Dr. S.V. Narasimhan, a family physician based at Virajpet in Kodagu district, is an avid birder, nature lover, adept at computers, Karnatak music and astronomy.
Author of Feathered Jewels of Coorg, a field-guide to 310 species of birds found in Coorg, Dr. Narasimhan is the pioneer in spreading wildlife conservation messages through his unique hand-painted Wildlife Message Cards that are sent free to individuals throughout the world to mark the Wildlife Week.
Total number of hand-painted cards made by him this year is 2,180; in 40 years, 81,595 cards. Total recipients this year including Star of Mysore – 1,236; in 40 years – 16,220 persons.
The Special Wildlife Messenger of this year is Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus). A resident bird of the Himalayan foothills of Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland States of India, these birds belong to the most beautiful family of pheasants. Males about 70 cms, have a rich mix of colours on their feathers. They are found in the tropical forests of sub-Himalayan States of Assam, Nagaland and Meghalaya. They are found near human settlements and have been domesticated since 7,400 years, forming the primary species of all the domesticated chicken all over the world. Omnivorous, they feed on fallen fruits, seeds, roots and tubers along with arthropods, larvae and earthworms, lizards and insects foraged with its toes.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / October 13th, 2024
In a significant advancement for the healthcare needs of Kodagu District, an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machine was inaugurated in Madikeri on Sunday, fulfilling a long-standing demand from the local community.
This state-of-the-art facility is now operational at the teaching hospital of the Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS).
Minister for Medical Education Dr. Sharan Prakash Patil inaugurated the facility, alongside Madikeri MLA Manthar Gowda and Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna.
Previously, residents of Kodagu had to travel to Mysuru, Bengaluru or Mangaluru to access MRI services, as no such diagnostic facility was available in any Government or private medical centre within the district.
The introduction of the MRI scanning facility at the teaching hospital will enable patients to receive crucial diagnostics right in Madikeri, streamlining their access to necessary medical treatment based on the reports generated.
Minister Patil said that this installation will significantly enhance the ability of patients to undergo essential MRI diagnostic tests locally. He also assured the establishment of a cardiac centre at the District Hospital in Madikeri under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, emphasising the need for improved healthcare facilities in the hilly terrain of Kodagu.
The MRI equipment, initially sanctioned for another location, was relocated to Madikeri due to persistent advocacy from MLA Manthar Gowda. Additionally, Minister Patil confirmed that a proposal for Rs. 60 crore has been submitted to the State Government for the construction of a new building at the District Hospital, which is expected to receive approval soon.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / October 03rd, 2024
Struggling to improve yield levels with traditional methods at his coffee plantation, Hoysala found great success with technological innovations.
Hoysala at his plantation. Credit: M.J. Prabu
Farming, especially in India, is generally considered to be a traditional field that’s averse to innovation, however M.G. Hoysala’s successful decision to quit banking for farming with the help of technological innovations, shows that keeping an open mind towards new, nontraditional cultivation techniques and interacting with experts in the field is essential for achieving farming success.
While many come into the profession unwillingly, Hoysala represents a section of people that actually wants to take on the family vocation. After spending five years working at a private bank, Hoysala came to realise the importance that the agriculture and plantation sector held for him. So he left his job and took over his father’s coffee plantation.
Since he took over, the Hoysala’s 40 acre farm in Karnataka’s Kodagu district has become a role-model of sorts for the other farms in the area.
As is common in the region, Hoysala grows Arabica coffee on his farm, but what differentiates his farming practices from the rest is the presence of tall indigenous trees that grow alongside the rows of coffee bushes, their height providing shade for the lower shrubs. Another distinguishing factor is the presence of black pepper vines that cover the trees’ trunks.
Starting off as an amateur, Hoysala initially followed the locally practiced traditional forms of cultivation. However, his lack of experience and the absence of proper guidance worsened his predicament. Disease-damaged crops, low productivity and a lack of knowledge about advanced production technologies were just some of the problems Hoysala faced when he took over the coffee plantation.
Collaborating with experts
Hoysala recalls contacting the Indian Institute of Spices Research around the same time as he started to realise that he would need technology if he wanted to stabilise his plantation’s yield level in a sustainable manner. His association with the institute started when he attended an eye-opening seminar organised by the organisation’s regional station at Madikeri, Kodagu.
