Category Archives: Records, All

River Cauvery safe in Karnataka, say experts

December 28, 2017About Kodagu / Coorg, Agriculture, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, Alladmin

The backwater of the KRS dam. According to a KSPCB official, Cauvery river water in Karnataka falls under 'C' grade, which means it is safe for drinking after treatment. DH FILE PHOTO — The backwater of the KRS dam. According to a KSPCB official, Cauvery river water in Karnataka falls under ‘C’ grade, which means it is safe for drinking after treatment. DH FILE PHOTO

Environment experts claim that the report on River Cauvery published by Anna University, Tamil Nadu, may be partially true, but, the river water is safe for consumption in Karnataka.

S Srikantaswamy, professor in Environmental Science, University of Mysore (UoM), said, the pollution level at River Cauvery will be high during summer as water flow is less. The professor, who had conducted a study on River Cauvery two years back, said, “We cannot ignore the report, but, the pollution level in the river varies at different points in time.”

“It is true that the river, which has its origin at Talacauvery, in Kodagu district, receives wastewater from the starting point itself. The river flows amidst coffee plantations and the coffee pulped water is directly let into the river without any treatment. Similarly, the industries located along the river discharge wastewater (including toxic effluents) without treatment,” he said.

An official of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) said that he is unaware about the parameters of the study conducted by Anna University.

“The water in Karnataka comes under ‘C’ grade, which means it is safe for drinking after treatment. The report might be true as the river might be more polluted in TN,” he said.

In TN, a large number of small and medium textile dyeing industries, paper and sugar mills are located besides the river, and this could be the reason for high pollution levels. The pollution level during summer will be high as self-purification is low due to less volume of water flow, he said.

In Mysuru district, except sewage water in a few places, no industry releases wastewater into the river directly. The authorities monitor the quality of water every month at various places, commencing from Kodagu district up to the border of Karnataka, and the river water quality is good, he claimed.

Claiming that the River Cauvery in Karnataka is not polluted as much as River Ganga, he said, as per the physical appearance itself, the river is not much polluted.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / by Ranjith Kandya / Mysuru – DH News Service / December 25th, 2017

CNC observes Thok Namme

December 19, 2017Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, Alladmin

Codava National Council President N U Nachappa offers prayers to firearms as a part of Thok Namme, at an estate in Kolakere near Napoklu on Monday.

Codava National Council observed Thok Namme at an estate in Kolakere near Napoklu on Monday.

Speaking after offering prayers to firearms, CNC President N U Nachappa said that ‘Thok Namme’ (Gun Carnival) is organised to highlight the significance that guns represent in Kodava culture and life. “Possessing firearms is a right of the Kodavas.

It is also a religious and cultural symbol of the Kodavas.

The programme is being conducted in order to create awareness on the constitutional rights of Kodavas to own a gun. The programme also features mass worship of guns and aims to pass the message to the government that the possession of a gun is a birthright of a Kodava,” he said.

Nine resolutions, including urging the government to recognise the importance of guns in Kodava culture were passed on the occasion.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DH News Service / Napoklu – December 18th, 2017

Saviruchi mobile canteen to hit roads in Kodagu soon

December 18, 2017Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, Alladmin

The mobile 'Saviruchi' canteen. — The mobile ‘Saviruchi’ canteen.

The ‘Saviruchi’ mobile canteen, run by Sthree Shakthi Okkuta, will hit the roads in Kodagu shortly.

The canteen will offer breakfast and afternoon meals.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in his budget 2017-18, had announced the launch of the ‘Saviruchi’ canteen. Accordingly, the canteen will start functioning in all the 30 district headquarters by December end or January 15.

The ‘Jilla Sthree Shakthi Mahila Okkuta’, comprising women, has been formed in each district to run the canteen. The federation members themselves will run the canteen. Each federation will be given loan of Rs 10 lakh by Karnataka State Women’s Development Corporation to purchase specially-designed vehicle, utensils and as working capital, said Women and Child Development deputy director Mumthaz. The federation has to repay the loan within 60 months.

