Category Archives: Records, All

Mysuru-Kushalnagar Railway Line: Project Revived As Centre Grants Rs. 1,000 Crore

Business & Economy, Records, All, Travel, Tourism & Homestays (wef. Oct 03rd, 2021)

Madikeri:

The Centre has granted Rs. 1,000 crore for the 87.2-km Mysuru-Belagola-Kushalnagar Railway line that is expected to cost Rs. 1,854.62 crore. The allocation has been made in the Union Budget 2022-2023. The cost factor has been estimated in a survey that was conducted in 2019.

If implemented, Kodagu will be placed in India’s Railway map and will facilitate the movement of people from Mysuru, Hunsur, Periyapatna and Bylakuppe. The land acquisition process is expected to begin soon for this project that was green-lighted and funds were allocated in the Railways’ Pink Book in 2019.

The Railway line will actually begin from Belagola in Srirangapatna taluk of Mandya district and end at Koppa near Kushalnagar in Kodagu district. It will pass through Yelwal, Bilikere, Uddur, Hunsur, Sathegala, Periyapatna, Doddahonnur to reach Koppa village.

It may be mentioned here that in August 2021, the South Western Railways had awarded the tender for final location survey to a Bengaluru-based company at a cost of Rs. 1.26 crore.

The project was originally mooted till Madikeri over 100 years ago and in recent times found mention in 2011 (UPA era). It was shelved after a survey commissioned by the Railways deemed the route to be unprofitable. The project, however, is being rejuvenated now, much to the chagrin of environmentalists who have opposed the project saying that the line will obstruct the natural flow of River Cauvery.

High Court ruling: Under pressure from Green activists and realising that the project will cause a disaster, the Forest Department did not give permission for a survey from Kushalnagar to Madikeri though the Railway authorities have completed the survey till Kushalnagar.

Environment activists argue that once the line comes to Kushalnagar, it is easy for the Railways to extend the same to Madikeri and then to Mangaluru and Kerala cutting through forests that are known for its eco-sensitivity and biodiversity.

Activists had even approached the Karnataka High Court and filed a Public Interest Litigation, hearing which the Court directed the Indian Railways to obtain environmental clearances before commissioning the Railway line.

The Court noted that the Railways cannot go ahead with the project in the absence of forest and wildlife clearances. Further, the Court directed the Railways to notify the petitioners while applying for clearances.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News> Top Stories / February 18th, 2022

Kodagu students take refuge in bunkers after explosions

Education, Records, All, Ukraine Updates, Kodagu Students(Feb 2022), World Opinion
Students from Kodagu and other cities of Karnataka taking shelter in a bunker at Kharkiv in war-torn Ukraine. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Family members tense as stranded students yet to get evacuated from the war-torn Ukraine amidst rising attacks

The family members of students from Kodagu stranded in worn-torn Ukraine are keeping their fingers crossed and desperately hoping for their early and safe return amidst unrelenting air strikes on the cities by Russian forces.

Sinya Varoke Jose, a 22-year-old fourth year medical student in the capital Kiev, which is under attack with Russian military advancing, has taken shelter in a bunker at a school building with another student from Karnataka. The Indian Embassy asked them to shift to the bunker after attacks on Kiev intensified.

Mr. Jose, Sinya’s uncle in Ponnampet, said the stranded Indian students had given the information that the Indian Embassy is in constant touch with them but their evacuation is getting delayed with rise in aerial strikes on the city, and difficulty in reaching the nearest international border amidst the war situation.

“The embassy officials seem to have told them that they need about eight buses to shift all of them to the border. Moreover, there is a shortage of gas as only 15 litress per vehicle is being provided. Even food is in short supply and they are having a harrowing time,” Mr. Jose explained his niece’s plight.

Mr Jose, who spoke to Sinya on Saturday morning and has been in constant touch since the war began, said her mother lives in a village near Ponnampet and she hasn’t been told about the crisis. “We are praying for her early return. My niece told me that the locals are helping them but the situation is very tense and unsafe,” he said.

