Good morning, Bengaluru!
☀️ Today’s weather: Clear skies and a gentle breeze.
🧐 Did you know? The Sappers War Memorial is Bengaluru’s oldest war memorial. It’s dedicated to the 449 soldiers of the Madras Pioneers, killed in battle during World War I between 1914 – 1918.
🤝 Raman Research Institute’s pact with the Navy
RRI’s agreement with the Indian Navy will foster cutting-edge research in areas of national importance.
Story so far: On April 3, we wrote about the Raman Research Institute’s breakthrough in quantum communications, which was the first of its kind in India. The RRI demonstrated that a more flexible and secure uplink is possible. The institute has now signed an MoU with the Navy’s Weapons and Electronics Systems Engineering Establishment (WESEE).
- It’s a five-year-long agreement. The MoU was signed in New Delhi by RRI director Tarun Souradeep and Vice-Admiral Sandeep Naithani.
- Souradeep believes that such collaborations in the Indian science ecosystem propel talented researchers to strengthen national security.
Why it matters? Professor Urbasi Sinha, group head of the Quantum Information and Computing Lab, believes that the lab will initiate cutting-edge research for applications in the Navy.
📢 New Rules at Cubbon Park
Security personnel at Cubbon Park are using loudspeakers to warn visitors about defying the new rules.
Story so far: There are new guidelines in place for those visiting Cubbon Park. Now, visitors are prohibited from bringing food, playing games, taking pictures, and indulging in public displays of affection (PDA).
- Over the past month, security guards have been using loudspeakers on patrol to stop people from flouting the rules.
- A long list of complaints from families about PDA and concerns over the safety of park visitors prompted the changes.
Why it matters? Park officials have clarified that the new rules aren’t a measure of morally policing people from displays of affection. Rather, the ambience of the park might not be suitable for such activities. The officials are concerned about a snake that was allegedly found in the park recently.
♻️ Sustainability Conference
The conference invited presentations and panel discussions on the environment and community empowerment.
Story so far: On Wednesday, St Joseph’s University’s School of Social Work hosted a national conference on ‘Participatory Perspectives Towards Sustainable India’ to foster discussions on ways to build a sustainable future.
- It was inaugurated by environmentalist Saalumarada Thimmakka. Irom Chanu Sharmila, a civil rights activist, shared her experiences of resistance and encouraged the gathering to contribute to sustainability.
- Friedrich Birgelen, Deputy Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany, encouraged the students to endlessly pursue sustainable solutions.
Why it matters? The conference was attended by the consul generals of Italy, Germany, and Japan, who highlighted the importance of building bilateral relations to jointly work on sustainability goals.
📖 Book review: Songs of Solitude
Songs of Solitude is a new book of poems penned by a city-based analyst.
A gist: ‘Songs of Solitude’ is an anthology of 21 poems written by Harini Ramesh and published by Book Leaf Publishing. The poems delve into dreams, motivation, pain, failure, sorrow, heartbreak, hope, and healing. A first-time author with an M.Sc degree in computer science, Ramesh is an Associate Analyst at West Pharmaceuticals, Bengaluru.
- The poet wanted to evoke a sense of belonging and community in her writing, to bring together people from varied backgrounds.
- The titles are composed in a manner that highlights the cyclical nature of human emotions. Emotions change, just like seasons.
The idea: The seeds for this book were perhaps sown when an English teacher recognised Ramesh’s flair for writing. Inspired by Anne Frank’s diary, she composed poems in a journal. She would then post the excerpts on social media, which got positive responses.
✨ Things to do…
Here are some fun and interesting things to do in the city over the weekend!
- Sing your heart out during Koramangala Karaoke Nights at Marcopolo Cafe.
- Kaamaroopigal is a Kannada play inspired by the Panchavati portion of Ramayana.
- Mazey, Masti Aur Music is an open mic for music and poetry lovers on Saturday.
- Play glow-in-the-dark Badminton at Kaggadasapura on Sunday.
- Groove to Bollywood club music at Boomrang on Sunday.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll Results:
- I have subscribed to Youtube Premium: 41.2%
- I haven’t subscribed to Youtube Premium: 58.8% 🏆
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
Who was your favourite cartoon character growing up?
Datta: “Dexter”
That’s it for today. Have a great weekend!