MY Articles

Ashok Venkatesh Deshpande, who passed away, recently remained a silent worker all along throughout his life and was literally an unsung hero even during his lifetime. All those who came in touch during different intervals point out his attitude of remaining unattached to typical worldly materialistic pleasures unlike most of the people of his times. Philanthropist since young age: Ashok Deshpande, according to Sadanand Hiremath, his acquaintance from 1968 and until the former’s demise, had developed the tendency of being philanthropic right from a very young age. Thanks to being influenced by the teachings and practices of Mahatma Gandhi and Acharya Vinoba Bhave, Ashok Deshpande was always abuzz with activities related to cleanliness and sanitation in schools, colleges and villages. Eco-friendly toilets in villages: Sadanand Hiremath recalls-“Ashok Deshpande was involved in activities related to creating awareness about health, sanitation and eco-friendly toilets in rural areas since ...

Anand Bekwad is a fine arts artist born in Belagavi shifted and settled in Pune. His “Kashi Colours” art exhibition is currently underway at Raja Ravi Varma Art Gallery, Ghole Road Shivajinagar in Pune. Exhibition for charity: The interesting characteristic of Anand Bekwad’s ongoing exhibition “Kashi Colours” is that it is meant for charity purposes. It has been organized by Swanand, a not-for-profit organization striving for community development through education, youth development, health and women empowerment. He has rich experience in 2D and 3D Animation as a background artist, layout artist and Mat painter. Outdoor and art in nature: According to Anand Bekwad-“In this work of mine, I have tried to make outdoor art or art in nature different. I have created an abstract form in outdoor art taking bright colours, different shapes and lines to create a composition. In fact, I have painted 70-80 paintings in the Kashi series and have already held two exhibitions on this series at Kal...

Gone are the good old days when Sugarcane factories were wholly dependent on crushing cane and selling sugar. Earlier, some well-to-do ones also ventured to set up distillery units to dispose of spirits for liquor companies in order to register profits. But all such practices have been dumped into the pages of history. SV Naik Kochari, twice former Chairman and currently Director of Shri Hiranyakeshi Sahakari Sakkare Karkhane Niyamit, Sankeshwar in Belagavi district opines-“These days, sugarcane factories can survive and continue to remain only if a thrust is given to market byproducts rather than selling sugar alone”. In a freewheeling interaction at the factory premises sometime back SV Naik Kochari was candid enough in expressing his viewpoints on the challenges facing the sugar industry. Third largest producer in India: According to official sources Karnataka is the third largest producer of sugarcane in the country after Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. The climatic conditions of t...

Nilanjan Guha recently held a three days exhibition titled My Bangalore Days at the Indian Institute of World Culture Art Gallery in Basavanagudi, Bengaluru. The exhibition evinced a good response in terms of visitors from the art field and the general public. Dr G Parameshwar, Home Minister who had come to the adjoining auditorium to release a book by the renowned author Dr Baraguru Ramachandrappa volunteered to have a glimpse of the exhibits. So did Dr CN Manjunath, Director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research. A downpour of colours: Nilanjan Guha presented watercolour paintings made in the last four years while the exhibits pertained to the experiences of his day-to-day life in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru and other locations of the state. Along with them he also displayed his plein air works which were painted on the spot. Most of the paintings indicate the nuance and rich diversity of the objects juxtaposed in attractive colours. In a way, you could say t...

Dr Sandhya Bhat made headlines recently when she stood first at the national level Hindustani classical vocal music Visharada Poorna examinations held by the Akhila Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal in Mumbai. Dr Ami Upadhyay, Professor and Director, Vice Chancellor; School of Humanities and Social Science presented the prestigious award to her. Laurels all along the way: In fact, accolades to Dr Sandhya Bhat are nothing new as she has been bagging prizes, medals and honours throughout her musical journey so far. She has always excelled in her vocal studies and had topped in her junior and senior exams held at the state level. She has also completed her Visharada training held by the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, New Delhi. She holds a Master of Arts (M.A) in Hindustani classical vocal, from Dr. Gangubhai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University, Mysore, Karnataka. She secured 3 Gold Medals for her stupendous academic performance. Doctorate in Hindustani Music: Presently she is co...

Several people from the state and different parts of the country have paid tributes to Ashok Deshpande and have recalled his services and their association with him. Septuagenarian Gandhian and retired Administrative Officer Krishna V Itnal, now settled in Pune spoke very highly of late Ashok Deshpande’s contribution to the society in general and the region where he opted to serve all along his lifetime. Five Lakh saplings planted: Krishna V Itnal reminisces-“Late Ashok Deshpande was a safai karyakarta like Gandhi in Sarvodaya field. His entire efforts concentrated in rural areas based on the Gandhian concept of Economy of permanence. He had taken me to Guramatti village where his team planted 5 lakh saplings! Thanks to the accomplishment of such a Herculean task, the net result, even now, is that a kilometre away from that village, that is in Maharashtra all the wells in adjoining villages, are filled with water throughout the year… …Not even one person migrated: Thanks to the effort...

BR Patil Bheemanagouda Ramanagouda Patil popularly known as BR Patil is a retired Professor of Education from the Government B Ed College in Dharwad. He originally belongs to Hirebagewadi, one of the two biggest villages after Yellur in Belagavi Taluk. Now in his 96th year, he continues to enjoy a robust healthy life with clear vision and audibility. He has a disciplined schedule and a limited but proper diet at specific periodic intervals. Interaction with him hints at the tremendous energy he is overloaded with.  Even at this age, he keeps recalling and reciting the 200-odd vachanas he had penned several decades back. Although due to the age factor, he keeps repeating the same subject frequently that’s no hindrance to stating clearly what he wants to express candidly! In a freewheeling chat, he opens up in an amazing manner for any personality at such an age and stage in life. You may not feel like agreeing to his views on a variety of subjects, yet what looks astonishing is his ...

The ladies' hostel bathroom videos on cell phones episode in Netra Jyoti Paramedical College took a new twist with the Udupi Police, at last, waking up and have filed two FIRs suo motto in this connection. So far Akshay Machhindra, Superintendent of Police, Udupi district was shirking his responsibility of registering an FIR under the pretext that there have been no complaints in this regard. But when the momentum started heating up against the Udupi Police across the state for its failure to initiate action, all of a sudden the cops made a U-turn and acted suo motto. Two FIRs' filed: In fact, two FIRs' have been filed so far. The first FIR is against the three students bubuShabnaz, Alfiya and Aleema and the Management of the Netra Jyoti Paramedical College. And the second suo motto FIR is against Kal Singh Chavan for making the doctored video adding audio viral on social networking sites and spreading canards raising communal tensions in the society. He is also being accus...

Kargil War with the military operation code name of ‘Operation Vijay’ continues to haunt the countrymen for a variety of reasons despite the 24 years that have passed after the war. Pakistan Army and paramilitary troops were taught a lifetime lesson by the brave Indian Army and Indian Air Force on the high-altitude mountainous terrain. Yet, there looks to be no learning for better from the neighbouring country. Ceasefire violations by the Pakistani Army and infiltrations by independent Kashmiri insurgents from across the international borders along the Line of Control (LoC) continue to annoy the Defence Forces. From May to July 1999: The unanticipated and unwarranted Kargil conflict which began May in 1999 continued till July with enough casualties on both sides. The Indian Air Force, jointly with the Army swung into aerial action under the codename ‘Operation Safed Sagar’ (White Sea) to flush out the enemy troops from vacated Indian positions along the LoC. Pak troops disguised as Ka...