Dr S V Narasimhan, a medical practitioner in Virajpet in Kodagu district, is perhaps better known as a bird enthusiast. An avid bird watcher, he has been carrying out an awareness campaign with focus on conservation for the past three decades.
As part of the initiative, every year he sends hand-painted cards to over 1,000 people across the world. The card consists of meticulous painting of a bird or an animal with information about it, and conservation messages.
Here are some sample messages — “ We co-exist, can’t you?” by a tiger and a spotted deer; “It was we who filled the world with melodious music,” by common iora bird.
Narasimhan feels that all creatures are equally important for the survival of life on earth. He chose this signature campaign to motivate people to think about environment and our roles in conserving it. These wildlife message cards are individually handpainted and sent to people across the world, free of cost, during the wildlife week every year. In the last 32 years, he has painted 62,420 cards.
This year alone, he painted 1,930 cards. In the process, he has painted more than 480 species of animals, birds and butterflies. One of his messages said, “Let us join hands to make our earth a greener place to live. This is the only place where all the elements of life can live in health, happiness and harmony.” He has also authored a bilingual book (Kannada and English) on birds called Feathered Jewels of Coorg.
To know more about the campaign, visit www.drsvnarasimhan.blogspot.in.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> Spectrum / AP – December 08th, 2015
“It has been a terrific year,” says Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna, summing up his performance in 2015.
With four doubles titles, reaching the finals of the ATP World Tour Finals and finishing the year in the top 10, 2015 was Bopanna’s most successful year on the circuit so far. Doubles record-holder Mike Bryan had high praise for him as well. “Rohan is probably the hottest player of the tournament. He’s doing everything well. He’s got big weapons,” he said at the O2 in London. And the 35-year old Indian credits it in a large way to his Romanian men’s doubles partner Florin Mergea.
“I’m glad I have managed to find the right partner with Florin. Even though we started in April, we managed to qualify for London (ATP Finals). It’s great, the way we have played together as a team and doing well in major tournaments ,” Bopanna told Firstpost in an exclusive telephonic chat.
Bopanna and Mergea first teamed up at Casablanca in April and ended the year with a 31-16 record, including two titles from four finals.
Rohan Bopanna. Getty Images
Keeping up this successful momentum, is comes as no surprise that the Indo-Romanian pair intends to continue their partnership in 2016, and Bopanna is very optimistic about extending their record. “We are sticking together as a team and this time we will start in January itself. As a team, we have a lot to grow as we work together and that is a good sign.”
“The way we are playing together, we have a good chance at winning every tournament we enter. As a player, it is a great feeling to go into a tournament knowing that you can beat everyone out there, knowing that you can win the tournament and not just go there to perform,” says Bopanna.
But would 2016 begin with India’s only ATP tournament, the Chennai Open in January? “We are still deciding on our 2016 calendar since we have had such a long year.We finished only a few days ago and we are still deciding whether to play in the first week of the year or not. It is great to have a home tournament but we are not sure if we want to give ourselves another week off and start the season in Sydney,” Bopanna said.
Speaking of a long year, the tennis season may be over but the second season of the popular International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) is coming up. Bopanna is part of Indian Aces, who won the inaugural season and is looking forward to defend the title.
“It’s great that the IPTL is having a second season and since we won it last year, all the teams are looking forward to taking us down and I am looking forward to the challenge. I have spoken to my team mates and we are all ready, it’s going to be a lot of fun like last year,” he adds.
The Indian Aces will boast of the services of Rafael Nadal this year, after having had Roger Federer on the team last year. Soon, Bopanna might be in a unique position to tell us who is the better team mate, maybe? “If I do get to play with Rafa, then let’s see, in a few weeks we can take that call,” he laughs.
Bopanna is also all praise for IPTL and Mahesh Bhupati.
“They (Federer and Nadal) are exceptional players and you learn a lot especially when you are playing with them. I’m really looking forward to have Rafa in our team and it is going to be fantastic not only for us as players but also for the fans. It’s great for tennis that Mahesh (Bhupathi) has got all the top players playing in the league. I think tennis in Asia is definitely going to grow and this is the right way forward,” he says.
