Category Archives: World Opinion

Kochi to host Cocon

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Around 1,500 delegates from 50-odd countries will deliberate on the latest trends in cybercrimes at Cocon, an international cyber security conference being organised by Kerala Police here on October 5 and 6.

The event, being held in association with POLCYB (The Society for the Policing of Cyberspace), will see discussions over three different tracks.

In the General Track, all the policy issues will be discussed while the second is a Technical Track .

The third is a Live Track where live demonstrations will be conducted on the use of various technologies, latest cybercrimes, hacking of aeroplanes, cars and through UAVs.

Experts including Gulshan Rai, Chief Information Security Officer, PM’s Office; Adam Blackwell, Besty Broder, Bessie Pang, and Cecilia Wallan will be speaking at the event.

A modern exhibition of cyber security, data privacy and digital threats is also being organised along with the conference, where representatives from major IT companies in the world will be participating.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Staff Reporter / Kochi – September 10th, 2018

Floodwaters swallow a piece of Alangad’s illustrious history

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives & Environment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, World Opinion

Precious loss: Several palm-leaf manuscripts (left) were damaged when floodwaters entered the Chembola Kalari at Alangad, near Paravur. | Photo Credit: H_Vibhu

The waters that surged into the historic Chembola Kalari in the heart of Alangad town on the night of August 15 has swallowed a piece of history in the form of a collection of palm-leaf manuscripts.

Legend has it that Lord Ayappan took lessons in the traditional martial art form at the Chembola Kalari.

It is also strongly linked to festivities at the Sabarimala temple. A member of the Chembola family said there were nearly 80 manuscripts in the collection, and around 20 to 25 of them have been damaged in the floods. The manuscripts mostly dealt with Sanskrit grammar and literature, he said.

It is believed that the Chembola family settled in Alangad from north Malabar at least 600 years ago.

The family member said the Chembola Kalari premises had escaped the great deluge in 1924 and it was a refuge for hundreds of people around the area.

He recounted an orally transmitted account of how people in the area used a big tamarind tree at the kalari premises to escape from the floods in 1924.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Special Correspondent / Kochi – August 31st, 2018

After 150 years, a fish gets a scientific name

Agriculture, Nature, Records, All, World Opinion

‘Humpback mahseer’ christened Tor ramadevii

After being popularly called ‘humpback mahseer’ for nearly 150 years, the giant game fish has finally got a scientific name.

The species, found in the Cauvery river, was recently christened Tor ramadevii, after noted ichthyologist K. Remadevi of the Zoological Survey of India. The DNA sequencing of the fish was carried out by a group of icthyologists from the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, and Bournemouth University, UK, as part of the naming process.

The species was “brought to the attention of the scientific community in 1849, and the recreational angling community in 1873,” noted a research paper authored by Adrian Pinder of Bournemouth University and published in the scientific journal Plos One.

The fish was assigned the name after it was found possessing the same genetic and morphological characteristics of mahseer found inside the waterbodies of the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala ,  said Rajeev Raghavan, Assistant Professor, Department of Fisheries Resource Management, KUFOS, who was associated with the research.

The species had slipped the attention of conservationists in the absence of a scientific name. There was no legal and conservation cover for the species. The only solace for the species was that being in Chinnar, a protected area and a wildlife sanctuary, it was protected from fishing, said Dr. Radhavan, who is also the IUCN Freshwater Fish Red List Authority coordinator (South, North, East Asia and Oceania).

Though no population estimation has been carried out, historic records indicate a dramatic depletion in its numbers. Probably, the species may be on the edge of extinction, he said

Incidentally, The Hindu had reported the identification of the species Tor ramedevii from Chinnar in 2004.

Since the nomenclature, fisheries conservationists have started reviewing the conservation status of the species for updating the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The species qualifies to be categorised as Critically Endangered, Dr. Raghavan said.

The fish is endemic to the south Cauvery river system and its tributaries. The distribution of the species is now limited to “some small pockets in Coorg, Moyar, Bhavani, Kabini, Pambar, all the upstream tributaries of the Cauvery.”

