Horatti emphasises need for developing reading habit among youths
He was speaking after releasing the autobiography of senior journalist Arunkumar Habbu 'Bogase Neeru' in Hubballi on Sunday. Sangamesh Handigi Sahitya Pratishtana, Samyuta Pratishthana, Kannada Dhwani Trust and Hubballi Dharwad Hayvaka Educational and Cultural Association had jointly organised the book release programme.
Mr. Horatti said that while the number of people writing books had increased, what was a matter of concern was the dwindling number of readers. Reading habit should be developed particularly among the students and youths, which would invariably help them in shaping their lives, he said.
'Reading books means gaining knowledge. Every book is born out of one's experience and the tone and tenor of each book reveals something new,' he said.
Elaborating on his association with Mr. Habbu and several senior journalists, Mr. Horatti emphasised the role of journalists in shaping the thinking of the society and the nation. Emphasising the importance of reading and giving feedback on a book, he termed feedback as the biggest honour to an author.
Senior journalist R. Poornima said that while mentioning about his life and the challenges he faced, the author had also touched upon various social issues.
General Secretary of Karnatak Vidyavardhak Sangha termed the book as a good guide to the young journalists.
Introducing the book, journalist Ganapathi Gangolli said that the writings of the author on a social media platform during COVID-19 pandemic, had subsequently taken the form of a book, where the author had subtly explained how difficulties and challenges made one's life complete.
Briefing about the reasons for documenting his life experience, Author Arunkumar Habbu said that everyone's life was a story, which would become a message for others. President of the Havyaka Association V.M. Bhat presided over the function. Journalists Sangamesh Handigi and Sushendracharya Kundaragi coordinated the event.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
13 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Teacher turns math into play, boosting school attendance, enrollment
HYDERABAD/ MEDAK : Mathematics often sends students running in the opposite direction, but one government school teacher is trying to change that. Ravi Raj, a mathematics teacher at Mandal Parishad Upper Primary School (MPUPS) in Admapur, Narsapur mandal, uses his YouTube channel 'Raviraj Master' to make maths fun and approachable for children who struggle with the subject. Ravi started his channel during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, posting videos to help students understand basic maths concepts at a time when classes shifted online. But it was in 2024, after he joined MPUPS Admapur, that he realised the scale of the problem. He realised that many students were unable to grasp basic concepts or solve simple problems. This, he noticed, was linked to poor attendance. Determined to find a solution, he introduced board games and puzzles into his lessons, blending learning with play. The approach worked — attendance, Ravi Raj says, rose from 45% to 95%. What began as a handful of videos soon grew into a large online resource. Today, his channel hosts over 1,600 videos and has about 1.5 million subscribers. 'The videos are not monetised. I see this as social service, not a source of income,' he says. His lessons have drawn praise from students across India and abroad, many of whom leave comments about how the content helps them. The impact shows at his school too. During this year's Badi Bata, this MPUPS saw enrolment climb from 53 students last year to 73 — and numbers may reach 100 in the coming weeks. Outside the classroom, the 43-year-old works with voluntary organisations to improve facilities. New benches, a lab, notebooks, ties and belts have been provided, with the teacher often spending from his own pocket. His efforts have drawn attention. Recently, Education Secretary Yogita Rana invited him to help develop MPUPS Admapur as a model school with state government support.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
‘Hathi-Mitra' on mission to avoid man-elephant conflict
Ranchi: Tapas Karmakar, a young graduate, is bitten by wanderlust and his insatiable desire to be with nature made him join the Wildlife Protection Society of Jharkhand in 2017. Fresh out of college, Tapas said he did not consider his work a job but more of a calling. "That is why I wasn't chasing a corporate dream or a position behind a desk. I am more into chasing forests and rivers, basically, responding to the call of the wild," he said. Born and raised in Ranchi, Tapas found his escape in nature. So, when he got the job of his choice, he immediately started monitoring the movements of elephants on the four govt-notified corridors out of the several in the state and studied the man-animal conflict. His initial curiosity in the matter turned into a commitment to save both the jumbos and the humans. "After working for around three years with the wildlife society across the state, I returned to my native village in Baranda of Sonahatu block in Ranchi district during the Covid pandemic period. During that time, a herd of about 40 wild elephants from the Dalma elephant corridor ventured into the village in search of food," Tapas said. He also said, "The herd started trampling paddy crops, making the already tense relationship between the jumbos and the villagers a more perilous one. No wonder, it resulted in property and crop losses apart from casualties among both the people and the elephants." Asserting that he needed to intervene and mitigate the problem, Tapas said, "I started tracking the herd's movement and updated the jumbo's location to the villagers on a real-time basis and their potential path through WhatsApp messages, videos and calls, so that they could stay updated and prevent