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The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has extended support for securing Geographical Indication (GI) registration for four more traditional products from Karnataka that are likely to get a GI tag.

The products identified for GI registration are Tiptur coconut, Hoysala-style stone art, Sanikatte salt, and Kunbi Mudli, a climate-resilient tuber belonging to the taro (Colocasia) family. India has 822 registered GI products, of which 51 are from Karnataka.

The NABARD officials said the initiative builds on the regional office’s earlier support in facilitating the GI registration for Kari Ishad mangoes. The focus has now shifted from merely obtaining GI tags to strengthening the entire value chain through branding, marketing, capacity building, enterprise development and market linkages, the officials said.

As part of its post-registration initiatives, the NABARD Karnataka has supported the development of a dedicated website for GI-tagged Udupi sarees, facilitated the registration of authorised GI users, and organised exposure visits and capacity-building programmes for artisans and weavers associated with Guledagudda Khana in the Bagalkot district.

Outlet for Ilkal sarees

To improve market access for GI products, the NABARD has also supported the establishment of a dedicated GI store for Ilkal sarees at the Aihole Heritage Site in Bagalkot. The outlet, to be inaugurated shortly, is expected to provide a platform for marketing authentic GI products to domestic and international tourists.

According to the NABARD, the initiatives are aimed at creating a robust ecosystem for Karnataka’s GI products by integrating registration, branding, marketing and enterprise development, while preserving the State’s traditional crafts and agricultural heritage and generating sustainable livelihood opportunities for rural producers.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Sharana thinker Jayshree Chatnalli was delivering a special lecture at a programme organised at Basava Mantapa in Kalaburagi.

Sharana thinker Jayshree Chatnalli on Saturday said that Vachana Pitamaha F.G. Halakatti has rendered unparalleled service to Kannada language and Vachana literature through his painstaking research, compilation and editing of Vachanas.

Delivering a special lecture at a programme organised at Basava Mantapa in Kalaburagi to mark the fifth anniversary of the Gurubasava Seva Pratishthana and the sixth death anniversary of Basavaraj Nagoor, she said that Dr. Halakatti, as an individual, accomplished what will ordinarily require the efforts of an entire university.

“His immense contribution to preserving and promoting Vachana literature can never be repaid,” she said.

Inaugurating the programme, Sharana litterateur Prakash Gandhigudi of Bidar said that the ideals propagated by Basava and other Sharanas continue to serve as a guiding force for the all-round development of society.

Presiding over the function, Gurubasava Seva Pratishthana president Sharanabasappa Nagoor said that the responsibility of carrying the ideals of the Sharanas to the future generations rests with society.

Basavaprabhu Mahaswamiji of Gunatirthawadi Mutt, Basavakalyan, blessed the gathering.

On the occasion, honorary president of Jagajyoti Basaveshwara Seva Samiti Baburao Sherikar, district president of the Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha R.G. Shetgar, recipient of the Kayaka Ratna award Basavaraj Dhoolagundi and Nispatthi Basavaraj Parashetti were felicitated.

Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha State convenor Ravindra Shabadi, Gurubasava Seva Pratishthana leaders Mataji M. Gola, Basavaraj Parashetti, Madevi Parashetti, Vijayalakshmi Patil and others were present.

The programme concluded with the rendering of Vachanas and a pledge to promote Basava’s philosophy and continue community service.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Chessworld AI will introduce an integrated digital platform for tournament registrations, player and tournament management, digitisation of over-the-board games, AI-powered game analysis, and personalised learning tools for players.

Chessworld AI, a startup backed by the government of Karnataka’s flagship start-up programme Elevate, has been appointed as the official technology partner of the Karnataka State Chess Association (KSCA).

Through this partnership, Chessworld AI will help modernise the State’s chess ecosystem by introducing an integrated digital platform for tournament registration, player and tournament management, digitisation of over-the-board games, AI-powered game analysis, and personalised learning tools for players. The platform will also create a connected digital ecosystem for players, coaches, arbiters, organisers and chess enthusiasts across Karnataka.

“Winning the Elevate 2025 Unnati Grant enabled us to build our first prototype, which we successfully tested at the Karnataka State Under-13 championship with over 150 registrations. That validation gave us the confidence to build a scalable technology platform for Indian chess,” said Damodar Mundrikeri, founder, Chessworld AI.

Terming the development ‘a testament to the strength of Karnataka’s innovation ecosystem’, Priyank Kharge, Minister for Home, Information Technology, Biotechnology and E-Governance, said the partnership demonstrates how homegrown start-ups are leveraging technology to transform traditional sectors.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

The conference aims to celebrate the timeless wisdom of Thiruvalluvar and promote scholarly discussions on the literary, ethical, social, cultural, and contemporary relevance of the Thirukkural.