That first seminar taught him about the varietal wealth of black pepper along with information on various crop production, protection and processing technologies that were being developed at the institute.
Drawing on his experiences from the banking sector, Hoysala was certain that the timely and meticulous adoption of technologies designed to aid crop production were essential to maintaining a profitable plantation.
“The productivity of vines was below the level of expectation and we could hardly harvest six tonnes from an area of 40 acres. We understood that not adopting recommended measures in time, especially to control diseases, could lead to heavy crop loss,” says Hoysala.
“Moreover, we were unaware that instituting shade regulation before the monsoon and irrigation during the summer months would improve the setting of berries and ultimately increase the yield.”
After Hoysala had established a close relationship with the regional station’s scientists, he set about addressing his plantation’s problems one by one.
Shade regulation was the first priority, followed closely by the scheduling of fertiliser, increasing organic inputs fortified with growth-promoting organisms, regularly monitoring the crops for diseases and irrigation during the summer months.
“By adopting these [new and] improved technologies, we have increased the production from six to 12 tonnes. [Which is] on average a two-fold jump within a time span of five years,” said Hoysala.
The plantation’s irrigation system was further strengthened by the construction of water harvesting structures like farm ponds and bore wells. Besides these measures, Hoysala also had pits dug between the rows of coffee plants to harvest run-off water as it also helps with enriching the soil.
The changes extend to pepper cultivation as well. Two years ago, Hoysala took ten acres of land which was used to grow ginger and transformed it into a well-designed pepper plot with silver oaks to serve as standards for the vines and robusta coffee bushes interplanted with the pepper vines.
It currently costs Hoysala a total of Rs 85,000 per acre to implement these measures along with paying the regular operational costs of running the plantation. In return, he earns Rs 1 lakh per acre per annum from the coffee and black pepper grown on the farm, allowing Hoysala to maintain the sustainable, profitable plantation he aspired to.
For further information, contact: M. G. Hoysala, Sri Siddalingeshwara Estate, Hardur P.O., Suntikoppa, Kodagu, Karnataka–571 237, mobile: 09449682430, Email: hoysala.mg@gmail
and his guide
Dr. S. J. Ankegowda, Principal Scientist and Head, ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research Regional Station, Hervanadu Post, Appangala, Madikeri, Karnataka – 571 201, Phone 08272 – 245451; 245514; 298574. Mobile: 09663069241, email:
source: http://www.thewire.in / The Wire / Home> Agriculture / by M J Prabu / December 29th, 2016
Speaking to the media regarding the NEET irregularities, the minister demanded stringent action against the culprits.
Sharanprakash Rudrappa Patil during the visit to District Hospital and KoIMS. (Photo |Express)
Madikeri :
Minister for Medical Education and Skill Development, Dr Sharan Prakash R. Patil, assured the establishment of a heart examination centre in Kodagu.
During his visit to the Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences (KoIMS) on Friday, he confirmed that the heart examination centre for the district would be announced during the next budget.
“A cardiac care centre under the Public-Private Partnership will be announced in the next budget for the district. Steps will be taken to complete the new hospital building at the District Hospital premises in Madikeri,” the minister confirmed.
He explained that following the efforts of Madikeri MLA Dr Mantar Gowda, an MRI machine has been installed at the District Hospital, and the same will be inaugurated shortly.
He confirmed that Rs 55 crore to Rs 60 crore in funds are required for the completion of the Women and Children Hospital in Madikeri and said, “Steps will be taken to sanction the funds through the finance department. There is a shortage of doctors, and the same will be addressed shortly. Young doctors are keen on working in small districts, and steps will be taken to introduce PG courses in medicine.”
The minister inspected the various ongoing works across the district hospital and observed the functioning of the various units at the centre.
Speaking to the media regarding the NEET irregularities, the minister demanded stringent action against the culprits.
“The government has jeopardized the future of 24 lakh students. The centre has failed to make the examinations transparent. There is absolute transparency when the state conducts the CET examination. The union system has been affected by NEET, and when questioned regarding the same, Rahul Gandhi was insulted by the central government. It is suspected that these irregularities were reported earlier too,” he opined.
He lashed out at the centre, alleging that NEET is the biggest scam of the Modi-led government.