Likith, a student from Ponnampet in Kodagu, who is one of the students from Karnataka stranded at Kharkiv in war-torn Ukraine. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Karthik is constantly watching news channels for updates on the Ukraine-Russia war as his brother Likith is stuck in Kharkiv, one of the cities bombarded by the Russian forces.

As the war situation escalated, the Indian Embassy has told Indians stranded in Kharkiv not to venture out unless told by them even as Karnataka students have so far not received any communication about their evacuation.

“With my brother, eight other Karnataka students are stuck in Kharkiv. They moved to a bunker from the basement of their apartment on Saturday morning after loud explosions. Our prayer to the Indian government is to help them reach the border and evacuate them at the earliest to India as my family is worried about their safety,” said Karthik, an MBA student in Mysuru.

The place where Karnataka students are stuck also has 100-plus students from other Indian States.

Karthik, who has sent mails to the State government and the district administration with details of his brother for help, said Likith, a third year student at Kharkiv National Medical University, was planning to return to India after tensions rose but he did not get tickets. He attended online and offline classes the day before Russian invaded Ukraine. His flight was scheduled on March 3.

The situation appears to be tense as they are constantly hearing loud explosions. From the basement, they shifted to the bunker for their safety and eagerly awaiting evacuation calls from the Embassy, said Karthik, whose mother is a nurse.

“The nearest international border is about 1,500-km. away So, it is very challenging for the embassy officials too to move all of them to the border for evacuation. We don’t know how the situation will evolve in the next couple of days as tensions are building up with essentials getting exhausted,” said Karthik, after speaking to his brother.

Ten students from Kodagu are stuck in Kiev, Kharkiv, and Sumy Oblast. They include Ashwin Kumar B.V., Alisha Saiyad Ali, Billava Likith Koragappa, Chandan Gowda, Akshitha Akkamma, M.P. Nirmala, Arjun Vasanth, Sinya V.J., Mysore Kantharaj Tejaswini and Sheetal Sampath, according to the district administration.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / February 26th, 2022

INS Shivalik Model, Submarine, Anti-Aircraft Gun At Madikeri

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Defence Services (Air,Land,Sea),Police (wef. Dec 09th, 2021), Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, Science & Technology, Uncategorized

New war machines brought to Sunny Side, General K.S. Thimayya Museum

The submarine, INS Shivalik model and the anti-aircraft gun were brought to Madikeri from Visakhapatnam Naval Base in giant many-wheeled trucks and have been placed on the museum campus for a formal handing over and opening.

The formal handing over will take place in Madikeri either in December this year or January 2022. The Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command of the Indian Navy, will arrive in Madikeri and officially hand over the new items to the Deputy Commissioner and they would be open for public display.

Till now, only one ship anchor was on display in the museum and not many of the Indian Navy relics were there. But now with the addition of the INS Shivalik and a submarine being added to the existing attractions, it is a befitting tribute to the celebrated General who is Kodagu’s pride. 

About INS Shivalik

INS Shivalik is designed to escape detection by normal radars and surveillance equipment. Special aerodynamics, equipment and material used in designing and building these ships makes it very difficult to monitor their movements. That’s why they are called ‘stealth frigates.’

With INS Shivalik, India made it to the elite club of eight nations that build stealth warships, adding new fire power and muscle to its Navy. Apart from India, only the US, Russia, UK, France, Sweden, Japan, Italy and China have the capability to build stealth warships of this size and class.

The vessel was ordered in 1999 and saw its keel laid down on July 11, 2001 by shipbuilder Mazagon Dock Limited. As a multi-role warship, the INS Shivalik is fielded with a varying group of armament options to contend with aerial, surface and underwater threats.

