A Bengaluru septuagenarian’s bid to preserve the legacy of Dasara dolls

Over the past 15 years, Lalitha Prasad has handcrafted more than 1,500 dolls on over 20 different themes, ranging from Yoga and Surya Namaskara to depictions of women critics, marriage ceremonies, mythology, and history.

For Lalitha Prasad, 70, Dasara is not just a festival to display dolls, but an occasion to make dolls herself. Over the past 15 years, she has handcrafted more than 1,500 dolls on over 20 different themes, ranging from Yoga and Surya Namaskara to depictions of women critics, marriage ceremonies, mythology, and history.

Her cotton-stuffed dolls have hand-stitched costumes and jewellery, including minute details like earrings and bindi. Ms. Prasad makes new dolls every year and painstakingly arranges them at her house in Bengaluru. Though she has received offers to display her dolls both outside the State and the country, she has turned them down and continues to display them only at her house during the Navaratri festival.

Preserving Tradition

Not just making new dolls and displaying them, but preserving them for years is also a key task that requires a lot of work as the dolls have to be restitched and repacked after the celebrations are over.

Ms. Prasad’s daughter Rashmi Manohar said that making these dolls was her mother’s great passion. “She talks to her dolls, she sings for them. She sees them not as objects, but as carriers of stories and traditions. The main reason she puts this much effort in making the dolls is to make sure future generations understand what Dasara dolls, known as Pattada Gombe, truly signify, and the legacy that they carry,” Ms. Manohar said. 

Despite health and age-related challenges, including recurring back and shoulder pain, Ms. Prasad continues to nurture her craft. Her daughter admits that the family has requested her to slow down, but her dedication remains constant. “For her, this is not just an art form, but a way of keeping culture that fosters creativity and community spirit alive,” Ms. Manohar said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

38 litres of milk! Dasara State-level Cow Milking Contest, September 2025

Anekal cow comes first producing highest 38.150 litres of milk in Dasara State-level Cow Milking Contest.

Ajay from Anekal taluk of Bengaluru won the first prize for his cow yielding 38.150 litres of milk in the State-level Cow Milking Contest, organised as part of Dasara Festival, by Raitha Dasara Sub-Committee in association with the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, at J.K. Grounds in the city yesterday.

Ajay received a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh for the first prize, as his cow collectively produced over 38 litres of milk, including morning and evening hours. In the morning session, the cow produced 21.500 litres and in the evening 16.650 litres totalling 38.150 litres of milk.

C.S. Sanjeev of Chittenahalli, Periyapatna taluk, won second prize of Rs. 80,000 for his cow yielding 37.150 litres of milk (20.150 litres in the morning and 17 litres in the evening).

Harshit Gowda, from Benchkal Palya, Nagarabhavi, Bengaluru, won third prize of Rs. 60,000, as his cow yielded 37.10 litres of milk (19 litres in the morning and 18.10 litres in the evening).

Nishant Shivaramu from Ganjam in Srirangapatna taluk, won fourth prize, pocketing Rs. 40,000, as his cow yielded 36.850 litres of milk (17.800 litres in the morning and 19.050 litres in the evening).

Minister for Animal Husbandry K. Venkatesh, who distributed the prizes, said that the State Government is committed to provide all possible encouragement to promote animal husbandry. The farmers should make judicious use of the Government schemes.

In all, 15 cows from different parts of the State had taken part in the contest. The owners of those cows, which didn’t secure a place, were rewarded with Rs. 10,000 and a memento.

Veterinary Department Deputy Director Dr. Nagaraju, Dr. Poornananda, Karnataka Milk Federation Managing Director B. Shivaswamy and Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research (Jayadeva Hospital) Financial Advisor J. Chaitra were present at the event.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

Barkur native receives Gold Medal & DG Baton Award at passing out parade

In a remarkable display of dedication and excellence, Sunil Pandeshwar has graduated as an associate NCC officer from the prestigious NCC Officers Training Academy, Kamptee, receiving the coveted Gold Medal and Director General’s Baton Award for overall achievement during the Passing Out Parade (PRCN 183).

The Gold Medal and DG Baton were presented to Pandeshwar by the director general of NCC during the ceremony, marking a significant milestone in his diverse career that spans theater, education, and sports.

Sunil Pandeshwar is no stranger to excellence, having established himself as a versatile personality across multiple domains. Known primarily as a theater artist and comedian, he has also earned recognition as a national-level award-winning actor, photographer, and physical education director.

