Bengaluru: Veteran literary figure ‘Nadoja’ Kamala Hampana, aged 89, passed away at her residence in Rajajinagar on Saturday. She reportedly died in her sleep.

Kamala Hampana is survived by her husband, well-known writer Hampa Nagarajaiah. Arrangements have been made for a public viewing at her residence until the evening. In accordance with her wishes, her body will be donated to Ramaiah Medical College.

Kamala Hampana was a distinguished Kannada writer, scholar and professor. She was the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Karnataka Sahitya Akademi Award and the Nadoja Award.

Throughout her 60-year career, Kamala Hampana was involved with education, literature, speech and research. While she undertook study and research across all genres of Kannada literature, contributing significantly to each, she reached great heights through her works in contemporary Kannada literature.

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Her notable accolades include the chairmanship of the 71st All India Kannada Sahitya Sammelana held in Moodbidri in 2003, the Danachintamani Attimabbe Award conferred by the state government, and the Nadoja Award from Hampi Kannada University, in recognition of her enduring and valuable contributions.

Kamala Hampana's 60 published works include drama, stories, and scholarly texts, in addition to nine other voluminous works. Her modern poetry collections include "Bindali," "Bugudi," and "Bayalu." She also authored two English books, "Attimabbe and Chalukyas" and "Jainism and Other Essays."

Numerous dignitaries, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, have expressed their condolences on her passing.

The Minister for Welfare of Backward Classes and Kannada and Culture, Shivaraj Tangadagi, expressed deep grief over Kamala Hampana's death. "Kamala's entire family has made a unique contribution to the Kannada cultural world. May God give strength to her family to bear the sorrow of this loss. The Kannada cultural world will always remember her with respect," he said in his condolence message.

 

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Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): The IMD, along with its technical partners, will soon revise the criteria for declaring heatwave conditions in the country, as the present parameters do not suit India’s geographical conditions, according to official sources here.

Kerala, in particular, has faced difficulties in issuing heatwave warnings because of the limitations of the existing parameters.

Sources in the India Meteorological Department said the state experienced severe heat and humidity this summer and, for the first time, weather forecasts were made based on the anti-cyclone system that formed near the Karnataka–Maharashtra coast.

"We have never had an anti-cyclone system form closer to the South before, and this time we had to predict the weather based on it," a senior IMD official told PTI.

Anti-cyclonic systems are common over north-western parts of India, but this year one formed near the southern region, leading to unusually hot nights.

The anti-cyclone caused downward air movement, which pushed warm air towards the surface and prevented it from dispersing at night, the official added. As a result, Kerala recorded night temperatures 3 to 4 degrees Celsius above normal.

Because Kerala has experienced a steady temperature increase during the summer months for the last few years, changing the parameters for declaring heat waves would benefit the state, enabling the authorities to issue warnings more efficiently, the official added.

The IMD currently issues hot and humid weather warnings, although the situation warrants a heatwave warning, as the existing parameters do not allow the department to issue one.

At present, the IMD issues a heat wave warning in coastal areas when the maximum temperature reaches 37 degree Celsius or more with a temperature departure of 4.5 degree Celsius over the recorded maximum temperature.

For plains, the threshold is 40 degrees Celsius with a departure of 4.5 degrees Celsius or more from normal, while for hilly regions it is 30 degrees Celsius with a departure of 4.5 degrees Celsius or more.

Officials said the current heatwave declaration parameters also require these conditions to be recorded at two stations in the state to issue the warnings.

"In Kerala, we hardly get to record these conditions in two areas; moreover, we have severe heat stress that can easily cause a heat stroke. So we have decided to rework the heatwave declaration parameters and the changes will be implemented shortly. There will be a consultation with the Disaster Management Authority also before finalising the parameters," the official said.

Throughout Kerala, temperatures recorded this summer were three to four degrees Celsius higher than usual. The state also reported multiple cases of heatstroke despite regular warnings issued by the IMD and the state disaster management authority.

According to experts, Kerala has become a climate change hotspot, with a steady increase in atmospheric temperatures and erratic monsoons.

The IMD has also predicted a below-normal monsoon this year, as this is the first time two consecutive El Nino years are being witnessed.