A Food and Fun Fair was organised at Kodava Samaja in Vijayanagar this morning UNDER the aegis of Shree Kaveri Kodagu Mahila Sangha.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / The Star of Mysore / Home> General News / April 12th
The ramp-scorcher’s formulation to eat a sweet a day without guilt is very doable and should be patented
Sports. That’s the secret of this well-known lanky Bengaluru model’s enviable physique.
At six-feet and 65 kg, Medappa’s wiry and taut frame has graced fashion ramps across the country. He’s been a top model for the last six years. But before that he played competitive tennis (till he was 18). “My best ranking was 58 in India in Under 16. I used to travel a lot for tournaments across the country,” 28-year-old Medappa recalls.
He’s still in touch with the sport as the Director of Fitness and Conditioning at Sol Sports, a tennis academy in the city where he trains a group of kids between the ages of 9 and 16. One of his students, Vishal Pagadala, is currently in the top five in the under 12 circuit in India. He attributes his high metabolism and a desire to eat healthy all the time to sports. And also, his magical ability to scarf down a sweet a day with no tell-tale signs on his lithe body.
Play time “Medappa plays four sports every week—tennis thrice a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday),football every Tuesday and Thursday at Decathlon, basketball on Saturdays and badminton with his dad at times. .”
The menu “Since I started modelling, I’ve been eating more of a high protein and low carb diet, because I’m required to be lean and muscular. So fish and chicken are a staple, along with fruits, veggies, dry fruits and of course Indian desserts. Being an ex-tennis player gave me the right foundation to eat well. I have never been on a diet but have been lucky to find the right food wherever I went as a tennis player or model, as we travel a lot.”
Breakfast: “I eat a heavy breakfast,” he says. Actually, he has two breakfasts — one at 5.50 am (“before I leave for tennis training”) and one at 8.30 am after training. “The first one is mostly dry fruits, glucose biscuits, milk and banana. The second one would be either muesli or ragi/oats along with egg whites.” He eats egg whites with every meal because, he says, he “does not take any protein supplement powders.”Idlis are also included in the breakfast (“twice a week”). At 11.30 am he eats a fruit along with a dessert — either an Indian sweet or chocolate. “And since I eat it in the morning, I know I can burn it off over the day,” he says.
Lunch: “It consists of white rice/brown rice with dal or curry. Sometimes I’ll have fish or chicken along with it, or paneer. At other times, wheat rotis with honey and butter give me the ideal light-yet-energetic lunch to keep me satiated for the next two hours. It is then followed by a dosa and banana before my workout (between 6.45-8.45 pm). Once in a while, an avocado milkshake is perfect at this time.”
Dinner: “Dinner is also divided into two. One is soon after my late evening workout session which consists of egg whites, wheat chapatis and dal or a curry. And two hours later when I get hungry it’s usually veggies and curd with puffed rice or chat like bhelpuri. Due to my high metabolism and body heat, tender coconut/cucumbers are a must every day, usually at noon.”
Guilty Pleasures “There is no guilt in any of the pleasures I indulge in. I have a sweet tooth, and always crave Indian deserts. Nothing to beat carrot halwa and pumpkin halwa. I also like walnut pie at Koshy’s.”
De-stress strategies “I do a lot of long distance bike riding on my Kawasaki Ninja 650 — around 500 km in a day when I feel like it. It is more of a mental de-stresser than physical. But even better than that is spending time with my two dogs Jazz and Blaze in Coorg.”
Skin Splurges “A sunscreen lotion all the time during the day is a must. A cold water face wash helps in keeping the skin fresh and clean. I also have a face/body pack from the Auroville Ashram in Pondicherry. It’s the best thing ever — I apply it thrice a week, especially a day before a show/shoot.”
Drink Menu “Plenty of water throughout the day. I love Gatorade during workouts. Some milkshakes like avocado, chikoo and muskmelon to re-energise.”
Fitness Routine “I try to avoid the gym as much as possible unless a fashion week or shoot is coming up where I need to focus on having some amount of muscle mass. Being a sportsperson, it’s all about conditioning and being fast, flexible and agile, which not 90 per cent of full time gym goers can do. I have two sessions TRX during the week as well — it’s a suspension training workout used by the American Navy Seals and is gruelling! A lot of running, sprints, uphill training, jump training and skipping are a part of my routine. I workout every three days. And rest one day in week. ”
Tricks of the Trade “Playing a sport is very important. One team sport and one individual sport is a must for all. Running and cycling are something I do regularly apart from the rest.”
