaccine in London. She always had an inclination towards research in medicine”, Munir Ahmed said.
‘Dexamethasone’, the possible vaccine for the Covid-19, has been subjected to laboratory experiments. The researchers are of the opinion that with the use of the Dexamethasone, about one third of the death rate of the Covid-19 patients can been reduced. A report in this regard is expected to be out soon.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Madikeri / June 19th, 2020
Despite not being able to train normally for two months, India hockey star SV Sunil has stated they were ”fortunate” to be stuck at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre in Bengaluru. The lockdown measures put forward in the wake of coronavirus pandemic meant players couldn”t have gone ahead with their normal training sessions, however, Sunil gave an insight into how they took up special methods to keep themselves engaged.
“Being physically fit really helps anybody to stay mentally fit. It was the entire team”s goal to maintain our fitness and do whatever we can during these unprecedented times,” Sunil told IANS.
“Our Scientific Advisor Robin Arkell has devised some excellent training schedules over the last few months, which we have been able to carry out in our rooms along with following the social distancing guidelines.
“The fitness drills played a huge role in helping me cope with the lockdown,” he added.
Keeping themselves fit wasn”t the only aspect players focused upon as according to Sunil, they engaged in various other activities as well at trhe SAI facility.
“We have been very fortunate to be staying at the Sports Authority of India campus in Bengaluru. We have been able to use all the facilities and also go for individual runs around the campus,” he said.
“Apart from focussing on our fitness, we are doing many other activities as well. Our team”s Analytical Coach Chris Ciriello”s wife has taken English classes over video conference for us and she suggested a few books for us to read which kept us busy during the lockdown.
“The Hockey India Level ”Basic” Coaching Course online was amazing as well. Knowing about the history and the rules of hockey thoroughly will help us add context to our game on the pitch.”
Now the long road towards full fitness has begun but Sunil feels it”s tough to say currently when players can return to their optimum levels despite resumption of normal training earlier this month.
“It”s difficult to predict at the moment. Our coaches have a definite plan and they will train us accordingly,” Sunil said.
“We are fortunate that we were able to carry out exercises during the lockdown, that will definitely help us to attain peak form quickly,” he added.
Sunil also agreed with coach Graham Reid”s words, who had earlier told IANS that they have pushed the reset button as far as Olympics is concerned. Tokyo 2020 was postponed to 2021 in the wake of the coronavirus crisis and Sunil stated that he knows the areas which needs improvement and he now has enough time to work upon those things.
“We will definitely need to start from scratch as far as preparation is concerned. Our Chief Coach Graham Reid has told us that we have to push the reset button” Sunil said.
“However, we have watched a lot of footage of our previous matches during the lockdown. I have noted down some key aspects that I need to work on. Hopefully, we will have a lot of match practice before the Olympics.
“I think we can practice as much as we want, but performing well in match situations will boost our confidence tremendously. Therefore, matches against top teams will be a key factor in our preparations.”
–IANS /
pks/aak/bbh/
source: http://www.outlookindia.com / Outlook / Home> The News Scroll / by IANS / June 15th, 2020
Models sporting a collection by Aviva Swimwear | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The Virtual Runway will have everything, right from sets/beautiful location to hair and makeup, stylists and models
The models are ready. The runway is set. So slip into those stilettos, dab on some lipstick and take your seat. It’s show time… in front of the computer. With everything going virtual, fashion shows too have followed suit. And fashion choreographer, consultant and stylist Prasad Bidapa is pleased with the development. It’s all about adapting and reinventing, he believes.
“With COVID-19 ensuring there are no shows, gathering or audience, it was imperative to move to an online platform,” says Prasad. Normally fashion shows have an audience of 250 to 300. But with an online show we can get 50,000 hits. So, it was a no-brainer, really,” he says. That is why, he is currently setting up The Virtual Runway, a project that aims to stream fashion shows “at a device near you.” It is set to launch later this month but the ground work is underway.
The show will have everything, right from a complete set/beautiful location to hair and makeup, stylists and models. The only aspect missing is the live audience. “At the end of each segment, you can directly connect to the online portal of whichever brand’s show you just watched,” explains Prasad. Virtual runways are a great way to start moving stock, he says.
