Monthly Archives: May 2020

Corona Chronicles

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Nri's / Pio's, World Opinion

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I have a confession to make: secretly, I was kinda happy when India went into a total lockdown on March 25. Come on, I was feeling only what your average overworked, stressed out middle-class working woman felt. The disease was bad, but I was happy to take my staycation.

But I was not going to laze through 21 days. I had plans – house cleaning, writing, being the light of my family, getting lighter … all that good stuff.

Day 1: Woke up with a sense of awe. We were witnessing history! Realized that there was no newspaper. Worse, no housemaid. For 21 days. An icy hand clutches my internal organs. A week, I can get by, but three weeks?

Upside: Had a nice long nap in the afternoon. Felt really rested.

Day 2: My mother was absolutely right – housework never ends. No point in slaving, you have to do it all over again … in an hour’s time. New rule: no one allowed to walk on the floor or change clothes. And if anyone wants to eat the rice, sambhar, rasam, veg fry, and curds, they could use their fingers and palms only – no plates allowed.

Upside: Have started watching re-runs of re-runs old shows.

Day 3: A day of realizations.

My neighbor’s baby has colic. My neighbor has a baby. Really? Just exactly, who is this neighbor?
A family that stays at home eats too much. I have to cook often and in large quantities. Ergo, more dishes. Aaarrrrgggh!
Love my family. I just don’t want them around all the time.
Eating healthy when confined to the home – an oxymoron. Also, how long will my stash of snacks hold out
Upside: Discovering the joys of binge-watching.

Day 4: I hate housework. I-HATE-HOUSEWORK. Once this lockdown is over, I’ll burn the house down. Finding it hard to binge-watch Friends and Big Bang Theory while wondering – ‘Who the h**l is doing their dishes and cleaning their apartments when they are at that d***n coffee shop or the Cheesecake Factory?’ This thought sucks the fun out of watching the shows.

Upside: Begun reading a book … more than a page at a time!

Day 5: Going to commit murder. A man in the next building keeps singing off-key and loudly along with his stereo. Hoping his family will do him in themselves. If they can’t, I volunteer.

Hearing about immigrants in cities trying to go home. Terribly sad for them. Okay, I’ll admit – my suffering is small potatoes. By the way, do I have enough potatoes?

Upside: Gave myself the day off. Read a wonderful thriller.

Day 6: Dying of housework. Wiping all the torches, electric lamps and burned out bulbs, even gas stove – but no genie. I now know who I love the most – the maid. If anyone offers to bring my maid back in return for my family … well, I guess that’ll never happen (sob).

Sick of Friends. For just how long did this show run?

Upside: Today, a resident set things up so that we get veggies and milk packets every morning. Yay!

Day 7: Today, my husband went out, as a volunteer for shopping for our apartment complex. I suspect he was just itching to get out of the house. When my hunter-gatherer returned from the mythical land called Outside, I made him give a step-by-step account of the entire half-hour trip. It took 45 minutes. A highlight of today.

Huge Upside: Husband took over the dishwashing duties.

Day mmm-hmm: Missed a few days of journaling. Hell, missed a few days of life – got my dates wrong. I cheered when I found we had a couple fewer days to go of the lockdown. I have gone from being merely grouchy to being depressed as well.

Upside: ?????

Day something or the other: Today, my husband got another chance to escape … needed salt! Bit down hard on a pillow and stay that way to prevent myself from asking him to buy a ton of snacks.

Day sometime-during-week-two: Am all weirded out. Vocabulary stunted as we use only the words Corona Virus, Covid-19, lockdown, self-quarantine, shut up, and how the hell should I know. Still hate housework, but we now have a truce going. I’ll sweep, but the corners have to fend for themselves. If my boss can’t deal with it, she can do the work herself. Oh, wait, I’m the boss. Dang it.

Upside: All of us are healthy. We are all home, we are together. Watching TV footage of all the migrant laborers trying to get home – heartbreaking. Hunger and uncertainty in the camps – scary. And sick people in overflowing hospitals and the deaths … at least we aren’t going through that.

Day end-of-week two: Identified new syndrome – Lockdown-Induced Writer’s Block. Wonder if people will still be interested in the same things post-COVID. Still can’t get over the unreality of the situation. Is this lockdown a waste of time, or the best idea ever?

The mood around town is strange too. Most people are taking it as a time to relax. Some are going out anyway, once or twice a day. There is some seriousness but it’s not all gloom and doom.

Summer is in full swing. The heat is killing. It’s enforcing the lockdown better than the fear of Coronavirus.