Along with breakfast and meals, they can also prepare tea, coffee, snacks and fruit juice for sale. Measures will be taken to sell even “sandige,” pickle, and masala in the canteen.

The 10-member team of the federation has already availed two-day training in management of the canteen along with maintaining hygiene.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DH News Service / Madikeri – December 17th, 2017

Chhetri, Aditi SWAB sportspersons of the year

December 17, 2017Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sportsadmin

Sunil Chhetri and Aditi Ashok bagged top honours at the ACT Fibernet-SWAB awards in Bengaluru on Saturday.

Sunil Chhetri and Aditi Ashok bagged top honours at the ACT Fibernet-SWAB awards here on Saturday. The pair claimed the ‘Best Sportsperson of the Year’ awards in the senior category while Anil Kumble was declared the ‘Coach of the Year’.

Before a star-studded gathering that included chief guest Abhinav Bindra and sporting luminaries from the city, former India hockey captain M.P. Ganesh was presented the ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award.

Bengaluru FC was adjudged the ‘Team of the Year’ while racing driver Arjun Maini and swimmer Damini K. Gowda emerged the ‘Best Sportspersons of the Year’ in the junior section.

“Bangalore holds a very special place in my heart,” said Bindra, in an eloquent address laced with humour. “I spent many days of my youth shooting at the SAI South Centre here. There is something in the air of Bangalore that makes it special for sports, and I am not saying that because I have just flown here from Delhi.”

Chhetri, whose exploits for the Indian National team and BFC saw him edge out the likes of K.L. Rahul, Rohan Bopanna, and Pankaj Advani for the top prize, said: “When I started off, I was scared of journalists. Over time, I recognized the role they played and built a relationship with them.”

Ganesh, who won a bronze medal at the 1972 Olympic Games, spoke of his playing career and his transition into administration. The 72-year-old felt government officials, journalists and former athletes needed to join hands to nurture sporting talent.

Harendra Singh, coach of the Indian women’s hockey team, presented the ‘Coach of the Year’ award to Kumble, under whom India won five successive Test series between July 2016 and March 2017.

Kumble was modest in his acceptance of the award.

“I think coaches in cricket don’t have too much to say or too much to do. But nonetheless, this is an excellent recognition of all the good work that the team did over the past one year and they have continued with their winning ways,” he said.

“I’m confident that the team which we have will certainly go on to create history in South Africa and then beyond. The team under Virat certainly has the capabilities to achieve that.”

K. Sriram, a member of the KSCA’s media staff, was presented with the ‘Behind the Scenes’ award while the Karnataka Badminton Association was declared the ‘Association of the Year’.

source: http://www.sportstarlive.com / SportStar / Home> More Sports / by Team Sportstar / Bengaluru – December 16th, 2017

For her, it is a battle of a different kind

December 14, 2017Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, Alladmin

Ex-Sergeant Subramani assisting Kaveriamma in preparing the documents for her fight for pension

Kaveriamma is almost 80 and lives in Kiggal village of Kodagu district. She is the wife of an ex-serviceman who fought in World War II, the India-China war of 1962, and and the Indo-Pak war of 1965. And she is now waging her own battles, only it is for pension.

She first had to battle for nearly 12 years to get the pension denied because of a clerical error spelling her name Kaveriammal. She is now waging a second battle with the army authorities as she has received less than what was due to her.

The first round of trouble began when her late husband, Naib Subedar Ballachanda Nanjappa Aiyappa (JC-19016), mentioned his wife’s name as Rani — as he used to address her in private — instead of Kaveriamma in the family pension endorsement application submitted when he was alive.

