Dignitaries pay floral tributes to the portrait of Squadron Leader Ajjamada B Devaiah in Madikeri on the occasion of the 88th birth centenary of the latter, on Thursday.
The 88th birth anniversary of Squadron Leader Ajjamada B Devaiah was observed by Kodava Makkada Koota, Ajjamada family and Ajjamada B Devaiah Trust in Madikeri.
Dignitaries paid floral tributes to the portrait of Sq Ldr Ajjamada B Devaiah at Ajjamada Devaiah Circle.
Everyone should remember the sacrifice of our brave soldiers and should respect them, he added.
Sq Ldr Ajjamada B Devaiah Trust chairman Ajjamsada Kattimandaiah said that Ajjamada Devaiah was born in Kurchi village in Srimangalanadu on December 24, 1920.
“He was awarded Maha Vir Chakra posthumously. He is a role model to all of us,” he said and recalled the contribution of Kodava Makkada Koota in installing the idol of Squadron Leader Ajjamada B Devaiah.
Kodava Makkada Koota president Bollajira Ayyappa, Ajjamada family head Ajjamada Lava Kushalapa, leader Tennira Maina and ex-servicemen were present on the occasion.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Madikeri / December 24th, 2020
Sanjana Kattera, a corona warrior who was part of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine trial team, is ‘Coorg Person of the Year, 2020’, according to a release.
Kodagu-born Dr. Sanjana was involved in treating COVID-affected children. A paediatrician, she was part of the vaccine trial team at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom. The release said Dr. Sanjana served patients selflessly by risking her life, especially when PPE suits were in short supply initially.
Dr. Sanjana was selected ‘Coorg Person of the Year’ in a poll conducted by www.coorgtourisminfo.com, Kodagu’s first news portal, promoted by senior journalist P.T. Bopanna.
She worked with phase I/II of the trial with the age group 18-55 years by initially screening and recruiting patients as part of the eligibility criteria.
Dr. Sanjana, daughter of Suresh Kattera and Smitha Suresh, did her schooling in the United World College South East Asia (UWCSEA) in Singapore.
She studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh in the U.K. After completing her medicine, she specialised in paediatrics in a hospital in the U.K, and is currently training in NHS, Liverpool. She will be completing her Membership of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (MRCPCH) early next year.
The corona warrior had a tough competition for the ‘Coorg Person of the Year’ title from M.A. Ganapathy, IPS, director-general of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the release added.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – December 21st, 2020
Coronavirus infection has created so much scare among the people that initially even the doctors were wary of treating these patients. Many doctors and nurses who treated such patients have lost their lives.
Observing these things, an engineering student from Virajpet here has invented a robot to solve the problem. Manikantha from Hubballi, is the son of Amaresh, working in the court at Ponnampet in the district. Amaresh has been living in Virajpet since the last 15 years. Manikantha is a fifth semester student of electronics engineering department at the engineering college at Mandya.
IEEE India Council had invited students to send in their plans about projects relating to COVID treatment. The council which observed the report sent by Manikantha, asked him to prepare the project and paid Rs 12,000 as expenses. Manikantha by using C programming, created this robot.
This robot can be controlled with the help of a mobile phone. It can go near the COVID patients and dispense medicines and tablets. It can give instructions to patients, and check the heartbeat and body temperature. It also greets the patients. When returning, it scans its entire body and protects itself. IJWMT too has got a research article authored by the student and published. It also issued him a citation.
Manikantha’s parents are happy. He happens to be the first to invent a medical robot for the treatment of COVID patients.
source: http://www.daijiworld.com / Daijiworld.com / Home> Top Stories / by Daijiworld Media Network, Madikeri (SP) / December 12th, 2020
Joshna’s contemporary Dipika Pallikal has competed in 297 PSA Tour matches. England’s Alison Waters (487) and Camille Serme (France, 439) have topped the list in the women’s category.
Joshna Chinappa achieved the unique feat in the CIB-Black Ball Squash Open in Cairo (Egypt). – RITU RAJ KONWAR (FILE PHOTO)
India squashplayer Joshna Chinappabecame the first Indian female player and second (male and female) to play 400 PSA Tour squash matches.
