Monthly Archives: June 2016
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Rural boy steals show at space camp
P.S. Abhinand of Balussery Government High School was awarded the ‘Best Student’ title at the recently concluded six-day space camp organised by the Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology in association with Bengaluru-based Cindrebay Nurture.
Abhinand was credited with the title on the basis of his performance at various levels during the camp, which was attended by more than 70 students from premier educational institutions in Bengaluru.
Office-bearers of the Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS) said the Class X boy was a member of their Vagbhatananda Educational Project at the Unnikulam centre.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kozhikode / Staff Reporter / Kochi – June 27th, 2016
Docs’ celluloid initiative to dispel vaccination fears set for release
Kochi :
‘Thiricharivukal’ (Realisation), a short film, that seeks to counter the vituperative campaign against vaccination witnessed in some parts of Northern Kerala is now set to wow audiences nationwide. The film made by Kerala Chapter of Indian Association of Paediatricians, is being dubbed into Hindi and will be released in the first week of July.
“It was in 2008 that outbreak of diphtheria and tetanus were witnessed in the state after a gap of 30 years and most of these cases were reported from Malappuram. Kerala Branch of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) has been carrying out a campaign in support of the vaccination drive. However, the social media was full of anti-vaccination campaigns based on half-baked truths. Some naturopathy healers were behind this. So we wanted to to counter it,” said Dr Jiss Thomas Palukunnel, IAP secretary, Kottayam Branch, who conceived the idea which eventually coalesced into an eight minute-long film.
Though Paediatricians spearheaded the counter campaign, doctors from other streams, majority of whom hailed from Kottayam, were also part of the endeavor. Besides Dr Jiss Thomas, the cast includes Dr Sunu John, who is also the vice-president of IAP Kottayam Chapter, Anaesthetist Dr Bulbul, surgeon Dr Jibin and Dr Linto from the Department of Health Services. The film, which is available on You Tube link http://youtu.be/ 10pyMi4b0po, depicts a middle class family where the husband is staunchly opposed to the idea of vaccinating his daughter on the grounds that he was quite healthy despite not receiving vaccination as a child. And the opening scene shows the girl asking her father whether she could get herself vaccinated since it was Vaccination Day at her school. But the man’s stubborn stand forces his wife and daughter to fall silent.
Later on, the man realises that his friend’s daughter had died of diphteria and he rushes off to his daughter’s school. There he finds his daughter remaining all alone in the classroom as her batchmates had gone for vaccination. Transformed, he takes his daughter to the doctor to get her vaccinated thereby showing a change in the mindset.
According to Dr Jiss, the film would be screened in schools as part of IAP’s DIET (Diet, Interaction and Immunisation, Exercise and TV and social networking) programme.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Kochi / by Express News Service / June 24th, 2016
Theatre doyen Kavalam Narayana Panicker passes away
Thiruvananthapuram :
Theatre doyen Kavalam Narayana Panicker, who successfully blended the classical tradition and folk elements in the format of contemporary theatre, passed away at his home here.
He was 88. He is survived by his wife Saradamani and singer-son Kavalam Sreekumar.
He had been unwell for some time due to age related ailments, family sources said.
A multi-faceted personality who carved his niche in divergent fields, Panicker, popularly known as Kavalam, was a well-established poet, lyricist and theatre director.
Untouched by the western influence in dramas, Kavalam had evolved a unique theatre training system with Indian perspective.
His plays were known for its Indian narrative mode, usage of ethnic languages and rural flavour.
Famous for his own dramas like ‘Avanavan Kadamba’, ‘Daivathar’ and ‘Sakshi’, which are considered milestones in the history of contemporary Malayalam theatre, he also translated Sanskrit plays of classical masters like Kalidasa and Bhasa and brought them into the stage.
‘Shakunthalalam’, ‘Karnabharam’ and ‘Vikramorvasheeyam’ were among Sanskrit dramas which he adapted and gave life on the stage.
Hailing from scenic Kavalam in Alappuzha district, the veteran was the founder director of ‘Sopanam’,a theatre group.
Kavalam, who served as secretary of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy in the 1960s, was accorded with Padma Bhushan in the year 2007.
He also won a number of honours, including Sangeeth Natak Akademy award, Sangeeth Natak Fellowship and Kerala State Film Award for the best lyricist.
Expressing grief over his unexpected demise, state Cultural Affairs Minister A KBalan said his contributions to the contemporary theatre was unique.
The date and time of cremation is yet to be finalized, the family added.
