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A two-day international conference for physiotherapists — Mangalore Physiocon 2026 — will begin here on April 10.

Organised by South Canara Physiotherapy Teachers’ Association, the Minister for Medical Education, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, Sharanprakash R. Patil, is set to inaugurate the event at TMA Pai International Convention Centre at 9 a.m.

Addressing press persons here on Saturday, U.T. Ifthikar Fareed, chairman of the conference’s organising committee, Karnataka State Allied Healthcare Council, said that Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dinesh Gundu Rao will deliver the keynote address at the conference.

The theme of the conference is ‘Health Movement — Moving into the Next Era through Technology and Autonomy’.

Many activities have been organised as a prelude to the conference from April 6, and they will go on till April 12.

The activities include blood donation at the Mangala College of Physiotherapy on April 6, a preliminary round of cultural competition at Yenepoya (Deemed-to-be) University on April 7, pre-conference workshops on April 8 and April 9 at different colleges, and a post-conference workshop, he said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

While many major sporting leagues today, from the IPL to the Premier League, are a remarkable amalgamation of sport and technology, what about India’s very own kabaddi?

Students at Mangalore Institute of Technology and Engineering, Moodbidri, may have something to offer to the high-intensity game — an intelligent mat system that detects player contact in real time, identifying touches, tackles and scoring events, and could thus help the referee make accurate decisions.

Christened ‘Tech Kabaddi’, it was one of the 60 projects from ten tier-2 and tier-3 colleges in Karnataka displayed at the New Age Innovation Network Conclave at International Institute of Information Technology – Bangalore (IIIT-B). 

The student-developed technologies displayed at the exhibition addressed challenges across healthcare, environment, agriculture, digital transformation, and social innovation. 

Compendium

A compendium on the student innovators, startups, and institutions was released at the conclave. Lakshmi Jagannathan, CEO, IIIT-B Innovation Centre, noted that the conclave was a culmination of the creativity and technical excellence of students from cities and towns beyond Bengaluru.

“It highlights how young innovators are leveraging emerging technologies to solve complex societal challenges and contribute to India’s journey towards becoming a resilient, technology-driven nation,” she added.

A large number of projects displayed at the exhibition focused on agri-tech. Some of these included liquid nano-fertiliser developed from sewage water, paper made from areca waste, an automated harvesting system that identifies and plucks ripe areca nuts, a smart livestock management system, a community-owned machinery bank that enables small farmers to share modern agricultural equipment, smart storage system for areca nuts, and drone for precision pesticide spraying, among others.

Projects also featured a rescue robot for high-precision operations in confined, hazardous spaces, a health-monitoring smart jacket, potable water from atmospheric moisture, an AI-enabled self-learning Braille device, smart nutraceutical solution developed from seaweeds, solar sun tracker and so on.

Nurturing student innovators

The New Age Innovation Network (NAIN) programme is a Government of Karnataka initiative under the Startup Policy 2025–2030, conceived with the idea of nurturing student innovators and promoting a culture of entrepreneurship within engineering institutions, particularly in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

Students are encouraged to identify local challenges and develop frugal, technology-driven solutions, supported by mentorship in product development and entrepreneurial thinking.

Under this scheme, 50 new NAIN centres will be established in higher education institutions outside Bengaluru Urban, and each NAIN 2.0 centre is eligible for funding support of up to ₹5 lakh per student project, covering a maximum of 10 projects annually over a period of three years.  

IIIT-B served as the anchor institute for six colleges, including Bapuji Institute of Engineering and Technology, Davangere, JAIN College Deemed to be University, Ramanagara, Malnad College of Engineering, Hassan, College of Fisheries, Mangaluru, Mangalore Institute of Technology and Engineering, Moodbidri and St Philomena College (Autonomous), Puttur. In the coming year, the Institute will anchor nine centres.  

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Unlike NMHS-1 conducted in 2015-16, where only 12 states participated, this survey covers all 28 states and 8 Union Territories.

For the first time in India, the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) 2025-26 will examine mental wellness or wellbeing as a model rather than mental illness.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has mandated NIMHANS to conduct the survey to estimate the burden of mental health problems, understand healthcare-seeking patterns, and identify the status of human resources and services.

