Monthly Archives: August 2017

At 37, ace Rohan Bopanna is just getting started

Fresh from his Grand Slam in France, he’s got big plans

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Washington :

By the time most tennis players are 37, they have retired or gone on to become commentators or analysts – or even entered another profession.

When Rohan Bopanna reached that age, he got his maiden Grand Slam win in the French Open mixed doubles with Canadian partner Gabriela Dabrowski.

“Even though it sounds very cliché,” Bopanna said, “age is only a number, but whoever says whatever to me, I look at it as a positive—that means they are thinking of you, whether it’s a negative, or whether it’s a positive. They are talking about you. That means you are doing something out there.”

The trophy he won in June was “purely a personal goal — nobody else’s goal. Whether I win a Grand Slam or don’t win a Grand Slam, I am the one who’s putting in the work. So, I don’t think age should bother you. It never bothers me what everybody says.”

He achieved the title 14 years after first turning pro.

Immediately after his Grand Slam victory, the All India Tennis Association nominated him for the Arjuna Award, saying: “This is a well-deserved victory. We wish him more success in years to come. His victory will certainly be a morale booster to young and budding tennis players in the country.”

Bopanna, who has been a member of the Indian Davis Cup team since 2002, he finished in 2010, with Pakistani Aisam-ul-Haq as a runner-up in the doubles at the U.S. Open. Earlier that year, the duo, nicknamed the IndoPak Express, had also reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon. After the U.S. Open, they went on to win the Johannesburg Open.

Regarding his Paris win, he said: “If you had asked me a few years ago about getting my first Grand Slam on a clay court, I would have probably said that what you are saying is just impossible. But, over the years, I enjoyed playing on clay, and I learned how to move better on it and that made the difference. Even in my games, and in my style, I’m not always serving and volleying now. The guys return extremely well now and so, I mix and match my strengths accordingly. So, that experience over the years has helped and made a big difference to get my first Grand Slam.”

He credit his wife, Supriya Annaiah, 29, a psychologist, as his inspiration and a catalyst for his success.

“My wife is a psychologist, and so indirectly, I may be getting powered,” he said. “And, it’s nice to have her at these major tournaments. Sometimes, you are so much into practice and training and all that, you need some time away from it to keep your mind relaxed, and she brings that good side to me.

“Being a psychologist, she knows about down-time, de-compressing, a hundred percent. She understands the mechanics to this sport and how much sometimes I just need time for myself to just focus, which she gives me and that’s something.”

There have been other benefits to his top performance. Bopanna was named spokesman and partner with FDC Ltd./India’s balanced energy drink brand Enerzal after his win and Enerzel committed to being a partner with his tennis academy.

“Tennis is a sport that we as a brand are invested in and believe that India has tremendous potential to excel at globally,” said Ameya Chandavarkar, director of FDC India. “Teaming up with Rohan and his academy allows us to truly be part of the tennis ecosystem, from the grassroots all the way to the top.”

Bopanna said the commercial endorsement and being spokesman for Enerzal “would help in getting the message out about sports awareness, and the exposure, the promotion, the nutrition aspects, and everything else comes into play.”

He also said that he has been involved with the IndianOil, which has supported athletes over the years with its IndianOil Sports Scholarships – one of which he received in 2002.

If India is to compete to European and American standards, business backing is essential, he said. “We have to match up in every way and that’s where we have to change the mindset,” he said.

source: http://www.indiaabroad.com / India Abroad / Home> India / by Aziz Haniffa / August 21st, 2017

Started by an IAS officer, this Coorg-based organisation is teaching environmental activism to children

E-base, Kodagu, is addressing various local issues such as man-animal conflict prevalent in the area, protecting the Kaveri river, and water conservation.

Nestled in the lush Western Ghats, surrounded by coffee plantations, elephant corridors, and forests alike, Titimati is not far from the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve. A green and resilient building made of clay bricks, local stones, Mangalore tiles and bamboo stands there. It is the E-base at Kodagu — an embodiment of responsible and sustainable living.