Down time “I spend a lot of time with dogs — mine and others. I look after my friend’s pug very often. But time spent with dogs is never ‘down’ time, really!”
Pantry Pick “Granola bars by Nature Valley.”
Advice “Look after your body, love and appreciate your body, eat healthy and avoid cigarettes.”
source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> Columns> You / by Vidya Iyengar, Bangalore Mirror Bureau / April 05th, 2015
Actor Gulshan Devaiah, who comes from a non-film background, feels it is vital to maintain ‘friendship’ with people in the movie industry. The ‘Hunterrr’ actor said, “I think it’s very important to maintain a good relationship with the industry people. I have a good relationship with Vivek Agnihotri and Anurag Kashyap among others… Friendship is very important in this industry.”
However, friendships are not what will help one last long. “As far as your work is concerned, it depends on your talent. Beyond a point, it’s only your talent that will help you sustain,” he said.
Gulshan says that before signing any film, he also consults his wife. “I discuss films with my wife. My wife (Kalliroi Tziafeta) is also an actress. If I have a mental block with something, I discuss it with her,” he said.
Is Gulshan also interested in directing films? He said, “I am not interested in direction at all. I am interested in characters. I am an actor and I want to prove myself as an actor at this point of time.”
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> MetroLife / Bengaluru, DHNS – April 02nd, 2015
The engaging logo of the pot-bellied coffee maker juggling his classic steel tumblers is all set to invade tea drinking bastions in north of the Vindhyas under the brand Hatti Kaapi. Rooted in Bengaluru, the affordable and well-researched over-the-counter format is the brainchild of U S Mahendar, a small town coffee powder maker, hailing from Hassan district. Catering to office goers, tourists, shoppers and passersby, the distinctive little outlets dish up seemingly endless South Indian style cups of filter coffee. They almost serve 70,000 cups of coffee on a daily basis along with a small range of teas, milkshakes and snacks.
The Hatti Kaapi growth chart is impressive. It began as one tiny outlet in 2009 operating out of Bengaluru’s bustling Gandhi Bazar area and located under a stuffy staircase. Now 40 units are spread across street corners, tech-parks and more recently airports in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. At Rs 12, one can get a cup of hot filter coffee and khara bhath, while a cup of hot coffee costs Rs 5.
Mahendar himself sounds a tad bemused by their success and the several awards and recognitions they have won. “It was at 5.30 am on November 27, 2009, that we served our first cup of traditional filter coffee from our 40 sq ft counter in Gandhi Bazaar. We sold 3,000 cups at Rs 5 each the next day and haven’t looked back since,” he says, adding, “I came to Bengaluru with my mother, friend M L Gowda who is now a partner in Hatti Kaapi and with just Rs 2,000 in hand. My mission was to market our coffee powder to some of the big Udupi restaurant chains specialising in South Indian filter coffee. One particular brand insisted that we come in at 4 am each day , brew the coffee, serve it to customers and collect feedback on the quality.”
After three exhausting months of doing this, they were told that they were not good. In retrospect, that rejection turned out to be in their favour. Mahendar took it as a challenge and decided to start his own brand.
He attributes his success to his core team which includes a mix of Starbucks baristas, industry veterans like S Lakshmana Swamy from Hindustan Unilever, his head of operations Balaji A R and several others who have been around since its inception. “We are now taking on tea drinking areas up north—Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. My dream is to have a Hatti Kaapi presence in major international cities like New York and Paris,” says he. This does not seem impossible as word has it that they are developing ties with international super market chains like Carrefour although they currently have no plans to raise money externally or to dilute their stake.
“You cannot beat our price or our packaging. We serve you coffee in earthen pots, takeaway cups or old-fashioned steel tumblers,” says he. And to satisfy those hunger pangs they also have a no-fuss menu of samosas, rolls, South Indian rice- and lentil-based staples like idlis or Bisibele Bhath (hot rice-dal mixture), stuffed buns and bags of savoury dips. “Our biggest challenge is keeping our price low without compromising on quality. Since we started, we have only increased our prices by Rs 3 per cup in corporate campuses and Rs 5 elsewhere. Yet the quality of our coffee powder and milk is not compromised on. We want to be the quintessential neighborhood adda that everyone must want on their street corner,” he signs off.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> LifeStyle> Food / by Jackie Pinto / April 04th, 2015
A study tour organised jointly by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) here and Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development (DASD), Kozhikode, to various pepper plantations in Coorg in Karnataka provided a fresh experience to the pepper farmers in Wayanad.
Decades ago, Wayanad was known as the land of spices but it lost its fame in pepper production since the 1990s when the vines began to get affected by various diseases.
