MANGALORE TODAY - FEBRUARY 2018 MANGALORE TODAY - FEBRUARY 2018 Publisher and Editor V. U. GEORGE...
Transcript of MANGALORE TODAY - FEBRUARY 2018 MANGALORE TODAY - FEBRUARY 2018 Publisher and Editor V. U. GEORGE...
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“The legal profession is a
service oriented
profession and not a
business”Supreme Court judge Justice Abdul Nazeer at
a book launch function.
“Society always wishes
to watch quality movies.
There is no dearth of
viewers for good and
interesting movies”Sadananda Suvarna, veteran theatre
personality and film maker at the inaugural of
Nitte International Film Festival in the city.
“The dictators in the
history of the world
always had a pathetic
end. But when they
rule, innocent lay down
their lives”
noted actor Prakash Rai at Democracy
Day programme organised in the city.
Pedalling for Success: Unlike his counterparts who arrived by processions to file their nominations, Mangaluru North MLA and
Congress candidate B A Moidin Bava chose the other way round by cycling all the way to the office of the Electoral Officer.
“People who put
institution ahead of
themselves have always
progressed faster than
the ones who put
themselves ahead”Bhasker Bhat, Managing Director, Titan
Company Ltd at the 32nd annual convocation
of TAPMI.
“The apathy among urban
electorate is on the rise,
and even one person’s
apathy towards our
democratic right to vote
will have a cascading
effect on who represents
us in the state assembly
and whether he/she will be
the voice of voters”
renowned limerick poet H Dundiraj at a
multi-language poets’ meet on voter
awareness.
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 20184
Publisher and Editor
V. U. GEORGE
Executive Editor
MAHESH NAYAK
Associate Editor
JAYASHREE SUDHIR
Senior Reporter
SATYA REDDY
Special Correspondents
ESHWAR SUNDARESAN (Bangalore)
HARSHA D’SOUZA (Mangalore)
RAMESH S PERLA (Mangalore)
ADOLPH LOBO (Dubai)
MADHUSUDAN KUMAR (Mumbai)
Contributors
Prof. NARENDRA NAYAK
I. J. SALDANHA SHET
SRINIVASAN NANDAGOPAL
V MOHAN RAO
BHAMY V. SHENOY
Production & Marketing
SHASHIDHARA AMIN
JAGADISH PAI (BENGALURU)
Copy Desk
POOJA
RASHMI SANTHOSH
Contributing Photographers
RAMACHANDRA BHAT
PRASHANTH NAYAK
Editorial, marketing & correspondence office:
26, Venkatramana Building,Temple Square,
Car Street, Mangaluru 575 001
Phone: 0824-2492549, Mobile: 98455 24558
E-mail: [email protected]
Edited and published by
V.U.George, Mangalore Today,
26, Venkatramana Building, Temple Square,
Car Street, Mangaluru 575 001
Printed by V U George at Prakash Offset Printers,
Plot # 164, Industrial Area, Baikampadi,
Mangaluru 575 011
Views and opinions expressed in individual articles
are those of the writers and need not necessarily
reflect the opinions of MANGALORE TODAY.
All disputes and legal proceedings are subject
to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent
courts and forums in MANGALURU only.
VOL 22 ISSUE 3 MAY 2018
Time to Vote
Come May 12, 2018 when the
people of Karnataka will go to vote
to choose a ‘Party’ to power in the state.
But with the way the political scene has
been shaping up over the past few
months both in state and national,
political analysts have been keeping a
hawk’s eye on the Karnataka Election-
2018.
The 2018 Assembly election in
Karnataka is being pitched as a direct
battle between incumbent Chief
Minister Siddaramaiah of the Congress
Party and BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa,
former Chief Minister of
Karnataka.Yeddyurappa had to resign
when he was indicted in a corruption
scandal.
Former Lokayukta of Karnataka, Justice
N. Santosh Hegde, who had severely
indicted B.S. Yeddyurappa, is
“saddened” that the BJP has nominated
him as its CM candidate.
Since 1994, the Dakshina Kannada,
Udupi, Uttara Kannada and
Chikmagaluru districts, comprising the
state’s coastal region, have contributed
a big quota of BJP MLAs. In 2004, the
BJP won 14 of the 24 seats in these
districts (out of a total of 224 in the state
legislature), while the Congress
managed to win just five. In a reverse
effect, the Congress won 14 and the
BJP five in the 2013 Assembly election.
EEEEEDITDITDITDITDITOROROROROR’’’’’SSSSS EDGEEDGEEDGEEDGEEDGE
However, the BJP won all three
parliamentary constituencies of the four
districts in 2014.
Of all regions, coastal Karnataka is the
hottest and the most interesting to
watch in this election. This time, all of
the sitting Congress MLAs have been
re-nominated. But in the BJP, there is a
high degree of heartburn with new
faces snatching the tickets. However,
activists are bullish that the coast will
reject the politics of minority
appeasement and will vote for the BJP.
While the congress party men are over-
confident of a hat-trick of repeating the
victory of the previous election.
The BJP has also been heavily criticized
for the demonetization drive and the
implementation of GST. And in
Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts,
communal politics, stirred up by party
workers, has not gone down well with
the locals.
Will the ‘flower power’ be able to bend
and break the Congress digits or will
Congress manage to forcefully snap off
the BJP petals?
As for the minor parties- will the
octogenarian JD(S) honcho and former
PM, HD Deve Gowda finally find his
place in the sun as the kingmaker or is
he planning to pass on his baton to his
grandson, Prajwal Revanna and keep
dynastic politics alive?
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 20185
n COVER STORY ..... 14
Reactions ...................................... 6
Wordzworth .................................. 7
Editorial ......................................... 8
City Politix ..................................... 9
DK Diary ..................................... 10
Column ....................................... 12
Opinion ....................................... 25
Reminiscence ............................. 27
Profile .......................................... 28
Poetic License ............................ 33
Picturesque ................................. 34
Happenings ................................ 38
Nostalgia ..................................... 47
Random Thoughts ...................... 48
Humour ....................................... 50
Kids ............................................. 52
City Information ........................... 54
News Briefs ................................. 56
People ......................................... 58
n OPNION 44
n FEATURE 36
CCCCCONTENTSONTENTSONTENTSONTENTSONTENTS
A unique Bharatanatyam recital on the
Biblical themes of faith, hope and love
shown by Jesus Christ himself to
mankind, writes I J Saldanha-Shet.
‘Kristha Patha’
Bharathanatyam
based on Bible
The high profile loot of
Public Sector BanksStrict pecuniary action needs to be
taken against all responsible for the
mind boggling loss as this is not a
peccadillo, writes V Mohan Rao
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 20186
RRRRREAEAEAEAEACTIONCTIONCTIONCTIONCTION
nMangaluru Today cover story on Unity
Health Complex and its Visionary
Chairman Dr C P Habeeb Rahman was
inspiring. Dr Rahman's life and his
achievements are exemplary examples of
how an individual who has a zeal and
perseverance can earn success in life.
UMESH KAMATH, Mumbai
n'Doctor with a grand vision," this title
aptly suits Dr C P Habeeb Rahman whose
great leadership qualities and acumen have
helped Unity Health Complex rise to
greater heights.
VIVEK RAJ, Mangaluru
nUnity Health Complex is one of the
pioneering healthcare institutions of the
region known for its quality services.
The thousands and thousands of patients
who have undergone treatment here
have words of praise for the great
services offered at the hospital
RIYAZ AHMED, Mangaluru
nNo wealth is greater than Health
which is vital for an individual to
achieve progress in life. Contributing
towards a healthier society is
Mangaluru's renowned Unity Health
Complex with its finest healthcare
services keeping the interests of
patients uppermost in mind.
KARUNAKAR P., Mangaluru
HOT PROPERTIES IN MANGALORE
22 cents land for sale
near Padil Main Road
in Mangalore city
Rs.13 Lakh per cent
1000sft. 2BHK apartment for
sale at Konchady-Derebail
Mangalore.
Price: Rs. 32 Lakhs
CONTACT: 9880616670 / 0824-2492549
1 acre land for Sale
near to Kaikamba
bridge, Vamanjoor,
Mangalore
Price: 75 Lakhs
CORRECTION:
The family photo in the article ‘God’s
Own Country-Kerala’ pertains to the
extended family of Mr & Mrs. V.
Mohan Rao and not his family. The
error is regretted.
nKarnataka Bank, one of the premier
private sector banks of our nation, has a
place of pride in the heart of its customers.
The various banking products as well as
its customer centric approach have made it
a most friendly bank for the customers.
Mahabaleshwara M S, the MD of
Karnataka Bank is an experienced banker
whose wealth of experience would be
greatly beneficial in bringing much more
success for the bank.
RICHARD LOBO, Mangaluru
nMotorbikes are meant only for men? Gone
are those days.Gutsy ladies are taking up
bike riding with gusto. They have proved
they can take the road less travelled.
SUSHIL KUMAR, Mangaluru
nA visit to Kerala will always be a fulfilling
experience. The beauty of nature in this
land is mesmerizing. Thankful to V Mohan
Rao for a good write-up on his visit to God's
Own Country. I too have an ardent wish to
visit this place in the near future.
EDWIN D’SOUZA, Mangaluru
nA mention of the Konkani cultural field
in the coastal region would be incomplete
without a mention of Eric Ozario, the
Gurkar of Mandd Sobhann. His biography
'The indefatigable crusader' by Royston
Fernandes provides an insight into the life
and achievements of this great personality.
LAVINA D’SILVA, Mangaluru
nEveryone wants to be happy in life. But
happiness seems to be eluding many
however hard they try. Happiness is a state
of mind which we can achieve provided
we follow certain guidelines. "The Way to
Happiness'' write-up is an eye-opener.
ARVIND NAYAK, Bengaluru
nMangaluru has a lot of expectations from
Bhasker Moily who took charge as Mayor
from Kavitha Sanil who had an eventful
tenure. Every city has its own share of
problems and Mangaluru too is no
exception. Mayor Bhasker Moily has to
live upto the expectations of the people who
by and large were happy with the style of
functioning of Kavitha who through her pro-
active approach had won the confidence of
the people. A request to the Mayor to kindly
take note of some of the gaping holes on
footpath stone slabs which are missing at
many places. They are extremely dangerous
particularly during night time and more so
whenever there is a power breakdown.
PREM KUMAR, Mangaluru
nIt is really good to know that the old
building of the erstwhile Mangaluru
Municipality will be restored and developed
into a historical monument as part of the
Smart City Project. A welcome move. The
City has to preserve its heritage structures
for the posterity, lest it will be left with a
mere concrete jungle.
AJITH SHETTY, Mangaluru
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 20187
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 20188
EEEEEDITDITDITDITDITORIALORIALORIALORIALORIAL
The election slated to be
held on May 12 is just a few
days away. Ever since the poll
dates were announced, life has
never been as usual both for
politicians and general public.
The innumerous guidelines in
the name of election model
code of conduct have proved
to be testing times with some
politicians too raising voices
against the too many
restrictions.
As many as five flying
squads, 33 static surveillance
teams, five excise teams and 24 video
surveillance teams are active in the district
to ensure there is no poll code violation.
Still there have been nearly nine violation
cases. So far the total seized unaccounted
cash is Rs 3 lakh while as many as 149
excise law violation cases have been filed
in Dakshina Kannada district.
The election scenario or more
particularly the election arrangements
scenario has seen a vast change over the
years. Due emphasis is now being laid on
voter awareness and to increase the voting
percentage in the district. Young voters
too are sensitized on how each vote counts
and can prove crucial. Several programmes
aimed at encouraging voters to exercise
their franchise are being organised and more
are on the pipeline.
There has been an 11% increase in the
number of voters in Dakshina Kannada as
compared to the figures in 2013. As per
the final voters list, there are 16,67,194
voters in the district as against 15,01,024
voters during the 2013 elections. The
number of young voters too has seen a rise.
If there were 18,256 voters in the 18-19
age group in 2013, this year there are
23,346 young voters.
Voter awareness drives through SVEEP
(Systematic Voters’ Education and
Electoral Participation) Committee led by
Zilla Panchayat CEO M R Ravi is also
doing significant efforts to ensure
maximum voter participation this election.
A toll free helpline is also operative to
assist voters.
In a bid to encourage villagers in Naxal
hit areas of Belthangady taluk to come out
and vote in large numbers, the Deputy
Commissioner Sasikanth Senthil S and SP
Dr B. R. Ravikanthe Gowda visited
Naravi, Kutlur, Sulkeri and other areas and
urged villagers. The top officials also had
interactions with the villagers and reviewed
security arrangements.
Along with EVMs, for the first time
VVPAT machines will also be put to use
this time to nullify any doubt in the minds
of the voters while exercising his franchise
as the VVPAT will be displaying the
printout containing the serial number, party
symbol and the photo of the
candidate he/ she has chosen
for seven seconds.
Awareness programmes
are being conducted at booth
levels regarding EVM and
VVPAT on behalf of the
SVEEP Committee.
In another novel
initiative, the SVEEP
Committee even organised a
multi lingual poets meet
under the leadership of senior
humorist Dundiraj. The
Election Commission has
also taken the initiative to set up 20 pink
polling stations with all women staff in the
district. According to District electoral
officer and Deputy Commissioner S
Sasikanth Senthil five polling stations each
in Mangaluru City South, Mangaluru City
North and Mangaluru constituencies will
be declared as pink booths. Similar booths
will also be set up in Belthangady,
Moodbidri, Bantwal, Puttur and Sullia,
There are also plans to have a couple of
model polling stations. The district
administration has also identified 10,300
physically challenged voters and would
assist in bringing them to the booths on
election day. Transportation arrangements
are also expected to be made in remote
areas.
The District had recorded a total
turnout of 72.38 percent in 2013 Assembly
which was less when compared to the
polling percentage (73.28) in the 2008
Assembly elections. With ceaseless efforts
by the administration to ensure more people
come out and vote, will the district see a
rise in voting percentage this year?
Welcome initiative towards
maximum voter participationAmid the hustle and bustle in the political sphere, the clamour over tickets, the dissidence, the
differences, allegations, counter allegations and political outbursts, the District Administration on
its part is decisively making all arrangements for the smooth conduct of free and fair polls.
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 20189
CCCCCITYITYITYITYITYPPPPPOLITIXOLITIXOLITIXOLITIXOLITIX
O F F T R A C K
Poojary in demandTill recently, none in the
Congress bothered about him
despite him being a veteran
leader and a former union
minister. He was never invited
for Congress meetings or
functions. He was literally
ignored. But no chance of
ignoring him now when
elections are round the corner.
As expected Poojary is much
in demand. Party leaders, more
precisely the election
candidates are making a
beeline to his residence at
Bantwal to seek his blessings. This is believed to be an attempt
by these leaders to garner Billawa votes.
The first leader to visit was Ramanatha Rai who is seeking
re-election from Bantwal followed by JR Lobo and Moidin Bava,
MLAs of Mangaluru South and Mangaluru North respectively
who too are contesting from their respective constituencies.
Indeed a great sight. It was as well amusing to see all of them
touch the feet of the veteran leader who duly blessed them.
After all, everything is fair in love, war and politics.
Sand
stormSand has become more
precious than gold and is being
mined indiscriminately no
matter the rules and the safety
of the river bed. Innumerous
raids have left the sand mafia
undeterred. The recent raid and
seizing of sand and machinery
worth a staggering Rs 60 lakh
from the banks of Phalguni river
at Bantwal reveals the magnitude
of the problem. Where lies the
solution?
Ticketless troublesLosing a ticket seems to be more disappointing for politicians
rather than losing elections. At least that seems to be the case as
of now. The BJP is in for some real trouble in Mangaluru North
where the party has sprang a surprise by choosing a lesser known
person Dr Bharath Shetty. Left in the lurch was former MLA
and former minister Krishna Palemar who was all hope fu l
of getting a ticket to contest this time. He came
out in the open and blamed none other than
MP Nalin Kumar Kateel. “A man for
whose victory I had strived has betrayed
me,” lamented the former minister who
claims he has strived ceaselessly for the
party even after a shocking defeat against
Bava in the 2013 elections. As expected
Nalin has refuted the allegations and
said he has nothing to do with the
selection of candidates and that it was
the party’s decision.
Nonetheless rumours are afloat that the MP has had his way
by getting a ticket for a man of his own community. Palemar too
is quick to point out that the BJP has given tickets to Bunt
candidates in five out of the seven constituencies, with the
remaining one being a reserved seat. Now, it’s upto the leadership
to answer this question.
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201810
DDDDDKKKKK DIARDIARDIARDIARDIARYYYYY
Michelin-starred Chef Vikas Khanna’s
venture, India’s first living culinary
museum that is set to display over 10,000
objects in the near future was inaugurated
recently by Vikas Khanna’s mother in the
presence of Vasanthi R Pai, MAHE Pro
Chancellor Dr H S Ballal, Indira Ballal,
Registrar Dr Narayan Sabahit, Poornima
Baliga and others. Vikas Khanna is the
Founder and Curator of the museum. The
Culinary museum spread approximately
over 25,000 sq ft, is shaped in the form of
a giant pot very similar to the ones found
in Harappa. Located at the Welcome group
Graduate School of Hotel Administration,
Manipal University, the museum is an
attempt at preserving the history of India’s
rich tradition of culinary arts. The museum
already boasts of thousands of objects such
as the plates made by the Portuguese in
India, a 100-year-old ladle used to dole out
food at temples, vessels from the Konkan,
A mini railway station
in the making at
KulshekharThere will be a new addition to Southern
Railway in the form of a mini railway
station near Kulshekhar in Mangaluru. The
works are presently underway and the
station is likely to be completed by this year.
Once the new station becomes
operational it is expected to ease the
congestion at Mangaluru Junction.
Presently works of constructing a tunnel
near Padil is underway. The new railway
station will provide space for stationing
trains whenever there is lack of space at
the Mangaluru Junction platform.
Railway officials state that the Indian
Railways was giving top most priority to
the safety of passengers. Presently, the task
of track doubling from Mangaluru Junction
to Panambur as well as tunnel and
overbridge works are underway, points out
Gopinath, PRO of Sothern Railway.
Vikas Khanna's Culinary Museum inaugurated at Manipal
Udupi and Chettinad regions, bowls dating
to the Harappan era, an ancient samovar
and so on. The display will be in 17
categories including samovars, pots, cups
and saucers; serving dishes; rolling pins,
chulhas, tiffins and containers, churners etc.
District Principal Sessions
Judge KS Beelagi gave a pleasant
shock by stating that he could
not exercise his franchise even
once during the last 32 years of
his service in the judiciary. The
judge was speaking after
inaugurating a blood donation
camp organised by the DK
District SVEEP Committee with
the theme "Blood Donation to
Save Lives, Voting to save
Nation" recently.
"I joined the judicial service
in 1986. During every election year I would have been transferred to some other place
and was deprived of voting," he expressed his regret.
"Once I had been to a polling booth at Gulbarga to cast my vote. But my name was
missing in the voters’ list," he recalled and added he was determined to exercise his
franchise. "I will be casting my vote this time when I am on the verge of retirement," he
said. Judge Mallana Gowda Patil, ZP CEO Dr M R Ravi, District Health Officer Dr
Ramakrishna Rao and others were present.
This District Judge hasn’t voted
even once in last 32 years
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201811
DDDDDKKKKK DIARDIARDIARDIARDIARYYYYY
Several institutions
from coast figure in
NIRF ranking list
A park at Karangalpady which
was in a poor condition and was
renovated and named Arise Awake
Park as part of the Swachhata
Abhiyan of Ramakrishna Mission,
Mangaluru was inaugurated by J R
Lobo, MLA of Mangaluru South.
The task of renovating the place
which had over the years turned out
to be a haven for illegal activities
was taken up by the Mission after
residents approached it as a last
resort. Earlier repeated pleas by
residents to the authorities had fallen
on deaf ears. The Mission after
getting a no-objection certificate from
the MCC took up the renovation and
the result is the beautiful park
complete with a 220-ft-long
acupressure track, a water fountain with LED, a garden, grass lawn, seating and
lighting arrangements. A small footpath has also been laid and a parking area too has
been created nearby.
Swami Jithakamananda, Head of Mangaluru Branch of Ramakrishna Mission and
others were present at the inaugural function.
Several prominent educational
institutes of excellence from the
coastal districts have found a place in
the National Institutional Ranking
Framework (NIRF) 2018 list released
by Union Minister for Human
Resource Development Prakash
Javadekar recently. The ranking has
been provided to educational
institutions of different streams based
on the quality of education, learning
levels, resources, research and skills.
Among medical education
institutions Kasturba Medical
College, Manipal bagged the fourth
place while KMC Mangaluru secured
the 16th spot. In the Architecture
division, the Architecture
Department of Manipal Academy of
Higher Education bagged the tenth
spot.
Among engineering institutes, the
NIT-K Suratkal secured 21st rank
while St. Aloysius College,
Mangaluru bagged the 64th spot
among colleges.
In the Universities ranking list the
Manipal Academy of Higher
Education stood seventh while
Yenepoya deemed university secured
92nd spot.
Among Pharmacy colleges, the
NGSM Institute of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Derlakatte,Mangalure
secured the 25th spot.
A total of 3,954 institutions of the
nation have found a place in this
ranking list.
Arise Awake Park- a glowing
example of Swachh Mission
Mangaluru Airport, NMPT are the CleanestMangaluru International
Airport has been adjudged as the
cleanest airport among the
small airports in the country in
a survey conducted across the
nation in connection with
Swachh Bharath Abhiyan. A
total of 53 small airports were
part of the survey.
VV Rao, Director of
Mangaluru International Airport
Authority received the Award
at a ceremony held at New Delhi on the occasion of the 23rd anniversary of Airport
Authority of India.
Cleanliness aspects at the airport terminal, toilet area, parking area, customer
lounge, commercial outlets as well as road connectivity were inspected and graded.
New Mangalore Port Trust has been ranked in No.1 position among 12
Major ports of the country by the Quality Council of India which was appointed
by Ministry of Shipping, for up keeping the port and its surroundings under Swachh
Bharat Mission.
