Madikeri:
A Kodagu girl has won a national level abacus championship in Delhi.
Kodandera Nushkka, 6, the daughter of Kavya and Vikram Kuttaiah is the winner.
She won the championship in a contest in which 3,200 children from across India had participated. She is being trained at Brainobrain Madikeri centre, which is headed by Mapangada Kavitha Karumbaiah.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Mysuru News / August 26th, 2024
Kushalnagar:
The All India Sainik Schools Intra Group (Group H) Football Competition for the year 2024-25, which commenced at Sainik School Kodagu on Apr. 9, culminated on Apr. 13.
This marked the third edition of the National-level Sports Meet hosted by the School.
The closing ceremony was attended by Wg. Cdr. P. Prakash Rao, Officiating Principal of Sainik School Kodagu, as chief guest.
In all, four Sainik Schools from the South Zone of India participated in the event: Sainik School Kazhakootam (Kerala), Sainik School Amaravathinagar (Tamil Nadu), Sainik School Kalikeri (Andhra Pradesh) and the host Sainik School Kodagu.
In his address, Wg. Cdr. Prakash Rao congratulated all the participating teams for their exemplary display of skill, teamwork and sportsmanship throughout the tournament.
He encouraged the participants to carry forward the values of sportsmanship, integrity and camaraderie, which defines the very essence of any sports.
The closing ceremony featured an elegant march-past by cadets from the participating schools. Cadet Sharanabasu, the proposed School Appointment of Sainik School Kodagu, administered the oath to the team captains and their respective teammates and also led the parade.
The closing parade was followed by prize distribution. Sainik School Kalikiri, Kazhakootam and Amaravathinagar won the Champion’s Trophy in the respective Group.
Cdt. M.G. Deekshitha of Sainik School Kalikiri, Cdt. Krishnakant of Sainik School Kazhakootam and Cdt. M.P. Deepak of Sainik School Amaravathinagar were adjudged as the best players in their respective category.
On the occasion N. Vibin Kumar, Senior Master, Team Managers of participant schools, staff members, NCC, PI staff and the cadets of Sainik School Kodagu were present.
Inaugural ceremony: Col. Amar Jeet Singh, Principal of Sainik School Kodagu, was the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony on Apr. 9.
In his address, Col. Singh highlighted the significance of rigorous training and persistent efforts in fostering true sportsmanship, particularly for those aspiring to pursue careers in sports.
He commended Sainik Schools for being bastions of discipline, excellence and holistic development, emphasising their role in instilling values of leadership, teamwork and perseverance among cadets.
The chief guest applauded the cadets for demonstrating exceptional team spirit, a fundamental requirement for success in any sporting event, especially football. He encouraged the participating cadets to play with passion, integrity and respect for their opponents, embodying the ideals of sportsmanship and fair play.
Cultural performances included a welcome song by Cadet Raman Kumar and his team, a Khartal performance by Cadet Lohith Kumar and his team and a rendition on the ‘Daf’ by Cadet Amit and his team.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News> Sports / April 16th, 2024
Madikeri:
Though Kodagu bettered its performance by recording a pass percentage of 92.13, it slipped to fifth position in the District wise rankings of II PUC results. Last year, Kodagu had bagged third spot in district wise rankings, while recording a pass percentage of 90.55 which is nearly 2 percent less as compared to the previous year.
A total of 4,576 students had appeared, out of which 4,216 students have passed.
In Science, A. Diana Naveen (592 marks out of 600) of St. Michael’s PU College, Madikeri, came the topper in Kodagu. She was followed by D.P. Jeevan (588 marks) of the same college who came second and H.R. Sinchana (588) of Coorg Institute PU College, Ponnampet and M.M. Kaveramma of Vidyaniketan PU College, Gonikoppa, shared third spot.
