Latest news with #Krishnaprasad
The Hindu
6 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Desi rice mela to showcase over 200 traditional varieties in Mysuru
A two-day desi rice mela will be held in the city on August 9 and 10 at Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry with the objective of reviving the rich heritage of native paddy varieties, once synonymous with the Old Mysuru region. Organised by Sahaja Samrudha, Save Our Rice Campaign, and CREATE, the mela will highlight the diversity of desi rice, which was once integral to the region's food culture. G. Krishnaprasad of the Sahaja Samrudha said that one of the objectives of the event is to create awareness among the public about the diversity in paddy and how it was going out of vogue due to consumer preferences shifting towards polished white rice. Underlining the diversity of traditional varieties, he said that farmers in Old Mysuru region traditionally cultivated distinctive varieties such as Rajamudi, Ratnachoodi, Rajabhoga, Putta Bhatta, Anekombina Bhatta, Bangara Kaddi, Munduga, Halubalu, etc. Each rice type had a culinary usage apart from having medicinal values, all of which has been displaced by polished white rice, said Mr. Krishnaprasad. 'The festival seeks to raise awareness among both consumers and farmers about the nutritional and cultural value of indigenous rice,' he added. The mela will display over 200 varieties of rice, and visitors can also explore and purchase an array of red, black, golden, and aromatic rice from different parts of the country such as Kala Namak (Uttar Pradesh), Kala Jeera (Odisha), Komal Chawal (Assam), Navara and Mullan Kayama (Kerala), Mapillai Samba (Tamil Nadu), Ambe Mohar (Maharashtra), etc. Also on display will be Karnataka's own rare treasures such as Karigajivili, Rajamudi, Dodyaga, Dodda Baira Nellu, Siddha Sanna, Salem Sanna, Rajabhoga, and Andanuru Sanna. 'High-quality seeds for the upcoming monsoon sowing season will be available alongside organic products, fruits, vegetables, native seeds, and value-added food items,' the organisers said. There will also be a 'desi rice cooking contest' to familiarise the younger generation with traditional food culture. Participants must prepare any dish using desi rice at home and bring it to the venue by 12.30 p.m. on Sunday, August 10. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three entries. A drawing contest will also be held on the theme 'The World of Rice I Saw', which is open to children in two age categories: 5 to 10 years and 10 to 15 years. Participants should draw their entries at home and submit them by 11.00 a.m. on Sunday, August 10. Six of the best drawings will receive prizes, the organisers added. For more details, contact Manju at 70900 09944.
The Hindu
10-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Govt. urged to extend institutional support for farmer-bred paddy varieties through Raitha Samparka Kendras
The government has been urged to promote traditional paddy varieties bred by local farmers, through the Raitha Samparka Kendra (RSK) and provide them institutional support. Experts say traditional paddy varieties – some of which are bred by the farmers — deserve greater official backing through the RSKs which is not the case at present, though many of them are popular. 'There are farmers and individuals, many of them in Mysuru, H.D. Kote, and Periyapatna regions, who have been conserving traditional paddy varieties, and breeding new varieties since more than 20 years,' he said and pointed out that a majority of them are doing it out of passion, spending from their own pockets. ''The government must now step in to support and help scale up their work,' said Mr. Krishnaprasad, founder of Sahaja Samrudha which is advocating indigenous paddy conservation and promotion. In the Mysuru region itself there are scores of seed conservators and rice breeders Ghani Khan, Bore Gowda, Srinivas, etc., and — individual farmers whose paddy collections are highly sought after across States. Yet, these community-level efforts have received little institutional backing so far, said Mr. Krishnaprasad. Hence the government has been urged to release and promote farmer-bred indigenous varieties through RSKs - the agriculture extension centres — so that it ensure greater reach. On the State government's move to develop community seed banks for which ₹5 crore has been allotted, Mr. Krishnaprasad said it is imperative that seed conservators are roped in for the purpose. The success of the initiative would depend on involving those who have been quietly nurturing seed diversity for decades, he added. 'If the government is serious about promoting organic farming, it must also promote organic seeds. Traditional and desi varieties should be made accessible to farmers through official channels,' Mr. Krishnaprasad added. Experts say that community-managed seed systems are playing a critical role in maintaining agricultural biodiversity and offering climate-resilient options to farmers. But unless financially supported and institutionally recognised, these systems may not sustain themselves in the long-run. The issue was also discussed in multiple farmers related events including the 'Desi Seed Mela' held in Mysuru recently. There is a growing demand for inclusion of local groups, women's collectives, and farmer conservators who are already active, as partners in the initiative. Stakeholders have also outlined a multi-pronged approach to strengthen traditional seed systems and it includes strengthening community-managed seed systems to ensure access to diverse crop varieties; popularising traditional varieties among consumers and farmers through seed and food festivals, awareness campaigns, and educational materials; mapping and documenting indigenous varieties, including their nutritional profiling, through collaboration with research bodies and agricultural universities. But it has also been argued by the stakeholders that a formal recognition of traditional and indigenous paddy varieties, evolving protocols for notification and mainstreaming these in formal seed systems, are essential.