Dr Girish, Prof of Epidemiology, Centre for Public Health, NIMHANS, said, “We are looking at mental well-being as an index for the first time Because a lot of us talk about illness as a model. This time, the survey involves questions around mental wellness and how people look after themselves. It is a challenge to find out the mental wellbeing, but we thought we should give it a try to find out how do people report their wellness. This will create a well-being index for the entire country. Our new parameters also include looking at loneliness among the elderly. We are also looking at mental health crisis women go through during pre-menstrual and post-menopause problems.”

Unlike NMHS-1 conducted in 2015-16, where only 12 states participated, this survey covers all 28 states and 8 Union Territories. So far, more than 2,50,000 interviews have been completed across 24 states.

“All these 24 states including Karnataka have completed their field level data collection and planning for thematic studies. The field-level data collection has been done by approaching people door to door capturing the minimum needed information. Thematic study is more of indepth study or qualitative study which involves studying, analysing, and report recurring patterns. Training is rigorous and intense lasting over a period of six weeks for the field data collectors and State Survey Coordinators,” said Dr Rao.

“The overall sampling design is a stratified, cluster sampling technique proportional to population size and adopt a four stage sampling. The districts within each State / UT has been divided into 5 strata based on Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MDPI) of Niti Aayog; within each strata 5 to 10 districts has been randomly selected,” he added.

The government has mandated that AIIMS-like institutions and government medical colleges act as implementation partners in each state. Each State and Union Territory has two Principal Investigators from the departments of Psychiatry and Community Medicine.

NMHS-2 aims to estimate the prevalence of Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) disorders among adults, adolescents, and on a pilot basis, children. It will also assess disability, socio-economic impact, pathways to care, service utilisation, caregiver burden, and mental health systems, while identifying vulnerable populations and available resources.

A draft report will be submitted to the National Technical Advisory Group by July 2026. The final report will be released on October 10, 2026, on World Mental Health Day.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

Six gram panchayats from the state have been selected for the central government’s Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grama Vikas Puraskar under various categories. Notably, five of these gram panchayats are from Udupi district.

Mudradi and Madamakki from Hebri taluk, Vandse and Hakladi from Kundapur taluk, Sanoor from Karkala, and Halnayakanahalli from Bengaluru have been selected for the award. Each selected gram panchayat will receive a cash prize ranging from a minimum of Rs 75 lac to a maximum of Rs 1.50 crore.

Mudradi gram panchayat has been selected for the Poverty-Free and Enhanced Livelihood Panchayat Award. The selection was made considering its efforts in promoting self-employment through women’s self-help groups, use of modern agricultural machinery, effective implementation of Central and State self-employment schemes, provision of pension benefits to eligible beneficiaries, and achieving 100 percent progress in ration distribution.

Madamakki gram panchayat has been selected for the Sustainable Drinking Water Scheme Award. The recognition comes for conserving water sources within its jurisdiction and ensuring adequate water supply to every household through well-planned measures.

Vandse gram panchayat has been selected for the Health Services Award. Key factors include the services of its health centre, solid waste management, health activities in schools and anganwadis, special health camps, and notably, the initiation of palliative care for the bedridden through the Neeramaya Society.

Hakladi gram panchayat has been selected for the Social Justice and Social Security Panchayat Award. The selection was based on effective utilization of government grants for all sections including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, the underprivileged, differently-abled, and vulnerable groups, achieving over 80 percent progress in all aspects, and efficient implementation of employment guarantee schemes.

Sanoor gram panchayat has been selected for the Infrastructure Sector Award. Its achievements include installation of streetlights across all parts of the village, sustainable drinking water supply, scientific drainage systems, development of rural roads, emphasis on quality education in schools and colleges, and prioritizing the creation of local employment opportunities.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

Musician Sakre talks about his work and his journey, decoding his method and process along the way.

Joel Sakkari, who performs as Sakré, has a theory about why certain songs feel inescapable. Growing up in Karnataka, he was surrounded by South Indian music from the likes of Ilaiyaraaja, Hamsalekha, Rajan-Nagendra and others.