Upside: Birds are singing like gangbusters. We’re seeing bulbuls and parrots far more than before.

Week 3 beginning day-(Name starts with M or something like that): Conflicting feelings:

Happy because I’ve Corona eyes – dark circles are completely gone.

Upset, because I’ve Corona hair – shaggy and roots are showing.

Day Wed/Thurs. Week 3: Yay, only one more week to freedom. I am feeling far more upbeat than before.

April 15: India’s lockdown extended until May 3.

Hell, I’m putting all activities on hold as I concentrate on saving my sanity.

Good luck to you too!

Lakshmi Palecanda moved from Montana, USA, to Mysore, India, and inhabits a strange land somewhere in between the two. Having discovered sixteen years ago that writing was a good excuse to get out of doing chores, she still uses it.

source: http://www.indiacurrents.com / India Currents / Home / by Lakshmi Palecanda / May 20th, 2020

Still hitting the right notes

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, World Opinion

Bangalore boy and Indipop pioneer Biddu Appaiah, at 75, continues to groove to the beat of his own drum.

Biddu
Biddu

A guitar as a present on his 13th birthday set the wheels in motion for the youngster to chase his dream of “making it as a musician in the West”.

Now, all of 75, Bangalore boy Biddu Appaiah, one of the pioneers of disco and Indipop, with millions of records sold worldwide, continues to be counted among the top Indian music producers on the international scene. In fact, he was ranked 34 on British magazine NME’s ‘The 50 Greatest Ever Producers list’.

Today, Biddu can afford to take life easy, dividing his time between homes in London, Spain and India, but his journey to the top was no cakewalk. The pop icon formed a band, The Trojans, at 16 and played at the 3 Aces and small private parties in Bangalore. From then on, there was no looking back. After the group split, Biddu trained his sights on London, the home of rock-n-roll, Beatles and The Rolling Stones. His arduous journey in 1967 on a Haj ship to Mecca and then hitchhiking through the Middle East deserts is now legendary. In London, with just his clothes, his trusty guitar and a dream to make good music, the struggle continued, juggling odd jobs to earn his bread and butter until 1974, when his most recognisable production ‘Kung Fu Fighting’ with Carl Douglas, became a chartbuster.

Towards the late 70s, he collaborated with Tina Charles and soul legend Jimmy James, producing hits such as ‘Dance Little Lady’, ‘I Love to Love’, ‘Now is the time’ and others. All this and the Biddu Orchestra that produced instrumental sensations won him awards, including the Ivor Novello award, the British equivalent of the Grammys.

‘Made in India’

Biddu is also credited with writing the music for two notable movies — The Stud and The Bitch. In 1979, Indian actor-director Feroz Khan got Biddu to compose a track for his movie ‘Qurbani’ and ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’ sung by Pakistani teenager Nazia Hassan happened, again a mega hit of the era. Next, Biddu produced a disco album ‘Disco Deewane’ for HMV featuring Nazia with her brother Zoheb that became the largest selling pop album in Asian history, topping the charts in 14 countries.

In 1987, he scored a top hit in Japan for ‘The Look that Kills’ produced for Japanese singer Akina Nakamori. In the 80s, Biddu pioneered a new genre of Hindi music called Indipop, producing ‘Made in India’ with the velvety-voiced singer Alisha Chinai as well as with Shweta Shetty, Shaan, Sagarika and Sonu Nigam.

As the disco boom began fading in the late 80s and 90s, Biddu donned his writer’s hat, churning out three books. The first, ‘Made in India’, his autobiography published in 2010, an eminently readable book with his characteristic humour and honesty, was a bestseller. Next came ‘Curse of the Godman’ and ‘The Abundance of Nothing’, both set in India.

Interestingly, fans can still look forward to more music from the septuagenarian who is currently composing some new songs.

Excerpts from an interview:

You’ve been there done that. Any dreams yet to be fulfilled?

Career-wise, I am happy. I am going through my catalogue of 583 songs and picking half-a-dozen with a view to sending them to new, young singers of today. I am also working on a few new songs. I won’t produce them, but will get someone younger to do so.

Anything special for your 75th? What does this milestone mean to you?

As I said, I am working on a few new compositions. As for the milestone, at 75 years of age, it is more like a millstone!

What’s life for Biddu these days?

Life today is all about breathing, which is one way of staying alive and spending time with the family.

You left India in your early 20s. Why were you so keen to leave India for the West?