The Hindu
03-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Desi seed festival to be held in Mysuru to create awareness on crop diversity
Highlighting the alarming erosion of agricultural biodiversity, Sahaja Samrudha, in association with Rebuild India and Sahaja Seeds, is organising a Desi Seed Festival in Mysuru on July 5 and 6 at the Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry. The two-day event - scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on both days - aims to revive awareness and promote the conservation of indigenous seed varieties, bringing together seed conservators, farmer scientists, enthusiasts, and consumers. The seed expo will feature over 100 varieties of native crops, including rice, millets, tubers, pulses, greens, and vegetables. In addition, traditional groundnut types, rare pigeon pea varieties, black and green chickpeas, and value-added products from neglected crops will also be exhibited. Juices made from underutilised fruits will be served, introducing the visitors to forgotten flavours. Krishnaprasad of Sahaja Samruddha, an organisation working to promote agricultural diversity and document indigenous crop varieties, said that traditional seeds and crops are vanishing from the fields, and with it, a slice of Karnataka's farming heritage is also disappearing. This is happening due to farmers now preferring high-yielding hybrid and commercial varieties of crops, he said. Mr. Krishnaprasad said that indigenous seeds — preserved for centuries by farming communities — are now at risk of extinction, replaced by crops driven by market demand, changing climate, and consumer preference. He pointed out that regions such as Kollegal and Periyapatna were once bastions of millet cultivation, but they have been edged out by tobacco cultivation since the last few decades; and barely a few varieties exist in the tribal belt of H.D. Kote. Similarly, in Malavalli and surrounding taluks, maize has muscled its way into farmlands that once nurtured a diverse mix of native crops, he added. He said that dryland paddy farming is almost extinct, though it was quite common in drought-prone areas of Nanjangud and Gundlupet. Apart from tobacco and maize, cotton cultivation, too, has hastened the demise of some traditional crop varieties, Mr. Krishnaprasad added. Among the traditional rice varieties, Yellandur was known for Ratnachoodi, while the border areas of Chamarajanagar cultivated Salem Sanna. Similarly, Periyapatana in Mysuru and Arkalgud in Hassan were bastions of Rajabhog. But today, they rarely cultivated, according to Sahaja Samruddha. The net result, as per the conservators, is the loss of genetic and crop diversity, and erosion of ecological balance. Hence, the Seed Festival will bring alive a slice of agricultural heritage of the region, promoting the sale of desi varieties like Rajamudi, Ratnachoodi, Sindhoor Madhusale, Gandha Sale, Dodda Baira, Burma Black, Chinnaponni, and HMT rice, alongside Jagalur ragi and native vegetable seeds. Recognising the role of younger generations in safeguarding agricultural diversity, a drawing competition titled 'Desi Seeds for the Future' has been planned for children aged 5 to 12. The competition encourages children to explore seed culture, rituals, and the dangers of hybrid dependency. Drawings are to be submitted by 12.30 p.m. on Sunday. In addition, seed identification contests for both children and adults will add an interactive element to the festival, fostering curiosity and knowledge sharing, according to the organisers. For further details, call 70900 09944.
