The sole aim of these achievers from Mangaluru, Udupi is to serve the people

[email protected] (By Pavithra Prakash | CD Network)
May 12, 2016

Mangaluru/Udupi, May 12: The sole aim of the two female candidates from twin coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi who have cracked the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) civil services examinations (2015) is to serve the people.

26-year-old engineering graduate Michelle D'Costa, who has secured the 387th rank, says that she hopes to get into the IAS and does not mind serving in the Forest and other Civil Services streams.

nivyandcosta

Michelle D'Costa and Nivya P Shetty

Michelle D'Costa is the second of the three children of Lazarus and Nancy Felcy D'Costa, farmers at Neerude near Moodbidri in Mangaluru taluk. They grow arecanut and coconut on their five-acre land.

Michelle D'Costa says that joining the Civil Services has been in her mind since her schooldays thanks to her father's encouragement. She studied till the seventh standard in the St. Francis Xavier Higher Primary School in Neerude and then continued her schooling at Little Flower Secondary School at Kinnigoli. She did her pre-university course from Alva's PU College. She graduated from R.V. College of Engineering in Information Science in 2011.

Since then Michelle D'Costa has involved herself in cracking the Civil Services Examination. She spent a few months in New Delhi where she attended tutorials and prepared in General Studies and Kannada literature. The 2015 examination was her third attempt.

“It was my dream to serve the people by cracking UPSC exam. I am ready to serve the public with whatever service I get for my rank,” Michelle said.

“This is my third Prelims and first Mains and interview. I have also appeared for the state civil service examinations. I took coaching as a preparation for the exam. The only way to crack the exam is to prepare consistently and updating general knowledge. My parents supported me throughout. I am grateful to my parents and God for the success.”

On the other hand Nivya P Shetty, a native of Thombathu village in Udupi's Kundapura taluk, who has secured 274th rank, also says that the support and guidance of her parents helped her to achieve success.

Daughter of advocate Prakash Shetty and Narmada P Shetty, Nivya Shetty currently stays in Bengaluru with her parents. She completed her schooling from Sophia School in Bengaluru and later completed her engineering from Sir MVIT.?She has cleared the UPSC in her first attempt.

“I'm happy that I have secured 274th rank in my first attempt. Depending on the rank secured, I will get IPS or revenue services. I am more interested to work in Indian Administrative Service (IAS), hence I will write the exam in coming year,” she said.

“I consider this as a small step, I always wanted to be in public service, in any capacity. I will work hard to secure better rank next time and serve the poor,” she added.

 

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.
News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old NRI on his return from Saudi Arabia in connection with an Instagram post allegedly containing derogatory and provocative remarks about the Hindu religion, officials said on Monday.

The accused, Abdul Khader Nehad, a resident of Ulaibettu in Mangaluru, was working in Saudi Arabia when the post was uploaded, police said.

A suo motu case was registered at the Bajpe police station on October 11 after an allegedly offensive post circulated from the Instagram account ‘team_sdpi_2025’. Police said the content was flagged for being provocative and derogatory in nature.

During the investigation, technical analysis traced the Instagram post to Nehad, who was residing abroad at the time, a senior police officer said. Based on these findings, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him.

On December 14, Nehad arrived from Saudi Arabia at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, where he was taken into custody on arrival. Police said further investigation is underway.

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.
News Network
December 7,2025

SHRIMP.jpg

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

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.
coastaldigest.com news network
December 20,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 20: City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy has issued a high-alert warning to vehicle owners regarding a surge in cyber fraud targeting those looking to pay traffic violation fines. Fraudsters are reportedly exploiting recent government discount schemes on traffic penalties to deceive citizens.

The Scam: How Fraudsters Strike

Criminals are using SMS, WhatsApp, and social media to circulate suspicious links and APK files (Android application packages). They claim these apps allow users to pay e-challans at a discount.

•    Device Hacking: Downloading these unauthorized apps gives hackers full access to the victim's smartphone.

•    Financial Theft: Once the phone is compromised, fraudsters intercept OTPs and personal data to drain bank accounts.

•    Phishing Sites: Fake websites mimicking official portals are also being used to harvest banking credentials.

Already, two residents within Mangaluru city limits have reported significant financial losses after falling victim to these fraudulent apps.

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.