“We organised the tour to provide an exposure to the farmers on the significance of adopting scientific practices in pepper cultivation to keep the diseases at bay and improve pepper production, P. Ramakrishnan, training coordinator, MSSRF, told The Hindu .
The organisations have been jointly organising training programmes for progressive farmers on modern agriculture practices in pepper cultivation for the past one year. The effort is to bring back the lost glory of the district as a leading pepper producer, Mr. Ramakrishnan said.
As part of the tour, 25 farmers visited various pepper plantations in Coorg, including a farm of the DASD at Appagala in Coorg.
They were told about the way the DASD tackled the quick wilt disease that had spread in various parts of Coorg a decade ago, threatening the pepper plantations here.
Scientific agriculture practices were followed, and farmers in the area were getting an average yield of 7 tonne pepper from a hector, Mr. Ramakrishnan said.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Kerala / by E. M. Manoj / Kalpetta, April 01st, 2015
Fkcci President S Sampath Raman said Fkcci will not support the establishment of industries harmful to the environment in Kodagu District. There is a need to set up eco-friendly industries that will support tourism, education and health sector.
Speaking after flagging of golden jubilee celebrations of Kodagu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in Madikeri, on Tuesday, he said tourism is being promoted in Kodagu District.
There is a need to strengthen road and railway connectivity to the district. Mangaluru-Mysuru highway that passes through Madikeri should be developed further.
Fkcci will impress upon the government on the need for the laying of railwayline till Kushalnagar, he added.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has chalked out several programmes for the development of tourist spots in the state. He has given nod for laying of five cable cars in the state.
However, the government has forgotten to include to lay a cable car at Mallalli waterfalls.
He said that the FKCCI will urge the government to check elephant-humanbeing strife, initiate measures to construct private bus stand at Madikeri, develop Koodige Sainik School and Coffee Park in the district.
Kodagu District Chamber of Commerce and Industry President B N Prakash said the chamber of commerce will organise 50 unique programme as part its golden jubilee celebrations throughout the year.
“The tourists will visit in a large number if the city is kept clean. Promotion of tourism will help in generating employment.
“Swaccha Kodagu—Hasiru Kodagu” campaign will be organised in the near future.
Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry Senior Vice President Dwarakanath released a logo of the golden jubilee celebrations.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / Madikeri – DHNS, April 01st, 2015
Bengalur actor Gulshan Devaiah speaks to The Hindu on his experience playing the role of Mandar Ponkshe in Hunterrr
Bengaluru actor Gulshan Devaiah is making headlines these days, having played Hindi cinema’s first-of-its-kind understated sex addict in Hunterrr. The boy, who started off in the English theatre circuit working with Kalki Koechlin, and then moved on to play negative roles in films like Shaitan and That Girl in Yellow Boots (where he played Chittiappa the don), talks to MetroPlus about how everyone knows a sex addict like Mandar, about how he’s a performance-oriented actor, how he’s gone undercover to theatres, on life in Bengaluru, and growing up.
Your role as sex addict Mandar Ponkshe is being seen as a rather bold one in Hindi cinema. Did you see it that way?
No. Even when I read the script I didn’t feel it was a ground-breaking role. I didn’t pick the role. I make do with what comes to me. But this role was different. Harshavardhan (Kulkarni, the director) was offering me a comedy role when I was getting only violent roles! The first 15 pages of Hunterrr were great, and I think it was Naseeruddin Shah who said if the first 10 pages of the script are not great, then it’s not worth doing it. I liked the character. I liked the ordinariness of the guy.
He is your average Joe, or Ramu, who lives a colourful “secret” life; he’s not brave to admit it openly, and he wants to keep it safe. I suppose this is how it is in real life too – Harshavardhan knows such guys, based on whom he wrote the script. They don’t brag about what they do; you accidentally figure it out. I knew a guy like this – you know how boy-talk is! And in my opinion, one should never over-think anything. If a role appeals to you and your portrayal is sincere, that’s all that matters. The character had an Amol Palekar feel…
But this story is far removed from the innocence of Palekar’s films…
But that was a different time. It was the 70s and art reflected the era. I’ve not followed all his films, but I don’t think Amol Palekar did any A-rated film at all. All my films, funnily, have an A rating (adult censor certificate).
Going by the kind of reactions the film has got, it’s been more appealing to men.
And I understand why. It’s because of the sexuality, and men are able to relate to the protagonist. But that doesn’t mean there is nothing in the film for women. I’m sure they too have seen such men in their lives — a lot of people love Barney’s character in How I met Your Mother. This film is definitely no chick-flick. But I have gone covertly into theatres for the first time, just to see the reaction and was happy to find women coming in with families, girls bringing their boyfriends.
