Grandparents celebrate their day

September 15, 2012

Mangalore, September 15: Gonzaga School on Saturday organised a programme to mark 'International Grandparents Day' at the Loyola Hall at St Aloysius P U College, Mangalore.

Speaking on the occasion, Principal of the school Grace Noronha said that such a programme had been organised to understand the culture and tradition of grandparents all over the world.

“Being a grandparent is a big job. But they raised your parents; therefore have a lot of experience. They are the hex of homes and a source of wisdom. We need to respect them and shower them with love and gratitude throughout their lives”, she said.

Clemencia D'Couto said that around children, every day was Grandparents Day, as they were a source of joy and laughter. Being a grandmother of nine children herself, she said that she enjoyed the experience and thanked God for the gift of grandchildren.

Many games were organised for those grandparents among the audience. As many as 20 elders took part in games like “Finding the slippers” and “Odd man out”. Mohini Shetty, a grandmother of 12, was given a prize gift for having the highest number of grandchildren among the group.

Little children of Gonzaga School entertained the audience with song and dance.

International Grandparents Day is observed on September 9 each year.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

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.

Comments