S R Akshata’s artworks are adorning the walls of govt schools, offices.
A talented girl from a remote rural area in Kodagu district is now been becoming famous in the region, through her artistic skills.
S R Akshata, an artist from Navagrama village in Kodlipet Gram Panchayat limits in Shanivarasanthe, has been pursuing her passion while doing her regular studies.
Artworks created by her have adorned the walls of government schools and offices, drawing everybody’s attention.
Akshata is the daughter of wood sculptor Ramesh and Kavita.
She developed an interest in drawing since her primary school days. However, she could not carry it out seriously until she joined Morarji Desai Residential School in Aluru Siddapura.
Art teacher D P Satish identified her talent, encouraged her and honed her skills.
She was so much involved in arts that she chose to carry out her degree education in art, in Mahalasa School of Visual Arts in Mangaluru.
Currently, she is in the second year of her degree. She has been mastering pencil art, poster colour art, 3-D art, pencil shading, acrylic art and so on.
In a humble gesture, during holidays, she spreads her knowledge to the students of government schools by teaching them drawing and painting.
She also creates artworks for the schools. The initiative was taken by ‘Nammura Kalakaliya Vedike’ set up by D P Satish, of which she is a part.
Apart from teaching art to the students, she also contributed her own artworks to the schools in Navagrama and surrounding villages.
Her artworks are now adorning the walls of five schools, a Gram Panchayat and three libraries.
Teacher D P Satish said that her talent should be appreciated in the state and the nation.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Shanivarasanthe / October 10th, 2021
Dr. S.V. Narasimhan, a family physician based at Virajpet in Kodagu, is an avid birder, nature lover, adept at computers, Karnatak music and astronomy.
Author of Feathered Jewels of Coorg, a field-guide to 310 species of birds found in Coorg, Dr. Narasimhan is the pioneer in spreading wildlife conservation messages through his unique hand-painted Wildlife Message Cards that are sent free to individuals throughout the world to mark Wildlife Week (Oct. 2 to 8).
Total number of hand-painted cards made by him this year is 2,630; in 37 years, 75,285 cards.
Total recipients this year including Star of Mysore – 1,284; in 37 years — 13,387 persons.
The Special Wildlife Messenger this year is Rufous Woodpecker (Micropternus brachyurus) which is a medium sized, brown coloured bird, with short beak and a short strong tail. Male birds have a red patch under the eyes. They feed on insects, ants and flower nectar. Their call is a sharp nasal, three-note, Knk-Knk-Knk. The most surprising fact is that they make their nest within the carton nests of Crematogaster ants and the young also feed on the eggs and larvae of the ants!
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / October 11th, 2021
The industrial area in Kudloor. The first and the only KIADB industrial area in Kudloor in Kushalnagar is facing a lack of basic facilities. The layout is devoid of facilities and people are eagerly waiting for its upliftment.
Owing to the efforts of then chief minister Gundurao, the industrial area had come up at Kudloor in 1984.
There are more than 60 industrial units related to coffee, pepper and others that have come up in the industrial area. About 40% of them are related to coffee and its processing. Some of the food industries including ice cream, hollow bricks, iron and other industries are functioning. The annual turn out from coffee-related industries is Rs 4,000 crore, said Kudloor Kaigarikodyamigala Sangha president A N Praveen.
The industrial area has been completely neglected over the years. Owing to the pressure from the industrialists, pothole-ridden roads have been developed in the area.
According to KIADB officials, the government had sanctioned Rs 10 crore for the development of the industrial area. All the roads leading to various industrial layouts in the vicinity have been developed. The basic facilities will be improved in a phased manner.
Though 250 acres of land was acquired for industrial area, the khata of only 100 acres has been handed over. The remaining 150 acres has no khata. It is not even registered in the name of KIADB. As a result, several industrialists are denied facilities from the government, said, industrialists.
The industrial area has a lack of streetlights. As a result, people are scared to move around at night. Even drains are not constructed by the side of the road. Weeds have grown on either side of the roads.
There is an allegation that only coffee-related industries are set up in the industrial area. As a result, the employment generation is restricted and youth have been migrating to cities in search of greener pastures, said local residents.
There is even a lack of security in the industrial area. Theft cases too have been reported in the nights.
Department of Handlooms and Textiles assistant director Guruswamy said the department had submitted a proposal on setting up a mini power loom park at the industrial area in Kudloor. The deputy commissioner has given approval for the same.