His educational journey reflects his commitment to learning and growth. Starting from Mudahadu Senior Primary School, he progressed through BCM Boys Hostel Udupi for his high school education, completed his pre-university education at Viveka Pre-University College Udupi, and earned his Diploma in Physical Education (DPED) from MK Anantaraj Physical Education College, Mudabidre.

Pandeshwar’s academic excellence continued at SMS College Brahmavar, where he received the ‘Most Outstanding Student Award’ during his graduation. He further pursued a Bachelor of Physical Education (BPEd) from Rani Chennamma University, Belagaum.

The multi-faceted personality has made significant contributions to Kannada theater, performing in numerous plays including acclaimed productions like ‘Aradirali Belaku,’ ‘Huliya Neralu,’ ‘Agni Loka,’ and ‘Aragina Betta.’ His performance in ‘Suryastadinda Suryodayadavarege’ earned him the Best Actor Award at the state-level drama competition.

Beyond serious theater, Pandeshwar has been a prominent figure in comedy theater, with over 1,000 performances across various comedy competitions, reality shows, and amateur Kundakannada plays including ‘Preeti Ninnallada Mele,’ Dubai Hudga,’ and ‘Yaru Sama Illa.’

His commitment to community service is evident through his roles as secretary of Brahmavar Rotary Club, secretary of South Kanara Photographer Association Brahmavar Division, and his four-year tenure as secretary of the SMS Degree College Brahmavar Alumni Association.

Pandeshwar’s expertise in physical education has yielded remarkable results in sports coaching. He guided a under-14 boys’ volleyball team to a silver medal at the national level SGFI competition, demonstrating his ability to nurture young talent.

Currently serving as a physical education teacher at Vidyodaya Public School Udupi, he continues to inspire and train the next generation of athletes while balancing his artistic pursuits.

The Gold Medal and DG Baton Award from the NCC Officers Training Academy represent the culmination of Pandeshwar’s diverse talents and unwavering commitment to excellence. These prestigious awards are testament to his leadership qualities, discipline, and dedication that have been evident throughout his varied career.

The achievement adds another distinguished chapter to the remarkable story of a man who has successfully bridged the worlds of arts, education, sports, and now military training, proving that excellence knows no boundaries when pursued with passion and determination.

Sunil Pandeshwar’s journey from a village school in Mudahadu to receiving the highest honors at one of India’s premier military training institutions serves as an inspiration to aspiring individuals across all fields of endeavor.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

Bidar wins Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari Award for water conservation programmes

The award is given to top performing districts under the campaign, Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain; Bidar will get ₹25 lakh in cash.

In a landmark achievement, Bidar district has emerged as a winner of the Centre’s Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari Award given to top performing districts under the campaign, Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain.

The district will receive ₹25 lakh in cash from the Centre, acknowledging its outstanding contribution to water conservation and community participation under the campaign.

Bidar district is one among the top 80 districts selected under category 3 of the campaign. A total of six districts from Karnataka bagged the award and Bidar alone from the Kalyana Karnataka region.

This recognition not only highlights the district’s commitment to sustainable water management but also serves as an inspiration for other regions to adopt similar practices.

This national-level initiative, spearheaded by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, aims to promote community-driven water conservation and groundwater recharge efforts across India.

As a part of the campaign for conservation of water, Bidar has taken up construction of small check dams, gabion structures, gully plugs, percolation ponds, soak pits and traditional rain harvesting and recharge systems such as taankas and stepwells.

Earlier, the zilla panchayat took up desilting works under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and trenches in agricultural fields.

Empowering communities

The Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative is designed to foster active participation from all stakeholders, including government agencies, local communities, industries, NGOs and resident welfare associations.

By promoting groundwater recharge and water conservation practices, the campaign seeks to address the challenges of water scarcity and groundwater depletion.

The award serves as a testament to the power of community-led initiatives in driving change.

Bidar’s achievement

Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Girish Badole has said that Bidar district’s achievement is a shining example of what can be accomplished through collective action and community engagement.

As the nation strives to meet its water conservation goals, the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari Award serves as a powerful motivator.

Dr. Badole said that social and community participation plays a vital role in accomplishing initiatives like Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari to drive transformative change in water conservation.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

A land of legendary champions

Karnataka has a rich sporting history and tradition. Right from pre-Independence days to the present era, the state has produced sportspersons of true class and quality. And not ju

Karnataka has a rich sporting history and tradition.

Right from pre-Independence days to the present era, the state has produced sportspersons of true class and quality.

And not just sportspersons, many eminent and efficient referees, coaches and administrators have emerged from time to time to guide and shape the sporting destiny of the state.