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201812
IN BLACK&
WHITE
Prof. NARENDRA NAYAK
CCCCCOLOLOLOLOLUMNUMNUMNUMNUMN
WHILE PERPETRATORS HAVE
criminal minds one wonders as to
how politics and religion creeps in. The
attempts in this regard have resulted in some
of the worst incidents that can happen in a
civilized society if we can be called one.
When the case of Jyoti Singh aka as
Nirbhaya stirred the conscience of the whole
nation, the brutal rape and murder of an
eight year old child, the rape of a seventeen
year old child followed by the murder of
her father in police custody have shown
the nation the callousness of the ruling class
to crimes committed by their own gang.
One happened in Kashmir and the other in
Uttar Pradesh but the one which happened
at Dharmasthala, right in our backyard is
yet to reach a conclusion because the CBI
court trying it has been shackled by a
number of legal processes. In fact the tardy
investigation by the CBI, the so called
premier investigation agency of the country
has drawn the wrath of the Karnataka High
Court who have castigated them and
threatened to appoint their own special
investigation team to re-investigate the case.
The brutal rape, the organized methods
tried to hush up the investigation and destroy
the evidence have stirred the conscience of
the whole nation or at least those of our
countrymen who consider it as a most
horrible crime against an innocent child.
The details of the charge sheet are enough
to move even the most stone hearted person
and the organized ways used to destroy
evidence to cause an outrage even in the
hearts of the most timid person. The little
girl belonging to the community called as
Bakerwals who are nomads looking for
pastures for their live stock have been
occupants of the land since centuries. Their
presence caused resentment among the
people in that area in southern Kashmir
because probably their decent, middle class
existence was threatened by these people
who happen to be Muslims. So, it was an
attempt to teach them a lesson by using a
little girl as the subject! She was kidnapped,
sedated, raped for several days and this was
done in a temple! The criminal activity was
in such an organized manner that a man
was invited from far off Meerut to come
over and satisfy his lust. Not only that one
special police officer was also an invitee
who asked them to postpone her killing till
he had his turn at raping this sedated child.
Later on money changed hands and the local
police were bribed to destroy the evidence!
The Politics of
Sexual Crimes
against Children
Gender equality and sensitization isthe only way the society can put acheck on such heinous crimesagainst children and women,writes Prof. Narendra Nayak
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201813
CCCCCOLOLOLOLOLUMNUMNUMNUMNUMN
Prof. NARENDRA NAYAK is a consumeractivist and a rationalist. This is a regular columnand we invite readers’ response. The writer canbe reached at: [email protected]
While attempts have been made to project
this horrendous crime as a result of various
political, religious and regional issues -the
fact remains that an innocent life has been
snuffed out in the most cruel way. While
the accused no 1 is a retired govt. servant
the others include policemen who helped
to destroy the evidence.
While that is the case with these two
girl children, the one of the third one is
totally different. The life lost has been that
of her father who was murdered in police
custody. While the Chief Minister was busy
organizing pardons for many cases of rape
the cries of the seventeen year old rape
victim were not audible to him! The incident
had happened several moths back and the
police had refused to register an FIR. Yes,
this is about the Unnao rape case in which
the MLA of the ruling party Kuldeep Singh
Sengar was the rape accused. The victim
had finally attempted self immolation in
front of the chief minister’s residence. For
this sin her father was beaten up and when
the complaint was lodged with the police,
the complainant himself was arrested. He
was lodged in judicial custody where he
died. The autopsy revealed the cause of
death as septicemia due to perforation of
the colon. How that could happen in judicial
and police custody is any one’s guess!
But none of these moved the supposed
yogi chief minister. It was the Allahabad
High Court which had to ask the chief of
police for the state as to whether he would
wait in another case in which such a serious
offence was alleged to affect an arrest. The
case was handed over to the CBI which
finally arrested the accused MLA. But
would that result in a conviction as its
logical end is any one’s guess. Because even
the so called premier investigation agency
is a caged parrot singing the tunes of the
ruling party!
a knee jerk reaction, handing over the
investigations to an established agency like
the CBI or constitutes a special investigation
team or the court does that and the public
outcry subsides and the incident gets a quiet
burial. Unless the relatives of the victims
or some organization with stamina follows
it, the accused get bail and finally acquitted
by the courts ‘due to lack of evidence’, the
witnesses are bribed, scared into turning
hostile and that is the end of the matter.
Will more strict new laws going to
change the situation? POCSO act has laid
very stringent penalties about sexual
exploitation of children, there are such
about custodial rape and we can even see
allegedly powerful so called godmen like
Asumal Harpalani (alias Asaram Bapu) and
Ram Rahim Insan(?) behind bars. But only
an attitudinal change accepting the female
gender as equals is the ultimate solution to
Most recently a horrendous murder of
an eleven year old girl child has been
reported from Gujarat. It was at Surat that
a body of this child was found with more
than seventy injuries and rape. She has been
not identified as yet. This brings to our
minds the horrible state of affairs in our
country. Rape and murder are both very
serious crimes and the perpetrators getting
away with them is a serious lapse on the
party of the society at large and the
government in particular to protect a
vulnerable section of the society.
Though protests have followed these
horrible incidents, the long term effect is
nonexistent. The ruling combination shows
this age old problem. Instead of telling the
female to avoid dressing temptingly(?)
which of course is a stupid argument
because women wearing the most
conservative of dresses including nuns have
been raped the only way out of this is to
get over the age old patriarchal system
considering the female of the species as a
commodity or a second rate human being.
In every one of the major religions this
attitude is seen and gender equality and
sensitization is the only way out of this.n
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201814
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201815
OF ALL REGIONS, coastal
Karnataka is the hottest and the
most interesting to watch in the
upcoming assembly elections slated to be
held on May 12. This time, all of the sitting
Congress MLAs have been given tickets
in the coast. But in the BJP, there is a
high degree of heartburn with new faces
snatching the tickets. While the Congress
is over confident of a repeat win this time
again, the BJP camp is trying to ride high
by claiming that the region will reject the
politics of minority appeasement and will
vote for saffron party.
The 2018 Assembly election in
Karnataka is being pitched as a direct battle
between incumbent Chief Minister
Siddaramaiah of the Congress Party and
State BJP Chief as well as the party's CM
candidate BS Yeddyurappa who
incidentally had to quit as CM in July 2011
after he was indicted in a corruption
scandal. The battle for Karnataka has been
high-pitched, with both the Congress and
the BJP putting out aggressive campaigns
in the state. While Rahul Gandhi and Amit
Shah are leading the campaigns for the
Congress and BJP respectively, beyond
doubt is a battle between the present CM
Siddaramaiah and former CM, BS
Yeddyurappa.
Since 1994, Dakshina Kannada,
Udupi, Uttara Kannada and
Chikkamagaluru districts, comprising the
state’s coastal region, have contributed a
big quota of BJP MLAs. In 2004, the BJP
won 14 of the 24 seats in these districts
(out of a total of 224 in the state
legislature), while the Congress managed
to win just five. In a reverse effect, the
Congress won 14 and the BJP five in the
2013 Assembly election. However, the
BJP won all three parliamentary
constituencies of the four districts in 2014.
The BJP nominations for DK seats,
especially Mangaluru City South, had
turned into a guessing game for the last
few weeks as there were said to be several
contenders who were vying with each other
for the seats. The release of the third list
that too after keeping the people of the
state on tenterhooks for several days saw
the inclusion of Vedavyas Kamath as the
candidate for Mangaluru City South, Dr.
Bharath Shetty for Mangaluru City North
and Santosh Kumar Rai for Mangaluru
(Ullal) . They are pitted against their main
rivals J. R. Lobo, Moidin Bava and
minister U. T. Khader, all incumbent
Congress MLAs. All three BJP nominees
are fresh faces who have never faced an
election before. Vedavyas Kamath
replaces four-time MLA N Yogish Bhat,
while Dr. Bharath Shetty replaces former
District in-charge minister J. Krishna
Palemar.
The CPM has fielded Sunil Kumar
Bajal from Mangaluru South while Madan,
a former cop who quit service recently is
contesting as an independent. An expelled
BJP man Shrikar Prabhu is also contesting
this time as an independent much to the
resentment of the saffron party.
But, not everything is fine in the top
MANGALORE
Voters: 190361
Male: 93708 Female: 96653
Congress
BJP
VS
U.T. KHADER SANTHOSH KUMAR
MANGALORE SOUTH
Voters: 230351
Male: 110318 Female: 120033
Congress
BJP
VS
J R LOBO VEDAVYAS KAMATH
MANGALORE NORTH
Voters: 228025
Male: 111448 Female: 116577
Congress
BJP
VS
MOIDEEN BAVA BHARATH SHETTY
JR Lobo along with large number ofsupporters filed nomination paper forthe 2nd time from Mangalore South.
CCCCCOOOOOVERVERVERVERVER STSTSTSTSTORORORORORYYYYY
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201816
parties. Former MLA and former minister
J Krishna Palemar who was one of the
aspirants from Mangaluru North, a
constituency which he had once
represented seems to be utterly
disappointed over the party decision to
grant a ticket to Dr Bharath Shetty who
will face the Congress candidate, sitting
MLA, B A Moidin Bava. Muneer
Katipalla is the CPI(M) candidate for
Mangaluru North constituency.
Palemar has openly aired his
resentment and has held Dakshina Kannada
MP, Nalin Kumar Kateel responsible for
the same. He claimed that State BJP Chief
Yeddyurappa had promised a ticket to him
and alleged that he missed a ticket due to
the ploy of a few. However, Nalin was
quick to react and say he has nothing to
do with the selection of candidates.
Meanwhile, another ticket aspirant
from Mangaluru North, Satyajith Suratkal
too is disappointed and was reportedly
contemplating to contest as an independent
after discussions with his supporters.
However, latest reports indicate he has
refrained from contesting but would also
remain away from campaigning.
The Congress too had to face some
heat in Mangaluru North when former
MLA Vijaykumar Shetty was dumped for
the third time to pave way for Bava.
In Mulki-Moodbidri constituency, four
time MLA and former minister for youth
empowerment, sports and fisheries K
Abhayachandra Jain filed nomination and
is facing the election for the fifth time.
Here too the Congress was in for trouble
with District Youth Congress President
Mithun Rai who was one of the strong
contenders for a ticket facing utter
disappointment, The District Youth
Congress as well as NSUI office bearers
had also tendered their resignations quit
enmasse to protest denial of ticket to their
leader.
However, the dust seems to have
settled as of now, with Mithun who had
been to Delhi, reportedly to air his grouse,
returning and saying everything has been
sorted out and he would strive for the
BELTHANGADY
Voters: 213875
Male: 107230 Female: 106645
Congress
BJP
VS
VASANTH
BANGERA
HARISH
POONJA
BANTWAL
Voters: 230351
Male: 107233 Female: 108794
Congress
BJP
VS
RAMANATH
RAI
RAJESH NAIK
MOODABIDRI
Voters: 194947
Male: 94397 Female: 100550
Congress
BJP
VS
ABHAYACHANDRA
JAIN
UMANATH
KOTYAN
BJP's candidate for Mangaluru South constituency,
Vedavyas Kamath filed his nomination papers amidst a
crowd of loyal supporters
CCCCCOOOOOVERVERVERVERVER STSTSTSTSTORORORORORYYYYY
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201817
victory of the party in all eight
constituencies in the district. The BJP has
fielded Umanath Kotian from Moodbidri.
DK District in-charge Minister and
Minister for Forest, Environment and
Ecology, Bellippadi Ramanath Rai filed
nomination for the 8th time from Bantwal
assembly constituency. He won six
elections from 1985 to 2013.
"Congress is my religion. I am not
contesting in any religion’s name. People
of Bantwal have blessed me in the last six
elections. I have worked as minister for
home, excise, transport, Fisheries and
Ports, and forest departments. I don’t want
to reiterate my achievements. However, I
can assure people of the constituency that
I will work more if I am elected," Rai
said.
The BJP has fielded Rajesh Naik
Ulipady against Ramanath Rai, his arch
rival since the past two elections. Speaking
at a BJP workers convention at Bantwal,
MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said, “If BJP wins
in Bantwal, it would be equal to winning
seven constituencies in Dakshina
Kannada." Well, that explains the
significance of this constituency
represented by the Congress heavyweight.\
In a move, that has brought smiles in
the Congress camp in Bantwal, the Social
Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has
withdrawn its candidate Mohammad
Riyaz from Bantwal Assembly
constituency. It is believed that the SDPI
took this decision to prevent the division
of Muslim votes thereby affecting
prospects of secular forces.
In Mangaluru (erstwhile Ullal), sitting
MLA and State Minister for Food and
Civil Supplies U T Khader will face
Santosh Rai Boliyar from the BJP who
seems to be having bleak chances
considering the popularity of Khader.
Former mayor of Mangaluru and ex-
Congressman K Ashraf who had defected
to JD(S) sometime back, is the JD(S)
candidate from Mangaluru constituency.
Karkala in Udupi district is another
constituency where the Congress had to
face some heat from its own men. Gopal
Bhandary, a former Congress MLA who
was given a ticket by the party has filed
his nomination amid some uneasiness as
his candidature has been vehemently
opposed by supporters of Uday Kumar
Shetty Muniyalu who was very much keen
to contest. Bhandary however has made
his stance clear, that he has no personal
enmity against anyone and that he is
confident of winning.
In fact, Karkala was a constituency
that raked up a lot of interest initially as
former CM and former union minister
Veerappa Moily had shown strong
SULLIA
Voters: 195305
Male: 97502 Female: 97803
Congress
BJP
VS
DR B RAGHU S. ANGARA
PUTTUR
Voters: 197923
Male: 98928 Female: 98995
Congress
BJP
VS
SAKUNTHALA
SHETTY
SANJEEVA
MATTANDOOR
Bellipadi Ramanath Rai filed nomination paper
for the 8th time from Bantwal constituency
Moideen Bava
campaigning at
Surathkal
CCCCCOOOOOVERVERVERVERVER STSTSTSTSTORORORORORYYYYY
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201818
WHILE MUCH ANGER
has been directed at the
sitting MLAs and the state
government, the chief minister
continues to enjoy popularity. On
the other hand, even with a popular
CM candidate, the BJP is unable
to gain from the anti-incumbency
sentiment, mostly because of
extreme infighting within the rank
and file of the party. The CM leads
the pack in the popularity race as
well.
In a poll on the most preferred
candidate for the top slot, the
sitting CM Siddaramaiah, had a
clear edge. But the edge varies at
the regional level, as the opposition
candidate also happens to be a
popular choice. Among Congress
supporters, over 75 percent approve of
Siddaramaiah, while the other Congress
candidates don’t even reach double digits
in their approval ratings. No surprise that
the House of Congress looks undivided
and has accepted the popular face of
Siddaramaiah’s leadership in the run-up
to the polls.
However, Siddaramaiah’s lead in the
popularity chart in Karnataka is not as
huge as the startling lead of Modi on the
PM popularity chart. In short, the
Congress CM may be popular, but the
runner-up CM candidate of BJP is not
too far behind. It is not a one-way traffic
as seen in national level popularity charts.
Give Congress a second
chance
Almost 45 percent of electorate in
Karnataka are of the opinion that the
Siddaramaiah-led Congress government
in Karnataka should be given another
chance. Support for giving the party a
second chance is particularly high among
Muslims (65 percent). Among Hindus
44 percent feel Congress deserves a second
chance. According to the caste-wise
breakup, 55 percent Kubras and 53 percent
Dalits believe Congress should get a
second chance. Only 37 percent Lingayats
and 36 percent Brahmins believe the same.
Issues of concern
Unemployment seems to be the biggest
issue of concern in Karnataka with 22
percent of respondents saying it is an issue
that concerns them the most. Price rise,
corruption and lack of access to drinking
water are among the other top issues of
concern, according to the India Today-
Karvy Insights opinion poll.
Siddaramaiah did fairly well
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has
scored fairly well after being in power for
five years. 38 percent of people have rated
the performance of Siddaramaiah as very
good or good while another 31 percent
have rated it average. Less than 30 percent
feel that Siddaramaiah's performance is
not up to the mark. The perception that
Siddaramaiah's performance has
been very good or good is
relatively weaker among the
Vokkaligas, Lingayats and
Brahmins.
CM vs Former CM
Who will be Karnataka's next
chief minister? According to 33
percent of those polled
Siddaramaiah is best suited to be
the next chief minister, while
Yeddyurappa gets the support of
26 percent. HD Kumaraswamy, on
the other hand, is the favourite of
21 percent of people.
Life is largely the same
For 46 percent of people in
Karantaka, their lives over the last
five years of Congress rule have
remained the same. On the other hand
30 percent believe that their lives have
become better while only 19 percent say
that their lives have become worse.
Jobs in Karnataka
Underlining the belief that
unemployment is the biggest issue of
concern in Karnataka, as many as 56
percent of people believe that there is
either a serious lack of jobs in the state
or that unemployment has become worse
over the last five years. Only 33 pre cent
are optimistic about the jobs situation in
Karnataka.
Corrupt Congress
A significant 40 percent of people
believe the Congress is corrupt while
nearly half of that find the BJP to be
most corrupt. Similarly, nearly 50
percent of people believe that over the
last five years of the Congress
government, corruption has either
significantly or somewhat increased.
WHAT PRE-POLL SURVEYS SAY...
CCCCCOOOOOVERVERVERVERVER STSTSTSTSTORORORORORYYYYY
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201819
inclination towards fielding his son Harsha
Moily from here. However, he had later
backtracked after the tweet row over
alleged influence of money in giving
Congress party's tickets to the aspirants.
Thus Karkala will this time will see a
keenly contested battle between BJP's
sitting MLA Sunil Kumar and Gopal
Bhandary.
In Sullia reserved constituency,
Congress has fielded Dr Raghu for the
fourth time. A tough fight is expected in
the Sullia Constituency as it has been held
by BJP candidate for the last five term.
This time, the trend is said to be in
favour of Dr. Raghu who has been
improving his popularity steadily. In 2013
Dr. Raghu had lost the elections by a
narrow margin of 1373 votes. Dr. Raghu
had secured 64540 votes, while Angara
UDUPI
Voters: 203777
Male: 98759 Female: 105015 Others: 3
Congress
BJP
VS
PRAMOD
MADHWARAJ
RAGHUPATHI
BHAT
KAPU
Voters: 179794
Male: 85446 Female: 94347 Others: 1
Congress
BJP
VS
VINAY KUMAR
SORAKE
LALAJI
MENDON
BYNDOOR
Voters: 218863
Male: 106196 Female: 112653 Others: 14
Congress
BJP
VS
K GOPAL
POOJARY
B SUKUMAR
SHETTY
KARKALA
Voters: 179008
Male: 85676 Female: 93331 Others: 1
Congress
BJP
VS
GOPAL
BHANDARY
SUNIL KUMAR
KUNDAPUR
Voters: 197061
Male: 94653 Female: 102408 Others: 0
Congress
BJP
VS
RAKESH MALLI HALADI SRINIVAS
SHETTY
had secured 65913 votes last time.
Belthangady will see a direct fight
between sitting MLA Vasanth Bangera and
BJP candidate Harish Poonja.
In Puttur it will be an interesting battle
on cards between sitting Congress MLA
Shakuntala Shetty who is an ex-BJP leader
and District BJP Chief Sanjeeva
Matandoor.
In Udupi district, former BJP MLA
Raghupathi Bhat is the nominee for Udupi
constituency and Lalaji Mendon for Kaup.
Both the candidates are old timers and are
pitted against sitting minister Pramod
Madhwaraj and ex-minister Vinay Kumar
Sorake of Congress respectively.
Raghupathi Bhat had dropped out of
the race in the last assembly election after
an infamous sex CD allegedly featuring
him had surfaced.
The BJP's choice of candidate in
Udupi doesn’t promise a shift in favour of
the party as sitting MLA, influential
Mogaveera leader and state minister
Pramod Madhwaraj will certainly give a
tough fight to Raghupathi Bhat. Though
rumours were rife until recently that
Madhwaraj would shift base to the BJP,
everything has been put to rest with him
filing his nomination.
Meanwhile, Sri Lakshmivara Theertha
CCCCCOOOOOVERVERVERVERVER STSTSTSTSTORORORORORYYYYY
UT Khader shows
victory sign after
filing his nomination
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201820
Swamiji of Shiroor Mutt, who had filed
his nomination as an independent, after
he could not get a ticket from BJP as
wished by him, has withdrawn his
nomination despite stating time and again
that he would not withdraw. "I have
withdrawn with to pledge support to Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and BJP
President Amit Shah," the seer stated and
also added that the party has agreed to
consider his demands.
Had he remained in the fray, then he
would have been the first seer in the history
of the Ashta Mutts to contest the elections.
Nonetheless, he now turns to be the first
seer to at least have filed a nomination for
the elections.
Anupama Shenoy, former Deputy
Superintendent of Police who founded the
Bharatiya Janashakti Party would be
contesting from the Kaup Assembly
Constituency in Udupi district.
Shenoy said she has chosen Kaup
because she was from that place and knew
more people there. The incumbent MLA
Vinay Kumar Sorake, had become active
only in the last one-and-a-half years, she
alleges. In Kaup, Anupama will fight
against Sorake and BJP's Lalaji Mendon.
Kundapur is another constituency
where there is said to be dissidence in the
BJP mainly over the candidature of
Halady Srinivas Shetty who had last time
contested as an independent and won. He
had quit the BJP after he was denied a
cabinet berth in the eleventh hour during
the Yeddyurappa regime. The Congress
has fielded INTUC leader Rakesh Malli.
In Byndoor which has the highest
number of candidates (Nine), the
Congress has fielded K Gopal Poojary.
Sukumar Shetty is the BJP candidate.
The newly formed Sasantra Tulunad
Paksha is fielding its candidates in all
Assembly constituencies in Udupi district
and all Assembly constituencies in
REBELS: Srikar Prabhu who was expelled from BJP
after 2014 Lok Sabha polls for anti-party activities,
has now filed his nomination from Mangaluru South
constituency as an independent, while Congress
corporator and former Mayor K Ashraf who joined
JDs, submitted nomination from Mangaluru
constituency.
CCCCCOOOOOVERVERVERVERVER STSTSTSTSTORORORORORYYYYY
Madan, a former cop who quit service recently
is contesting as an independent.
