RGUHS introduces Kannada textbook for 1st-yr students

tnn | Nov 11, 2019, 04.30 AM IST

Bengaluru: For the first time, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) has introduced a Kannada textbook for non-Kannadiga first-year students to learn the local language with the help of easy tools.

It was launched on November 5 during a Kannada Rajyotsava event. The university enrols nearly 18,000 students for its MBBS, BDS, pharma, nursing, ayurveda, unani, homeopathy, yoga and naturopathy courses every year. For MBBS and BDS, the number of non-Kannadiga students is over 30-35%. It’s much higher for other courses, with 45-50% of the students coming from other states.

Though learning Kannada was encouraged earlier as well, no textbook was available. “The Balake Kannada textbook has only been introduced to encourage students to learn the language. All colleges affiliated to RGUHS have to appoint a Kannada teacher,” said Dr S Sacchidananda, director, RGUHS. The textbook is likely to be introduced for the current batch (2019-20). Co-authored by Dr PS Shankar and Dr P Mahadevaiah , the bilingual textbook helps students learn basic conversation in Kannada. It also contains medical terminology — including body parts, anatomical structure and symptoms of common disorders — which will enable students to converse with patients.

“The book contains words and small sentences, and also has English meanings. It familiarises students with consonants, vowels and compound consonants. The annexure at the end features medical terms in Kannada. This has to be utilised while teaching,” explained Dr Shankar, professor emeritus, RGUHS.
The students’ association welcomed the move. “It will help medical students, especially during their one-year internship. Learning a new language is always good,” said Dr L N Reddy, president, Resident Doctors’ Association in Karnataka.

Kamal will face the same fate as Sivaji in politics: Palaniswami

‘Actor started party as he had become old and film opportunities were on the wane’

13/11/2019, , VIGNESH VIJAYAKUMAR,SALEM

On the offensive: The CM took a dig at Kamal Haasan over his party’s performance in the Lok Sabha polls. File photo

Countering the criticisms levelled at him by actor-politician Kamal Haasan, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has said Mr. Haasan will face the same fate as thespian Sivaji Ganesan in politics.

“They say there is a [political] vacuum [in Tamil Nadu]. Why then did they not contest the Nanguneri and Vikravandi bypolls? Mr. Kamal Haasan is a ‘tall leader’. How many votes did he get in the Parliamentary election? He has launched a political party because he has become old, and opportunities for him in films have started to decline. That is his democratic right, and there is nothing wrong in it. But it is not okay to simply criticise others,” Mr. Palaniswami said.

Speaking about his political journey at a meeting of AIADMK workers on Tuesday, Mr. Palaniswami said he joined the party in 1974, and had been working for the welfare of the people for 45 years. He said he rose through the ranks by organising protests and working for the people’s welfare and winning their support. “What welfare measures have they [actors] implemented for the people? They continue to act in films and increase their income. They are trying to paint a picture of their having huge support among the public. Everyone is aware of what happened when Sivaji Ganesan started a political party and faced elections. He [Mr. Haasan] will face a similar fate. What does he know about politics? Does he have any idea how many panchayats, Municipalities and Corporations exist and what the needs are of the people residing there?” the Chief Minister asked.

When asked whether he thought actor and aspiring politician Rajinikanth will also face a similar fate, the CM said he was “not ready to answer based on assumptions”.

Regarding the National Highways Authority of India’s decision to scrap projects worth around ₹5,000 crore in Tamil Nadu, Mr. Palaniswami said the projects were scrapped owing to delays in the acquisition and handing over of land for their implementation as a result of litigations and opposition from the public. He added that the public and the media should support the government in implementing development projects. The CM said he will discuss this issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on his next visit to New Delhi.

Residents protest against transfer of inspector
13/11/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

In an unusual gesture, women resorted to a spontaneous protest opposing the transfer of a police inspector from Kasimedu.

Inspector P.R. Chidambara Murugesan was recently transferred from Kasimedu and posted as Ambattur Inspector. However, women squatted on the road against this. A woman said, “We will not allow our inspector to be shifted. As long as he was here, there was no occurrence of crime and rowdies were controlled.”

Students should help improve country’s economy: Smriti Irani
1,701 graduands receive degrees at convocation held in VIT

13/11/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

From left, VIT chancellor G. Viswanathan, Union Minister Smriti Irani, Indian Bank MD Padmaja Chunduru and VIT vice-president G.V. Selvam at the convocation in Chennai.M. Karunakaran

Students should make the best use of the knowledge they acquire to improve the country’s economy, said Smriti Zubin Irani, Union Minister of Textiles and for Women and Child Development, during her convocation address at the Vellore Institute of Technology’s Chennai campus on Tuesday.