Beeralingeshwara power loom will be set up in the future which will provide employment to women and men, he added.
Industries centre joint director Shankaranarayana said that a meeting to discuss the problems faced at the industrial area will be convened shortly at Koodumangalore Gram Panchayat hall. The officials from KIADB and others will attend the meeting.
Meanwhile, MP Pratap Simha has submitted a proposal to set up an ESI Hospital in Kodagu. Even land has also been identified for the hospital at Kudloor.
However, the process for the setting up of the hospital has not been initiated so far.
Vanijyodyamigala Sangha, Kodagu, president M B Devaiah said, “We have appealed to Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekar to help in the generation of employment in the district.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / b y DHNS, Kushalnagar / September 30th, 2021
Members and office-bearers of UCO and Kodava Samaja conduct a meeting in Kodava Samaja, Ponnampet.
Ponnampet Kodava Samaja will extend its support to the United Codava Organisation (UCO) in the fight towards the formation of Kodava community development corporation, said Kodava Samaja, Ponnampet, president Chottekmada Rajiv Bopaiah.
During a meeting held in Kodava Samaja, Ponnampet, he said that the demand of UCO is timely. The corporation, if established, will help in the strengthening of the Kodava community and claim its rights.
UCO president Kokkalemada Manju Chinnappa said that even though there is an opinion that the Kodava people are financially well off, they are ignored when it comes to social and political representation.
“When a separate development corporation is formed for Vokkaligas who are listed under the 3 A category, why not form a development corporation for Kodavas who are listed under the same category?” he asked.
Kodava Samaja secretary Ponnimada Suresh, treasurer Mookalera Lakshmana, directors Mallamada Prabhu Poonacha, Cheppudira Rakesh Devaiah, Bopanna, Roopa Uttappa, Mandechandra Dinesh Chityappa, Mookalamada Arasu Nanjappa, Addanda Sunil and UCO member Kallichanda Robin Subbaiah were present.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Gonikoppa / October 10th, 2021
A team of eight girl students will be part of the state team in the Girls Junior Nationals hockey tournament to be held in Jharkhand from October 20.
Players Pandanda Dejamma, Badumanda Shaya Kaveramma, Ponnimada Shilpa, Kechettira Parvathi, S P Likhita, H P Dhanushree, S P Sinchana and B K Leelavathi are from Kodagu.
The players are trained at Sai Sports Hostel and have taken part in more than 10 national-level hockey tournaments.
Currently, they are preparing for a national tournament in Kantheerava Stadium, Bengaluru.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Madikeri / October 13th, 2021
When I read the poem ‘Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard’ by the English poet Thomas Gray (1751) many years ago, I found many quotable quotes in that rather long poem. But the one that remained in my memory and used it in some of my writings about our heroes and achievers who go unrecognised by the society is this particular quotation. I guess those are the four immortal sentences in that poem because, I know, in this world many achievers, geniuses and those who sacrificed their lives for the cause of humanity — gems of purest ray and flowers of great sweetness — are still remaining unknown and unrecognised. Let me quote those four lines:
Full many a gem of purest ray serene,
The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear.
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.
I remembered these verses of Thomas Gray’s poem while reading the report on the unveiling of life-size statue of gallant Fighter Pilot Squadron Leader Ajjamada Bopayya Devayya (A.B. Devayya) in Madikeri, Kodagu, on 7th September 2020. He too would have become a ‘gem of purest ray serene’ buried in the ‘unfathomed caves of ocean’ or would have been a flower born to blush unseen, but for the publication of a book titled “Battle for Pakistan” authored by John Fricker, an English journalist, based on interviews he conducted with Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Pilots.
The then Flight Lieutenant Amjad Hussain of PAF had narrated in that interview about the India-Pakistan War of 1965. He told the journalist that after accomplishing a successful raid over Pakistan’s Sargodha Airfield at the appointed time by IAF Fighter Aircraft, all Subsonic Mystere Aircraft, they were returning to their base in India. But the PAF’s Flight Lieutenant Amjad Hussain, who was piloting a superior aircraft to that of India’s, Supersonic Mach 2, F-104 Starfighter Aircraft, intercepted the Indian aircraft piloted by Squadron Leader A.B. Devayya.