Rear Admiral’s contribution

Rear Admiral Ichettira Uthappa, who is a relative of Col. (Retd.) Kandrathanda Subbaiah, the President of Field Marshal Cariappa and General Thimayya Forum, had visited Sunny Side four months back and Subbaiah had drawn the attention of the Rear Admiral to the fact that the museum did not have a warship.

Uthappa promised Subbaiah that he will pursue efforts to bring a warship model to the museum and accordingly, the war machines were brought to Madikeri. Rear Admiral Uthappa interacted with Navy authorities and sanctioned INS Shivalik warship model that is 24-ft in length and a submarine which is 8-ft in length.

Even the anti-aircraft gun that was brought to Madikeri from Visakhapatnam had served the Navy for years and the cost of all the latest additions to the museum is estimated to be Rs. 20 lakh.

According to Field Marshal Cariappa and General Thimayya Forum Convener Major (Retd.) Biddanda Nanjappa, Rear Admiral Uthappa bore the transportation costs of shifting the naval items to Madikeri and in the coming days, a suitable place will be made to accommodate these war machines, he added.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / December 01st, 2021

Karnataka’s Madikeri, Gadag top India in good air quality

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, Travel, Tourism & Homestays (wef. Oct 03rd, 2021)

Apart from Gadag, four districts of North Karnataka were also in the ‘Good’ AQI category — Hubballi (35), Bagalkot (23), Yadgir (30) and Bidar (41).  

For representational purposes

Gadag :

With an Air Quality Index (AQI) value of 22 on Tuesday, Gadag in Karnataka stood at the second position among major cities in the country with good air quality, according to the daily bulletin of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Madikeri came first in the country with an AQI value 19. 

Apart from Gadag, four districts of North Karnataka were also in the ‘Good’ AQI category — Hubballi (35), Bagalkot (23), Yadgir (30) and Bidar (41).  Gadag was in first place across the nation on June 5 and July 6 this year. Since then, it has been in the ‘Good’ and ‘Average’ category. 

Other districts of Karnataka which are in the ‘Good’ air quality category are Chamrajnagar (44), Chikkamagaluru (33), Davangere (23), Hassan (25), Koppal (46), Kolar (50), Mysuru (29), Ramanagara (40), Shivamogga (37) and Vijayapura (45).          

India follows the 500-point scale of measuring the AQI value depending on the concentration of the major pollutants. The value 0-50 is considered as Good, followed by Satisfactory (51-100), Moderate (101-200), Poor (201-300), Very Poor (301-400) and Severe (401-500). 

Gadag earning the ‘Good’ air quality tag can be attributed to the nearby hill range, Kappatagudda, and low number of industries around. Since a large percentage of villagers are into agriculture, it causes less air pollution. 

Gadag and Dharwad district’s Environmental Officer Shobha Pol said, “We have been observing the AQI value and this time many districts in Karnataka are in the Good category. Hubballi is in the list which was not there earlier. Reasons cannot be predicted as it needs a detailed study and survey.” 

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Raghottam Koppar, Express News Service / November 18th, 2021
 

Vinank Kuttappa elected as vice president of Virajpet TP

Business & Economy, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Leaders, Records, All
Vinank Kuttappa who was elected as the vice president of Virajpet Town Panchayat was greeted by MP Pratap Simha, MLA K G Bopaiah and other BJP members of the panchayat

Vinank Kuttappa from the BJP has been elected as the vice president of Virajpet Town Panchayat.

In the elections held on Friday, Vinank secured 10 votes, while his close contender from the Congress, Muhammed Rafi, got eight votes.

There are 18 elected members in the Town Panchayat. All eight members from the BJP, MP Pratap Simha and MLA K G Bopaiah voted for Vinank.

Six Congress members, one JD(S) member and an independent member voted for Rafi. Two independent candidates stayed neutral.

Tahsildar R Yoganand was the returning officer.

The seat occupied by former vice president of the Town Panchayat, Harshavardhan, was vacant, owing to his demise. 

