Ashwini Nachappa was one of the most promising Indian athletes during the 1980s. She came into the limelight after she beat P.T Usha on two occasions. She was referred as India’s FloJo due to her agility on the track.
Ashwini represented India in three South Asian Federation games – Nepal,1984(she won two silver medals), Bangladesh,1986(she won two silver medals) and Pakistan, 1988 (she won three gold medals). She won a silver in the 4 X 100m relay at the 1990 Beijing Asian Games. She was also part of the Indian contingent for the World Championships in 1987 in Rome and 1991 in Tokyo.
Ashwini received the prestigious Arjuna award for her contribution to Indian athletics. The Karnataka girl forayed into films and won Nandi award for best debut actress for the film Aswani, her own story. However, her achievements on the track are not known to many.
She is a social worker, educationist and has also built a school. She is currently the president of the Bangalore Urban District Athletics Association.
source: http://www.sportskeeda.com / Sports Keeda / Home> Athletics> Analysis / by Jai Prakash / November 10th, 2014
Indian wicket-keeper batsman Robin Uthappa turns 29 today. We bring to you some interesting facts about the Karnataka player on his birthday.
Robin Uthappa. Pic/ AFP
Robin Uthappa scored 86 runs on his ODI debut against England in 2006. It was the highest score by an Indian player on a debut in ODIs.
He is nicknamed ‘The Walking Assassin’.
Uthappa became the first Indian player to score a half-century in a T20I match. He scored 50 runs against Pakistan to take the team total to 141. The match ended in a draw.
Robin Uthappa was the costliest player, behind Gautam Gambhir, to be purchased during the IPL 2011 season. He was bought by Pune Warriors India for USD 2.1 million.
He won the Orange cap (top scorer of the tournament) in the IPL 7 season with 660 runs scored for Kolkata Knight Riders.
He holds the record for most consecutive 40+ scores in 8 games consecutively.
He broke Matthew Hayden’s record of most 40+ scores in a single season by scoring so 11 times.
His impressive performance during the IPL 7 season saw him selected as captain of the India A team touring Australia.
In all he played for four Indian Premier League teams – Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Pune Warriors India and Kolkata Knight Riders.
source: http://www.mid-day.com / mid-day / Home> Sports News> Cricket News / by A Correspondent / November 11th, 2014
Local favourite Chikkarangappa S. made a valiant comeback with a final round of five-under 67 to earn his maiden international win at the Asian Development Tour’s TAKE Solutions India Masters in Bangalore on Saturday.
Chikkarangappa, playing at his home course Eagleton, overcame the overnight six-shot deficit as he posted a tournament total of 18-under 270 to achieve a remarkable two-stroke victory at the $70,000 event.
Abhishek Jha, another Bangalorean and good friend and practice partner of Chikka, shot a contrasting three-over 75 to finish runner-up at 16-under 272 despite starting the day with a six-shot lead.
Chikkarangappa (64-70-69-67), who was overnight tied second and nursing an injury in his left wrist, had a three-shot swing early in his favour as he converted a 25-footer for birdie on the third even as Abhishek Jha (66-66-65-75) dropped bogeys on the third and fourth.
Abhishek three-putted on the third and found the trees on the fourth.
Chikka narrowed the gap to two shots after making a tricky 10-feet birdie putt on the eighth. Both the Eagleton-based professionals birdied the 10th but Jha conceded another shot with a three-putt for bogey on the 12th. Chikka finally drew level with Jha thanks to a 30-feet birdie conversion on the 15th.
Chikka, who became the second Indian after Sujjan Singh to win on the Asian Development Tour, said, “I’m delighted to finally win at my home course. Last few events I was right up there on the leaderboard but couldn’t somehow take my chances.
The 30-feet birdie putt on the 15th was the turning point today. I felt I had the momentum from there on. Then after Abhishek’s double-bogey on the next hole, I made sure I birdied the 17th.
“I felt I came back really well after the setback with the triple-bogey on the second day and the injury to my wrist on the third day. I couldn’t sleep till late last night due to the pain in my wrist and had to keep applying ice on it to be ready for the final round. I dedicate this win to my late grandfather who passed away last week.”
