RB and HP in ‘Premaya Namaha’

April 7, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorgadmin

Two sweet looking heroines Ramya Barna and Harshika Poonacha have been finalized for ‘Premaya Namaha’. In addition to it the new hero Fayaz Khan son of former minister of Karnataka Jamir Ahmed a strong Janata Dal Secular politician a right hand of former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy is making debut.

Fayaz Khan has taken training from Anupam Kher School of acting in Mumbai and gearing up for a love story film. Bhuvan is another hero of the film.

Meanwhile Producer Niyaaz Khan who announced ‘Enidu Manasali’ in the last year coming from Mumbai is introducing Ankith as music director and Harish Nayak is the cameraman.

A politician son becoming hero is not for the first time in Kannada cinema. Kumar Bangarappa, Madhu Bangarappa, Ajay Gundu Rao, Rakesh son of Siddaramaiah are some of the examples already in the pages of history of Kannada cinema.

Jamir Ahmed former minister in JDS ruled Karnataka state son Fayaz Khan is new addition.

source: http://www.indiaglitz.com / Home / Saturday, April 06th, 2013

We learned from our mistakes: Ashwini Ponnappa

April 6, 2013Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sportsadmin

Ashwini Ponnappa talks about her partners and the invaluable international exposure in recent times.

Ashwini Ponnappa and Jwala Gutta formed the second half of India’s formidable women’s doubles’ pair. Now that the two have gone separate ways, it’s important for Ashwini to play the role that Jwala did when they were together. Before combining in the Olympics last year for the final time, the twosome had won the 2010 Commonwealth Games gold and 2011 World Championships bronze.

Ashwini said, “I would not like to talk about it (split) much as we are not playing together anymore. We have spoken with each other and that’s what really matters. The last three years with Jwala have been wonderful. I’ve learnt a lot from her, I’m thankful for that.”

The 23-year-old soft-spoken Ashwini is settling down with new partners, Pradnya Gadre in women’s doubles and Tarun Kona in mixed. “Pradnya and I have not played a lot together. She does not have Jwala’s experience but she will definitely get there. We combine very well — she at the net, me at the back. I’ve a bit more experience than Pradnya. We are just about a year apart in age. I enjoy the partnership with her,” she said.

Ashwini and Kona came together in June 2012. Though the results in international tournaments have not been spectacular, Ashwini feels the exposure was invaluable. Ashwini and Kona benefited most from being part of the Asian All-Star team that made the semifinals of the Axiata Cup, the richest team championship event with a prize money of $1million. The semifinals and final will be played in Kuala Lumpur on April 13-14. The prelims were held from March 21 to 31 in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Ashwini said, “Tarun and I were selected as mixed-doubles pair for the Asian All-Star team. It has been a really good experience. To be part of a team with top-class players in the form of Chinese Bao Chunlai and Zheng Bo, Korean Lee Huin, Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tsu Ying and Hong Kong’s Yip Yui Yin was a different experience. We got to interact with them. Otherwise, normally in tournaments, you do not get to interact with them. They supported us really well.”

Ashwini believed the experience playing against players from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Europe and Philippines could only take her partnership with Kona forward. “It is a great opportunity to get more matches. We can get better at mixed doubles. We got to play top doubles’ pairs. We learned from our mistakes and got better in the subsequent games.”

Ashwini and Gadre lost in the qualifying rounds of the women’s doubles in last month’s All England Championships. In the mixed doubles, the Ashwini-Kona duo exited in the first round. “All England was not too great. I had an elbow problem,” Ashwini said. After the Axiata Cup semifinals and finals, Ashwini will head to Chinese Taipei for the Badminton Asia Championships (April 16-21) and then to New Delhi for the Yonex Sunrise India Open (April 23-28).

“Getting to the quarterfinals and semifinals and doing better than that in these tournaments would be the aim. I want to take each tournament as it comes. The CWG in 2014 is also something we are looking forward to,” she added.

source: http://www.dnaindia.com / DNA / Home> Sport> Interview / Place:Mumbai, Agency:DNA / by G. Krishnan / Friday, April 05th, 2013

@GKspts

Veterans feted on Gen. Tim’s birth anniversary

April 6, 2013Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Leadersadmin

Air Cmdr. O.P. Tiwari, Air Officer Commanding, No. 2 Air Force Selection Board, Mysore, is seen unveiling the portraits of Gen. K.S. Thimaya and Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa on the occasion of Gen. Thimaya’s 107th birth anniversary today, at the Sqn. Ldr. A.B. Devayya Bhavan (which houses the office of Sainik Welfare and Resettlement Department) behind DC office in city.