“These songs used to be playing everywhere. You could not escape them,” he says. What began as an osmotic experience has since become the structural backbone of everything he makes. As a producer and guitarist who builds beats almost entirely outside a computer — primarily on the SP 404, a hardware sampler with a devoted cult following among beatmakers in hip-hop and electronic music — Sakré has carved out a sound that takes the harmonic richness of beloved Kannada and Tamil film music and processes them the way a jazz musician might, not to replicate, but to improvise.

Earlier this month, Sakré brought that sensibility to Sonos Sound Suites, an immersive listening experience held at The Conservatory in Shanti Nagar, Bengaluru, where the emphasis on high-end audio was mirrored as a natural fit for his music. He performed a solo set alongside a collaboration with singer-songwriter Sahana Naresh adding Hindustani classical vocal elements.

For Sakré, these curator-led listenership events are where his music breathes best. “My music requires an audience who come with an open mind. They curated people from various fields who were already inclined towards listening — so I was in the right setting where my music also becomes part of that experience.”

The composer who looms largest over Sakré’s reference palette is Ilaiyaraaja. “Raja Sir has pushed a lot of boundaries, and his soundscape has defined the entirety of South Indian cinema,” he says.

Beyond Ilaiyaraaja, he names Kannada composers such as Vijay Anand. “Some of the older songs from the ‘70s and ‘80s had interesting harmonisation happening within the composition itself. I’d maybe pick two or four bars, that is how it has been.”

His approach to sampling is closer to the jazz tradition than a DJ. “Sampling is my voice. I chop like a beatmaker, but I reharmonise like a jazz musician. It is like Coltrane playing over ‘Fly Me to the Moon’… that’s my philosophy.”

That methodology found its most tangible expression in his beat tape Raja Has No Friends, a collection of songs that could just carry a cross-generational appeal given that a seasoned Kannadiga might pick up on some of the sonic familiarities and a hip-hop fan might just groove to the beats. Out in 2024 and 2025 in two volumes, the albums tell how nostalgia can be woven into futuristic sounds.

His most recent release, Bangalore Sonic Archives, was out in October 2025 and pushed that thinking into physical geography. It started as a social media commission from art collective Alserkal Avenue in Dubai, who gave him full access to their Instagram for a week and asked him to do what he wanted with it.

Sakré proposed sonically mapping Bangalore, from Indian Coffee House and how it was a third space for meetings and hangouts to a street musician named Narayana. The Instagram project grew into a seven-track beat tape, and then into a 160-minute audio-visual performance at BLR Hubba’s Kantha Festival in January, with visual artist Upendra doing live coding and visual sampling alongside Sakré’s set.

The audience Sakré finds most receptive tends to come from three directions. There are fellow beatmakers who regard the SP 404 as a crucial tool for lo-fi hip-hop beats and appreciate his technique. “It is a device that has a heritage and a history. A lot of fellow beatmakers actually start listening to my music because they see how it is like a blank slate; they appreciate my technique,” he says.

Then, there are listeners drawn in by the emotional charge of the samples themselves. “Every sound has a certain place in our heart, right?” he asks. Lastly, there are those who arrive through recognising the film songs, initially assuming that what they are hearing is a remix. “But I wouldn’t call them remixes. I don’t take the hook exactly. I take smaller samples and reharmonise them,” he clarifies.

Coming up, Sakré is planning re-releases of earlier beats, this time with hip-hop artistes and rappers who have already been writing verses over his instrumentals. He is also putting the finishing touches on a Hindi electronica album called Rozi Roti with longtime collaborator Jitesh Jadwani, his bandmate in Droolfox who also makes music under the moniker Galat Admi.

In the meantime, he continues to be a go-to collaborator for the likes of Sahana Naresh and the Vasu Dixit Collective. “These collaborations have happened on a very human level,” he says. In the age of rapidly churned out digital music, Sakré adds more humanness to music production, taking things apart and putting them back together to arrive at refreshing tracks

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Dr. Paniveni Udayashankar, a Ph.D degree holder in Solar Physics and an Hon. Professor at Poornapragna Institute of Scientific Research, Bengaluru, has received the ‘Mother Teresa Global Award’ for Excellence in Education, from the organisation ‘Friendship Forum’ based in New Delhi.