Mandetira Subramani, retired Senior Non Commissioned Officer of the Indian Air Force and founder of the Mysuru-based Vekare Ex-Servicemen’s Trust (VKET), which is fighting Ms. Kaveriamma’s case, explained that Aiyappa had enrolled in the Indian Army (Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering or EME) on August 19, 1940, retired on February 16 1966, and was later re-employed in the Central Excise and Customs Department as a lower division clerk. He died in 2000.

And that is when Ms. Kaveriamma’s ordeal began — her name in the EME records office at Secunderabad was spelt as Kaveriammal.

“While the descriptive roll of Mr. Aiyappa mentions his wife’s name as Ms. Kaveriamma, a clerical error resulted in it being changed to Kaveriammal,” said former Sergeant Subramani, who is also an advocate who takes up cases involving ex-servicemen.

Lakhs missing

It has now transpired that Ms. Kaveriamma has received pension with effect from September 12, 2012, and not from the date of her husband’s demise, he said.“The total arrears due to her is ₹7,42,874,” he added.

The reason given by the authorities is that she failed to exercise her option for family pension within two years of her husband’s demise. “But pension cannot be time-barred and even if such a retrograde law exists, we will fight to get it squashed,” he argued.

But cases like Ms. Kaveriamma’s are just the tip of the iceberg and there are countless incidents of pension held up because of petty clerical errors, he said.

Besides, there is a lack of awareness of the latest rules governing pension schemes, Mr. Subrami said, pleading for a more humane approach by the authorities in settling the pension affairs of ex-servicemen.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by R. Krishna Kumar / Mysuru – December 14th, 2017

Asia’s first woman coffee taster was nearly ‘brewed’ out

December 10, 2017Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Coffee News, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinionadmin

Bengaluru :

Asia’s first lady of coffee Sunalini Menon says she never planned on being a coffee-taster. She says that she decided on a course in Dietetics or a Phd. in Foods, when she chanced upon an advertisement calling for Assistant Cup tasters at the Coffee Board of India. “I had tried tea tasting as a child at an uncle’s tea estate in Munnar and the ad brought back happy memories of sipping, slurping, spitting and looking wise. I applied for the post and was called for the interview.”

She had to compete with eight men with more experience and qualifications, and that was her first job interview. Sunalini came first in the written and oral tests.

Sunalini, Asia’s first woman coffee taster, says, that the internal panel of examiners were not too keen to appoint her because she was young, had no knowledge about coffee and was a woman who could get married and give up the assignment. “But the then chairman of the Coffee Board was insistent that gender should not come in the way of a job and that as I had topped the interview, that I should rightfully be given the assignment.” Sunalini then joined the Coffee Board of India in 1972.

It wasn’t easy working at the Coffee Board of India, she says. She was the only woman at the officer’s cadre level in the Board then. “The staff working under me refused to accept my instructions or the schedule I had set for work, they were not used to taking instructions from a woman,” she says. “Fortunately, I had a chief who took me under his wing and advised me to first learn the subject and give them time to accept me. His parting words were ‘Tread slowly, but firmly’.”

The in-house training she was given was intense. Every day, she would taste washed arabicas, unwashed arabicas, washed robustas and unwashed robustas, to understand the various nuances in a cup.
Also, a founder trustee of the Women’s Coffee Alliance – India Chapter, Sunalini was present at the Coffee Santhe held recently at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat. She says, “This is our annual fund raiser to help empower women coffee-plantation workers and their girl children.”

Coffee tasting is both a science and an art

While carrying out coffee tasting, there is a protocol that one needs to follow. The attributes that are evaluated in the cup are fragrance, which is the smell of the coffee powder in the dry state, and aroma, which is the smell in the wet state, when water is added to the powder. During the aroma evaluation, the crust (floating particles on the surface of liquor or the brew prepared for tasting and all the aromatic volatiles) is broken. With“Breaking of Crust”, fragrance, aroma and the other attributes are evaluated for flavour, aftertaste, acidity, mouthfeel, uniformity, balance, cleanliness, sweetness and, finally, the overall rating of the cup.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Akhila Damodaran / Express News Service / December 08th, 2017

City Corporation honorary lifetime award for Kadri Gopalnath

December 7, 2017Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sportsadmin

Mayor Kavita Sanil addressing a press conference at the Mangaluru City Corporation on Tuesday.

