Latest news with #K.Venkatesh
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
‘PrYAAS': 37,800 children to undergo speech, hearing tests in Karnataka's Chamarajanagar
The Chamarajanagar district administration, in collaboration with the Departments of Women and Child Development, and Health and Family Welfare, and the Mysuru-based All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), has launched the Programme for Assessment of Young Children for Auditory and Speech-Language Skills (PrAYAAS) in the Karnataka district on Friday. Minister in charge of the district K. Venkatesh, who is also the Animal Husbandry and Sericulture Minister, launched the initiative at an anganwadi in ward no. 10 of Karinanjanapura Layout. The initiative focuses on speech (vocal) and hearing tests for anganwadi children. After launching the programme and wishing success to the scheme, Mr. Venkatesh reviewed the screening process that began for the children. Appreciating the initiative, MLA for Chamarajanagar C. Puttarangashetty said that the programme is being implemented for the first time in the State by the Chamarajanagar district administration, and described it as a progressive step for supporting the learning processes of children. Deputy Commissioner Shilpa Nag said that parents often notice their child's inability to hear or speak clearly only at a later stage, and poor families in rural areas may not be able to afford treatment. Therefore, the district administration partnered with AIISH Mysuru to provide free medical services for all children aged between six months and six years, she added. The programme identifies and treats speech and hearing problems among anganwadi children at an early stage and also trains anganwadi workers to recognise early symptoms of speech and hearing impairment. It also aims to develop a comprehensive plan of action to provide screening and treatment facilities at the district hospital for affected persons. The district has 440 anganwadis with about 37,800 children. Of these, the target for the current year is to screen 35,326 children. The programme has been launched symbolically, and training for anganwadi workers by master trainers will be conducted next month. The scheme will then be rolled out across all anganwadis in the district, the Deputy Commissioner informed. According to AIISH, research indicates that about 14% of children are at a risk of having speech, language, or hearing difficulties, which, if left unaddressed, can hinder their overall development. In view of this, PrAYAAS aims to identify all such children aged 6 months to 6 years across the district and provide timely interventions. Screening will be carried out by experienced speech-language pathologists and audiologists from AIISH and ENT surgeons from the District Hospital. Conditions such as speech delays, mispronunciations, stammering, voice disorders, lack of social interaction, hearing loss, and ear infections will be assessed, a press release from AIISH said. The initiative, scheduled to run until March 31, 2026, will be implemented in five phases.
The Hindu
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Sweet Expansion: Shree Anandhaas brings its signature flavours to Chennai
If you travel to Coimbatore and return with a suitcase crammed with snacks, here is some good news. Shree Anandhaas has finally opened its first outlet in Chennai, so you can make your murrukku and halwa hauls more frequent. With one outlet in Mogappair West, which features a chaat counter and dining space, and two more in the pipeline in Kolathur and Selaiyur, the brand currently offers around 150 varieties of sweets and 80 types of savouries. Shree Anandhaas is a family-owned business that began its journey as a restaurant in 1998. It later expanded into the world of sweets and snacks, launching its first dedicated outlet in 2017 within one of its restaurants in Coimbatore. 'My cousin Manikandan's father first ventured into the food business, running a vegetarian restaurant in Tirunelveli in the 60s and '70s,' says K. Venkatesh, Director of Shree Anandhaas and cousin of Manikandan. 'When he retired, he chose to settle in Coimbatore.' Carrying forward their father's legacy, Manikandan, along with his three cousins — K Venkatesh, N V Nammalvar, and Narayanan Ram — founded Shree Anandhaas restaurant in 1998, just weeks after the bomb blast that shook the city. Nevertheless they soldiered on. And today, the brand has grown to include ten restaurants and two cafes, in addition to its expanding line of sweets and snacks. Once they had gained confidence in running the restaurant, the team decided to venture into sweets and savouries. But with several established brands already dominating the market, they knew they had to do something different. To truly understand the industry, the partners travelled across the country, observing and learning at every stop. 