I wanted to make it in the West. India in the 60s was a poor country; we were dancing with Russia instead of rocking with the West. I needed to get out of India as my interest was Western pop music; I was never into Bollywood. I left India and walked all the way to Beirut, singing there for six months until I saved enough moolah to get to England. However, I do come to India to see my sister and relatives. I spend a couple of months in Goa in the winter. But, to be brutally honest, I would never come back to live in India. The politics and corruption would kill me, if not the pollution and the chaotic traffic!

How do you see the music scene in India today?

Frankly, I do not know anything about the Indian music scene. I do know that making music in English has a narrow bandwidth (it always had) and from what people tell me regarding Indian film music, melody has given way to beats and rap. There’s not much noise about Indian music in the West. A R Rahman had a moment and Anoushka (Shankar) is fairly well-known, but only among world music aficionados.

Youtube, TikTok, Spotify, basically Internet has changed the game…

This is the way forward. It is the avenue from where young people get their music. We, of the older generation, may not like it or find downloading Apps too complicated, but this is modern life. You can’t stop the waves from hitting the shore.

Your message to young, budding artists who want to pursue a career in music?

Be prepared for a tough slog. The chances of you not making in the music business is considerably more than you making it. There’s so much talent around, but only a few lucky ones make it. It is a tough game.

Your stint as music director for a few Hollywood films was short. Why?

I prefer making records. Firstly, it’s on the go. It doesn’t take a year or years as the case may be. Also, in films, you are being told what to do by the script, the producer/director etc. When you make pop music, you are directed by your own desires; you are the master of your destiny.

Music has been a big part of your life. What has it taught you?

Music has been great for me. I was inspired by the Beatles and Elvis and I had this fire in the belly to make a name for myself in the West. It is this desire that drove me. Doing something you love is irreplaceable. It has shown me how lucky I am to have followed my dream and succeeded in it. Success is not just about talent, but luck and opportunity, although I believe sometimes you make your own luck.

What kind of music do you listen to?

I was never a voracious listener of music. In fact, it is well-known amongst my friends that I don’t have a music collection. I listen to the radio when driving; that keeps me up on the current trends in music. I am a big fan of Ed Sheeran — great voice and great songs.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Sunday Herald> Sunday Herald Art & Culture / by Stanley Carvalho / May 31st, 2020

7 Interesting Facts about Coffee

Coffee News

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If you’re a coffee fanatic, then maybe you should know a little bit more about your favorite drink. We’ve assembled some interesting facts for you, so read on and learn a little bit about the dark stuff that keeps you going.

1. ITS ONLY BEEN AROUND FOR 500 YEARS
Coffee’s origins go back to the early 15th century. At least, that’s where the solid records begin. They show people exporting coffee out of Ethiopia.

As you’d think, there are a lot of myths about coffee. One of the myths places the original use with a shepherd in Ethiopia who went for it after observing his livestock acting lively once they ate some of the beans. That particular myth may be part of how coffee was found, but it’s impossible to verify if the commonly accepted 500AD date was actually the first human use of the bean.

The history of coffee has actually been quite spotty. It was called out repeatedly and its introduction to the western world was quite controversial. It’s an amazing subject if you care to look into it.

While it’s commonplace today, that’s a recent development.

2. COFFEE BEANS ARE SEEDS
While many people think of coffee fruit as beans, the truth is a little more complicated than that. More accurately, they’re the pit of the berry and not a bean at all.

Beans are their own thing. The berries which grow on the coffee tree have a stony inner portion like an apricot. This is what we use to make our coffee.

The seeds we usually consume in our coffee come from ripe berries. As the berry matures, the chemical constituents of the coffee change. Green coffee beans from immature berries are sometimes used to create supplements but aren’t generally sold as coffee.

3. DECAFFEINATED COFFEE IS STILL COFFEE
Many people aren’t quite sure what decaf really is. Coffee fanatics often wonder if it’s just a pale imitation of the real thing.

The truth is that decaffeinated coffee is still made from coffee, it’s just been subjected to one or another of the various decaffeinating processes. The taste difference is due to the fact that 100% selective chemical removal is almost impossible.

And many people don’t care for the taste difference in the slightest.

That said, it’s a great option for those who aren’t able to drink regular stuff anymore. There’s still a very minor amount of caffeine left in the beans, but it’s not enough to affect most people.

It’s not the first pick of most people, but the fact remains that decaffeinated coffee is still derived from the same place.

4. BRAZIL PRODUCES MORE COFFEE THAN ANYONE
South America produces roughly 45% of the coffee in the world. Brazil is the largest exporter of coffee and has a large portion of the market share.

Turns out bringing the beans across the Atlantic was a great idea. Coffee thrives in the tropical client of South America, creating huge harvests. Most of the leading exporters in the world come from that region.

