A superfan's celebrity Amma

 An ardent fan of S Janaki, Naveen has developed a close friendship with the singer, 

who he been listening to since his early teens 

You can call him singer S Janaki's number one fan. But then again not all fans have a close friendship with their idols.

Naveen,32, a resident of NR Mohalla, has been listening to famous female playback singer since his boyhood days. His fandom is to such an extent that he has named even his house and his furniture shop as 'S Janaki.' On her part, the singer is also very close to Naveen and  his family.

Naveen never misses an opportunity to attend Janaki's public programmes, wherever it is held. The bond is so close that Naveen connects with his idold atleast four days a week over the phone.

Hailing from a middle class family, Naveen was introduced to S Janaki's songs through the radio as in his early teens. Since then, his long standing ambition was to meet Janaki.

Right from the age of 13, he met several film crew members seeking her number. One lucky day, he got her number and called her up immediately. He was asked to call after a month by a housemaid, saying that Janaki was out of station.

"It took me three years to get her number. The one month of waiting was very hard to pass. I was eagerly waiting for the D Day, and finally my line was connected to Janaki. When I heard her voice over phone for the first time, there was no bounds to my happiness,"," he says.

Naveen says he talked nonstop for the next 10 minutes, without even allowing Janaki to respond. "I expressed my desire to meet her once, and I got an appointment on December 25, 1999,” he says.

Naveen remembers being in front of Janaki's house at 8am sharp. "However I learnt that she had left for her sister's house and so I waited till 12 noon," he says.  Janaki's daughter in-law informed her that  her fan was waiting for her and returned from her sister's house. "I rushed towards her, and fell at her feet. Since then am in touch with Janaki Amma,” says Naveen.

Since then, Naveen, visits her every year to wish her on her birthday. "When I informed her I was going to open a furniture shop and wanted to name it after her, she immediately agreed," she says. To the good fortune of Naveen, more was in store. "After two days she called me and informed that she was coming for the first time to Mysuru to inaugurate my shop. It was an unbelievable movement and unexpected thing in my life," he says. Janaki even stayed in Naveen's home with his family.  No one believed Naveen when he told her that she was coming to inaugurate his shop. 

As the years have passed his bond with the singer has only become stronger. "Janaki Amma comes to my house at least once in every two or three months. It is a day of festivities  when Amma visits our house. We would go sightseeing to Chamundi Hills, Palace and Gopalswamy Hills together," she adds. In her many interviews she has also talked about Naveen.

Janaki has also attended Naveen's marriage, and came from his house inauguration. "I am in constant touch with Janaki Amma,” he adds.

While even Janaki does not have a collection of all of her songs, her superfan arranged for the same. "Most of the time I discuss with her about the songs she has sung, and how it changes the mood of a person," he adds. Naveen has made a collection of all of her songs and  has given these to her. "I am very glad that she treats me as her son and showers me with love and affection. I am blessed for the friendship" she says.

Naveen says that his idol is shifting base to Hyderabad. "She is planning to give her last performances in Mysuru. I and my friends are working to host a programme for her," he says.

 

 

This ZP member engages villagers to make seed balls, nurture trees

Watching a television programme on seed ball innovation, this gram panchyat member got motivated to experiment the same in her panchayat and has made her dream fulfill. Bannikuppe Village Gram Panchayat Member Pushpa Amarnath has took an initiative to increase the green cover in Hunsur Taluk and has engaged villagers to make seed balls.  



44 gram panchayats in Hunsur taluk have been selected under go green initiative and each gram panchayat will be distributed with 10,000 seed balls. Self help groups, NGOs, students have been roped in to make seed balls. The same will be distributed to interested farmers, and initiative has been taken to nurture the seed balls at vacant government lands, lake bunds, burial grounds, dry lands, hill areas.



The programme has been taken under Social Forestry and Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj. Making use of the provision under NREGA, she has brought the women under the programme and they will be paid dailywage for making seed balls and planting trees.



With cows urine and cow dung needed to prepare the seed ball, she has asked all the households rearing cows to collect cow urine by placing a drum and dung. Such collected cow dung, urine for nearly 10 days, was used to make 12,000 seed balls on Saturday.  