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Virajpet / October 29th, 2021

The Auction Feels Like An Examination, You Feel Like Commodity: Robin Uthappa

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Leaders, Records, All, Sports
Robin Uthappa (Image Credit: Twitter)

Robin Uthappa, the former India batsman has opened up on what goes through the mind of a cricketer during an Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, where a player’s value becomes about how much somebody is willing to spend on you.

During the recent IPL mega auction, defending champions Chennai Super Kings re-signed Robin Uthappa for his base price of Rs 2 crore. The explosive batsman had chipped in with valuable innings in last season’s playoffs after being given a chance late in CSK’s campaign in the UAE following Suresh Raina’s poor form.

Suresh Raina (Image Credit: Twitter)

Robin Uthappa Opines That It’s Not A Most Pleasing Feeling To See IPL Auctions And Wants A More Respectful Draft System Instead

Robin Uthappa vitally scored 63 off 44 balls during the first Qualifier followed by a knock of 31 off 15 in the final to beat Kolkata Knight Riders. While Robin Uthappa admitted that he and his family had hoped that he would go back to CSK, the 36-year-old candidly spoke of how vulnerable a player can be while watching their name come up at an IPL auction.

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“Playing for a team like CSK was something I desired, it was one of my only prayers: let’s get back to CSK. My family, even my son, prayed for that, which is special for me. I’m happy to be back in a place where there’s a sense of security and a sense of respect,” Uthappa, who played 46 ODIs and 13 T20Is for India between 2006 and 2015, said.

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Robin Uthappa (Image Credit: Twitter)

Robin Uthappa opened up about his own fight with depression, battling suicidal thoughts and wanting to quit cricket at the height of his career. As elated as he was to have found a spot in CSK’s roster, Robin Uthappa advocated for the IPL to shift to a draft system rather than the auctions.

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“The auction feels like an examination which you have written a long time ago, and you’re just awaiting the results. You feel like cattle (commodity), to be honest,” he said.

“It’s not the most pleasing feeling, and I think that’s the thing about cricket, especially in India… everything about you is there for the world to consume and then judge and express their opinions about it. Having an opinion about performances is one thing, but having an opinion on how much you get sold for is quite something else.”

“You can’t imagine what the guys who don’t get sold go through. My heart goes out to guys who have been there for a long time and then miss out and don’t get picked. It can be defeating sometimes.

“Suddenly your value as a cricketer becomes about how much somebody is willing to spend on you. I really hope for the sake of the sanity of everybody that this goes into a draft system where it is more respectful.” 

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The consistently proven match-winner, Robin Uthappa, was traded to Chennai Super Kings by the Rajasthan Royals ahead of IPL 2021 Player Auction. He had joined the Rajasthan Royals ahead of the 2020 season and played 12 games for them. Earlier, he was one of KKR’s stars in the title-winning efforts in 2012 and 2014.

Robin Uthappa Owes Being Part Of Chennai Super Kings And He Wants To Finish His Carrier With CSK

Ahead of the IPL 2022, which begins in just over a month’s time, Robin  Uthappa is geared up for another successful season with four-time winners CSK, hoping to end his playing career with them.

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The expectation is to contribute to the success of the team,” he said. ” I love being a part of the team. I love the hard work that’s involved in it. I have this new lease wherein I want to play as much as I physically can. God-willing to finish my career with a team like CSK. “

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Chennai Super Kings (Image Credit: Twitter)

Apart from Deepak Chahar (14 crores), Ambati Rayudu (6.75 crores) and Dwayne Bravo (4.4 crores) were CSK’s most prized picks at the auction. Shivam Dube (4 crores) and Chris Jordan (3.6 crores) were the only other players that cost them more than two crores. Chennai Super Kings bought 21 players during IPL 2022 auction.