The second-largest single exporter is Vietnam, another tropical region that received the coffee plant relatively late.

Coffee comes from the tropical belt all over the globe. At the current time, however, the top three exporters are Brazil, Vietnam, and Colombia. It’s a pretty amazing spread for a plant that originally showed up in Africa.

5. COFFEE HAS MORE CAFFEINE THAN ESPRESSO
Most people think of espresso as the strongest form of coffee.

And they’re not wrong. Ounce for ounce espresso has a bit more caffeine. A standard “shot” is 2oz of fluid, and contains roughly 80mg of caffeine.

On the other hand, coffee is usually measured in 12oz cups. A 12oz cup of coffee has around 120mg. So, the truth is that most people going for a cup of coffee in the morning will find it more to their benefit to use the simpler drip machine.

Of course, you can always add them together as well. It really does gives us a lot more variety in our caffeine choices, however, which is the most important part of the process.

6. COFFEE’S MODERN USE HAS 3 DISTINCT WAVES
Coffee has been through three main waves in modern use.

The first was in the 1850s onwards. Coffee was considered a standard good in many places. The roasting process was nearly identical and strong cups of black coffee were the norm. It was a utilitarian time and it was a utilitarian drink.

Eventually, cafes took over with a focus on creating the various drinks that we have today. Iced coffee, cold brew, lattes, and other coffee-based drinks became the norm. The focus was still on the drinks, however, rather than the original beans.

Nowadays there’s a lot of focus on the origin and process of different beans. This “artisanal coffee” trend is quite new and shows a massive rebranding of coffee in the last few decades.

Still, anything for a better cup right?

SATISFY YOUR ROASTED CURIOSITY
Coffee has a fascinating history, incredible chemistry, and an even better effect. Learning more about it should be at the top of any true enthusiast’s list. This is only a sampling of the strange information that abounds around our favorite drink, however, and there’s always more to learn!

source: http://www.t2online.com / Times Square Chronicles / Home> Food and Drink / May 14th, 2020

Yuva Sambhrama – Day 5: Audience Go Gaga Over Kodava Dance And Music

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

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Mysuru:

Day-5 of the ongoing Yuva Sambhrama witnessed students from various parts of the State performing to various folk and patriotic songs, forcing the audience groove with them.

The programme started with students from Napoklu Government First Grade College near Madikeri, dressed in Kodava attire, performing the traditional Kodava dance to which the enthused audience present at the Open Air Theatre shook their legs and hips.

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This was followed by a performance from Government Pre University College for Girls, Bannur, who dedicated their performance to Mysore Wadiyars.

Later, girls from Maharani’s Arts, Commerce and Science College took the audience on an emotional ride with their performance to Appa, I Love You Appa song from the movie Chowka which highlighted the love of a father to his daughter. Students of Sri Kaginele Kanaka Gurupeeta College of Education dedicated their performance to late Kannada actors Dr. Rajkumar, Dr. Vishnuvardhan, Ambarish, Shankar Nag and Soundarya by dancing to some of their songs.

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The dance ballet for Chak De India title song by Government PU College, Mysuru, showcased how the soldiers at the borders laid down their lives for the country and also recreated the Pulwama attack scene where a convoy carrying soldiers was attacked by a suicide bomber resulting in the death of 40 CRPF personnel. Students of Government First Grade College, Periyapatna, through their dance paid homage to soldiers who had attained martyrdom.

This was followed by dance performances of students from Ramaswamy Higher Education Institution, Haranahalli in Hassan; Jnanodaya Institute of Nursing, T. Narasipur; NDRK, Hassan; Nisarga College of Management, Kollegal; Government Arts PU College, Paduvalahippe, Holenarasipura; Government First Grade College for Women, K.R. Nagar and others.

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Three-year-old steals the show

While students from various colleges performed on stage for various songs, a three-year-old girl stole the show by shaking her legs to the song Huttidare Kannada Naadinalli Huttabeku rendered by Matinee Idol late Dr. Rajkumar. Seeing her dancing, the audience also joined her and danced along with her.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / by September 22nd, 2019

Rotary District 3181 Builds 50 Houses For Kodagu Flood Victims

Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All

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Madikeri/ Mysuru:

At a time when the victims of 2018’s devastating floods and landslips in Kodagu are still to be fully rehabilitated as most of the houses meant to be constructed for them are yet to see the light of day even two years after the tragedy, Rotary International District 3181 has handed over 50 houses for flood victims.