You’ve been doing these oddball roles in Bollywood all along…
You make these choices because of your sensibilities. I’m a performance-oriented actor. I can’t just spread out my arms and look good. My approach to acting comes from my theatre background. I rely on my imagination, having grown up alone, as an only child.
Tell us more about your life.
I’ve lived all my 30 years in Jalahalli. I went to Cluny Convent Jalahalli and St Joseph’s Indian High School — there were a lot of Mandars there!
What’s happening on the theatre front? Things seem to have quietened there.
I have indefinitely retired from theatre. It’s taught me everything I know. I’ve never had the opportunity nor the privilege to go to any acting school. But I felt a certain level of dishonesty was creeping in. It was not fair to do theatre when I was not having fun.
What next?
I’m working in two Pooja Bhatt productions — Love Affair (with friend and co-star Kalki Koechlin), and Cabaret with Richa Chadha. There’s Junooniyat with director Vivek Agnihotri. There’s an indie called Candy Flip set in a shack in Goa that I’m also doing. And then I’m doing Ishq Uncensored with Kalki again.
So, Kalki’s a favourite to work with, ever since your theatre days?
Yes, there’s a comfort level and camaraderie. She and my wife are great friends, and it was her husband (Anurag Kashyap) who gave me my first break!
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Bhumika K / March 30th, 2015
Brisk preparations in Virajpet
Virajpet :
Brisk preparations are on at the Junior College grounds here where the Kuppanda Cup Hockey tournament will be held from April 15 to May 9. The Tournament Reception Committee Convenor Rajiv Cariappa has expressed confidence in completion of all ground and gallery works before April 10.
Addressing a press meet at the Press Club here, Rajiv said that over 200 teams had registered their names for the tourney which would be organised as per the rules of Hockey India by Hockey Kodagu.
Kuppanda Bopanna added that the date for registration had been extended till Mar. 31 and the ties would be released on April 3 at the Hockey Academy meeting.
The press meet was attended by Reception Committee Secretary Kuppanda Vinod Belliappa and others.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports / March 28th, 2015
It’s not uncommon for people to pick up a stick and fiddle with it. But eventually they get bored of the ‘game’ and throw it aside. Bheemaiah KK, however, decided to earn a living from these discarded pieces of wood.
‘Bheemstyx’ is a unique start-up – most people don’t spend years curing and crafting sticks that are otherwise disregarded in an attempt to turn them into something beautiful and durable. Bheemaiah has, over time, progressed from crafting walking sticks to home decor sticks, gadget sticks, city walking sticks and more.
“About a year ago, I found inspiration in a friend’s collection of hand-carved walking sticks; I had a though ‘I could make those and I could make them even better!’,” he says. Since then, the coffee planter from Coorg, who shuttles between Bengaluru and Madikeri, has spent a lot of time scavenging for different kinds of sticks. He says he doesn’t go in search of a particular kind of a stick but rather, “When I see a stick on the ground, I think what I can do with it. I never cut a tree to make the sticks.”
Bheemaiah has an altogether thorough process of making the sticks. He says he prefers hunting for sticks in summer and spring because then they are relatively dry and free from insect infestation. “The process is very time consuming because far more sticks are rejected than harvested because they are either too crooked, thin, thick or straight…there are a million reasons! When I get home, I first strip off the bark and allow the branch to dry in the sun for up to two weeks, while sealing the ends up to prevent splitting. Then I let it dry for a few more months before I decide what to do with them.” The sticks are then sanded, shaped, painted, accessorised and glamourised.
The sticks are unique because not only are they hand-carved but they are multi-purpose. Made from hardwood, there are country and deep river walking sticks that come with a compass or catapult attached to the head of the sticks. They also have rubber soles to give the user a sturdy grip. According to Bheemaiah, decorative sticks are becoming popular these days. “They are intricately made and look fashionable. I also provide sticks that provide support to the plants in a garden. Anyone who needs any kind of a stick, I deliver it.” What are his favourite sticks? “I always have a stick made from Rattan vine in my jeep – it’s like bamboo and very flexible. You can bend it and it will straight up.”
How does one look after a stick? “Don’t leave it in the sun for long periods of time as it will crack; store it in cool, shady spots. Oil it often but don’t soak it, and wipe the residue as it will become sticky,” advices Bheemaiah.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> MetroLife / by Ananya Revanna, Bengaluru / DHNS – April 02nd, 2015