Sweden’s Nils Floren fired a 67 in the final round to finish third at 14-under 274. C Muniyappa of Bangalore returned a 66 to share fourth place with Niall Turner of Ireland at 13-under 275.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport> Other Sports / PTI / Bangalore – November 01st, 2014
Harinderpal Singh Sandhu dethroned Saurav Ghosal while Joshna Chinappa pocketed her 13th title, beating Sachika Ingale to take the titles.
Harinderpal Singh Sandhu ushered in a change of guard, dethroning Saurav Ghosal in the final to clinch his first title at the senior National squash championships.
“If it had to be anybody to beat me, I am happy it is him,” remarked the latter after losing the men’s final in 74 minutes. Harinderpal won in five sets, 11-2, 11-9, 9-11, 8-11, 11-9.
Two sets up, Harinder found himself at the receiving end when Saurav got into the groove to wrest the third and fourth and take the title clash into the decider. “I committed a schoolboy error,” he said. “Saurav does not allow you to get back after such mistakes,” he said.
Winning the decider against the champion demanded mental preparation. “I was ready to grab the chance. It is about restricting my thinking to within four walls of the court and shutting out anything happening outside.”
Harinder led 9-0 in the first, 4-0 in the second, and did not allow the loss of next two sets to disrupt concentration in the decider.
The newly-crowned champion flew out on Saturday night for the Asian Beach Games at Phuket, along with Kush Kumar for company.
Joshna Chinappa pocketed her 13th title, blasting past Sachika Ingale 11-3, 11-3, 11-6 in just 22 minutes.
Commenting on the competitors, Chinappa said: “Playing the pro circuit is the only way forward for these young girls, instead of playing the junior circuit.”
The long-pending demands of the people of Madikeri to have a private bus shelter will be realised soon with the State government giving its nod for the construction. The work will commence shortly.
The bus shelter will come up on a three acre land belonging to horticulture department near SAI stadium. The estimated cost of the bus shelter is Rs 4.99 crore. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had recently laid foundation for the work.
The bus stand will be constructed jointly by the CMC and the State government.
A sum of Rs 2.09 crore will be utilised for the construction of bus shelter. The bus shelter can accommodate 25 buses at a time. Rs 2.14 crore will be utilised for concreting the road, Rs 50.19 lakh for compound wall and culverts and Rs 25 lakh for toilets, said sources in the CMC.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / Madikeri – DHNS, November 10th, 2014
Suresh Raina, Ajinkya Rahane and Robin Uthappa have all ironed out the creases in their batting and mental make-up by lending their ears to coach Pravin Amre and following his guidelines Salman Ansari DNA
What is common between Uthappa, Rahane and Raina? They all went to Pravin Amre to get their act together. Derek Abraham talks to former Test player from Mumbai to find out what makes him the most sought after batting coach in India today
Like any true-blue Kodava, he is known to live life king size. Hailing from Coorg, the picturesque south Karnataka district which uber-rich coffee planters call home, Robin Uthappa is as cool as they come.
Supremely talented and fiercely proud, his bravado with the bat is more exciting than assuring. That said, the right-hander is often accused of being laid-back. Perhaps, his not-so-impressive returns in 41 ODI appearances, spread over over eight years, are to blame.
Somewhere at the back of his mind, Pravin Amre harboured similar thoughts. During the 2012 IPL season, he conveyed the same to Uthappa. “You are not working hard enough. You must come out of your comfort zone,” Amre, then assistant coach of the now-defunct Pune Warriors India, told the team’s superstar player. Taken aback, Uthappa retorted, “How can you say that? I know I am working very hard.” Amre’s reply was even blunter. “Whenever you decide to work harder, give me a shout,” he said.
The IPL was over before anyone knew it and Uthappa went on a holiday. “One day, I got a call from Spain. It was Robin. He admitted he wasn’t putting in the hard yards,” Amre recalls. He promptly told Uthappa to enjoy his trip.
A month later, Uthappa touched down in Mumbai. His first meeting with Amre turned was an eye-opener. “I told him was to shed 16 kg off his upper body,” Amre says. How did Uthappa go about it? “I am just a batting coach. So his fitness isn’t my concern. He has a team of dieticians and trainers. All I wanted was a fitter, hungrier Robin,” Amre says.
