Doctorate conferred on NMPT chairman

Naturals Ice Cream founder Raghunandan Kamath passed away following a brief illness. Born to a mango vendor in a village in Mangaluru, Kamath went on to establish Naturals, an ice cream parlour estimated to be worth Rs 400 crore today. 

"Our thoughts on the sad demise of our patron and founder of Naturals Ice Cream, Late Raghunandan Kamath. Indeed a very sad and unfortunate day for us," the company said.

Mr Kamath grew up helping his father in selling mangoes in a village Karnataka's Mangaluru. This was when he learned the art of picking the ripe fruit, plucking it, sorting it, and preserving it.

As the legend goes, a young 14-year-old Kamath boarded a train from Mangaluru and came to Mumbai (then Bombay). 

After working at his brother’s restaurant, Kamath had an idea — if ice creams have fruit flavours, why can’t they have real fruits. He decided to fill this void in the market. But unsure of whether customers would come, he began his business with serving pav-bhaji as the main dish and the ice cream as an add on.

His first ice cream parlour was launched in 1984 in Juhu, with the initial menu featuring around 12 flavours, each being a testament to the knowledge he acquired during the time he assisted his father in Mangaluru.

The demand kept growing and he opened five more outlets in 1994. Currently, it has over 165 outlets across 15 cities.
 
His story was captured expansively in ‘Intelligent Fanatics of India’, a book co-authored by Mumbai-based journalist Pooja Bhula.

Inspired by his mother's techniques, Kamath also developed innovative machines to streamline production and ensure consistency, notes the company website.

Mangaluru: Attempting to take political advantage of lack of space in a Masjid, wherein a few people had to offer last Friday prayers on a narrow stretch of an interior road for a few minutes in Mangaluru, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad has warned of holding mass recitation of Hanuman Chalisa, if instances of offering namaz on the road is reported from anywhere in Dakshina Kannada.

VHP leader Sharan Pumpwell said “instances of offering namaz on roads and public places have come to light in the district. It is a conspiracy to create unrest in the district.”

“The district administration should take action against those who offered namaz on the road. If such incidents recur, the VHP will hold recitation of Hanuman chalisa on the same spot,” he warned. 

In fact, the VHP members submitted a memorandum to Kadri police to take action against those who offered namaz on the road. The police should consider the incident seriously.

In a memorandum, they claimed in spite of having enough space at the masjid, by offering namaz on the road has caused inconvenience to the public.

It may be recalled that the video of a few offering namaz on the street in Kankanady had gone viral on social media, drawing criticism from various quarters.

Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal said that a case has been registered against unknown persons for offering prayers on the road at Mangaluru East Police station limits.

FIR has been registered under IPC Sections 341, 283, 143 and 149 and investigation is in progress.

The Commissioner said "video of unknown persons offering prayers on the public road in front of a masjid on May 24 was being circulated in social media. The video was verified and was found that it posed hindrance to the movement of public and vehicles."

Mangaluru: Fourteen years ago today, on a fateful day in May, the city of Mangaluru was struck by a tragedy that sent ripples of grief and anguish across the nation. This catastrophic event not only shook the aviation industry to its core but also left an indelible scar on the hearts of countless families and the local community.

On May 22, 2010, an Air India Express flight crashed while attempting to land at Mangaluru International Airport, claiming the lives of 158 souls on board. The ill-fated flight, carrying 160 passengers and six crew members, was en route from Dubai to Mangaluru when disaster struck.

As the aircraft approached the runway, it overshot the landing, plunging down a steep hill and bursting into flames upon impact. The horror of the crash sent shockwaves through the nation, as families, friends, and the community were engulfed in mourning for their lost loved ones.

Rescue teams, including firefighters, police personnel, and medical professionals, rushed to the scene, but the inferno and treacherous terrain made their efforts harrowing and heart-wrenchingly difficult. The intense fire consumed the aircraft, leaving little hope for survival.

In the aftermath, investigations revealed a series of devastating errors and misjudgments that led to the tragedy. The airport’s tabletop runway design, with its perilous steep gradient at the end, was a critical factor in the disaster. Analysis of the plane’s black box further unveiled that the chief pilot, Captain Zlatko Glusica, bore significant responsibility. Despite urgent warnings from his co-pilot, First Officer Ahluwalia, Captain Glusica proceeded with the ill-fated landing, sealing the doomed fate of the flight.

Today, as we commemorate this solemn occasion, families and friends of the victims gather to pay their respects at the memorial erected near the crash site. This memorial stands as a poignant reminder of the precious lives lost and the profound grief that lingers. It also underscores the imperative for continued improvements in aviation safety, to prevent such heart-rending tragedies from ever happening again.