NSS, Scouts and Guides cadets, education institution eco club students have also been roped in to the programme, to make youngsters aware of environment conservations. Pushpa who has aims to make five lakh seed balls, with the help of other gram panchayat members is involving women in making seed balls daily for two hours. Villagers to collect cow urine, cow dung, whereas the red soil and seeds will be provided by forest department. 



‘To dig pit, plant a tree lot of energy, time and money is spent. Whereas, the cost for making every seed ball is just meager Rs 1. Also this innovative idea is very easy and economically viable. Am hopeful atleast 70 per cent saplings grow and  maintained for three years it will create a big difference in the nature. With decline in rainfall and deforestation we are encountering several problems and planting tress will be the solution for all the environmental imbalance. Thus, increasing green cover is need of the hour to fight against increasing temperature, drought and other environmental issues,’ she added. 



“Seed ball is a novel method of planting trees. We had heard about it, but am very happy, am experiencing. With Hunsur is dry land and declared drought hit, hope planting trees will change the scenario in next five years. If the same things adopted in another taluk panchayats it could bring a big change in increasing gree cover over the years,” added Prakash, who is planning to place 50 seed balls in his agriculture field.



Pushapa is planning to document the process and upload them in social media, so that interested gram panchayats can adopt this simple method and improve the green cover. About 13 varieties of trees, including fruit trees seeds will be made. The seeds include, Neem, Nerale, Honge, Tamarind Tree, Rain Tree, Jackfruit, Agase seed, jatropha, bamboo two varities, Castor seeds, etc.



The seeds include, Neem, Nerale, Honge, Tamarind Tree, Jackfruit, Agase seed, jatropha, bamboo two varities, Castor seeds, Nallikayi, Soapnet, Thabsi, Boguri Mara. Some of seeds selected also to   generate revenue for the villagers.

This girl initiatives to build toilets bring smile on villagers

A girl from North India has came all the way from Chandigarh to work with people in grassroot level and has built 75 toilets in BC Halli. Ushma Goswami (23), On a one year fellowship she has come to the Village in last August. She was appalled to see that majority of the households did not have a toilet of their own and were  defecating in the open fields. The two main reasons were though many people wanted to build toilet. Under Swatch Bharath only after toilets are built the money is sanctioned, and most of the villagers dint had initial money to build the toilet. While other problem faced by villagers was lack of space.  

 

Learning over this, Ushma approached NGO Dhan Foundation and helped the villagers to build toilets through ‘Sanitation loan’. With this she is contributing to the Swatch Bharat Andolan and her aim is to make the village free of open defecation by August. Since December 75 toilets have been built, and 200 more to built. . Since March she is working simultaneously for Kodagalli Panchayat in T Narasipur and around 150 toilets are under construction. 

 

Under SBI Youth for India fellowship, she has been selected as fellow, and she will be working for 13 months in rural developments. Ushma who has completed her Masters in Political Science, said:‘I had studied about problems in rural development, local governance, education, health issues had learnt. Thus, wanted to work on grass root level. When I was selected under the fellowship programme, during same time had  cleared M.Phil entrance. But, I choose to serve in village and rushed to Karnataka. Now, in the last eight months have become one among villagers.’  

“I faced communication problem in initial days, as I dint know the local Kannada language. But, even without knowing language, the love and affection showered on me from villagers, connected me to them emotionally. Slowly, I learnt the language and now am able to communicate with them using simple Kannada words. Have also visited Odissi to see the toilet construction works taken in the state. My goal is to make the villages free of open defecation by August,” she adds.

She also found that there was no English teacher for the kids studying at the local Primary school when she took English classes for six months to high school children in the last academic year.She also helps the villagers by opening a small pharmacy store to dispense commonly used over the counter medicines. She is also educating villagers about government schemes, and educating villagers about how to file Aadhar online, ration card by providing information.  

Stating Infrastructure is better in South India, compared to North India, she said she has set her goals of attempting the UPSC exams and dedicate herself for the service of humanity. 