The CPM has fielded Sunil Kumar Bajal from
Mangaluru South.
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201821
4,96,82,357 voters
Dakshina Kannada district. Aikalbawa
Chittaranjandas Shetty, President of the
Udupi district unit of the Paksha, said that
the aim of the party was to protect and
promote Tulu language, the culture and
environment of Tulunadu. The party had
already selected three candidates -
Sudarshan Poojary for Udupi Assembly
Constituency, Sumanth K. Poojary for
Karkala Assembly Constituency, and
Vidyashri Shetty for Puttur Assembly
Constituency in Dakshina Kannada. All
these remained a hollow threat.
Akhila Bharatha Hindu Mahasabha’s
State unit President Na. Subrahmanya
Raju has said that the Sabha would be
fielding its candidates from 30
constituencies in the upcoming Assembly
elections. Apart from the Mahasabha, the
Sampoorna Bharatiya Kranti Paksha is
fielding its candidates from 15
constituencies and the Sri Rama Sene led
by Pramod Mutalik will have its candidates
from 35 constituencies.
He also stated that a separate saffron
outfit comprising Shiva Sene, Sri Rama
Sene, Hindu Jana Jagruthi Samithi, Hindu
Mahasabha and Sampoorna Bharatiya
Kranthi Paksha would be formed later.
He said all saffron outfits would come
together to fight elections unitedly with
the objective of having clean politics.
Top leaders to Coast
Top leaders from BJP, Congress and
JD(S) are expected to campaign in the
coast in the next few days. Congress
President Rahul Gandhi who had recently
taken part in Janashirvada Yatra has
already visited the district again. In
Mangaluru, he released the Congress
manifesto, and later addressed a mammoth
rally in Bantwal, the home constituency
of DK District in-charge Minister and
Bantwal candidate B Ramanatha Rai.
Rahul also visited Dharmasthala during
the course of his visit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the
star campaigner of the BJP is likely to visit
the region in the first week of May. BJP
The total number of voters as per the draft
electoral rolls stands at 4,90,06,901
(approximately 4.90 crore), however the total
number of voters as per the final electoral rolls
stood at 4,96,82,357 (approximately 4.96 crore).
Voting will happen in a single phase across the
state.
The number of polling stations in Karnataka
have gone up by 9 per cent since the previous
assembly election in the state five years ago. The
total number of polling stations for the 2018
assembly election are 56,696. In 2013, the total
number of polling stations were 52,034. The election commission had announced
that All-women managed polling stations will be set up in Karnataka for the first
time, where the entire staff including polling staff, security, police personnel, etc
will be women. One such station shall be set up in each of the 224 constituencies.
Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail
(VVPATs) will be used in all the polling stations across Karnataka. A two-stage
randomisation of EVMs and VVPATs will also be done to enhance the transparency
and credibility of the election.
BJP, Congress, Janata Dal (Secular) and Janata Dal (United) are the major
parties contesting the elections. Some of the other regional parties include Coorg
National Council, Karnataka Congress Party, Karnataka Vikas Party, Kannada
Chalavali Vatal Paksha and Karnataka Kranti Ranga. These regional parties have
an influence in their respective regions and respective castes, and will play an
important role in case the major parties fall short of a majority mandate. Yogendra
Yadav's Swaraj India will also be contesting the election.
The Lingayat votes which constitute around 17 per cent of Karnataka's overall
population is expected to play a crucial role in the upcoming election with the
Siddaramaiah-led Congress government proposing granting of a separate religious
minority status to Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats. The Lingayat community
account for around 17 per cent of Karnataka's overall population. Though Lingayats
are considered traditional BJP supporters will they support the Congress this time
is a question that has led to a lot many speculations.
CCCCCOOOOOVERVERVERVERVER STSTSTSTSTORORORORORYYYYY
Pramod Madhwaraj
submitting nomination
from Udupi.
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201822
Chief Amit Shah and UP Chief Minister
Yogi Adityanath too are expected to visit
the district.
JD(S) President HD Devegowda and
State JD(S) Chief HD Kumaraswamy are
likely to campaign for the party in all the
eight constituencies of the district.
Ask senior leaders and they have their
own opinion on what the scenario would
be like in the Karnataka elections. Former
CM and former union minister M
Veerappa Moily says single seat will
witness a tough fight among the three
parties in the fray and ruled out his party
entering into any post-poll alliance with
the JD(S). The Congress is in a much
better situation in the state unlike the BJP,
money power and fanaticism of BJP will
iron ore mining in the state in July 2011
that had severely indicted former chief
minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, is “saddened”
that the Bharatiya Janata Party has
nominated the very same person as its chief
ministerial candidate in the upcoming
assembly elections despite his report had
“foolproof” and clinching evidence against
Yeddyurappa and his sons receiving
“bribes” from mining companies and
granting them illegal favours.
"The state government and other law-
enforcing agencies had not diligently
pursued the cases against the former chief
minister and his family members," Justice
Hegde regrets.
On the other hand Udupi-
Chikkamagaluru BJP MP Shobha
Karandlaje states so - "The people of the
state are all set to pull the government
down. "The BJP will come to power in
the state "she strikes a note of optimism
and does not forget to add that
“Siddaramaiah-led government in
Karnataka is the worst government.”
Ultimately, it is the discerning voter
who will be the deciding force. Whom will
he choose? Will the voters ride along with
the Congress which is banking upon its
populist schemes or do they want to give
BJP another chance?n
not work in the state," he asserts and adds
that there is no Modi wave. Even the
BJP's CM candidate B S Yeddyurappa's
image is dented, states Moily.
Former Lokayukta of Karnataka,
Justice N. Santosh Hegde, who had
prepared a voluminous report on illegal
Congress manifesto released
by Rahul, Promise to make
Mangaluru a Silicon City
BJP national president
Amit Shah addressing a
press meet in Surathkal
JD(S) Chief HD Kumaraswamy in Mangaluru
CCCCCOOOOOVERVERVERVERVER STSTSTSTSTORORORORORYYYYY
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201823
By SRINIVASAN NANDAGOPAL
WALKING DOWN THE
memory lane to about
twenty years, I was witness
to a shift of tide in electioneering. The
Circuit House of Today was then the hub
of activities where one aspirant hobnobbed
with the other to gain a ticket for the
constituency of his choice. The
hobnobbing is on even today, but on the
other side of the spectrum. The tide has
turned and so has the politics of Dakshina
Kannada.
I am sure, those who have seen those
days, will smile a bit as they read the
preface of my analysis of the all important
elections of 2018 which will in a way
determine the course of political activities
in the run up for the national political
scenario in almost an year to come. While
some term this region as the Crucible of
Hindutva agenda while others define it as
the Experimental laboratory of Right
Winged ideology to flap its wings in the
south.
Let me take you through the coastal
district of Dakshina Kannada which stands
at a threshold of a mixed mindset, confused
and not convinced with any of their leaders
who have led them to this state of affairs.
Development no longer is the bone of
contention here as in most of the country.
Specific agenda of respective political
parties have been thrown to dust as people
of this literate district have shown their so
called leaders - the political
representatives, their place, sending them
to the legislature and also defeating
candidates in equal measures.
The Karnataka elections of 2018 is
seen as the semi finals to the ensuing Lok
Sabha elections next year and Dakshina
Kannada is no different. However, as we
watched the final moments of filing of
nominations, an interesting situation comes
to fore, especially in the selection of
candidates in the saffron brigade. That is
where I compared the present BJP to the
Congress of the past. While it was certain
that all the sitting MLAs of the Congress
would be given the B-Forms, it was in the
BJP that we saw hectic lobbying, alleged
back biting and finally disgruntled
elements raising noise of foul play by local
MP and some leaders of the party.
With the battle lines now drawn, the
fight is all set to be a fight till finish.
Viewing the candidates of the BJP in some
of the constituencies, the sitting Congress
MLAs and minister may become a bit
complacent. However, the confidence of
the BJP top brass in fielding their
candidates is being logically justified. I
am in no way predicting any result through
this article.
We like it or not, more than political
ideologies and development agenda (if at
all there is one), it is the caste and
community politics that play a pivotal role
in the results of the elections at this level.
With four Bunts, a Billawa, a Gowda, a
GSB and an ST candidate, the BJP has
mustered all the courage to face the
onslaught of the predominant Billawa and
other backward communities in the region.
However, they are only banking on the
polarised votes of the Hindus at large.
According to party functionaries, the
selection of candidates will affect the
results as the odds have turned against
them in at least three of the eight
constituencies, namely Suratkal, Ullal and
Belthangady. Going by the candidates,
superficially, it is imminent that Dakshina
Kannada is most likely to see a repeat
performance of all the victors at it was
five years ago. But the ground realities
are a bit too complex as we dig deeper.
The straight fight between the two ST
candidates in the reserved constituency of
Sullia is always regarded as a cake walk
for the saffron brigade due to the strong
A Mixed Fried Rice Of Politics:
Dakshina Kannada Today
OPINIONOPINIONOPINIONOPINIONOPINION
CCCCCOOOOOVERVERVERVERVER STSTSTSTSTORORORORORYYYYY
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201824
footing of RSS workers in the grass root
level. Though the margin of victory has
diminished over the years, Angara has
scrapped through victorious for five
consecutive terms. This time too, it will
be that extra effort of Dr. Raghu that will
be needed to give a befitting reply to the
winning spree of his arch rival.
The Billawa dominated Belthangady
constituency is again contested by political
stalwart Vasanth Bangera (from Congress)
who is known for winning irrespective of
the party that has fielded him. This time
too, it should not be an uphill task for this
seasoned politician to return victorious but
for his ailing health conditions. The
political novice Harish Poonja’s
youthfulness is being seen as a plus by the
BJP as he is going overboard in
campaigning ever since his name got
thumbs up by the party high command.
Will his enthusiasm with the under currents
of disgruntled Ranjan Gowda (Son of
Former Minister Gangadhar Gowda) and
Mahesh Shetty Thimarody (shot to fame
in the fight for justice in Saujanya Murder
case), remains to be seen in this battle
between David and Goliath.
Coming to the traditional stronghold of
Sangh Parivar, Puttur, sitting Congress
MLA Shakuntala Shetty is working really
hard to safeguard her seat against the BJP
district president Sanjeeva Matandur who
seems to have garnered the confidence of
the party cadres at the ground level and
also empathised by the reasonably high
number of voters from the Bunt community.
It is interesting that at the ground level, all
close aides of Shakku Akka (as the MLA
is fondly known) are all foot soldiers of
RSS and BJP which introduced her to
electoral politics, paving way to become
MLA for two terms as BJP candidate.
Another bigwig (literally and
politically) who is eyeing for his eighth
tenure as the legislature is the Forest
Minister B Ramanath Rai. His clout among
the minorities is attributed to his successful
conquests through the decades (Except
once when he lost to BJP’s Nagaraj
Shetty). His opponent, businessman and
progressive farmer of repute Ulepadi
Rajesh Naik has been rather soft in his
approach since the past five years when
he first tasted defeat against the political
heavy weight. However, this time round,
the presence of Congress ousted Billawa
leader Harikrishna Bantwal and his
electioneering experience may come handy
to Naik, as Bantwal is known for his
expertise in strategising ‘how to defeat a
candidate’.
The strong opposition to his re-
nomination Jain among the youth in the
Congress, the consolidation of right wing
cadres with rising strength of fringe outfits
like the Bajrang Dal and the instinctively
aggressive charater of Abhayachandra Jain
are seen as a few of the factors indicating
that the going is not easy for him this time
in Mulki-Moodabidri constituency.
Despite a strong voice of decent by local
BJP strongman Jagadish Adhikari, the BJP
nominee Umanath Kotian seems to be
confident to pull a surprise this time after
his desperate attempt to wrest the seat from
Jain five years ago.
The three seats of Mangalore surprises
very many political analysts in more than
a way. It was probably for the first time
in more than three decades that all three
seats, Mangalore (Ullal), Mangalore South
(Mangalore City) and Mangalore North
(Suratkal) are being defended by members
of one political party, that too the one
ruling the state. It was evident that all the
three sitting MLAs minister U T Khader,
J R Lobo and Moideen Bava were obvious
choice for the Congress candidature unlike
in the past when the candidature would
not be predicted till the last moment.
The comedy of errors, now seem to
have shifted to the Saffron front. Till a
day before the date of nomination, one was
left to wonder about the candidature with
hectic lobbying by multiple candidates.
The churning ended with the announcing
of three new young faces to the coastline.
It will be nothing short of a miracle if the
trio Santosh Kumar Rai, Vedavyas Kamath
and Dr. Bharath Shetty pulls up a win in
the respective constituencies. Noting can
be accurately predicted in this war that
has gone miles beyond the realms of
democratic spirit as candidates themselves
have declared it a “War against Ram and
Rahim”.n
The author is a senior journalist andpolitical analyst. He is presently theConvenor of Centre for Integrated
Learning.
CCCCCOOOOOVERVERVERVERVER STSTSTSTSTORORORORORYYYYY
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201825
Dr. G. SHREEKUMAR MENON
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING
appointed as Election Observer by the
Election Commission of India in
Chamoli, Palghat, Satara and Jaipur, to
monitor different General Elections. It was
a rich experience giving a deep insight into
the intricate workings of the electoral
process and the myriad problems connected
with it. In each Constituency itself hundreds
of officials drawn from Central and State
government departments from all ranks and
cadres, toil day and night, for the smooth
conduct of the elections, which is a
mammoth exercise, unlike anywhere else
in the world!
Elections in India do not mean that the
meritorious candidate wins. Very often a
host of sociological, political and economic
factors compel the electorate to make
choices where merit is not given due
weightage. This in turn has affected the
quality of governance and affected the
progress of the country. Whether it is GDP,
Health index, global rankings in education
or other parameters, India is not placed
comfortably. Though we claim to be the
world’s biggest democracy, trenchant
observers will note that, the system has
deteriorated, to becoming, a periodic clash
between different political ideologies, and
citizens being compelled to take sides in a
game of ideological warfare. Democracy
as conceived and practiced today in India
is – by the political party, of the political
party and for the political party. The
political party is pre-eminent, undermining
the importance of the nation itself. 3M’s
determine the growth and stability of all
political parties in India – money power,
muscle power and media support. To
augment money power, corruption is
needed, and to consolidate and perpetuate
it, political families are needed. Muscle
power and media support, are automatically
acquired with growth in financial strength.
Amassing incredible wealth is thus the key
goal of all political parties. The scams of
all kinds that litter the political landscape
are a testimony of the insatiable greed for
money by political parties. Towards this
goal it has been ensured that other pillars
of the government are emasculated and
made irrelevant. The routine swindling of
banks, financial institutions and Temple
Hundis are a striking feature of independent
India. Savings of the common man are
knocked off by cheats posing as business
magnates. Looting of Temple Hundis has
been institutionalized by political appointees
whose sole objective is to siphon off Temple
offerings. There is no proper accountal of
funds collected, spent or diverted by these
political appointees. Since there is no
regular audit and zero transparency, looting
becomes a simple task. Imagine the scale
of corruption! Political parties try to keep
the electorate happy by offering various free
schemes. In many States, the people have
no need to work, for there are a host of
free schemes, catering for requirements
from cradle to grave, thereby ruining their
careers and personal growth.
Consider the frequent clashes occurring
between the Legislature, Executive and
Judiciary. How do we stop this rot? All
political parties fight elections to gain brute
majority so that they are not answerable to
anybody. Three fourths majority is the
target that gives them the license to run
amok and indulge in wholesale corruption.
This greed for unassailable power is often
reinforced by unleashing the spectre of
violence and sordid brutality as seen in
many districts in the country.
Ayn Rand explained why the idea of
Democracy is actually evil:
“Democratic” in its original meaning
[refers to] unlimited majority rule... a social
system in which one’s work, one’s property,
one’s mind, and one’s life are at the mercy
of any gang that may muster the vote of a
majority at any moment for any purpose."
It is only the electorate that can rein in
truant political parties. How can this be
achieved? In our electoral system,
candidates are thrust by the political parties
on a constituency. The people have no say
whatsoever as to who they prefer to contest
in a constituency. It is a straight fight
Phalanx ofIndependents
OOOOOPINIONPINIONPINIONPINIONPINION
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201826
between pre determined candidates put up
by opposing political entities. Though, there
is now a NOTA (None of the above) option,
it is not able to control the election trade
and foisting of unwanted candidates upon a
constituency, and the victory of an
undesirable. What could be the solution for
this intractable problem?
My considered opinion is that the
electorate should encourage meritorious
independent candidates. The term
‘independent’ has good connotations. It
conveys images of self-reliance, freedom,
and open-mindedness. But, when the word
is linked with ‘candidate’ at election time,
the reaction may not be enthusiastic. Many
voters view an independent candidate as
an anomaly, to be seen as one of the names
on the ballot to be ignored, or viewed as a
maverick who is making a futile attempt in
a party dominated world. But, an
Independent Member of Parliament/
Legislative Assembly can achieve the best
results from the Government for their
constituents. Independents are generally
able to vote according to their beliefs and
the perceived will of their electorate,
whereas members who belong to political
parties can only follow the party line on
every issue. If a substantial number of
independents can make it to Panchayats/
Corporations/Legislative Assembly and
Parliament, it can redefine the political
landscape of our country. Non party
Parliamentarians and Legislators can have
a significant impact on State and Central
politics. As the support for the major parties
fragment, high profile, locally admired
personalities can gain electoral support.
There are many distinguished retired civil
servants, police officers, decorated officers
from the defense forces, professionals from
the medical, engineering, and banking
sectors, respected teachers and professors
from the educational sector, and
accomplished artists, who can make a
meaningful contribution to change this
political landscape. It is heartening to see
many young police officers quitting their
jobs in Karnataka, and preparing to contest
in the ensuing elections. More and more
professionals have to come forward so that
the electorate can have a diverse choice.
The presence of a large number of educated
and knowledgeable candidates, in the
electoral fray, can be a trend setter in Indian
politics. It is sad to see youngsters keep
away from politics. Without a constant
influx of youngsters into the electoral arena,
the dynamism of the nation cannot be kept
alive. Youth participation in politics in
Europe and U.S.A. is also very low. This
is the reason why voters elect the same
parties over and over again, as also the same
candidates or their chosen family members.
It only indicates that the democratic process
is malfunctioning.
Australia has one of the lowest levels
of party membership and more independent
politicians per capita than any comparable
western country. Also, Australia is home
to more non-party independent
parliamentarians than any other comparable
Western country. Ian Marsh states “The
habits and practices of two-party politics
are deeply ingrained. Those most ambitious
for power have the deepest stake in current
arrangements. The only hope is for new
political forces outside the existing structure
of party politics.... The renovation of our
present political policy-making system is a
potential unintended consequence of the rise
of independents.”
The longest-serving Independent in any
Australian Parliament was Thomas Aikens,
who represented the electorate of
Townsville South in the Queensland
Parliament from 1944 to 1977. Mr Aikens
served 12 continuous terms as an
Independent Member of Parliament.
This is an extremely opportune time for
Independents. In the United Kingdom, Dai
Davies, who won Blaenau Gwent byelection
for his grouping, the People's Voice, in
2006, states "The party structures have lost
the plot," he says. "They don't understand
individual constituencies. They think we're
all the same. We're not. People feel let down
by the Labour party in many ways. They're
not listening, and are taking their heartlands
for granted. The very areas of this country
that built the Labour party have been
abandoned. They've abandoned communities
for the big bucks. The banking system is a
prime example of it. I take nothing for
granted, but I'm hopeful that the community
of Blaenau Gwent will realise that the way
the party structures are at the moment, there
is no chance [for an individual MP] to say
'This is wrong, stop it', because within that
party structure you're swallowed up. The
whip system has destroyed democracy."
Colin Copus, professor of local politics
at De Montfort University and author of
Party Politics and Local Government, says
that “the election of independent mayors and
the number of independent councillors show
that the electorate is willing to embrace non-
party figures, and believes that it can be an
antidote to traditional politics. “Independents
offer an approach that doesn't have a great
ideological scheme of the world, and is less
likely to degenerate into party political point-
scoring and yah-boo politics. Parties have
their role to play within any form of
democracy, and I'm not arguing for party-
free government. But parties produce a
political discourse that is really about the
advancement of party interests, and we need
competition from people who think
differently and are able to oppose parties. It
is argued that political parties make
government easy, but I don't want
government to be easy. The more
independents and other groups engaged in
parliament and engaged in local government,
the harder it is to govern, and that's good. It
results in a more discursive, more engaged,
more consensus-oriented type of politics."
Independents planning to contest in the
upcoming Karnataka Legislative Assembly
Elections 2018 can plan a network of
independents across the State to make a
coherent statewide challenge to the
established parties. Politics in India is today
an elite sport, only a diverse crowd of
independents can help in the much-needed
renewal of simple public life.n
OOOOOPINIONPINIONPINIONPINIONPINION
Dr G ShreeKumar Menon, IRS (Rtd) Ph.D (Narcotics)
is a Former Director General, National Academy of
Customs Excise and Narcotics & Multi Disciplinary
School of Economic Intelligence. He presently serves
as Registrar, Yenepoya University, Mangalore. He may
be reached at [email protected]
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201827
By SATYA REDDY
On December 11, 1967, an earthquake
measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale shook
the region of Koyna, in Maharashtra’s Satara
district. 177 people died and over 2000
people were wounded as a result. As the
area bordered the Mysore state, both the state
governments decided to conduct 10 cricket
matchs to raise money for the victims.
Both international and State level players
participated in a benefit match called ‘Koyna
Earthquake Relief Fund Cricket Match’ at
Nehru Maidan on the 5th 6th and 7th April
1968, just a few months after the calamity
occurred. The two teams, Mysore State
Finance Minister’s XI and Maharashtra State
Finance Minister’s XI, boasted some of the
biggest names in cricket.
Mangaloreans were very lucky to see
the likes of Ajit Wodekar, Chandu Borde,
Bapu Nadkarni,Narendra Tamhane,
Ramakanth Desai, Hemant Kanitkar,Vijaya
Manjrekar, Umesh Kulkarni, Padmakar
Shivalkar, V Subramaniam, G R
Vishwanath, E A S Prasanna, B Vijaykrishna
and others play. Administrators like M
Chinnaswamy, Madhav Mantri, Karunakar,
Manohar Nivas (the Hon. Secretary of the
South Canara Cricket Association) were also
present.