In Commerce, Charishma Johnson (591) of Vidyniketan PU College, Gonikoppal, was the topper in the district, while K.K. Rashmitha (589) of Sarva Daivatha College, Gonikoppa, came second. I. Bindu (588 marks) of St. Anthony College, Ponnampet and Jhuveria P. Zudd of Marques PU College, Madikeri, shared third place.
In Arts stream, S.Hemavathi (574 marks) of St. Joseph’s PU College, Madikeri, was the topper, while S. Srinanda of the same college came second securing 573 marks and P.I. Sapna of Ikra PU College, Siddapaura came third with 572 marks.
Mother and daughter pass out together
Meanwhile, a mother and her daughter of Kodagu district created a record of sorts by passing out second PUC in the same exam this year.
Rinisha, daughter of electrical contractor T.K. Surendra and M.U. Babyrani couple of Kudlur Chettalli in Kushalnagar taluk, had appeared for the second PU exam in Science along with her mother Babyrani.
While Rinisha was a student of Vidyaniketan PU College in Gonikoppal, her mother had appeared for the exam as a private student at Nellihudikeri Junior College in Arts stream.
While Rinisha passed out in flying colours by securing 570 marks out of 600 in Science stream, Babyrani passed out in first class in Arts stream by scoring 388 out of 600 marks.
Babyrani had last appeared for SSLC exam 25 years ago and this year, she appeared for the second PU exam, due to persistence of her daughter Rinisha and passed out in first class.
Thus, Wednesday marked as an important day in the life of Rinisha as well as her mother Babyrani, as they achieved academic success, passing out second PU with good results.
Rinisha, who was delighted with her mother’s performance, said she was more happy at her mother’s success than her own high marks in second PUC.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / April 11th, 2024
Mysore/Mysuru:
Prof. K.C. Belliappa, former Vice-Chancellor, Central University, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, will release the book Life and Times authored by K.B. Ganapathy (KBG), Founder-Editor, Star of Mysore and Mysuru Mithra at a programme organised by Samvahana, Mysuru, at Rani Bahadur Auditorium, Hunsur Road in city on Aug. 6 (Sunday) at 11 am.
Prof. K.S. Rangappa, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Mysore, will preside
Prof. C. Naganna, Retd. Professor, University of Mysore, will speak on the book.
Dr. M.R. Ravi, IAS, Managing Director, Karnataka State Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC), Bengaluru, will be the chief guest.
Author K.B. Ganapathy and Publisher D.N. Lokappa of Samvahana Publications, will be present at the event.
On the occasion, the book (soft bound), priced at Rs. 350, will be sold at discount price of Rs. 200 at the venue.
The Publisher can be contacted on Mob: 99026-39593 or 95354-61948.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / August 04th, 2023
To promote capacity building in this niche field, the Coffee Board has sent a proposal to the govt to establish a ‘Centre of Excellence for Coffee’ in Bengaluru.
Bengaluru :
With coffee doing well on global price charts, there is an increasing demand for more skilled labour. To promote capacity building in this niche field, the Coffee Board of India has sent a proposal to the government to establish a ‘Centre of Excellence for Coffee’ in Bengaluru. Currently, the board has limited seats for its programmes and aims to introduce newer short-term courses for coffee enthusiasts.
Board Chief Executive Officer and Secretary Dr KG Jagadeesha said, “We run a one-year Post Graduate Diploma in Coffee Quality Management (PGDCQM), which is highly sought after. It is run in the Coffee Quality Division in Bengaluru and students also visit the Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI) in Chikkamagaluru for three months. Students get industry experiences such as visiting cafes, understanding roasteries and understanding the packaging and promotion. However, we can take only 15 individuals and the applications that come in are more than 500.”
The applicants are thoroughly reviewed based on sensory evaluation, interview and academic records and should have a bachelor’s degree in botany, zoology, food sciences, bioscience or agricultural sciences. The proposal submitted to the government is part of the five-year budgetary renewal during which the board lists down its vision and plans for the next term.