The Department of Tamil, School of Languages and Literatures, St Joseph’s University, Bengaluru, is organising the 7th International Thirukkural Conference on July 5.

The conference aims to celebrate the timeless wisdom of Thiruvalluvar and promote scholarly discussions on the literary, ethical, social, cultural, and contemporary relevance of the Thirukkural. The event will bring together eminent speakers and researchers from across India and abroad to share their insights and research contributions.

The event is open to scholars, academicians, researchers and students.

The event is being held in the auditorium of St Joseph’s University on Lalbagh Road in Bengaluru from 10 AM to 6 PM.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

A consummate painter, he was deeply involved with organisations such as Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha and Dalita Sangharsha Samiti.

K.T. Shivaprasad, an internationally acclaimed artist, social activist, photographer, and architect, passed away on Tuesday (June 30, 2026). He was 78.

Mr. Shivaprasad, a resident of Hassan, recently underwent surgery for a kidney infection and recovered. However, as he developed a breathing problem on Saturday (June 27), he was admitted to a hospital in Bengaluru. He breathed his last around 10 a.m. on June 30, according to family sources. He is survived by his wife, Suvarna.

Born on July 5, 1947, Mr. Shivaprasad was drawn to painting during his student days at Ramakrishna Ashrama in Mysuru. He enrolled to pursue a B.E. degree at Malnad College of Engineering in Hassan, but abandoned engineering to study at the Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai.

Upon returning to Hassan, Mr. Shivaprasad spent considerable time at his father’s farmhouse on the city’s outskirts, where he painted extensively. He gradually began engaging with farm workers and villagers — interactions that would profoundly influence his artistic direction.

Majorly influenced by writer Poornachandra Tejaswi and M.D. Nanjundaswamy, founder of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS), Mr. Shivaprasad gradually transformed into a farmers’ activist. He subsequently travelled extensively with the KRRS, deepening his understanding of agricultural crises, land dispossession, and the rights of cultivators.

Architectural legacy

During his involvement with the farmers’ movement, Mr. Shivaprasad pursued architecture and photography parallelly. Many of the widely circulated photographs documenting the farmers’ movement and rural struggles were captured by Mr. Shivaprasad, establishing him as both a visual chronicler and participant in these campaigns.

His architectural practice began when Tejaswi commissioning him to design a residence. Among Mr. Shivaprasad’s most celebrated architectural works is Kavishaila, a memorial to Kannada poet and cultural figure Kuvempu at Kuppali in Tirthahalli taluk. In conception and execution, Kavishaila embodies the philosophy of Aniketana (an unfettered, free spirit), the essence of Kuvempu’s literary and spiritual legacy.

According to artist Babu Eshwar Prasad, a long time associate of Mr. Shivaprasad, he was a skillful artist ahead of his time. “After graduating from the Sir J.J. School of Art, Mr. Shivaprasad initially pursued experimental abstraction. As he engaged more deeply with rural communities and farmworkers, his approach shifted towards figurative realism, depicting the lives and faces of people in his immediate surroundings,” he said.

Away from gallery networks

In the initial years, paintings of rural subjects earned him widespread recognition, and his works were exhibited in major galleries and acquired by collectors at substantial prices. “Gradually, he distanced himself from the gallery network. For a few years, he devoted his complete time to the Raitha Sangha,” said Mr. Eshwar Prasad.

In his later years, Mr. Shivaprasad developed a deep engagement with Buddhist philosophy and aesthetics.

For Dalit rights

Despite working with KRRS and Dalit Sangharsha Samiti for several years, he gradually distanced himself from the former and chose to identify himself with the latter. DSS (Ambedkarwada) founder Mavalli Shankar said, “He stood like a pillar for the organisation. Despite his background in a wealthy industrialist family, Mr. Shivaprasad was an unwavering advocate for Dalit rights and social justice.”

Another organiaation he was associated with was Odanadi Seva Trust in Mysuru, a non-government organiaation working for the rehabilitation of victims of human trafficking.

His family sources said that his mortal remains will be kept in the Kannada Sahitya Parishat premises in Hassan between 10 a.m and 1 p.m on Wednesday (July 1) for people to pay their last respects. The final rites will be held in the city later in the day.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Senior news photographer and internationally acclaimed photographer Astro Mohan has been conferred the prestigious PPSA (Proficiency Photographic Society of America) distinction by the Photographic Society of America (PSA), USA, one of the world’s most respected photographic organizations.

The PPSA distinction is awarded to photographers who demonstrate consistent excellence and achievement through their performance in PSA-recognized international exhibitions and photographic salons across the world.

