INTERNATIONAL: KARNATAKA: BRANDING OVERSEAS: Going global: Nandini logo in Kannada on Scotland, Ireland T20 jerseys

Players from Ireland and Scotland will be seen wearing jerseys with the logo of KMF’s Nandini in Kannada and English on their lead arm.

For the first time, an Indian language will be displayed on the jerseys of international cricketers during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup tournament, starting June 1 in the U.S.

Players from Ireland and Scotland will be seen wearing jerseys with the logo of KMF’s Nandini in Kannada and English on their lead arm. The players of both teams displayed the logo virtually during a meeting with heads of KMF on Wednesday.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Bheema Naik, chairman of KMF, told TNIE that through this, the aim is to enter the international market and tell people that KMF is not a local brand. It is the second largest milk union in India after Amul. “Nandini products are internationally available and through this, we want to penetrate the larger international market. Besides, we want to promote the sport. We sponsored Bengaluru Bulls during the Kabaddi league. We are also looking at the Olympics and IPL,” he said.

MK Jagadish, managing director of KMF, said, “Ahead of the world cup, we are launching our products, Splash and Bounce, for the domestic and international markets. The former is a whey-based protein enriched drink and the latter a whey-based carbonated drink. Both will be available in 200 ml tetra packs, priced at Rs 10 and Rs 15, respectively. Splash will be available in lemon, litchi, mango and strawberry flavours. Bounce will be available in orange, jeera-mint and ginger-lemon flavours.”

Jagadish said Nandini will open parlours in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah next month. Supply of sweets to Oman, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will start.

Naik said the demand for Nandini ghee, milk and sweets is on the rise from Indians living in the U.S. A 15-tonne container with frozen Nandini sweets, especially Mysore Pak and peda, is being sent once in three months. Soon, a cafe will be opened in the U.S.

Explaining the reasons for KMF sponsoring Ireland and Scotland teams, officials said, “It is done through tendering and bidding processes. Given the economics, these two teams fit the criteria. We wanted to sponsor teams such as South Africa, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and even India, but they were already taken and the costs were too high.”

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: ARTS & CRAFTS / LITERARY : Kannada poet Mamta G. Sagar wins international award

The Bengaluru-based writer was conferred the World Literary Prize from the World Organization of Writers (WOW) on April 6 at a ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria

Mamta G. Sagar, a Bengaluru-based Kannada poet, writer, academic and activist, has recently won the World Literary Prize from the World Organization of Writers (WOW) for her contributions to the world of literature. Dr Sagar, a facilitator at Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design, and Technology, known for her involvement in diverse forms of transdisciplinary creative writing and cultural industries, received the award on April 6 at a ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria.

“I am deeply honoured to receive the award and diploma. This recognition is a testament to the power of literature to inspire and provoke thought irrespective of the language,” said Dr. Sagar on receiving the news of her win. “I am humbled to be acknowledged among such esteemed writers.”

In addition to this award, Dr. Sagar, who has always actively engaged in community-based projects centred around poetry, has also been honoured with the LIFFT award, the gold medal, and a diploma for her outstanding achievements in the field of literature. Some of the themes she has addressed in her work, over the years, include identity politics, feminism, and cultural diversity.

Sagar produced Interversions 1,2, & 3, three films based on her poetry collections, with Srishti Films as part of the Wales-India collaborative projects (2018). She has also written and produced For Gauri, a video presentation of her poem written for the late journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh. She has several works to her credit including Kaada Navilina Hejje, Chukki Chukki Chandakki, Nadiya Neerina Teva, and Illi Salluva Maatu.

Congratulating Dr. Sagar on the occasion, Dr. Arindam Das, Director, SMI said, “Dr. Sagar’s achievement not only reflects her exceptional talent but also underscores our commitment to cultivating a community of erudite and exemplary practitioners who bring their real-world experience into the classroom, enriching the academic journey of our students.” 

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: KANNADA : Vatican Radio-News adds Kannada as 53rd language for its media coverage

 Vatican Radio – Vatican News have added Karnataka’s official language of Kannada as the 53rd language to provide coverage of Papal, Vatican, and Church news, offering the Gospel Proclamation in the mother tongue of 35 million Indians.