LGK APR SMJ
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Thiruvananthapuram / PTI / June 28th, 2016
Nadubhagam Chundan lifts the Raja Pramukhan Trophy
Alappuzha :
Ushering in the new boat race season, Nadubhagam Chundan, rowed by Nadubhagam Boat Club, Champakulam lifted the Raja Pramukhan Trophy of this year’s Champakulam Moolam Boat Race held on the Pampa River here on Monday.
In a pulsating finale, Nadubhagam, one of the most famous snake boats of Kerala, outdid the St Pious Xth Chundan(snake boat) of St Pious Xth Boat Club, Mankombu and Champakulam snake boat of Venice Boat Club, Alappuzha.
Renju Abraham, captian of the winner Nadubhagam Chundan said he and his team are very excited about their victory of this prestigious trophy and dedicated it to all his team members.” Our next aim is to bag the coveted Nehru Trophy Boat Race to be held on Punnamada Lake in August this year,” he said.
In the loser’s finale, Sree Karthikeyan of Junior CBC came at the first position. St Joseph of CBC Chempupuram and Pulinkunnu of Kunnamma Boat Club Kavalam came in second and third positions respectively.
In the ‘Iruttukuthi A grade’ finale(finale of smaller boats), Mammodan of St Mary’s Yuvadeepthi Club, Kainakary came in the first psotion. In `Veppu A grade’ finale, Chethikadan of Warriors Boats Club, Kuttamangalam, Kainakary came in the first position. Kottaparamban of SCDC Boat Club from Kaippuzhamuttu and Asha Pulikkalam of Samudra Boat Club, Kumaarakom finished in second and third positions respectively.
The traditional annual boat race of Kerala begins with Champakulam Boat Race which is also known as ‘MoolamVallamkali’. The other popular boat race that will follow the Champakkulam boat race are Nehru Trophy boat race, Kayamkulam BoatRace, Payipad boat race, the Rajiv Gandhi TrophyBoat Race, Karuvatta, Mannar and Neerattupuram boat races. As many as 6 snake boats took part in the Champakulam Moolam Boat Race on Monday.
Boat race organizing committee general convener and Kuttanad Tahasildar Cheriyan V Koshy said, “In 2014 and 2015, we could not conduct the finals of the snake boats following row among boat clubs over track length. However, this year, we have solved all the complaints related to the track length and we have ensured equal length in three tracks,” said Koshy. This boat race was organized by the district administration in association with Tourism Department and local bodies.
Kuttanad MLA Thomas Chandy inaugurated the boat race. Kayamkulam MLA Prathibha Hari flagged off the boat race.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kozhikode / Sajimon P S / TNN / June 20th, 2016
Designer eggs sans cholesterol concerns
A group of farmers come out with designer eggs at Vaduvanchal in Wayanad
Though eggs have been considered as the complete food with most of the nutrients necessary for the body, concerns over its cholesterol content have kept many at bay.
Now, a group of farmers under the NABARD-supported Kisan Jyothi Farmers Club (KJFC) at Vaduvanchal in Wayanad have come out with designer eggs, which they claim will settle the apprehension once and for all. They say their ‘Omega’ brand eggs solve the riddle and set to rest doubts of the cholesterol-conscious.
“Designer eggs are those in which the content has been modified from the standard egg. The technology of designer egg involves manipulating nutrients in poultry feed and fortification of egg with micro-nutrients and vitamins,” Anil Zachariah, deputy project director of ATMA, Wayanad, the certifying agency, said.
Made using scientific method
Dr. Zachariah said the eggs were produced through a scientific method adopted for nurturing the layer with right feed so that they laid high quality eggs.
“The composition of the feed leads to the desired composition of the eggs adding to its nutritive profile through enrichment in the diet, and not by use of drugs or hormones,” Sreeshitha, district technology manager, ATMA said.
“Eggs laid by hens fed on a diet of greens and insects contain higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids than those produced by hens fed on corn,” Dr. Sreeshitha added.
“When the project was launched under the Farm Sector Promotion Fund programme of NABARD two months ago, we distributed ten BV380 strain chicks each to 66 families in the area,” N.S. Saji Kumar, assistant general manager, NABARD, said. Training and technical support were given by ATMA to the farmers, he added.
250 eggs a month for a family
“Now each family is getting an average of 250 eggs a month and we have entered into a memorandum of understanding with the WAYFARM farmer producer company to procure the designer eggs from the farmers at a price of Rs.6.50,” P. Hariharan, chief coordinator of the club, said. The company would market the produce through its retail shops, he added.
P. Balachandran, general manager, NABARD, handed over the first lot of eggs to P.A Sabu, managing director of WAYFARM, at Mananthavady on Wednesday.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Kerala / E.M. Manoj / Kalpeto – June 23rd, 2016