The function was held under the aegis of Air Force Friends Association, Mysore (AFFAM).

Picture right shows widows of war veterans and senior-most military veterans being felicitated (sitting, from left): Muktha Bai, 94-year-old widow of Govardhan Rao, World War II veteran; K.M. Thangamma, widow of Kodandera K. Machaiah, World War II veteran from Coorg Regiment; Bacharaniyanda Subbaiah, senior Sailor from the Indian Navy and Flying Officer Guruvappa from Napoklu, Kodagu; with (standing, from left) Shakunthala Subramani, AFFAM President M.N. Subramani, Star of Mysore Editor-in-Chief K.B. Ganapathy, Air. Cmdr. O.P. Tiwari and Lt. Col. K.S. Iyappa, SM, Commanding Officer, 1 (KAR), Engineering Coy, Mysore.

source: http://www.StarOfMysore.com / Home> General News / March 31st, 2013

Starbucks opens sixth store in Mumbai

April 5, 2013Coffee Newsadmin

There are now a total of five stores in Delhi and six in Mumbai

Coffee house major Starbucks, which has a joint venture with the Tata Group in India, has launched its sixth store in Mumbai at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, taking its tally to 11 stores so far.

As things stand now, there are a total of five stores in Delhi and six in Mumbai, with plans afoot to ramp up this number.

Avani Davda, CEO, Tata Starbucks, says the idea of launching stores at airports, its third so far, is to provide convenient locations to consumers. “We have received an overwhelming response to our two stores at New Delhi’s IGI Airport. We hope to continue to cater to the travel channels in the country and extend our experience,” she said.

The 18,000-outlet-strong Starbucks, which operates in 60 countries, has opted to price a cup of coffee in India between Rs 80 and Rs 200, while the food, an assortment of which is on offer at its stores, is also priced in a similar bracket.

After signing a coffee roasting and sourcing deal in January 2011 with Tata Coffee, Stabucks got into a JV with Tata Global Beverages, parent of Tata Coffee, a year later, launching its first store by October 2012. Since then it has moved quickly, launching stores in Mumbai and Delhi respectively. The JV is expected to step into other cities in the near future in its drive to expand its footprint.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> News> News / by Viveat Susan Pinto / Mumbai / April 03rd, 2013

Honey is not ‘sweet’ for farmers

April 5, 2013Agriculture, Business & Economy, Natureadmin

Kodagu, which was once famous for honey, now produces just a few tonnes from what it used to produce annually nearly two decades ago. However, the apiculturists are facing several problems in the district.

There is ample opportunity for beekeeping in Bhagamandala. A few farmers are engaged in apiculture. However, in the recent years, farmers from Kerala keep the beehives in the coffee estates and collect honey and take it to their hometown for sale. This has become a headache from the local farmers.

Apiculture was taken on a large scale in Bhagamandala during 1990. The farmers started rearing malliferous bee brought from Kerala. The drastic decline in the production of honey was due to sacbrood disease affecting the honeybees.

Now, apiculture has started reviving in the district. Farmers from Kerala have started keeping beehives in the coffee plantations after taking permission from the owners. A few plantations have 100 to 150 beehives.

In Kerala, honey is produced only from rubber tree flowers. As there was no great demand for such honey, natural flowers are available in plenty in Bhagamandala region. Hence, growers from Kerala have started keeping their beehives in Kodagu.
A honeybee starts the honey making process by visiting a flower and gathering some of its nectar.

In the process of gathering nectar, the insect transfers pollen grains from one flower to another and pollinates the flower.

There is a great demand for ‘Coorg honey.’ The beehives from Kerala is kept in the plantations at Cherangala, Thannimani, Thavoor and others areas. In the past, the apiculturists were getting 25 kg honey from one beehive. However, now its has been reduced to three kg, said apiculturist.

At a time when apiculturists in Kodagu are getting ready to revive apiculture by availing loan from the banks and financial assistance from the government, honeybees and beehives from Kerala entering the district has become a headache. Gram panchayats should initiate suitable measures in this regard, said the farmers.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / Napoklu, DH News Service / April 04th, 2013

‘Agri budget aimed at attracting youth to farming’

April 4, 2013Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Natureadmin

With more number of farmers drifting away from agriculture due to the lack of basic facilities, the government has presented a separate agriculture budget to retain farmers in the farming sector, said District-in-Charge Minister Appachu Ranjan.