These legends put aside all differences
and played 10 matches in total to drum up
money for relief efforts. Going by reports
of the time it was a resounding success as
they managed to donate 1lakh for the victims.
For the Golden Anniversary of the charity
match, two rare photos have been published,
showing the iconic players in one frame.
The Mangalore match was organized
by the South Kanara Cricket Association.
In those days, all important visitors to the
city were put up at Moti Mahal Hotel.
Kasturi Balakrishna Pai was then just 18
years old. As his grandfather owned Moti
Mahal, he was lucky to see cricketing royalty
at such close quarters. Reminiscing about
those three days, Mr. Pai said that he took
some of the cricketers around
Mangalore. Vijay Manjrekar’s
wife was from Mangalore so
Mr. Pai took Manjrekar to
Subhash Nagar to the latter’s
Father-in-law’s house. Others
wanted to see some temples and
do a bit of sight-seeing.
In a conspiratorial tone, Mr
Pai also recalled getting Feni for
some of the players! “It used to
be a home-made drink for just 6 or
7 rupees! When one crate was sent
up to the 3rd floor of Moti Mahal
where the players were staying, it
got over so fast,I was sent out to
get some more!”
The bill for the hotel came to
Rs.32,000. In a magnanimous gesture,
Mr. Pai’s grandfather asked for just half
the amount and donated the other half for
earthquake relief efforts. “What I want to
stress is that in those days, most people
put aside differences to help each other.
Nowadays, there is so much fighting going
on over water sharing between states,
politics...” says Mr. Pai ruefully.
One fascinating piece of history that
Mr.Pai recounted was the fact that in 1966,
when the Shiv Sena came to power, they
had attacked a number of Udipi
establishments in Bombay, wrongly
accusing them of taking away jobs
from the Marathis. To voice their
protest against the visiting
Maharashtrians, on the last day,
some ruffians started a fire (albeit
a small one) in Nehru Maidan
while the charity match was taking place.
This frightened the 5,000 strong crowd and
brought the match to an early stop.
The earthquake in 1967 occurred very
close to the Koyna Dam, and even at that
time, many believed that the tragedy was
‘induced’ by the gigantic construction.
Reservoir Induced Seismic Activity was
again recorded in Koyna in 2017 but
thankfully, no one was hurt this time. Koyna
also has the dubious distinction of being
one of the ‘earthquake hotspots’ of the
world, having witnessed thousands of
earthquakes and tremors between 1967 to
2017. n
Memories of a Charity Match
BALAKRISHNA PAI
RRRRREMINISCENCEEMINISCENCEEMINISCENCEEMINISCENCEEMINISCENCE
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201828
Dr. AUSTIN D'SOUZA PRABHU,
has been an extraordinary and
exemplary Indian and citizen of USA, even
receiving a rare honour of having a road
named after him there among scores of
admirable honours and achievements. Yet,
his contribution to his original homeland,
to his community, to Kanara and Mangalore
and even his mother tongue 'mai bhaas'
Konkani, is evenly admired in the USA
and his home city in India, Mangaluru.
Lion Austin Prabhu has numerous
awards and recognition to his credit,
recently he received “District 1A Citizen
of the Year Award, 2018.” On March 25,
2018 during District 1A 50 th Convention.
He is also elected as a District Trustee from
District 1A for Lions of Illinois Foundation
and nominated to run for its Secretary.
He will be receiving Excellence Award
from Jessie White, Secretary of State,
Illinois on May 16, 2018.
Currently he is editing three e-
magazines: Veez Konkani, Illustrated
Konkani Weekly Magazine, State of Illinois
Lions and Leos Monthly Magazine and
District 1A Governor’s Newsletter. All
three are e-publications. But, for him
bringing out publications in a bunch has
been an age old thing in which he excels.
Street named after him in the
US
A street in Illinois, will be named after
Austin D'Souza -Prabhu The mayor of
Forest Park, Illinois, US, has passed a
resolution favouring this Indian born
philanthropist , taking into consideration his
multi-pronged consistent service. The
formal arrangements for this process are
done. Mayor of Forest Park will be
honouring Dr Austin Prabhu with his own
street sign in Forest Park. Dr Austin is the
resident of Forest Park for the past 38 years.
Mayor’s confirmation said, "Dunlop
Avenue from Harrison Street to York is to
be named in honor of Dr Austin (Prabhu)
D’Souza. I could not think of a better
qualifier for this type of honor and it would
be my pleasure to move forward with this
presentation, in the spring May 2018.
Towards that end, I have asked my assistant
to reach out to you early April to begin
making formal arrangements for the event.
In addition to the official unveiling of a
street sign, I will also be drafting an official
resolution to be adopted by the Village
Council in his honor and I hope that his
family and friends can be present for the
meeting and the unveiling.” So, it will be
on May 26th at 2:00 p.m. at Harrison and
Dunlop Avenue in Forest Park. Mayor
Antony Calderon will do the inauguration
of the sign it is learnt. Mangalureans the
world over should be proud of Dr Austin’s
achievement, such street names of Indian
origins are very rare in Western countries
other than Mahatma Gandhi Marg or
Mother Teresa Avenue in Chicago.
Dr. Austin Prabhu
Mangaluru’s Gentle
Giant in USA
PPPPPROFILEROFILEROFILEROFILEROFILE
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201829
According to a well known
Mangalorean Genealogist, Dr. Austin's
ascendants are of typical Konkani roots:
A Family of Valencia Mangalore origin,
The first recorded ancestor, Pascal
D'Souza, (born about 1850) and his wife
Cocess D'Souza. The name of one of their
son appears in the Rosario marriage
register, Gaspar born about 1885, as per
Rosario cathedral marriage register,
married Christine d/o Sebastian D'Souza
& Isabella Lobo....on Jan 13, 1913. They
had 4 sons. An elder daughter appears on
the Milagres baptismal register; she must
have died young: Victoria (b 28 Dec 1914)
- John Peter Paul (b 24 Feb 1918), Gaulbert
Paschal Leo (b 28 June 1921 / d 3 Aug
1995: aged 74), married Rose (died in 2008
aged 84) d/o Simon D'Souza & Piedade of
Angelore (orig. Fajir), Valerian Julian (b
11 April 1925) m Jane D'Souza (settled in
Bombay), Benedict - bachelor. Parents of
Dr. Austin, Gaulbert and Rose D'Souza,
were married in 1945. They had 9 children
- all now in Chicago (more precisely at
Forest Park, Illinois). Austin (b 8 Aug
1950), Norbert, Dorothy, Godwin,
Melville, Stany, Felix, and Queenie.
Well, there is much to be said about
this extraordinary 'Kodialgar' in America,
loved here in his native place and in the big
apple...but, the space is tight and so let us
look at vital aspects of his many spheres of
action:
Lion Austin's American
dream - all real:
Dr. Austin Prabhu, an outstanding
community leader throughout his 40 years of
Lionism is a well known Mangalorean
personality. He joined the Padil-Mangalore
Lions Club in 1979 in India and has been a
tall member of repute ever since. He has held
all of the offices in his clubs including the
Presidency in 1992-1993 (Chicago Damayan
Lions Club), Charter President, 1996-1998
Broadview Kala Sampath Lions Club. He has
hopped across all of the club committees and
chaired most, including Candy Day, the July
4th Parade, Chicago Christmas Parade and
the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Matchless services through Lionism
serving the Club, District, State and
International levels doing an outstanding job
at all levels. The Forest Kala Sampath Lions
Club bestowed upon him a Life
Membership from in July, 2005 for his
dedication and hard work for Lionism. Lion
Austin’s commitment to the principles of
Lionism and to the service of those less
fortunate makes him an outstanding leader
in MD1. As a Sector Coordinator for Sight
First II Campaign who stood third in sector
wise total collections in the United States.
Currently he is a Multiple District 1 Alert
Chairman and also Lions of Illinois State
e-Magazine Editor who took this magazine
to a higher level of appreciation from Lions
of Illinois. Official Photographer for USA-
Canada Lions Leadership Forum 2016 in
Omaha, Nebraska where more than 2,000
Lions from USA and Canada were in
attendance.
Twice as a Governor and Vice Council
Chairman, he showed his leadership skills
in making special programs like Lions
Open University, Vision First and Tsunami
Relief Fund and made them great successful
programs. He has been a resident of Forest
Park since 1981. Lion Austin was
employed at Deltrol Corporation as a
Department Manager who earned Green
Belt training from University of Illinois,
Dr Austin Prabhu and Terry were awarded the Lifetime Asian Humanitarian Couple Award
2013 by the Asian Chronicle, USA in recognition of their involvement in Lions Clubs International
PPPPPROFILEROFILEROFILEROFILEROFILE
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201830
Naperville Campus in Six Sigma Lean
Manufacturing. He has retired since August
2016. Lion Austin is a writer, actor, public
speaker, publisher and a true leader with
multi skills, knowledge and experience
deep.
Lion Austin was also two terms
president of India Catholic Association of
America, one-time secretary of Federation
of Indian Associations in Mid-America,
Treasurer of The Federation of Indo-
American Christian Associations of North
America, Director of New Republic of
India, International, Advisor of
International Biographical Center,
Cambridge, England, Editor and publisher,
chairman Leadership Day Prayer
Committee, Archdiocese of Chicago, and
so on. His biography published in several
national/international magazines and
websites including Who’s Who in the World
by Marquis, USA. Lion Austin received
Award from the President of India in
December 2009 in Mangalore for
promoting Konkani culture and literary
contributions through his books and articles
in the US. He received ‘Millennium
Leadership Award’ from Federation of
Indian Associations in 2000 and a
Leadership Award by Bishop of
Mangalore-India, also in 2000. Received
special award for his literary contributions
in 2004 in Dubai and Chicago Mayor’s
Award in 2005 for organizing ‘Vision First’
for Chicago Public School children.
Lion Austin’s family received Asian
American Humanitarian Family of the Year
2005 Award from Asia TV Chronicle. He
is also a Certified Public Service TV
Program Producer by Comcast Public
Television. Lion Austin & Terry received
Distinguished Couple Award from Chicago
Filipino American Lions Club. Lion Terry
and Austin were named as “Lifetime Asian
Humanitarian Couple 2013” by Asian
Chronicle, USA. Lion Austin received
numerous awards including 3 Intl.
Presidents Medals from Lions Clubs
International, 3 International President’s
Leadership Medals, Millennium Leadership
Award from the Federation of Indian
Associations in Midwest, Award from the
President of India, 49 Diamond Progressive
Melvin Jones Fellow, Progressive Lions
of Illinois Fellow, three time Lion of the
Year club awards, District Lion of the Year
Award, Life Time Community Volunteer
Service Award from President George W.
Bush. The American dream is unending.
Dr. Austin D'Souza Prabhu a
star in Mangalore:
Austin D'Souza was born on August 8,
1950 in Nanthur, Mangalore - now a
developing spot. His lineage appears above
- 'Gaulbert Tailor' was a well-known
Ladies Clothes Designer in Kadri,
Mangalore. Ask the seniors and they swear
by the only and famous dress maker
'Gaulbert' of past Mangalore. Austin's
siblings too are charter members of the
Broadview Kala Sampath Lions Club. He
spread Lionism in his entire family and they
have a total of at least 18 lions in his family.
Young Austin went to primary school
at St. Joseph’s Calvary Elementary School,
Nanthur, Mangalore; Later to Padua High
School, Nanthur, due to a certain interests
he did a Machanical Fitter's course from
Industrial Training Institute (ITI),
Mangalore; then B.A. from Mysore Open
University, Computer science from Triton
College, River Grove, Illinois, U.S.A.;
M.B.A (Business Administration) from
Pacific Western University, Los Angeles,
U.S.A.; and Ph. D. in Management from
Pacific Western University, Los Angeles,
U.S.A.
Austin married Terry Pinto, a
Mangalorean settled in Bombay (now
Mumbai) on October 25, 1980. Austin often
speaks about his better half - and yes, behind
every successful man is a good woman.
He lights up and says, “My dear wife
Terry is a terrific woman. She came to the
United States when she was just 17. She
had to adapt to a lot of change, Mumbai to
Chicago then for a young girl was a different
PPPPPROFILEROFILEROFILEROFILEROFILE
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201831
universe. As a strong headed young woman,
she took up many challenges including
working 36 hour stretches 3 times a week
to prove herself the best in her profession.
Side by side with work and attending
University she earned a BS degree in
Applied Behavioral Sciences from National
Louis University in Lombard and then
achieved her MS in Psychology. Her work
for Cook County Hospital for 30 years is
legendry, she retired a few years ago taking
advantage of the early retirement incentive
from the Cook County’s retirement plan.
Terry still makes 80% of her salary without
working and by productively staying home
now. She will perhaps still get her doctorate
in psychology or be an entrepreneur soon
after she concludes her duties as First Lady
of district 1-A of the Lions of Illinois, Lions
Clubs International.”
Terry and Austin have four children in
their own image, all grownups now; Anita-
Sr. Project Manager, Abbott Laboratories;
Anil-Vice President of Goldman Sachs;
Atina-Accounts Executive, Procter &
Gamble; and Angel-New Accounts
Strategist, Google - Lions all. Lion Austin
was employed at Deltrol Corporation as a
Department Manager who earned Green
Belt training from University of Illinois,
Naperville Campus in Six Sigma Lean
Manufacturing. Now he is retired since
August 12, 2016. Lion Austin is a writer,
actor, public speaker, publisher and a true
leader with multi skills, knowledge and
experience that is rare.
Dr Austin Prabhu, even from young and
youthful days in the 1970s in Mangalore,
has been the focus of admiration unlimited.
His hands on involvement through a whole
gamut of activities and contributions in
whole cannot be presented in words. As
the president of Catholic Youth Movement,
present ICYM, of the Diocese of Mangalore
for 5 years he has played a leading and
land mark role. To his credit he used to
publish four Konkani periodicals
simultaneously that even a juggler cannot
do. He was a theatre artiste and drama
writer and the Founder Secretary of the
Konkani Bhasha Mandal(Regd), Karnataka.
He was also the Secretary of the erstwhile
Yuva Janatha Party of DK district. His
talents along with his cronies on and off
stage at Don Bosco Hall in the 70s is really
a thrilling chapter. It is not possible to
present here what many who know
Dr.Austin for a while say about his talents,
dynamism and integrity it would indeed
have been useful to many of the young.
An inspiration to younger
generations:
When it would be announced that young
Mr. Austin D’Souza Prabhu from
Mangalore is chief guest, everyone went
with enthusiasm. And dashing Austin
D’Souza came forward to speak, the young
simply hung from his lips, many still
remember his gestures, jokes, the new
generation he was an instant role model and
Receiving honor from Rev. Fr. William Gonsalves during Melvin Peris Nite organized by
Sangeeth Ghar at the Don Bosco Hall, Mangalore in 1981.
Receiving Award from Mother Teresa in
Mangalore in 1981. Late Blasius D'Souza
is also seen.
PPPPPROFILEROFILEROFILEROFILEROFILE
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201832
hero, even though he often said he was a
zero.
Austin is really a dynamic personality,
a one only in a generation. Managing and
editing 3 well known publications
simultaneously at one point in Mangalore
can be seen as a real feat. His organizational
skills proved to be extraordinary during the
'Tyagi Bill' activism. He managed to wake
up most sleeping Mangalorean Catholics
of Mangalore Diocese. The protest he
engineered was a runaway success like
many of his rally's and activities. His book
for youth ‘Adarsh Yuvazonn’ was truly
inspiring. He has penned all his youthful
knowledge in this one book. The Dynamic
leader, actor and popular writer that Austin
Prabhu was reflects even to this day. Dr
Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadhikaari at
Dharmasthala, recently too hailed the
services of Austin through Lions
International and presented with him
‘Abode of Dharma – Dharmasthala’
(Pictorial Information Book) and a
memorial medal. His leadership is
recognized all over the world and recently
he has been named as the “International
Konkani Icon” at the program held at the
Milagres College, Kallianpur by Valley
Quadras where prominent Konkani writers
gathered.
Words from his heart never to be
forgotten, that one must stand on 'your own
feet, do not lean on others'. You never know
when they are going to leave you without
giving you any notice. Do not be a selfish,
spare some time, wealth and energy to uplift
community, those who are in need. Even
if you spend one penny out of your dollar,
you are not going to lose out. Make one
soul happier in this world at least. Come
out of the box and look around this world,
unity in diversity is to be admired. Nothing
is impossible in this world - one-step at a
time can take you to the moon. Austin
always insists never had any godfathers to
push him over the ladder in life. Give to
yourself respect and challenges and always
be positive, adopt positive thinking. Name
and fame follow automatically those who
are sincere and hard working. Never say
that you have no time.
“Make some time and learn to live for
others; do not be a selfish human being by
spending time and money just for you, your
wife, your kids, your TV and your
Dr Austin Prabhu was felicitated by Konkani Writers and Artists Association in city last year
internet.” It is not life, but a prison.
Motivate all those you can to be more
community oriented. Remember, money
is not everything in this world. The smile
you see on a face when you help someone,
will show you the way to heaven.
His youngest daughter Angel, had
sometime given him these lines, she had
said of her dad, 'He is my Hero' which in
many ways speaks well and covers some
points to conclude this :
H is for humbleness. Having the ability
to help others without needing credit and
helping someone because you can and not
because for pride.
E is for energy. Going to meetings and
fundraisers that run late into the night still
getting up at 4:30 for work and doing it all
with a smile.
R is for rare. Possessing qualities rare
that distinguish you from the rest and make
you unique.
O is for open. Sending off vibes making
you more appealing, significantly more
approachable and open.
Those four qualities may spell HERO,
but to many, like Angel, stand for Austin
D’Souza Prabhu, a father figure, to
remember forever.n
Compiled by I J SALDANHA-SHET
Dr Austin Prabhu along with Mr. & Mrs. T. A. Pai, then the Union Minister for Railways and
Heavy Industry being the chief guests on the occasion of Konkani Day Celebrations organised
by Konkani Bhasha Mandal (R), Karnataka on March 15, 1981 at the Don Bosco Hall in city.
PPPPPROFILEROFILEROFILEROFILEROFILE
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201833
PPPPPOETICOETICOETICOETICOETIC LICENSELICENSELICENSELICENSELICENSE
MANGALORE TODAY CROSSWORD
Poems by MAMTA PATHAK
LearningLong is the path of seer learning
Leaving, healing and zeal-feeling
Moving on the path of the moral
to achieve & heighten the morale.
Learning the tit-bits of kerb-drill
till being highly eminent and still.
Learning the pitch of pronunciation
till knowing the art of great elocution.
Learning all the time to give and take
For all the sympathy's & empathy's sake.
Learning the lore of worldly alphabet
Till empiricism and insight we do get.
From the rudiments of life and strife
towards the cosmic light to afterlife.
Since the day one of the human birth
till the soul departs and regains berth
We do keep on moving and moving...
We do keep on learning and learning.
WordsMind thinks of heart
And heart searches its soul
Soul gets soothed
When meets thee alone
Spell sweet words, it can heal the pain
Unsaid words do increase the pain
Pain of body can be seen and healed
Pain of heart remains concealed
Pains do hurt, it is the fact unveiled
And increased if loving words fail
It's good to let words express
If kept deeper, it feeds stress
Gracious words do heal the soul
Unsaid words make a hole
Words give way to one's hidden thought
Words of love are life to the rot.
MemoryO Memory! Slowly and softly you come
Subtle is 'he' but present, though
The shower of his love is still felt
Let me feel his gentle touch
And be with him in the cosmic world.
O Memory! Wait and don't go
Reflect my desires being thy mirror
My dancing heart denies being slow
My loving song needs a rhythmic ground
He adorns my smile with love and its glow.
Songs of togetherness were sung by us
Unsung souls dwelled in togetherness.
O Memory! You penetrate my heart
But 'his' presence in you is the sweetest part
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14
15 16
17
18 19 20 21
22
23 24 25 26
27 28 29
30 31 32
33 34 Solutions on page no. 48
ACROSS
1. Converse (4)
3. Surpass (8)
6. Stickleback (7)
9. Daring (5)
12. Breach (4)
14. Slippery person (3)
15. Unhappy (9)
17. Advance payment (4)
18. Forest tree (3)
19. Crawled (5)
21. Young boy (3)
22. Operatic song (4)
23. Groundless hope (9)
27. Droop (3)
29. Holm-oak (4)
30. Rubbed skin (5)
31. Forecastes race results (7)
33. Frame of mind (8)
34. Coupling (4)
DOWN
1. Emblem of clan (5)
2. Small child (3)
3. Musical drama (5)
4. Pleased, happy (9)
5. Rescue (4)
7. Dismiss (9)
8. Curved bone (3)
10. Loathsome (9)
11. Large antelope (5)
13. Flutter (4)
16. Receptive (9)
18. Aggregate (5)
20. Abuse (4)
24. Favourite (3)
25. Banish (5)
26. Blend together (5)
28. Female relative (4)
32. Double agent (3)
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201834
PPPPPICTURESQUEICTURESQUEICTURESQUEICTURESQUEICTURESQUE
"It was a rewarding, thrilling and most
unforgettable experience." This is how K
Balakrishna, a Professor in the Department
of Civil Engineering, MIT describes his
Antarctica Expedition. And of course, he
has every reason to
cheer. Prof.
Balakrishna was the
only scientist from a
deemed-to-be private
university to be part
of a group of
scientists which had a
golden opportunity to
stay at Bharati and
Maitri, India's bases
at Antarctica.
He spent a whole
95 days at Antarctica
as part of the expedition organised by
the National Centre for Antarctica and
Ocean Research, a Goa based research
institute of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
His task at the expedition was to obtain
a baseline of the micro-pollutants like
pharmaceuticals, personal care products
and other naturally occurring metals in the
Rewarding
Expeditionseawater, sea-ice,
lakes, sediments and soil of the region.
And how did they travel around for
the sampling works ? They had a skidoo
or snow scooter and helicopter for this
work. The over 100 samples which Prof
Balakrishna thus collected are presently
being analysed at the Manipal College of
Pharmaceutical Sciences laboratory.