The popularity of tennis in Asia, and especially in India, has been on the rise in the past few years as was evident from the turnout in Delhi during IPTL 2015. “Fans are excited to see their favorite players play in their country and that makes a big a difference. We have many youngsters come out and support their favorite players. As players it is great to see so many people come out and support tennis. The growth of tennis will improve if we have these leagues like these,” he adds.
But it’s not just the fans that have benefited greatly from the tournament, it gives a boost to aspiring tennis players as well. Bopanna’s advice to these youngsters is simple — commitment and discipline.
“It is nice to see that lot of youngsters want to pick up the sport and become professional players and I think that having IPTL, especially with all these top players coming in, it is going to boost the confidence of a young player coming up. When I meet youngsters today, they want to get into the professional circuit and aim to break into the top. So whenever I can, I try to advise them that tennis is a full time commitment with a lot of discipline involved.”
And which young, Indian player is Bopanna’s pick to watch out for? “Yuki Bhambri is playing great tennis right now and has cracked into the top 100. The way he has been playing, he has every chance of reaching the top 50 and he is definitely a player to watch out for in 2016.”
Speaking of 2016, it is also the year of the Olympics. But Bopanna, who partnered with Mahesh Bhupathi at the 2012 London Olympics, is not thinking about that just yet. “It is a great feeling to represent India at the Olympics again, but we have three Grand Slams before it even comes into play. So I have to take it one step at a time cannot think of too far ahead.”
source: http://www.firstpost.com / FirstPost / Home> F.Sports> Latest News> Sports News / by Zenia D’Cunha / December 02nd, 2015
Chinappa has pipped former Indian No. 1 Dipika Pallikal to the title
Chennai :
India’s national champion Joshna Chinappa has become the highest ranked Indian in the world professional squash circuit. As per the latest rankings released on Tuesday Chinappa has jumped from 17th to 13th in the latest rankings.
Dipika Pallikal, who till now held this honour, has slipped to 16th from 14th, while the best among the male players in India, national champion Saurav Ghosal has dropped a rung to 18.
Joshna’s phenomenal show in the Qatar Classic in Doha last month had stood her in good stead. More than the quarter final finish there her beating of world number one Raneem El Welily of Egypt in the first round had helped her to this happy tidings. The Indian star is now getting set to play her first round in the Hong Kong Open, a prestigious event prior to the World women championship scheduled in Malaysia.
As for the others, Mahesh Mangaonkar is on 62, Harinderpal Sandhu is placed on 66 and Kush Kumar on 97. In the women’s section Sachika Ingle is on 87.
Four designers from Bengaluru will present their Khadi creations in Jaipur at the first edition of the Rajasthan Heritage Week, which was launched in the City on Friday.
The event, intended to promote traditional textiles, is being organised by Bengaluru-based Prasad Bidappa Associates, the Government of Rajasthan and the Khadi Board. It will be held from December 3 to 5 in Jaipur.
Pavithra Muddaya, Tara Aslam, Manish Saksena, Jason and Anshu are the Bengaluru-based designers who took part in the ‘Handmade in Rajasthan’ project. Along with designers from other parts of the country and abroad, they worked closely with traditional handloom weavers in interior villages in Rajasthan.
What started as a pilot project with Bangladeshi designer Bibi Russell was taken forward on a larger scale after the Chief Minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje was impressed with the collection she created. At the event on Friday, models showcased Russell’s colourful and fresh creations.
“The intention of the project is to revive our country’s traditional fabric and make it more appealing to the younger generation and for a foreign audience,” Prasad Bidappa, the organiser and chief creative director of the project, said. “Through this initiative, eight national award-winning weavers have been elevated to the status of designers with their creations being exhibited at the Rajasthan Heritage Week. That, according to me, is our biggest achievement,” he added.
Pavitra Muddaya, who runs Vimor, along with her mother Chimi Nanjappa, talked about the challenges she faced in the project. “My Hindi is very poor so communicating with the weavers was a problem.”