“The Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) proposal entails an exclusive centre for coffee and various skilling and upskilling programmes,” Jagadeesha said.
‘Will train 5K grads to make espresso’
“Even these 15 people who pass PG Diploma are placed in multinational companies within days and some even go to the Middle East with promising career opportunities. We need more seats as the market is expanding,” Jagadeesha explained. The board is awaiting approval and has also requested for a new facility to hold classes for at least 100 select students.
It is also looking at several upskilling initiatives in the next five years and training around one lakh women from rural areas and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to make coffees the right way.
“We are also going to train 5,000 graduates on how to make espresso coffee and help them explore the opportunities in the coffee business,” the CEO said.
There is a severe shortage of baristas in the industry. Coffee Board has also introduced a programme of training 1,000 baristas in the next three years and has already trained 150 so far, he added.
The short-term course for coffee enthusiasts, called the ‘Kaapi Shashtra’, for the year is tentatively scheduled for March 18-22 (exclusive batches) and interested individuals can keep a watch on the website. The main objective of the programme is to impart skills related to latest technologies in coffee roasting.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Karnataka / by Puran Choudhary / February 12th, 2024
The need to shift to a better job urged Bhavani, a cleaner at the panchayat, to try and apply for the 10th board exams.
Madikeri :
A digital library in a rural part of Kodagu is helping shape a new life for a panchayat cleaning staff.
Bhavani HD (48), who never had the luxury to attend school, has now completed 10th grade after receiving help at the digital library even as she hopes for a promotion in her 12-year-old career.
A resident of Maldare village in Virajpet taluk, Bhavani hails from a poor family. She did not enjoy the right to attend school during her childhood and started off earning a living by working as a daily wager.
She then applied to work at the Maldare Grama Panchayat and has been working as the cleaning staff there for the past 12 years. She is shortly to be deployed as a civic worker who has to collect and dispose of garbage.
“I cannot lift heavy weights. I have undergone five surgeries including tubal ligation, uterus, piles, appendix, and a leg surgery. I requested a different job profile due to my illness and the then PDO had suggested that I could have applied for an attendee post at the panchayat if I had passed 10th grade,” shared Bhavani.
The need to shift to a better job urged Bhavani to try and apply for the 10th board exams.
“My dream of attaining an attendee post led me to the digital library at the panchayat. I obtained support from the library supervisor Sujitha,” Bhavani said.
“From the Grama Digi Vikas portal, I helped download the study materials for Bhavani. The study materials are easy to understand and they are in the form of videos. Bhavani visited the library every day and studied for the board exams,” shared Sujitha KV, the library supervisor who learned about the ordeal of Bhavani and stepped in to help.
For three months, Bhavani spent a few hours every day studying at the library. She wrote the board exams in March last year.
“But I passed only in Kannada. However, by god’s grace, I cleared all the subjects during the supplementary examination,” explained Bhavani.
Following this success, Bhavani is now confident of availing the attendee post.
However, Bhavani has a long fight before she gets to her dream post at the panchayat, as several panchayat members have failed to see her efforts and are demanding a male candidate for the attendee post over Bhavani.
While her hard work led her towards completing the 10th grade, it has not yet paid off due to the unprecedented developments at the panchayat.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Prajna GR, Express News Service / January 03rd, 2023
While a majority of science projects are done using the internet, Shreesha went a step ahead, and did a real world project.
Madikeri :
An honest effort from an eighth grade girl of the government school at Kodagarahalli of Suntikoppa in Kodagu district has helped preserve a local stream.
The work for her science project has now earned the respect of the district administration and district police, who have ordered that CCTV cameras be installed to prevent dumping of waste near the stream.
Shreesha AS, daughter of Suntikoppa residents Shiju and Sandhya, is a student of the Kodagarahalli Suntikoppa Nadu Government High School. She was nominated to represent the school at the 31st National Children’s Science Convention, where she won the ‘Young Scientist’ recognition for her presentation — ‘Pollution across river banks’.