Rock On ....Music is at the heart of K2's Rock On- a music
club with a difference founded in the city early this
year. All that one needs to be a part of this club is
love for music.
Members get a platform for exposure of their
musical talents at least once a month as part of a
special programme organised the club.
Dynamic couple Kamlesh H
Baldev and Komal are the founders
of this Club which incidentally does
not charge any fee from its members.
Practice sessions are held at the office
space of Kamlesh at Saibeen Complex.
What started as an informal practice
group in the beginning gradually took
the shape of a club which now has
23 members, each a unique talent in
his or her own way.
Mini concerts are organised by the Club and
the latest was held at Bhagini Samaj Orphanage
while the maiden event was held at Donut Magic
followed by another programme at Empire Mall
on Valentine's day.
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201835
PPPPPICTURESQUEICTURESQUEICTURESQUEICTURESQUEICTURESQUE
A few years ago, a young lad had
broken the University record
in Weight lifting. Today, he
is India's pride after
winning its first medal in
the Commonwealth
Games at Gold Coast in
Australia. That this
spirited youngster hails
from our very own
coastal district has
doubled the joy.
No matter his
silver medal, 23 year
old Gururaja
Poojary has turned
out to be the Golden
Boy for his home town
Vandse in Kundapur
taluk which is elated on his
achievements just as his proud
father Mahabala Poojary, a truck
driver by profession and mother Paddu
Poojarty.
Ask him how he entered the weight
lifting field, he would reply with a
broad grin that he indeed dreamt to
Sterling
Performer
be a wrestler after seeing Sushil
Kumar lift the bronze in the 2008
Olympics. It was his coach at SDM
College, Ujire, Rajendra Prasad who
noticed the talent in this boy and
pushed him into weight lifting and
today he has lived upto the
expectations of his coach.
Gururaja did his primary
schooling in Vandse and later
completed his PU from Sri
Mookambika Institutions in
Kollur before joining SDM
College in Ujire.
With big dreams
before him, this young
weight lifter who is
employed with the
Indian Air Force is
now the cynosure of
all eyes. He has
worked hard to reach this level and
hopes to further improve his
performance in the years to come.
Her name is Bhavya Rani. True to
her name Bhavya, she has a glorious
vision to convert Karnataka into an
open-defecation free state. She can be
considered the true cleanliness
ambassador-for such is her zeal
towards building toilets in villages. As
of now, she has succeeded n
constructing 662 toilets in Tumakuru
and Bellary districts and is relentlessly
pursuing her mission through her
Shine India NGO.
Hailing from Ananthady in
Bantwal, she is the daughter of a
retired school teacher Chandrappa
Master. After her graduation from
Vivekananda College, Puttur and
MSW from Alva's College, Moodbidri
she started working for Swasti, an
NGO in Bengaluru.
It was a visit to Shettigondanahalli
in Turuvekere taluk of Tumkur for a
friend's wedding that changed the
course of her life. Realising that there
were no toilets in the entire village,
she was determined to do something
to alleviate the sufferings of the
people. Armed with self-confidence
she quit her job and with the help of
her savings returned to
Shettigondahalli from where she
launched her mission of constructing
toilets. Since 2015, the mission is
carried out through her NGO Shine
India.
Her campaign has resulted in
construction of 432 toilets in
Shettigondanahalli, 51 in Dibbada
Hatti of Shira taluk and 179 toilets in
BM Sugur village.
An inspiring achievement.
Bantwal is proud of its daughter and
her mission.
Champion of Cleanliness
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201836
BHARTHANATYAM IN THE
Christian circles of Mangaluru is
better accepted at celebrations. On
Easter Sunday, April 1, the city's famous
Town hall was packed to capacity, a
revolutionary solo Bharatanatyam
performance to project the message of Jesus
Christ from the Bible for the first time, by
a brilliant exponent immensely impressed
the huge turnout of admirers. The
performance was superb. It was a unique
full-fledged solo performance on Bible
episodes depicted through the ancient Indian
dance form. Vidwat Ruth Prithika, the
artiste, said the output is the efforts put in
by her teacher Vidyashree Radhakrishna,
her parents Dr Roshan Maben and Dr E V
S Maben and her own practice for months
and that she would put in all possible effort
to take this concept forward in the Christian
world.
mudras created to depict Jesus and his
symbolism were indeed edifying. All 5
parts were carefully created in accordance
with the Natya kala and culture defining a
spiritual path too. Padam was from John's
gospels and Kirthana depicted genuinely the
feelings of the Samaritan woman by the well
and was a moving experience. Thillana was
very special and spell binding taken from
Mark in the Bible. The scope for Bible
variations is truly vast.
“At Easter this is a very exclusive way
to make Christ's word better known and
reflect on it through my God given talents
and capacity,” said Ruth Prithika, a third-
year computer science engineering student.
While the concept is yet unknown, the
enthusiastic experts ensured that the
performance adhered to the traditional
forms of Bharathanatyam, the 'Margam' -
path. “There was no change in style. We
introduced the concept in the content,” Ruth
said. According to Ruth, it was her father
who spear headed the idea. Her music
'Guru' gave the lyrics a poetic form, and
arranged the music recorded from
internationally-recognized artistes in
A unique Bharatanatyam recital on the Biblical themes offaith, hope and love shown by Jesus Christ himself to
mankind, writes I J Saldanha-Shet.
‘Kristha Patha’Bharathanatyam based on Bible
‘Kristha Patha’ Performance: The
two-hour performance showcased the
essence of the Bible, from the Book of
Genesis to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
in all five compositions of the dance form.
A unique Bharatanatyam recital on the
Biblical themes of faith, hope and love
shown by Jesus Christ himself to mankind.
The repertoire begins with a Pushpanjali
based on the seven days of creation,
followed by the birth of Jesus, His
ministries, His sacrifice on the cross and
resurrection. It ends with a message that
the risen Christ continues to dwell in the
hearts of mankind, guiding them in the path
of righteousness. All the dance
compositions are within the framework of
a Bharathanatyam 'Margam' or path. Fresh
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MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201837
Bengaluru, and choreographed the
performance. It is indeed an effort that
spells out the laudable dedication and
commitment of all involved. Guru
Vidyashree said the biggest challenge was
that unlike depicting Shiva and Krishna,
whose mudras are prescribed in
Bharatanatyam, she had to create mudras
and steps suiting Jesus. “We had to start
from scratch. We were able to do it, and I
am glad people appreciated it immensely.”
Mangaluru Bishop Rev Dr Aloysius
Paul D’Souza, CSI Dakshina Prantha
retired Bishop Rev Dr C L Furtado and
senior art critic Prathibha Samaga were the
chief guests. Rev Dr. C L Furtado who
gave a touching picture of Vidushi Ruth as
she grew to this level before his very eyes
over the years said that indeed this is a gift
of God and endorsed and reiterated the
Indian perfection in Christianity. All
expressed high appreciation on Vid. Ruth's
enterprise and the spiritual commitment.
Catholic Bishop Rev Dr. A P D'Souza, said
that while the Christian communities were
projected as strongly Western oriented, this
makes an impact to the contrary and such
efforts must increase and grow in keeping
with our Indian-ness. A Yakshagana
episode on “Yesu Krista Mahathme” was
presented way back in 1976, it was
developed to a very good extent, which was
later translated into English and German
languages and taken overseas. A book on
it was published in 2017.
About Vidushi Ruth Prithika: Ruth
has been learning Bharathanatyam since the
tender age of five. She has successfully
completed her Vidwath exam in
Bharathanatyam and in Carnatic music. She
has performed with the Gaana Nritya
Academy at various stages in and around
the country. She has also performed at the
Doordarshan studio in Delhi for Prasar
Bharati during the ABU Dance festival in
2016. She is also been trained in Kathak
and Odissi dance forms through the
Academy.
Ruth hitched her wagon to the stars and
enthralled audiences and judges in various
district, state and national level programmes
and competitions. Along with other artistes
of GNA, Ruth performed for Doordarshan,
New Delhi, sculpting for herself the stature
of National Level Artiste. Complementing
the dance form is her prowess in violin and
piano. The highest echelon of
accomplishment is her academic brilliance
in her educational pursuit of Engineering
Degree at NMAMIT, Nitte after her earlier
education at St. Theresa’s and Lourdes
Central Schools Mangaluru.
Vidhushi Ruth Prithika is the first to
get the superior title of "Vidhushi" in the
Protestant Christian community (CSI).
Church of South India -CSI, is the successor
of the regions illustrious 'Basel Mission',
which arrived with the German
Missionaries on the shores of Mangalore
at Old Bunder on October 30, 1834. Ever
since then the community mainly consisting
of Tuluva and Kannadiga local people, have
contributed tremendously to the local ethos
and languages. The German missionaries
in the region gained high prominence and
are known for the first indigenous Schools,
News Papers, printing presses, trade
schools, dictionaries and books and
Mangalore tiles and so on - the blend of
Christian culture that is truly unique and
continuing.
Presently in this fast paced world of
consumerism and materialism, well-
informed and clear sighted youth, blessed
with worthwhile talents can be the
ambassadors of change and ensure the
health of a society. Ruth, undoubtedly, is
one such youngster and if she is in the right
place, at the right time, she can create
wonders in many spheres and in the
magical and mystical world of
Bharathanatyam.n
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MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201838
Probe into Udupi
DC attack case
makes no headwayIt has been a year since Udupi Deputy
Commissioner Priyanka Mary Francis and Kundapur
Assistant Commissioner Shilpa Nag were attacked
by a group of around 50 persons allegedly belonging
to the sand mafia. The incident had occurred on April 2, 2017 at Kandlur in Kundapur
taluk when the DC and the AC had been to an illegal sand extraction site in the area and
at Halnadu following complaints from the members of the general public.
The team of officials which had first raided Halnad had later proceeded to Kandlur on
the banks of Varahi at around 12.15 when a group of over 50 people intercepted the
vehicles of the officials and attempted to assault them.
The officials had subsequently lodged a complaint at the Udupi town police following
which as many as 26 to 30 accused including a minor were arrested. One accused
Bhasker Mogaveera had got himself admitted to hospital with severed fingers. The
incident had even sparked protests by various organisations and political parties.
In connection with the incident, the Tahsildar had ordered extradition of five workers
of Uttar Pradesh origin. The parents of the arrested had even staged protest in front of
the station alleging innocents were arrested. The then Udupi DySP Kumaraswamy had
filed a charge sheet before the Public Prosecutor and the same is under review and will
be submitted to the court. All accused have been presently been released on bail.
Five eminent achievers namely P
Jayaram Bhat, non-executive chairman of
Karnataka Bank, V Ravichandran, CEO
of Diya Systems, Dr K V Rao, Director,
Pilikula Regional Science Centre, Joseph
Gonsalves, chief traffic warden and
entrepreneur Jeevan Saldanha were
honoured with the 'Eminent Aloysian
Alumni Awards' at a function held at the
L F Rasquinha Hall of St Aloysius College
recently. The function was hosted by the
St Aloysius Institution and St Aloysius
College Alumni Association.
Speaking after receiving the honour,
Jayaram Bhat said he was proud to be an
Aloysian and hailed Aloysius as an
institution that imparts quality education
without any bias thereby helping students
reach higher positions.
V Ravichandran, CEO of Diya
systems who also spoke said this was a
special day for him and recalled that his
father served as a teacher in Aloysius
Five achievers conferred Eminent Aloysian Alumni Awards
institution for 35 years. He also stated that
the Award would further motivate him.
Other awardees namely Dr K V Rao,
Joe Gonsalves and Jeevan Saldanha also
spoke.
Principal of St Aloysius College Fr
Praveen Martis said the institution was
proud of its alumni who are a role model
for the younger generation. Patron of St
Aloysius Alumni Association Dr
Dionysius Vaz, its President Archibald
Menezes and others were present.
Elephant herd near
Sullia panic localsA herd of elephants is camping on the
banks of Payaswini river at Bhasmadka
sending waves of panic among people. In
case they succeed in crossing the river, then
there is the possibility of the elephants
entering Devarakaliya, Kuntinadka,
Kerpala and other places.
There are a total of eight elephants
including five baby elephants. Meanwhile,
forest staff are camping on the other side to
ensure that the elephants do not cross the river
and enter mainland. It is said the place where
the elephants are at present is a low lying
area. The elephants have to climb to enter
the forest which is in an elevated area. As
soon as the baby elephants succeed in this
regard, the elephants may move away, say
forest officials. It is believed that the same
herd of elephants were responsible for going
on rampage in agricultural fields at Narkodu,
Enavar, Mandekolu and other places recently.
HHHHHAPPENINGSAPPENINGSAPPENINGSAPPENINGSAPPENINGS
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201839
MRPL commissions
largest solar power
project in a refinery siteMRPL has successfully commissioned
the largest solar power project at a refinery
site in the country. The solar power project
with a total capacity of 6.063 MWp is
spread across 34 roof-tops within the
refinery premises comprising both RCC and
sloping sheet steel roofs. Built at a cost of
Rs.27 crores by M/s Tata Power Solar
Systems Limited, these solar plants generate
more than 24,000 units per day amounting
to more than 8.8 million units per annum.
This is a part of MRPL’s commitment
to sustainable development with a focus on
reduction in carbon emissions and
renewable energy generation.
A press communique from MRPL
informs that the solar project results in an
annual savings of about 2,680 tonnes of oil
equivalent and reduction in CO2 emissions
by about 7,000 tonnes.
A special postal cover brought out by India Post to commemorate the birth
centenary of renowned surgeon late Dr M P Pai was released by M Jagadish Pai,
Senior Superintendent of Mangaluru Head Post Office at a function held recently.
Dr Mangaluru Panduranga Pai who was popularly known as Dr M P Pai was the
founder Chairman of the first post graduate department (general surgery) in KMC
and was also the first doctor from the district who received the prestigious Dr B C
Roy awardee.
Dr B M Hegde, Vice Chancellor MAHE was the chief guest. Dr M Venkatraya
Prabhu, Dean of KMC, Mangaluru who was also the guest of honour spoke about
the achievements of late Dr Pai who prioritized research and was instrumental in
setting up research labs at the KMC Building at Light House.
Senior Post Master L Prakash, Urologist and Philatelist Dr GG Lakshman
Prabhu and others were present.
Vipul Kumar is new city Police CommissionerVipul Kumar, an IPS officer of
1999 batch has taken charge as the new
Police Commissioner of Mangaluru
from outgoing Commissioner T R
Suresh.
Hailing from Jehanabad in Bihar,
Vipul Kumar is an M.Tech degree
holder. He has earlier served as IGP
and Director of Karnataka Police
Academy in Mysuru. Along with the
posting of Commissioner of Mangaluru
City he will also be handling the post
of IGP Western Range.
The new City Police Commissioner
has said that it would be his utmost
priority to ensure polls are held peacefully in all the three assembly constituencies
coming under the Commissionerate limits.
Special Postal cover releasedto commemorate Dr M P Pai birth centenary
Convict in rape case
on minor hurls shoes
at Public ProsecutorA person who was convicted in a rape
case on a minor, hurled shoes as well as
abuses against the Special Public
Prosecutor in the case just as the Udupi
District Special POCSO Court pronounced
the quantum of punishment to the person
on April 12. The court had sentenced him
to 20 years jail and a fine of Rs 25,000.
The convict is Prashanth Kulal alias
Pachhu alias Mani (32), who sexually
abused a 15 year old girl from Kundapur
on 17-2-2013. The then Circle Inspector
Diwaker had field the chargesheet, A total
of 15 witnesses were heard in the case.
Just before the court could pronounce
the quantum of punishment the Special
Public Prosecutor had sought maximum
punishment to Prashanth as he was an
accused in several other cases too. This
is learnt to have angered Prashanth
resulting in the incident.
HHHHHAPPENINGSAPPENINGSAPPENINGSAPPENINGSAPPENINGS
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201840
Karnataka Bank which has surpassed a total business turnover of Rs 1.10 lakh crores
as on March 31, 2018 is targeting a business turnover Rs. 1,30,000 crores comprising
of deposits of Rs. 72,000 crores and advances of Rs. 58,000 crores for the financial
year 2018-19, said Bank's Managing Director and CEO Mahabaleshwara M S.
Addressing a meeting of the bank staff recently, he highlighted the Bank’s business
performance during the financial year 2017-18 and rolled out the business agenda for
the new financial year 2018-19.
“As per the provisional figures for the financial year ended March 2018, the Bank
has achieved a new business high of Rs. 1,10,440 crore business turnover registering
a growth rate of 17.82% on year – on – year basis. The advances of the Bank increased
from Rs. 37,004 crores to Rs. 47,564 crores in the FY 2017-18 registering a growth of
28.54% over the corresponding period of the previous year. The deposits of the Bank
also grew from Rs. 56,733 crores to Rs. 62,876 crores in the FY 2017-18 registering
a growth of 10.83% over the corresponding period of the previous year," he said.
Karnataka Bank business turnover
crosses Rs 1.10 lakh crores
Mangalore United clinches
MPL Cricket TrophyThe Mangalore United team owned by
MLA Moidin Bava has clinched the
Mangalore Premier League Cricket
Trophy by registering an easy victory of
8 wickets against Karkala Gladiators.
Batting first the Karkala Gladiators
was bundled out for 72 runs in 16.1 overs.
The Mangalore United reached the
winning target in 9.1 overs by losing only
2 wickets in the final match held at B.R.
Ambedkar Stadium, Panambur
Mangalore. This tournament was jointly
organized by the Brand Vision Events,
Mangalore Occasionals and Sea Bird
Cricket Academy with the approval and
guidance of Karnataka State Cricket
Association.
The Winners received a Trophy and
cash prize of Rs.6,00,000 whereas runners-
up received a trophy with a cash prize of
Rs.3,00,000. Prizes were distributed by
Alex Lewis of DNI company, the main
sponsor of the tournament. Manohar Amin,
Convener, KSCA Mangalore Zone was
present among others.
"No government should be the
advocator of any particular religion. A
democratically elected government should
work for the welfare of all sections, while
the task of construction of mutts and
mandirs should be left to those in the
religious field," said senior actor Prakash
Rai.
He was speaking as a chief guest at the
Democracy Day programme organised by
the Karnataka Dalita Sangharsha Samithi
(Prof. Krishnappa founded) at Town Hall
recently.
The communal incidents that have taken
place in the district due to some selfish
people have tainted the image of the district,
regretted Prakash Rai. He also pointed out
how some people were misinterpreting
Hinduism. "Though criticisms are an
Those who question are threatened, regrets Prakash Rai
integral part of democracy, at present those
who question are threatened," he said.
"The Constitution of India drafted by
Dr B R Ambedkar has a noble intention of
peaceful co-existence of people of all
languages and religion. But the attitude of
the BJP seems to be contradicting this," he
said. DK District unit President of DSS
Raghu K Ekkar presided over the function.
State Organising Convenor M Devadas
inaugurated the programme. Prof Narendra
Nayak, President of Federation of Indian
Rationalists' Association, Jyothi Chelyar,
lecturer, DSS Women's wing Convenor
Sarojini nad others were present.
As part of Jana Kala Mela a colourful
procession was also taken out from
Bavutagudda to Town Hall.
HHHHHAPPENINGSAPPENINGSAPPENINGSAPPENINGSAPPENINGS
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201841
The legal profession is
service oriented
profession and not a
business, said Supreme
Court judge Justice Abdul
Nazeer.
He was speaking after
releasing "Kanoonu
Peethada Olumeya
Osarugalu" based on the
experiences of senior
advocate Thonse
Narayana Poojary. The
book brought out by
Akruthi Ashaya Publications was released at a function held at SDM Law College recently.
Justice Nazeer said the profession of law should never be commercialised. He also
expressed his resentment against the practice of many to opt for legal profession as a part
time profession while engaging in other businesses.
Former advocate general B V Acharya, who presided over the function, said the
legal profession is a very respectable profession which aims at ensuring justice to the
clients. It should be considered as a service activity, he added
Veteran writer Erya Lakshminarayana Alva was present as a chief guest. Kallur
Nagesh and Ravindra Ullal of Akrithi Ashaya Publications were honoured.
Author Tonse Narayana Poojary was present among others.
Journalists should engage
in learning along with their
profession as it only helps in
widening their horizons of
knowledge but will also him
them in accurate reporting,
said Dr M Mohan Alva,
Chairman of Alva's
Foundation.
He was speaking after
releasing "Raja Nota"
authored by veteran journalist
P B Harish Rai at a function
held at Patrika Bhavan in the city. The book provides an insight into the election history
of the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi right from 1952 to 2014.
SCDCC Bank Chairman M N Rajendra Kumar, Chief of Udayavani Mangaluru
Bureau Manohar Prasad and Patrika Bhavan Trust President K Anand Shetty were the
chief guests.
Author P B Harish Rai, Kallur Nagesh of Akruthi Ashaya Publications, Srinivas
Indaje, Secretary of District Working Journalists' Union and others were present.
Legal profession is a service, not
a business: Justice Abdul Nazeer
"Raja Nota" by journalist Harish Rai released
Biodosimetry Lab
inaugurated at KSHEMAThe Biodosimetry Lab set up at
KSHEMA under the aegis of Nitte Deemed
University was inaugurated recently by Dr
Ajay Kumar Singh, Director of Institute of
Nuclear Medicine and Applied Sciences
(INMAS), New Delhi. Speaking on the
occasion, Dr Singh said India presently has
three recognised Biodosimetry labs and that
Nitte lab could also get the status of a
recognised lab provided it registers highly
qualitative achievements.
This lab set up with the co-operation
of INMAS is a radiation diagnostic lab for
radiation over exposure among medical
professionals and participates in building
national and international capacity of
Biodosimetry service for handling medical
radiation energy. This diagnostic
information will also help in prediction of
short term and long term health
consequences of radiation exposure.
Row over authorship of
voter awareness songThe confusion over the authorship of
the poem penned to create voter awareness
on behalf of the District SVEEP Committee
has ended with Yakshagana Bhagavatha and
the singer of the song Patla Satish Shetty
issuing a clarification.
Shetty has said that he had lent his voice
for the song after compering the music
for the song as per the request of DK ZP
CEO and District SVEEP Committee
Chairman Dr M R Ravi.