'In every state we visited, we discovered something new,' says Venkatesh. 'We took inspiration from how sweet shops were run, how the products were packaged, and, most importantly, the kind of customer experience they offered. That had a big impact on how we shaped our own approach.' The emphasis has always been on improving customer experience from the moment they walk into the store. A key highlight is the sampling desk, where visitors can taste mysurpa, halwa, and any newly introduced products. The mysurpa range is particularly distinctive, featuring creative variations made with carrot, beetroot, red banana, blackcurrant, and more. 'Apart from focusing on the overall experience, we also make sure our products are affordable and accessible,' says Nammalvar. 'For example, items like Sattur laddu, paneer jangri, and boondi mixture are priced at ₹320 per kilo.' The Chennai launch also introduced Kaju melts and pedha elaneer ladoo. Kaju choco melts consist of delicate cashew layers encasing a molten chocolate core. Pedha elaneer ladoo features a gel‑like tender coconut sphere at its centre, wrapped in a smooth milk pedha coating. Both are kept chilled to ensure the ideal texture and tasting experience. South Indian sweets are dominated by spherical ladoos, mysurpak, and rice‑flour savouries. At Shree Anandhaas, the team has mastered ladoo making and introduced inventive variations. 'Our signature badam rose ladoo is inspired by rose milk,' explains Venkatesh. 'Developed by our innovation team, this reimagined sweet blends floral notes with generous chunks of almond and cashew. Gulkand biscuit ladoo and kaju rice ladoo are also among our customers' favourites.' Coimbatore, in the Kongu region, is celebrated for its abundant coconuts, and at Shree Anandhaas their signature tender coconut halwa disappears almost as soon as it is made. Translucent and light, this halwa offers a glass‑like texture with a delicate roasted -coconut aroma. 'Our elaneer halwa was born out of our love for tender coconut,' says Venkatesh. 'Crafted with Pollachi's coconuts, it's joined by thenga muttai — a sweet made from palm jaggery and coconut.' The manufacturing unit is located in Poonamallee, near Chennai, and operates round the clock with a team of over 100 staff, supplying products to the Chennai outlets. Plans are underway to open three more outlets in Chennai. 'We recruit master chefs from various cities across the country to ensure authenticity and a native touch in all our offerings,' he says. 'At our exclusive Kovilpatti special counter, we offer regional delicacies such as thaen mittai, inji mittai, eelu urundai, nilakadalai urundai, pottu kalada urundai, and kalkona, all prepared by experts from that region.' Shree Anandhaas is located at Mogappair West. 8 am to 10 pm. Phone: 9500199724. Outlets in Kolathur to be launched on 16 July and Selaiyur on August 2. To order online, pan India and worldwide, log on to
The Hindu
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Oxygen tragedy victims' kin meet Minister
Minister in-charge of Chamarajanagar district K. Venkatesh on Monday held a meeting with the families of victims of the oxygen tragedy that occurred at the District Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chamarajanagar, along with leaders of various organisations fighting for their cause. The Minister heard the appeals of the family members of the victims and the leaders, who demanded that, as promised, permanent government jobs be given to the kin of victims and higher compensation be provided. They informed the Minister that the families were in distress and were in need of immediate support. Responding to the appeals, the Minister said that the process of providing permanent jobs to the family members is under way, and jobs will be provided based on educational qualifications. 'The government is committed to giving permanent jobs. This will happen soon. I will also discuss with the Chief Minister regarding higher compensation,' he said. MLA for Kollegal A.R. Krishnamurthy said that necessary procedures were being followed to provide permanent government jobs, and that justice should be ensured. Deputy Commissioner Shilpa Nag, Zilla Panchayat CEO Mona Roth, Superintendent of Police B.T. Kavitha, and others were present.