The 34-year-old achieved the unique feat in the CIB-Black Ball Squash Open in Cairo (Egypt).
The Indian, seeded 10, defeated Julianne Courtice of England 10-12, 11-6, 11-9, 12-10 in the women’s first round.
Only Saurav Ghosal (444) has played more than Joshna.
Joshna’s contemporary Dipika Pallikal has competed in 297 PSA Tour matches. England’s Alison Waters (487) and Camille Serme (France, 439) have topped the list in the women’s category.
source: http://www.sportstar.thehindu.com / SportStar / Home> Squash / by Team SportStar / Chennai – December 09th, 2020
A bride came directly from the marriage hall to the Junior College in Madikeri to write a competitive examination, after completing her wedding rituals, on Sunday.
Swathi, a resident of Ashokapura, is the bride. The competitive examination for the selection of DCC Bank staff had coincided with the date of her marriage with Suresh from Madhuramma Pattana in Suntikoppa.
The marriage was held at Ambedkar Bhavan in Madikeri. The auspicious timing was fixed so that it did not clash with the timing of the examination.
Swathi and Suresh entered into wedlock between 6.30 am and 9 am on Sunday and Swathi later came to the exam hall in the Junior College in Madikeri directly, in her wedding attire.
Swathi Suresh said that she had been preparing for the competitive exam from the past several months.
The marriage rituals were performed in short, so that she did not lag behind the schedule of the exam.
Swathi expressed her confidence in clearing the exam.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Madikeri / November 22nd, 2020
Nammuru Nammoru Samaja Seva Trust, Mysuru, observed Martyred Freedom Fighter SubedarGuddemane Appaiah Gowda Memorial Day at an event held at Jaladarshini Guest House recently.
Veteran writer Dr. C.P. Krishnakumar (CPK) inaugurated the programme by showering petals on the portrait of Appaiah Gowda.
Speaking on the occasion, CPK said that the year 1857 is a very significant year in the history of freedom struggle. Pointing out that the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny was the first major battle in the fight for the country’s independence from the Britishers, he said that we have read about great freedom warriors such as Mangal Pandey and Tatya Tope who laid down their lives.
Noting that the first independence revolution took place in 1837, 20 years before the sepoy mutiny of 1857, the veteran writer said that many great freedom fighters such as Tipu Sultan, Rani Chennamma, Sangolli Rayanna, Parampara of Kodagu, Kalyanaswamy, Guddemane Appaiah Gowda, Kedambadi Ramegowda and Kudiya brothers had laid down their lives much earlier fighting the Britishers.
Recalling that the people of Kodagu revolted when the Britishers divided the then Coorg State into Kasaragod, Puttur and Sullia and brought them under Madras Province, he said that warriors from Kodagu such as Nanjaiah, Kedambadi Ramegowda and Guddemane Appaiah Gowda are an inspiration for generations to come.
Noting that Appaiah Gowda led the ‘Katukai battle’ (Amara Sullia Dange) against the British in 1837, Dr. CPK said that he was one of the greatest heroes Kodagu has produced. Stating that Appaiah Gowda was a symbol of patriotism, self-respect and pride of Kodagu, he said that Appaiah Gowda, who was hanged by the British in front of Madikeri Fort in 1837 for leading protests against colonial power, did not want outsiders to have a say in the affairs of Kodagu.
He urged the Government to set up an Authority for sensitising the public on the sacrifices made by Appaiah Gowda and all other great freedom fighters of the times and on the significance of Amara Sullia Dange (Sullia rebellion).
Trust President Satish Gowda, Vice-President Kumar Gowda, Gen. Secretary A. Ravi, Dist. Vokkaliga Assn. Vice-President Gururaj, Director Ravi, Dentist Lokesh and others were present.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / November 03rd, 2020
The doors of diplomacy were not welcoming of women for a good part of the 20th century.