There is no sporting discipline in which the state’s sports persons have not excelled – right from athletics to yachting. The presence of a large number of public sector units and defence establishments in Bangalore and elsewhere in the state has been an added advantage. If there is any lacunae, it is in the private sector which has not really made noteworthy contributions down the years. If that had been the case, Karnataka would have created bigger ripples than has been the case so far.

The dream Olympics

The 1948 Olympic Games were held in London a year after India’s Independence. There was added interest as it was being hosted in England. And the then Mysore state provided no less than six footballers to the Indian team which participated in the Olympic Games football tournament. Goalkeeper K V Varadaraj, defender S A Basheer, midfielder B N Vajravelu, inside-left Ahmad Khan, centre-forward Dhanraj and inside-right S Raman were the ones who made the state proud.

From then on, there has been a steady flow of international sporting stars to the national pool although it has certainly thinned down in the last few years. Athletes, cricketers, footballers, swimmers performed exceptionally well to lead the state to victories and the national team to glory as well.

From Mysore to Karnataka

Mysore won the national football championships for the Santosh Trophy for the first time in 1946-47 in Bangalore when they beat the then mighty Bengal.

They repeated the feat in 1952-53 and again in 1968 and 1969 defeating Bengal on all occasions. The state has been the runners-up five times but has never won the title after being rechristened as Karnataka in 1973. The last time Karnataka entered the final was in 1975.

As Mysore, the state never won the national cricket championship for the Ranji Trophy but were runners-up twice.

As Karnataka, the state’s first won it for the first time in 1973-74 defeating Rajasthan and repeated that effort five more times with wins in 1977-78 (beat Uttar Pradesh), 1982-83 (beat Bombay), 1995-96 (beat Tamil Nadu), in 1997-98 (beat Uttar Pradesh) and for the sixth time in 1998-99 (beat Madhya Pradesh).

Overall, they have been runners-up on six occasions.

Athletics and more

Athletes like Kenneth Powell, Uday Prabhu, Anand  Shetty, Arjun Devaiah, Angel Mary, Ashwini Nachappa, Vandana Rao, Asha, Sumavathi have all notched up individual titles. They also represented the country in the Asian Games, Olympics, World championships as well.

Swimmers too have performed wonderfully and Karnataka has reigned supreme at he national level for long. Sajini Shetty, Lorraine Varghese, Meghana Narayan, Punita Gupta, Shanaz Shacoor, Sangita Rao, Nisha Millet, Shika Tandon, J. Abhijit, M.

Satish Kumar, Hakimmuddin S H and Rehan Poncha have all excelled in their patent strokes that have kept Karnataka floating high in the pool.

The birth of a star

But the most significant achievement for the state came in the 70s. A kid answering to the name of Prakash Padukone burst onto the badminton scene in 1969-70. Padukone managed to win both the Junior National and Senior National Badminton titles in 1971 at the age of just 16 years. Prakash continued to win the National Senior title for 9 years in a row, a record that was equalled by a woman player in Aparna Popat a couple of years ago but not by any player among men.

Padukone announced his arrival loud and clear in the 1978 Commonwealth Games held at Edmonton (Canada). He won the men’s single’s final defeating Ray Talbot of B r i t a i n i n straight sets and won a gold medal.

In 1980, he won the Badminton Grand Slam by winning three major international badminton tour n a – ments including All England B a d m i n t o n Championship.

He also represented  India in Thomas Cup Matches. In the 7th Asian Games, held at Tehran in 1974, he won a bronze medal.

In the First World Games held in USA (1981), he was awarded a bronze medal. He also won the Alba World Cup in the same year defeating Han Jain of China. Padukone’s victory in the all-England in 1980 set in motion a badminton revolution in the state and the country.

The national game

Hockey Olympians like Rajagopal, Munir Sait, Deshamuthu, Govinda, Ganesh put the state hockey prowess into the limelight but despite producing a number of players of class, the state has not managed to win the national hockey championship for the Rangaswamy Cup till now. Of course, politics in hockey has seen that the championship itself is pushed into the background. It has not been conducted for sometime now. The Bangalore-Hifliers won the now-defunct Premier Hockey League in 2006.

The tournament was played in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Tennis, volleyball, kabaddi, ball badminton and sports for the disabled have also produced many fine exponents.

Beyond the field

Referees, umpires, judges and administrators have made significant contributions to state sports. Philanthropists like Jeenabhai Devidos, Nettakkallappa and J B Mallaradhya have shown the way in sports promotion at a time when sources for raising revenue like telecast rights, advertisements, etc. were virtually unheard of.