further face-offs with jumbos." That's how the idea of 'Hathi-Mitra', a WhatsApp group was born. In the group, he started sharing elephant movements, alerting people to take precautions while moving out of their homes, thereby resulting in a decrease in both man and elephant conflicts and casualties. The WhatsApp group started with only a handful of villagers as members and has now grown to tens of thousands from across the state. The huge number of people is now connected through 12 WhatsApp groups and channels. The villagers update elephant movements on the groups as soon as they spot any herd, reducing conflicts. B ut Tapas didn't stop there. He began educating communities, explaining elephant behaviour, how to stay safe, and most importantly, how to coexist with the biggest animal on land and helping villagers avail compensations from the govt after incurring any elephant-inflicted damage, injuries or casualties. According to Tapas, communities living near the forest areas — especially the younger generation — need to be educated about the elephants' behaviour, their diet, and other key characteristics of the pachyderms. "This awareness can help discourage the use of outdated, often harmful methods to drive elephants away. Most casualties occur when people attempt to confront elephants directly. Introducing wildlife education into the school curriculum is also essential, so that students grow up with a better understanding of animal behaviour and develop a mindset rooted in coexistence rather than fear and conflict," Tapas added.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Indian Express
‘At 1,000 feet above ground, the aircraft engines suddenly lost power': how a Pune pilot survived a crash, learnt to fly again
Written by Shubham Kurale, The morning of July 25, 2022, started like any other training day for Bhavika Rathod. The 24-year-old pilot trainee from Pune's Swargate had already completed 150 flying hours towards her commercial pilot licence. She was confident, attentive, and just 50 hours away from achieving her childhood dream. But at 11.30 am that day, everything changed in an instant. A talk that ignited a desire Bhavika studied in Pune's Muktangan English School, where a guest lecture by a pilot planted the first seeds of her aviation dreams. 'That lecture stayed with me throughout school,' Bhavika recalls. 'I kept thinking about what it would feel like to be up there, responsible for taking people safely to their destinations.' 'After completing Class 12 in 2019, I took my dream of becoming a pilot seriously and started searching for flying schools. The process got delayed due to the COVID-induced lockdown, and finally, in October 2021, I got into Carver Aviation flying school in Baramati,' she says. To obtain a commercial pilot licence, one needs to complete 200 flying hours and clear six theory papers, which usually takes around two years. 'After completing 150 flying hours, it was a normal day for me. I took off from Baramati in a Cessna-152 aircraft for a routine cross-country flight,' Bhavika remembers. 'Just 15 nautical miles into the journey, at about 1,000 feet above ground, the aircraft engines suddenly lost power.' With no option to return to the departure point, Bhavika's training kicked in. 'I spotted a slightly moist patch of farmland in Kadbanwadi village in Indapur, exactly what my instructors had taught me to look for to reduce landing drag,' she said. In those terrifying moments between engine failure and ground contact, Bhavika managed to safely crash-land the aircraft. She survived with only minor scratches on her chin. No one on the ground was hurt, despite the plane crashing less than 100 feet from the nearest house. 'I was completely in shock,' she says. 'This is the worst thing that could happen in the flying sector. But by God's grace, I was alive.' The crash led to a mandatory investigation by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). After three intense days of questioning, Bhavika was put on a cooling period – a mandatory break from flying that follows any aircraft accident. 'It was traumatising. I gradually lost confidence, hope, and courage to fly again,' she says. 'I started self-doubting and slowly faced depression. After two months, I decided to quit and pursue a BBA instead to join my family business.' Bhavika's near and dear ones, however, had other plans. 'My family and friends counselled me to help recover my self-belief. They helped me scrap my thoughts about ending my flying career,' she says. Five months after the accident, in December 2022, Bhavika received a no-objection certificate for corrective training, a period in which trainee pilots fly with instructors until they regain confidence to fly solo. In January 2023, Bhavika walked back into Carver Aviation – saw the same corridors, the same runway where her dreams had once crashed. 'My colleagues and staff at the academy, particularly my instructor Captain Madhav Raj Singh, instilled confidence back in me,' she says. The journey back was not easy. Every take-off brought back memories of that fateful day. In September 2023, Bhavika secured her official Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL). 'Social media became helpful for me,' she reveals. 'After getting my CPL, candidates who faced similar crashes contacted me asking how to tackle negative thoughts. I was able to help them because I had been through the same experience.' 'My message to all those who feel dejected in their life would be to remain courageous and never lose hope. This will definitely help them achieve their dreams,' she says. Last year, Bhavika completed her type rating course, a specialised 45-day training programme on the Airbus 320 in Spain. Currently, she is preparing to join an aircraft carrier and has set her sights on an even bigger dream: flying an Airbus A380 someday. Shubham Kurale is an intern with The Indian Express.