While a majority of science projects are done using the internet, Shreesha went a step ahead, and did a real world project. With the help from her father, she visited the stream near her locality to collect inputs for her project. She surveyed the Haraduru stream, collected details about its importance to the locality. She recorded sound bytes from local residents and learnt that the stream has been the lifeline of the locality for ages.
Staff deployed near stream to stop littering
The survey, however, also introduced her to the sad state of affairs of the stream where she found loads of plastic and other garbage dumped by its banks. From coffee pulping to plastic waste, the stream was being polluted by a few locals and tourists who visited the spot.
Shreesha compiled the story and submitted a report on the pitiable condition of the water body to the district administration, district police and the local panchayat. Her efforts persuaded SP K Ramarajan to deploy the staff near the stream to stop littering. Further, the administration has ordered the local body to install CCTVs to control garbage dumping at its banks. With the help from her classmates, Shreesha also led an awareness campaign across the locality even as residents were urged to take responsibility in preserving the stream.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Express News Service / January 01st, 2024
The High School was on the verge of closure after three teachers posted at the school opted for transfers. The school is located on the Kerala-Kodagu border.
Madikeri:
The Kannada High School of Karike, the border government school, is in a revival mode following the efforts of an NGO. It has now been turned into a smart class even as teachers have volunteered to take online classes for the rural kids.
The High School was on the verge of closure after three teachers posted at the school opted for transfers. The school is located on the Kerala-Kodagu border. It had just one permanent teacher this academic year who is also the acting Head Master. The residents of the village were fearful of the future of their kids. Nevertheless, the NGO Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) has come to the aid of the students in this government school.
“SVYM was active in the district from 2017 as we introduced mobile science labs to the students of government schools after tying up with Rotary institutions. We were approached by the district education department to depute teachers to the border school at Karike,” explained Praveen Kumar S, the education head and CEO of SVYM.
As a first approach, SVYM requested the network of teachers volunteering with the NGO to take classes at the Karike School. Three teachers volunteered for the initiative.
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“During the break or vacation period, the three teachers visited the school at Karike and conducted classes. Over 100 students of the school visited the institution during the Dasara holiday to be part of the classes,” he added.
As a second approach, SVYM called for more teachers to volunteer to teach in the institution.
“Under the initiative of Vignyana Vedike, SVYM has a big network of Science and Math teachers. These teachers are state awardees who volunteer with us to help support the education of government school kids. They visited Karike and taught the students,” he said.
Further, as the third approach, SVYM introduced smart classes at the school. Audio-visual study content developed by the NGO was used to teach the students Math and Science lessons and this arrangement will continue at the institution till the end of the academic year.
“The problem at the Karike school will find a permanent solution only with the appointment of teachers. Nevertheless, we have started online classes through smart class setup and this will continue regularly till the end of this academic year,” he confirmed.
SVYM has supported over 300 government schools and reached over 45000 students through its School Education Programme.
“We have been working across government schools in the state for the past 15 to 16 years. From providing learning resources, capacity building of staff and infrastructure building, we focus on empowering government schools to provide quality education to the students,” he concluded.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Prajna GR, Express News Service / December 22nd, 2023
Ponnampet:
A unique project exhibition titled, ANVESHANE-2, aimed at inculcating scientific and research bent of mind among students leading to new perspectives, will be held at the Coorg Institute of Technology (CIT) here on Dec. 15.
The competitions would be held in three different groups. Students from SSLC, PUC and Diploma Engineering are eligible to participate in the event.
SSLC students can come up with projects relating to Science and Environmental Science and the winners of first three places will take home a cash prize of Rs. 8,000, Rs. 6,000 and Rs. 4,000 respectively.
Subjects for PU students for coming up with the projects relate to the streams of Physics, Chemistry and Biology. There are two cash awards in each of the category with the winner eligible to get Rs. 10,000 and the runner-up getting Rs. 6,000.