The fish can grow up to a length of 1.5 metres and weigh up to 55 kg and qualifies as megafauna, researchers said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by K.S. Sudhi / Kochi – July 17th, 2018

A new war memorial in Thiruvananthapuram soon

Amazing Feats, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All, World Opinion

More than two decades after formal orders were issued, the state capital is set to get a new war memorial commemorating soldiers who fought in the wars and military operations that took place
The existing World War I Memorial at Palayam  B P Deepu

Thiruvananthapuram :

More than two decades after formal orders were issued, the state capital is set to get a new war memorial commemorating soldiers who fought in the wars and military operations that took place after the country gained Independence. The existing war memorial, which stands opposite the College of Fine Arts at Palayam, commemorates soldiers who fought in World War I. According to top officials of the Directorate of Sainik Welfare, the land has been identified for the memorial near Shangumugham beach. Other details, such as the design, are yet to be worked out. The state government has formed a War Memorial committee with the Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) as chairman and the Director, Sainik Welfare, as secretary. The army station commander, Pangode; state police chief and the district collector are among the members.

The first meeting of the committee is slated to be held on July 16.‘‘In 1996, the Union Home Ministry has asked the states to  establish war memorials. Many states complied. Though the Kerala Government had issued orders allotting the land at the time, the project did not take off,’’ A Kishan, director-in-charge, Sainik Welfare, said.

Also, armed forces veterans in the state have been clamouring for a war memorial memorialising the soldiers who fought and laid down their lives in the major post-Independence conflicts. In fact, the state capital also boasts numerous veterans who saw combat in the 1962 India-China war, the Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971 and the Kargil war of 1999.

War memorial

The WW I memorial at Palayam is unique in the sense that it mentions the years as 1914-1921. This is rare as most WW I memorials give them as 1914-1918. 1921 was the year the Berlin Treaty was signed. Another important war memorial that has historical links to Travancore is at Colachel in modern-day Tamil Nadu.

The memorial – a soaring pillar – was erected by Marthanda Varma after his forces defeated the Dutch forces in the Battle of Colachel in 1741. Neglected for years, the pillar and its immediate environs were finally taken over by the Military Station based at Pangode in Thiruvananthapuram.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Tiki Rajwi, Express News Service / July 10th, 2018

International fellowship for KVASU teacher

Agriculture, Education, Leaders, World Opinion

Dr. T.S. Rajeev.

Researcher and elephant studies expert at the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University T.S. Rajeev has been selected for the Murray Fowler International Conference Scholarship instituted by the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians (AAZV), Florida.

The fellowship, which consists of a purse of $2,000 and citation, will be presented at an international science conference of wildlife veterinarians and researchers at Prague from October 6 to 12.

Dr. Rajeev, head of the Elephant Studies Centre, will present a paper on impaction in elephants at the conference.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Staff Reporter / Thrissur – July 05th, 2018

Minutes before leaving UAE, Keralite wins $7 million in raffle draw

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, World Opinion

Tojo Mathew was leaving the UAE for good to join his wife in Delhi.

An Indian man has hit a jackpot by winning a whopping USD 1.9 million in a monthly raffle in the UAE, hours before he was set to leave the country for good, a media report said today.

Tojo Mathew, 30, working as civil supervisor in the capital Abu Dhabi, had bought the ticket on Tuesday at the city’s airport before boarding a flight to India.

Mr. Mathew, who is from Kerala ,  was leaving the UAE for good to join his wife in Delhi.

“I bought the ticket at the Abu Dhabi airport just before boarding the flight for India on June 24. I was leaving the UAE for good to join my wife, who got a job in New Delhi. I still cannot believe I won,” Mathew was quoted as saying by the Khaleej Times.

‘Will build my dream house’

Mr. Mathew won the dirham 7 million (USD 1.9 million) as he was leaving for good, the report said. He said his big dream was to own a house in Kerala.

“That has been my long pending dream. Now it can become a reality with the raffle money,” he said.

Mr. Mathew and his friends received the news on Tuesday when they checked the Big Ticket website.

Nine others won 100,000 dirhams (USD 27,000) at the draw. The winners included five Indians, one Pakistani and a Kuwaiti.