To give viewers an idea of what to expect from The Virtual Runway, Prasad, along with daughter Aviva (designer and founder of Aviva Swimwear), has created a template that will go live on Thursday. “The whole video will be produced fresh. Right now, for the teaser we are using stock images from previous fashion shows. But when we start the shows, we will have fresh productions, shot from scratch”, says Aviva.
Each show can be customised depending on what the designer wants to do. For example, Aviva, who will be one of the first on the show, showcasing her line of swimwear, says, she likes to introduce her collections and talk the viewers through the process. “Since it’s a filmed process, a mistake can be re-shot,” adds Prasad, who has been part of the industry for four decades now.
A collection by Samanth Chauhan | Photo Credit: JPIC.IN
A flagbearer for slow fashion, Prasad believes in the present scenario, it will come into its own. “It will be more appreciated and the culture of buying, using and throwing garments will go,” he says. The Virtual Runway will also highlight other aspects of fashion such as sustainability and upcycling. It is perfectly fine to repeat garments, Prasad reiterates, adding, “I have been proudly posting pictures of my repeated garments styled with maybe a different pair of shoes or kurta inside a jacket. You can wear a garment 10 times in a row and make it look different each time,” he says.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Life & Style> Fashion / by Priyadarshinin Partandy / June 16th, 2020
When Rudresh Mahanthappa recorded Bird Calls, the alto saxophonist wanted to pay tribute to one of his heroes who was probably the greatest alto saxophonist of all time, but he didn’t want to make a straight-up Charlie Parker covers record. Instead, he re-cast Parker tunes to the extent that they became Mahanthappa originals. Five years later, he crosses completely over into playing covers of Parker and other sources for his inspiration.
Hero Trio is that ‘all-covers’ record, which is about the only thing this boundary-pushing composer, bandleader and ace reedman hadn’t yet attempted in one of the most creative jazz careers since the turn of the 21st century. And far from being just an exercise in his interpretive skills (which are unique and stimulating), here is a large window into what makes Rudresh Mahanthappa tick, what lights his fire, what shaped him into the artist he is today. It reaches across generations and genres, but ‘Bird’ still looms large.
The Hero Trio band is a pared down version of the quintet that made Bird Calls. Drummer Rudy Royston and Mahanthappa’s longtime acoustic bassist François Moutin are all who’s needed for Mahanthappa to flesh out these songs in meaningful ways because the saxophonist is so good at fully sketching out the melody and harmony of a song without chordal support and his rhythm section is so good at taking these songs into fresh new places.
“Red Cross” is what I’d call the track that perfectly bridges us from Bird Calls to Hero Trio, mainly because it’s a Charlie Parker song. The trio puts its own stamp on the tune, never fully playing out the head before diving into improv and there’s even a new bridge. “Barbados/26-2” has a funky interlude tacked on front and only after that is done we hear Parker’s 12-bar blues. Moutin gets first dibs on soloing, and when Rudresh Mahanthappa does his thing next, he stretches bebop out to its logical limits. From there, the trio transitions into John Coltrane’s “26-2”, where Trane did what Mahanthappa did on Bird Calls and built a song around the chord changes of Parker’s “Confirmation,” but that, too, is puckish and livelier than the original.
There are other vintage jazz standards on Hero Trio and none of these are treated in ways they’ve been treated ever before. For instance, Mahanthappa chose “I’ll Remember April” because he was thinking about Sonny Rollins’ performance of it on Live at the Village Vanguard from 1957 as well as Lee Konitz’s 1961 rendition. But it’s hard not to notice the crazy, contemporary rhythm Moutin and Royston keeps slipping underneath it and at one point they spill over into the leader’s space. It sounds like irresistible fun, and they do it again for yet one more Parker classic, “Dewey Square.” For an anguished take on “I Can’t Get Started,” Moutin devises a bass line that matches Mahanthappa’s sentiment instead of Vernon Duke’s melody and Royston plays to the mood as well.
