Emirati Coffee set to expand into Saudi Arabia

  • Emirati Coffee reported a 3,135 percent increase in online sales in 2020, fueled by strong market demand for its specialty coffee produce

Jeddah : 

Emirati Coffee, the UAE’s first specialty coffee roastery, is expanding into the Kingdom with the opening of its first Saudi branch in July 2021. The chain, which currently has 160 locations worldwide, will open in Alkhobar under the brand name Knowhere.

The company is preparing to open an outlet in Riyadh in 2022.

Mohamed Ali Al-Madfai, CEO of Emirati Coffee

Mohamed Ali Al-Madfai, CEO of Emirati Coffee, told Arab News that the Riyadh outlet would be called the Emirati Coffee Roastery.

Al-Madfai said he believed there was great potential for growth in the Saudi market and that he is aiming to capitalize on the brand’s popularity among Saudi travelers, “especially those that came to love that brand when visiting Dubai pre-pandemic,” he said. Emirati Coffee reported a 3,135 percent increase in online sales in 2020, fueled by strong market demand for its specialty coffee produce.

The busiest period was during the first two months of the pandemic, when the UAE launched a national sterilization campaign to contain the virus. “Coffee was already the number one e-commerce grocery product before 2020, but the pandemic boosted the growth due to greater consumption at home.

Coffee buyers cut back on trips to the supermarket and coffee drinkers can’t go to the cafés,” Al-Madfai said.

He added: “Consumers resorted to online purchases and with the availability of our own delivery fleet, they were able to get their hands on their cup of coffee.”

source: http://www.arabnews.com / Arab News / Home> Business> Latest New / by Deema Al-Khudair / April 13th, 2021

‘More Army recruitment rallies needed in Kodagu’

Describing the 37 Coorg Medium Regiment as a matter of ‘pride for Karnataka’, ex-Sergeant of Indian Air Force Mandetira Subramani, who is also the president of VeKare Ex-Servicemen’s Trust (VKET), has emphasised the need to post a few more willing young officers, junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and jawans among Coorgs to the regiment and make it more meaningful.

Representation needed

Even though the regiment uses the insignia of Coorg i.e Odi Kathi and Peeche Kathi, and displays the insignia in sports track suits, besides celebrating the two major festivals Puttari and Kaipodh, it is surprising to note that there is no significant representation of Coorg officers, jawans and JCOs in the regiment as of now, said Mr. Subramani while addressing the recent 9th annual general body meeting of T. Shettigeri Ex-Servicemen Association, Kodagu.

He urged the president of the association Kattera Vishwanath to approach the Chief of Army Staff and request him to post a few willing young officers, JCOs and jawans among Coorgs already serving the army in different artillery regiments to the regiment.

Youth training

He also said the Army recruitment rallies should be held in Kodagu more frequently. He urged the members of the association to motivate and train the youth in Kodagu to join the Indian Army as officers or as combatant soldiers depending on their educational qualification.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / Mysuru – April 14th, 2021

K.C. Ganapathy Is First Kodava Yachtsman To Qualify For Olympics

Four sailors from India to compete at this year’s Tokyo Olympics

Mysore/Mysuru:

In a historic first for India, four sailors from the country will compete at this year’s Olympics after the pair of Kelappanda Chengappa Ganapathy – Varun Thakkar and Vishnu Saravanan made the cut for Tokyo at the Asian Qualifiers in Oman on Thursday.

This was after Nethra Kumanan became the first Indian woman sailor to qualify for the Olympics in the laser radial event in the Mussanah Open Championship, which is an Asian Olympic qualifying event, held on Wednesday. It is also the first time that India will compete in three sailing events in the Olympics.

“Yes, history has been scripted. Four Indian sailors have qualified for Olympics to compete in three events. It’s the maximum number of sailors qualified and also in number of events,” Yachting Association of India Joint Secretary General Capt. Jitendra Dixit said.

Chengappa – Thakkar pair finished on top of the points table in the 49er Class. The duo had to finish in the top six in the medal race to make the grade, but the duo finished fourth and first overall to qualify.

“We got the result we wanted. All our hard work has paid off. We are grateful for all the people who supported us. It was a shaky (final) race, but we did it. Now the work starts,” Chengappa and Varun said after their achievement. Vikas Thakkar and Ganapathy had also won the bronze medal in 49er men’s sailing event at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.