Three more chosen in Yakshagana, Education, Sports categories

A committee of the Mangaluru City Corporation has chosen well-known saxophonist Kadri Gopalnath for the corporation’s first Ullal Srinivas Mallya Memorial Honorary Lifetime Achievement Award.

The award carries a purse of ₹ 1 lakh, a memento and a citation. The award will be presented during the Mangaluru City Corporation Day at the Town Hall here on December 8.

In addition, the committee has chosen three persons for the Ullal Srinivas Mallya Memorial Award for Yakshagana, Education and Sports.

They are Agari Raghurama Bhagavatha (Yakshagana); K.A. Rohini (Education) and M.R. Poovamma (Sports). Each one of them would be given away a purse of ₹ 50,000, a memento and a citation.

Announcing the awards here on Tuesday, Mayor Kavita Sanil said that the corporation has instituted the awards for the first time to recognise the contribution of those who have brought laurels to Mangaluru.

The selection committee comprised B.A. Vivek Rai, former Vice-Chancellor of Kannada University and also Karnataka State Open University; B.A. Abdul Rahman, former Vice-Chancellor, Kannur and Calicut universities, K.N. Tingalaya, former Chairman of Syndicate Bank, Rita Noronha, a social worker, and Manohar Prasad, a journalist. The Mayor is the ex-officio chairperson of the committee.

She said that the corporation would conduct a drawing competition for primary and high school students within the jurisdiction of the corporation in the forenoon on December 8. The topics would be Mangaluru International Airport; New Mangaluru Port; National Institute of Technology, Surathkal; National Highway 66 and Mangaluru-Hassan railway line.

The topics have been selected on the basis of contribution of late Mallya for their development. The venue would be the mini Town Hall. There will be three awards each in primary and high school categories. Students will have to register their names either by sending a message on WhatsApp to 9964160249 or 9113995063 before December 6.

She said that the programmes of the City Corporation Day would be conducted from 2.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. The awards would be presented at 6.30 p.m. There would be cultural programmes before and after the award presentation. D. Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadhikari of Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala, would present the awards.

The Mayor would present a karate demonstration after the award presentation.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Mangaluru / by Special Correspondent / Mangaluru – December 06th, 2017

Hyderabad boy tops Indian army’s technical entry scheme

December 2, 2017Education, Records, Alladmin

Hyderabad :

Vidul Thimanna, an ex-student of Army Public School, Bolaram, Secunderabad, has topped the all India merit list of Technical Entry Scheme (TES) to join the Indian Armed Forces. The list was released on November 29. Vidul, who is presently an engineering student at the prestigious Army Institute of Technology, Pune, will discontinue the course and join the Indian army.

Vidul’s father Col CM Thimanna, a Shaurya Chakra awardee, is currently posted at the Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering Secunderabad and hails from Coorg (Kodagu) in Karnataka. “It has been my passion to serve the country by joining the Indian Army. To me, the challenging and the adventurous life the army offers is any day better than delivering from a cubicle of a MNC,” he said.

The Technical Entry Scheme is a technical intake of the Indian Army with the aim of transforming young boys into techno-warriors during the course of training of four years. “The modern day operational requirement needs an officer to possess a synergistic blend of healthy body and a sound technical mind. Technical entry scheme is a highly competent entry into the Indian army with a very limited intake and rigorous standards of selection procedures and presently is the most sought after entry,” according to army officials.

Vidul Thimanna had earlier this year cleared class XII examination with a score of 97 per cent.