  

Villager Girish said: ‘We did not had Rs 6,000 to construct a ordinary toilet. Learning over the problems, we were connected to a NGO and were provided with sanitation loan, which helped us to get the toilets build. We are moved by the initiative of the girl. She is teaching the youngsters the use of Internet, how to obtain government facilities, and how to claim our rights.’  

This boy from Varansi developing entrepreneurship skills among villagers

 

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi who got elected from Varanasi is encouraging entrepreneurship, here is a voter from that constituency who motivated by Modi has come all the way to Mysuru and working with farmers, and developing entrepreneurship skill among villagers.

An Engineering graduate Himansu Pandey (22), who was working as Business Development Executive in a private company, quits his job fetching him a fatter salary, to work with villagers and develop enterpreneurship skills among them. Under SBI Youth for India fellowship, he is working in B.Seehalli in Narasipur Taluk. He is planning to establish Tomato processing unit in the village, and make the farmers economically stronger.  

Under Pradhan Mantri Grameen Vikas Yojana the villagers to take up loan upto Rs 3 lakh and set up the Tomato processing Unit in village by August. Under the scheme women get 25 per cent subsidy, and there is provision to start repayment of loans after three years, which is of great helpful for the villagers.

There are 400 families in the village. Himansu has brought together the farmers who are growing Jamun tomatoes in the village. Women folk are thought about processing of tomatoes, while the unemployed youngsters in the village are been roped in to market the products.

He is teaching the youngsters how to make use of the technology, marketing strategies and skills, challenges in marketing, demand for tomatto ketchups in urban area, etc.   

Nearly 20 women from the village to undergo three day training programme in Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL) in next week. The women will be thought boiling, mixing, pre bioling, packaging, how to preserve the products, etc. Even plans are on card to get the technology of Tomatoes Processing Unit transfer from DFRL.  

Already women have been thought how to identify the tomatoes suitable for making ketchup and extract pulp. Also to make the ketchup easily using an ordinary pressure cooker at home.

The villagers to make 50 liter ketchup for trial next month, and it will be given to taste for people in Mysuru and Bengaluru. Himansu says, this will be not only helpful to boost the marketing of the product, whereas to gather opinion from people about the taste.    

He is also educating villagers about use of technology in agriculture, methods to be adopted to grow quality tomattoes, harvesting techniques, processing, marketing skills, and how to avoid crop loss, benefits of producing byproducts, how to increase income, so on.

  

"India is the second biggest produce of tomatoes. Most of the time tomattoo price drops to Rs 2. Frustrated farmers litter tomatoes on roads. Instead they can set up Units in their Panchayats, and convert the tomatoes into byproduct. The farmers who grow other vegetables, fruits should also develop entrepreneurship skills," he adds.

"Entrepreneurship is very important for every human being, specially farmers. Without getting supportive price the farmers are taking extreme step in life. I wanted to work with farmers and educate them about how their produce can be converted into products. Working in grass root level with farmers gives a different experience. Using technology we can bring farmers to the main stream of society. My future is to visit Dehardun and work with farmers. Also want to pursue higher degree in Agribusiness," he added. 

 

Villager Bhagya said: 'Last year we faced total loss due to fall in price. But in future we think atlest through tomato ketchup making we get good value for the harvest. If we get good marketing linkage, we are planning to grow large quanity of Jamun variety in future, which are ideal for processing.

Manjula Nagaraj said: 'After demise of my husband, I am the sole bread earner for the family. Labour jobs are very seasonal too. This could be a good opportunity to earn, while staying with in my own community.'

Lakshmi Kullegowda said: 'The Tomato Unit has come like a new ray of hope. My husband does labour work and we have very little land. By undergoing training, I can make ketchups and can earn some money. Earlier we were growing only paddy and sugarcane. Whereas in the last two decades the villagers are growing vegetables in large due to drought, climate chage, scarcity of water.'

