Monthly Archives: December 2018

New genus of tarantulas recorded in Kerala

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

(From left) Annandaliella ernakulamensis, which is found only in Thattekkad in Ernakulam; Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica from Chinnar in Kerala; and Poecilotheria rufilata that the survey team recorded from Achenkovil.

Recent floods could have affected survival of rare spiders, claims arachnologist

Kerala is home to around six species of large, hairy spiders called tarantulas. But a four-year Statewide survey by a team from Kuravilangad’s Deva Matha College now shows that Kerala may be home to more than 11 species of these often iridescently-coloured arachnids.

New genus and species

The research project, for which a team led by Sunil K. Jose (assistant professor at Deva Matha College) surveyed several districts including Kasaragod, Kollam and Ernakulam for tarantulas, has identified four genus of the large spiders (Sahydroaraneus, Chilobrachys, Neoheterophrictus and Thrigmopoeus) that have not been recorded in the State before.

Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica from Chinnar in Kerala

For instance, the team recorded Chilobrachys fimbiratus (also called the Indian violet spider, which is endemic to the Western Ghats of Karnataka and Maharashtra) in Kasaragod district.

Similarly, they spotted the Rameshwaram Parachute Spider (Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica) which has so far been recorded only from Tamil Nadu’s Ramanathapuram district (found only on the Rameshwaram Island and Mandapam area here) from Chinnar in Kerala. This tarantula has been classified as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List. Totally, tarantulas from seven genus have now been recorded in the State.

Poecilotheria rufilata that the team recorded from Achenkovil

The range extensions of the genus and species had been described in the report submitted to the University Grants Commission, which funded the work that focused on studying spiders belonging to the family Theraphosidae, said Dr. Jose. He also presented the results at the recently-concluded international conference of the Asian Society of Arachnology at Bangkok, Thailand.

Kerala floods

While deforestation was one of the threats that the forest-dwelling tarantulas faced along the Western Ghats, the recent floods that Kerala witnessed could have affected the species in those areas too, said Dr. Jose.

“All tarantulas seen in Kerala except those in the genus Poecilotheria [tiger spiders] live in burrows in the ground. These would have become submerged during the floods,” he said.

Yet another threat that tarantulas face is collection for the illegal pet trade across the world. Kerala’s colourful tarantulas belonging to the genus Poecilotheria and Haploclastus were collected illegally and were available for sale on the internet for as high as $275, he added.

Tarantulas are a group of large, hairy spiders that can live up to 10 to 20 years.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities / by Staff Reporter / Kochi – December 04th, 2018

Tiffany Brar of Jyothirgamaya Foundation gets Mindtree Helen Keller Award

Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All

She was among 12 persons who were presented with the award during a programme conducted at the India International Centre Auditorium in Delhi, on the eve of World Disability Day.

Thiruvananthapuram  :

City-based NGO Jyothirgamaya Foundation’s Tiffany Brar was presented with the 19th National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP)’s Mindtree Helen Keller Award. She was among 12 persons who were presented with the award during a programme conducted at the India International Centre Auditorium in Delhi, on the eve of World Disability Day. According to the organisers, the awardees were selected for their initiatives in promoting employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Speaking on the occasion, Arman Ali, executive director, NCPEDP, said, “Tiffany’s Jyothirgamaya Foundation, which empowers the blind not only in her state of Kerala but also across the country had till date trained more than 300 blind people in activities of daily living, mobility, the realms of access technology and interpersonal skills.”

He further appreciated the efforts made by Tiffany during the floods. “Despite being visually challenged she was in the forefront in collecting basic materials for the relief camps in Wayanad.” Talking on the occasion, Tiffany thanked NCPEDP for the award and said, “Jyothirgamaya Foundation was initially started as a mobile school on a small basis. We have come a long way since and we will strive to achieve our goal of providing employment and inclusion to people with disability.” The event was also attended by Minister of State for Human Resource Development Satya Pal Singh.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Express News Service / December 04th, 2018

IIT Palakkad joins hands with UST Global

Education, Records, All, World Opinion

For the joint R&D, the students will work at UST Global’s Infinity LabsTM for three to six months across the company’s various locations in India.

Thiruvananthapuram  :

UST Global has partnered with the Indian Institute of Palakkad (IIT Palakkad) to conduct joint R&D in technologies like AI/ML and Brain-Machine Interface, internship and job placement for the students. For the joint R&D, the students will work at UST Global’s Infinity LabsTM for three to six months across the company’s various locations in India.

“This will offer a platform to the B.Tech students for joint R&D on new-age technologies. We are certain this will help the students get the right exposure to kick-start their career in technology,” said Alexander Varghese, chief administrative officer and country head of UST Global.

“It will not only help our undergraduate students get exposure to the latest know-how in the industry but also enable in technological innovations that answer real-world problems and address future needs of industry.

The internship experience will help them prepare well for taking up challenging industry problems in their future career,” said Vinod A Prasad, dean of Industry Collaboration and Sponsored Research, IIT-PKD.

source:  http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Express News Service / December 05th, 2018

Poetry award for Aarambika S V

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

Aarambika S V was nominated for the ‘Kadavanad Smrithi Poetry Award by the Kadavanad Kuttikrishnan Memorial Committee on Sunday.
Aarambika S V

Kochi :

Aarambika S V was nominated for the ‘Kadavanad Smrithi Poetry Award by the Kadavanad Kuttikrishnan Memorial Committee on Sunday. Dharmaraj Adaat, vice chancellor of Sanskrit University, will present the award at Annapurna Auditorium in Aluva on December 16. Aarambika, a resident of Pala, is currently an assistant professor at M G College, Thiruvananthapuram.