“I congratulate Indian athletes Nethra Kumanan, K.C. Ganapathy and Varun Thakkar who have qualified for Tokyo Olympic in sailing. I’m particularly proud of the quota of Nethra, who is India’s first-ever female sailor to qualify for the Olympics!” tweeted Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju.

Twenty-six-year-old Ganapathy is the son of Kelappanda late Deepak Chengappa and Reshma Chengappa (from Allaranda family). His mother Reshma runs a furniture business in Chennai and the family is settled there. His grandparents are Kelappanda late Pratap and Padma Prathap. Padma resides at Kolthodu village near Hatur village in South Kodagu.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Padma said that it was a proud moment for India in general and Kodavas in particular as Ganapathy has achieved the distinction of being the first Kodava Yachtsman to qualify for the Olympics.“He has been sailing all through his life and started sailing at the age of six. He won the Under-12 National Championship and has come a long way. I pray for his success every moment and I am confident that he will make India proud,” she said.

In fact, Ganapathy quit school to pursue full-time sailing and won the Asian Games bronze. Later he enrolled himself at an Open School.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News> Sports / April 10th, 2021

Nellamakkada Wins Anjikeri Naad Hockey Namme

Nellamakkada family beat Pardhanda family in the finals at Anjikeri Naad Hockey Namme at Hudhikeri held from April 1 to 5, organised correlating with Trinity College, Vijayanagar, Mysuru, as the main sponsors.

The victorious Nellamakkada team (in yellow jersey) — Aiyappa, Poovanna, Appanna, Likhin, Sachin, Somaiah, Pradhan, Chengappa, Appaiah and Rohan — is seen with Adarsh Chekkera – Physical Education Teacher, Anjikeri Naad, Elizar Milton – Chairman, Trinity College, Shama E. Milton – Secretary, Trinity College, M.N. Akkamma – Academic Advisor, Trinity College, C.P. Thejaswi – Academic Director, Trinity College, Ajjikuttira Prakyath Poonacha – President, Anjikeri Naad Koota, Buttiyanada Chengappa – Hockey Coory Secretary and Chekkera Bopanna, Member – Anjikeri Naad Koota.

A total of 95 teams took part in the tournament.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports / April 11th, 2021

Mother Teresa Medical Centre, RO Plant Inaugurated At Sainik School In Kodagu

Mysore/Mysuru:

Dr. K.B. Cariappa, Director and Dean, Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences, Madikeri, inaugurated Mother Teresa Medical Centre, school’s medical inspection room at Sainik School in Kodagu on Mar.30 in the presence of Dr. K. Mohan, District Health Officer, Kodagu and Dr. Rupesh, Resident Medical Officer.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief guest lauded the Sainik School set up and encouraged the cadets to imbibe leadership qualities to join Indian armed forces and strive to transform this vision into reality. 

He also recalled the legendary military leaders like Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa and Gen. K.S. Thimayya and their military achievements. 

The school medical inspection room with the presence of nursing assistants caters in ensuring health of the cadets. Detailed medical history charts are maintained for individual cadets and an accurate periodical record of height, weight and chest measurements is also maintained. 

CBSE’s latest initiative mandates Health and Physical Education (HPE) subject to all cadets. The school medical inspection room is a repository of cadets’ medical history and a learning centre too. It helps cadets to learn and maintain hygiene, educate the importance of nutritious food and significance of physical exercises. 

Dr. K. Mohan, District Health Officer (DHO), Kodagu, inaugurated Reverse Osmosis (RO) Plant at the school campus.  

Col. G. Kannan, Principal, Priya Kannan, the first lady of the school, Lt. Col. Seema Tripathi, Vice-Principal, Sqn. Ldr. R.K. Dey, Administrative Officer, Sangeeta Dey, Dr. H. Mahesh, School Medical Officer and S. Suryanarayana, Senior Master, staff and cadets were present on the occasion. All safety measures including wearing mask and social distancing were followed during the event. 

Cdt. M.G. Apoorv was the master of ceremony. Cdt. R.  Shashank and Cdt Harsharaj spoke on Mother Teresa’s contribution to humanity and Reverse Osmosis (RO) respectively.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / April 11th, 2021

Screening Of Kodava Film ‘Usar’ At Mysuru Kodava Samaja

Mysuru:

After successful screening at Madikeri, Murnad, Virajpet, Napoklu Ammathi and Ponnampet, Kodava film ‘Usar’ will be screened at Mysuru Kodava Samaja on Apr. 9, 10 and 11. 