Ms. Irani, cited research studies by the students of the institute and said, “Artificial intelligence in healthcare is slated to grow by 40% and value of of AI in healthcare will reach US$6.6 billion in India in 2021.”

“The market for AI in agriculture will grow to $2.6 billion in the next two years. In education technology, it is set to grow to $252 billion,” she said. Earlier, she opened an auditorium on the premises.

Padmaja Chunduru, Managing Director, Indian Bank, said students had many options unlike in the past. She urged graduates to take a decision after weighing the pros and cons of their decision. The bank has been the pioneer in the self-help group movement with around six lakh SHGs comprising 42 lakh women, mostly in Tamil Nadu and the southern States, Ms. Chunduru said.

VIT chancellor G. Viswanathan said if the government wants to increase the gross enrolment ratio of higher education then it should invest at least 6% of the GDP in the sector.

Women empowerment

The concentration of women in the workforce has fallen. Representation of women in the country’s administrative sectors (currently 15%) and judiciary (11%), policy making (Assembly 9% and Parliament 11%) must be increased to enable women participate in economic development. For this to happen, the government should offer free higher education to women, as it was being done in over 30 countries, he said.

As many as 1,701 graduands received their degrees, including 64 Ph.D students.

A health centre at Medavakkam

13.11.2019

Residents of Medavakkam have got a reason to cheer as Dr Kamakshi Memorial Hospital has launched a multispeciality clinic there, which was inaugurated by Justice PT Asha, Additional Judge, High Court of Madras, on November 9. She was awarded the Outstanding Woman Lawyer award by the Women Lawyers Association, during the Sesquicentennial celebration of the High Court of Madras.

After serving the community for nearly 15 years in Pallikaranai, the hospital is now looking to extend their services. It is believed that the institution has earned a good name in terms of medical services, infrastructure, expert doctors and facilities under the guidance of its founder chairman, Dr TG Govindarajan. This health centre is said to be equipped with necessary medical needs and their services are said to include healthcare for the entire family, encompassing child-care, women’s health, geriatrics, weight loss, bone and joint and much more. They also boast of facilities like laboratory, USG, echo and physiotherapy services.

In addition to this, the multispecialty clinic is also said to have a 24/7 pharmacy and a digital X-Ray department. A fully equipped ambulance whose availability is just a phone call away is another service the institution is said to have.

For further details call: 89395 88488

Justice PT Asha, Additional Judge, High Court of Madras, inaugurating the multispeciality clinic

Women tahsildars in Telangana, Hyd told to carry pepper sprays

Sushil.Rao@timesgroup.com

Hyderabad  13.11.2019

: Women tahsildars in Hyderabad and across Telangana have been asked to carry pepper sprays to defend themselves from possible attacks, officials said on Tuesday, a week after Vijaya Reddy, a mandal revenue officer, was burnt alive in her office in Hyderabad.

There are nearly 1,000 tahsildars in the state, including 400 women.

“While the attack on Vijaya was unexpected, the least women tahsildars can do now is to be on guard and take precautions. Since women are more vulnerable than men, we have advised them to be more vigilant and carry pepper sprays,” V Lachi Reddy, president of the deputy collectors’ association told TOI.

Vijaya was burnt alive by farmer Kura Suresh, and since then several other women tahsildars have faced similar threats by farmers. There have been some incidents of people walking into the offices carrying a bottle of petrol. In one instance, when the bottle was placed on the table, it was immediately removed by alert officials.

Full report on www.toi.in

‘A person on the verge of death can’t tell false tale’
K.Kaushik@timesgroup.com

Madurai:13.11.2019

Stating that no false story can be penned down or concocted by a person, when he/she is on the verge of death, the Madras high court has confirmed the conviction and life sentence awarded by a lower court to a person who murdered his wife by setting her on fire in Theni district.

According to the prosecution, the appellant Govindaraj assaulted his wife using a stick and set her on fire on July 20, 2010, after she kept insisting him to redeem her pledged jewellery. Though the woman was taken to the hospital, she died due to severe injuries. The Bodi Town police station registered a case and arrested Govindaraj. The Theni fast track mahila court on June 28, 2017, convicted and awarded life sentence to Govindaraj.

Govindaraj moved the high court Madurai bench in 2018 seeking to set aside the conviction and sentence.

The counsel appearing for Govindaraj said that his wife poured kerosene on herself in order to threaten her husband which eventually resulted in her death.