He said the original song was penned
by Dr M R Ravi who sent it to him and that
he has used the pallavi or the first two lines
of the song which has been completed by
using the lyrics penned by another writer
Kadri Navaneeth Shetty. The song has the
lyrics of both MR Ravi and Kadri
Navaneeth Shetty, clarified Patla Satish
Shetty.
Lack of communication was the reason
for the confusion as to who authored the
song, Patla Satish Shetty further stated.
HHHHHAPPENINGSAPPENINGSAPPENINGSAPPENINGSAPPENINGS
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201842
V Mohan Rao, retired deputy chief manager of Bank of
India (Chennai Branch), legal expert and author, giving
a talk on “Non-Performing Assets And Frauds of Public
Sector Banks” to the Commerce, Business Management
and Economics students at the Dr. B.B. Hegde First Grade
College, Kundapur recently.
(Right:) He also delivered a talk on ‘Non-Performing
Assets of Public Sector Banks and Modern Banking’ to
the Commerce and Business Management students at
the Bhandarkar’s Arts and Science College, Kundapur.
The second edition of the four day
Nitte International Film Festival held at
Bharath Cinemas at Bharath Mall in
Mangaluru showcased critically acclaimed
cinema from across India and the world
to the public in Mangaluru, while
providing a platform for film-makers and
film-viewers to have a conversation.
Organised by Nitte-Deemed-to-be
University (Nitte University) the Festival
was declared open the eminent film maker
and playwright Sadananda Suvarna.
In his inaugural address, Sadananda
Suvarna said "There is no dearth of
spectators in theatres. When there are
good films, naturally people are attracted
towards movies and theatres," he added.
Dr Satish Kumar Bhandary, Vice
Chancellor of Nitte University presided
over the function. Prof Raviraj Kini,
Organiser of the event and Head of the
Department of Journalism and
Communications, Nitte University,
Student Co-ordinator Maitreya
Deshapande were present among others.
Nitte International Film Festival thrills
Mangaluru with critically acclaimed cinemas
As many as 40 filmmakers too attended
the festival wherein over 60 films across
various Indian languages, including
Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam,
Marathi, Gujarati and Odia along with a
few Chinese, French and Czech movies
were screened. Three screens at Bharath
Cinemas were dedicated to the Festival
films.
The National Film Award winning
Hindi film Mukti Bhawan (2016, Special
Jury Award), Village Rockstars (Best
Film, Best Editing), Thondimuthalum
Driksakshiyum (Best Malayalam film,
Best Original Screenplay), Mayurakshi
(Best Bengali Film), Dhh (Best Gujarati
Film) and To Let (Best Tamil Film) were
screened as part of the Festival.
Valiant young soldier from
Neranki gets rousing
reception at hometownA young
soldier Zubair M
hailing from
Neranki in
Bajattur village of
Kadaba taluk who
made his home
district as well as
state proud by being a part of the CRPF
team that valiantly fought against the
Lashkar-e-Taiba militants who were in
hiding in a building at Srinagar in
February, was given a rousing reception
by people of his hometown recently.
Local youth celebrated the occasion by
taking out Zubair in a procession in an
open jeep.
HHHHHAPPENINGSAPPENINGSAPPENINGSAPPENINGSAPPENINGS
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201843
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MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201844
IF ONE GOES BY THE HISTORY OF
India, it will indeed be pathetic to note
that from time immemorial India was
subject to loot of its resources by the
Moghul Emperors, followed by the British
rulers. Land was then the primary source
of power during the Moghul rule. The
emperor was the sole owner of every inch
of land. He distributed its revenue in return
for payment of royalty. The trend now
depicted that scams ruled the roost and the
misdeeds of the persons involved grew
more boldly disheartening the common
citizen.
The 2G scandal took nearly 3 years to
bear a scam in the collective psyche. Even
though the Court has acquitted all the
accused the scars will never go away though
they might fade In India scams results in a
few arrests made and they are subsequently
bailed out by virtue of their subtlety and
then they are back to rhetoric. Going by
of governance is recognized by the
management of crisis. But sadly the
Governance in the Banking industry has
failed miserably. The Punjab National Bank
fiasco is a symbol of merciless greed and
has become a national by word more due
to the apathy of the bank, Reserve Bank of
India and the Government in not protecting
the interests of the bank. The response of
the concerned authorities for the endless
scandals in banks is not due to Mark
Antony's exoneration of the assassination
of Julies Ceaser "Wove to the hand that
shed the costly blood". It is attributed to
the flawed disputable report of the auditors
and system failure for exoneration A less
complacent lot in the banking sector could
have seen the approaching fire storm in the
Punjab National Bank and also in other
banks but they chose to show a Nelson's
eye to the matter. There goes a saying that
familiarity is not synonymous with
certainty. The PNB scam has become a
national by word not only because of the
mind boggling amount involved but also
because the Bank, Reserve Bank of India,
the Government and auditors were
suspected of having compromised the Banks
strength. The mind boggling figure kept in
his closet by the borrower is a symbol of
merciless greed in a culture of elitist loot.
A fissiparous tendency of the borrowers
with money and power has played a decisive
role in the loot of the banks. PNB is already
saddled with gross Non Performing Assets
amounting to Rs. 57519/- crore on
December 31, 2017. Incidentally the PNB
had almost turned the corner posting a net
The high profile loot of Public Sector Banks
the Court verdicts it is alleged our
investigating authorities have presented a
weak case and the court has acquitted all
the accused for lack of evidence or the
prosecution has failed to prove the charges
beyond doubt The inference in this case
appears that the scams were either bogus
or the Government did not put in genuine
efforts to reach at a positive conclusion.
The Judge may be correct when he said the
prosecution did not produce substantial
evidence and he waited for months for it.
However it is felt that the Judge could have
ordered the CBI or the Government to
produce substantial evidence in the
intervening period.
Tackling corruption in India is akin to
fighting a cancer that has spread into the
very vitals of our Governance. The quality
CA
RT
OO
N C
OU
RT
ESY
: SA
TIS
H A
CH
AR
YA
Strict pecuniary action needs to be taken against all responsible for the
mind boggling loss as this is not a peccadillo, writes V Mohan Rao
VVVVVIEWPOINTIEWPOINTIEWPOINTIEWPOINTIEWPOINT
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201845
profit of Rs. 1325/- crore in 2016-17 as
against a net loss of Rs. 3974/- crore in the
previous fiscal. But the present fiasco has
taken a heavy toll on the bank where shares-
are reported to have fallen 30 per cent as
on February 2018, culminating in eroding
nearly Rs. 11000/- crore of its market cap.
There is more than that meets the eye in
the instant case. It is alleged that a scam of
such magnitude would not have been
possible without the connivance of some
top officials of the bank. There are several
reasons why a borrowal account becomes
a Non Performing Asset. One of them is
the flouting the laid down norms. It is
incumbent on the banker to make discreet
enquires when huge withdrawals are made
in the account or where the borrower is
requesting for Letter of Understanding
(LOUS) for raising huge amounts. In the
instant case the banker ignored the alarm
bells. The scam was in vogue and remained
importing pearls and diamonds for making
jewellery. The borrowers intention of
raising overseas capital was due to
availability of cheaper loan with interest at
about 3.5% when compared to loans in
India with interest rate as high as 10%. An
LOU is normally issued for 90 days which
is guaranteed by the issuing bank, in the
instant case the issuing bank is PNB which
agreed to pay the full amount in case the
borrower defaulted in repaying the amount.
The normal procedure in such cases would
be to secure the loan by collateral security
worth 100% value of the guarantee issued
by the bank. It is alleged that the Deputy
Manager connived with officials of the
borrower's firms without obtaining
collateral security thereby flouting RBI
norms. A very serious and deliberate lapse
indeed. The amount totalling to about Rs.
11400/¬crore was transferred by way of
messages by PNB on SWIFT (Society for
exposed on change of guard at PNB who
demanded 110% value of collaterals which
the firms refused. The argument of the firms
was that the Bank had never asked for such
collaterals when the earlier LOU was
sanctioned to them. It was then, realized
(late realization) that the firms had cheated
and defrauded the Bank substantially.
Investigations are in full swing with arrests
of some junior officials of the PNB. It is
pertinent to note that the banks which
transferred money into PNB's nostro
account continued to discount LOUS despite
their failure to check whether there was
movement of goods or shipping documents.
It is also incumbent on the part of the branch
auditors to verify such transactions. The
branch manager is required to review the
SWIFT transaction register. LOUS issued
by banks need to be sent to RBI every
quarter. In the instant case it is reported/
alleged that all these procedures were
The high profile loot of Public Sector Banksundetected by the Bank, its internal and
external auditors as well as the R.B.I.
auditors besides the concurrent auditors. A
concurrent auditor checks all the
transactions on a day to day basis and
submits a report at the end of the day which
is signed by both the concurrent auditors
and the Manager of the Bank's Branch. It
is thereafter sent to the head office /
controlling authority. Ironically the auditor
reports to the controlling authority directly
and hence cannot be influenced. But in the
PNB's case the transactions skipped the
bank's core banking net work.
The modus oprandi of the
borrower in swindling the bank
The sister concern or firms promoted
by the borrower Mr. Nirav Modi
approached and requested the PNB Officials
to issue them Letters of Undertaking
(LOUS) that would enable them, to raise
overseas capital for their business of
World Wide Inter Bank Financial
Telecommunication - a global provider for
secured financial messaging services) to the
overseas branches of host banks by
overstepping PNB's Core Banking System
(CBS) which in the normal course would
have reflected the transactions. The foreign
branches of Indian banks transfer the money
to the nostro account of PNB where other
Hong Kong based branches of these banks
send the money as desired by PNB.
However the norms in this regard were also
overlooked by them. Though the amount
of LOU was paid by PNB to the borrower
and his firms for their business transactions
it is alleged that the amount was diverted
by them to retire import bills or to repay
the buyers credit in other banks that were
matured~ Subsequently the borrowers firm
approached PNB and requested for LOUS
for extension of earlier ones which would
cover the interest as well, leading to the
gross borrowal spiraling. The scam was
ignored / overlooked.
It appears that the principles of
operating a computerized system had been
compromised. The SWIFT system
normally has multiple pass words as per
the size of the transaction and the bank. In
large transactions it is incumbent to have
atleast three pass words but in PNB's case
it is not clear how many persons where
handling the three passwords. It is
mandatory-that the SWIFT system needs
to be reconciled with bank's Core Banking
System (CBS).
This procedure was ignored for reasons
best known to the bank. Further it is
incumbent that all transactions in a Nastro
Account need to be reconciled in the bank's
treasury branch. However in the case of
PNB episode it is not clear whether this
procedure was followed.
It is alleged that three directors of a
Mumbai Company are held for a duping
Axis Bank of Rs. 250/- crore. Along with
VVVVVIEWPOINTIEWPOINTIEWPOINTIEWPOINTIEWPOINT
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201846
other banks there are some other 19 banks
that have credited the money to the firms
account. The arrested - directors are
charged with flouting fake invoices and
manipulating bills through bogus companies
to commit the fraud by issuing Letter of
Credit (as per the reports published in The
Times of India, Financial Express:- logical
India on 20/03/2018).
It is also alleged that other banks like
Syndicate Bank and Canara Bank have
become victims of fraud. A recent report
indicates that a Jewellery firm in Chennai
has cheated banks of Rs. 824 crore (as per
the report published in Deccan Herald 23/
3/2018).
There are several other fraud cases
engulfing the Public Sector Banks.
Letter of Undertaking (LOUS): A
letter of undertaking (LOU) is a bank
guarantee that permits a holder to raise
money from another Indian Bank’s foreign
branches in the form of short term credit.
Goldman Sachs is of the opinion that
the banks may have to write off upto 65%
of their bad loans.
Frauds will turn out to be a prolonged
period of pain for the Indian Economy. It
has already turned out to be an International
issue and perhaps may affect investments.
Public Sector Banks are the pillars of
the economy. Hence it is implicitly clear
that banks need to be protected from
massive frauds. The Government by virtue
of being a major share owner in Public
Sector Banks, cannot shift the onus of fraud
on others, so also RBI. The regulator needs
to be more vigilant in all transactions
forwarded to it by the banks. There has
been a lot of mudslinging between the ruling
and opposition parties, government & RBI
whenever there is a bank scam. It is just
like the pot calling the kettle black. Since
the banks are dealing with depositors hard
earned money it is imperative that the
Government, RBI and Bank's Board should
sit and solve the problems across the table
and evolve a fool proof method to curb such
frauds and irregularities. Strict pecuniary
action needs to be taken against all
responsible for the mind boggling loss as
this is not a peccadillo.
We have this king of good times who
owes Rs. 9000/- crore to consortium
bankers, and left his legions in lurch while
living a Monte Carlo life abroad. These
two cases are only tip of the ice berg. There
are industries who have defaulted
substantially
In another alleged fraud case the
promoter allegedly raised foreign letter-of
credit from Public Sector Banks to procure
wheat and export of goods for other
purposes but allegedly diverted the funds
to his company and sister concerns. The
investigating authorities are conducting the
investigations and outcome is awaited.
questions and credit reputational risks
according to Fitch Ratings, a significant
portion of the loan has become non
performing asset.
It is alleged that between 2012 and 2016
Public Sector Banks lost a whopping
amount of about Rs. 23000/- crores in
fraudulent cases. The Indian Institute of
Management in its report of 2017 attributed
the losses to laxity in supervision and lack
of other checks.
The different types of frauds besieging
the Public Sector Banks are: a) The loan
Fraud viz. diversion of funds., b) Fraud,
c) Bribes for loans, d) Fictitious account
and e) Cheating (Source: Media Report)
It is imperative that Bank scams are
treated on a priority basis. In the event of
an enquiry involving politicians the
incumbent is directed to resign or is
suspended until such time they are
exonerated of the charged if any. However
it is not clear what prevents the RBI or
Finance Ministry from directing the
Managing Director or CEO to step down
until they are cleared of the charges. This
is explicitly clear in consortium Advances
which are significantly very large. In the
case of above it is not clear why the
borrowers were sanctioned large
consortium advances despite their being in
the defaulters list of Reserve Bank of India
and caution list of ECGC at the tie of initial
sanctions of the consortium advance to the
borrowers.
The ghosts of crisis are splattered all
round, a noxious debris sucking the very
life of the depositors. The stench from the
Bank's scam has turned toxic and the
depositors are lost in the labyrinth. All this
goes to say that time is not the healing factor
as it allows the memory to revisit the
forsaken species of history.
In England they said God save the king
but in India we say God save the
depositors.n
Yet in another case it is alleged that he
directors of a company in Vadodara cheated
eleven banks by not repaying loans of
Rs.2604 crore. The account is declared as
non-performing Assets in 2016-17. The
modus operandi of cheating as reported in
the media is that the company fraudulently
availed itself credit from consortium of 11
public and private banks since 2008, though
the company and its directors were on the
Reserve Bank of India defaulters list and
ECGC caution list at the time of initial
sanction of credit. It is alleged that Axis
Bank was the lead bank for term loan and
Bank of India the lead bank for cash credit
limit.
It is reported by Business Line dated
10th April 2018 that an investigation into
allegations that ICICI Bank extended a loan
with potential conflict of interest raises
V. MOHAN RAO is a
Retd. Deputy Chief Manager,
Bank of India, Chennai Main
Branch and Advocate.
VVVVVIEWPOINTIEWPOINTIEWPOINTIEWPOINTIEWPOINT
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201847
By BRENDON FAIFE
SUMMER HOLIDAYS IN
Mangalore of old are for many an
unsurpassed nostalgic memory. One
often hears even old people speaking of this
and the indelible bond that it created in them
and those around them. Our mother, would
take us to Mangalore for most holidays.
The date of departure was a red letter day
for me and my sister. We were so excited
that we used to mark the date of departure
on a calendar and countdown long before
the day dawned.
When the D-day arrived the excitement
was overflowing... the night on the train
passed like magic. With the humid dawn,
the Mangalore Express chugged into the
old station, loudly booming it's whistle to
signal arrival, a joy beyond words. There
would be a flurry of activity on the platform,
which to us smelled of fresh fish. The
'coolies' in their red shirts, would run
alongside the train, choosing potential
customers. People would hurry to get off
the train. Babies would yell and kids would
jump excitedly. People on the platform
would wait to welcome their loved ones
with smiles and hugs.
The train seemed to have transported
us into another world which seemed nothing
short of magic!! Unlike the present concrete
jungle the city was beautiful full of greenery
and coconut, mango, jack and fruit trees,
the chirping of birds and had the relaxed
atmosphere of a coastal town. The
anticipation of the fun stuff which we could
do made us look bright. The beach, ice
creams, parks beckoned us! And oh, did I
mention that there would be no homework
or studies?
At our grandmother’s house in high
spirits the coconut trees would seem to sway
and welcome us. My grandmother would
be pretty excited to meet us. She had
numerous stories to share. I remember
running small errands for her like bringing
her 'beeda' from the small shop across the
street. She would also give me some pocket
money, with which I would buy the local
cold drink 'Joy'. “Ganji rice” and “fish
curry” sometimes for all the 3 meals was
not unusual - it was a feast! We would
struggle with our Konkani and so my
auntie’s and uncles used to converse with
us in Kannada instead, for we lived and
worked near Bangalore. This sometime led
to hilarious situations. One instance I
recollect was when I told my aunty I was
not too keen on fish and she said she would
instead prepare 'Bajji' for me. I eagerly
waited for the spicy snack of potatoes or
onions deep fried in oil (the Kannadiga
Bajji) and what do I see at lunch time...
Spinach! What she actually meant was the
Konkani 'Valchi bhaji' 'Basaale'! But,
special local stuff like, jack fruit dishes,
sweet potato and bread fruit fried would all
make us glad.
The minute we met our cousins and
neighbouring kids, we would be like a house
on fire. The warm humid weather could
never deter our enthusiasm! We would
always find some type of fun to do (read
nuisance) be it sun or rain! We loved the
beaches. Thannirbavi, Ullal and Panambur
were God’s gift to us. Eating white apples,
building sand castles, doing hand-stands ,
playing with Frisbee’s, local games like
'lagori' (7 tiles), cricket with the solid end
of a coconut frond as bat..... given a chance
we wouldn’t mind spending the entire day
at the beach. Our favourite snack would
be the variations of spicy puffed rice
prepared by the sellers on the beach. Bhel-
puri, Churmuri, Mango-bhel etc. If we had
the means, we would have tried all the
varieties he had to offer. No matter how
much our parents coaxed us not to eat from
the roadside vendor, citing how unhygienic
the guy looked; our trip to the beach would
simply be incomplete without it.
We would also unfailingly visit the
Kadri Hill park and hitch a ride on the toy
train. The nearby snake park too had its
own charm. The huge variety of snakes it
showcased left us awestruck.
The final treat would be a visit to Ideal
Ice cream in Hampankatta and the challenge
would be to down a famous Gadbad which
we would accomplish with glee!! I also
recollect during one of our visits to
Mangalore an encounter with a troupe of
folk dancers. It was late in the evening
when a small troupe of people painted with
tiger stripes and wearing tiger masks were
dancing to the rhythmic beating of drums.
As I cowered behind my grandmother in
fear, she told me this was the Tiger dance
or 'Huli Vesha'. Gradually my fear was
replaced by amazement and I was entranced
by the dancers. I even purchased a tiger
mask the next day and pranced around my
grandmother growling and snarling for all
I was worth!
But like all good things come to an end,
so did the summer holidays. We would with
heavy hearts bid adieu to our family, friends
and relatives. As the train departed
Mangalore we would hold back our tears
simply because we didn’t want to say
goodbye to this beautiful little coastal
paradise. Seeing the 'Smart City' it is being
turned into like any other common place
tugs my heart, will children in the future
have Mangalore summer
holidays like the ones we
enjoyed ?
MANGALORE SUMMER HOLIDAYSDOWN MEMORY LANE
Brendon Faife is an engineer
by profession and works for a
leading MNC in Bangalore.
NNNNNOSTOSTOSTOSTOSTALGIAALGIAALGIAALGIAALGIA
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201848
RRRRRANDOMANDOMANDOMANDOMANDOM THOUGHTSTHOUGHTSTHOUGHTSTHOUGHTSTHOUGHTS
voice, Ghanta Fakir etc. etc are all there in the top layer of my
mind as if I have seen them only yesterday. I can write about
them at length and will sure do it sometime.
Every human being has a story to tell. The story is not of
anybody else but his own. If only we have the patience and the
person the felicity to narrate, the story will emerge, worth making
a film. Not many people try to remember what happened to their
life as they live it. The few people who keep at least a mental note
become writers, speakers of excellence. Not that the others do
not have anything to tell. They only do not know how to do it.
You speak and you are special.
My father was an interesting man. He had certain very
interesting experiences to tell. He used to tell them when we were
young. Later perhaps, he was annoyed with the too very strong
personalities, and stopped talking about his past. I even requested
him to write something like memoirs. He accepted. Never did it
happen that he even spoke about them. He passed away without a
record of his travels and travails. Was he a face in the crowd?
Definitely not! Only pity is the world does not know him, even as
much as it knows me!
The secret is, it is not enough to be great, you should be
known as doing great things, and perhaps you should also be seen
as doing great things. Otherwise who cares about who is who? In
this dog eats dog world, personal excellence has ceased to be of
any importance.n
Solution to MANGALORE TODAY Crossword(From page No.33)
A Face in the Crowd
Not even a face in
the crowd. Several
times I thought about
going back to the
village. If there is
something that we can
do there. I have even
written a poem that I
am looking for
myself, in this city. When one grows old, one usually starts
talking about good old days. I do not belong to that kind
anyway. All things new and young are also acceptable to
me. When a famous newspaper group wanted to employ
me, there was a comment about me that I am one with
involvement in the present time and respect for past. I know
that in a given time there is an equal amount of good things
just like the bad things. It only depends on where you stand
and look at the goings on.
The problem is, you have a lot of ideas. Everyone has
ideas. May be, there are some who do not have anything to
tell the world. But, I have ideas. When people listen to you
and you make a difference in their thought process, you are
not exactly a face in the crowd. When you are walking on
the road in a place which is not your usual haunt, no on
greets you. These days even at home no one greets you.