Though crores are being spent every year, sports infrastructure in the state continues to be of rather poor standards. No state association is in a position to host an international event at short or even due notice. Most of the stadia are in pathetic stages of neglect or have never come up to expected levels.

Though crores are being spent every year, sports infrastructure in the state continues to be of rather poor standards. No state association is in a position to host an international event at short or even due notice. Most of the stadia are in pathetic stages of neglect or have never come up to expected levels.

The state hosted the National Games in 1996-97. A number of new stadiums were built but sadly, the indoor stadiums are largely being utilised for commercial purposes rather than for sports. With state associations not being pro-active, there has been a dearth of sporting activity  A recent trend to form instant clubs for tournaments like the IPL and KPL in cricket, the I-League in soccer and the PHL in hockey has also caused concern. Ageold institutions are being neglected.

AWARD WINNING SPORTSPERSONS

Arjuna Awards 1965 Elvira Britto Hockey 1965 Kenneth Powell Athletics 1968 E.A.S. Prasanna Cricket 1971 Muniswamy Venu Boxing 1971 P. Krishnamurthy Hockey 1972 Prakash Padukone Badminton 1972 B.S. Chandrashekhar Cricket 1973 M. P. Ganesh Hockey 1975 B P Govinda Hockey 1976 Shanta Rangaswamy Cricket 1977 G R Vishwanath Cricket 1978 Angel Mary Athletics 1978 C.C. Machaiah Boxing 1980 Syed Kirmani Cricket 1987 Vandana Rao Athletics 1987 D. V. Prasad Chess 1988 Ashwini Nachapp, Athletics 1994 Jude Felix Hockey 1996 A B Subbaiah Hockey 1996 Ashish Ballal Hockey 1996 Javagal Srinath Cricket 1996 Kalle Gowda Athletics 1966 Usha Sunderaraj Table Tennis 1997 Chetan Baboor Table tennis 1997 Reeth Abraham Athletics 1998 Rahul Dravid Cricket 1998 Satish Rai Weightlifting 1998 S. D. Eshan Athletics 1999 Nisha Millet Swimming 2000 B.K.Venkatesh Prasad Cricket 2000 J.Abhijith Swimming 2000 C. Honnappa Kabaddi 2001 B C Ramesh Kabaddi 2003 Pankaj Advani Billiards 2003 Suma Shirur Shooting 2004 Innocent Helen Mary Hockey 2005 Shikha Tandon Swimming 2008 Anup Sridhar Badminton Dronacharya Award 2004 Arvind Savur Billiards & Snooker Padma Shree 1970 E A S Prasanna Cricket 1971 G R Vishwanath Cricket 1972 B S Chandrasekahr Cricket 1982 Prakash Padukone Badminton 2001 Malathi Holla Paralympics 2001 Mahesh Bhupathi Tennis 2004 Rahul Dravid Cricket 2009 Pankaj Advani Billiards & Snooker  

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headlines edited)


Noted Kannada novelist S. L. Bhyrappa passes away

He was recipient of Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, Saraswati Samman, Sahitya Akademi Awards, among others.

Well-known Kannada writer and Saraswati Samman awardee S. L. Bhyrappa, 94, passed away at a private hospital in Bengaluru on September 24. He was suffering from age-related ailments and was under treatment in the city for the past three months. 

Jayadev Memorial Rashtrotthana Hospital and Research Centre, where he was admitted, stated that he suffered cardiac arrest and passed away at 2.38 p.m.

Sources said he was suffering from cardiac issues and had collapsed during a morning walk a few months ago. He was then shifted from Mysuru to Bengaluru for better care.

Sources said that cremation would be held on September 26 in Mysuru where he lived for many years. On September 25, the body would be kept at Ravindra Kalakshetra in Bengaluru for people to pay their last respects.

Loyal to novel

Bhyrappa’s medium of choice was always the novel. He was committed to novels throughout his over-six-decade career as a writer. His first novel Bheemakaya was published in 1958. He wrote 25 novels, the last being Uttarakanda (2017), a retelling of Ramayana through the perspective of women. After Uttarakanda, he had announced retirement from writing. 

He was one of the best-selling novelists of Kannada, with each of his novels running into multiple editions. His first novel, that he wrote when he was 27, is still being reprinted and sold. All his novels have been translated into multiple Indian languages, apart from English and other European languages. He was among the most widely translated writers of Kannada, with a dedicated following across India. 

His novels Parva (1979), a retelling of Mahabharata, Vamshavriksha (1965) and Gruhabhanga (1970) are considered to be classics of Kannada literature. He won the Saraswati Samman award for his novel Mandra (2001) in 2010. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2023. 