Unprecedented rains, landslips and floods devastated lives and properties in Kodagu in 2018. Many villages were wiped out as mud came crashing down carrying everything in its path — trees, mud, electric poles and houses. It has been a tough two-year journey for those who lost their homes, hard-earned money and properties.

Between Aug. 5 and Aug. 19, 2018, unprecedented rains triggered by cloudbursts, floods and landslides brought untold misery to the people of Kodagu and over 30 percent of land in Madikeri and Somwarpet taluks was destroyed in previously unheard of havoc that was unleashed by nature, rendering hundreds of people homeless.

Saramma, a beneficiary of Rotary house rebuilding activity, is seen with Past Rotary District Governors Nagarjun, Krishna Shetty, Immediate Past District Governor P. Rohinath, Past Rotary International President Kalyan Banerjee (third from right), Rebuild Kodagu Trust Project Chairman and Past District Governor Dr. K. Ravi Appaji (second from right), District Governor-Elect Ranganath Bhat and other dignitaries.
Saramma, a beneficiary of Rotary house rebuilding activity, is seen with Past Rotary District Governors Nagarjun, Krishna Shetty, Immediate Past District Governor P. Rohinath, Past Rotary International President Kalyan Banerjee (third from right), Rebuild Kodagu Trust Project Chairman and Past District Governor Dr. K. Ravi Appaji (second from right), District Governor-Elect Ranganath Bhat and other dignitaries.

Though the State Government, in 2018, launched an ambitious project to build 835 houses in phases, there has been a long delay. Only 423 houses that were promised in the first phase of rehabilitation project has been completed at Jamboor and Katakeri by Nirmithi Kendra.

The tragedy, however, is that the houses have not been handed over to the deserving. Only 35 houses that have been constructed in Karnangeri have been handed over to beneficiaries. The construction of the remaining 412 houses is yet to begin.

In the light of this delay, the work done by Rotary International District 3181 has caught everyone’s attention. 50 houses that were built in two phases have been handed over and the latest group of 25 houses were handed over to beneficiaries on May 10 (last Sunday) at Gargandhur-Madapura areas. The first phase of 25 homes were handed over on June 18 last year at Iggodlu-Madapura in the presence of Past Rotary International President Kalyan Bannerjee.

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Worst affected and most deserving

Rotary has spent Rs. 2.56 crore for 50 homes. Speaking to ‘Star of Mysore,’ Rebuild Kodagu Trust Project Chairman and Past District Governor Dr. K. Ravi Appaji said that the 50 families were selected on the basis of selective criteria of worst affected and most deserving.

Immediate Past District Governor P. Rohinath is the Rebuild Kodagu Trust Chairman and Past District Governor Krishna Shetty is the Treasurer with District Governor Joseph Mathew and District Governor-Elect Ranganath Bhat as members.

The beneficiaries were identified by the community leaders and stakeholders of the Rotary project. “They were local people and among those who were not chosen to be supported by the Government. The land and title belonged to the beneficiaries and homes were built on their own land instead of building houses at an unfamiliar surroundings. Some of the houses had just plastic sheets wrapped in bamboo poles with a make-shift covering on top,” he said.

The victims were living under constant fear of wind and rain. “Each home cost Rs.5.05 lakh and contributions from donors, Rotarians, friends and others all over country and abroad were collected,” he added.

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Social distancing

Due to Corona lockdown and restrictions, no stage ceremony invites or other formal arrangements were done. Homes were handed over in a simple way maintaining social distance. “This was done for the benefit and convenience of the beneficiary families so that they could occupy the houses before the monsoon rains started this year. Any finishing work like final coat of paint and sponsor nameplates will be done in the due course,” Dr. Appaji said.

This project was initiated and encouraged by Past Rotary International President Kalyan Banerjee along with Past Rotary International Director C. Basker in association with Habitat for Humanity India and senior leadership.

“It was supported by all the District Governors, Chairman of Birla Group Rajashree Birla, sponsorships through Past Rotary International President Rajaa Saboo, Rotary International President Nominee Shekar Mehta, Rotary International Director Dr. Bharat Pandya, Rotary International Director Kamal Sanghvi, Rotary India Literacy Mission RILM, Rotary News Trust, Rotary International Director Nominee (RIDN) Dr. Ravi Vadlamani, RIDN Venkatesh, Past District Governor Dr. Devdas Rai, Rotary District 3181 grants, all District Governors, all Past Governors, Rotary leaders, Presidents various Rotary Clubs and individual Rotarians, institutional donors and philanthropists,” he said.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / May 14th, 2020

Ban Lifted On Kodagu Land Conversion

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Records, All

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Henceforth, lands will be converted based on report by Geological Survey of India (GSI)

Bengaluru:

The Karnataka Government has relaxed regulations banning the conversion of land in Kodagu district and now allows small land-owners to build their homes by converting agricultural land, a move that will allow commercial establishments and layouts to flourish in the district that was devastated by landslides two years ago.