With more than three decades of dedicated service in photojournalism and visual storytelling, Astro Mohan has established himself as a widely recognized photographer from Karnataka. His work has documented significant events, human-interest stories, culture, spirituality, sports, and social issues, earning recognition in numerous national and international exhibitions.

The achievement is particularly noteworthy as only a limited number of News photographers from Karnataka have earned this prestigious distinction from the Photographic Society of America.

Astro Mohan currently serves as a senior news photographer in a news publication. Over the years, he has also made significant contributions to photography education, visual documentation projects, coffee-table books, international salon photography, and photographic mentoring.

His distinctions and honours include PPSA, APSA, AFIAP, HON FSWAN, HON EUSPA, HON FICS, FIIPC, AFIP, ASOF, and APCA, among others.

Speaking on the occasion, Astro Mohan said that the PPSA distinction represents not merely a personal achievement, but the culmination of years of dedication, perseverance, continuous learning, and passion for photography.

He expressed his heartfelt gratitude to PSA, his family, mentors, fellow photographers, friends, and well-wishers whose encouragement and support have been instrumental in his journey.

Astro Mohan also conveyed his sincere appreciation to Udayavani, the institution that has been his professional home for nearly three decades. He acknowledged the opportunities, encouragement, and support extended by the management, editors, colleagues, and staff members over the years.

“I remain deeply grateful to Udayavani for providing me with the platform to pursue my passion for visual storytelling. This recognition is not mine alone; it reflects the encouragement and support I have received throughout my professional journey. The PPSA distinction inspires me to continue documenting meaningful stories and striving for excellence in photography,” he said.

The PPSA distinction was officially conferred by the Photographic Society of America on June 17, recognizing Astro Mohan’s sustained excellence and achievements in international photography.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

Six-year-old Ansh Sagar Patte from Bengaluru has brought laurels to India by securing two medals at the JIRTA International Skating Competition held in Indonesia on May 30 and 31.

Ansh, son of Sagar Patte and Kavita Acharya, delivered an impressive performance against competitors from several Asian countries, including India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Pakistan, China and Japan.

The young skater clinched a silver medal in the 400m Sprint and a bronze medal in the 500m+D Sprint, emerging as one of India’s standout performers at the event jointly organised by the Speed Skating Federation of India and JIRTA, Jakarta.

A student of the Professional Roller-Skating Academy (PRSA), Bengaluru, Ansh’s success reflects months of dedicated training and hard work. Despite his young age, he has already made a mark on the international stage through his determination and talent.

Ansh trains under the guidance of Imran Khan, a multiple-time national gold medallist and head coach of PRSA. His achievement has been hailed as an inspiring example of how discipline, perseverance and passion can help young athletes excel in competitive sports.

Family members, coaches and well-wishers have congratulated the young skater for his remarkable accomplishment and for making both Karnataka and the country proud on the international stage.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

The Academy has formed a committee comprising academicians and researchers, and they will be publishing a book on the lives of the freedom-fighters from Karnataka titled ‘Yaaroo Ariyada Veeraru’.

“59 persons from Karnataka, who were part of the 1857 rebellion, were imprisoned in the Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. We don’t want their names to be erased from the chronicles of India’s freedom struggle,” says L.N. Mukundraj, president of the Karnataka Sahitya Academy.

Aiming to study the lives of these incarcerated people, the Academy has formed a committee comprising academicians and researchers. Soon, they will be publishing a book on their lives titled ‘Yaaroo Ariyada Veeraru’.

The Cellular Jail in Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands was used by the British to exile freedom fighters and political prisoners who had to endure brutal and inhumane conditions.

Committee set up

Mr. Mukundraj explained, “We formed a committee led by writers and historians K.P. Suresh and Vijay Poonacha to study those from Karnataka who died in ‘Kala Pani’, as the punishment was called.” In the State Budget 2026-27, former chief minister Siddaramaiah had announced the publication of such a book.

The committee comprises 15 persons, of which eight will collect documents, and seven will do the fieldwork. The documentation team will search for documents in places that were earlier part of the Bombay Presidency. “Dharwad district is one place where we might find the details of many of these freedom fighters in government archives and libraries. The majority of them hailed from Nargund town in Gadag district.”

South Indians forgotten

Mr. Suresh added that those from southern India rarely figure in the annals of the freedom struggle. “These 59 persons incarcerated in Cellular Jail were mostly from north Karnataka and Uttara Kannada district,” he said, adding that often only big names like Hindutva ideologue V.D. Savarkar are highlighted while talking of those who suffered in Cellular Jail.