Earlier, an Indian driverin  Dubai had won dirham 12 million in a raffle draw in Abu Dhabi in April. In January, another Keralite in the UAE had won a dirham 12 million in the biggest-ever raffle prize money in Abu Dhabi.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Kerala / by PTI Dubai / July 06th, 2018

Global laurel for Christ College team

Education, Green Initiatives & Environment, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

A team from Centre for Animal Taxonomy and Ecology of Christ College, Irinjalakuda, which has been invited to the European Congress of Arachnology in Hungary.

Only Indians to participate in European Congress of Arachnology

A six-member team from the Centre for Animal Taxonomy and Ecology (CATE) of Christ College, Irinjalakuda, has been invited to the 31st European Congress of Arachnology (ECA), which will be held at Vac, Hungary, from July 8-13.

They are the only Indians at the congress in which 150 arachnologists will take part from all over the world. “This is a prestigious recognition given on the basis of the contributions made by CATE to arachnological research,” said Sudhikumar A.V., who led the six-member team. Five budding arachnologists working under the guidance of Dr. Sudhikumar (Head, CATE) will present papers on Indian arachnology. Nafin K.S., research scholar, will present a paper on the diversity of spiders in Kole wetlands of Kerala and the role of spiders in biological pest control. Drisya Mohan, another member, will present a paper on the social behaviour of a rare spider (Stegodyphus sarasinorum) and the diversity of kleptoparasites (web parasites) associated with the web of this spider.

Diversity of spiders in the sacred groves of Kerala and the influence of environmental variables on them have rarely been explored. Sumesh N.V. will present a paper on this study. Forest fire has a devastating effect on the biodiversity of Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS), a biodiversity hotspot of Kerala. Sudhin P.P. will focus on the effect of forest fire on the diversity of spiders in the WWS. Kashmeera N.A. will present an interesting study on the diversity of venomous spiders in Thar Desert, Rajasthan.

Dr. Sudhikumar will lay stress on global warming upon the feeding potential of a grassland spider, (Pardosa sumatrana), and its consequences on the food web which causes imbalance in the ecosystem. Travel expenses of the researchers are sponsored by European Society of Arachnology (ESA), University Grants Commission (UGC), and Department of Science and Technology (DST), Delhi.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Staff Reporter / Thrissur – July 04th, 2018

Nissan inks deal to set up digital hub

Business & Economy, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Chief Secretary Paul Antony and Nissab’s chief information officer Anthony Thomas after signing the MoU to set up the knowledge centre on Friday

Thiruvananthapuram :

Nissan Motor Corporation signed a landmark agreement with the state government on Friday to establish its first digital innovation hub in Thiruvananthapuram .

Presiding over the signing-in ceremony, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the agreement marks the arrival of the first global brand to the state. The project will open up possibilities for Kerala industry in automotive vehicle technology, he said.

The company is expected to hire around 500 people for the facility by the year-end.

“The digital hub will be set up in a 70-acre campus at Technocity,” the chief minister said.

“The setting up of the centre will help create opportunities for both Nissan and the state. It will not only provide Nissan access to skilled and dedicated workforce, but will also allow Kerala to showcase its significant potential as a base for global business,” he added.

Outgoing state chief secretary Paul Antony said the chief minister has promised all support for the Japanese auto major. All clearances and facilitations will be done in a set time-frame and there will be no bureaucratic red tape, he said.

The Kerala Infrastructure  Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) CEO KM Abraham, who dubbed Nissan as priceless investors in his speech, said the global corporation was a leader in transfer of product development knowledge which would fuel the growth of automotive vehicle industry.

Commending the commitment of the chief minister, he said six months after the government officials visited the company’s global headquarters in Yokohoma, the deal to set up the hub was finalised.

The entire negotiation process was smooth under the CM’s watchful eyes, he said.

Further, he said Nissan Motors corporate vice-president and chief information officer Tony Thomas served as the prime mover in championing the cause of bringing the company to Kerala.

Speaking at the event, Thomas said: “The new digital hub will serve as an important engine to drive Nissan’s global digital transformation. It will offer product development to automotive industry and is expected to generate 500 new high-end jobs in Thiruvananthapuram in the first phase.”