When they do it is so mechanical that you ignore it. Then
you are a face in the crowd even in your own place. In such
a situation where is the question of complaining about being
a nobody in the world. When a cricketer does something
unusual they print in the first page of the news paper. When
an intellectual tells something that could change the direction
of the world, only the miniscule group of intellectuals listens
to him. Many of them discard the theory because they did
not understand it properly. Many intellectuals do not know
how to tell their story. If they know they cease to be
intellectuals.
It is easy to live as a face in the crowd. No expectations
from the world in your face. Once you get noticed by people,
you become a butt of criticism. One among the lot also
does not agree that he or she is common. Who is a common
man or woman in this world? It is the collectiveness of
more than one person that deserves this word. In that case
there is no person who can exactly be called face in the
crowd. I even remember the beggars I have seen in my
childhood. The lame Lambada, the man with a very high
By Dr. GOPALAM KARAMCHEDU
T A L K O U T C L A S S
O I P O A
T I D D L E R N E R V E
E I R I F T E E L
M I S E R A B L E 14 P A
15 C E A N T E N
A S H C R E P T L A D
M A R I A E L
A R P I P E D R E A M
S A G I L E X N E
S U E D E T I P S T E R
30 N N 31 L P G
A T T I T U D E Y O K E
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201849
By SATYA REDDY
At the outset, I was a bit wary of
reviewing a film where I did not understand
the language. In this case, Tulu. But I was
curious to know how a Shakespearean
drama like Macbeth could fit into a Tuluva
fishing community setting. To say I was
blown away by what I saw is putting it
mildly. And I will go so far as to say, of all
the adaptations of Shakespeare’s Macbeth,
Mangalore boy Abhaya Simha’s ‘Paddayi’
is by far the best. Forget Akira Kurosawa’s
Throne of Blood. Forget Vishal
Bharadwaj’s Maqbool. Go see ‘Paddayi’ if
you want a masterclass in subtility and
nuance. There isn’t a gun in sight, there
isn’t a battle in sight.
But there is a visceral display of
emotions that does immense justice to the
Bard’s drama. And it just happens to be
the first Tulu adaptation of a Shakespearean
work! “ I studied Macbeth in school. I have
seen many adaptations of it but there was
nothing in Tulu so I decided to do it.” says
Simha modestly.
The story of ‘Paddayi’ is set in a village
on the Tulunadu coast and the main
characters are all from the local fishing
community-the Mogaveeras. Madhava and
Sugandhi are newlyweds-they are you
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. To begin with,
they are happy with their lot in life but the
seed of discontent and greed are sown when
Madhava chances upon a ‘bhoota’ or spirit
that prophesies his meteoric rise in the
community. While Madhava occasionally
doubts himself, Sugandhi’s raw desire for
status and material comforts goes
unchecked. To satiate her greed, Madhava
commits a murder that spirals out of control
and sucks everybody into its vortex.
Thus far, the film is your standard
Macbeth. But look beneath the palm fronds
and layer upon exquisite layer of meaning
emerges. There is no ‘war’ but every day, the
men in the community prepare their nets and
boats; and set sail to wage war against the sea.
Sugandhi’s obsessive greed for material wealth,
power and position centers not on property
per se but just a whiff of perfume.
Simha is a graduate of the FTII and his
technical expertise is evident in the framing
of shots, camera movements, angles and
lighting but where he has really taken the
movie to a stunning level is in the sound
department. For the first time in Tulu
cinema, he has used ‘sync sound
technology’ where all sound in a scene is
not dubbed. “Using this technology has
made the film aesthetically richer.” says
the director. Most Hollywood movies use
Paddayi : Macbeth’s Tulu avatarthis technology and about 30% of
bollywood movies use it too. Though it is
more expensive, in the long run, the
soundscape throughout the film feels more
lush. Every shot gives a real ‘feel’ of the
location-the wind in the palms is not just in
the background but is ‘in’ the shot; the
gentle clink of glass bangles, the howling
of village dogs, the crack of a crab claw
between teeth…
The film has been selected for numerous
international film festivals and I can assure
you it will net the cast, crew and director a
huge haul of awards. Do watch it, or as
they say in Tulu, Paddayi podu thule! n
RRRRREVIEWEVIEWEVIEWEVIEWEVIEW
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201850
Wise
Cracks
Wise
Cracks
HHHHHUMOURUMOURUMOURUMOURUMOUR
Betweenthe Lines
ONE DAY, MY NEIGHBOUR
brought her Beagle puppy home.
The adorable mutt sniffed around
the house and satisfied there was no other
dog around, he launched himself onto my
son’s leg and began dry humping his leg.
Standing from afar, I could see the reactions
this puppy’s actions provoked. The
neighbour was truly horrified and was so
embarrassed she tried to yank the puppy
away (he just clung on for dear life), Sonny
was laughing hysterically while trying to
hold up his trackpants that the puppy was
pulling down and my daughter was rolling
on the floor giggling at the fiasco. “Silly
dog! He thinks he can mate with my leg!”
said Sonny. My neighbour was taken aback
at the ease with which Sonny had used the
word ‘mate’. “You know what mating is
all about?” she asked. “Sure I do Aunty A!
I have seen it on Animal Planet! Besides,
all the monkeys that come into my
Ammamma’s garden are mating all the
time!”
Very often, adults cringe when it comes
to telling their children about certain
realities of life. Parents try to hold back,
thinking children will get traumatized. The
unfortunate result is that we have innocent
but ignorant children wandering around in
a world filled with super sexualized images
(notice how even biscuit and chocolate ads
are sexualized!) and predatory adults. If this
is not bad enough we also live in a digital
world that can do horrifying thing to a
child’s image and send it racing into
thousands of inboxes in a matter of
nanoseconds.
The past few weeks have been difficult
for me. Day after day, there have been news
reports of young children being raped and
killed. With each report, the age of the
victim seems to get younger and younger
and the method of killing gets more
gruesome. As a mother, each incident is
like a stake through my heart. The pain of
losing a child is very real, even if you are
reading about somebody else’s. And the
fear. The real, numbing fear it could happen
to your child too. The immediate reflex is
to shut out that nasty life by shutting
yourself in. But how long can you keep a
child in?
Very early on, in order to empower
them, I decided to tell my children
everything - the Birds & Bees, Bad Touch,
who pedophiles are, where you generally
find them (in most cases, within our own
family and friends circle) and also about
the insidious ways technology can aid
pedophiles. It was tough going not because
the children could not understand (they
asked so many intelligent questions) but
because some ‘adults’ in my life could not
understand why I would ‘intentionally’
traumatize my children with all this
information.
So to all the adults who have read the
column till here, I have only this to say.
We have unfortunately come to that crucial
juncture where we have to take a call- keep
our children safe by locking them up and
depriving them of a life or send them out
into this world armed with the knowledge
to keep themselves safe. And are my
children traumatized by all they know?
Absolutely not! n
SATYA REDDY
Carefree but Careful!Carefree but Careful!
BEST OF PAPPU
TEACHER: “George Washington not
only chopped down his father’s Cherry
tree, but also admitted doing it. Now do
you know why his father didn’t punish
him?”
PAPPU: “Because George still had the
axe in his hand?”
PAPPU: Daddy, have you ever been to
Egypt?
FATHER : No. Why do you ask that?
PAPPU: Well, where did you get this
mummy then?
TEACHER: What a pair of strange
socks you are wearing, one is green and
one is blue with red spots !
PAPPU: Yes it’s really strange. I’ve got
another pair just like that at home.
TEACHER: Now, Pappu, tell me
frankly do you say prayers before eating?
PAPPU: No sir, I don’t have to , my
mom is a good cook.
TEACHER : Pappu, your composition
on “My Dog” is exactly the same as
your brother’s. Did you copy his ?
PAPPU: No, teacher, it’s the same dog!
TEACHER : What do you call a person
who keeps on talking when people are
no longer interested?
PAPPU: A teacher
TEACHER: What is the chemical
formula for water?
PAPPU : “HIJKLMNO”
TEACHER: What are you talking
about?
PAPPU: Yesterday you said it’s H to
O!
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201851
LEO (July 24 - Aug 23)
You might decide to eliminate
habits in your routine that are
counter-productive in order to
focus on those that serve your
higher goals. Watch for power
struggles with others or succumbing to
frustration when being productive makes more
sense. The last few days of April pull your
attention to home and family life. It's an
excellent time for making plans to improve
your personal life.
VIRGO(Aug 24 - Sept. 23)
When the month begins,
you've just experienced a call
to action related to money,
resources, comfort, and
health, dear Virgo. You start
April very alert to the need to take care of
personal business. This is an important time
for sorting out your affairs. As well, if you've
been feeling unfairly treated, you'll want to
do something about it now.
LIBRA (Sept.24 - Oct. 23)
You may be challenged to
confront and manage
emerging issues that have
been buried, swept under the
carpet, or otherwise hidden.
The Full Moon on the 29th is good for
awareness and understanding of your means
and resources, as well as a possible plan for
making improvements.
SCORPIO (Oct.24 - Nov.22)
You begin April with a
heightened awareness of
your need to take extra
downtime or moments to
yourself, dear Scorpio.
While this is important, April's larger
themes are more about getting your work
and health routines into order and focusing
on your close relationships. This is a time
for appreciation and praise from others, as
well as fabulous rewards for your efforts.
ARIES (March 21 - April 20)
Relationships are in strong
focus as the month begins,
dear Aries, but the major
themes of the month are about
you, your resources,
confidence, work, and independence.In fact,
your business acumen is attractive and
appealing this month. Money is in good favor
as well.
TAURUS (April 21- May 21)
Some intense aspects are
happening in April, but these
are occurring in harmony with
your sign, making the month
in an overall sense quite useful
for making the most of things and helping
others, as well. The 25-26 is a time for
learning or advancing in your trade, or for
personal experiences that change your
perspective.
GEMINI (May 22 - June 21)
Settling old disputes can figure
strongly now, and this process
can be empowering. From the
20th forward, you're pouring
more of your time, energy,
and attention into your private life. This is a
time not only for unwinding but also for
healing and regenerating. It helps that
friendships are more relaxed now.
CANCER (June 22 - July 23)
April holds terrific
opportunities for finding
satisfying ways to express
yourself uniquely or
creatively. Matters of the
heart can have an almost magical quality to
them, although also intense! Ups and downs
are par for the course right now.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 - Dec. 22)
In fact, it's an important
month for arriving at a better
understanding of your social
or romantic connections as
well as your special projects
and personal objectives. There's also a
growing theme of attention to work and
health matters this month. Relationships with
the people you spend time with in pursuit of
your daily goals are set to improve.
CAPRICORN (Dec.23 - Jan 20)
A generous, open approach
leads to rewards. Even so, a
bit of mystery is helpful in
your work. You're coming
on quite strongly these days,
with more energy at your disposal and more
directness in your requests, but at this point
of the month, you benefit from a little more
subtlety.
AQUARIUS (Jan 21 - Feb. 19)
Your taste for experiences
outside of the ordinary is notable
at the beginning of April, and
while you'd do well to explore
them, April can find you rather
frequently dealing with your mundane affairs.
There is also a growing theme of extra attention
to your home or family life, and there can be
fantastic opportunities to bring more harmony,
comfort, enjoyment, and beauty to your personal
or domestic world in April.
PISCES (Feb. 20 - March 20)
The month ahead is an
important one for sorting out
your finances, paying particular
attention to your valuables and
resources, and building your
talents. While some predictability is an
objective now, you're also in a curious frame
of mind and might thoroughly enjoy a change
of scenery from time to time. As such, learning,
commuting, and connecting are in focus on
some level all month.
Belive it or not, we are definitely not responsible for your fate!
HHHHHUMOURUMOURUMOURUMOURUMOUR
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201852
YOUNG ACHIEVER
KKKKKIDSIDSIDSIDSIDS
PIC
: PR
AS
HA
NT
H N
AY
AK
Panchami Pai
Dolphins are affectionate and adorable
creatures. Everyone right from young to
old love to watch these playful creatures.
There are several amazing facts about
Dolphins. Do read some of them listed
out here.
lScientists believe that Dolphins don’t
ever fall into a deep sleep. Just one-half
of a Dolphin’s brain goes to sleep at a
time.
lDolphins can recognize themselves in the
mirror, and they love to admire
themselves.
lIn Rome, Dolphins were thought to carry
souls to the “Islands of the Blest,” and
images of Dolphins have been found in
the hands of Roman mummies.
l There are 40 existing species of
Dolphins. Most species live in shallow
waters of tropical and temperate oceans.
Five species live in rivers.
lDolphins have the longest memory in the
animal kingdom.
lJust a tablespoon of water in a Dolphin’s
lung could drown it. A human could drown
if two tablespoons of water were inhaled
into the lungs.
l A baby Dolphin is born tail-first to
prevent drowning. After the mother breaks
the umbilical cord by swiftly swimming
away, she must immediately return to her
baby and take it to the surface to breathe.
lA female Dolphin will assist in the birth
of another’s baby Dolphin. Other Dolphins
will swim around the mother during birth
to protect her.
lA Dolphin spends most of its life holding
its breath.
The bulging part of a Dolphin’s head
contains an organ called the melon, which
is filled with liquid fat. It acts as a lens,
Wonderful AchievementNishkal Rao, a ninth standard student of
Sharada Vidyalaya and his brother Nischith Rao,
a sixth standard student are rare talents. The
two bright lads have done a wonderful job by
bringing out the first book in Tulu script.
The book named "Sri Hari Stuthi" comprising
hymns in praise of Lord Vishnu were typed in
Tulu font developed for computerised tyography
by Nishkal with the help of his brother, under the guidance of font expert K P
Rao and vedic scholar Kadri Prabhaker Adiga. Conservation of Tulu script and
promotion of Tulu literature is the main aim behind the project, says Nishkal.
Kudos to the two talented boys for their rare chievement.
Dolphins - A FEW FACTS
which focuses the Dolphin’s clicks into a
narrow beam of sound.
l Dolphins can move each eye
independently. They can move each eye
up, down, forward, and backward, giving
them nearly 360 degrees of vision.
l Dolphins do not breathe automatically
as humans do and will die if given a general
anesthetic. They must sleep at the surface
of the water with their blowholes exposed.
l Dolphins don’t have a sense of smell,
but they do have a sense of taste.
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201853
HOCUS - FOCUSCheck out how sharp your eyes are. Find out at least 6 differences between the pictures below.
KKKKKIDSIDSIDSIDSIDS
Kids Story
CO
UR
TE
SY
: PIN
TE
RE
ST
We were just returning
from our vacation back to our
home place, Sharjah.
The flight was in the evening.
We found our seats and buckled
up nicely. I took out my comic
book and started to read it.
Sometime later, my dad told
me to get some sleep. I flipped the
comic book shut and kept it inside my
favourite blue backpack. I reclined my
seat’s backrest and fell asleep almost
immediately.
I didn’t know how long I would have
slept. But suddenly, I woke up, startled
by some loud noise. I heard screams
coming from the rear of the plane. I
blinked my eyes repeatedly and forced
myself awake. My dad was already awake.
We strained our necks to find out what
was causing all this mayhem.
“Rats! Rats!” screamed someone.
“AAAAH! A big furry rat ran over my
foot!” screamed a lady from the one of
the rear seats. Immediately, everyone tried
to get up from their seats in panic.
Hearing the commotion, the cabin
crew rushed to the spot and tried to calm
the passengers down. I gingerly put my
feet up on my seat. Boy! I was scared of
rats.
It took time but
somehow, some calmness was restored by
the cabin crew.
Luckily, our destination airport was
nearby. We soon landed there and all of
us were allowed to get off the aircraft
quickly.
We got back to our home just before
midnight, and slept soundly. When I woke
up the next morning, I had almost forgotten
about the crazy experience on our flight
back home.
In the morning, after breakfast, I
started to unpack my blue backpack in my
room.
My dad was reading the newspaper to
my mum in the living room. I could hear
him in my room. There was an article in
the newspaper about the rodent in the flight
the previous night.
The article went thus – “Yesterday
night, there was an incident aboard a
Sharjah-bound aircraft, which required
further investigation and reporting by
the Sharjah Airport Authorities.
There was a rodent scare on the
flight half an hour before landing
time, which caused a lot of
commotion inside the aircraft.”
I pulled out my cap from the
backpack and put it on my table.
Next came the comic book, earphones
and iPod.
My father continued reading - “All the
passengers were swiftly disembarked from
the aircraft upon landing. The maintenance
team checked the flight thoroughly, and
were unable to find any rats or rodents.”
Now, where was this tennis ball that I
carried on the trip? I remembered stuffing
it in the outside compartment of my bag.
My father read the last line of the
article – “However, the maintenance team
found an unclaimed tennis ball below one
of the seats of the aircraft and they suspect
that it had been rolling around the floor of
the plane while the aircraft was descending
for landing, thereby causing all the
trouble.”
Rodent Aboard!
“Rodent Aboard!” by Jayanth Ramganesh, is the
Highly Commended story in the sub-junior
category of the first biannual Short Story Contest
organised by Kids World Fun.
