Install Dr Rajkumar’s statue in parliament, give him ‘Bharat Ratna’: Vatal Nagaraj

News Network

December 27, 2018

Bengaluru, Dec 27: In a bizarre demand, Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj has urged the union government to install the statue of Sandalwood actor late Dr Rajkumar in the premises of parliament and bestow upon him the 'Bharat Ratna' award posthumously.

Addressing a press conference here today, the Kannada chaluvali paksha chief said that several years after his demise, Dr Rajkumar continues to be a role model for crores with his simplicity and politeness.

"He has been felicitated with many awards for his service in the film field. He has also been felicitated with Dada Saheb Phalke award, which is the biggest honour for a film fraternity. The only honour that is left over in the country and the much desirable award for Rajkumar is 'Bharat Ratna'. So I request President, Prime Minister and our state leaders to take this initiation," he said.

Vatal was accompanied with Sa Ra Govindu, president of Dr Rajkumar fans association and former Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce(KFCC) president and other Kannada activists.

"I was constantly fighting against the injustice that was happening to Kannada and Dr Rajkumar films in front of other language films. In this way I was closely associated with Dr Rajkumar more than 50 years," he added.

Comments

I'm not against any celebrities.

What is the contribution of Mr. Rajkumaar to the society. Not only Raj but many film actors.

Acting is their profession, and they played and they got the remuneration in millions too.

but did they paid or contributed any penny to the society??

for what , he use to do act and earn only for his personal and family members. Mr. wataal keep quit and shut u r big mouth

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Elusive bamboo shrimp resurfaces in Mangaluru estuary after 70 years

News Network

December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

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