 

Mysuru girl enters Golden Book of world record in Back Plank

America Got Talent winner Kenichi Ebina's magic movement inspired this lassie to attempt for World Record in Back Plank.   Kalshree awardee 13-year-old H Khusi has entered Golden Book of World record for 'Back Plank Recline Cruncher' under Yogic Practice.

A year ago while surfing internet she watched a movement of Kenichi, who planks back. It motivated Kushi to practice back planks with tying up hands. 

, Parents S Hemachandra and Kumuda have asked her to perform contiously for a minute to the girl  and were surprised to see Kushi performed back plank 12 times in a minute, without any break.

Father thought Kushi can create World Recrod and sent the video clipping to the guinness World Record. Now, the dream of parents has come true. Kushi has created the record on Back Plank on June 11 at Community Hall, Note Mudrana Nagar, Mysuru.  

   

H Kushi who has make a remarkable achievement in Yoga said: ‘As I practice yoga its easy for me to make back plank. In one minute will perform back plank for 12 times. Have heard no one has created the record in the world.’

'Along with regular yoga practice, I try to do something different. In my free time will be browsing internet and will go through the videos of achievers. To get rid of breathing problem, but now am enjoying lot learning yoga. Want to become a yoga teacher and represent India in International Yoga Competitions and also teach people yoga,’ she adds.

Father Hemachandra said: 'So far nobody has done record in the back plank, what Kushi will be presenting in a minute. Representative from golden book of world record will witness the event and certificate will be issued on spot.' 

Kushi, 9th standard student of St Joseph's Central School and a resident of Hebbal has made the city proud with her achievements in yoga. Apart from performing complex yogic asanas, she has mastered her skills in performing artistic yoga and rhythemic yoga. She has won several prizes at State, National and International level. She took to practicing Yoga at the age of 9, when she developed breathing problems as a child. 

Shooting has catched up among Mysoreans

The trend of learning shooting has catched up among Mysoreans. Quite a good number of people are learning shooting from Mysore District Rifle Association, which is providing air gun training. In the last three years the association has produced several shooters and have won more than 300 gold, silver, bronze medals in zonal level, state level, and pre national levels.

Thanks for the efforts of MS Suresh, an retired Army Junior Commissioner Officer, who set up the association to train and develop young talent to make them ready for Olympics. Nearly 450 people including doctors, engineers, those working in IT/BT sector, teachers, and people from all walks of life are practicing shooting at the center located in Ramakrishna Nagar.  

Under Suresh’s coaching and relentless efforts several aspiring shooters of MDRA have become state level shooters, while some have even progressed to compete in National Level. The Upcoming Pistol Shooters of MDRA are Rakshit Shastry and P Jayanth; Rifle shooters Manjesh Mandanna, R Vinod, D Punneth Kumar.

Hangud Government College Assistant Professor Balu who is practicing shooting from last two years, has won two gold medals and has played in national levels. He is undergoing rigorous training to take in the olympics. He says: ‘The government should given financial assistance for sports persons and aim to win medals in Olympics.’

Maharaja College Student Vivek who has own three gold medals and one silver medal in the ‘Open Rifle Championship’ held on May 5, said that his aim is to become national level shooter and want to bring gold for India in Olympics.

Nandini another learner said: ‘Have learnt balancing, and aiming improves concentration. Height, sharpness, aim, concentration, mind calculations, are needed.

Am enjoying lot learning shooting. Unlike other games, this also requires lot of practice to achieve in aiming.’

A native of Arkalgud Taluk, Hassan district, Suresh has won 17 gold, 11 silver and 9 bronze medals in shooting. He has created second national record in International Shooting Sport Federation. He has given coaching for Indian Army for fives years. He has even given training for Shooter Vijay Kumar, who won the silver medal in the Summer Olympics 2012. He says: ‘My aim is to produce a shooters from Karnataka to win gold in Olympics.’  

Going down the memory lane, he said: ‘Sports meet will be conducted for Army officers every year. Senior officers noticed am good in shooting and provided me training in Army Rifle Association. Later was sent to Shooting Center in Mohu, Madhya Pradesh where top shooters of Army personnel will be given training. Have undergone coaching from Russian, American, Hungary coaches. Later, I took part in several shooting competitions and won medals.’  