Muddaya has been working as a textile revivalist, documenting techniques and providing training to traditional weavers. “The way they work there, the processes, the terminology is very different from how it is in South India. It was an eye-opener for me though I have been working in this field for 40 years,” she added.
“In the past I have worked with Pethanis and Maheshwaris but this was the first time that I worked with something from Rajasthan,” said Manish Saksena who worked with traditional weavers in Kaithoon village in Rajasthan’s Kota district to create 18 sarees.
Produced entirely by hand, it took him and the weavers two months to complete them.
“Two of the people I collaborated with were master craftsmen and it was very humbling to work with them.” he added. His sarees will be sold for Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 a piece.
Tara Aslam, who has a Khadi store in Bengaluru called Nature Alley, created designs for modern travellers inspired by the tribes of Rajasthan, and Jason & Anshu of the label ‘smallshop’ designed eclectic menswear and womenswear.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> City / DHNS – Bengaluru, November 28th, 2015
‘It is a tragedy that British termed freedom fighters insurgents’
It is a tragedy that British termed freedom fighters like Subedar Guddemane Appayya Gowda, Sangolli Rayanna, Bhagath Singh insurgents. The historians who failed to understand it, also termed them insurgents, said MLA K G Bopaiah.
Speaking after inaugurating Subedar Guddemane Appayya Gowda Martyrs Day organised by the district administration, Kannada and Culture Department and Karnataka Arebhashe Samskrithi mathu Sahitya Academy here on Saturday, he said there were several uprisings against the British rule prior to Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Guddemane Appayya Gowda had led an insurgency against the British.
He said that there are miscreants who try to divide the society. “Let us pledge to work towards the integrated development of the district and spread the messages of Guddemane Appayya Gowda and Field Marshal K M Cariappa.”
Kodagu district Kannada Sahitya Parishat president T P Ramesh said that those who have no knowledge about history can not create it.”
He said Appayya Gowda should not be restricted to a community. Karnataka Arebhashe Sahitya mathu Samskrithi Academy and Karnataka Kodava Academy should document the history of the district. Karnataka State Handicrafts Development Corporation Chairperson Veena Achaiah, Kodava Academy president B S Thammaiah, Madikeri CMC president Shreemathi Bangera were present.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DHNS / Madikeri, November 01st, 2015
Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani and Rohan Murty, have together contributed Rs 1.5 crore towards a corpus that former students of Bengaluru’s Bishop Cottons Boys School are building for retired staff members of their school.
Murty, son of the other Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy, and Nilekani are among the scores of illustrious citizens the school has produced in its 150-year history. The alumni are confident the corpus will grow in size.
An announcement about the fund, and Nilekani’s anchor donation of Rs 50 lakh, was made by Aditya Sondhi, another old Cottonian, and Managing Trustee of General K.S.Thimayya Memorial Trust at the school on Saturday on the occasion of 11th General KSThimayya memorial lecture. (The general was a Cottonian too, and this year’s lecture was delivered by Rahul Rao, lecturer in politics at the University of London, and Rohan Murty himself.)
Murty, who has announced a cheque of Rs 1 crore, said the teachers and other staff members have given 30-40 years of their life to the service of the school and its students. “I was very touched by the initiative. And, when i heard about Nandan’s contribution, i decided i should also emulate him. I hope more people will come forward, and contribute,” Murthy said, and added, “The fund is our way of expressing our gratitude to our teachers and other staff members.”
The fund is reflective of the strong bond that exists between the school’s former students and staff in all ranks including those worked as lab assistants, attendants etc. “We thought we should provide an opportunity for ex-students to express their gratitude and affection towards the teachers and others,” said CN Kumar, a Cottonian from the 1970 batch, Nilekani’s classmate.
Kumar runs a startup consultancy called Advantage Offshore Knowledge Services, and serves on the Thimayya Memorial Trust.