Vatican Radio – Vatican News will be available in Kannada language spoken by millions of people in India on the Vatican News web portal.

The initiative arises from collaboration between the Dicastery for Communication and the Archdiocese of Bangalore, in the Indian state of Karnataka.

“I am delighted with the launch of these pages in Kannada,” remarked the Archbishop of Bangalore Dr Peter Machado.

“News about the Pope, the Vatican, the universal Church, and the world will be of great interest and importance for the local Church in Karnataka. I thank our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis, for his continual emphasis on synodality and on bringing the Church to the peripheries. The faithful will surely benefit from reading these articles and, in a later phase when possible, also from their broadcast in audio/video. I am sure that our Communication Centre of the Archdiocese of Bangalore will bring the universal Church closer to the people,’’ said the Archbishop.

“A new language is added to those spoken by Vatican News. It is an ancient language, yet very much alive,” highlighted Dr Paolo Ruffini, the Prefect of the Holy See’s Dicastery for Communication.

“It is alive just as is the Catholic community that helps us in this small but great enterprise: to speak the language of 35 million Indians. It is an act of homage to their culture, and a service to authentic communication, a way of walking together, one step after the other. It represents great effort, certainly. ‘Effort always pays,’’ he said.

“The decision to also add the Kannada language to the existing 52 of Vatican Radio – Vatican News to offer the word of the Pope in the mother tongue of millions of Indians,” said Andrea Tornielli, editorial director of Vatican Media, “confirms our vocation of service to the Bishop of Rome and the Churches that form the universal Church.”

In a historical moment characterised by difficulties, uncertainties, wars, and violence, it is comforting that the Church bears witness to communion and sharing, strengthening the ties between Rome and the world.

“The breadth of the Church is truly wonderful. 93 years ago, Pope Pius XI entrusted Guglielmo Marconi with the task of building Vatican Radio to bring hope to the world,” emphasised Massimiliano Menichetti, head of Vatican Radio – Vatican News, “to spread the Christian proclamation, and to build up the Church of Christ. In the 1990s, the waves of the Pope’s Radio reached Vietnam, that Proclamation generated “radio Christians”; a new living Church.

Today, new technologies (shortwaves, satellites, and internet) offer us many opportunities to bring the Good News to our wounded world. The Kannada language is another example of vitality and fraternity and our wish is to continue to weave these paths in responsibility and unity.”

‘’We are excited to announce that Vatican news is now broadcast in Kannada, courtesy of the Archdiocese of Bangalore. Today, Dr Peter Machado, Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangalore, officially inaugurated and launched the channel.

This addition makes Kannada the 53rd language in which Vatican news is accessible worldwide, joining other major languages such as Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: Mangaluru’s Dr Oshin Hegde Wins ‘Mrs Karnataka Global World India 2024’ Beauty Pageant

Dr Oshin Hegde won the ‘Mrs Karnataka Global World India 2024’ in the month of February which was conducted by Global India Entertainment Production (GIEP) held at Westend inn hotel, Delhi.

It was a pan-India beauty pageant, for which contestants from all over the country were auditioned and then selected. She represented herself from the city of Mangaluru for the grand finale. There were different rounds throughout the event after which she received her title.

She is an oral radiologist and forensic dentist by profession practicing in Ivory Shine dental clinic, Kavoor, Mangaluru along with her husband Dr Deviprasad Rai a practicing paedodontist as well. She is a mother to 2 boys.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

Udupi’s Sini Shetty to represent India in 71st Miss World beauty pageant

Sini Shetty, a 21-year-old native of Udupi, Karnataka, has been selected to represent India in the upcoming 71st edition of the Miss World beauty pageant contest.

This announcement comes after Shetty was crowned ‘Miss India’ at the ‘Femina Miss India World-2022’ event held in Mumbai. Shetty, who holds a Masters in Accounting and Finance, is also proficient in Bharatanatyam.

The Miss World beauty pageant contest, which is returning to India after a hiatus of three decades, is set to take place at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai on March 9 marking a significant milestone as Bengaluru had hosted the event 28 years ago for the first time.