‘When I was deputed as NCC officer to Mysore for the 13^th Karnataka Battalion, was conducting classes for children in the leisure periods, and used to inform them about basics of shooting, its importance, scope for shooting, etc and used to create curious among young minds about shooting. One day a girl came and expressed her desire to learn shooting, whereas no centers to train. I promised the girl, will return to Mysuru and set up Association. After taking VRS, I shifted to Mysuru and established MDRA,” added 41-year-old Suresh who has served in Indian Army for 25 years.

   

About MDRA

Mysore District Rifle Association was started on August 15, 2013 with a vision to develop sports shooting talent in and around Mysore. Shooters from MDRA have represented Mysore District in State and Open Championships with remarkable results, while some shooters have also represented the state in National events.

Pourakarmika children master skills in folk arts

Nearly 300 pourakarmika children who has less exposure to several folk arts forms, are now mastering their skills, and are achieving excellency in art, culture. Thanks for the initiative of Art Patrol Srinivas G Kappanna, who is conducting summer camps for the pourakarmikas children from last two consecutive years.

When Mysuru was announced as cleanest city, to show gratitude to the pourakarmikas he thought of hosting summer camps for the children. He introduced folk arts like Kamsale, Dollu Kunitha, beating drums and Nagari, Kollatta, Kangal-Karga, traditional Indian Sports ‘Mallakhamba’, and several other folk arts forms, singing theater songs, acting and much more have been thought to the children. Experts in the field were brought to the camp, and children were thought.

He made all the 30 pourakarmikas colony spread over city to come under the banner of Adidravidha Thamate and Nagarai Samsrkuthika Kalavrunda, and thought them various form of folk dances, and made children know the importance of folk arts, and motivating the young minds to showcase their talents, thereby bringing them to the main stream of society. 

Srinivas G Kappanna said: ‘Pourakarmikas are untouchables among dalits. Bring them to mainstream of society is a herculean task. But, teaching them our rich tradition of art and culture was a remarkable experience. I noticed the children were more interested in folk form, than classical, and in the last year some of the folk arts were thought. This year, further extending Mallakhamba, Bellu Kunitha, Kagil-Karga were thought to the children.’

Kappanna has trained couple of the colony girls, so that they can continue practicing throughout the year, and can patronage art and culture.

Kalavrunda President C Manjunath said that after children started learning folk arts, there is lot of changes in their attitude and they are getting exposure to the outer world.

The children are been provided with opportunities at several functions to play drums, kamsale, etc.

Community Head Rachaiah said: ‘Children of pourakarmikas need not follow our ancestors profession. By introducing them to the other world, they can excel in other professions and know the limitations and scope. There is need of engaging the community children in more sports and cultural activities. The practices given helps to acquire various art and culture forms skills.’

A 10^th standard girl Amrutha, who has mastered her skills in dollu and nagari said: ‘Am very much happy by undergoing the training in camp. I wish to use the art as medium to fight against casteism. I want our community children in large to come to the mainstream of society, and art is giving recognition for us from last one year. Am planning to engage the colony children in cultural activities round the years, which helps them to improve concentration, and also know about art forms.’

Another girl Srilkashmi said: ‘Am very much excited to learn the art forms. The way people were looking towards has changed. We are giving dollu kunitha performances in functions, and we are receiving huge applauds. Learning folkforms gives confidence to interact with people, and boldness to face society.’

14-year-old Arjun who has learnt Mallakhamba said: ‘Learning Mallakhamba was amazing experience. I came to know about the importance of fitness, and feel more healthier after practicing the traditional game. I had only seen others doing, now am happy am also part of the game.’ 

“The summer camp has come like a big relief for the children of pourakarmikas. If any wish to pursue in art field, they can fulfill their dreams. More platforms should be created for the children to showcase their talents, and government should give opportunities for children to perform in government events,” opined parents Ramamani and Srinivas.

