Missile Man’s oath to legislators recalled; renaming of Cubbon Park after Kalam demanded

July 31, 2015

Bengaluru, Jul 31: The Karnataka Legislative Assembly paid homage to the former President A.P. J. Abdul Kalam whose mortal remains were buried in Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu on Thursday.

Kalam had administered an oath of leading a corruption-free life to the Karnataka legislators back in 2008. Dr. Kalam’s visit to Karnataka to inaugurate a training camp for the newly-elected legislators in December 2008, when he was the President, was recalled in the Assembly by Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa.

In his obituary reference, the Speaker recalled the oath: “I will become a model to everybody by leading a corruption-free life and by working honestly.”

The former President had also explained to them about his favourite theme of ‘Providing Urban facilities in Rural Areas’ (PURA), the Speaker recalled, and described the administering of oath and sharing of the PURA concept as an unforgettable moment. He also recalled Dr. Kalam’s address to a joint session of the legislature on the golden jubilee of the State’s reorganisation, during which he had made a power-point presentation on his vision for the development of Karnataka.

Leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar said the former President, being popularly referred to as ‘People’s President’, had bridged the gap between the Rashtrapathi Bhavan and common people. He had not only increased the respect for the post of the President, but had also set new precedent by breaking the protocol and interacting with children during official programmes, Mr. Shettar said.

Janata Dal (Secular) member Y.S.V. Datta said Dr. Kalam trusted the youth and children to change the country for the better.

Legislator B R Patil on Thursday said that late president A P J Abdul Kalam was against capital punishment. While paying tributes to Kalam in the Legislative Assembly, Patil (KJP) said that Kalam had always argued that there should be no such punishment.

Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha member K.S. Puttannaiah said that making speeches about Kalam was not sufficient. “His idealism should be reflected in textbooks. The government must conduct programmes in memory of Kalam to recall his contribution to science and technology. Mr Puttannaiah urged the government to include a lesson on Dr Kalam’s life in curriculum. BJP member Govind Karjol suggested that Cubbon Park be re-named after the former President.

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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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