The India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) will host the ‘opening ceremony and India welcome the world Gala’ in New Delhi. Renowned fashion designer Archana Kochhar has been appointed as the official fashion designer for the 71st Miss World competition.

In her remarks, Sini Shetty expressed her joy at being part of this prestigious event, highlighting India’s rich history in the Miss World beauty pageant. She mentioned that India has produced six Miss World winners in the past, including Aishwarya Rai (1994), Rita Faria (1966), Diana Hayden (1997), Yukta Mukhi (1999), Priyanka Chopra (2000), and Manushi Chillar (2017).

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL / KARNATAKA : MANUFACTURING & AVIATION : MAKE IN INDIA : Airbus contracts Bengaluru based Dynamatic Technologies to make doors for A220 aircraft

Will double sourcing from India from a value of $750 mn to $1.5 bn.

French aerospace manufacturer Airbus on Thursday announced the awarding of a contract for the manufacturing and assembly of its A220 aircraft doors to Bengaluru-based Dynamatic Technologies in what it called “one of the largest aerospace export contracts to India.”

Dynamatic will manufacture and assemble the cargo, passenger and service doors along with the over-wing emergency exit doors for the A220 family aircraft, which total to eight doors per aircraft.

The order signifies implementation of “complex assembling and integration of aerospace manufacturing, which will create downstream opportunities in the Indian aviation supply chain,” Airbus CEO Remi Maillard, President and Managing Director, Airbus India and South Asia said at a press event.

Thursday’s contract is also among the orders that will enable Airbus to double its sourcing from India, which is valued at about $750 million every year. This is expected to rise to $1.5 billion over the next few years.

To a question on when Airbus plans a final assembly line for commercial aircraft given large orders from IndiGo and Air India, Mr. Maillard said Airbus provided more jobs and more value for India today than any Final Assembly Line (FAL) will achieve.

According to Dynamatic’s Udayant Malhoutra only 15% of value generated from manufacturing an aircraft comes from a FAL.

Airbus recently announced a FAL for H125 helicopter for the private sector and in 2022 announced a FAL for C-295 transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

WORLD RECORD: NATIONAL: KARNATAKA: World No.1 Ranking will Inspire ‘Gen-Next’ of Indian Tennis, says Rohan Bopanna after Achieving the Feat

Bopanna is set to become the oldest tennis player to achieve the world No. 1 ranking in men’s doubles after reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open along with his partner Matthew Ebden of Australia.

Rohan Bopanna feels that his ascent to world No. 1 in doubles rankings at the twilight of his career is perfect boost that Indian tennis needed just when it was falling off the radar.

Bopanna is set to become the oldest tennis player to achieve the world No. 1 ranking in men’s doubles after reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open along with his partner Matthew Ebden of Australia here on Wednesday.

The 43-year-old, who had entered the tournament with a career-high ranking of world No. 3, and Ebden recorded a comfortable 6-4 7-6(5) win over sixth seeded Argentinian duo of Máximo González and Andrés Molteni in the quarterfinals that lasted an hour and 46 minutes here.

Bopanna will be crowned the new numero uno spot on Monday after the end of the tournament.

“It (the feat) means a lot not to just me but for Indian tennis also. You need something to inspire the next generation. Sumit (Nagal) also had a great Australian Open. He won a round,” Bopanna told PTI in an exclusive interview from Melbourne.

And the star player said the feat came with a lot of sacrifices.

“Extremely proud of this (world no.1 ranking in men’s doubles). It’s a special moment. Lot of sacrifices have gone into this. My coaches, family everyone. My family is travelling with me, so different feeling,” he said.

In fact, he is more happy that for the past week, Indian tennis has been in the news.

“Nothing at all was happening in Indian tennis. You (journalists) also did not have much to write about, so this has happened at the right time.” Earlier, Rajeev Ram of the USA was the oldest player to be ranked world no. 1 when he had achieve the top ranking in October 2022 at the age of 38 for the first time in his career.

Ebden, on the other hand, is set to reach the world no 2 spot.

Bopanna twice reached the US Open final but never won a men’s doubles major.