Several of his novels were adapted to film by B. V. Karanth, Girish Karnad, Girish Kasaravalli and T. N. Seetharam. These films became important films in the parallel cinema movement of India. Mr. Kasaravalli also adapted his novel Gruhabhanga to television.

Pro-Hindutva views

Byrappa became, especially in his later years, known for his pro-Hindutva views. Some of his novels, particularly Avarana (2007), triggered a huge controversy. Avarana’s portrayal of Muslim rulers and conversion kicked up a row. In later years, Bhyrappa became an open supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Many critics from the progressive school argued that Bhyrappa’s novels had a conservative outlook, which was often in collision with various Kannada literature movements — Navya, Bandaya and Dalit — which dominated the second half of the 20th century. His fiction ran parallel to these movements, and remained hugely popular. 

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Kundapur’s Nishali Umesh brings home Pride of India, Miss India 2025 crown to Karnataka

Karnataka has added another feather to its cap with Nishali Umesh, a 21-year-old from Kundapur, winning the prestigious Pride of India, Miss India 2025 crown at the DK Pageant held at Radisson Blu, Delhi.

After clinching the Miss Karnataka 2025 title earlier this year, Nishali went on to represent the state at the national level. Competing against finalists from across the country, she impressed the jury with her grace, confidence, and determination, ultimately securing the coveted national crown.

Her achievement marks a proud milestone for Karnataka, bringing national recognition to the coastal town of Kundapur. The first runner-up position was awarded to the contestant from Andhra Pradesh.

Currently pursuing her MA in journalism at St Aloysius College in Mangaluru, Nishali is the daughter of Umesh Kundar, managing director of Shrinidhi Corporation in Bengaluru and a state award recipient, and Janaki Kundar. 

The victory has sparked celebrations in Nishali’s hometown, where friends, family, and well-wishers are hailing her success as an inspiration for aspiring youth across the region.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

Writer Banu Mushtaq Inaugurates Dasara Festival In Mysuru

BanuMushtaq was accompanied by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, several ministers in the state cabinet, among others.

The famous Mysuru Dasara festival commenced in the city and palaces on Monday with religious and traditional fervour, with International Booker Prize-winning writer Banu Mushtaq inaugurating the festivities.

Banu Mushtaq inaugurated the festivities during the auspicious “Vrushchika Lagna” by showering flowers on the idol of goddess Chamundeshwari, the presiding deity of Mysuru and its royals, amid chanting of Vedic hymns by priests, at the premises of Chamundeshwari temple atop the Chamundi Hills here.

Celebrated as ‘Nada Habba’ (state festival), the 11-day Dasara or ‘Sharan Navaratri’ festivities are expected to be a grand affair this year, showcasing Karnataka’s rich culture and traditions, coupled with reminiscence of royal pomp and glory.

In the inaugural event, Banu Mushtaq was accompanied by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, several ministers in the state cabinet, among others.

Earlier, Banu Mushtaq, along with Chief Minister and other dignitaries, visited the Chamundeshwari temple and offered prayers to the goddess, referred to as the “Naada Devate” (state deity), ahead of the inaugural. 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

source/content: ndtv.com (headline edited)

Centre for wilderness medicine at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal launches ‘VENOMS’ helpline

The centre for wilderness medicine, under the department of emergency medicine at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, in collaboration with department for emergency medical technology, Manipal College of health professions, MAHE, Manipal and district surveillance office, Udupi district launched the VENOMS helpline on Friday, a dedicated initiative to address snakebite and other venom-related emergencies.

The helpline was formally inaugurated by Dr Nagarathna, district surveillance officer, who emphasized the importance of public – private partnerships in managing emergencies such as snakebite, accompanied by her deputy, Dr Tejaswini Patil.

Dr Sudhakar Kantipudi, chief operating officer, Manipal cluster, served as guest of honour and commended MAHEs efforts in public health outreach.

Also, present were Dr Avinash Shetty, medical superintendent, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, Dr Vimal Krishnan S, professor and head, department of emergency medicine, Dr Jayaraj Mymbilly Balakrishnan, professor and former head of department of emergency medicine, and Dr Freston Marc Sirur, coordinator, centre for wilderness medicine.

Dr Freston remarked, “The VENOMS Helpline is designed to bridge the gap between a snakebite incident and timely treatment. Our goal is to provide rapid guidance and support to save lives and reduce complications caused by delayed care.”

Dr Vrinda Lath, assistant professor in the department of emergency medicine, provided an overview of the care pathway, while Usha, faculty in the department of emergency medical technology, Manipal College of Health Professions, highlighted the research outcomes from the VENOMS registry.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)