Until 1946, the UK did not allow women into its foreign service. The foreign and commonwealth office was apprehensive about British prestige being endangered abroad as it felt that a foreign government would perceive it as an insult to conduct diplomacy with a woman diplomat.
Some believed : “A clever woman would not be liked, an attractive woman would not be taken seriously.”
Both the UK and the US had rules which stipulated that a female diplomat should resign from service after her marriage.
The situation in India was not too different in the 20th century and this is the story of C.B. Muthamma, the first woman to join the Indian Foreign Service (IFS). She encountered sexism right from the initial interview conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and had to fight for her promotions and seniority even after putting in years of service.
Muthamma excelled in the UPSC examinations conducted in 1948. During her interview, she was in for a rude shock when the chairman of the UPSC tried to dissuade her from joining the IFS. Muthamma alleged that he later admitted that he had used his authority to ensure that she was awarded low marks in the viva voce. Soon after being inducted into the IFS, she was asked to sign an undertaking that she would resign when she gets married.
In 1979, she petitioned the Supreme Court after she was denied ambassadorship and promotion to grade I of the IFS despite an unblemished record. More importantly, the court’s attention was drawn to two misogynistic service rules of the IFS.
Rule 8(2) of the Indian Foreign Service (Conduct and Discipline) Rules, 1961 stipulated that a woman member of the service had to obtain permission from the government before marrying and the government could ask her to resign if it was satisfied that her “family and domestic commitments” would affect her performance. Rule 18(4) of the Indian Foreign Service (Recruitment, Cadre, Seniority and Promotion) Rules, 1961 stipulated that no married woman had a right to be a member of the IFS.
During the course of the hearing, the government informed the court that it had repealed Rule 18(4). However, the solicitor general defended Rule 8(2) by contending that the rule intended to prevent married women from leaking confidential information and thereby endanger security. This contention exposed how misogynistic the government was. The rule rested on an absurd premise that a married man was unlikely to leak confidential information while a married woman could not be trusted! Also, the rule presumed that it was only a woman who could have “family and domestic commitments” after marriage which could affect her performance.
As the case progressed, the government perhaps felt that the court was not inclined to accept its justification of the rule and hence assured the court that the rule was all set to be deleted and the same would be announced in the official gazette.
Interestingly, after Muthamma challenged the denial of promotion, the government suddenly retracted its assessment that she was not meritorious enough to be appointed as an ambassador. Before the court pronounced its verdict, she was appointed as the ambassador to The Hague and the government even assured the court that her seniority, which was affected by the late promotion, would be restored.
As the government addressed/promised to address, the issues raised in the petition while the case was pending, the court did not have to issue directions to the government. However, Justice Krishna Iyer, who authored the judgment, pointed out that Rule 8(2) and Rule 18(4) were unconstitutional as they violated the principles of equality and non discrimination enshrined in Articles 14, 15 and 16 of the Constitution. He began the judgement with the following line :
“This writ petition by Miss Muthamma, a senior member of the Indian Foreign Service, bespeaks a story which makes one wonder whether Articles 14 and 16 belong to myth or reality”.
He observed that “masculine hubris” haunted the Ministry of External Affairs and described the rules as misogynous and a hangover of a culture of masculinity which suppressed women. The judgment urged the government to remove “stains of gender discrimination” from all the service rules without waiting for “ad hoc inspirations” from petitions filed in the court.
Muthamma’s story suggests that calling out misogyny in the language of rights and constitutional values can act as a powerful nudge. By publicising the discrimination, she effectively abashed the foreign service and forced it to introspect. Also, her efforts enabled the Supreme Court to condemn misogyny in service rules and this judgement has served as a guiding precedent for courts while deciding cases of gender discrimination.
Rahul Machaiah is a post graduate student of law at Azim Premji University, Bangalore.
Featured image credit: Wikipedia (Editing: LiveWire)
source: http://www.livewire.thewire.in / Live Wire / Home> Gender & Sexuality / by Rahul Machaiah / October 14th, 2020
‘Cauvery Pade’ (Cauvery Force), an all-women Police team to tackle crimes against women and children in Kodagu district, was launched by Kodagu SP Kshama Mishra here on Thursday last.