Three months after that ‘top-heavy’ conversation, Uthappa returned in top shape. The ensuing two-year period saw the 28-year-old force his way back into the ODI side after six years, excel for Karnataka on the domestic circuit and play a key role in the fortunes of Kolkata Knight Riders. Nowadays, when the selectors sit down to pick a side, Uthappa features in their discussion.
Uthappa may be the first, but he is not the only one seeking Amre’s help. Simply put, the 46-year-old Mumbaikar, who happens to be from the stable of a certain Ramakant Achrekar, is the country’s most sought-after batting consultant today. Technically sound, knowledgeable, practical, approachable and a great manager of men, Amre also counts Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Naman Ojha, Dinesh Karthik among his wards.
Player to coach: the journey
So when did he get bitten by the coaching bug? “Nothing was planned. It happened by default,” Amre says in a tête-à-tête at the iconic Shivaji Park Gymkhana in Mumbai.
The former India batsman happens to be the president of the club that produced him and 20 other Test cricketers. As we sit down in the swanky conference room on the first floor, Amre, sporting a slick Roger Federer cap and training gear, points to a framed picture of Shivaji Park. “It was taken in the 1950s,” he says. “This is where we are sitting,” he points to the black and white photo, probably shot from a chopper. A few hundred metres away, at the Bengal Club, he runs Amre Coaching Clinic where 30-odd Under-14 boys ply their trade.
“Not many know that I played provincial cricket for Boland, South Africa,” Amre says. Incidentally, he had played the first of his 11 Tests in that country. His debut, in Durban, was memorable to say the least. “That 103 I scored against Allan Donald, Brett Schultz, Brian McMillan, Meyrick Pringle and Omar Henry in 1992 was the highlight of my career,” he adds. Predictably, Amre fell in love with the country. “Not only did I play domestic cricket there, but I also cleared the coaching and umpires exam,” he reveals. “Despite years of isolation, the South Africans showed us what they were made of. This fascinated me. And that’s why I decided to understand their cricket structure.”
When Amre returned home in 2001, he was in for a rude shock. The BCCI categorically told him that it doesn’t “recognise” the South African system. “So I had to do undergo the Level II coaching programme all over again (Test players are exempt from giving the Level I exam). And when it was time to appear for the Level III exam, the Mumbai Cricket Association told me I couldn’t represent them as Chandrakant Pandit and Lalchand Rajput had taken the slots. So, I requested Brijesh Patel, head of the National Cricket Academy, to consider me. Thankfully, he agreed,” Amre says. And so, in 2002, Amre and some others like Rajput, Pandit, Venkatesh Prasad and Robin Singh passed the exam with flying colours. “I had never studied so hard in college. The curriculum was vast, but I did my best,” Amre says.
Amre then started an academy at Shivaji Park Gymkhana. “I trained players like Siddhesh Lad, Kevin Almeida, Shardul Thakur, Harmeet Singh and Gaurav Jathar. A few years later, the MCA asked me to if I wanted to coach the Ranji Trophy team. I agreed.” The period from 2006-07 to 2010-11 saw Amre guide Mumbai to three Ranji Trophy triumphs.
Amre, who never wanted to become a coach because he was “short-tempered”, doesn’t know how it all fell into place. Perhaps, Achrekar was an inspiration. “Achrekar Sir is a very strong, a very different personality. I can never be like him. He is a father figure to his players. He is just too great,” Amre concedes.
Why does he say so? “Listen to this incident. Everyone knows Sir has five daughters. He also fathered a son. But the poor infant died the same evening he was born. The next day, Sir was about 30 minutes late to practice,” Amre recalls. “Then, he went about his business. To him, cricket is paramount. Your personal life is secondary. As a father, I know what Sir must have gone through. And believe me, I heard this story from my Shivaji Park seniors many years later.”
For someone who tallied less than 1,000 runs in international cricket, Amre agrees he could have done a lot more as a batsman. “That’s why I feel happy when a player I coach scores a hundred. Look, when I was a player, my God was my godfather. I had a first-class average of 87 when I first played for India. But things didn’t turn out they way I would have liked them to.”