MLA Dr Mantar Gowda, DC Venkat Raja, and others were present during the minister’s visit. The minister also interacted with the KoIMS students and addressed their various problems.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Karnataka / by Prajna G R / July 05th, 2024
Each device features four LED lights. The lights are positioned in pairs, in such a way that from a distance they look like a pair of glowing eyes of a predator, founder S R Ayan said.
Parabraksh installed in a farm in Kanakapura.
A Bengaluren has designed a lighting system to help farmers protect their crops and livestock from wildlife, during the night. The innovative product does not harm the wild animals. Katidhan, a five-member startup located on New BEL Road, recently won an investment of Rs 1.5 crore on business reality show, Shark Tank India.
On the show, its founder S R Ayan said farmers in India lose 30-50% of their crops to wildlife. The conventional methods to keep wild animals out include installing electrical fences, planting crude bombs or spraying chemicals. Citing the dangers of such interventions, he said an elephant in Chikkamagaluru died due to electrocution by an electric fence last November.
Ayan says his product, Parabraksh, mitigates the human-animal conflict in a “humane way”. Animals are afraid of other animals and the lighting system is built around this behavioural psychology. “Each device features four LED lights. The lights are positioned in pairs, in such a way that from a distance they look like a pair of glowing eyes of a predator. This scares away the animal.”
The product flashes light in random patterns. Being an autonomous device, it switches on in the dark and switches off as daylight breaks. It runs on solar power but also features a USB charging port for backup.
“Four such lights are needed to protect a farm land of 1 hectare, one in each corner. You can mount them on bamboo sticks or steel poles. The height of the stick or pole will depend on the size of the animal you are targeting,” Ayan adds.
He claims Parabraksh is “over 95%” effective in repelling wild boar, nilgai, elephant, tiger, leopard, and the Himalayan bear. He shares case studies: When these lights were uninstalled from a farm in Tamil Nadu and sent for servicing, elephants returned. For a woman farmer in Maharashtra, crop losses due to wild boars have gone down by 25%. The income of a farmer in Odisha has doubled since elephant invasion stopped.
Ayan says the demand for Parabraksh was more than what his bootstrapped startup could meet, that’s why he decided to raise funds through investors.
It all started with a friend’s SOS call in 2017. “My friend was volunteering with a wildlife organisation in Ladakh. He said villagers were trying to kill the snow leopard that was attacking their livestock. He knew about my background in product design and robotics and asked if I could help,” the 33-yearold recalls.
After a pilot in Ladakh, Parabraksh hit the market in 2020. “Our first taker was a large coffee estate in Kodagu,” he says. About 1,100 units, Rs 9,500 apiece, have been sold since. A majority of the products have been sold to farming and social development collectives in Maharashtra.
“After the show, I am getting enquiries from Kanakapura, Kodagu and Hassan, which see regular elephant movement,” he says.
Monkey chaser
Sensor-based Kapikaat is another product by Katidhan, priced at Rs 5,000 and up. It emits loud sounds to repel monkeys during day time. “It is 70-75 % effective. We reckon that monkeys can get used to the source of the sound and ignore it,” says Ayan.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> India> Karnataka> Bengaluru / by Barkha Kumari / March 27th, 2024
Madikeri, often referred to as the Scotland of India, is set to witness the establishment of a cutting-edge sub-regional science center and planetarium at a projected cost of approximately 12.26 crores, courtesy of the Department of Science and Technology
Bengaluru:
Madikeri, often referred to as the Scotland of India, is set to witness the establishment of a cutting-edge sub-regional science center and planetarium at a projected cost of approximately 12.26 crores, courtesy of the Department of Science and Technology. The foundation stone for this landmark project will be ceremoniously laid tomorrow by the Hon’ble Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Nestled across 3 acres of pristine land in Karnangeri village, Madikeri, the facility will feature an 8-meter dome for the construction of the planetarium. Minister of Minor Irrigation, Science and Technology, NS Boseraju, highlighted Madikeri’s unique advantage of minimal light disturbance at night, making it an ideal location for observing stars and planets.
In an official statement, Minister NS Boseraju emphasized the department’s commitment to promoting science and technology, fostering scientific education, cultivating rational thinking, and raising awareness about astronomy. The initiative aims to establish science centers and planetariums across district centers in the state.