About this incident, a reader of Star of Mysore, a veteran of IAF and the then President of Air Force Friends Association, Mysore, Mandetira N. Subramani, had written an article in Star of Mysore on 27.10.2000 (20 years back). There, in that article, he says “Neither the PAF pilot’s flying skill nor the F-104 Starfighter’s superior fire-power and speed deterred Squadron Leader A.B. Devayya. With single-minded devotion and rare courage, he ultimately succeeded in shooting down the PAF plane with the pilot Amjad Hussain safely ejecting.”
All the IAF Fighter Pilots, 6 of them, who were involved in the task of bombing the heavily defended Pakistan Airfield, returned to the Indian base at Adampur. But one pilot was listed as “missing in action.” He was Squadron Leader Ajjamada Bopayya Devayya. And he, apparently remained a “missing in action” officer all the years till the book titled “Battle for Pakistan” was published many years later and aroused the interest of another Indian IAF Officer Group Captain O.P. Taneja, Vir Chakra (retired).
Subsequently, mercifully, the Air Head Quarters conducted a careful investigation and innumerable interviews with the IAF Pilots who flew with Squadron Leader A.B. Devayya to confirm the veracity of what was written about Devayya in that book. Finally, he was conferred the honour of Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) posthumously. A martyr at last recognised. Thanks to people like the English journalist who wrote that book, to Flight Lieutenant Amjad Hussain of PAF for being so honest about a war situation, to Group Captain O.P. Taneja and nearer home our Veteran Sergeant M.N. Subramani (a retired Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of IAF), who pursued his efforts to get our people here to recognise and properly reward Sqn. Ldr. Devayya.
I am sure, M.N. Subramani must be among the most happy persons to see that statue unveiled on 7th September 2020, 55 years after the War Hero A.B. Devayya was martyred on 7th September 1965. And not to forget, it was M.N. Subramani, presently the President of VeKare Ex-Servicemen Trust (VKET), who was instrumental in naming our city’s Sainik Aram Ghar as Squadron Leader A.B. Devayya Bhavan, despite protests from a section of the people.
I remembered all these events after reading the statue unveiling report. We are fortunate that Sqn. Ldr. A.B. Devayya did not remain a “missing pilot” forever and an Air Force Officer with fame “unknown.” Let us remember the famous epitaph in the Kohima War Cemetery:
“When you go home
Tell them of us and say
For your tomorrow
We gave our today.”
Sqn. Ldr. A.B. Devayya was just 33. He gave his ‘today’ for our ‘tomorrow’.
Jai Hind
e-mail: voice@starofmysore.com
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Columns> Abracadabra / by K.B. Ganapathy / September 11th, 2021
Following hue and cry from the Kodava community that two Olympians from the community Subedar Chenanda Kuttappa (chief Indian boxing coach) and Kelappanda Ganapathy (sailor) were ignored by the Karnataka Government by not felicitating them for their participation in the Tokyo Olympics, the duo were called to the Banquet Hall of the Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru on Oct. 11 to be felicitated.
Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot distributed cash awards of Rs. 1 lakh each and mementos in the presence of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Sports Minister K.C. Narayanagowda.
While Kuttappa himself received the honour, Ganapathy’s mother Kelappanda Reshma Chengappa received the honour on her son’s behalf as he is heading to another sporting event in Spain.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / October 13th, 2021
Ketolira Shammi has been cultivating about 50 varieties of fruits on his land. Now, apple is added to the list
Apples cultivated by Ketolira Shammi.
Along with varieties of fruits, a farmer in Kolakeri near Napoklu has grown apples.
He had procured the plant from Ooty four years ago and now the plant has borne fruits.
He has harvested about 4 to 5 kg of apple as a first crop.
The weather in Kodagu is conducive for apple cultivation as well, he said.
Normally, the growers in Kodagu cultivate oranges amid coffee plantations. However, after the orange plants were infected with diseases, the growers have started looking for alternative crops.
Ketolira Shammi has been cultivating lychee, rambutan, dragon fruit, egg fruit, butter fruits and others.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Napoklu / October 10th, 2021
The Supreme Court Collegium has approved the proposal for elevation of four advocates as Judges in the Karnataka High Court (HC). The Centre is expected to approve this and issue a notification.
The four names approved are — Cheppudira Monnappa Poonacha, Anant Ramanath Hegde, Siddaiah Rachaiah and Kannankuzhyil Sreedharan Hemalekha.
The Collegium headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana took the decision in its meeting held on Oct. 7 and the resolution was uploaded on the Apex Court website yesterday.