A couple of jazz songs from the post-bop era show up in creative renderings. For Keith Jarrett’s 70s tune “The Windup,” Moutin undertakes Jarrett’s role in the song while Mahanthappa is playing Jan Garbarek. Moutin later is fast, dexterous and lyrical for his aside. Moutin saws with sorrow just as David Izenzon did on Ornette Coleman’s “Sadness”, and Mahanthappa wavers his notes perfectly just as Coleman did but still within his own language.
The Hero Trio finds ways to liven up old and familiar songs outside the realm of jazz, too. Rudresh Mahanthappa covers all the harmonic touch points of Stevie Wonder’s “Overjoyed” so that there’s no mistaken what song this is, but judiciously avoids adding unnecessary notes that would clutter it up. Mahanthappa exploits the phrasing irregularities in the Johnny Cash hit “Ring of Fire” as a springboard for freedom. Plus, it’s a great melody, a common trait of all of the songs chosen for this album.
Just because Rudresh Mahanthappa took a break from composing for this project doesn’t mean he took a break from creating. Hero Trio has just as many delightful surprises and audacious musicianship as any other Mahanthappa record.
Hero Trio will release on June 19, 2020 from Whirlwind Recordings.
source: http://www.somethingelsereview.com / Some Thing Else ‘ / by S Victor Aaron / June 11th, 2020
Friends is undoubtedly one of the most popular sitcoms with fans globally watching it multiple times and referencing in their daily lives. Meanwhile, the much-anticipated Friends reunion special, which had been suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus-led production shutdown, is expected to be completed by the end of the summer.
But did you know, the iconic show was once adapted in Hindi and aired on Zee TV as Hello Friends. It starred former MTV VJ’s Cyrus Broacha, Maria Goretti, Nikhil Chinapa alongside Simone Singh, Anil Dimri, and Aparna Bannerjee. However, Hello Friends failed at recreating the magic of the original show and was pulled off the air by the network after only 26 episodes.
The show premiered on September 6, 1999, and concluded on February 20, 2000, while the original show went on to rule hearts and the rating charts for many more years to come. In an old interview, Hello Friends creator Ajit Pal had stated, “They are the idols of the youth who are a readymade audience for the show. The jokes are very Indian.” For the unversed, the Hindi show ended up being a poor attempt at emulating the success of its American counterpart and was also a scene-to-scene replica of the original.
Hello Friends had Cyrus play Chandler Bing, Maria as Phoebe Buffay, Nikhil as Ross Geller, Simone as Monica Geller, Anil as Joey Tribbiani, and Aparna as Rachel Green who would all hang out at a café named Uncle Sam’s similar to Central Perk. The episodes of the Hindi show are now available to view on YouTube.
source: http://www.filmibeat.com / FilmiBeat / Home> Television> News / by Waiz Ahmed / June 11th, 2020
Lieutenant General (retd) Codanda N Somanna (93) was laid to rest in Panjarpet in Virajpet on Sunday, with state honours.
He had breathed his last at his residence on Saturday.
The final rites were held, as per Kodava tradition, on Sunday at around 12.15 pm, at the coffee plantation belonging to his family, in the presence of his relatives and retired army officials.
Codanda N Somanna’s wife Renu, daughter Sharun Pemmaiah and grandchildren were present on the occasion. His son Dr Nived, who is currently based in the US, could not take part in the funeral as the flights have been cancelled following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lt Gen C N Somanna’s friends and well-wishers paid their respects to his mortal remains, on Saturday evening as well.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Virajpet / June 14th, 2020
Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy holds a meeting with the stakeholders of the tourism department in Madikeri on Tuesday.
Permission has been given to reopen 800 homestays in Kodagu district, said Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy.
Chairing a meeting with the stakeholders of the tourism department in Madikeri on Tuesday, she said that homestays should follow all safety guidelines issued by the government with regard to the control of Covid-19 without fail and the complete details of visitors should be registered.
“However, there is no permission to conduct meetings, functions and parties,” she added.
She also said that currently, there are no containment areas in the district. However, it cannot be predicted that there will not be any in future. If any person arriving at a homestay is tested positive for Covid-19, then the entire premises will be declared as the containment area.
Therefore, the role of visitors and the owners of hotels and homestays is crucial, she said.
Any issues in this regard can be addressed to the DC office control room number 1077 or WhatsApp number 85500 01077.