Nissan’s Africa, Middle East and India region chairman Peyman Kargar said, “Creation of Nissan’s first global digital hub in India reflects our commitment to the growing market and our belief in investing in India for the long-term. It also intends to harness the skills and talents of the region for the growing automotive industry”.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Thiruvananthapuram News / TNN / June 30th, 2018

Ernakulam District Tourism Promotion Council to bring out online directory of artisans, doyens

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

The Ernakulam District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) will launch an exclusive initiative to collate data on skilled artisans, dancers and other artists as part of a project.

Kochi :

The Ernakulam District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) will launch an exclusive initiative to collate data on skilled artisans, dancers and other artists as part of a project under the Responsible Tourism (RT) Mission. To promote experimental tourism, an online directory having details regarding artists, including their name, coordinates, biodata and details of stage performances, will be brought out.

The initiative, which will help people from across the globe access the state’s traditional art forms, handicraft products and artisans, will be launched by the end of this month. The online directory will provide an opportunity for academics, travellers and event organisers reach them directly. The Tourism Department has been working towards promoting experiential tourism wherein travellers get a chance to familiarise with exotic locales by connecting with the history of the region, its culture and people.

S Vijayakumar, secretary, DTPC Ernakulam, said a secure method will be introduced to verify the skills of artists. “It will revive old and fading art forms of the region, while providing support to the artists. Kerala has immense potential for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) tourism. And, we believe this initiative will enable artisans to showcase traditional art forms to a global audience, thereby promoting the cultural heritage of the state,” he said.

Meanwhile, the DTPC has planned to entrust Kudumbashree volunteers with tasks such as cleaning and operating parking lots in tourist centres and beaches.  In this way, the members of the women’s self-help group (SHG) will be stakeholders in managing the locales and ensuring cleanliness.  Also, they will manage the food kiosks, while focusing on the implementation of the green protocol.

Under the Responsible Tourism (RT) Mission, the endeavour will support the regional community economically with sustainable living and employment generation in a major way.Owing to the easy air connectivity, Ernakulam owns the privilege of being one of the most-visited places by foreign travellers. In 2017, Ernakulam hosted 32,85,088 vacationers, an increase of 12.4 per cent as compared to 4,07,653 travellers in 2016. Luxury hotels and heritage sites such as Muziris and Fort Kochi are some of the major attractions of this place.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Kochi / by Express News Service / June 26th, 2018

Book on oldest known love story in Mangaluru released

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel, World Opinion

‘L affaire,’ a literary work based on a love story which is known to have taken place in Mangaluru during 12th century AD, was released at St Aloysius College Auditorium in the city on Tuesday.

The book, written by Yenepoya Deemed-to-be-University Dean Dr G Shreekumar Menon, depicts the life of Jewish trader Abraham Ben Yiju, who had his origin in Tunisia and a Nair woman Aashu from Kannur in Malabar region.

Speaking about the work, Dr Menon said that Yiju landed in Mangaluru in 1132 AD for spice trade. He came across Aashu, who was a slave at a household in Mangaluru during the rule of Alupa ruler Alupendra.

Yiju released Aashu by paying money to her owner and freed her from slavery by marrying her. Yiju also set up a brass factory in the region. They were blessed with three children. Among them, two passed away.

Following clashes in Tunisia, Yiju was forced to leave Mangaluru, to his hometown. Whereabouts of Aashu after this incident are not known properly. Yiju passed away on August 11, 1156, he explained.

Letters by Yiju were preserved by his daughter. The letters were found in Cairo Genizah, the Egyptian Synagogue attic. They were kept intact as Yiju had written the letters with a mention of God.

According to Jewish tradition, any work that has God’s name inscribed in it, should not be torn away. The marriage certificate of Yiju and Aashu is among these letters.

The documents are now preserved in Russia.

Authors like Rabbi Mark Glickman and Amitav Ghosh have authored books based on the available documents, Dr Menon said.

Menon stated that the marriage of Yiju and Aashu completes 888 years in 2020 and requested the mayor to build a memorial for the couple.

Mayor Bhaskar K presided over the programme. Dean Dr B H Shripathi Rao, St Aloysius College Principal Fr Pravin Martis, Author Bharathi Shevgoor and actor Sahil Rai were present.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> States> Mangaluru / DHNS News Service, Mangaluru / June 26th, 2018