Infosys co-founder and former Aadhaar chairman Nandan Nilekani donated Rs 50 lakh to the alumni association of Bishop Cotton Boys’ School in the city. The funds donated by Nandan, an Old Cottonian, will go to the school’s Benevolent Fund, created for retired teachers, administrative staff and sub-staff.
The fund goes to the General KS Thimayya Memorial Trust, an Old-Boys-of-Cottons endeavour established to commemorate General Kodandera Subayya Thimayya, also an Old Cottonian, who was in school from 1918 to 1922.
CN Kumar, senior trustee, General KS Thimayya Trust, confirmed Nilekani’s contribution. “The Trust is grateful to Nandan Nilekani, Old Cottonian, for becoming the anchor donor to the Fund. Nilekani has made a generous contribution of Rs 50 lakh. We are confident that other Old Cottonians will also contribute to the corpus,” said Kumar.
He also said this is perhaps the only such fund established by old students of a school.
The official communication sent to Nilekani read: “Thanks to OC Nandan Nilekani, from whom we have received a donation of Rs 50 lakh for an endowment to be used exclusively for the said purposes. Our first set of beneficiaries have been honoured on the occasion of Teachers’ Day. Thank you, Nandan, for this very generous gesture.”
The Benevolent Fund was established under the umbrella of the Trust to show our gratitude and appreciation to the teachers, administrative staff and subordinate staff whose contribution in our personal growth in the formative years is immeasurable.
The Trust will use the proceeds generated by investing the corpus to recognize and provide support to past teachers, administrative staff and subordinates every year.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Bengaluru / by Sunitha Rao, R – TNN / September 06th, 2015
Robin Uthappa raises his bat towards his team dug-out after completing his half century
Hubballi :
Robin Uthappa came to the party in style hammering an unbeaten 45-ball 73 to steer Bijapur Bulls to a convincing seven wickets victory over Hubli Tigers in the Karbonn Smart KPL 2015 here on Sunday.
The India opener who came in at the fall of the first wicket was circumspect to start with before opening his shoulders to send the Hubli players on a leather retrieving spree. He slammed six fours and four sixes during his tenure at the wicket and in the company of skipper B Akhil (24 n.o.) knit together 64 runs for the unbroken fourth wicket.
Uthappa found his rhythm early and his confidence grew and he began middling the ball. Once he changed gears, the home team bowlers were not their own self and wilted under his slaughter.
Earlier a 58-ball identical 73 by Hubli opener KB Pawan enabled Hubli post a decent 152 after being invited to bat.
Hubli began well with Taha and Pawan negotiating the Bulls’ attack with confidence. But the departure of Taha saw the Hubli batsmen who followed struggle and none seemed to be able to give Pawan the support at the other end.
Even as Pawan went about accumulating runs, wickets fell at regular intervals at the other end and finally the total of 152 proved to be insufficient to defend for the bowlers.
Uthappa collected a cheque for rupees ten thousand for his efforts which fetched him the as the Man of the Match award.
Speaking about his performance, Uthappa said, “It was a good game. It was an important toss to win and I think we bowled pretty well and contained them to a manageable total. The wicket actually got better as the game progressed and I knew that if I just played my role it would be an easy target to chase.”
SCOREBOARD Hubli Tigers:
Mohammad Taha c A Somanna b R Bhatkal 22; KB Pawan st Uthappa b Appanna 73 (58b, 3 x 4, 4 x 6); Abhinav Manohar st Uthappa b Appanna 15; Kunal Kapoor c Mithun b Vyshak Vijay Kumar 15; Sreenath Aravind c M Nidesh b Appanna 9; Kranti Kumar (not out) 10; Nithin Bhile c A Somanna b Cariappa 0; Chetan Wilias (not out) 4. Extras: (w-2, lb-2) 4. Total: (For six wickets, 20 overs) 152
Fall of wickets:
1-28 (Taha); 2-68 (Manohar); 3-102 (Kapoor); 4-125 (Aravind); 6-145 (Pawan); 7-145 (Bhille).