District Superintendent of Police Dr Suman D Pennekar, Additional Deputy Commissioner Dr Sneha, Assistant Commissioner T Javaregowda, Health and Family Welfare officer Dr K Mohan, Homestay Association President B G Anantashayana, Resort Association President B R Nagendra Prasad and Tours and Travels Association President Cheyyanda Satya were present in the meeting.
Actress Rashmika Mandanna, on Wednesday, took to her social media account to share the cover page of the firs magazine for she was the model. In short, she was on the cover of the magazine when she was a little kid. She looks super cute and of course, that charming smile of her remains the same.
The pic was recreated by Rashmika herself and she wrote, “This was 2001 and my first ever magazine cover! I still remember doing the shoot that day! To this day, my mum has saved the magazine and she still saves every magazine now…” (sic)
When she was still in her schooling, Rashmika looks like a mini version of her mom Suman Mandanna. She further added in her post that she loves her family, the friends she has made and all the things that have happened in her life.
She wrote, “Was I destined to be here today receiving all your love? I wonder. But I am glad this is my life and I wouldn’t trade it to anyone else’s….the people I work with, have worked with, and every war we’ve fought, every milestone we’ve reached. Ahhh sorry I am saying too much. But well Fun fact- showing off my finger since 2k1 yo!” (sic)
Rashmika has been active a lot on social media since the lockdown and relaxing at home, the actress is going down her memory lane and sharing some important things with her fans.
source: http://www.newslagoon.com / News Lagoon / Home> Entertainment India / by Team News Lagoon / June 05th, 2020
Actor Sindhu Loknath speaks about her role in ‘Kaanadante Maayavadanu’
Sindhu Loknath, who was last seen in ‘Heegondhu Dina’, is back with ‘Kaanadante Maayavadanu’, a Kannada film which released this Friday.
In a candid chat with Metrolife, she spoke about her recent film and more.
What about the film impressed you?
I was impressed by the storyline. It’s a love story, which involves a ghost. The whole concept was quite intriguing.
When did you start shooting?
We started in 2016 and it took three years. Uday’s death, who played the antagonist originally, meant that the second half of the film had to be reshot. This caused a delay.
Tell us a bit about your role.
I play the role of Vandana, a girl who works with an NGO. She is always working towards the betterment of society, especially underprivileged children.
How did you prepare for your role?
Though I did not have to do any major preparation, it was quite a different experience for me. I am not at all like Vandana in real life. She is a selfless and mature person, who knows exactly what she wants to do .
My director advised me on how to portray her and I hope I have done justice.
How different was it to work in a thriller?
‘Kaanadante Maayavadanu’ is a fantasy-thriller love story. Every genre is interesting in its own way. However, we faced some challenges while shooting action scenes.
How was it to shoot in Kashmir?
The experience was wonderful. We shot there just a few days before Article 370 was abrogated. The costumes, the background and the cinematography combined to give some mind-blowing scenes.
Did the delay in the release of the film cause you to feel apprehensive?
I was hoping for an early release so that I could get better roles; I didn’t want to repeat the same old characters that I had been doing. When the release was delayed, people even thought that I quit acting.
The audience expects actors to be on screen regularly. They expect actors to do films, whether those are good or bad. I work differently and want to do roles that I will be remembered in the years to come.
What is the kind of films you want to do?
I would love to do a biopic on PT Usha since I am a sportsperson myself. I would also like to play the role of a mentally-challenged person, as I am sure such a role would challenge me as an actress.
You have a business now. Does that mean that you’ll be seen lesser on the screen?
I own a beauty and health products company called ‘Sinfully Myne’, which creates organic products for the hair and face. But, this doesn’t mean that I will be seen any less on the silver screen.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Metrolife> Metrolife Lifestyle / by Tini Sara Anien / DHNS, Bengaluru / January 31st, 2020
City’s theatre repertory assets including sets, costumes, properties, light, sound system and plays being digitised for posterity
Mysore/Mysuru:
Digitisation is profoundly changing the experience of theatre, not only in terms of new technology-based access, production and dissemination, but also in terms of participation and creation.