Kodagu district, with its unpolluted skies and minimal light interference, provides an exceptional environment for stargazing. Minister Boseraju likened Kodagu to other picturesque locations such as Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh, Pangong Tso Lake in Ladakh, Run of Kutch in Gujarat, Nile Island in Andaman and Nicobar, and Matheran in Maharashtra. The sub-regional science center and planetarium project is envisioned to ignite interest in space exploration and provide students in the district with valuable educational opportunities.
The foundation stone laying ceremony, scheduled for tomorrow, February 25, will be graced by the presence of Hon’ble Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Minister NS Boseraju expressed optimism about the transformative impact of this initiative on the scientific landscape of the district.
source: http://www.thehansindia.com / Hans India / Home / by Bharath Anjappa / The Hans News Service / January 24th, 2024
Telemetric Water Monitoring System installed at Koppa-Kushalnagar Cauvery River Bridge
Kushalnagar:
Amid the ongoing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the sharing of Cauvery River water, a state-of-the-art Telemetric Water Monitoring System, equipped with velocity and level sensors, has been successfully installed on a bridge across the Cauvery River at Koppa-Kushalnagar on the Kodagu-Mysuru border.
This sensor-based monitoring system offers automated and real-time data 24×7, providing precise information regarding the river’s inflow, water level, and velocity.
The system comprises two sensors: one for monitoring the speed of the water flow (velocity sensor) and another for measuring the depth of the river water (depth sensor).
The installation has been carried out by the Water Resources Development Organisation, a Central Government agency operating under the National Hydrology Project. This organisation has an Irrigation Investigation Sub-Division Office in Mysuru that is overseeing the implementation of this sensor-based water monitoring system. Each system costs Rs. 30 lakh and is imported.
A similar system has already been deployed at Bannur, where the Cauvery River flows and approvals are pending for installing two more systems on Lakshmanatheertha River (near Hunsur) and Lokapavani River in Mandya (a tributary of Cauvery).
This state-of-the-art sensor-based system provides real-time data every 15 minutes to over 15 agencies in Karnataka and at the national level, including the India Meteorological Department, Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited and the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre.
Additionally, the data can be utilised by regulatory authorities such as the Cauvery Water Monitoring Authority (CWMA) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) to determine the water allocation between the Southern States.
Speaking to the Star of Mysore this morning, Santhosh Kumar, Assistant Executive Engineer of the Irrigation Investigation SubDivision Office, mentioned that in the past, water flow data collection was a laborious manual process.
The system measures various parameters related to river level and flow, including water height from the stream bed (stream stage), river velocity (measured by a radar-based surface velocity sensor mounted above the river), and river depth and width. The collected data is then transmitted and made available for viewing and downloading.
This system is designed to monitor water levels in rivers, lakes and streams, predict the potential for flooding and issue alerts accordingly. It not only measures water levels but also assesses water velocity, improving the accuracy of risk predictions, Santhosh explained.
The system operates using solar energy and has been installed by Sun Technologies, Chennai, which is responsible for data transmission, system installation and maintenance for five years.
It may be recalled here that a Telemetric Water Gauge has already been installed at the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam in Mandya district and at Harangi Dam in Kodagu to provide sensor-based real-time data on reservoir storage levels, inflow and outflow. These installations are part of an Online Monitoring System for the Cauvery Basin, utilising Telemetry-based Real-time Data Acquisition and Transmission.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / November 08th, 2023
Thousands of farmers in South Kodagu now look forward to better yield as Gonikoppal gets a new digital soil testing centre. The Coffee Board launched the testing centre last week following demands of farmers and growers.
Earlier, farmers of Virajpet taluk had to travel 50 to 70 kms to give soil for testing centres at Chettalli and Koodige and both the centres are in Somwarpet Taluk. Farmers in Virajpet were deprived of a testing centre.
Coffee Board Senior Liaison Officer said it took two hours to find the potential of hydrogen (PH) value of soil and five hours to find nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) in soil.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / December 28th, 2017
C.G. Kushalappa, scientist and retired dean of College of Forestry in Ponnampet. | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR
Expressing concern over the change in rainfall pattern and temperature in Kodagu, an expert well versed with the hilly district’s ecosystem has suggested that the government should ask research centres to collate rainfall data from farmers’ rain gauges to study the impact of climate change on the district’s ecosystem as well as catchment area of river Cauvery.