Biapur Bulls:
R Samarth (run out) 20 (14b, 3 x4); Rajoo Bhatkal c SL Akshay b B Naveen 13; Robin Uthappa (not out) 73 (45b, 6 x 4, 4 x 6); Deepak Chougle c N Bhille b D Negi 17; B Akhil (not out) 24 (19b, 1 x 4, 1 x 6). Extras: (w-4, bn-2) 6.
Total: (For three wickets, 17.-01 overs) 153.
Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Bhatkal); 2-56 (Samarth); 3-89 (Chougle).
Bowling: Kranti Kumar 2-0-14-0; B Naveen 4-0-36-1; SL Akshay 3-0-45-0; Sreenath Aravind 3-0-14-0; Chetan Williams 2-0-15-0; D Negi 3-0-29-1. Toss: Won by Hubli Tigers; opted to field Result: Bijapur Bulls won by seven wickets.
Reigning CWG champ says life hasn’t changed much despite historic gold in Glasgow
Despite creating history by winning India’s first Commonwealth Games gold medal in women’s doubles squash last year, struggles still continue to be a part of Joshna Chinappa’s life. India’s Joshna Chinappa returns to Hong Kong’s Lee Ka in the women’s singles quarter-finals of the JSW Indian Squash Circuit at NSCI, Worli yesterday. Pic/ Pradeep Dhivar
In the CWG final, the fifth-seed pair of Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal had beaten the top-seeded English pair of Jenny Duncalf and Laura Massaro 11-6, 11-8 in Glasgow.
Yesterday, Chinappa spoke to mid-day on the sidelines of the JSW Indian Squash Circuit event at the National Sports Club of India, Worli.
“I don’t think my life has changed after winning the CWG gold as my struggles still continue. Despite being the No 2 player in the country, funding remains a problem. If you look at a sport like badminton, for example, the system helps players travel abroad for tournaments alongwith their coaches. In squash though we have to pay for everything. The only change that has come post the Asiad and CWG medals is that the government has started providing top squash players some funding.
In our country funding comes easily only if an athlete plays an Olympic sport. But there are players from sporting disciplines like squash and cue sports, who have represented India and achieved a lot, but it’s not good enough to merit funding equal to those who represent play Olympic sports,” said the 28-year-old, who entered the semis of the JSW meet yesterday with a 11-5, 11-7, 9-11, 11-2 win over Hong Kong’s Lee Ka.
source: http://www.mid-day.com / Mid-Day / Home> Mumbai News> National> Columnist / Sports News> Other Sports News / by Sundari Iyer / September 05th, 2015
Kodava Federation and Kodava Heritage Centre 1) M.N. Belliappa 2) M.C. Nanaiah 3) K.C. Cariappa
[Continued from August 22]
For a good friend, one would make a journey of a thousand miles and my visit to Bengaluru too was such a journey. A 50th wedding anniversary followed, a day later, by a wedding.
For the couple blessed with 50 years of married life, I wrote in the Visitor’s Book: “50 years of togetherness with understanding and the bliss that comes with it. Great. Here is wishing another 50+ years of wedded glory. — From friends of Dr. Sanmathi and Dr. Nitya.”
This was at Tamarind Tree Resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru on Kanakapura Road. The wedding too was on the same road at a Kalyan Mantap with a mythological name ‘Panchavati Pavilion,’ so far away, roads so bad. A friend asked me at the wedding, ‘Hey, couldn’t they find any other place in such a big Bengaluru?’ I merely grinned, still striving to overcome the tension that gripped us while driving at night to this place. Suffice to say it was a great wedding of the kind only few could afford or organise or spend. Apparently, an exclusive place, far away from the madding crowd, was needed for the wedding to be an extravaganza !
The following day, I found time to meet another friend at the other end of Bengaluru — Vasanthanagar. Mallengada N. Belliappa, Dada to his friends and family. A swashbuckling young Kodava entrepreneur since 1960s in Bengaluru, now a matured senior with commendable record of social service to the people where he lives and to the Kodava community in Bengaluru. A talkative person, he is also a doer bursting at the seams with energy even at this age.
A great philanthropist, every good cause will have him respond instantly and positively. It was under his initiative the first Coorg Public School (1996) at Gonikoppa, Kodagu, was set up, which has become a much sought after residential school. It was again under his initiative that Coorg Institute of Technology (an engineering college), again a first for Kodagu, was established in Ponnampet, South Kodagu (1999).