Speaking on the occasion, Kshama Mishra said that the team will have two Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs) and 16 other Police personnel.
“The Force will act against atrocities and crimes against children, girls and women. The Force will make regular rounds around schools and colleges, accommodations where there are more number of women and other women-dominated places and will act against anyone found behaving in an obscene or indecent way and harassing or stalking women,” she said.
Continuing, the SP said that ‘Cauvery Pade’ has been formed on the lines of ‘Abbakka Pade’ in Udupi, ‘Obavva Pade’ in Chitradurga and ‘Chamundi Pade’ in Mysuru. The patrol team will make rounds from 8 am to 6 pm in the limits of all prominent Police Stations of the district, focussing on schools and colleges for ensuring the safety of girl students.
The members of the public can call 100 in case of trouble or distress, she said and added that the mobile numbers of all the eighteen personnel attached to this women Police team, will be announced soon as the higher authorities issue them.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / October 06th, 2020
A befitting tribute to Indo-Pak War Hero on his 55th death anniversary
Madikeri:
The statue of Squadron Leader Ajjamada Bopayya Devayya will be unveiled at Madikeri in Kodagu District on Sept. 7.
The 6-feet-9-inch bronze statue installed at the Old Private Bus Stand Circle will be unveiled on the day Devayya was martyred. Incidentally, the Circle has also been named after him.
Sqn. Ldr. A.B. Devayya is the only Indian Air Force (IAF) Officer to be posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC). During the 1965 India-Pakistan War, Devayya (called ‘Wings of Fire’) was part of a strike mission (on the Pakistani airbase Sargodha).
Works on installing the statue of Squadron Leader A.B. Devayya at Madikeri in Kodagu district is almost complete.
Works on installing the statue of Squadron Leader A.B. Devayya at Madikeri in Kodagu district is almost complete.
The work on the statue basement is almost complete and a giant crane was used to shift and mount the statue on the pedestal.
The bronze statue weighs 600 kg and Rs. 20 lakh has been spent on getting the statue carved at Kengeri near Bengaluru.
The statue installation work was spearheaded by Ajjamada family members, Squadron Leader Ajjamada Devayya Memorial Trust, Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa and General Thimayya Forum, Kodava Makkada Koota.
Wartime job
Sqn. Ldr. A.B. Devayya was born to Ajjamada Bopayya and Neelamma couple on Dec. 24, 1932 at Manchalli village near Kutta in South Kodagu. He joined the Indian Air Force as a pilot on Dec. 26, 1954. Devayya was married to Keethiyanda Sundari.
When the Indo-Pak war broke out in 1965, Devayya was an instructor at the Air Force Flying College. He was posted to No.1 ‘Tigers’ Squadron’ and flew the Mystere fighter bomber. During the war, Devayya shot down a US-made PAF (Pakistan Air Force) F-104 Starfighter while flying an inferior Mystere of French make. The dogfight between the Mystere and the Starfighter was recorded by British author John Fricker in his book ‘Battle for Pakistan’ published in 1979.
Action in the skies
John Fricker wrote, “On Sept. 7, 1965, Mystere pilot Squadron Leader A.B. Devayya showed commendable courage by staying in the fight, and despite being mortally wounded, he eventually scored several cannon strikes against the Starfighter, causing it to be abandoned. This was the first and only Starfighter to be lost through enemy action in the 1965 war.”
Devayya was part of an air strike mission on the PAF base at Sargodha, with the objective being to neutralise its air assets. He engaged in a dogfight with the Starfighter flown by Pakistani Flight Lieutenant Amjad Hussain at an altitude of 7,000 ft. The PAF fighter was faster and more modern, but Hussain made the mistake of reducing his speed in an attempt to out-turn Devayya.
Hussain failed to clear his tail during the dog-fight and suffered several cannon strikes. He was forced to eject since the Mystere had a limited range for action and did not have enough fuel reserves to return to India.