Team coach to personal coach
After spending five years with the Mumbai team, Amre went on a long break. “It got monotonous,” he says. “As someone who had coached Mumbai with great success, I could have gone to another state. But I decided to stay put in Mumbai. I knew I had to reinvent myself as a coach.”
Amre did just that. For starters, he collected as many videos as he could and watched them, one by one. “Don Bradman, Garfield Sobers, Graeme Pollock, Barry Richards, Viv Richards, Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar… I watched them all,” Amre says. So what was the underlying theme? “What I understood is that all great batsmen have something in common. Their stance, back-lift and approach may be different, but the moment they prepare to face the ball, they somehow get in line. In other words, they offer the full face of the bat to every delivery. That’s why they are great.”
As Amre delved deeper and deeper, he realised that a coach’s job was more than just giving throwdowns and finalising the playing XI. “One must find the root cause (of a problem or defect). A coach must be like a doctor,” he says. Asked why decided to play ‘doctor’ to Uthappa, Amre comes up with a straightforward answer. “I thought he was not justifying his talent.”
Amre spent three years watching videos, studying bio-mechanics, reading and devising papers and presentations. “There are three aspects to a players’ game: physical shape, mental shape and skills. Most players have two boxes ticked. A coach’s job is to ensure a player gets everything right,” Amre says
When Amre decided to take up Project Uthappa, he changed “everything” from the batsman’s stance and grip to back-lift and head position. And he also cautioned his ward that, initially, his performances would suffer. “Are you ready to go down and then up,” Amre told Uthappa. He was referring to the career graph that would witness a dip after so many fundamental changes. “Sir, I have tried everything. This is it. Now, I want you to take me to the next level,” Uthappa conceded.
Soon, Amre went about his business of “dismantling” Uthappa the batsman. “His grip was bottom-handed and locked. I asked him to ‘unlock it’ so that he could hit the ball straighter,” Amre says. “I then worked on his stance, footwork, shoulder position, head position. In short, I changed him from head to toe. It was course correction all the way through.”
How receptive was Uthappa? “Look, this is a science. The results are showing only now. Ever since we started working, people critcised me for ruining him. But Robin knew of the ‘down and up’ we had spoken of. He was quietly confident. Today, he is batting better than ever before.”
Amre says he has made Uthappa bat in different cities, on all types of wickets and against all kinds of bowlers. “One has to have cricketing smartness. You can’t play all your shots on every wicket. You may be technically sound, but you have also got to be smart,” he says.
Helping Rahane
Amre knows Rahane since this Under-17 days. It is during Amre’s time that Rahane scored 1,000-plus runs season after season. “Do you remember his Test debut?,” Amre asks. For the record, Rahane earned his maiden Test cap against Australia in New Delhi last year. India won the series 4-0, but Rahane had a forgettable outing. “He was all over the place. He got hit on the head before a rash shot cost him his wicket. It didn’t take the media too long to brand him a failure. They conveniently forgot that he had a first-class average of nearly 70 then.”
Soon, Amre took Rahane under his wings. “I had to help him with his technique. He was getting out to the incoming ball. On some occasions, he was getting caught behind. Today, he is one of the best batsmen in India,” Amre says proudly. “I remember taking him to Sachin’s place. The master told him to target the next five years. Once you play for five years, you can think of playing for 10 years. And automatically, you will have 10,000 runs under your belt.”
Rahane, who has never missed a practice session in all these years, spent 19 Tests on the bench before making his debut. “You have no idea of the number of people, including IPL franchise officials, who told me that Rahane is not ‘international material’,” Amre says. Guess they must be feeling silly now.
“If your technique is strong, nobody can stop you from scoring runs in all formats. People used to tell Ajinkya that he must bat like Virat Kohli. But I told him that God has made you like this for a reason. You can’t be Virat. So, be Ajinkya. Be the one who can bat in any situation. Today, he is just that,” Amre says.