Located in the popularly known Coorg district of Karnataka, it is the fifth E-base in the world that started in June 2016. An E-Base serves as a symbolic model for educational, environmental and energy issues throughout the world. The first one was established in Antarctica in 2008.
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E-base, Antarctica
Sir Robert Swan, OBE, who established the first E-base in Antarctica, was the first man to have walked, unassisted, to both the North and the South Pole. He has served as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Goodwill Ambassador.

After successfully removing 1,500 tonnes of waste from the shores of Antarctica, Sir Robert Swan stood at the Bellingshausen Russian Base and envisioned an education base that would allow him to share the beauty of this continent with students and leaders around the world.

Powered entirely by renewable energy, Robert and a small team lived in the E-Base and broadcasted clean technology and energy saving techniques to schools and universities around the world.

The purpose of an E-base is to inspire a global audience to tackle the issue of climate change by showing that if we can achieve the seemingly impossible in Antarctica, we can all take small, achievable steps in our own backyards.

Since Antarctica, E-bases have been established in Pench, Madhya Pradesh; Leh, Ladakh; and Blue Ridge Mountains, USA. All have the common objective to educate and learn about global climate issues, while addressing local sustainability challenge

Visit to Forestry College, Ponnampet.
Visit to Forestry College, Ponnampet.

Taking the E-base to India
Charulata Somal, IAS, CEO Zilla Panchayat of Kodagu, driven by the zeal to make the best things happen in the district, started the E-base in 2016.

It all started in the March of 2016, when Charulata went to Antarctica on an expedition led by Robert Swan for ‘A Leadership on the Edge Programme to the Last Wilderness on Earth,’ not just once but twice the same year. A passionate environmentalist, Charulata, after her return from Antarctica, decided to take forward the concept of E-base in her district to safeguard its flora and fauna through education.

E-base, Kodagu, was established at Titimati Ashram School, a residential government school for tribal children. The E-base runs a paid fellowship programme every year which brings bright, young, motivated individuals to work with the children and build a curriculum on sustainability while imparting life skills to the kids.

With a strength of 250 children and a potential to reach out to over 500 children in the neighbourhood, the E-base gives the fellow a broad canvas to teach and explore.

Children building solar cooker from waste and managing a vegtable garden at E-base.
Children building solar cooker from waste and managing a vegtable garden at E-base.

“We have had one fellow till now and will be receiving our second fellow in June. Our previous fellow, Deepti Bhatt implemented 14 mini projects, core projects, field trips and workshops which included activities like creating and nurturing a vegetable garden at school and making eco-friendly toys. We hope that these efforts will be carried forward by our incoming fellow,” says Aarati Rao, an educator who worked for building a sustainability curriculum for a similar concept learning space, i.e. the E-base in Leh before meeting Charulata Somal on the International Antarctica Expedition 2016.

Practicality and hands-on learning are of prime importance at the E-base and fellows are chosen on the basis of their ability to integrate project-based learning and experiential learning into their teaching style. “The fellow’s role becomes important in utilising the infrastructure and the resources available to provide access and exposure to the children to the outside world while staying rooted in their traditions,” explains Aarati.

Environmental education hub
“E-base, Kodagu, serves as a space for kids to learn about environmental conservation and drive change through activism and ownership. Its objective is to address various local issues such as man-animal conflict prevalent in the area, protecting the Kaveri river, water conservation, and native tree preservation. It also aims to be a space that’ll serve as a window to the world since it is internet-enabled,” says Aarati, who, along with Charulata, realised the vision of starting an E-base in a biodiversity hotspot like Kodagu.

Children demonstrating their art made using leaves.
Children demonstrating their art made using leaves.

The E-base integrates rainwater harvesting technology, organic farming and clean energy for teaching children sustainable practices from a very young age.

The long-term vision is to make the students capable of countering environmental challenges and inspire them to be the problem solvers of the world. There are 11 ashram schools that are catering to the tribal kids at Kodagu, and the E-base team hopes to make use of the E-base as a learning centre.

Although there are merely five E-bases across the world, the team at Kodagu hopes that there would be an E-base in every country which would virtually connect kids and help them come up with solutions for the big challenges the world faces today.