The Hindu
07-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Officials directed to respond swiftly to wild animal menace
Minister for Animal Husbandry and Sericulture K. Venkatesh, who is also the Minister in charge of Chamarajanagar district, has directed the officials to respond swiftly to the complaints of wild animal menace. Presiding over the Karnataka Development Programme meeting on Monday, Mr. Venkatesh said the Forest Department was receiving a large number of complaints from the public over the human-animal conflicts. 'Villagers are reporting sightings of leopards in their areas. In such cases, the officials should rush to the spot without any negligence, and take swift action to provide compensation for crops damaged by the wild animals,' he said. Mr. Venkatesh instructed the officials to look into the petitions submitted by representatives of farmers' organisations and address their woes. He directed the officials of the Horticulture Department and Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) to hold meetings with banana growers to address their issues. The banana growers should get a fair price for their produce, he said. Mr. Venkatesh directed the officials of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation to hold meetings and ensure that steps are taken to facilitate the operation of KSRTC buses in rural areas so that students do not face any inconvenience. With regard to complaints about a lack of cleanliness in hotels, bakeries, and restaurants, the Minister said the City Municipal Councils, Town Municipalities and Town Panchayats in the district should conduct inspections and take action against establishments that lack hygiene and cleanliness. Mr. Venkatesh directed the Health and Family Welfare Department officials to ensure that health services reach the people and that medical teams should visit villages to conduct health check-ups and provide treatment and medication. M.V. Venkatesh, secretary of the Department of Kannada and Culture, said, 'People should be persuaded to avoid deliveries at home. If deliveries take place in hospitals, it will ensure both mother and child remain healthy. The maternal and infant mortality rate should come down,' he said. K. Vivekananda, MLC, sought for complete information regarding the shortage of teachers in educational institutions so that a solution for the same can be found. Meanwhile, the Minister said permanent drinking water facility should be provided to villages that were receiving water through tankers. Borewells should be drilled in villages facing water scarcity, he said. He directed the Forest Department officials to make it a priority that drinking water is available to the wild animals. MLAs M.R. Manjunath and H.M. Ganesh Prasad, Deputy Commissioner Shilpa Nag, Chamarajanagar Zilla Panchayat CEO Mona Roat, Superintendent of Police B.T. Kavitha, Chamarajanagar Urban Development Authority (CHUDA) President Mohammed Azghar Munna, and others were present at the meeting.
The Hindu
03-07-2025
- The Hindu
Minister calls for urgent measures to prevent killing of wild animals and cattle in Karnataka's Chamarajanagar dist.
Animal Husbandry and Sericulture Minister and Chamarajanagar district in-charge Minister K. Venkatesh on Thursday directed Forest Department officials to take stringent and urgent preventive measures to ensure that wild animals and cattle are not killed in forest border areas and nearby villages. In the wake of the recent deaths of five tigers by poisoning in the Hoogyam range of the M.M. Hills Wildlife Division, and the death of monkeys in the Kandagalu area of Gundlupet range, the Minister held a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner and Forest officials in Hanur to gather information. He was updated on the ongoing investigation being conducted by Central and State-level officials on the tiger deaths, and sought details on the current stage of the probe. The Minister instructed officials to remain extra vigilant in protecting cattle in villages bordering forests, and take steps to prevent wild animals from straying into villages in search of food. Under the MGNREGA scheme, fodder cultivation should be promoted and ponds constructed in villages near forests to benefit cattle, he said, emphasising that there should be no shortage of fodder or water for local livestock. Patrolling in forest areas and adjoining villages must be intensified, including special night patrols, he directed. Deploying watchers and other forest staff under proper supervision will help prevent wildlife attacks, he advised. 'When wild animals attack cattle, forest officials must build confidence among farmers and villagers by consoling them and should respond immediately,' the Minister suggested. The Minister stressed that it is the responsibility of the Forest Department to ensure timely payment of salaries to outsourced staff in the M.M. Wildlife Division. 'This issue should be brought to the notice of higher authorities without any delay and resolved at the earliest,' he instructed. The Minister assured that steps would be taken to get necessary grants sanctioned to provide protection and basic facilities for wildlife, people, and livestock in forest fringe areas. MLA M.R. Manjunath, CADA Chairman P. Mariswamy, former MLA R. Narendra, Deputy Commissioner Shilpa Nag, and other officials were present.
