Reimburse money spent on CM's rallies: Shobha tells Congress

Mangalore, Jan 4: Writer-Researcher Dr Indira Heggade has been elected as the president of Mangaluru Taluk Sahitya Sammelan, which will be held on January 29 at St Agnes College in the City.

Dr Indira Heggade has brought out three stories, four novels and one poetry. She co-wrote 'Guttininda Sainika Jagattige' with SR Heggade.

Also, she translated 'Bantaru Vandu Samajo Samskrutika Adhyana' into English.

She is the recipient of various award given by literary and cultural organisations of Karnataka, including Janapada Academy Award, and Rani Abbakka Award.

Indira Heggade, along with receiving several awards in foreign nations, honoured with Sahitya Academy Award, Kamana Rangaswamy Dattinidhi Awards.

Bengaluru, Apr 26: Two businessmen brothers, Tajammul Pasha and Muzammil Pasha, in Karnataka's Kolar district have set out to help people in need amid the lockdown over the COVID-19 pandemic by selling their land for Rs 25 lakh.

On seeing daily wage labourers and their families in Kolar suffer during the lockdown, the brothers said they decided to sell their land and use the money to buy essentials and food grain for a large number of poor people.

The brothers also bought oil and cereals with the money. Then they set up a tent next to their house and started a community kitchen to make food for labourers and homeless people.

"Our parents died early. When we shifted to our maternal grandmother's place at  Kolar, people from communities, Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims helped us survive without any religious bias," said Tajammul Pasha, visibly emotional.

The Pasha brothers are into banana cultivation and real estate. Tajammul was five and his sibling Muzammil was three when they lost their parents. They had to move from Chickbalapor to Kollar, where their grandmother lived.

"We were brought up in poverty. We survived because of the support of people of all communities and religions. We have signed the society agreement bond and handed it over to our friend who purchased our site and gave the money," the brothers said.

Once the lockdown ends and the land registrar's office opens, the remaining steps to transfer the land will be completed, they said.

So far the two brothers have supplied food grain, oil, sugar and other essentials to over 3,000 families. They have also given hand sanitizers and masks to the poor.

The Kolar administration has issued passes to their volunteers so that they can help in this difficult time.

The number of coronavirus cases in India has increased to 24,506, including 775 deaths, the Home Ministry said today, adding that 1,429 cases and 57 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.

Amid a countrywide lockdown to check the spread of the highly contagious illness, which began on March 25, the government last night issued an order to allow neighbourhood shops to remain open with conditions; malls across India continue to remain shut.

Bengaluru, Apr 29: As many as 11 more people have tested positive for the coronavirus in the last 24 hours in Karnataka, said the State's Health Department on Wednesday.

According to an official statement, 11 new COVID-19 positive cases were reported from 5 pm on April 28 to 5 pm on April 29.

"With this, the total number of positive coronavirus cases in the state has mounted to 534, of which 20 deaths have been reported and 215 people have recovered," added the statement.

Of 20 coronavirus patients who died, one death was due to the non-COVID cause, the statement further said.