There will be four shows at 11 am, 2.30 pm, 6.30 pm and 8.30 pm on all three days and advanced booking can be done. Tickets are available at the venue also. 

The film has been made under the banner of P&G Creations and the story of the film is based on the lives of youth affected by the drug menace and their family members. The film aims to create awareness in society.

‘Usar’ has been produced by Pasura Ramya Nanaiah and directed by Pratish Poovaiah and Acheyada Gagan Ganapathy. The team decided to produce the film after the success of many short films that went viral, especially those having a good social message. It is a family movie and has three songs. 

For more details on tickets, contact: 98806-00240 or 63601-89482. 

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / April 09th, 2021

‘Brain Glue’ repairs traumatic brain injuries

Lohitash Karumbaiah, assistant professor in UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, led the team that designed and created Brain Glue.

Hydrogel mimics the composition and mechanics of the brain.

For an update to this story, visit Brain Glue, Part 2

Researchers at the University of Georgia’s Regenerative Bioscience Center have developed Brain Glue, a substance that could one day serve as a treatment for traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs.

The Brain Glue is a hydrogel matrix with a gelatin-like consistency that acts as a scaffolding for transplanted stem cells, which are capable of repairing damaged tissue. With the unique ability to take the shape of the void left in the brain after a severe trauma, the Brain Glue will enable a more natural healing environment for stem cells to colonize and regenerate.

Lohitash Karumbaiah, assistant professor in UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, led the team that designed and created Brain Glue. The main difference between Brain Glue and other synthetic hydrogels, according to the team, is the variety of possibilities to trap neural stem cells, improve integration and reduce the likelihood of rejection.

“It’s very common with these invasive injuries that surgeons will actually remove the part of the dead brain leaving behind a cavity or hole,” said Karumbaiah. “The question is, then, can you replace that with something like our Brain Glue, loaded up with compounds native to the brain together with a mix of protective agents that can be incorporated for the best therapeutic outcome.

“The cool thing about this chemistry is that you can take our Brain Glue liquid formulation and then very briefly expose it to long-wave UV light and form a hydrogel in any shape you like,” he said.

Every day, 153 people in the U.S. die from injuries that include TBI, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those who survive a TBI may live with impaired thinking, memory, movement or sensation. TBIs can also lead to personality and emotional changes.

The new approach is described in the journal ACS Biomaterials Science and Engineering and a recently awarded abstract from the International Brain Injury Association.

For more than two years now, Karumbaiah has been awarded seed-funding for his collaborative TBI work with Maysam Ghovanloo, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The TBI research was initially funded by the Center for Regenerative Engineering & Medicine, known as REM, a collaborative initiative launched in 2011 between the University of Georgia, Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology.

The REM collaboration is an extension of Karumbaiah’s work to further study neuroplasticity: the brain’s ability to self-renew, adapt and compensate for injury and disease. His future studies will focus on how neural networks form and change in response to traumatic insults, and he will investigate the therapeutic use of electrical stimulation to help return loss of function in any given region of the brain.

“Multiple methods are needed in these kinds of studies,” said Karumbaiah. “The Brain Glue is where we make the scaffold, and the neuro-network function is really this other arm — learning how neurons fire and wire together and what this really means in terms of function.”

Steven Stice, director of the Regenerative Bioscience Center, is working with Karumbaiah on a licensed technology for commercialization of the new Brain Glue, which was recently named best abstract at a meeting of the International Brain Injury Association.

Karumbaiah’s work recently attracted a four-year, $1.5 million research grant from the National Institutes of Health.

“Lohitash sets an example for other junior faculty to emulate,” said Stice, GRA Eminent Scholar and D.W. Brooks Professor in CAES. “To be recognized internationally at such an early stage takes great skill and dedication.”

A full version of ACS Biomaterials Science article is available online at http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6b00805

The Regenerative Bioscience Center at the University of Georgia links researchers and resources collaborating in a wide range of disciplines to develop new cures for devastating diseases that affect animals and people. With its potential restorative powers, regenerative medicine could offer new ways of treating diseases for which there are currently no treatments-including heart disease, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and stroke. For more information, see www.rbc.uga.edu.

source: http://www.news.uga.edu / UGA Today / Home> Health & Wellness> Science & Technology / by Charlene Betourney / December 19th, 2017

MLA unhappy about work on Govt Ayurveda Hospital

Madikeri MLA Appachu Ranjan expressed his dissatisfaction over work on the newly constructed Government Ayurveda and Homeopathy Integrated Hospital, built at a cost of Rs 60 lakh, at B G S Circle in the new taluk centre, Kushalnagar.