During the World Twenty20 earlier this year, Amre employed a few baseball techniques to help Rahane hit the ball longer, harder. “It’s all about bio-mechanics. Tennis, baseball, cricket and a number of sports follow similar principles like hand-eye coordination, focus. Baseball players use their core muscles — abdomen and back — to generate power. I made some adjustments to his back-lift and he started hitting the ball better,” Amre says.
Ojha, Raina and Karthik
Amre has coached Ojha and Raina at Air India. Of late, Ojha has been dealing in double hundreds at the India ‘A’ level. Again, that is Amre at work.
“I never tell a player I want to work with him. I wait for the player to approach me. But one day, I told Naman there was a problem in his game. But he never bothered to check with me. A couple of years later, he came back,” Amre says.
When Ojha approached him, Amre put him through the same grind and made him a better player. “There wasn’t much wrong with Naman’s game. His technique was good; so was his mindset. He came across as a simple boy who was very committed, hardworking,” Amre says. Did the wicketkeeper in Ojha ever bemoan the presence of that chap called Dhoni? “I told him not to think of any competition. Just do your thing and your chance will come,” Amre told him. But for how long? “I gave him the example of Michael Hussey. And I told him that the Test cap is worth waiting for.”
So what is it that works for Amre? “The fact that I got a hundred on debut in Durban gets me respect. I guess the players believe in me. After all, there must be something in my technique and my template that seems right. There are several others who are more knowledgeable than me, but I have something called experience,” Amre says. “Whenever I get time, I discuss cricket with Sachin. Whenever I have a doubt, I call him. Like I said, I have taken Ajinkya and even Robin to him.”
Amre holds Raina in high regard. “Let’s go back to the 2011 World Cup. Yusuf Pathan was picked ahead of Raina. It was only after the group-stage matches that the team turned to Raina. Naturally, he was very low. I told him to wait for his chance,” Amre says. For the record, Gary Kirsten, the former India coach, maintains that Raina won India the World Cup with his brilliant displays against Australia and Pakistan.
Over the years, Raina has drawn flak for throwing away his chances in the Test arena. That he has a problem with the short ball is common knowledge. “But why don’t you also say that he is the second-best finisher in Team India?” Amre retorts. “Look at the way he is batting now. Do you remember how he played in the ODI series in England this year?”
Coaching, Amre says, is all about having faith in each other. “I have to be accountable. If my player fails, then it’s my failure too. People will blame me for ruining someone’s career. I know what I am doing. All my wards have got their basics right. I can happily say that.”
Not surprisingly, Amre is open to coaching India some day. “Why not?” he says.
This following episode throws light on the emphasis Amre puts on mental strength. Abhay Poyarekar, a retired customs officer and Amre’s relative, raided huge quantities of RDX at the Mumbai port in 1993. The underworld troubled him for eight years. He was provided with ‘Z’ security and won the President’s medal for bravery. “That RDX was meant to destroy Mumbai during Ganeshotsav. I took Ajinkya and Robin to this man. To me, he is a real hero. He explained how the dons harassed him and attacked his family for years together,” Amre says. Till date, Rahane gets goose bumps thinking of Poyarekar and his heroism. Cricket, after all, is just a game.
AMRE’S WARDS
Robin Uthappa
They got together two years ago. Amre changed everything in Uthappa’s game — grip, stance, head and shoulder positions, back-lift. The results are showing. Amre flies to watch him to every part of the country. During the off-season, Uthappa rents grounds by the hour in Mumbai or Bangalore. Amre joins him here too
Ajinkya Rahane
The two have known each other for over 10 years. Amre honed Rahane’s technique during his time as Mumbai coach. Now, he has helped his ward go to the ‘next’ level. He has even contributed to Rahane’s mental toughness
Naman Ojha
Ojha, Amre says, is a very hardworking lad. What he lacked was confidence. Amre gave him the example of Michael Hussey, who scored more than 10,000 runs before earning a Test cap.