However, my interest was in the Federation of Kodava Samajas that was set up, again under his initiative, in the year 2000 at Balugodu, off Telllicherry (Thalassery) Road, 3 kms from Virajpet, Kodagu. As one occupied 24X7 as a coffee planter and a builder of many years in Bengaluru and now in Mysuru, Belliappa indeed has a vision for the good of Kodagu and its people. “For Kodagu to be saved from the present exploitation of its land and environment, all the original inhabitants of Kodagu of the days of the Rajas must come together and fight. Specially the prosperous communities — Kodavas and Kodagu Gowdas. The Britishers, known for their divide and rule policy, divided these two communities in 1937 at the time of Amar Sulya rebellion against the British occupation,” says Belliappa. I agree. He smiles and hopes this ‘coming together’ will happen for the greater good of both the communities and Kodagu as a unique geographic area tucked away under the shadow of Western Ghats with rain forests.
I go back to his pet project ‘Federation of Kodava Samajas’ and he goes off at a tangent telling, nay, re-telling the initial trials and tribulations in getting the land, the support extended by the former Minister M.C. Nanaiah etc. The then Chief Minister of Karnataka B.S. Yeddyurappa and the present Chief Minister Siddharamaiah have both generously given substantial amount of money that enabled the Federation to construct the buildings. He regretted that donations from the Member-Samajas and individual donors were not encouraging considering the size and scope of the project.
Belliappa then narrated an incident where a sum of about Rs. 94 lakh that was sanctioned to the Federation by the Union Ministry of Tourism with the help of the then Tourism Secretary, Rathi Vinay Jha, IAS (now retired). I am told that she is the sister of the famous Kodava of Codanda family, late C.G. Somiah, Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). Here is how the Federation lost that grant as told to me by Belliappa.
It appears, Rathi Vinay Jha had come to Virajpet, Kodagu, to inspect the land of the Federation at Balugodu before releasing the grant. After the visit, she stayed overnight as a guest in the house of her relative, a retired high-ranking Army Officer. Well, the next news Belliappa heard was that the grant was diverted to a new entity, conceived by the host Army Officer, called ‘Kodava Heritage Centre’ to be set up in the District Head Quarters Madikeri where it will have maximum exposure, including from tourists, unlike at the Federation site away at the border of Kerala State near Virajpet.
Personally, I thought there was some sense in the idea though Belliappa may not agree. In fact, when the idea of a Federation was first mooted I had told Belliappa that it must be at Madikeri. However, I was told there was no land available in Madikeri, hence Balugodu was chosen.
In retrospect, I wonder, how come the District authorities, who could not find land for the Federation near or around Madikeri, could now find 5 acres of land at K. Badaga village near Madikeri for the Kodava Heritage Centre? Now I learn that the Centre will get another 10.68 acres of land as well. Well, where there is a political and bureaucratic will, there is a way. Where Belliappa and his friends failed, the high-ranking Army Officer, all by himself, succeeded.
M.C. Nanaiah, then MLC, Appachu Ranjan, then (now also) MLA and Air Marshal K.C. Cariappa (retd.), who are members of this Kodava Heritage Centre, should do some introspection on the issue of the Federation not being able to get the land for its establishment in and around Madikeri. Great iconic institutions have always born first in the minds of visionary leaders. Did these leaders lack that kind of vision for locating an important institution of Kodavas like the Federation in right place? I do not know.
Here I must salute Air Marshal K.C. Cariappa (son of Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa) for speaking out on the issue like shooting straight from the hips, as they say. At the meeting held on 24.6.2010 in the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Madikeri, to discuss about the Kodava Heritage Centre with the DC in the chair, there were members and officials numbering 15 as per the minutes of the meeting. It was only Air Marshal K.C. Cariappa, who had the gumption and honesty to ask, “As I know, a plan is afoot to construct a Kodava Heritage Centre at Balugodu by the Federation of Kodava Samajas and, therefore, what is the purpose of constructing another separate Kodava Heritage Centre in Madikeri? Is it required?”