A resident of Roopanagar, Mysuru, she has 40 years of teaching experience as Physics Professor in a few reputed Colleges in Mysuru, Bengaluru, Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia. She has published 29 research publications in peer-reviewed international journals alongside the 21 international conferences attended by her wherein she presented research papers and chaired sessions.

A Vidwat in Karnatak classical vocal music, she has over 100 vocal music concerts on well-known platforms. She has the credit of being a Radio and TV artiste too.

She has been on the Editorial Board of Whioce Publishing PTE Ltd. and is a mentor for ‘Supernova Foundation’ which has programmes focused on encouraging young women to pursue career in Physics. She has guided two Ph.D students.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

The Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy has announced the recipients of the 2025 Honour Awards and Book Prizes, presented annually to distinguished personalities in the fields of Konkani literature, art, and folklore.

The 2025 Honour Awards have been announced for Ron Roche Cassia in the Konkani Literature category, Ramdas Dattatreya Gulwadi in the Konkani Art category, and Sairu (Muralidhar) Puttu Naik in the Konkani Folklore category.

The 2025 Book Awards have been conferred on Andrew L D’Cunha for ‘Ujwadache Vengent’ in the Konkani Poetry category, Roshan Melky Sequeira for ‘Konkani Circus’ in the Konkani Essays category, and Richard Alvares for ‘Fithuri’ in the Konkani Short Stories category.

The award presentation ceremony will be held on Sunday April 26 at 5 pm at Udyavar church premises in Udupi district. Minister for backward classes welfare and Kannada and culture Shivraj S Tangadagi will inaugurate the programme. The event will be presided over by Academy president Joachim Stany Alvares. MLA of Kaup constituency Suresh Shetty Gurme and bishop of Udupi diocese Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo will attend as chief guests.

The ceremony will also feature cultural performances including traditional dances of Kharvi, Siddhi and Kudubi communities, brass band, and a Konkani musical programme.

About the awardees

Konkani Literature Honour Award: Ron Roche Cassia

Ronald Roche (Ron Roche Cassia), aged 79, is a noted Konkani writer and senior litterateur. He has authored 12 detective novels and contributed over 150 short stories and more than 200 articles published across Konkani publications. His notable works include Sarlam Patlyan, Ami Nov, Hanv Radtam, Tachim Hadam, Kalavati, Thokan No.13, Ho Hath Khunyacho, Mhaka Jiyenvk Soda, Tambdo Vakor, Hanv Tache Sodner, Jar Hanv Sangin Tar, and Ghata Patlo Hath. He has also composed several songs and is a singer. He has received the Victor Rodrigues Memorial Literary Award (2017) and Daiji Dubai Literary Award (2018), and is now a recipient of the Academy’s Literature Honour Award.

Konkani Art Honour Award: Ramdas Dattatreya Gulwadi

Ramdas Dattatreya Gulwadi, aged 89, belongs to the Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin community. Born in Belthangady to Dattatreya Shivanand Bhat Gulwadi and Sharada Bai, he holds BA and BSc degrees. He entered theatre at the age of seven and has over 80 years of experience in drama. Introduced to theatre by his grandfather Haridas Shivanand Bhat, he is a multi-talented personality skilled in Harikatha, theatre, cinema writing, acting, direction, Hindustani classical music, and musical instruments. From 1964 to 2000, he was associated with amateur theatre groups in Mumbai, and after returning to Mangaluru in 2001, he co-founded Konkani Stage Crafts and worked with theatre stalwarts. He has been honoured with the title Konkani Cultural Ambassador by Konkani Cultural Organisation Mangaluru and has received the Vishwa Konkani Rangashreshta Award. He now receives the Academy’s Art Honour Award.

