As part of its State-wide campaign to strengthen the JD(S), the Janarondige Janata Dal programmes will be held in Varuna and Chamundeshwari Assembly constituencies in Mysuru on May 13 and 17 respectively.

This was announced at a press conference here on Monday by JD(S) leaders, including former Minister and the party’s State Political Affairs Committee member S.R. Mahesh, JD(S) MLA G.D. Harish Gowda, MLC C.N. Manje Gowda and party’s Mysuru district president Ashwin Kumar, and others.

Sharing this information, Mr. Gowda, who is also the Hunsur MLA, said the programme has already been held in 75 Assembly constituencies under the leadership of the party’s youth wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy.

The programmes scheduled to be held in Varuna and Chamundeshwari Assembly constituencies will enable the party to understand the problems of the people, the JD(S) leaders said.

It may be mentioned here that the Varuna Assembly constituency is represented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, while the Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency is represented by veteran JD(S) leader G.T. Deve Gowda, who has fallen out with the party leadership and has stayed away from the party’s programmes.

Mr. Mahesh has called upon the general public to participate in the Janarondige Janata Dal programmes in large numbers.

Reinstatement of IPS officer questioned

Mr. Mahesh took serious exception to the State government’s decision to reinstate senior IPS officer Ramachandra Rao, who had been suspended earlier this year in the wake of obscene videos surfaced on social media platforms involving him.

He accused the Siddaramaiah government of shielding corrupt and tainted officers.

He also trained his guns on the State government for allegedly protecting IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri whom he accused of not only being responsible for the oxygen shortage deaths in Chamarajanagar Government Hospital during the COVID-19, but also involvement in a cloth bag purchase scam when she was serving as the Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru.

When his attention was drawn to the speculation over his entry into the poll fray from the Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency, Mr. Mahesh made it clear that he would contest only from the K.R. Nagar Assembly constituency. He said his “political birth and death” would be in K.R. Nagar.

He has also ruled out the possibility of any of his family members contesting elections. If any member of his family enters the poll fray, Mr. Mahesh said he would immediately announce his retirement from politics.

Former Mayors R. Lingappa and M.J. Ravi Kumar, and other party leaders were also present on the occasion.

The Hindu in School Science Festival and Ramanujam Spark Quest elicited an overwhelming response from students of various schools in Mysuru city as well as Mandya and Chamarajanagar districts.

The annual event, held at the Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry on Vinoba Road here on January 17, witnessed a vibrant congregation of children driven by a zeal for innovation and a passion to pursue careers in science.

Nearly 750 students from Classes 6 to 10, representing several schools, thronged the venue to compete in the Rising Stars’ Inter-School Science Fest and Math Olympiad.

Inaugurating the festival, Additional Deputy Commissioner P. Shivaraj expressed happiness over the initiative that helps spark scientific temper among children. Platforms like The Hindu in School Science Festival play an important role in igniting innovative thinking and nurturing creativity among students.

He urged participants to make the best use of such opportunities to excel and bring laurels to their schools, teachers and parents. The Additional Deputy Commissioner also went around the hall to witness the students’ models on display.

B. Pushparaj, academic director of Excellent Moodubidire, the title sponsor of the festival, briefly narrated the achievements of students from Excellent Institutions in Moodubidire and explained how they crack competitive examinations such as NEET, besides highlighting the encouragement given to students who aspire for a career in science. Divakar Das of SLV Book Agencies also addressed the gathering. Col. Sathish B.S. (retd) and a team of lecturers from PU colleges, who formed the jury for the science fest, were present.

The Hindu in School Science Festival featured 145 teams from 26 schools, while Ramanujam Spark Quest saw the participation of 450 students from 34 schools. The senior lecturers’ jury evaluated the exhibits. The students’ innovation and creative thinking were evident in the wide range of models and projects showcased at the festival.

Participants enthusiastically explained their concepts to visitors and the judging team, who had a challenging task to select the 10 best models.

The exhibits included models on water quality management, a voice-activated smart dustbin, water conservation techniques, sustainable energy solutions such as converting mechanical energy from passenger footsteps into clean electricity, load-sensor systems to address overcrowding in public transport, and eco-friendly tiles made by blending areca husk with clay among others.

The students, teachers, and parents expressed happiness over the event, appreciating the platform it provided for young minds to develop an interest in science.