“That is the big picture which we hope to achieve in the long run,” says a member of the E-base.

source: http://www.yourstory.com / YourStory / Home> Education / by Hema Vaishnavi / August 23rd, 2017

Rajasthani Textile heritage at lit fest in Bhutan

Thimpu (PTI) :

Ahead of the 8th edition of the Mountain Echoes literary festival that begins tomorrow, an exhibition showcasing the traditional designs of Rajasthan was inaugurated here today.

Curated by Indian fashion designer Prasad Bidapa, the show titled “Handmade in Rajasthan” is being hosted at the Nehru Wangchuk Cultural Centre here.

With collections inspired by traditional ‘kota doria’ and handloom cotton saris, the exhibition celebrates the indigenous craft forms that give Rajasthan its distinctive identity and aims to present a 360-degree view of the state’s textiles.

“Mountain Echoes presents a carefully curated segment of beautiful clothes which are handmade in Rajasthan. Each garment reflects the heritage aspect of Indian textiles and craftsmanship, creating a resonance that is luxurious and extremely collectible.

“From the finesse of the kota doria sari to the robust hand-woven khadi… from the exquisite precision of our hand- blocked printing to the finesse of our embroidery, this collection is an emphatic tribute to the spinners, weavers, dyers, printers and embellishers of the beautiful state of Rajasthan,” Bidapa said.

The show sets the stage for the literary festival that will witness literary discussions with speakers from across the globe including Shashi Tharoor, Markus Zusak, Karma Gelay, Pema Abrahams among others.

Set against the stunning backdrop of the eastern Himalayas, Mountain Echoes literary festival is an initiative of the India-Bhutan Foundation, in association with the Indian literary consultancy, Siyahi.

The festival will come to a close on August 27.

source: http://www.ptinews.com / Press Trust of India / Home> Nation / Thimpu – August 23rd, 2017

Specialty Coffee Association Readies Inaugural ‘Avance’ Sustainability Conference

Guatemala City :

Sustainability leaders and advocates from across the coffee supply chain will gather in Guatemala City to participate in the first sustainability conference hosted by the Specialty Coffee Association.

The inaugural event, called Avance, will be held Oct. 11-12 at the headquarters of Anacafé, Guatemala’s national coffee association. It will consist of lectures, workshops, panel discussions and dialogue on topics like climate change and coffee production economics, with a focus on Central America.

Avance is designed to be inclusive of roles and experience levels across the coffee industry, as well as of English and Spanish speakers. Business representatives from coffee-consuming countries, as well as farmers, development practitioners, and public officials from coffee-producing countries, will be present to learn from experts and from one another about sustainability topics in the coffee sector.

Avance is the result of years of advocacy by members of the coffee community to include the voice of coffee farmers and representatives from coffee-producing countries in discussions around sustainability issues. The conference also builds on years of work by the SCA’s Sustainability Council and conversations within the specialty coffee community on how the industry can work together to make coffee better.

The Specialty Coffee Association was formed last year after members of the Specialty Coffee Association of America and the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe voted to unify the two groups. They are continuing to operate as separate organizations while the unified structure is put into place.

source: http://www.vendingtimes.com / Vending Times / Home / by Emily Jed / Gautemala City – August, 24th, 2017

Rain brings Mallalli waterfalls alive

Mallalli Falls at Somwarpet taluk. DH photo
Mallalli Falls at Somwarpet taluk. DH photo

Mallalli waterfall in the taluk has come alive following heavy rain in the region. The milky flow of water is attracting tourists from across the district and also the state.

A vast patch of land on the top of the waterfalls helps tourists peek into the water spectacle. The row of peaks of Western Ghats on the otherside, as if kissing the skies, makes for a visual treat. The Pushpagiri shrine enhances the visual treat.

The Kumaradhara river that jumps from a height of 150 foot here, flows towards another small waterfall.

The waterfall, in particular, has been drawing people in hordes. Students and tourists from different parts of the State visiting the waterfall.

The footfall swells during holidays and the available space is too small to hold the crowd. It also exposes lack of basic amenities in the place.

The waterfall is located within a distance of three km from Hanchinahalli on the way to Pushpagiri.

Pushpagiri can be accessed through Shanthalli located at a distance of 22 km from Somwarpet.