He inaugurated the building during a programme organised by Kodagu Zilla Panchayat and the department of Ayush on Monday.

Inspecting the work on the building, Appachu Ranjan vented his ire against the contractor and said that the hospital was not constructed as per the proposed plan.

“The wheelchair ramp meant for specially-abled people and for patients, at the entrance of the hospital, is built unscientifically. The staircase, toilet and bathroom fittings are of poor quality,” the MLA noted and took ZP assistant engineer Fayaz and contractors Mahesh, Prakash and Manjunath to task.

The ramp and the staircases should be set right immediately, he added.

“There is no use of having old fashioned structures. The hospital should have modern facilities,” the MLA said and directed the engineer and contractors to incorporate the necessary changes in the building.

Zilla Panchayat member K P Chandrakala said that the building work was done in a hurry and is not according to the plan. She too pointed out that the ramp and the staircase are unscientific and urged those concerned to demolish the existing ramp and the staircase and build new ones.

The ZP member also demanded action against the engineer and the contractors.

Speaking to the reporters, Appachu Ranjan said that the new hospital building is constructed at a cost of Rs 60 lakh. But, the work is not carried out properly.

The official and the contractors have been taken to task. Directions have been issued in this regard. The hospital is built to cater to the needs of the people in the surrounding villages, he said.

Stating that the second wave of Covid-19 has crept in, he asked the people to be more cautious. Everyone should follow the norms such as wearing masks and following social distancing.

Somwarpet Taluk Panchayat president Pushpa Rajesh, vice president Abhimanyu Kumar, ZP member K R Manjula, Town Panchayat president B Jayavardhan and vice president Surayya Banu were present, among others.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Kushalnagar / April 05th, 2021

No total ban on tourism: Kodagu DC

Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Charulatha Somal on Monday clarified that no blanket ban on tourism has been imposed in Kodagu and only tourist destinations had been closed till April 20 in view of many holidays in the ensuing days which could result in larger turnout of travellers.

Resorts, hotels and homestays can function as usual taking all necessary precautions. The hospitality sector has been permitted to operate, complying with the COVID-19 appropriate practices of wearing face masks, sanitisation and social distancing. “There is no blanket ban on tourism,” she clarified.

Ms .Somal said the decision on closing down tourist sites had been taken in the interest of public health safety. “The district administration is thankful to everyone for their support and cooperation,” she added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – April 05th, 2021

Kodagu On Canvas: 3-Day Art Camp Held

Madikeri: 

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (BVB), Kodagu Kendra, in association with Karnataka Lalitha Kala Academy, had organised a three-day art camp in city which concluded on Sunday. The camp provided a platform to both professional and upcoming artists to depict the beautiful city of Kodagu on canvas through watercolour painting.

Artists S. Madhusudan (Chamarajanagar), Santosh Mala (Udupi), Priyadarshini Shahapur (Bagalkot), Krishnaveni (Ballari), Boraiah (Davanagere), Vansanthkumar (Hassan), Dr. Appa Saheb Ganigera (Bengaluru), Arathi (Vijayapura) and Praveen Kumar (Mysuru) participated in the three-day art camp.

Speaking on the occasion, art camp organiser, a member of BVB Bengaluru, Bharatanatyam dancer Nagalakshmi Rao said, “Most of the artists were facing financial crisis due to the pandemic and lockdown. We didn’t want COVID blues to dampen their spirits. Hence, BVB Kodagu Kendra in association with Karnataka Lalitha Kala Academy, had organised this three-day art camp. The scenic landscape of Kodagu as well as portraits of Kodavas have been wonderfully sketched in watercolours on canvas. Our intent was to provide a platform for these artists to present their narratives. This would certainly inspire more and more artists to come and visit Kodagu in the coming days.”

BVB Kodagu Kendra Gen. Secretary Balaji Kashyap stated that they were very happy to organise such a programme after a gap of many years in Kodagu. “Due to the pandemic, we had to take all necessary precautions.

During the three-day art camp, we took the artists to different parts of the city.

Special thanks to Kodagu artist Imanda Roopesh Nanaiah who was also the Convenor of this camp for helping us and successfully organising this event.”

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / April 06th, 2021