In addition to annual cash rewards to retired staffers, the fund —which Kumar hopes will grow to at least Rs 5 crore — will meet expenses arising out of medical emergencies of retired staffers and the education needs of their children. Contributions to the trust are eligible for income tax exemption.
The school, which is an old Bengaluru landmark, has produced many stalwarts including former chief of naval staff Admiral Vijay Singh Shekhawat, nuclear scientist Raja Ramanna and cricketer Brijesh Patel.
On Saturday, the Trust gave away Rs 1 lakh each to retired staffers Iqbal Ahmed (NCC commandant), Channappa Gowda (Kannad Novea teacher) Antony (pantry helper) and J Martin (lab assistant).
source: http://www.economictimes.indiatimes.com / The Economic Times / ET Home> News> Company> Corporate Trends / by K R Balasubramanyam, ET Bureau / November 23rd, 2015
Saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa performs at NYUAD on Tuesday November 24. Photo by Jimmy Katz
“The reality is, there’s plenty of East-West musical projects that are horrible,” says Rudresh Mahanthappa, expressing a sentiment open-minded listeners of global sounds are often afraid to voice.
The New York City saxophonist is introducing his own East-West musical fusion, Gamak, who he leads in a performance at New York University Abu Dhabi on Tuesday November 24.
The ensemble’s music is anything but horrible – although it is demanding.
A fiery, phenomenal improviser who was once crowned Alto Saxophonist of the Year by leading jazz magazine DownBeat, Mahanthappa’s playing is exhaustingly inventive.
Backed by a rock-influenced rhythmic section of drums, bass and electric guitar, his sax spits spiralling, jagged phrases that skirt scales drawn from both sides of the globe.
The Gamak project – realised on the 2012 album of the same name – is the latest step in the 44-year-old Indian-American’s exploration of Indian classical music.
This began during his studies at leading jazz school Berklee College of Music a quarter of a century ago, and culminated with a Guggenheim Fellowship to study Carnatic music, resulting in the ensemble Samdhi in 2011.
“Exploring Indian music was something that came out of that early-adulthood confusion – trying to understand to what degree I was American and to what degree I was Indian, and how these things can occur simultaneously, in concert, as opposed to in conflict,” he says.
Gamak is named after the term for South Indian melodic ornamentation, but Mahanthappa’s playing also seeks to examine how tunes are traditionally embellished by players of Chinese, African and Indonesian music.
“The way melody is decorated is what gives it the human quality,” he explains. “I was always fascinated by this very specific, almost-science of how this melodic ornamentation occurs. It’s not random at all, it’s very stylised. People always say: ‘You shouldn’t play the melody straight, you have to give some life to it’. Well, that’s all well and good, but how about making a larger conversation about what that actually means, and exploring how it occurs in different parts of the world.”
Mahanthappa changed direction on this year’s Bird Calls, a set of new compositions each inspired by a specific solo or tune by the alto legend Charlie Parker.
For this 16th release, the restless spirit is contemplating either recording music from children’s TV shows from around the globe, collaborating with a comedian and live video artists on a politically-motivated performance piece, or recording a collection of Michael Brecker compositions that the late, great saxophonist never had the chance to record in his lifetime.
“It’s all part of one big journey,” says Mahanthappa. “I still say: ‘I’m a professional musician’. I make albums and tour and perform and do all these things, but sometimes I think the music is just a by-product of me continuing to get myself, to understand who I am as a citizen of the world.”
• Rudresh Mahanthappa and Gamak perform at East Plaza, The Arts Centre, at NYUAD on Tuesday November 24 at 8pm. Limited free tickets available on arrival or from nyuad-artscenter.org
rgarratt@thenational.ae
source: http://www.thenational.ae / The National / Home> Arts & Life> Music / by Rob Garatt / November 23rd, 2015
Following their loss in the title round of the year-ending $7 million ATP World Tour Finals at The O2 Arena here, top Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna has said 2015 has been a fantastic year for him and his men’s doubles partner Florin Mergea of Romania.