He, however, has a mixed doubles trophy at the French Open when he and his partner Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada won the crown at the 2017 French Open, defeating Anna-Lena Grönefeld and Robert Farah in the final 2–6 6–2 12–10.

But Bopanna’s desire to win a men’s doubles title at the Slam still remains unfulfilled, something which we wants to achieve before hanging up his racquet.

“That’s a personal goal (winning men’s doubles title at a Grand Slam). It’s no one else’s goal,” he said.

For the veteran, it is always one step at a time.

“When you reach second round, next you want is third round then fourth, quarters, semi-final. So, yes I have been in two Slam final and now want to win but it’s a natural. You always try to go one better,” Bopanna said about his future goal.

Bopanna, who had achieved the highest of world No. 3 for the first time in 2013, is the fourth Indian after Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza to take the world number one rank in doubles.

He also didn’t forget to acknowledge the contribution of his long-time coach Scott David of the USA in his breathtaking journey in the game.

“I am probably fifty world number one of coach Scott David. It’s a proud moment for him also. I switched to doubles in 2010 and since then I have been with him only,” Bopanna said.

Bopanna and Ebden have been one of the most consistent pairs on the tour over the last 12 months. The duo reached the final of US Open 2023, their best result so far in Grand Slams.

En route the semifinals here, the second seeded Bopanna and Ebden, had to over come two close contests in the first and third rounds to book their place in the semifinals.

Their first hurdle came in the opening round against wildcards James Duckworth and Marc Polmans of Australia, whom Bopanna and Ebden defeated 6-7(5) 6-4 6-7(2).

Their next steep challenge came in the third round where they overcame 14th seeds Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands and Croatian Nikola Mektić 7-6(8) 7-6(4).

And Bopanna attributed the ability to finish close matches to his experience on the circuit.

“Experience is a great factor in getting those wins. Ever since, I started focussing only on doubles in 2010, it has taken me 13-14 years to reach this. I have been a journeyman,” said Bopanna, who will take over the top position from USA’s Austin Krajicek, who and his Croatian partner Ivan Dodig lost in the second round.

The Indo-Australian pair will play unseeded Tomas Machac of Czech Republic and Chinese Zhizhen Zhang in the semi-finals.

His former Davis Cup teammates Mahesh Bhupathi and Somdev Devvarman termed it as one of the greatest stories in Indian sport.

“Rohan Bopanna getting to World Number 1 today after 20 years on tour in my opinion is one of the greatest stories in Indian Sport!!!,” Bhupathi wrote on ‘X’.

“Bops first told me he was contemplating retirement 5 years ago, then 4 years ago, then 3 years ago…Moral of the story is…. Who cares… He’s number 1! Couldn’t be happier for the Bopanna family! rohanbopanna is the best story in indian sport,” Devvarman wrote.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: AVIATION : MANUFACTURING – MAKE IN INDIA: PM Narendra Modi inaugurates in Bengaluru Largest Aerospace Engineering Facility of Boeing outside the United States

The state-of-the-art Boeing India Engineering and Technology Center (BIETC) is built with an investment of ₹1,600 crore.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Boeing India Engineering and Technology Center (BIETC) campus in Bengaluru along with the Boeing Sukanya Program, on January 19.

The state-of-the-art BIETC is built with an investment of ₹1,600 crore. It is located in a 43-acre campus, and is the American aerospace major’s largest such investment outside the U.S.

Boeing said that the BIETC will become a cornerstone for partnering with India on next generation products and services for the global aerospace and defence industry.

The Prime Minister also launched the Boeing Sukanya Program that aims to support the entry of more girl children from across India into the country’s growing aviation sector.

The program will provide opportunities for girls and women from across India to learn critical skills in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, and train for jobs in the aviation sector.

For young girls, the program will create STEM labs at 150 planned locations to help spark interest in STEM careers. It will also provide scholarships to women who are training to be pilots. Investments will support flight training curriculum, obtaining certifications, funding for simulator trainings, and career development programs.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: KARNATAKA: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGLY / VACCINES : IISc Develops Heat-Tolerant Covid-19 Vaccine

A team of scientists has completed pre-clinical trials and is now gearing up for human testing .