Her selected work ‘Kattilodunna Theevandi’, ‘Thonniyapoloru Puzha’, ‘Mannangattayum Kariyilayum’, fetched her the award. The jury panel constituted by noted writers S K Vasandhan and N K Desham selected her for the award.

Noted Malayalam writer and journalist Kadavanad Kuttikrishnan gained recognition in the field of poetry. During his days, he worked with poets including Akkitham and Edassery. Though he passed away in 1992, a memorial committee was formed in his memory.

This is not the first time Aarambika has been selected for a poetry award. In 2005, she received the Vailopilli Memorial Award and V T Kumaran Award, while in 2010, she received the SBT Literary Award. Meanwhile, her other awards include Kanakasree Award (2012), Venmony Smaraka Award (2012), Sahitya Academy Award (2015) and Edassery Poetry Award (2018).

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Kochi / by Express News Service / December 03rd, 2018

Sergei Esenin Award for V R Govindan Unni; Adoor Gopala Krishnan to inaugurate the Festival of Russian Language

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

Auteur Adoor Gopalakrishnan will inaugurate the seventh edition of the Festival of Russian Language and Literature at Hotel SP Grand Days, Panavila on December 4.
Adoor Gopalakrishnan will inaugurate the seventh edition of the Festival.( Photo | BP Deepu)

Thiruvananthapuram :

Writer and journalist V R Govindan Unni has been selected for this year’s Esenin Award instituted in the memory of Russian lyric poet Sergey Esenin. The award which is into its tenth edition is instituted jointly by the Esenin State Museum in Moscow and the Russian Cultural Centre in Thiruvananthapuram

Govindan Unni was selected for the award in acknowledgement of his contributions to popularising Russian literature in India. The Esenin Award is presented to Indian writers who has helped promote Russian literature through their works. Govindan Unni has translated Hadji Murat, a short novel by Leo Tolstoy which was also the Russian novelist’s last. Govindan Unni has also written several articles based on Russian works.  Fyodor A Rozovskiy, head, Cultural Department of Russian Embassy and Senior Counsellor, will present the award to Govindan Unni on December 4 at the Festival of Russian Language and Literature in Thiruvananthapuram.

Last year, the award had gone to Tamil writer and translator Arumbu Subramanian who translated Fyodor Dostoevskiy’s ‘Brothers Karamazov’ into Tamil.

Festival of Russian language and literature

Auteur Adoor Gopalakrishnan will inaugurate the seventh edition of the Festival of Russian Language and Literature at Hotel SP Grand Days, Panavila on December 4.

Shashi Tharoor MP will deliver the keynote address. Fyodor A Rozovskiy, head, Cultural Department of Russian Embassy and Senior Counsellor, will be present.

source:  http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Express News Service / December 03rd, 2018

Proud moment for Malayalam cinema

Arts,Culture & Entertainment

Lijo Jose Pellissery, Chemban Vinod Jose bag awards at 49th IFFI held in Goa

What Lijo Jose Pellissery and Chemban Vinod Jose achieved at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), which concluded at Panaji on Wednesday, was remarkable. To win the awards for the best director and actor, pushing behind outstanding talents from across the world is no mean achievement.

It is also further endorsement that Malayalam cinema is on the right track. Ee.Ma.Yau, the film that won both Lijo and Chemban their awards, shows how well Malayalam cinema has adapted to the highest international standards.

Ee.Ma.Yau, which brilliantly portrays a death and funeral in a village, was one of the six Malayalam films selected for the Panorama section of the IFFI. Then it became one of the only three Indian films that entered the international competition section.

15 films

Of the 15 films in competition, only three were from India. And two of those three spoke Malayalam. Bhayanakam, directed by Jayaraj, was the other.

Lijo, who made his debut with Nayakan in 2010, did not take long to earn a reputation as one of the young directors to watch out for. He showed he had great control on his craft with films like Amen and Angamali Diaries.

“Lijo has made Malayalam cinema proud by becoming the best director at the IFFI,” Pradeep Nair, a national award-winning director and regular delegate at the IFFI, told The Hindu. “It is no mean task to impress an experienced international jury.” Pradeep said that Lijo had surprised him with Ee.Ma.Yau, although he was impressed with some of his earlier films. “You could see a lot of obvious influences in his earlier films, but in Ee.Ma.Yau, he showed that he could become completely original,” he said. “He has grown tremendously as a director.”

Growth as an actor

Like Lijo, Chemban, who had debuted in Nayakan, too has grown as an actor. There is an effortlessness and naturalness about his acting, which could be seen in films like Sapthamashree Thaskaraha, North 24 Kaatham, Iyyobinte Pusthaka and Tamaar Padaar.

It is interesting to note that his first major award for acting has come at an international festival. A year ago, Parvathy was adjudged the best actress at the same festival, for Take Off.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by P.K. Ajith Kumar / Kozhikode – November 28th, 2018