This Karnataka mom-daughter duo is set to circumnavigate earth in motor glider

News Network
November 30, 2017

Mysuru, Nov 30: In a first-of-its-kind sojourn to create a world record in a motor glider, a mother-daughter duo from Karnataka’s Mysuru is all set to circumnavigate around the world — 21 countries, covering 51,000 km — in a motor glider.

Capt Audrey Deepika Maben and Amy Mehta will fly around the planet in 80 days, criss-crossing over South East Asia, Japan, Russia, Alaska, North America, Iceland, Greenland, Europe, Iran and Pakistan before touching down in India. The jaunt will begin on February 18, 2018.

Maben’s plane ‘Mahi’ is a Sinus 912 that’s smaller than the size of an average kitchen, can fly around the world in lesser fuel than you need to make it to office and back, and has never been flown by a female pilot; until now. Given the size constraints, the pilot will be unable to fly across the globe with extra clothes and not always have her daughter alongside her, and will have to fly commercial from time to time.

The expedition was announced at the Jakkur Aerodrome on Wednesday. The journey is conceptualised by Social Access Communications as part of their campaign ‘WE! Women Empower’ and is supported by a private TV channel and the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development.

Audrey, who started flying gliders in Jakkur as a 15-year-old NCC cadet, was the first woman microlight aircraft instructor in the country. She also set a record as the only woman ultralight pilot in the Air Race India in 2003.

Nineteen-year-old Amy has flown beside her mother from when she was a child and she is excited to be with her on this mission.

“I will be my mother’s eyes and ears during the journey. I will be looking after social media, where we will post about our journey,” she said.

Amy is a photography student and she will be taking special leave to be on this expedition. “I will be taking pictures and I hope to bring out a photography book at the end of the trip,” she said.

Audrey is now on a nutrition programme and is undergoing strength and endurance training to prepare for the physically and mentally demanding journey. “I am also preparing my children and family for this trip, because everybody perceives this journey as a risk. But I say the roads are much more dangerous than the skies,” Audrey said.

She hopes to empower young girls and women by showing them that they can also fly. The campaign has a crowdfunding drive to create ‘We! Udaan Scholarships’ to support underprivileged girls who want to fly.

Comments

Mohan
 - 
Thursday, 30 Nov 2017

Great expedition. All the best for future plans

Sruti Kotian
 - 
Thursday, 30 Nov 2017

Inspiring. I wish I can do atleast all India tour with my mom

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News Network
July 22,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 22: A total of 4,764 new COVID-19 cases and 55 deaths were reported in Karnataka in the last 24 hours.

Out of the new cases, 2,050 cases were reported in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

The total number of active cases stands at 47,069, said the state Health Department.

Death toll rises to 1,519 in the state.

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News Network
May 27,2020

Bengaluru, May 27: Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Wednesday hit out at Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa-led Karnataka government for allegedly "betraying" the people by not fulfilling its Rs 1,610 crore COVID-19 package promise.

Taking a dig at Yediyurappa over the matter, the Congress leader tweeted, "Chief Minister of Karnataka BS Yediyurappa has betrayed people by not fulfilling his Rs 1,610 crore package promise. He seems to be following his @BJP4India leader @PMOIndia @narendramodi."

"Crisis and vulnerability should not be misused for political gains and BJP for India is insensitive towards the same," the former Karnataka Chief Minister said.

On May 6, Yediyurappa had urged migrant workers to stay back as construction activities have resumed and announced a Rs 1,610 crores COVID-19 financial package for the state.

"A package of Rs 1,610 crores will be released as COVID-19 financial relief. One time compensation of Rs 5,000 will be given to 2,30,000 barbers and 7,75,000 drivers," the Chief Minister said.

Referring to media reports, Siddarmiah cornered the state government for asking the licence to release funds for unorganised sector workers.

"How can we expect washermen and other unorganised sector workers to have licence for their work?" he asked.

It looks like Karnataka Chief Minister is very far from reality, he added.

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News Network
February 12,2020

Kathmandu, Feb 12: Nepal has suspended the licence of a mountainous resort for three months due to poor security management and managerial weakness at the hotel where eight Indian tourists, including four minors, died of possible asphyxiation, according to media reports.

Kathmandu: Nepal has suspended the licence of a mountainous resort for three months due to poor security management and managerial weakness at the hotel where eight Indian tourists, including four minors, died of possible asphyxiation, according to media reports.

Tragedy struck a group of 15 tourists from Kerala when eight of them died on January 21 due to possible asphyxiation after they fell unconscious probably due to a gas leak from a heater in their room at a mountainous resort in Makwanpur district.

The tourists were airlifted to HAMS hospital here where they were pronounced dead on arrival. Makwanpur police said the victims might have fallen unconscious due to asphyxiation.

The Department of Tourism on Sunday imposed a ban on the operation of Daman-based Everest Panorama Resort for three months based on the report submitted by a probe committee formed to investigate the death of the Indian tourists from Kerala, the Kathmandu Post reported on Tuesday.

The department decided to shut down the resort as the report submitted by a probe committee pointed out poor security management and managerial weakness at the resort for the incident, it said.

The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation had formed the probe committee under Surendra Thapa, the director of the Department of Tourism. After a field inspection, the committee had submitted its report a few days ago, pointing to the shortcomings of the resort.

During the investigation, the committee found the resort had not been following the recommended safety measures and was providing substandard services to its guests, The Himalayan Times reported.

Moreover, the committee discovered that the resort had not fulfilled the criteria set by DoT to be categorised a 'resort', it said.

Mira Acharya, director of DoT was quoted as saying by the report that the resort's operations have been halted as per Section 15 of Tourism Act-1979.

"If the resort owner wishes to resume services after three months of suspension, the resort should be upgraded as per the Hotel, Lodge, Restaurant, Bar and Tourist Guide Rules-1981 and also meet the criteria mentioned in a notice published in the Nepal Gazette under the title 'Hotel Classification and Criteria'," Acharya said.

She added that the resort would also have to undergo the Environment Impact Assessment to get the permission from DoT to resume operation.

Meanwhile, the resort management has said that they will work towards meeting the standards fixed by the department and run the resort efficiently.

"We will work towards meeting the standards fixed by the department and run the resort efficiently. We are saddened by the tragic incident. We will ensure that such incidents don't occur in the future,” said Sudesh Gautam, the operator of the resort was quoted as saying by the Kathmandu Post.

The group, after travelling to Pokhara -- a popular mountainous tourist destination -- was on their way back home and stayed at Everest Panorama Resort in Daman.

Those who were killed were Praveen Krishnan Nair, his wife Saranya Sasi and their three children and Ranjith Kumar Adatholath Punathil, his wife Indu Lakshmi Peethambaran Ragalatha and their son.

Everest Panorama Resort was established 28 years ago in Daman Simbhajyang area, a tourist destination in Bagmati Province. The tourist numbers, according to Thaha Hotel Association, have plunged after the tragic accident of January 27.

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