Some of these individuals were part of the rebellion of Halagali Bedas in 1857-58, from the village of Halagali near Mudhol. Writer Latha Guthi has published a book on the theme, called Kari Neeru. “This book is a source for us. Our field team and documentation team will head to different places in Karnataka to find such sources. We have decided to put up banners in the villages of these freedom fighters urging people to come forward, and tell us if they know anything, or have documents,” said Mr. Suresh.

Some names…

Among the 59 persons from Karnataka imprisoned in Cellular Jail were Balakrishna from Bidar, Gopal Bhandari from Karwar, Faras Khan from Nargund, Bikaji Ganesh Gokhale from Nargund, Vitu Gawli from Karwar, and Abdulla Moiuddin from Nargund.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Access Life, a registered Indian not-for-profit organisation committed to ensuring that no child has to abandon cancer treatment due to non-medical challenges, has announced the opening of its new ‘Home Away from Home’ (HAH) centre in Manipal for paediatric Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) patients.

The centre was inaugurated on May 23 at the MAHE campus, Manipal, and will support families of children undergoing treatment at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal.

The inauguration was presided over by Dr H S Ballal, pro-chancellor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, with Dr Ashok Gavande, philanthropy India Lead, Chellaram Foundation, Mumbai, as the chief guest, and Dr Anand Venugopal, chief operating officer, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, as the guest of honour.

The event also saw the presence of; Dr Avinash Shetty, medical superintendent, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal; Dr Anil K Bhat, dean, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal; Harinarayan Sharma, chief executive officer, Manipal Foundation and, Dr Vasudeva Bhat K, professor & head, department of Paediatric Oncology, Kasturba Medical College & Hospital, MAHE, Manipal; Girish Nair founder & chairman and Ankeet Dave, co-founders & executive director of Access Life Assistance Foundation were present on the occasion.

The newly launched 10-unit facility has been specially designed for children undergoing Bone Marrow Transplant procedures, where maintaining a safe, hygienic, and controlled environment is critical due to severely compromised immunity levels during treatment and recovery.

This marks Access Life’s second centre in collaboration with Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), further strengthening the shared commitment towards holistic paediatric cancer care and family support services beyond hospital infrastructure.

The initiative is also supported by Chellaram Foundation, a global not-for-profit organisation focused on long-term, impact-driven philanthropy across healthcare, education, humanitarian aid, and child welfare initiatives.

Sharing thoughts on the collaboration, Chellaram Foundation said: “Access Life Foundation stands out for its deeply compassionate and highly organized approach toward supporting children and families battling cancer. Their commitment goes far beyond providing accommodation — it creates dignity, stability, and hope during some of the most difficult moments in a family’s life. At Chellaram Foundation, we value institutions where compassion is matched by accountability, and Access Life exemplifies both. We are confident that every contribution made toward their mission translates into meaningful and lasting impact.”

Dr H S Ballal, pro chancellor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, said, “At MAHE, we have always believed that healthcare goes beyond medical treatment. Supporting children and families during difficult times is deeply aligned with the values and vision of our founder, Dr T M A Pai, who believed that compassionate and accessible healthcare should reach every section of society. We are happy that MAHE could support this meaningful initiative by providing the space for the center, which will help create a safe and caring environment for children undergoing Bone Marrow Transplant treatment. This collaboration reflects MAHE’s larger commitment towards holistic and humane healthcare, where medical excellence is complemented by emotional, social, and family support systems. Facilities like these significantly reduce the burden on families while helping children continue their treatment and recovery with dignity. We appreciate the efforts of Access Life and Chellaram Foundation in strengthening paediatric cancer care support services in Manipal.”

Speaking about the initiative, Girish Nair, founder & chairman, Access Life Assistance Foundation, said: “This second centre at Manipal Academy of Higher Education marks another important milestone in our journey of ensuring that no child is forced to discontinue cancer treatment because of non-medical challenges such as accommodation, nutrition, or distance from the treating hospital.

We are deeply grateful to MAHE for once again extending their support by providing the space free of rental, reflecting a strong institutional commitment toward paediatric cancer care beyond hospital walls. We are equally thankful to Chellaram Foundation for supporting this initiative and believing in our vision of holistic childhood cancer care.

Since the inauguration of our first 12-unit centre in Manipal in April 2022, we have supported nearly 350 beneficiaries. With this second centre, we hope to extend this support to many more underprivileged families, helping children not only complete their treatment with dignity, but also recover in a safe, caring, and family-friendly environment.”

Dr Vasudeva Bhat K, professor and head, Department of Paediatric Oncology, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal mentioned that “The new centre further reinforced the departments mission of reducing treatment abandonment and refusal among children with cancer and other serious blood related disorders by addressing the social and logistical barriers that often impact continuity of care thus providing complete holistic care”.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)