Out of 14 seasons, the franchise CSK has played 12 as they were banned in 2016 and 2017. The team has won the trophy four times in IPL 2010, IPL 2011, IPL 2018, and IPL 2021. The franchise has also reached the playoffs 11 times out of 12 seasons.

source: http://www.sportzwiki.com / SportZWiki / Home> Cricket> IPL 2022> News / by Nirmalya Banerjee / February 22nd, 2022

Revealed! THIS is how Gulshan Devaiah feels about romancing RajKummar Rao in Badhaai Do

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Videos

The actor gets candid about playing a homosexual character in the recently released film and working with Taapsee Pannu in Blurr.

Gulshan Devaiah plays RajKummar Rao’s love interest in Harshavardhan Kulkarni’s latest directorial venture Badhaai Do. The film is being lapped up for its fresh portrayal of romance between people from the LQBTQ+ community. In an exclusive chat with the Free Press Journal, Gulshan opens up about his role in the film and more.

When asked about his first reaction to romancing RajKummar Rao, he shares, “I thought it was a good idea. I have tremendous respect for Raj, and I am also his fan. From a movie trivia point of view, I thought it was a cool idea for Harshavardhan’s previous leading man to romance his current one.”

When probed if he was apprehensive about playing a gay role and how he approached the character, he reveals, “I had no apprehension whatsoever. I read the nine pages worth of screen time, spoke with Harsh to understand his perspective and decided this was a very good idea. There was an element of surprise from the story point of view as well that I liked. My perspective was to, in the given time, have an accurate interpretation of the writing and to serve the sensibilities of the director.”

A still from Badhaai Do

Badhaai Do was marketed as a family entertainer at the backdrop of the wedding. Gulshan feels such films can play a role in changing the mindset of people. “Cinema is a soft power, so yes, I would like to believe that it has its impact on society. It helps them understand things better without shoving it down their throats or cancelling them (like on social media). However, one should be careful not to overestimate or underestimate the power of cinema,” he avers.

source: http://www.freepressjourmal.in / The Free Press Journal / Home> Entertainment / by Rohit Bhatnagar / February 19th, 2022

‘Five stranded students from Kodagu safe’

Education, Records, All, Ukraine Updates, Kodagu Students(Feb 2022), World Opinion

Even as the Indian Government was making efforts to get the stranded students from the country evacuated from the war-torn Ukraine, five students from Kodagu currently stuck in different cities of Ukraine are safe, an official from the district disaster management authority has said.

The official, who wished not to be named, said he got in touch with the five students, including three girls and two boys, studying in cities, including Kyiv, and they told him that they were safe but were facing a short supply of essentials with shops and businesses closed after Russian forces invaded Ukraine.

“Till Friday afternoon, there was no communication from the students. However, the parents of these students got in touch with the district administration. We managed to make video calls with the students to know about their safety. They sought help for their early evacuation,” the official told The Hindu.

The Kodagu district administration is collating information on the stranded students and communicating the same to the State Government which is coordinating with the Indian government for evacuation.

Some students are said to be stuck on their college campuses while others are in their homes. “We have advised them to take all safety precautions. They have been advised to remain on the ground floor or in the basement of the buildings as a safety measure with cities under aerial attacks,” according to the official.

One problem that the students are facing now is the transportation to reach the border for getting evacuated from neighbouring countries like Poland. “The government authorities are coordinating on this issue with the embassy as we have communicated the problems faced by the students, who have been counselled on managing the war situation with the available resources. Their parents in Kodagu have been told to remain calm with efforts on to get them evacuated soon,” the disaster management official said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / February 25th, 2022

Basking on the success of Badhaai Do, Gulshan Devaiah talks of ‘chemistry’, upcoming films

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All

Gulshan Devaiah, who recently played the love interest of Rajkummar Rao in the movie Badhaai Do, tells CE why he picked a role with a short screen time.