If one is lucky, he or she may also behold the sight of rivulets enroute Mallalli.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / by DH News Service / Somwarpet (Kodagu) – August 13th, 2017

How to Make Green Coffee

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A cup coffee is probably your go-to drink when you have to remain alert on a lazy work day or pull an all-nighter. But we usually get trapped between the never ending combat of benefits and side effects of drinking coffee due the excessive amount of caffeine it contains. What if we were to switch to a better version of it? Just like to green tea, green coffee is considered to be good for our health.

Green coffee beans are the seeds of the Coffea Arabica fruit that are not roasted unlike a regular coffee. During the roasting process of coffee beans, a natural antioxidant called Chlorogenic acid present in the beans is lost. The cholorogenic acid is meant to fight many health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, indigestion and even weight loss. Therefore, green coffee beans with an original amount of chlorogenic acid are considered to be healthier. According Macrobiotic Nutritionist, Shilpa Arora, “It is best to consume green coffee is you want to lose weight and it is recommended to drink it as the first thing in the morning. This helps in increasing your metabolism and burning more fat through the day.

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Health Benefits of Green Coffee

1. Highly rich in antioxidants, green coffee prevents our skin cells from getting damaged.

2. It also inhibits the release of excessive glucose in our bloodstream. Due to the lack of glucose in our liver, our body starts burning the stored fat to reach the basic glucose level. Thus, it boosts your metabolism and helps to burn extra fat.

3. It works as a natural detoxification element by cleansing our liver from toxins and bad cholesterol.

4. Green coffee beans are rich in compounds like Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA), Epigallocatechin Gallate and Theophylline, that help in delaying signs of ageing like wrinkles and also keep our skin supple.

Step-By-Step Method to Make Green Coffee

Ingredients (as per 2 servings):

20 grams of green coffee beans
300 ml of hot water
If preferred: sugar, honey or a pinch of cinnamon

Method:

Using green coffee bean powder

3. To get the coffee beans in powered form, grind the same in grinder and maintain the intensity as per liking. Use a heavy and strong grinder as unroasted coffee beans are hard to grind.

2. Put the powder in 2 separate cups and slowly pour hot water (approximately 90°C) in the cups.

3. Leave the mixture for 10 minutes and then filter it to get a warm and delicious beverage.

4. Sugar or honey can be added if desired. Though the subtle flavours are best enjoyed without them.

Using whole and raw green coffee beans

1. This method is more time consuming. Soak the beans overnight in a bowl of water.

2. The next day, boil them along with the same water on high flame. After the first boil, leave it on low flame for at least 15 minutes.

3. Keep the mixture to cool completely and then filter out the flavoured water in a cup and enjoy. The green coffee made with this method has a much stronger flavour. If you find it to be too strong then you can dilute it a bit by adding warm water.

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Before you set out to make your first cup of green coffee, you must keep somethings in mind. For instance, it is best to use Arabica coffee beans. Also, it is best to drink it after your meals to improve your digestion and keep your metabolism going.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

source: http://www.food.ndtv.com / Smart Cooky / Home> Food & Drinks / by Gunjan Bajaj / August 18th, 2017

Regional languages facing threat of extinction: Bilimale

Purushottama Bilimale, researcher and head of Kannada department, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) inaugurates a multilingual poets' symposium organised by Karnataka Arebhashe Culture and Literature Academy in Gowda Samaja, Madikeri, on Sunday. dh photo
Purushottama Bilimale, researcher and head of Kannada department, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) inaugurates a multilingual poets’ symposium organised by Karnataka Arebhashe Culture and Literature Academy in Gowda Samaja, Madikeri, on Sunday. dh photo

Owing to an obsession with English, several regional languages are facing the threat of going extinct, said Purushottama Bilimale, researcher and head of Kannada department, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

He was speaking during a multilingual poets’ symposium organised by Karnataka Arebhashe Culture and Literature Academy in Gowda Samaja, Madikeri on Sunday.

Starting from the communication between the nations to the communication between households, English has been dominating the scene, to the extent that English schools are being opened in rural areas, Bilimale said.

More than 400 languages in the country have been feared of becoming extent in the next 30 years, he said. The youth have not been taking enough care to preserve the multilingual fabric of the Indian culture.

The absence of projects which aim towards developing the language in the local levels has been the main reason for the extinction of regional dialects of languages, Bilimale observed.