India could soon have a new vaccine for the mutating COVID-19 virus to keep the virus at bay. Scientists at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have been working on developing a heat-tolerant vaccine that can offer protection against different strains of SARS-CoV-2 which includes both current and future variants. The team has completed pre-clinical trials and is gearing up for the human testing of the vaccine candidate. 

According to scientists the evolving nature of the virus and different mutations, they are not sure if the current vaccines can be helpful. Raghavan Varadarajan, Professor at the Molecular Biophysics Unit (MBU) has been leading this research project in collaboration with Mynvax, a startup since the beginning of the pandemic. 

After analysing various proteins found in the virus, researchers selected two parts of SARS-CoV-2’s spike protein – the S2 subunit and the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) – for the new vaccine. The S2 subunit is highly conserved – it mutates much less than the S1 subunit, which is the target of most current vaccines. Scientists have also known that the RBD can provoke a strong immune response in the host. The team created a hybrid protein called RS2 by combining these two components, read a statement released by IISc.  

The researchers used mammalian cell lines to study the expression of the hybrid protein. “The protein showed very high levels of expression, and initially I thought that the experiment was not working properly,” said Nidhi Mittal, PhD student at MBU and first author of the study. Further research by Mittal showed that this protein potentially be produced in large quantities.    

The team then tested the effects of the protein in both mice and hamster models. They found that the hybrid protein triggered a strong immune response and provided better protection when compared to vaccines containing the whole spike protein.  

Varadarajan told TNIE that RS2 has better coverage compared to other vaccines. This could be India’s first homegrown vaccine for the JB.1 variant and others as Covaxin developed for the mutation has become inactive. “Post clinical trials the vaccine can be administered to everyone, starting with healthy human bodies. So far in our animal testing we have not seen any side effects but will have to wait for results on humans,” added Varadarajan.

The RS2 antigen can also be stored at room temperature for a month without the need for cold storage, unlike many vaccines in the market which require mandatory cold storage. This would make the distribution and storage of these vaccine candidates much more economical.  

Varadarajan said the vaccine candidate can be tailored to incorporate the RBD region of any new variant of SARS-CoV-2 that might emerge. Its high levels of expression and stability at room temperature can greatly reduce production and distribution costs, making it well-suited for combating COVID-19. “If need be, the vaccine can also be updated as and when the mutation develops over the years,” he added. 

source/content: newindianexpess.com (headline edited0

KARNATAKA: I.T: Infosys to acquire ‘InSemi’ the Bengaluru-based Semiconductor & Embedded Systems Design firm for Rs 280 cr

The IT giant expects the acquisition to help it complete its Chip-to-Cloud strategy and sync with its investments in AI/Automation platform.

Tech giant Infosys said it agreed to acquire InSemi, a Bengaluru-based semiconductor and embedded systems design provider for Rs 280 crore.

“With the advent of AI, Smart devices, 5G and beyond, electric vehicles, the demand for next-generation semiconductor design services integrated with our embedded systems creates unique differentiator. InSemi is a strategic investment as we usher a next wave of growth and a leadership position in Engineering R&D,” said Dinesh R, EVP & Co-Delivery Head, Infosys. 

InSemi was founded in 2013 and has over 900 employees, offers end-to-end semiconductor design services with expertise across electronic design, platform design, automation, embedded and software technologies. It serves several leading global corporations across semi-conductor, consumer electronics, automotive, and hi-tech industries. 

The company had revenue of 154 crore in the year ended March last year.

“The acquisition demonstrates our commitment to the semiconductor ecosystem and strengthens expertise in Engineering R&D services,” Infosys said, adding: 

“This collaboration will help accelerate Infosys’ Chip-to-Cloud strategy by bringing niche design skills at scale and will also pair seamlessly with existing investments in AI/Automation platform and industry partnerships. This strategic investment will aim to orchestrate comprehensive end-to-end product development for clients.”

The acquisition process is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of FY2024, according to Infosys. 

“With Infosys as our catalyst, it creates a synergistic combination that allows us to scale and bring the power of AI & Engineering R&D and next-generation technology to global clients, expanding across industry sectors,” said Shreekanth Sampigethaya & Arup Dash, Co-Founders, InSemi.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)