Revenue Minister R. Ashoka said the Government decided to permit land conversion as both locals and elected representatives wanted the moratorium to be lifted. That is why the Government has decided to permit land conversion again, with some restrictions. In May 2019, the ban was relaxed to allow conversion for small individual houses.

According to Ashoka, land conversion from agricultural to residential land will be regulated and will not be allowed along buffer zones. Ten metres on each side of a river, stream or storm water drain are classified as buffer zones. Moreover, conversion is prohibited in properties with steep slopes as houses built on such terrain could collapse during landslides. Land conversion is also prohibited in regions where houses had collapsed in 2018 floods, he said.

The land can be converted for commercial purposes. Ahead of any conversion, land-owners will have to seek no-objection certificates from Deputy Commissioners and local Gram Panchayats. Only after a Committee headed by the DC, which includes a Geologist, submits a report the conversion can take place, Ashoka said.

The land will be thoroughly surveyed by the Tahsildar. The survey report (by the Tahsildar) will be reviewed by the DC under Section 95 of Karnataka Land Revenue Act of 1964 before granting conversion.

Land conversion, Ashoka said, will be based on the report by the Geological Survey of India (GSI). Those that are categorised as red-alert areas will not be converted. The conversion will be regulated so that the district does not face any landslides.

The State had imposed a blanket ban on land conversion in Kodagu following floods and landslides in August 2018. The regulations were tightened based on recommendations made by GSI. Following this, Kodagu district authorities rejected over 693 applications in the last five months to convert land for commercial use.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / by February 14th, 2020

Rohan Bopanna launches tennis scholarship programme, to sponsor 60 kids

Education, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sports

Initially, kids in three categories — Under-12, Under-14 and Under-16 — can apply for the scholarship through the School website.

Indian tennis star Rohan Bopanna (Photo | PTI)
Indian tennis star Rohan Bopanna (Photo | PTI)

New Delhi :

India’s doubles exponent Rohan Bopanna on Tuesday launched an ambitious scholarship project, aimed at providing tennis and academic education simultaneously to 60 kids at an annual cost of Rs 10 lakh each.

The scholarship programme, described as a “game changer in Indian tennis” will be run through a collaboration between Rohan Bopanna Tennis Academy (RBTA) and The Sports School, which will be the base of the training centre in Bengaluru.

Initially, kids in three categories — Under-12, Under-14 and Under-16 — can apply for the scholarship through the School website.

They will be assessed after the lockdown and the selected players will then join the residential programme.

“I am looking at giving to kids what I did not have when I was a junior player. It will be a game changer in Indian tennis. Parents are always worried about the education part, so we are proving both,” Bopanna said during the online press conference.

In the first year, only those players who have an AITA ranking, can apply for the scholarship.

“We will take 20 kids in each category. This is giving back to sport. This is probably the biggest scholarship programme in the world. No one gives scholarship with 100 per cent sponsorship to 60 kids at one go. Even in the US college tennis programmes, it’s 70 or 80 per cent sponsorship,” said Bopanna, India’s only fourth player to have won a Grand Slam title.

Balachandran Manikkath, the coach of India’s top singles player Prajnesh Gunneswaran, will be the Head coach at the centre with six other coaches.

“We will keep monitoring the selected kids. There will always be someone who will be knocking on the doors. If someone is not up to the mark, his place can go to someone else,” Balachandran said.

The selected kids will have access to seven flood-lit hard courts apart from services of nutritionist, dietician, physio and a sports psychologist.

Bopanna insisted that he is “not competing with anyone” when asked if he is setting an example on how to do things without the help of the government.

The AITA has been trying to set up a Centre of Excellence at DLTA for some years but the efforts have not fructified for several reasons.

“We only want betterment of Indian tennis. The pure objective is to help the kids. We have a vision in place and we want to give opportunities to the players.”

Dr.Sankar UV, Director of The Sports School, said if someone is not selected but still wants to be in the programme, they can join by paying the fee which is Rs 6.25 lakh for beginners, Rs 8 lakh for the intermediate level and Rs 10 lakh for the advance level.

Sankar said they will follow CBSE syllabus up to 10th standard and the Karnataka State Board syllabus for 11th and 12th standard.