The Central Government has only been focusing on Hindi and it has cleverly passed on the responsibility of protecting the regional languages to the states, he said.

Pattada Shivakumar, lecturer at Government PU College, Doddaravalanje, said that languages like Arebhashe, Kodava and Tulu are included in the list of languages which face the threat of extinction.

The poets who took part in the poets’ symposium were: Bareyanda Joyappa and Kudekal Santhosh(Arebhashe), M A Ajij, K S Kanchana (Kannada), Chammattira Pravin Uttappa and Shobha Subbaiah (Kodava), Kishor Rai, Navin Suvarna (Tulu), M A Muhammed, M A Abdulla (Beary) and Charles D’Souza (Konkani).

Arebhashe Culture and Literature Academy president Kolyada Girish was present on the occasion.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DH News Service – Madikeri / August 14th, 2017

Four Indian teams to represent the nation at the RFC global series

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Cougar Motorsport announced that they have extended the automatic entry benefits for the RFC Global Series 2017 Grand Finale, to the top four teams on the Force Gurkha RFC India 2017 leader board. Previously, this coveted award was given only to the top Indian driver of the competition. However, this year Cougar Motorsport will now sponsor RFC India 2017’s top four drivers and their co-drivers by subsidising their RFC 2017 Grand Finale entry ticket worth $3,900 and also provide return airfare worth $1,100 from Malaysia, where the finale will be held later this year.

Gurmeet Virdi and co-driver, Kirpal Singh Tung, from team Gerrari Offroaders, Chandigarh, who won the Force Gurkha RFC India 2017, are already entitled to these benefits. In addition to that, the winner team will also get a sponsorship of up to $3,000 towards their competition vehicle rental amount.

However, the other beneficiaries announcement would be the remaining podium finishers — Jagat Nanjappa and co-driver Chetan Changappa from Coorg-based V5 Offroaders, driver Sanbir Singh Dhaliwal and co-driver Gurpartap Singh from Gerrari Offroaders, Chandigarh and the fourth position holder, Siddartha Santosh and co-driver Prithviraj AC from Team BODA (Bangalore Offroad Drivers Association).

source: http://www.carwale.com / Carwale.com / Home> News / by Aditya Jadhav / August 17th, 2017

Women insecure socially: Shwetha Madappadi

Mysuru :

“Even if women have secured higher positions in the society, they are still insecure socially. Women are always facing probable assault at any moment,” said writer Shwetha Madappadi here on Sunday.

She was speaking at the annual meeting of Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada District Gowda Women’s Association at Vijayanagar 2nd stage.

Amritha Suresh, President of Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu women’s association Geetha Montadka, Naduvattira Geetha Lakshman, Rukmini and others were present. (MR/BM)

source: http://www.citytoday.news / City Today / Home> Uncategorized / by CT Bureau / August 14th, 2017

Celebrating academic excellence

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‘India and Cambridge university have had an enduring relationship’

The Pemanda Monappa Scholarship was presented to Rupsa Banerjee, a student of English literature, by the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court Indira Banerjee at a function on Wednesday. Ms. Banerjee will study at the University of Cambridge, U.K.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Justice said studying in an institution like Cambridge broadened the outlook of students.

Congratulating the student, Chief Justice Banerjee hoped she would imbibe the qualities of Pemanda Monappa.

She recalled that in 1948, the officer was hand-picked by Sardar Vallabhai Patel to be the Inspector of Police of Hyderabad State despite the fact that they had never met.

P.M. Belliappa, former IAS officer and managing trustee of the Pemanda Monappa Trust, said the event was a celebration of the values that his late father followed till the very end.

Helen Pennant, director, Cambridge Trust, said it has been in existence for 30 years. It supports 500 scholars annually, she said. “One in three students at the university comes from outside the U.K.,” she said.

N. Ravi, Director, Kasturi and Sons Ltd., said the relationship between India and Cambridge had been an enduring one and several Indians, including mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujam, statistician P.C. Mahalanobis, Nobel Prize winner Venky Ramakrishnan and three former Prime Ministers were alumni of Cambridge.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Special Correspondent / Chennai – August 03rd, 2017