  

Life in 64 squares

You find kings and queens ‘ruling’ this village. They wage fierce battles every day, to the accompaniment of cries of ‘checkmate’. Welcome to Gendegowdara Colony in HD Kote Taluk where people live in 64 squares! Once upon a time, these villagers were addicted to playing cards. But once they were taught the game of chess, their lives were transformed for the better.

Over a decade ago, these villagers didn’t know how to play chess. But today, they have become masters of the game, winning state-level and national competitions. All credit goes to the initiative taken by two government school teachers who introduced the game to the village in 2005.

There was no Physical Education teacher in the GG Colony Government Primary School. That’s when Kannada teacher C S Kantharaju and Maths teacher H B Nithyananda thought of teaching chess to students to engage them in some recreational activities. They approached the then School Head Master to get them chessmen and boards. They bought chess boards with donations.

Teachers CS Kantharaju and HB Nithyananda.

The initiative that started with a couple of chess boards, slowly spread to the entire classroom with passing years when every student started carrying chess boards and earnestly practised after school hours. The magic spread to outside the school walls and in due course other villagers too started playing chess. It did not take long for the village to grasp the nuances of the game. Slowly children from neighbouring villages like Pudukote, HD Kote and Sarvemala also started learning chess.

But girls did face discrimination. Nithyananda said girls were not sent to learn the game. Though some girls were interested, they could not pursue it out of shyness and lack of support. It was then that Nithyananda visited every household and convinced the villagers to send the girls to learn chess and held separate classes for girls. Due to his efforts, today a good number of girls like Meghana and Anjali have become State-level players, bringing laurels to the village.

Why chess? “Chess is a game of wits. The game builds self-confidence, improves concentration and the ability to think before taking decisions. Kantharaju and I were involved in sports  from our college days. It was our first job (2005). We wanted to produce a national-level player from our school,” said Nithyananda.

 

Later, the teachers nominated volunteers to teach more people. Volunteers Ravi Sutha and M Sanjeev started holding chess tourneys once a year motivating villagers to play chess. Today more than 350 villagers take part in the tournaments. 

‘There was no Physical Education teacher in our school. These teachers taught us to play chess by staying back till 7.30 pm. Several students represented State and national-level events and some of them could even land a job under the sports quota. We can’t explain in words how much the game has transformed our lives. Most of the villagers have stopped watching serials and have also stopped playing cards, and are practising chess,” said volunteer Ravi Sutha, an agriculturist by profession.

Another volunteer, Sanjeev, who is pursuing MSc and has got a job in the Police Department, is a national-level chess player. He said, “Representing the state at the national level helped me get a job. Chess has helped me deal with ups and downs in life courageously. Even today the school doesn’t boast of a PT teacher. During weekends when I visit the village, I teach budding players and share my experience of playing with national-level players, which helps the learners.”

The villagers are happy. “No one plays cards in our village now. We had only heard of the name Chaduranga (Kannada for chess). Now, more than 90 per cent of our villagers are familiar with the game. When we sit in the ‘verandas’ and play, passersby halt and watch our game,” said Mallikanna, a resident.

Said Kenganna, Thammayya, Srinivas and others said:, “We were wasting time playing cards and gambling. Now we are spending quality time with our children and grandchildren.” 

‘The number of children getting educated has increased after the chess mania caught on. Government job opportunities are coming on their way and most importantly villagers who were earlier spending lot of time playing cards are now seen playing chess. Improved concentration has helped students to score good marks. We taught our friends and relatives to play chess,’ added Village head Ramanna.   

HD Kote Town Police Constable speaking in anonymity said that earlier villagers were engaged in playing cards, now they come across the villagers playing chess and motivating neighbouring villagers to learn chess.

Teachers Nithyananda adds: ‘In initial days it was challenging to draw attention towards playing chess. Later chess became a trend and without chess board children were not coming to schools. Our aim was to produce a national level players and we are happy quite a good numbers of promising players have raised from the village.  Girls Meghana, Anjali have represented states. Rendered service for nine years at GG Colony was an life time experiment, since my appointment in 2005. Now I am serving at government school in Periyapatna, said Nithyananda. While, teacher CS Kantharaju is rendering service at Belur (Hassan).