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201854
RAILWAY TIMINGSGeneral Information - Dial 139 or 2423137
CCCCCITYITYITYITYITY INFOINFOINFOINFOINFO
MANGALORE CENTRAL STATION
NO. TRAIN ARIVAL DEPARTURE
Towards Kasargod:16649 Nagercoil Jn Parasuram Exp. Daily 20.15 05.2556654 Kozhikode Passenger Daily 10.35 05.3516860 Chennai Egmore Express Daily 21.45 06.5516605 Nagercoil Ernad Express Daily 17.00 07.2056324 Coimbatore Fast Passenger Daily 18.50 07.3516517 Yashwantpur-Kannur Express Daily 08.15 08.3522609 Coimbatore Intercity Express Daily 13.50 11.4512602 Chennai Mail Daily 12.25 13.2516348 Thiruvananthapuram Express Daily 11.05 14.2012686 Chennai Express Daily 09.05 16.2056656 Kannur Passenger Daily 16.3016687 Matha VD Katra Navyug Express Mon 22.45 17.0516856 Puduchery Express(via salem) Fri 09.30 17.0516858 Puducherry Express (via tiru-palli) Sun 09.55 17.0516603 Thiruvananthapuram Maveli Exp. Daily 08.05 17.4516630 Thiruvananthapuram Malabar Exp. Daily 10.15 18.1516566 Yesvantpur Express Mon 17.40 20.1517605 Kacheguda Bi-Weekly Express Wed, Sat 11.30 20.1522638 Chennai West Coast Express Daily 04.30 22.2022852 Santragachi Vivek Weekly Express Sat 09.30 23.00Towards Mangalore Junction:12619 Lokmanya Tilak Matsyagandha Exp. Daily 07.30 14.3516517 Yeswantpuir-Kannur express Daily 08.15 20.5556642 Kabakaputtur- Passenger Daily 09.25 06.0570105 Madgaon-Mangaluru DEMU Ex. Sun 12.05 15.0056646 Subramanya Road- Passenger Daily 16.05 10.0516524 Karwar Express Daily 20.20 09.0056641 Madgaon Passenger Daily 20.55 05.4556644 Kabakaputtur Passenger Daily 21.40 18.20
22635 Madgaon Superfast Inter City Exp. Daily 22.00 08.15
MANGALORE JUNCTION STATIONTowards Kasargod side:12618 Nizamuddin-Ernakulam Mangala Exp. Daily 00.35 00.4522654 Nizamuddin- Trivendram Superfast Exp. Wed 01.20 01.3022656 Nizamuddin- Trivendram Superfast Exp. Sun 01.20 01.3012218 Chandigarh-Kochuveli Sam.Kranti Exp. Fri,Sun 02.15 02.2512484 Amritsar-Kochuveli Express Tue 03.00 03.1019262 Porbandar-Kochuveli Express Sat 03.00 03.1022660 Dehdradun-Kochuveli Express Wed 03.00 03.1010215 Madgaon-Ernakulam Express Mon 03.00 03.1016345 Lokmanya Tilak-Trivendram Netravathi Exp.Daily 04.25 04.3519332 Indore – Kochuveli Express Thu 05.55 06.0519578 Hapa-Tirunelveli Express Sun, Mon 05.55 06.0516517 Yashwantpur-Kannur Express Daily 07.53 07.5512201 Lokmanya Tilak-Kochuveli Garib Rath Tue,Sat 08.00 08.1012284 Nizamuddin-Ernakulam Duronto Weekly Exp.Mon 08.00 08.1022113 Lokmanya Tilak-Kochuveli Super Exp.Wed, Sun 08.00 08.1012223 Lokmanya Tilak-Ernakulam AC Exp. Wed,Sat 10.15 10.2516516 Karwar-Yashwantpur Exp. (Arsikere)Tue,Thu,Sat 11.00 11.3022150 Pune-Ernakulam Express Thu,Mon 11.10 11.2070105 Madgaon DEMU Except Sun 11.43 11.4522629 Dadar-Tirunelveli Express Sat 12.10 12.2012133 Mumbai CST-Mangaluru Jn.Express Daily 12.40
16311 Bikaner-Kochuveli Express Thu 13.40 13.5016333 Veraval-Thiruvananthapuram Express Fri 13.40 13.5016335 Gandhidham-Nagercoil Express Sat 13.40 13.5016337 Okha-Ernakulam Express Tue,Sun 13.40 13.5019260 Bhavnagar-Kochuveli Express Mon 13.40 13.5022634 Nizamuddin- Trivendram Superfast Exp. Sun 14.35 14.4512432 Nizamuddin-Trivendram Rajdhani Mon,Wed,Thu 17.50 18.0012978 Ajmer-Ernakulam Marusagar Express Sat 19.15 19.2522475 Bikaner-Coimbatore AC Super Fast Express Fri 19.15 19.25*16356 Mangaluru Jn- Kochuveli Antyodaya Exp.Fri,Sun 20.0056641 Madgaon-mangaluru Central passenger Daily 20.23 20.2511097 Pune-Ernakulam Poorna Express Sun 23.15 23.25towards Konkan Railway22633 Trivendram -Nizamuddin Superfast Exp. Thu 02.05 02.1512224 Ernakulam-LTT AC Duronto Exp. Mon, Thurs 04.00 04.1016312 Kochuveli-Bikaner Express Sun 04.25 04.3516334 Thiruvananthapuram-Veraval Express Tue 04.25 04.3516336 Nagercoil-Gandhidham Express Wed 04.25 04.3516338 Ernakulam-Okha Express Thu,Sat 04.25 04.3519259 Kochuveli-Bhavnagar Express Fri 04.25 04.3512977 Ernakulam –Ajmer MaruSagar Exp Mon 04.25 04.3512431 Trivendram-Nizamuddin Rajdhani Ex.Wed,Fri,Sat 05.10 05.2056640 Mangaluru Central-Madgaon Passenger Daily 06.08 06.1012283 Ernakulam-Nizamuddin Duronto Express Fri 06.15 06.2511098 Ernakulam-Pune Poorna Express Tue 06.40 06.50*16355 Kochuveli Antyodaya Bi-Weekly Exp. Fri, Sun 09.15 1635522114 Kochuveli-Lokmanya Tilak SF Exp Mon, Thu, 12.05 12.1522149 Ernakulam-Pune Express Tue ,Fri, 12.05 12.1522653 Trivendram -Nizamuddin Superfast Exp. Sat 12.05 12.1522655 Trivendram -Nizamuddin Superfast Exp. Wed 12.05 12.0512134 Mangaluru Jn-Mumbai CST Express Daily 13.5570106 Mangalore-Madgaon DEMU Except Sun 15.1516515 Yashwantpur-Karwar Exp.(Arsikere)Mon,Wed,Fri 16.55 17.3012202 Kochuveli-LokmanyaTilak Express Sun,Thu 20.05 20.1512217 Kochuveli-Chandigarh SamKranti Exp. Sat,Mon 20.05 20.1512483 Kochuveli-Amritsar Express Wed 20.05 20.1522659 Kochuveli-Dehradun Express Fri 20.05 20.1510216 Ernakulam-Madgaon Express Mon 20.55 21.0512617 Ernakulam-Nizamuddin Mangala Exp. Daily 21.25 21.3519261 Kochuveli-Porbander Express Sun 22.00 22.1019577 Tirunelveli-Jamnagar Express Mon,Tue 22.00 22.1022476 Coimbatore-Bikaner AC Super Fast Exp. Sat 22.00 22.1022630 Tirunelveli-Dadar Express Wed 22.00 22.1019331 Kochuveli – Indore Express Fri 22.15 22.2016346 Trivendram-LokmanyaTilak Netravathi Exp.Daily 23.00 23.10
Mangaluru Junction from Mysuru sideYeswantpur –Kannur(via Kabakaputtur) Express Daily 07.53 07.55Kabakaputtur-Mangaluru Central Passenger Daily 08.53 08.55Subramanya Road-Mangaluru Central Passenger Daily 15.38 15.40Yeswantpur (via Kabakaputtur) Exp. Sun, Tue, Thu 16.55Yeswantpur –Karwar Express Mon,Wed, Fri 16.55 17.30Kabakaputtur-Mangaluru Central Passenger Daily 21.08 21.10towards Mysore side:56643 Kabakaputtur Passenger Daily 06.15 06.1756647 Subramanya Road Passenger Daily 10.25 10.2716576 Yeswantpur City Express Mon, Wed, Fri 11.3016516 Yeswantpur Exp. (via Kabakaputtur)Tue, Thu, Sat 11.00 11.3056645 Subramanya Road Passenger Daily 18.33 18.3516518 Kannur-Yeswantpur Express (via Mysore) Daily 21.08 21.10
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201855
AJ Hospital, Kuntikana 2225533
Athena Hospital, Falnir Road 2442835
City Hospital, Mallikatta 2217901
Colaco Hospital, Lower Bendoor 2434444
Fr. Muller’s Hospital, Kankanady 2238000
Indiana Hospital, Pumpwell 2880880
K.M.C. Hospital, Attavar 2445858
K.S. Hegde Hospital, Deralakatte 2204471
Lady Goschen Hospital (Govt.) 2445611
Mangala Hospital, Kadri Road 2444441
Mangalore Nursing Home, Bendoor 2218617
Omega Hospital, Pumpwel 2430000
SCS Hospital, Upper Bendoor 2225201
Tejasvini Hospital, Kadri Temple Road2225995
Unity Health Complex, Falnir 4245555
Vinaya Clinic, Karangalpady 2494150
Wenlock Hospital, Hampankatta (Govt) 2442744
Yenepoya Hospital, Kodialbail 4238855
HOSPITALS
LUXURY BUS TIMINGS
Abhiman, Bunts Hostel Road 2446304
Ayodhya,Kodialbail 2493681
BMS Hotel, Kuntikana 2988777
Deepa Comforts, MG Road 2497101
Ganesh Mahal, KS Rao Road 2440632
Ganesh Prasad,KS Rao Road 2440418
Goldfinch, Bunts Hostel Road 4245678
Mangalore Intl.,KS Rao Road 2444860
Maya International, Bendoorwell 2435111
Nalapad Residency, LHH Road 2424757
Ocean Pearl, Kodialbail 2413800
Panchmahal, Kodialbail 2495574
Prestige, Bendoor, Collector’s Gate 2410601
Poonja Intl., KS Rao Road 2440171
Roopa Hotel, Balmatta Road 2421271
Safron, GHS Raod 4255542
Srinivas Hotel, GHS Road 2440061
Taj Mahal, Hampankatta 2421751
The Gateway Hotel, Old Port Road 2420420
Woodlands,BuntsHostel Road 2443751
BOARDING / LODGING
TEMPLES &TOURIST SPOTS Dist. in Km.
Dharmasthala Manjunatha Swami Temple 75
Kukke Subrahmanya Temple 104
1000 Pillars Basadi, Moodbidri 38
Gomateshwara, Karkala 52
Krishna Temple, Udupi 60
St. Lawrence Church, Karkala 56
Mookambika Temple, Kollur 128
Sharadamba Temple, Sringeri 165
Sayyed Madani Dargah, Ullal 12
Durgaparameshwari Temple 27
St. Aloysius Chapel, Mangalore 1
Gokarnatheshwara Temple, Mangalore 2
Sri Gopalkrishna Temple, Shaktinagar 6
AIR TIMINGS
CINEMA
BANGALOREJet Airways 0820/1650/1940 0850/1715/2020Jet Airways (Except Tue) 1330/1130 1355/1200Spice Jet 0855/1915/1515 0915/1935/1535Air Pegasus (Except Tue) 1230 1250
MUMBAI Arr. Dep.Jet Airways 1520/1900/2220 1550/1840Jet Airways (Mon/Wed/Thu/Sat/Sun)1020 1050Spicejet (Wed/Fri/Sut/Sun) 0950 1035Air India (679/680) 1140 1215
DELHIJet Airways 2220 0850
BAHRAINAir India Express (Mon,Wed,Fri) 1905 0720
DUBAIAir India Express 0445 0855Air India Express (Tue/Thu/Sat/Sun) 1725 2000Jet Airways 0800 2325Spice Jet 1805 0020
SHARJAHJet AIrways (Thu/Fri/Sat) 1730 0900
ABU DHABIAir India Express (Tue/Thu/Sat/Sun) 0555 2130Jet AIrways 0645 2015
DOHAAir India Express (Thu,Fri,Sun) 1550 1735
DAMMAMAir India Express (Mon/Wed/Fri) 0340 1810
LEISURE CLUBSCanara Club, Kadri 2211086Eden Aquatic & Sports Club, Nantoor 2211617Mangalore Club, Jeppu-Bolar 2414146Country Club, Yekkur 4252585
SERVICE CLUBSJCI Mangalore, Urva 9243300775Ladies Club, Light House Hill Road 2425051Lions Club, Kadri 2216854Rotary Club, Ladyhill 2459246Toastmasters Club 9845493400
Mangalore Holiday Village,Someshwar 2281061
Red Rock Residency, Mukka 2477190
Paradise Isle, Malpe 0820 - 2537791
Summer Sands, Ullal 2467690
BEACH RESORTS
Shreemanthibai Memorial Museum, Bejai 2211106
Aloyseum, St. Aloysius College, LHH Road 2426143
Manjusha Museum, Dharmasthala 08256 - 277121
MUSEUMS
CLUBS
CCCCCITYITYITYITYITY INFOINFOINFOINFOINFO
TO BANGALORE TEL TIMINGS
Anand Travels 2446737 22.20,23.30Durgamba Motors 2497225 21:55,22.45Ganesh Travels 2441277 21.20,22.15SRS Travels 4255680 14.45,22.15,23.00Sugama Tourist 4279555 21.45,22.10,2230VRL Travels 2493536 22.00,23.00
TO MUMBAIAnand Travels 2446737 11.00,13.45Canara Pinto 2422646 12.00,13.30,16.00Vishal Travels 2423917 12.15,13.00,14.00Mahabaleshwara 2424322 14.00VRL Travels 2493536 13.45,15.00,17.00Neetha Travels 2427099 15.30SRS Travels 4255680 13.45,15.00,17.15
TO BELGAUMGanesh Travels 2441277 20.00, 21.00, 22.00Sri Durgamba 2420303 20.00VRL Travels 2493536 16.10, 18.00, 22.00
TO HUBLIVRL Travels 2493536 15.30, 22.00Ganesh Travels 2441277 19.00,21.45,22.30
TO MYSOREDurgamba Motors 2497225 23.25
TO GOAGanesh Travels 2441277 21.15
TO KOCHI/ERNAKULAM/KOTTAYAMGanesh Travels 2441277 20.30Durgamba 2420303 20.00
TO HYDERABADSRS Travels 4255680 14.45VRL Travels 2493536 14.00
Big Cenema, Bharath Mall, Bejai 3989545
Cinepolis Cinema, City Centre Mall 4261315
Central, Maidan Road 2423108
Jyoti, Balmatta Road 2424660
New Chitra, Car Street 2496337
Platinum, Falnir 2427126
PVR Cinemas, Forum Mall 8800900009
Ramakanti, Market Road 2423494
Roopavani, Central Market 2423199
Suchitra / Prabhat, KS Rao Road 2440467
TOURIST INFORMATION
Department of Tourism, Lalbagh 2453926GUIDE: Mr. Anil Salian 94485 03170
RENT-A-CAR
Cell Cab, Balmatta Road 60609090Ola Cabs, Mangalore 3355335
VEHICLE BREAKDOWN SERVICES
Auto Matix (Tata) 9845377488 / 6539237Bharath Auto Cars (Maruthi) 99865 43030 / 2223030Cauvery Ford (Ford) 9845059961/ 2450083Frontline (Chevrolet) 9845119112 / 9845398691Karnataka Agencis(Mahindra) 9845338004Kanchana Automobiles(Hyundai) 984404407/2430618Peninsular Honda (Honda) 9845977000Mandovi Motors (Maruthi) 9845724365United Toyota (Toyota) 9845086811Volkswagen 97423 03030 / 2433530
Mangalore International Airport - 2220422, 2220400
Air india Express - 2450673, Air India (Domestic) - 2254253,
Jet Airways - 2440794, Spicejet - 2252452
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201856
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Awardedl R e n o w n e d
wildlife biologists
and researchers Dr
K Ullas Karanth
and his daughter
Dr Krithi Karanth have been jointly
awarded the Conservation Leadership
Award by the Woodland Park Zoo at the
Thrive Leadership Awards ceremony. The
Award has been conferred in recognition
of their dedication to the study and
conservation of tigers and other mammals.
l R e n o w n e d
photographer Keshav
Vitla was awarded the
Jagadish Ammunje
Memorial Award given
by the Jagadish
Ammunje Memorial Art
Gallery. The award carries a cash prize of
Rs 10,000 and a citation.
BaggedlAneesha Nayak of St
Aloysius PU College
bagged gold at I-Fest, an
International Fest of
Engineering, Science and
Technology, in Tunisia.
Her project titled,
’Unearthing the Chemical Components
Responsible for the Antibacterial Properties
of Plectranthus Amboinicus’ prepared
under the guidance of Nivedita Nityananda
of the Department of Biology at St Aloysius
Pre-university College, won her the Award.
She had bagged the same award even last
year. Aneesha is also a talented surfer.
l Maharashtra bagged the overall
championship in the 38th National Masters
Athletic Meet held at Mangala Stadium
recently. Hosts Karnataka bagged the
runner-up position in the event organised
by DK District Masters Athletic Association
and Karnata State Senior Athletic
Association. The winners in this event are
qualified for the Asian Masters Athletic
Event to be held at Srilanka in August.
CelebratedAmbedkar Jayanthi was celebrated on April
14 in the city. Dignitaries including Deputy
Commissioner Sasikanth Senthil, then city
Police Commissioner T R Suresh, MCC
Commissioner Mohammad Nazeer, ZP
CEO M R Ravi and others garlanded the
statue of the architect of Indian Constitution
Dr B R Ambedkar, in front of the Town
Hall, and paid their tributes to the towering
personality.
Foundation laidFoundation for the Manasa Autism Centre
at the Manasa Rehabilitation and Training
Centre at Pamboor village in Udupi district
was recently laid by Rev. Dr. Gerald Isaac
Lobo, Bishop of the Udupi Diocese.
InauguratedlThe annual training camp for newly
registered Home Guards was inaugurated
at Sri Bharathi College, Nantur by MCC
Commissioner Mohammad Nazeer. Murali
Mohan Choontaru, District Superintendent
of Home Guards, Dr Eshwar Prasad,
Principal of Bharathi Group of institutions
and others were present.
lMilagres Church Centenary renovated
Jubilee Hall was inaugurated recently. The
renovated building was blessed by
Mangalore Diocese Bishop Rev Dr
Aloysius Paul D'Souza. The renovation
work was taken up by the Parish Pastoral
Council under the leadership of Parish
Priest Rev Fr Valerian D'Souza.
lThe Hindu-Rostrum inter collegiate
State-level English debating competition
was inaugurated by Chikkamagaluru
Superintendent of Police K. Annamalai.
Vivek Alva, Managing Trustee of Alva's
Education Foundation and others were
present.
OrganisedA seminar on tribal culture and folklore
was organised by the Department of
Kannada and Culture, Karnataka Janapada
Academy, Regional Resources Centre for
Folk Performing Arts, Manipal Academy
of Higher Education and Mahatma Gandhi
Memorial College H.S. Ballal, Pro-
Chancellor of Manipal Academy of Higher
Education, inaugurated the seminar.
RankedNitte Deemed-to-be University has been
ranked 77th in the National Institution
Yakshagana artist Mukhyaprana Kinnigoli has been honoured with 'Kadri
Kambalaguthu Balakrishna Shetty Memorial Award” at Sri Manjunatha Temple
at Kadri in Mangaluru during Yakshagana Bayalata seve sponsored by Raviraj
Shetty and Roopa. The show was presented by Kateel Sri Durgaparameshwari
Prasaditha Dashavathara Yakshagana Mandali.
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201857
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O B I T U A R Y
M u l i y a
Keshavaiah, the
founder-president of
Karnataka Bank
Officers’ Association
passed away recently
at the age of 81. He
had served Karnataka Bank for 33
years. He was also an officebearer of
Federation of All India Bank
Employees. After retirement he was
practising law and was also an
agriculturist. Keshavaiah had authored
a book “Facilities and Service Rules
of Bank Employees'' and was the man
behind "Yesu Christa Mahatme" a
Yakshagana on the life of Jesus Christ.
Keshavaiah has left behind his wife and
four sons.
Veteran journalist T V R Shenoy
passed away at
Manipal recently. A
former editor of The
Week, Shenoy had
also served as
Manorama’s Delhi
bureau chief. He
began his career in journalism with the
Indian Express and later went on to
serve as the Editor of Sunday Mail. He
hailed from Cherayi in Ernakulam and
has left behind his wife, a son and
daughter.
Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2018,
rankings announced by the Ministry for
Human Resources Development, Govt. of
India. The institution has been ranked
among the top 100 from among the 800
universities in the nation for the second
year in a row. The institution has improved
its position by six places compared to last
year's ranking of 83.
RecognisedBalakrishna Kalluraya,
Professor and Chairman,
Postgraduate branch in
Chemistry of Mangalore
University and
Manjunatha Pattabi, Professor and
Chairman of department of material
sciences have been recognised as Fellows
of the Royal Society of Chemistry, London.
They have also been recognised with
Chartered Chemist Status (Cchem).
Releasedl"Aavsu ani Cherdu" a collection of
Konkani lullabies authored by Sunita
Shenoy and published by Baliga
Publications was released at a function held
recently. Author Sunitha Shenoy is a former
employee of Revenue Department.
l Konkani movie "Zanvoy No 1" brought
out under the banner of Sangathi Creations
was released by Mangaluru Diocese Bishop
Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza at the Big
Cinemas at Bharath Mall in Mangaluru
recently. Directed by Harry Fernandes, the
film has Bollywood actress Varsha
Usgaonkar and Goa actor Prince Jacob in
lead roles.
WonlThe Team Accel from Manipal Institute
of Technology, Manipal are the National
Champions of Deloitte TechnoUtsav
Collegiate Cyber Threat Competition
Five deacons were ordained as Priests by Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D'Souza, Bishop
of Mangalore Diocese at a function held at Rosario Cathedral recently. The
solemn Eucharistic celebration was presided over by the bishop along with
130 concelebrant priests including Msgr Denis Moras Prabhu, Vicar General
of the diocese, Rev Fr Henry Sequeira, Chancellor of the Diocese and Fr Joseph
Martis, Rector of St Joseph Seminary Jeppu. Those ordained are Fr Rohan
Dias of Taccode Parish, Fr Ashwin Crasta of Kumbla Parish, Fr Roopesh Tauro
of Allipade Parish, Fr Flavian Lobo of Thodambila Parish and Fr Thrishan
D’Souza of Permannur Parish.
(CCTC) held at Hyderabad. The team has
bagged a cash prize of Rs 2.4 lakh. The
three-member team included Kushagra
Sharma (captain), Poorvi Hegde and
Aakash Bahl.
lTeam Mustangs of Vivekananda College
of Engineering and Technology, Puttur
(VCET) has won three awards in Asia’s
largest Electric Solar Vehicle Championship
held at Sri Vishnu College of Engineering
for Women, Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh.
The team won the ’People’s choice award’,
first prize for the best research paper and
second prize in the hill climb event.
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201858
PPPPPEOPLEEOPLEEOPLEEOPLEEOPLE
A Mangaluru based physician and epidemiologist
has won much acclaim for a mobile application that
he has developed for the benefit of tuberculosis
patients as well as the doctors treating them.
Dr Anurag Bhargava, a Professor of
Medicine at Yenepoya Deemed to be University has
developed this application named N-TB to facilitate
calculation of Body Mass Index of Tuberculosis
patients so that doctors can guide them on their diet
regime accordingly. The application has been
developed in association with McGill International
TB Centre, Canada and has been endorsed by the
Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme
(RNTCP) and World Health Organisation (WHO).
The medical profession is a
challenging one that demands a lot of
time, perseverance and dedication. Still
if one can find time to pursue one's
special interests that would be great.
Dr Ranjan R K, Associate Professor
of Department of Anaesthesiology is
one such doctor whose interests to
serve the society motivated him to
join the Rotary in 1996. Presently, he
is the First President of the newly
formed Rotary Club Mangalore City.
Hailing from Kavalakatte in
Bantwal, Dr Ranjan had his early
education at Milagres High School. He
pursued collegiate studies at St Aloysius
and later did his MBBS at KMC
Mangalore followed by MD in
Anaesthesiology at the same institution.
He has earlier served as Dean at
Srinivas Institute of Medical Sciences
and Research Centre and Professor and
HOD at SIMS.
Dr Ranjan was earlier the
President of Rotary Club of Mangalore
Sunrise and Chairman of District Pulse
Polio. Interestingly, he was a qualified
cricket umpire of KSCA for 2000-2015.
His hobbies also made him a radio
amateur with call sign VU2AXB. He
also has an interest in Philately and
Photography.
Happily married to Pratibha, a
lawyer by profession, the couple is
blessed with a daughter.
OUTSTANDING EPIDEMIOLOGISTDr Bhargav who hails from Dehradun in Uttarakhand has spent nearly a decade
with Jana Swasthya Sahyog, a voluntary body that runs a rural hospital as well as
undertakes community health initiatives in tribal areas of Bilaspur district in Chattisgarh.
He has a vast experience on medical and social issues faced by TB patients.
His research paper which concluded that new cases of TB can be prevented by
addressing undernutrition in adults was adjudged the research paper of the year and
won him the 2014 British Medical Journal India Award. He also serves as Adjunct
Professor at Department of Medicine, McGill University.
Excellent
endeavour
He is a rationalist, a social
worker, Dalit activist, human
rights activist and writer all
rolled into one. He is an upright
man who is uncompromising
on the principles that he has
adopted in life. For
Krishnappa Konchady,
serving the society is above
everything else.
He belongs to the Mugera
community considered one of the most
primitive scheduled castes of this area.
Krishnappa had his early education at the
Sri Ramashrama school at Konchady. After
graduating in Arts from St Aloysius College,
he did his LLB, MA in History and
Economics, MBA and MSc in Geography.
Now he has a doctorate in History from
Hampi University to his credit. He has also
succeeded in the Associateship Examination
conducted by the Insurance Institute of India,
considered difficult to crack.
Krishnappa who was more
interested in the student
movement in his early days
was also drawn towards
rationalist thinking and action
in life after he met eminent
rationalist Prof. Narendra
Nayak at a very young age.
He is a District Committee
member of CPI(M), Joint
Secretary of District
Rationalists' Association and Joint Secretary
of Progressive Thinkers Forum. In 2001,
Krishnappa was a part of the Indian
delegation which participated in the
International Student and Youth Festival held
at Algiers, the capital of Algeria.
He has tried his hands at writing by
authoring two books and translating four
books from English to Kannada. Having
spent all his life working for the trade union
movement he refused many jobs and
promotions and remains a clerk in the LIC.
UPRIGHT SOCIAL ACTIVIST
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201859
MANGALORE TODAY - MAY 201860
Reg. No.MNG/1022/2018-2020
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Date of Posting: 10th of every Month at Balmatta PO