Konkani Folklore Honour Award: Sairu (Muralidhar) Puttu Naik

Sairu (Muralidhar) Puttu Naik entered the traditional Konkani ‘Khel’ art form, similar to Yakshagana, in 1974. In 1998, he became head of Shri Ramanath Khel Natya Sangh and was elevated as Bhagavata. Since then, he has participated in over 400 cultural programmes with his troupe. Over the past 27 years, he has served as an artist, director, writer, and performer in Konkani Khel. His troupe has also presented Songa Khel, and he has worked as a Gumat player for over 40 years. He has received several recognitions and awards and is now honoured with the Academy’s Folklore Award.

Konkani Poetry Book Award: Andrew L D’Cunha – ‘Ujwadache Vengent’

Andrew L D’Cunha, son of late Denis and Mary D’Cunha, is a popular poet originally from Gurupura Kinnikambla and currently residing in Bijai. He has been writing in Konkani for over 42 years, with more than 800 poems, over 100 articles, and 30 short stories to his credit. His published poetry collections include Vhalu Vhalu Vhal Valiya, Anjurachem Pan, and Ayeracho Book. His work Anjurachem Pan (2013) has received multiple awards including Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy Award, AIKWO Award, Vishwa Konkani Poetry Award, and TMA Pai Book Award. He also received the State-level Sandesha Konkani Literary Award in 2023. He has presented 40 Konkani programmes on Mangaluru Akashvani, conducted children’s columns under the name ‘Andru Maam’ in Rakno newspaper, and served as managing editor of Amcho Yuvak. He has organised poetry sessions in India and abroad and delivered lectures on poetry. He is a trustee of Kavita Trust and works as a financial advisor, running his own WINWIN firm. His book ‘Ujwadache Vengent’ has now received the 2025 Academy Poetry Award.

Konkani Essay Book Award: Roshan Melky Sequeira – ‘Konkani Circus’

Roshan Melky Sequeira of Bajpe, popularly known as ‘Roshu Bajpe’, is the youngest among nine children of late Bonaventure and Mary Sequeira. He holds a BCom degree from St Aloysius College and an MCom from Mysore University. He has contributed extensively to poetry, short stories, humour, satire, essays, and prose, with his works published in various journals and broadcast on radio. He is known for writing ghazals and songs for Konkani recordings. His works include poetry collections Tinth Jalem Ragat and Girbuji, humour books Hasya Attack, Open Hasya Surgery, Felis Navidad, Poli-tical, and Konkani Circus, short story collection Paying Guest Ani Her Katha, and novel Sandun Ghallli Sheli, along with several plays and translations. He has received multiple awards including Yuvakiran Award, Kital Yuva Award, Konkani Sahitya Academy Award, Dr TMA Pai Award, and Goa Konkani Sahitya Academy Award. His book ‘Konkani Circus’ has been selected for the 2025 Essay Award.

Konkani Short Story Book Award: Richard Alvares – ‘Fithuri’

Richard Alvares of Kulshekar, Mangaluru, entered the Konkani literary field about 50 years ago under the pen name ‘Anand’ and more recently writes under the name ‘Guruji’. His humorous writings, stories, and essays have appeared in various Konkani publications. He has served on editorial boards of Daivik Amrit and Kordelchem Jayt, and as associate editor for multiple publications including Kanik and Yuvatare. His works include Moladhik Motiyan (a collection of 100 articles), Kolkattachi Bhagavant Teresa, Mariyesangim Sodvanecho Niyal, Jejusangim Magyam, and several others. He has also authored Kannada books such as Hosa Belaku, Krista Preeti, Daarideepa, and Deepika. He has won several literary awards, including the Danti Award (1998) for Hosa Belaku. A teacher by profession, he has received the JCI Silicon City Guru Award, the President’s Silver Medal for census work in 2011, and the Dakshina Kannada District Best Teacher Award in 2014. His short story collection ‘Fithuri’ has now received the 2025 Academy Award.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a reference to Bengaluru-based Prayoga Institute of Education Research and a Belagavi-based fish farmer during his Mann Ki Baat address on Sunday.

Mr. Modi spoke about Prayoga’s efforts in popularising science education at the school level and its education research project Anveshana.