Be it through smartphone apps, streaming media or 3D effects, digital technology has crept into the modern theatre. Artistes and art directors have been experimenting with technology for years to enrich their work, revitalise theatrical performance and make theatre more relevant to digital audiences.
Following the footsteps of world theatres with regard to going digital, Mysuru’s theatre repertoire Rangayana, led by its Director Addanda C. Cariappa has begun digitisation of all plays staged and theatre festivals hosted by it since its inception over 30 years ago and also the theatre songs for which renowned playwright and Rangayana’s first Director B.V. Karanth has composed music.
Along with digitisation of dramas and assets, all physical properties of Rangayana will also be available in digital format.
Unprotected assets
Speaking to ‘Star of Mysore’ this morning, Cariappa said that Rangayana has assets including sets, costumes, properties, light and sound system. “Over the years, the storage space of these assets had turned a dumpyard with no documentation whatsoever. Digitisation of all the physical assets will enable us to protect them and at the same time transfer them to the next generation,” he said.
Digitisation will enable reuse of assets and it will provide valuable information on the growth of Rangayana in phases. “Also, at present, there is Rangayana Repertoire, Senior, Junior Repertoires and a School. Much has been written on them and we have loads of photos of plays. We are documenting all of them in electronic form,” he said.
A list of plays that have not been digitised so far has been prepared and the digitisation process has begun from today. This is being done to ensure that theatre lovers do not forget old plays with the passage of time. As this is a fresh initiative, artistes will be trained on enacting the old plays, he said.
Theatre Repertoire Rangayana has huge light and sound assets. They are being listed and documented for posterity.
Use of digital technology
Primarily, digitisation is the use of digital technology to project dramas and also to distribute them — from analogue content to online. With digitisation, there is the flexibility of programming which makes it cost-effective and digital content will remain in the same condition year on year, he explained.
“The new initiative aims to encourage an effective exchange of ideas on how theatre (Rangayana) can be brought closer to online communities. Stages can be transformed with technology in order to garner more engagement by both offline and online audiences,” Cariappa added.
After the recording is over, plays will be uploaded on social websites, he said and added that this apart, the songs for which B.V. Karanth has composed music, will be sung by senior theatre artiste Ramachandra Adapa which will also be recorded and digitised.
Electric systems being accounted for so that the assets can be used at a later date.
Theatre Library on cards
Stating that it has been proposed to set up a first-of-its-kind ‘Theatre Library,’ Cariappa said that the Library will feature a well-equipped recording room, a hall and a studio. Asserting that the library is one of the ambitious projects of Rangayana, he said that the modalities will be discussed with artistes and staff, following which a proposal will be sent to the Government.
Over the years, all plays performed at Rangayana were photographed and stored in albums. Now these photos are being digitised.
Over the years, all plays performed at Rangayana were photographed and stored in albums. Now these photos are being digitised.
Planting of saplings
Highlighting the other activities of Rangayana, Cariappa said that they include expansion of greenery and upkeep of all drama equipment, costumes and other paraphernalia.
Noting that it has been planned to plant 100 saplings in Rangayana premises in association with the Forest Department, he said that several rare species of plants are being brought from Kodagu too and planted in the campus.
The costumes, special effects, artworks, pottery, face designs and other paraphernalia being accounted for and digitised
Cleaning, organising theatre properties
“All theatre properties at Rangayana are being cleaned and organised. All decorative equipment are kept at Lankesh Gallery and lighting props are moved to a separate room. Each and every property belonging to Rangayana will be preserved carefully,” said the Rangayana Director.
Reacting on the same, senior artiste Geetha Montadka said, “For many years, properties including CDs and files were not arranged properly. Some properties were also drenched during rains. Hence, taking care of the properties required for Rangayana theatre activities is our responsibility. Earlier, we had to depend on others to keep the Rangayana building clean and to maintain the props by drying and arranging them. Also, to organise files we used to depend on others. But, now for the past two months as there are no activities at Rangayana due to lockdown and all of us artistes unitedly have taken up the cleaning and organising works. This has indeed brought happiness to all of us and also increased our responsibilities.”
[Photos by M.N. Lakshminarayana Yadav]
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / pics by M.N. Lakshminarayana Yadav / June 01st, 2020
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