Bollywood actor Gulshan Devaiah ( File Photo)

Bengaluru : 

Gulshan Devaiah’s part in the movie Badhaai Do was not just a pleasant surprise for his fans, but also brought in more substance to the movie. Devaiah, who romances Rajkummar Rao, the male lead in the movie, says Rao is a wonderful actor and romancing him was easy. “His wife had visited the set in Dehradun and she said, ‘You guys share such wonderful chemistry’,” says Devaiah, who plays a character by the name Guru Narayan.

His association with Harshavardhan Kulkarni, director of the movie, goes back to Hunterr, which was Kulkarni’s first movie as director. When Badhaai Do came about, they thought Devaiah was a great choice to play a part.

“I think they waited for the right time to call me. He said there is a small part and asked me if I would be interested to come for a shoot for 2-3 days. It comes towards the end of the movie but it is a very crucial part,” says Devaiah.

Though he is very clear about not doing cameos, he made an exception for this particular movie. “Sometimes, some things really seem like a good idea. I am not really a cameo sort of guy, I like full-fledged parts. I trust Harsh as he’s my friend and I want to support him as well,” says Devaiah, adding that the team wanted his part to be a surprise. He had even requested an uncredited part but “the team was too embarrassed about it”.

Most of Devaiah’s scenes are with Rao, who he “likes and respects” as an actor. “It was a wonderful opportunity to reunite with all of them. I had last worked with him in Shaitan, where he had a small part,” says Devaiah. The actor is also seen sharing screen space with Sheeba Chaddha, who plays Rao’s mother in the film.

Guru Narayan is basking in the glory of the success of the film, which has appealed to the LGBTQ community who find him relatable.  “I didnt think of the fact that he was gay, I just knew that he was in love. Guru Narayan is a person who is comfortable with who he is. All the LGBTQ community wants is equal treatment,” says Devaiah, who is yet to watch the movie.

While the actor is keener on playing full-length roles, he says it depends on numerous factors. “You have to have some sense and curate your career after a certain point. In the beginning, you just hope you work on good projects, but after a point, you need to have some sort of idea about what you want to do or what you don’t want to do. In my case I have figured the latter,” says Devaiah, whose next film is a project with Zoya Akhtar, the story of which is written by Reema Kagti, and stars Sonakshi Sinha.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Entertainment> Hindi / by Monaika Monalisa, Express News Service / February 21st, 2022

Karnataka youth’s off-beat short film makes it to Berlin Film Festival

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All

Kallichanda Nishan Nanaiah’s movie ‘Alpha Beta Gamma’ revolves around three people who are stuck in a flat during the Covid lockdown.

Nishan Nanaiah

Madikeri :

Kallichanda Nishan Nanaiah, a native of Kodagu, is now basking in fame through the short film ‘Alpha Beta Gamma’. The acclaimed movie, shot during the time of the Covid pandemic, is now being screened at the Berlin Film Festival.

Nishan is a pass out of the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune and he started his acting career with Cycle Kick directed by Shashi Sudigala.

Following this successful debut, Nishan set foot in the mainstream film industry and has so far acted in 25 movies in Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam.

“I grew up watching commercial movies and I did my film course in Pune. Following this, I moved to Mumbai and have acted with noted names in the film industry. ‘Alpha Beta Gamma’ is close to my heart as this movie revolves around three people who are stuck in a flat during the Covid lockdown. The life equations change and it narrates a unique situation faced during the pandemic,” said Nishan. The movie, shot during the time of the pandemic, is a low-budget movie that has high content, he adds.

The movie witnessed its premier launch at the International Film Festival in Goa. Following acclaimed reviews, the movie was among the 25 other short films that were selected by the Indian Panorama. “Further, nine films out of the 25 were selected to be featured at the Berlin Film Festival and the movie is now being screened to the European audience,” he added. Nishan is the son of Kallichanda Prasad and late Padma Prasad – natives of South Kodagu. 

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by
Express News Service / February 21st, 2022