Posthumous award
The Mystere aircraft was destroyed and it was assumed that Devayya died on Pakistani soil. The IAF was not aware of what had happened to Devayya, first recording him missing and later declaring him dead. It was revealed much later by Pakistan that Devayya’s body was found almost intact by villagers not very far from Sargodha and buried.
For this feat in the 1965 conflict, 23 years later, in 1988 he was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC). He is the only Air Force Officer to have been awarded the MVC posthumously so far.
Two heroes from Kodagu receive ‘Maha Vir Chakra’
Two Defence personnel from Kodagu have so far received the honour of Maha Vir Chakra, next only to the supreme Defence award Param Vir Chakra. While Squadron Leader A.B. Devayya received the honour in 1988, the other officer is Major Puttichanda Somaiah Ganapathy (later promoted as Lieutenant Colonel) who is now leading a retired life in Bengaluru.
Major Ganapathy was awarded Maha Vir Chakra for his combat role in 1987 Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka (launched by Indian Peace Keeping Force) against the LTTE. His unit, located at Annakottai, was surrounded and repeatedly attacked by militants on Oct. 16, 1987. His Company had occupied this location to provide a firm base for the 41 Infantry Brigade to launch an offensive.
LTTE militants repeatedly attacked the position with very heavy fire, resulting in heavy casualties, and his unit required immediate replenishment of ammunition. Throughout the day, Major Ganapathy fought gallantly and kept the militants at bay.
When all efforts to drop ammunition by helicopter failed due to heavy fire, Major Ganapathy kept fighting, moving from trench to trench till 6 am on Oct. 17, 1987 when he was finally supplied with ammunition by a patrol. He displayed extreme devotion and held his position against heavy odds.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / by Prasad Sampigekatte / August 31st, 2020
Air Marshal Nanda Cariappa pays rich tributes to martyred soldiers
Madikeri:
“Kargil Vijay Diwas is a symbol of India’s pride and valour. I bow to the soldiers who, with their indomitable courage, drove the enemy from the inaccessible hills of Kargil and waved the Tricolour there again. The country is proud of the heroes of India, who are dedicated to protecting the motherland. We remember the courage and determination of our Armed Forces, who protected our nation in 1999 and continued protecting us and their sacrifices will continue to inspire generations,” said Air Marshal Kodandera Nanda Cariappa.
He was speaking at Sunny Side War Memorial — the house of General K.S. Thimmayya — at Madikeri yesterday on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas. The event was organised amidst COVID pandemic by Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa and General Thimmayya Forum. “It is a special and a sacred milestone in the history of Indian Armed Forces,” he said after laying a wreath at Amar Jawan Memorial at Sunny Side.
Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa and General Thimmayya Forum President Col. (retd.) Kandrathanda Subbaiah, Lieutenant Colonel (retd.) Chengappa, Major (retd.) Biddanda Nanda Nanjappa and others paid rich tributes. Ajjinanda Thamoo Poovaiah of Kodagu Ekikarana Ranga, Kokkalera Cariappa, entrepreneur Arun, Sukumar of Hindu Vedike and others were present.
Kodagu Sainik School Principal Col. G. Kannan paying homage to war heroes at the War Memorial.
Sainik School pays tribute
The supreme sacrifice by the brave Indian soldiers was remembered by the Kodagu Sainik School fraternity by paying homage to war heroes at the War Memorial. Principal Col. G Kannan laid the wreath. Lt. Col Seema Tripathi, Vice-Principal and Sqn. Ldr. R.K. Dey, Administrative Officer also remembered the sacrifices.
Associate NCC Officers of the School also paid floral tributes at the Memorial. The Principal addressed the cadets and shared a video to the cadets about the event and told them that the School, under Ministry of Defence and with the support from Government of Karnataka, is committed to prepare them to be future leaders not only in defence forces but in all walks of life.
Owing to the COVID pandemic, the programme and competitions were held online. Cdt. Amogh and his team of other cadets performed a role play titled “Yeh Dil Mange More!” a tribute to Capt. Vikram Batra, Param Vir Chakra awardee, through video conference. Online quiz, poster-making contests were held and e-certificates were also awarded to the winning cadets.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / July 27th, 2020
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