He was delivering presidential address at Krishi Utsav jointly organised by Krishi Utsava Management Committee, Taluk Panchayat, Pragathi Bandhu SHG, at Balagunda village near Somwarpet on Monday. He gave a call to the farmers to have knowledge of various government schemes that are exclusively designed for the welfare of farmers. The new generation youth lack interest in farming and are turning their faces towards the urban life. But the situation will change and the same youth will return to villages to take up agriculture, Appachu Ranjan hoped.

He said “the small farmers should cultivate crops that are suitable for the local climate. The crops should be grown and supplied based on the public demand.”

Inaugurating the Krishi Utsav, national award winning progressive farmer Nirmala Prakash expressed concern over the increased use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides in agriculture.

Understanding the impact of these harmful chemicals, the farmers should come forward to adopt organic farming, she said.

Zilla Panchayat President B Shivappa, Taluk Panchayat President G B Somaiah, Sri Kshetra Dharmastala Rural Development Project Director Radhakrishna Rao and others were present.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / Somwarpet, DHNS / March 18th, 2013

‘38 GPs in Kodagu yet to win Nirmal Gram Puraskar’

April 4, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economyadmin

60 GPs in the district have won the award.

Zilla Panchayat CEO K B Anjanappa has said that measures will be taken to ensure that 38 gram panchayats will win Nirmal Gram Puraskar in the future.

Speaking at a workshop organised by the Nirmal Bharath Abhiyan, he said as many as 60 gram panchayats have won the award.

Measures will be taken to construct individual toilets in households, schools and anganwadi centres in the remaining 38 gram panchayats. Under Nirmal Bharath Abhiyan, a sum of Rs 4,700 will be given for the construction of individual toilet and a sum of Rs 4,500 will be given under MGNREGA.

A sum of Rs seven lakh to Rs 20 lakh will be given for scientific disposal of wastes in gram panchayats.

ZP Chief Project Officer Srinivas Rao said that additional funds are being released to those GPs which have won Nirmal Gram Puraskar. Door number for newly constructed house should be given only after confirming the fact that the house has a toilet.

Gram panchayats that have not won Nirmal Gram Puraskar are Chembu, Karike, Napoklu, Nariyandafa, Perake, Sampake, Aigooru, Alooru Siddapura, Besuru, Chettadalli, Chowdlu, Ganagooru, Handli, Hebbale, Nakooru Shirangala, Nidtha, Tholooru Shettalli, Shanthalli, Koodumangalore, Valnooru Thyagathur, Chembebellur, B Shettigeri, Hathooru, Halugunda, Hudikeri, Balyamandooru, Birunani, T Shettigeri.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / Madikeri, DH News Service / March 17th, 2013

CMC budget earmarks ` 25 cr for devt of roads

April 3, 2013Business & Economyadmin

CMC President presents surplus of `5.22 crore budget

Madikeri CMC presented a budget of Rs 60.50 crore for the year 2013-14. The budget has earmarked Rs 25.35 crore for the development of roads in the town.

CMC President H M Nandakumar presented the budget. The expenditure for the year would be Rs 55.27 lakh and a sum of Rs 5.22 crore is saved.

The CMC had presented budget worth Rs 42.83 crore during 2012-13. The CMC is expecting a revenue of Rs 11.61 crore from taxes, Rs 39.55 crore from other sources. Compared to last year, the income has been increased by Rs 17.67 crore.
A sum of Rs 84.05 lakh has been earmarked for the welfare of SC/ST under 22.75 per cent programme.

A total of Rs 26.78 lakh has been earmarked for the welfare of poor under 7.25 per cent programme.

A sum of Rs 11.08 lakh has been kept aside for the welfare of handicapped.

The CMC is expecting a sum of Rs 3.49 crore as taxes, Rs 1.31 crore as electricity fund, Rs 2.60 crore SFC fund, Rs 1.35 crore as rent from commercial complexes, Rs 5.80 lakh from advertisements, Rs nine lakh from trade license, Rs 2.50 lakh from the sale of tender forms, Rs 11.70 lakh from solid waste collection, Rs 63.66 lakh as water tax, Rs 1.05 crore as property tax.

Member Chummi Devaiah asked why the salary paid for the CMC staff has been increased from Rs 1.90 crore to Rs 3.49 crore?