He also informed that the School also runs programme in five more sports including badminton, football and basketball.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Sport> Tennis / by PTI / May 26th, 2020

Mebiena Michael, Winner Of ‘Pyate Hudgir Halli Life’, Dies In A Road Accident

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All

Mebiena Michael, the winner of a popular reality television show Pyate Hudgir Halli Life Season 4, passed away on May 26 after she got into a major car accident.

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Mebiena Michael, the winner of a popular reality television show Pyate Hudgir Halli Life Season 4, passed away on May 26 after she got into a major car accident. Mebiena was 22 years old. The accident happened in the evening near Devihalli of Nagamangala Tuluk, Karnataka.

Mebiena Michael died in a car accident

As per reports, Mebiena Michael was heading towards her hometown, Madikeri, when the accident took her life. The 22-year-old’s family and friends are quite shocked by the news of her sudden demise and are struggling to cope up with her untimely death. According to reports, the car in which she was travelling rammed into a tractor while the latter was taking a turn.

Right after the accident, the victims were rushed to the Adichuchunagiri Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital, where the doctors declared Mebiena Michael dead. While her friends survived, the actor succumbed to severe injuries. As per reports, a case has been registered in the Belluru police station. On the other hand, Mebiena Michael’s friends are recovering at the hospital.

Mebiena Michael was a Kannada television actor. She rose to fame after being a part of Pyate Hudgir Halli Life Season 4. She also emerged out as the winner of the reality television show

The host of Pyate Hudgir Halli Life Season 4, Akul Balaji expressed his shock over the sudden demise of Mebiena Michael. He took to social media and shared a post on his official Twitter handle. Balaji wrote, “Shock to hear the sudden demise of one of my favourite contestant and winner of phhl 4 ..mebina, soo young and full of life, can’t digest the fact..my prayers for her family to get over the tragedy.”

The 22-year-old Kannada actor started her professional career as a model. Mebiena Michael became popular after emerging as the winner of the television reality show Pyate Hudgir Halli Life Season 4 which was about a bunch of city girls, who attempted to adapt to village life by giving up their lavish lifestyle. The contestants were given several interesting tasks to perform which Mebiena Michael had aced.

source: http://www.republicworld.com / RepublicWorld.com / Home> Entertainment News> Regional Indian Cinema / by Vageesha Taluja / May 27th, 2020

She rakes in medals for India even after 3 decades

Amazing Feats, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Sports

Reeth Abraham is one of India’s most well known athletes participating in the hurdles, long jump and heptathlon events, with a career that began in 1976. She has won various medals at several international competitions including at the Asian level. Her achievement stands out particularly since she won a medal at the Asian level less than a year after she became a mother.

Reeth, at one of her practice sessions at Kanteerava Stadium / Pic: Deepthi M S
Reeth, at one of her practice sessions at Kanteerava Stadium /
Pic: Deepthi M S

Although she retired from competitive athletics in 1992, this 49-year-old has continued training over the years and is now active as a Masters athlete. In 2011, she won 2 medals for India at the World Masters Athletics meet at Sacramento, USA in the triple jump and long jump events. Among various awards and recognitions she has received over the years, she has been a recipient of the Arjuna Award in 1997. She is one of the founding members of Clean Sports India. Reeth lives in Koramangala.

Citizen Matters caught up with her for a brief chat at the Kanteerava Stadium, just after she had finished her day’s training.

Reeth, enough is known about your career as an athlete but only last year, your achievements at the World level as a Masters athlete caught our attention. How does one even qualify?

Clean Sports India is an organisation founded to rid Indian sport of its twin malaises, lack of sports persons in administration and drug usage. Clean Sports India aims to get former sportspersons into managing the various sports bodies in India including the Olympic Sports Federations, Associations and other Clubs in India, as opposed to administrators who have occupied positions of influence in various bodies without the sport itself making much progress. Its other objective is to ensure clean competition by keeping drugs away from both practice and competition.

This was my sixth appearance at the World Masters meet. One has to first qualify at the State Masters meet, for which you can just turn up and then the National meet, which you get to if you are successful at the state meet. If one is good enough and successful at the national meet, you get to represent India at the global level. The Karnataka state meet was held in Mandya recently. The World meet is in Brazil next year. The World Masters meet is held every two years. One needs to be over 35 years to be eligible as a Masters athlete.

How did you manage to train and keep in shape while raising two kids (Reeth is the proud mother of a daughter and a son)? Do you go to a gym regularly? What is your current training schedule like?