Surprisingly, M.C. Nanaiah parried the question like a typical politician saying, ‘Since this project is financed by the Central aid, it is not wise to make any change in the project (location).’ I learn, M.C. Nanaiah knew that this Central aid was originally meant for Balugodu project of Kodava Heritage Centre. If so, why did he not support Air Marshal K.C. Cariappa? Of course, Rathi Vinay Jha’s reasoning was sound and sensible when she said that for such a project Madikeri, the District Head Quarters was the ideal location as it would get maximum exposure. It was the very reason why I was asking Belliappa to bide the time to start the project till land is available in or near Madikeri.
How I wish the Federation got this 5+10 acres of land near Medikeri in the year 2000 so that every iconic Kodava-centric project like the Kodava Heritage Centre, Library, Hall of Fame, Kodava War Room, etc., could be located in one place.
Be that as it may, so far the PWD has been given Rs. 153.54 lakh for the construction of this building and Rs. 9.38 lakh is lying without being spent. The total cost has been revised to Rs. 2.68 crore from the original estimate of Rs. 1.45 crore. The Central Tourism Department has released another Rs. 1 crore on 16.2.2015 to the account of the DC. Now, money is no constraint for completing the project, it is the will to complete.
I am left wondering how some good projects lose proper direction because of indifference or ego on the part of the decision-makers as in this case.
Finally, an effort should be made by all concerned to bring this Kodava Heritage Centre, Madikeri, under the umbrella of the Federation of Kodava Samajas. May be, it is possible, if Rathi Vinay Jha co-operates. After all, the ship is greater than the crew! Did you get me Steve?
e-mail: kbg@starofmysore.com
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Abracadabra….Abracadabra / by K.B. Ganapathy /Saturday – September 05th, 2015
MCCCS Convenor Mookonda Bose Devaiah is seen addressing the Society’s General Body meeting at CITB choultry in Hebbal this morning as Society’s Liquidator C. Girish looks on. Picture right shows a section of members who attended the meeting. Mysuru :
The General Body Meeting of Mysore Coffee Curing Co-operative Society (MCCCS), KRS Road, was held at CITB Choultry in Hebbal here this morning after a gap of 17 years.
The meeting began in the presence of Liquidator C. Girish, with 223 members of the MCCCS attending the General Body, much more than the 115 members required for the quorum.
As soon as the meeting began, the members alleged that the six Liquidators appointed by the Government since 1999, following the ceasing of functioning of the Society in 1998, worked for the downfall of the Society rather than working for reviving it by taking appropriate measures.
The members unanimously demanded the government to recall the Liquidator and restore the composition of the Society which was in place between 1953 and 1998 when it functioned.
Liquidator Girish, who is currently in charge, recorded the proceedings of the General Body and said that the same will be sent to the Registrar of Co-operative Societies for due consideration. It is upto the Government to take further decision on the revival of the Society, he added.
The MCCCS Members Welfare Committee Convenor Mookonda Bose Devaiah, Co-convenors Kolathanda Subramani, K.B. Hemachandra, Alamengada Bose Mandanna, s.p. prasanna, Mathanda c. poovaiah, Kolera Jaya Chengappa, Mahesh, Thirumallesh, Nandu Subbaiah, Arun Machaiah and others were present.
A total of 223 members of the Society from Hassan, Kodagu, Chikkamagalur and Mysuru districts attended the meeting.
Society’s history: Coffee growers of Kodagu, Hassan, Mysuru and Chikkamagalur districts got together in 1953 to establish the MCCCS by procuring 10 acres and 23 guntas of land along KRS road in Mysuru.
The Society, with 1,159 members, functioned normally for many years and had also constructed several godowns. However, when the sale of coffee was freed from restriction and free market was allowed, the Society began to incur loss and gradually ceased functioning in 1998, following which the State Government appointed a Liquidator.
Later on, subsequent Liquidators auctioned 5 acre, 23 guntas of land, besides bringing down the 9 godowns built in the premises, in order to clear the Society’s debts and for various other reasons.
Despite having cleared the Society’s debts and meeting other obligations, the Liquidators tried to dispose off the remaining 5 acres of landed property belonging to the Society, through a public auction, when the members moved the High Court seeking a stay.
The High Court, which heard the Society’s plea, granted a stay on July 9, 2015 against the auction of the remaining landed property which is estimated at more than Rs. 20 crore.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / September 01st, 2015
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