The Hindu
28-06-2025
- The Hindu
NRI detention: SHRC finds ACP guilty of negligence
The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has found a woman inspector guilty of negligence, which led to a 50-year-old NRI to undergo detention at the Mumbai airport for 34 hours in 2019. On Friday, the SHRC recommended the State government to pay a compensation of ₹2 lakh to the victim. It also recommended the government to recover the compensation amount from the salary of Mary Shailaja, who is presently serving as the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) of the Yeshwanthpur sub division. Krishnaprasad, an NRI businessman from the U.K., was arrested in a harassment case in 2016 and later released on bail. The police filed a chargesheet against him, and Krishnaprasad took a stay order from the High Court. On February 19, 2019, Krishnaprasad was detained at the Mumbai airport under a lookout circular (LOC) issued by the Halasuru Gate women police station. A probe revealed that the circular had to be revised every year, but the police had failed to do so. When the immigration officials detained him and informed the police about the detention, instead of clarifying about the order, a team of police was sent to secure his arrest. The police had even called the family of Krishnaprasad asking them to book the air tickets to take him to Bengaluru. However, after reaching the airport, the police found out about the High Court order and released him asking him to appear before the inspector the next day. Due to this, Krishnaprasad had not only suffered 34 hours of detention and alleged humiliation, but also incurred a loss of ₹57,000 towards air tickets he had booked for the U.K. Krishnaprasad had to take the next flight after paying ₹66,000 and later approached the SHRC through his family. The probe by the SHRC revealed that the police have not revised the lookout circular and due to the negligence of the inspector, Krishnaprasad had to suffer harassment and financial loss. When the immigration officials contacted the Halasuru Gate police for clarification, instead of updating the case details, they sent a mail stating that Krishnaprasad was wanted in connection with the case for the purpose of investigation and should be handed over to head constables, Pushpakaran and Srinivas, for further investigation. The email was sent from the official mail of ACP Mary Shailaja, which was recorded as the evidence. The SHRC officials summoned the police who deposed before the commission that they carried the orders issued by the inspector. The family members alleged that the police had demanded money from them to revise the LOC. However, the allegation was not proved due to a lack of evidence.
The Hindu
01-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Hindu
Annual Jackfruit Festival to take place on May 3 and 4
The Jackfruit Festival, which is conducted every year, will be held in the city on May 3 and 4 and feature many varieties of the fruit from different parts of the State and the country. Organised by Sahja Samrudha, in collaboration with Amul Organic and Rich Plus, the festival will be held at the Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry. The organisers said that the event promises to be an enriching experience for producers, consumers, and enthusiasts alike. Krishnaprasad of Sahaja Samrudha said that jackfruit was one of the most nutritious and versatile fruits, and the fourth-largest fruit crop in the country in terms of production. He said it is known for its rich medicinal and nutraceutical properties, and experts vouch for the rich vitamin and mineral content apart from the dietary fibre in the fruit. However, there was a perception that despite its benefits, jackfruit remains an underutilised and neglected crop. In this backdrop, the Jackfruit Festival is being conducted not only to promote its commercial potential for farmers, but also in a bid to preserve the diversity of the fruit. To showcase its diversity, the organisers will exhibit and sell red and white-fleshed jackfruit in addition to the yellow-fleshed fruit, which is known to consumers. There will also be 'Jackfruit Food Bazaar', which will highlight various innovative and value-added products like jackfruit ice cream, jams, squashes, papads, halwa, kababs, holige, and dosa. In addition, there will be cooking demonstrations to showcase the versatility of the fruit in traditional and modern recipes, according to the organisers. Seedlings of 25 unique jackfruit varieties, including Rudrakshi Halasu, Siddu, Shankara, Tubagere Halasu, Vietnam Super Early, and Chandra Halasu, the rare red jackfruits from Karnataka, will also be on sale. Farmers from H.D. Kote, Periyapatna, Kollegal, Srirangapatna, Tiptur, Chikkanayakanahalli, and Haveri will bring jackfruits cultivated in their farms along with value-added products. There will also be a jackfruit eating competition on May 4 at 2 p.m., and jackfruit lifting and weight-guessing competitions will be held. A drawing competition for children and adults on May 3 at 2 p.m. and a training session on May 3 with experts guiding farmers on seed selection, planting techniques, care, and harvesting are other events to be held as part of the festival. The festival will be inaugurated by Krishnamurthy Beligere, a poet and organic farmer. Karunakaran, principal scientist and head of the Central Horticultural Experimental Station, Manjunath Angadi, Deputy Director of the Horticulture Department, Rangarajan T.N. from Amul Organic and Rich Plus, and others will be present.