“Kodagu has a practice of almost all the farmers keeping rain gauges in their estates and maintaining daily rainfall data for several decades. The government should ask reputed research centres to get such data from farmers to assess the impact of climate change,” says C.G. Kushalappa, former dean of College of Forestry, Ponnampet and an expert on Kodagu’s ecosystem.
“The need of the hour is to study and understand the patterns related to impact of climate change on different areas of Kodagu through micro-level data,” he says. This is because the impact of climate change varies in different areas within the small district. Analysis of rainfall data from 110 farmers had showed a pattern of rainfall going below 50% of average two times once in 12 years.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by B S Satish Kumar / October 29th, 2023
Dr Rajeev Roychand (second from left) and his research team have developed a way to use coffee grounds to strengthen concrete by 30 per cent
It can wake you up, it is an anti-oxidant, it is said to be nature’s best pre-workout drink when it comes to burning fat while working out, and now, it can make stronger houses.
No, this writer has not had too much coffee. Just the usual four cups since morning. The last fact mentioned above is supported by scientific research, detailed in a research paper titled Transforming spent coffee grounds into a valuable resource for the enhancement of concrete strength, published in the Journal of Cleaner Production this year. And the lead author of this research paper is Dr Rajeev Roychand, an Australian national originally from sadda Punjab.
Born in the Gurdaspur district, Roychand grew up in Amritsar and moved to Australia in 2005 for higher studies, after completing his Masters in Civil Engineering.
“I was living a carefree life on my father’s hard-earned money, with absolutely no vision for my future,” Roychand tells mid-day through an email interaction. “It was making my father quite anxious. He finally decided to send me to Australia, hoping that I may become serious when I won’t find anybody to pamper me all the time and when I feel the realities of the harsh life.”
The move came as a blessing in disguise for Roychand, who, for the first time, learned the importance of money during his first job at a restaurant.
“The owner called me for a day. It was a very busy restaurant and I worked from 3 pm to 11 pm. without a single second’s break. I worked so hard that the owner of the restaurant asked me to become a regular employee of the restaurant. This extreme hard work was like a sudden shock for me, and I was not mentally prepared to accept this job offer. Seeing that I wasn’t interested, the owner refused to pay me. I went to the station to go back home and cried a lot at the station,” he recalls
Roychand went on to work as a taxi driver till 2008, during which time he also got his citizenship, and then worked as a structural engineer at a private firm. Research, however, was always his calling.
“I was always fascinated by the research field, so in year 2013, I decided to do my PhD at RMIT University, Melbourne,” Roychand says. “The focus of my research was developing a low carbon footprint alternative to the conventional Portland cement. By the time I completed my PhD in year 2017, I was successful in developing a high durability zero cement concrete utilising different industrial by-products like fly ash, slag, silica fume and some chemical additives.”
The road to Roychand’s Eureka moment in his latest project, funnily enough, started over a cup of coffee, when the research group he is part of at RMIT met to discuss transformation of different waste materials to strengthen concrete.
“We decided to start with coffee waste, taking it as a challenge. We worked on this project for about a year, and finally we came up with a solution that could transform this waste into a valuable additive for strengthening concrete,” he says.
For the benefit of the lay reader, he breaks down the research into simple words.
“Concrete is made up of cement, water, sand, and gravel. In this project, we found that heating spent coffee grounds at 350°C temperature in the absence of oxygen significantly improves its properties. When this treated coffee waste is used as a replacement for sand, it provides a 30 per cent improvement in the strength of concrete,” he explains.
The team, guided by Professor Jie Li and comprising Roychand and his fellow researchers Shannon Kilmartin-Lynch and Mohammad Saberian, Roychand, made their findings public earlier this month, leading to widespread fame. Apart from several research enthusiasts and experts who spoke about the feat, even the official account of the Australian Consulate in India lauded their achievement.
But for them, the most exciting part is that the waste that was ending up in landfills is now ready to be tried out as a high value by-product for construction applications. But that’s not all. Roychand’s research might soon be coming to India, he reveals.
“No doubt, India could immensely benefit from this research. I will be the happiest person if any of my research could benefit my motherland. We are in consultation with one of the companies from India,” he shares, adding, “I still do miss a lot of things, like Amritsari food, and visiting friends and relatives during festivals. But my world revolves around science,” he concludes.
source: http://www.mid-day.com / Mid-Day / Home> Sunday Mid-Day News / by Gautam S Mengle / September 10th, 2023
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