Reacting to it, Commissioner N M Shashikumar said that with the sixth pay commission, the salary of the staff has been increased. As a result, a sum of Rs 3.49 crore has been earmarked for the permanent employees and Rs 14.50 lakh for temporary/outsourced employees.

The President said that the CMC is expecting income of Rs 63 lakh during the year. However, the CMC is spending Rs 1.1 crore for the supply of water.

After the completion of Kundamestri water project, the water tariff needs to be revised. The CMC will have to mobile resources.

CMC Vice president Vasanth Keshav was present.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / DHNS, Madikeri / March 20th, 2013

1960s Coorg artist’s works find a place in Chennai

April 3, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorgadmin

Chennai :

It’s been years since he chatted about art and life while eating Coorg food with his friend, the late painter Rani Nanjappa, but artist S G Vasudev remembers it as clearly as if it was yesterday. “My late wife Arnawaz and I spent most of our evenings at her house. We were extraordinarily close,” he says.

On Thursday, he will be returning to those years during a function organised by the Coorg Association of Madras to remember one of the few women painters of Madras of the 1960s. Former IAS officer P M Belliappa will donate one of Nanjappa’s paintings to the museum at Cholamandal Artists’ Village.

“Coorg has few artists of repute and I felt it was a glaring omission that Rani’s work was not in the museum, which traces the Madras movement she was part of,” says Belliappa, who knew Nanjappa as a child. Belliappa bought two of her works recently and decided to donate a figurative canvas from 1962 to the museum, while retaining the abstract she did later in her life.

Born Rani Pooviah in the early 1940s, she studied art in Chennai at Stella Maris and College of Arts and Crafts. She was one of principal K C S Paniker’s favourite students and taught at the college later. “She was vivacious and well-read with a wonderful sense of humour and brilliant organisational skills,” says Vasudev.

Her student, sculptor S Nandagopal, remembers her as vivacious and striking personality who made art fun. “I was a physics student and never planned to be an artist,” he says. “But Rani was so passionate about art and could spot talent and inspire people.” Nanjappa moved to the US in the 1970s after she got married and continued to hold shows there. “She wanted to return. Looking back to India can be problematic for an artist,” says Vasudev. In March 1982, she went into a coma following a serious car accident, from which she never recovered.

Nanjappa’s work is described as being balanced and contemplative yet full of energy and colour. She drew inspiration from large kolams and colourful rangolis. Writing for Illinois Art Council in Chicago, she said, “The complex geometric patterns of kolam in white, pure and strong and the colour contrast in the rangoli helped me discover geometric forms in Indian dance and music. For example, in Bharatanatyam, besides the graceful rhythm, there are strong angular movements, giving ideas of geometrical patterns traced in the air. These are my inspiration.”

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Chennai / by Shalini Umachandran, TNN / March 21st, 2013

Mahesh Bhupathi, Rohan Bopanna Reunite For One Final Doubles Run

April 2, 2013Sportsadmin

June 7, 2012; Paris, FRANCE; Sania Mirza (IND) and Mahesh Bhupathi (IND) defeated Klaudia Jans-Ignacik (POL) and Santiago Gonzalez (MEX) 7-6 6-1 to win the mixed doubles final on day 12 of the 2012 French Open. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports

The two top Indian doubles players, Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna, are reuniting for one final run. The two competed together during the 2012 season and have decided to join forces on the same side of the court beginning with the Monte Carlo Masters after spending the beginning of the season experimenting with other partners.
Bhupati is preparing to call it quits on his career that included 4 Grand Slams and 8 mixed doubles Grand Slams, and he couldn’t think of a better way to go out than to compete with an old partner.

“We had a really good run last year, and had found a rhythm in our game while having a great time playing together,” said Bhupati, via NDTV Sports. “We have a refined understanding of each other’s games, and gel well on and off the court… all strong characteristics that I know will translate into a successful partnership for us on the tour. Also as the country’s top two doubles players, I don’t think either of us could have asked for a more dependable partner.”

Bopanna is equally excited for their reunion adding, ”Playing with Mahesh has been a great learning experience for me, and we make a formidable doubles team. While we will work towards improving on last year’s performances, we do make a solid team in the knowledge that we have each other’s back throughout.”

There couldn’t be a better way for Bhupati to end his career, so hopefully he will be able to find success with his old friend and add some hardware to his trophy case before hanging it up.

source: http://www.fansided.com / Home> Tennis / by Josh Sanchez / April 01st, 2013

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