Suresh Raina
Amre came to Raina’s rescue when he was feeling low during the 2011 World Cup. Yusuf Pathan was picked ahead of him. Amre told Raina to wait for his chance. Raina came good in the quarters and semis. Today, he is the second-best finisher in Team India
Dinesh Karthik
Amre took Karthik under his wings only recently. A talented wicketkeeper-batsman, Karthik approached Amre after he saw the positive impact he has had on the above players
source: http://www.dnaindia.com / DNA / Home> Sport / by Derek Abraham / Place: Mumbai, Agency: DNA / Sunday – November 09th, 2014
Coffee exporters from Coorg are looking up to the newly-commissioned Azhikkal port to route their consignments as it offers savings in time and transportation costs.
“At present, we use Mangalore port for our exports, mainly to the European destinations,” said S.L.N. Vishwanath, the managing director of SVL Coffee Pvt Ltd, a major exporter from Kushal Nagar.
“Kannur port will help us cut costs as it is closer to the coffee-growing areas. We are also looking for easier transaction of business as the new port will be less congested, and hence we are keen on it,” he said.
Mr Vishwanath, along with ITC, exports 35,000 tonne of the total exports of 60,000 tonne from the region. “The port officials had contacted us with their proposal earlier and we had asked them to come back with solid proposals. If they can offer us better rates and efficiency of service, we will route our exports through Kannur.”
Kushal Nagar alone exports close to 4,000 containers of coffee and the major destinations are the European countries and the Gulf.
The exporters, however, demand that the port put in place infrastructure facilities such as electronic data interface which would facilitate seamless movement of cargo across ports.
Exporters in Kannur are also keen on the development as it would ensure that the port scale up its activities. The Kannur port, which the Central government had selected for development under the National Maritime Development Plan, received its first vessel on October 31 this year.
source: http://www.asianage.com / The Asian Age / Home> Business / by K.J.Jacob – Kochi / November 12th, 2014
The Nagaland state department of Land Resources has agreed to go ahead with the cultivation of coffee in Nagaland, with the Coffee Board of India assuring assistance to farmers in plantation and marketing.
Initially, it will cover Kohima District (Kohima village, Rusoma and Sechu Zubza). To make headway, the department in association with Coffee Board of India organized one-day training on “Cultivation of Coffee” here today at Ura Academy.
Dr. Menuosietuo Tseikha, DPO, DoLR said many villages in Nagaland possess ideal climatic conditions to cultivate coffee. He said the purpose of the programme was to train farmers on how to cultivate coffee in good way and get high yield.
The training was an opportunity for the farmers to know the systematic plantation of coffee from researchers.
Partha Pratim Choudhury, senior liaison officer, Coffee Board of India informed that in India, coffee can trace its origin to the planting of seven seeds of Mocha in 1600 CE by Baba Budan in Karnataka. In Nagaland, coffee was first planted in Kohima village.
He stated that Nagaland’s climate is suitable for growing coffee; a reason for the Coffee Board of India’s focus to invest in the state, particularly Kohima district. He assured to promote farmers with every amenity available under the board and also assured them to take care of marketing. He also invited farmers to the research farm, adding that the whole expenditure will be borne by the Board.
Renben Jami, Joint Director & Supervisory Officer, Kohima district, DoLR said Nagaland can become a producer state. The favorable climate can help achieve this end and thereby remove the state’s tag of only being a consumer. With this, he encouraged the trainees to take up anything which will bring about economic changes in society. “We do not want to take up anything which will not bring about economic changes. The standard of living is to be improved, there has to be some economic activities…,” Jami said.
After a gap of 20 years, he informed that the department has agreed to go ahead with the cultivation of coffee in the State and encouraged farmers to make Kohima district a coffee district.
source: http://www.morungexpress.com / The Morung Express / Home> Local / by The Morung Express Correspondent / Kohima- November 11th, 2014
Aditya Sondhi (standing fourth from left) with other ‘Old boys’ of Bishop Cotton School
Bengaluru :
An annual lecture series in memory of General K S Thimayya enters its tenth year on November 22.
‘Old Boys’ of Bishop Cotton School started the lectures to commemorate the memory of General Kodandera Subayya Thimayya, also an alumni of the school. In an exclusive Aditya Sondhi interview with the City Express, managing trustee recounts the decade-long journey.
What inspired you to start this lecture series?