“We are proud of our son for taking such a decision and positive that he will definitely keep the name of the country above self throughout,” Vidul’s mother, Veena Thimanna said.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> City News> Hyderabad News / TNN / December 02nd, 2017

Bopanna: Indian players will benefit from more Challengers

November 28, 2017Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sports, World Opinionadmin

Speaking after an unveiling of his portrait at the KSLTA in honour of his French Open mixed doubles victory, Bopanna said last week’s tournament in Pune and the ongoing one here proved that Indian players can step up if they get to play more Challenger events.

Rohan Bopanna and his wife Supriya Annaiah at the unveiling of life size photograph of the doubles player in honour of his mixed doubles Grand Slam victory at the French Open 2017. - V. SREENIVASA MURTHY — Rohan Bopanna and his wife Supriya Annaiah at the unveiling of life size photograph of the doubles player in honour of his mixed doubles Grand Slam victory at the French Open 2017. – V. SREENIVASA MURTHY

India’s No.1 doubles player Rohan Bopanna believes nothing can prevent Indian players from stepping things up if they have access to more Challenger events. Speaking after an unveiling of his portrait at the KSLTA in honour of his French Open mixed doubles victory, Bopanna said last week’s tournament in Pune and the ongoing one here proved that.

“At Pune there were two Indians in the final and here we are seeing Sumit Nagal and Yuki Bhambri play so well. Yuki has a great chance to be in the top 100 again. So the more Challengers we have in India, the better. If each State can have a Challenger and a Future then definitely we will produce a lot more players.”

Reflecting on his own season during which he won four titles and finished runner-up thrice even while playing with multiple partners, Bopanna said: “The key thing I learned especially with the partner changes was to completely focus on my game and not really worry about who I was partnering…to focus on my strengths and the way I play.”

In spite of forging a successful partnership with Uruguay’s Pablo Cuevas, he will pair up with Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin for the upcoming season.

“The challenge that I had with Cuevas this year was that we didn’t really practice much. He played singles so we only played matches. So I decided to find someone who was focused on doubles.”

Bopanna has played before with Roger-Vasselin before – most recently at Wimbledon 2017 – and with a fair amount of success.

“I always like to choose someone who gives me the chance to play my game freely. He doesn’t have any major weapons but he is a solid returner. And he helps me a lot at the net. He gives me the freedom to be aggressive.”

source: http://www.sportstarlive.com / SportStar Live / Home> Tennis / by N. Sudarshan / Bengaluru – November 24th, 2017

Support to be extended to CNC for autonomous status

November 27, 2017About Kodagu / Coorg, Leaders, Records, Alladmin

Rajya Sabha Member Subramanian Swamy was taken out in a procession during Codava National Council Day in Madikeri on Sunday.

Rajya Sabha member Subramanian Swamy promised to extend his support to the issue of autonomous and union territory status to the Kodava land and tribal status to Kodavas.

“The support that I had extended for Telangana will be extended to the Kodavas too,” he said.

He was speaking at the Codava National Council Day organised by Codava National Council here on Sunday.

“Owing to long struggle, Telangana was separated from Andhra Pradesh. Similar struggle was held in Uttarakhand. Kodagu will get autonomous status in future,” he predicted.

“Kodavas are not demanding a separate country like Pakistan. They are demanding constitutional rights. The demand for separate state or a union territory is not wrong,” Swamy said.

Black money
“Black money from different parts of the country is reaching Kodagu.

Those who are involved in corruption are purchasing properties in Kodagu district. Former Union minister P Chidambaram, even multinational companies own properties in Kodagu,” he said.

Stating that the BJP is not engaged in vote bank politics, he said that no Muslim candidate was fielded by the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. In spite of it, the BJP won the election, he pointed out.

“In the name of labourers, several illegal migrants have entered the district. They have availed of Aadhaar and ration card facilities as well,” he said.

CNC president N U Nachappa was present during the ceremony.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DH News Service / Madikeri – November 26th, 2017

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a Celebration. Positive News, Facts & Achievements about Kodagu, Coorgs and the People of Kodagu – here at Home and Overseas