Advocate Cheppudira Monnappa Poonacha has more than 20 years of practice experience, having commenced his career in law in the chambers of senior advocate S.K.V. Chalapathy, and thereafter under his father late C.M. Monnappa who was also a noted advocate.
In 2001, Poonacha, along with Kiran V. Ron and R. Sukruta, established Lexplexus, a law firm in Bengaluru with a primary objective of providing diverse legal solutions to clients that include individuals, organisations of various types and large corporations. The team has trained many budding advocates.
Today, the firm, with a team of committed professionals, services a range of business and personal needs, addresses a range of diverse issues: litigation, cyber law, corporate law, contracts and intellectual property, cross border disputes, property and their allied areas.
Poonacha is known as Nayan in family circles and hails from Nokya Siddapura near Thithimathi in Kodagu. He has been serving as Additional Government Advocate in the High Court since August last year and has been commended both by the Government and the Court for his professional approach in issues of national importance. His mother Shaila hails from Kandrathanda family. Poonacha is married to Kanjithanda Savitha, daughter of Dr. Kanjithanda Chinnappa and Sharada couple. Savitha too practices as an advocate. The couple has a son and daughter Somaiah and Hitha.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / October 09th, 2021
The joint study found bird species richness to be higher in shade coffee plantations that had 78 species than in open coffee plantations that had 55 species
‘Alteration of canopy, woody plant composition can influence pattern of functional composition of resident birds’
Verdant coffee and tea plantations are more than an ideal backdrop for photos; they support a thriving avian population. In a study that underscores the need to understand the patterns and drivers of bird species composition and diversity outside Protected Area (PA) networks to develop landscape-level conservation strategies, researchers found that they varied in differently-managed plantations.
The findings were the result of collaborative work by Kannur University, Kerala, Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Bengaluru, and Ferns Nature Conservation Society, Wayanad. It was published in July 2021.
Focussing on the coffee plantations in the Western Ghats, which are an important agro-ecosystem and help maintain a significant portion of regional avian diversity, the researchers compared the composition and functional diversity of resident birds between shade and open coffee plantations.
They counted 3,846 birds of 87 species, and found species richness to be higher in shade (78 species) than in open coffee plantations (55 species). “Interestingly, 32 species were unique to shade and nine were unique to open coffee plantations, with 46 species found in both types of plantation. Species richness and abundance were higher in shade coffee,” the study says, adding that the results reveal that different farm management practices can affect functional bird richness and its abundance in coffee plantations. They have made a case for retaining shade-trees of native varieties in coffee plantations to support high functional diversity, richness, and abundance of birds in the coffee plantation of the Western Ghats.
The study, ‘Resident birds show different patterns in species composition and functional diversity in differently managed coffee plantations in the Western Ghats, India’, was published by the Ornithological Science journal in July 2021.
Speaking to The Hindu, Santhanakrishnan Babu, one of the authors, said the study was conducted between May and August, 2016, in the northern part of Wayanad district. “Wayanad is a major coffee producer, producing 90% of the Kerala’s coffee. Our study aimed to understand how resident birds respond to differently-managed coffee plantations – shade and open,” he said.
The Kerala government recently passed an order to chop all resident trees on private land except sandalwood. This will lead to extensive chopping of resident trees from the coffee plantations which will affect biodiversity, he added.
Another author Athira S. Variar and Mr. Babu said retaining shade trees of native varieties in coffee plantations is important for supporting high functional diversity, richness, and abundance of birds. “Shade plantations support several habitat specialists and range-restricted birds, and alteration of the canopy and woody plant composition can influence the pattern of the functional composition of resident birds. Since our study covered only one season, year-round study in these plantations may shed more light on the composition of resident, breeding and migratory bird species,” they said.
Conservation strategies
They have called for landscape-level conservation strategies. Author Anoop N.R. pointed out that the Forest Department has little authority over the plantations located outside forest areas, and trees in these plantations are increasingly being replaced with exotic trees such as Grevillea robusta. “To promote the protection of large native trees in coffee plantations, we recommend initiating programmes to provide financial incentives to private landowners. Education programmes will also help to improve community support for retaining texisting indigenous tree varieties and promote planting more of the same,” he recommended, adding that a framework needs to be developed with regard to which species can be planted and which must be maintained, or removed, from the plantations.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by K C Deepika / Bengaluru, October 04th, 2021
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