When Col Lalit Rai addressed a small group of us on his experiences in Kargil (where he won a Vir Chakra), it struck me that Bishop Cotton had an alumni that had so much to share. The lecture series was started in the memory of Gen Thimayya, one of our most towering old boys and one of India’s greatest generals. This would not only showcase the depth of the alumni, but also improve the quality of interaction among the participants and inspire the younger listeners to greatness.
Did any of you know Gen Thimayya personally?
Most trustees were born only after the General had passed on. But one trustee, Jairaj Daniel, remembers his father leaving him in the care of the General while he attended meetings of the board of governors at the school. Gen Thimayya had no reservations about spending the next hour or so chatting with the four-year-old! Another trustee, C N Kumar, fondly remembers him visiting the school as Chief of the Army Staff and the patron of the Old Cottonians’ Association. ‘Timmy’ was regarded as a ‘Soldier’s General.’ He was always close to his men, witty and jovial in tough situations, and fearless in thought and execution.
In the ZoJi la sector, he personally implemented the movement of tanks to hitherto unseen heights. His brand of leadership is to be treasured.
Is Bengaluru a good place to hold strategic affairs lectures?
Indeed, for the critical mass of retired military and government officers coupled with the Bengalurean hunger for intellectual stimulation.
However, I must clarify that our lectures go beyond strategic affairs and span art, science, social service and entrepreneurship.
Over the past 10 years, what difficulties have you encountered in organising these lectures?
This endeavour is run by seven friends, six of whom are large-hearted and spirited. Expectedly, with such ‘start-ups’, funding and logistics are always a challenge. Initially, we also found it challenging to convey our intent behind the lectures.
Fortunately, our patrons took to the lectures early enough to convince us that the effort was not in vain and needed to be sustained. Special thanks are due to the school, the family of the General and the armed forces veterans for their unstinting support.
Which lectures sparked the most intense discussions?
By far, Col Rai’s talk on Kargil in 2007 evoked the strongest feelings among the audience, with an intense and moving account of the valour of his troops. Dr Ajit Varki’s talk on experiments in glyco-biology, Phil Wollen’s talk on ahimsa and the vegan movement, and G K Pillai’s talk on internal security were very robustly received by the guests.
Give us an overview of how the lectures could shape up in the next 10 years. Any long-term vision?
The trustees aim to invite younger speakers and those with more eclectic life experiences. We also hope the lectures become more of a Bengaluru calendar-event and attract wider participation.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bangalore / by Saloni Mital / November 12th, 2014
If you are holidaying in Madikeri and want to know the must-see places or cuisine or its rich cultural fabric, just head to this touchscreen kiosk. All the information about the district is one tap away.
The kiosk, a near-replica of the official website, has information in English and Kannada in both text and video formats. Kodagu tourism department, the district administration and a Bangalore-based software company have developed the kiosk, which chief minister Siddaramaiah inaugurated at the newly built district office complex in Madikeri on Monday.
“Tourism department and the district administration should utilize IT resources to develop and boost tourism in this picturesque hill district,” the CM said.
Tourism department assistant director V Panish said the department has sent a proposal to the state government to extend this facility to all tourist destinations in Karnataka. “Using the kiosk, tourists can directly contact hotels, homestay facilities and other service providers,” he said.
The department also plans to set up Coorg House.
Tourism authorities claim that such facilities will bring a unique brand identity to Kodagu. “Information kiosk will guide tourists about the ongoing cultural events, history, coffee plantations, festivals and local cuisine.”
“The project aims to develop a fully operational web portal service in five phases in two years. Work is on to develop apps for cellphones, iPad and tablets covering all tourist destinations in Karnataka. The current Android mobile application focuses only on Kodagu. It allows users to contact home stay owners, local artists, resorts and tour operators. Using this app, tourists can also book hotels and tickets for various events,” Panish said.
Tourism department and the district administration will provide an enriched tourism experience to visitors. The web portal service will also create jobs for locals, he added.
The kiosk, a near-replica of the official website, has information in English and Kannada in both text and video formats. Tourism authorities claim that such facilities will bring a unique brand identity to Kodagu.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Mysuru / by Maramkal Basavarajappa, TNN / November 08th, 2014
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