(Smiles) I don’t know how I managed. It just happened. I would sometimes leave my kids under the care of someone while I trained. It wasn’t easy but somehow I managed.

I train at the stadium 3 days a week and train in a gym on 3 days a week. I also swim occasionally for relaxation.

In addition to your involvement with the Nike Run Club, do you coach any athletes?

No I don’t have any trainees. There is not much time left on hand between my job and my own training outside my work hours.

You were recruited by a bank years ago. How has the situation changed for athletes on the sponsorship front?

I was amongst the first batch of athletes recruited by Corporation Bank. This was followed by various other banks later, which recruited various sportspersons. Some banks even had cricketers in their ranks. It is still very difficult for most athletes to eke out a living without sponsorship. That is one reason most athletes these days give up after a certain level since they don’t have the patience to put in years of hard work, which may or may not result in success. And even when one is successful, the recognition one gets may not mean much monetarily. Even as a Masters athlete, I have managed to get a sponsor for my travel to the World Masters meet but I am not sure how other athletes manage.

One of the things I have noticed at the Kanteerava stadium is the significant number of talented girls who are training as athletes, which is not quite reflective of the trend of India’s senior athletes. Where do they disappear as they grow older?

Reeth is one of the coaches at the Nike Run Club (NRC), an initiative from Nike to introduce ordinary people into running. Reeth helps the NRC attendees warm up through a routine of various exercises and then go for a run, before cooling down and helps various runners get introduced to the sport and get better at it, every Saturday at the Kanteerava stadium.

The problem is that as these kids grow older they have several options before them which are sometimes more rewarding. And as I said earlier, not all of them are willing to invest the effort and work hard for 10-12 years before tasting success at higher levels of athletics, especially when their hard work elsewhere can lead to success in other areas. And athletics after a certain point is extremely competitive. So I can see the perspective of the kids if they choose to focus elsewhere.

If you could change something in Indian athletics today, what would it be?

Make it enjoyable for young athletes to participate and compete. Once one reaches a certain level of competition, it is very challenging for an athlete to handle the pressure to perform and win medals. In my time, there was no one to help us on such matters.

What are your opinions on sports facilities in Bangalore?

In Bangalore, it is gradually improving. There are more people who are taking sports seriously.

You are a resident of Koramangal, what do you think of the sports facilities there?

Speaking of sports facilities in Koramangala, it is zero. I see no changes at all, the Koramangala indoor stadium for that matter, is used only for exhibition and nothing else.

Any message for aspiring masters athletes?

Unless you have been an active athlete earlier, events with throws (shot put, discus) and jumps (long jump, triple jump) are out, since they require special training and may result in injuries, if one doesn’t train carefully. Perhaps long distance running is an event a beginner can aspire to compete in.

source: http://www.bengaluru.citizenmatters.in / Citizen Matters / Home> Current / by Dharmendra D. / February 28th, 2012

Believe it or knot, inter-state couple marry at Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

The engagement was held in Kodagu. So far, so good.

Newlyweds Yashashmita and Satish Kumar after their nuptuals, on Thursday
Newlyweds Yashashmita and Satish Kumar after their nuptuals, on Thursday

Mysuru :

They say marriages are made in heaven. But they can happen on the border too. And no border dispute here. In fact, a roadside Ganesha temple on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border became the venue for the wedding of this inter-state couple on Thursday. And the checkpost staff were their guests.

Yashashmita, daughter of Hombalaiah and Triveni of Kodagu, and Satish Kumar, son of Shakthivel and Latha of Mettupalyam, had fixed the wedding for Thursday at the bride’s place. The engagement was held in Kodagu. So far, so good.

It was considered the best muhurat for both Yashashmita and Satish Kumar. But with the lockdown norms in place, families on both sides had to do a little marry-go-round to see if they could solve this knotty problem. When the authorities refused to give permission for inter-state travel, they didn’t know what to do. As Shakthivel was denied permission to travel to Karnataka, he, along with his son and other family members, reached the inter-state border near Punjanur and met the bride’s family who had come all the way from Kodagu.

There was no time to lose and the couple tied the knot on Thursday morning while following the lockdown restrictions in the small roadside Ganesha temple. There were no guests. The wedding took place in the presence of the parents of both the bride and the groom and the Covid-19 staff working at the checkpost.

However, after the wedding, the couple could not travel together, unfortunately. While the bride turned around to go to her house in Karnataka, the groom and his family went back to Tamil Nadu. The family members and onlookers hoped the lockdown would be lifted at the earliest so that the newlywed couple could live happily ever after.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by K Shiva Kumar / Express News Service / May 22nd, 2020