In the Diploma Engineering category, projects are related to the fields of Computer Science & Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Electronics & Communication Engineering. Cash award would be given in each of the categories. Winner will get Rs. 10,000 while runner-up will take home a sum of Rs. 6,000. A maximum of three teams are eligible to take part in the competitions with a maximum of four students in a team.
Students interested should register names before Dec. 5 in the google form issued to Colleges for registrations.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / December 03rd, 2023
From raising funds to conducting door-to-door campaigns, PE teacher Poornesh Shetty has left no stone unturned to ensure a sports education for his students in Karnataka’s Kodagu.
While Poornesh Shetty is yet to accept himself as Kodagu’s Kabir Khan – a character essayed by Shah Rukh Khan in the famous sports drama Chak De India – the people of Karnataka’s Madikeri are already drawing parallels, he says. A physical education teacher, Shetty, 58, was recently recognised by the state government when he won the Best Teacher award at the state level for 2023-24.
From picking up the ball for hockey players at Somwarpet’s Blue Star Hockey Club in the 80s to captaining his school hockey team in Class 7, Shetty is now a proud physical education teacher in Boykeri, who counts hockey Olympians Arjun Halappa and S V Sunil as his students, among others.
A hockey player himself, Shetty has been training government school students in Kodagu in hockey since 1992. He later went on to pursue a C.Ped (Certificate in Physical Education). In 1994, Shetty was appointed the physical education teacher at the Boykeri Government Higher Primary School in Kodagu district’s Madikeri taluk.
“When I joined the government school in Boykeri as a PT teacher, I realised that the school did not have enough space for sports. I later called up the kids working at nearby coffee plantations and school students to dig up space and level the field for playing sports. By 1996, the school had a playground and I started training students in hockey and athletics,” says Shetty.
Shetty pooled money and sports equipment from donors and well-wishers to support aspiring hockey players. “My friend Dhananjay, who is a pilot, financially supported me to buy hockey bats, shoes, socks and T-shirts for the students to practice hockey,” he recalls.
Shetty is also instrumental in coaching government school girl students who later went on to participate in hockey tournaments at the state and national levels, including in Gujarat, Bihar and other states. While he helps students enrol in the District Youth Sports Hostel in Madikeri after Class 4, he also pushes students to join the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre in Ponnampet after Class 7 for further training in hockey.
Besides sports, Shetty was also recognised by the government for various academic interventions to ensure his government school in Boykeri did not close down. The school once had about 380 students from Class 1 to 7. However, over the years, the strength dropped to a mere 52. “To keep the government school going, we had to enrol children. So I decided to conduct door-to-door outreach creating awareness on education and more importantly, the benefits of enrolling children in government schools. We lost admissions significantly because of convent schools nearby. So I emphasised the fact that if their children enrolled in government schools, they would get eggs, milk, midday meals, and textbooks for free,” says Shetty.
He adds, “With this outreach programme, along with the help of teaching staff, we managed to register students right from the anganwadis. If we can get students to enrol from anganwadis, it would be easier for us to retain them till high school.”
In fact, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Shetty’s brother Hemanth, an MBBS doctor, and his friends collectively raised funds worth Rs 20 lakh to keep the government school running. Through this, Shetty managed to use Rs 15 lakh for building a dining hall, science laboratory, sports room, library, and toilets for the school.
In addition, Shetty also established Tycoon Sports Club along with 50 other sportspersons by pooling in Rs 25,000 each. With professional trainers, the club trains youngsters and adults in hockey, swimming, athletics and other sports. Shetty also teaches swimming in April every year to nearly 150 students in a day.
“I believe a lot of parents advise their kids on the importance of education but they will not lay much emphasis on sports. Which is why I believe in giving equal balance between sports and education, to ensure they either become employable or professional sportspersons in the future,” says Shetty.
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Sanath Prasad, Bengaluru / September 09th, 2023