India’s Rohan Bopanna (top) and his partner Florin Mergea of Romania in action during the men’s doubles final in London on Sunday (PIC:AFP)
Second seeds Horia Tecau and Jean-Julien Rojer defeated eighth seeds Bopanna and Mergea 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday evening for their 11th team title, and third of the year that includes their maiden Grand Slam at Wimbledon.
“It was just a tough day today. But it’s been a great week, making it to the final, first-time outing for us as a team,” said the 35-year-old Bopanna after the loss.
“And for the season, starting out in April, playing just about a handful of tournaments and to qualify here, I think it’s been a fantastic year for us. We can take a lot of positives from this year, and we are looking forward to starting fresh in January.”
Bopanna and Mergea first teamed up at Casablanca in April and end the year with a 31-16 record, including two titles from four finals. Mergea added: “It’s a pleasure to play in the World Tour Finals title match. Obviously, this has been the first time two Romanians (Tecau being the other) played the doubles final here. I think it’s an historic day for us.”
Bopanna ends the year as World No.9, having won four titles — two with Mergea in Madrid and Stuttgart and two with Daniel Nestor in Dubai and Sydney, making 2015 the most successful season of his career.
Robin Uthappa slammed his third straight century of the season while Mayank Agarwal brought up his maiden n as Karnataka rev first-class ton as Karnataka revelled in a run feast against Delhi on the first day of the Ranji Trophy group ‘A’ match at the KSCA Rajnagar stadium, here on Monday.
Put in to bat after the visitors misread what appeared to be a seamer-friendly wicket, the second-wicket duo forged an imposing 236-run partnership to put the defending champions in a position of strength. At close, Karnataka were at a commanding 3583 with Manish Pandey (31) and Karun Nair (31) holding fort.
Uthappa, who scored 160 against Rajasthan and 148 against Odisha in the previous games, equalled Rahul Dravid’s record of 17 Ranji trophy centuries. Agarwal brought up his half-century just before lunch while Uthappa too cruised to 40 off just 51 deliveries as the hosts went into the break at 120 for 1.
Shortly after lunch, Uthappa targeted left-arm spinner Manan Sharma to bring up his fifty. Mayank too came up with a couple of cover drives to reach his maiden ton that was laced with 17 boundaries.
With the pacers finding it tough, Gambhir brought offspinner Dhruv Shorey but the move backfired as Uthappa smashed the tweaker for 32 runs in the over as he clobbered him for four sixes and two boundaries.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> Sports> TOI CRI / by Sunil Subbaiah, TNN / November 24th, 2015
Former Law Minister M.C. Nanaiah enjoying a ‘JUMBO’ ride sitting on the tusk of an elephant at the Aane Utsava held at Dubare Elephant Camp in Kodagu yesterday.
Kushalnagar :
Former Minister M.C. Nanaiah has urged the Government to release Rs. 100 crore for overall development of Kodagu district.
Speaking after inaugurating the 61st wildlife month and elephant day celebrations at Dubare Elephant Camp, near Kushalnagar yesterday, Nanaiah asked the State Government to take Cauvery River cleaning on the lines of Ganga River cleaning taken up by the Prime Minister.
Urging the Government to announce a special package for Kodagu, Nanaiah stressed on the need for initiating appropriate measures for ending man-animal conflict across Malnad region, which has seen an alarming rise over the past few years.
Calling for installation of solar fencing and construction of trenches in order to prevent elephant intrusions into farm lands and human habitats, he urged the Government to move the Supreme Court for taming wild elephants, which are causing havoc across Malnad region.
The former Minister then urged the government work towards conservation of Western Ghats, preservation of forest wealth and water bodies. He also urged the Govt. to regularise the services of Dubare Elephant Camp Mahouts who have been serving for years.
Karnataka Forest Industries Development Corporation Chairman T. Eshwar, in his address, said that the Corporation has sent a proposal to the Government on setting up a mega Bamboo Industry at Kushalnagar at a cost of Rs. 100 crore. Madikeri Division DFO Yedukondalu called upon the involvement of everyone in putting an end to man- elephant conflict.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Monday – November 16th, 2015
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