International Yoga day observed across Karnataka; Deve Gowda, 85, steals the show

Bengaluru, Feb 8: The Department of Religious Endowments in Karnataka will undertake 'Ratha Yatras' in 110 major temples of the state, in order to inform the public about mass marriages, scheduled to be held on April 26.

The publicity campaign through Rath Yatra will be flagged off from Mookambika temple in Kollur of Udupi district from February 13.

The mass marriage programme 'Saptapadi,' would be held in 100 major temples of Muzrai department. The second phase would be held on May 24, Minister for Ports, Fisheries and Muzrai Kota Srinivas Poojary told newspersons here on Friday.

Dubai, Jul 25: The founder of NMC Health, BR Shetty, has had a worldwide freezing order placed on his assets at the request of a lender that claims he has defaulted on a loan of more than $8 million (Dh29.4m).

The order was granted to Credit Europe Bank (Dubai) last month ahead of a claim filed at the DIFC Courts against Mr Shetty, New Medical Centre Trading and NMC Healthcare.

The lender said in its claim they “are jointly and severally liable” for the repayment of money initially secured through a credit agreement in December 2013 and renegotiated in December last year. Credit Europe Bank is an Amsterdam-headquartered institution specialising in trade and commodities finance with operations in nine countries.

The credit agreement was guaranteed by two security cheques which the bank said in its claim were signed by Mr Shetty – one drawn on his personal account and another on the account of New Medical Centre Trading – that have been "dishonoured upon presentation due to insufficient funds".

The bank claimed Mr Shetty “has now fled the jurisdiction of the UAE to India” and that there was a risk of his “substantial” assets in the Emirates being dissipated.

The assets frozen include properties in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, as well as shares in NMC Health, Finablr, BRS Investment Holdings and other companies. It allows for up to $7,000 per week to be spent on “ordinary living expenses and reasonable sum[s] on legal advice and representation”, a DIFC Courts document granting the freezing order shows.

Credit Europe Bank declined to comment when contacted by The National, stating it does not comment on ongoing litigation proceedings. Representatives for Mr Shetty and for NMC Healthcare, which is now being run by administrators Alvarez & Marsal, also declined to comment.

NMC Healthcare was founded by Mr Shetty in 1975 and grew from a single hospital into the UAE’s biggest privately-owned healthcare operator, which employed 2,000 doctors and 20,000 other staff. The company was listed on the London stock exchange and at its peak was valued at £8.58 billion (Dh40bn). However, its shares slumped after short seller Muddy Waters Research issued a report in December 2019 alleging the company had inflated its cash balances, overpaid for assets and understated its debts. This led to a string of damaging revelations by the company, including the fact that its debt was materially higher – at $6.6bn – than the $2.1bn on its balance sheet. NMC Healthcare was placed into administration in April by its biggest creditor, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, but its UAE businesses continue to trade as a going concern.

Mr Shetty said in a statement issued in April that he has been a victim of fraud committed by "a small group of current and former executives” at companies owned by him. He said bank accounts were created in his name and transactions were made without his knowledge, and that loans, cheques and bank transfers were also fraudulently guaranteed in his name using his forged signature.

In response to the claim filed by Credit Europe Bank (Dubai) at the DIFC Courts, Mr Shetty says he did not personally guarantee loans made to NMC Trading or NMC Healthcare and that the signatures used on cheques guaranteeing the loans are forgeries. His defence cites the opinion of “Dr Al Bah, an independent, experienced and qualified forensic document examiner”, that someone other than Mr Shetty signed the lending agreements and cheques.

An application by NMC Trading and NMC Healthcare to the DIFC Courts to have the claim against it heard in private for fear of triggering claims by other lenders – the group owes money to around 80 local, regional and international lenders – was dismissed, given that the appointment of administrators at the group and allegations of fraud at the company are already in the public domain.

Both companies have indicated to DIFC Courts that they intend to contest the claim against them.

Mangaluru, Jan 2: Seven achievers from various fields including Kannada writer and thinker Boluvaru Muhammad Kunhi have been chose for ‘Sandesha’ Awards for the year 2020.

Announcing this at a press meet in the presence of Sandesha director Fr Francis Assisi Almeida, writer Na D’Souza said that the award ceremony will be held on 9 February 2020 at 5:30 pm at the Sandesha Premises.

Bishop of Ballari Diocese and president of Sandesha Foundation, Dr Henry D’Souza will preside over. President of Karnataka Sahitya Academy Dr B V Vasanth Kumar will be the chief guest. Bishop of Mangaluru Diocese Dr Peter Paul Saldanha and Bishop of Udupi Diocese Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo will be the guests. MLA of Mangaluru South Constituency Vedvyas Kamath and Film Music Director Cajetan Dais will be the guests of honour”.

Awards and Awardees

1. Sandesha Literature Award (Kannada)- Mr. Boluvaru Muhammad Kunhi

He was born in 1951at Puttur. He has secured gold medal in Kannada Post Graduation from Mysore University. At present he is retired and settled at Bangalore after serving 40 years in Syndicate Bank as an officer.

He is the only Indian writer conferred with Central Sahitya Academy twice (2010 & 2016) for creative prose. He is also the first ever Kannada writer conferred with `BalaSahityaPuraskar’ by Central Sahitya Academy. His epic 1,110-page opus named "Swathranthada Ota" (in English: The run for independence) released on 18 March 2012 at RavindraKalakshetra, Bangalore by the world famous Sarod artist Pandit Rajiv Taranath.