“I have come to know about an unique initiative related to education in Bengaluru. A team here is running Prayoga Institute of Education Research. This team has a special focus on research projects. This team is engaged in popularising science education at the school level. They have launched an experiment called Anveshana, which provides students from classes 9 to 12 the opportunity to innovate in areas like chemistry, earth science, and wellness,” Mr Modi said.

He added that this initiative provides students with a very good research experience and a platform to publish their projects.

“Friends, during our Pareeksha Pe Charcha, some students told me that they wanted to study science but were also intimidated by it. The efforts of the Prayoga team in this direction are commendable. This initiative gives students the opportunity to engage with science and demonstrate practical experience. When we try something firsthand, curiosity and interest are generated. Who knows, perhaps one of these young friends of mine might be a great scientist of the future,” he added.

Prayoga’s founder and chief mentor H.S. Nagaraja said: “At Prayoga, our focus extends to over 12,000 government school students, enabling them to learn science through hands-on, experiential methods. These are opportunities that were once inaccessible at the school level, and we have made them available. Importantly, all of this is provided free of cost, ensuring that access to quality learning and research is not limited by background.”

The institute said recently, four young students from rural Karnataka have emerged as a powerful reflection of the programme’s grassroots impact. As part of Anveshana, they undertook a research project in green chemistry focused on the synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles using plant-based extracts.

Fish farmer

Young Raju Shivalingappa Huddar and his father Shivalingappa Satappa Huddar of Bodkyanatti village in Belagavi district have achieved significant success in inland farming. Residents of Bodkyanatti village were very happy to listen to Mr. Modi mention the success story of Mr. Raju Huddar during Mann Ki Baat.

They are growing snakehead murrel or mudfish using biofloc high density aquaculture. Mr. Raju and his father have been farming fish from 2024. They have built four farm ponds on one acre. They brought fingerlings from Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh and have spent around ₹30 lakh as initial investment. They are earning around ₹20 lakh every 10 months. The fertility of their soil has gone up as they use the waste water from the farm pond to irrigate their four acre farm.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

State’s first Spring Census notes that Western Ghats and Malnad regions are primary hubs for spring formation due to high rainfall and favourable geological conditions.

The Karnataka Minor Irrigation and Groundwater Development Department has successfully completed the State’s first spring census.

According to the census, 274 springs have been enumerated across 31 districts, with Belagavi reporting the highest number with 59.

Hot spring

The census also noted that there is one hot spring at Bendru Theertha in Dakshina Kannada district.

B.K. Pavithra, Secretary, Minor Irrigation and Groundwater Development Department, said that despite the logistical challenges posed by the monsoon, field enumerators leveraged a digital framework to successfully identify and document a total of 247 springs.

Highlighting the regional distribution and ecological health of these waterbodies, he added: “Our data reveals that Belagavi district leads the State, reporting the highest number with 59 springs. Furthermore, a significant majority of these vital water sources remain active, with 144 springs classified as perennial and 114 as seasonal, while 16 have dried up over time.”

Key rivers

The census report has mapped the origins of key rivers to these springs, noting that the Cauvery originates at Talacauvery in Kodagu, the Hemavati at Javali in Chikkamagaluru, and the Sharavati at Ambutheertha in Shivamogga.

This digitised data will now serve as a foundational database for future spring conservation, rejuvenation projects, groundwater management, and comprehensive water resource planning across Karnataka.

Springs are natural outlets where groundwater flows to the surface through openings in the earth’s crust. They typically occur when the water table intersects with the ground surface or when groundwater is forced out through fractures, faults, or permeable rock layers.

Western Ghats and Malnad

“The Western Ghats and Malnad regions including districts like Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Belagavi, and Shivamogga are primary hubs for spring formation due to high rainfall and favourable geological conditions. Owing to a unique hydrological feature, a hot spring in Bendru Theertha, is located in Dakshina Kannada district,” the Karnataka Minor Irrigation and Groundwater Development Department added.

The Karnataka Minor Irrigation and Groundwater Development Department has received a certificate of appreciation from the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti for its first sprint census.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)