He worked as Senate Member in Hampi Kannada University, Kannada Sahitya Academyand KannadaPustakaPradhikara. He also worked as State president for `Samudaya’ Cultural Organisation, as Convener to BandayaSahityaSangha, as Edirot to GIANT (Syndicate Bank's House Magazine) KRISHILOKA (Syndicate Bank's Magazine), as member to RDC (Syndicate Bank's Rural Development Institute), Self-Employment Training Institute (RUDSETI- Dharmastala). He was the President for Kannada BelesiBalaga and ChitraSamudaya (Film Division)

2. Sandesha Literature Award (Konkani): Mr. ValliVagga (Mr. Valerian D Souza)

He was born at Vagga of BantawalTaluk of Dakshina Kannada in the year 1947. His pen name is ‘ValliVagga’. He was an industrialist and at present he is retired and continuing is service in literature. In 55 years of his service in the field of Konkani literature, he has written some 150 short stories, 140 poems and 120 articles in different papers, magazines and websites. Out of these articles, some 40 articles have been translated and published in different papers.

He has published 8 books and his Konkani drama “KhandhiKuris” has already had 13 exhibitions. He has been honoured by Karnataka Konkani Academy, Konkani Kutam Bahrain and Daiji Dubai and also he has worked at various capacities in the field of Konkani Literature.

3. Sandesha Media Award: Mr. Shiv Kumar

Professionally he is an engineer and living in Bangalore. For the last 32 years he has been running a magazine called “Aparanji” as an editor. Already he has written 12 books and through his jokes, literature and science he has been decimating information to the general public.  For his literary work in jokes, he has been awarded with Karnataka Sahitya Academy award.

4. Sandesha Konkani Music Award: Mrs. Helen D’Cruz

Mrs.Helen Correa was born in Africa to late Flora and Alexander Correa. In Mumbai Helen was working for women’s magazine Eve’s weekly and had the opportunity to meet some of the best Bollywood actors and singers notable among them GeetaDutt and Hemant Kumar. She has also worked closely with late DivyaniChaubal, writer-columnist and well-known film critic.

She is one of the greatest legends of Konkani stage who stood her own along with Bollywood fame Hemanth Kumar and SangeethSamrat Henry D’Souza. She is known for immortal Konkani hits like ‘Ye..Ye..Katrina’, ‘ChondremUdevnAilo’, ‘GharasoDivo’, ‘SuryachiKirnam’, and many more. Helen’s music journey from Africa–Mangalore–Mumbai-Kuwait-Mumbai is quite astonishing.

Helen had created a sensation in the Konkani music world with her melodious and mellifluous voice in the early 60s and 70s thus giving a big fillip to Konkani music. She was the first reputed Konkani female singer in Mumbai. “SuryachinKirnan” of Jerome D Souza was her first song in radio in 1961 and with that Helen the singer had arrived on the scene. She sang many songs with Alphonso D Costa and also with Henry D Souza.

Helen has also cut an album with Henry D’ Souza with some memorable songs like “ChandremUdevn”, “Sezari”, “GharachoDivo” and of course “Katrina”. Though all the songs were quite melodious and hummable Katrina song hit the bull’s eye. Helen recalls that in during the general elections in Goa the Katrina song had gained lot of fame. Helen also reached the zenith of her popularity with some of the evergreen numbers like “DaryachaDaryachaLarani”, written by Henry, “KalzanthUllasBhorla, BhovtinVaren Valla.” “NaamvmujeLeena”, “Sanjecha Velar” (both tunes by Helen). Helen has also written lyrics of the song “TuMaka”. Apart from Alphonso, Henry and Hemant Kumar, Helen has sung with Jerome D Souza and Henry Moraes (in plays).

5. Sandesha Art Award: Dr. K. S. Pavithra

She is Psychiatrist by profession. Not only she is a good physician and researcher but also a good dancer (Artist). She has done her studies in Bharatnatyam and presently teaching several students. She is the director of Shri Vijay Kalanikethan ® at Shimoga. She has performed various dance programmes at the international level too.

As a dancer and also as a coordinator she has performed many programmes at the national and international level. She has received regional, national and international awards and also she is one among the 25 artists selected by India to participate for the International Festival.

6. Sandesha  Teacher Award: Mrs. Justin D Souza

For the past five decades, as a head of the Siddaganga Education Institution at Davanagere, Mrs. Justin D Souza has served in the field of education along with areas of culture, sports, science and art. She has given prominence to her students to build the leadership in the society by providing them proper channels and avenues.

She has set an example to others by creating environment friendly school and worked hard to recognize her school as a ‘school free from waste materials’. She has been working as a member of several associations of literature and published a book by name “SiddagangeyaSiri”.

She has bagged several awards namely “SevaDhurine”, “Shikshana Shri”, “ShikshanaSiri”, “ShramikaMahile” “Sharada” “Avva” “Kayaka Shri”, “VratthiChaitanyaRatna”, “ShikshanaShiromani” “VidhyadhareSarsvathi” and so on. She has been honoured with Kannada Rajyostva Award too.

7. Sandesha Special Recognition Award- Achievement: Mr. Vincent Prakash Carlo:

For the past 31 years, he has been in the field of Body building and power lifting and he has represented India at International level and brought honour to the nation. He has been a great inspiration to the youth and others to get motivated to keep a healthy body by getting trained themselves under his effective training.

He is from Mangalore. He is a Body Builder and Power lifter. He has participated in 11 international competitions and bagged 2 Gold, 1 Silver and 2 bronze. He has participated in 24 National Level and 28 state level Competitions and bagged 28 Gold, 17 silver and 7 bronze medals.

He has been honoured twice with “Strong Man of India” and twice as “Strong man of South India”