New Delhi, Apr 4: Royal Challengers Bangalore's young batsman Devdutt Padikkal is quarantining at his home since returning positive for COVID-19 during a test conducted on March 22, his IPL franchise said on Sunday.

The 14th edition of the lucrative league starts in Mumbai on April 9 with RCB taking on defending champions Mumbai Indians.

"Devdutt Padikkal tested positive for COVID-19 on 22nd March 2021. He has been in mandatory quarantine at his residence in Bengaluru since then. Devdutt will be fit to join the RCB bio-bubble once his RT-PCR tests are negative, as per IPL protocol," RCB said in a statement.

The franchise, which has never won the tournament, posted the statement on its Twitter handle.

"RCB Medical team is in touch with Devdutt ensuring his safety and well-being. He is feeling well and we can't wait to have him join the squad for IPL2021," the franchise wrote in another tweet.

The 20-year-old Padikkal was RCB's highest scorer last season with 473 runs from 15 matches. He has also been in tremendous form in the domestic circuit. He is only the second uncapped player in IPL's history to score more than 400 runs in debut season.

On Saturday, Delhi Capitals and India all-rounder Axar Patel had tested positive for the highly contagious virus and is set to miss the team's opener on April 10 due to quarantine protocols.

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Mangaluru: The Department of Occupational Therapy at Yenepoya (Deemed to be University) conducted a community-based Autism Awareness Campaign at Fiza Mall and Ullal Beach in the city.

The campaign was aimed at promoting awareness, inclusion, and early identification of autism, in line with the global theme, “Autism and Humanity – Every Life Has Value.” 

The programme was led by Dr. Dhayanithi K and Dr. Ananya Jana as organising chairpersons, with Dr. Anas, Dr. Amanda S. Phillip, and Dr. Ansu V. David served as organising members.

Students of the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (BOT) programme participated in conducting the campaign.

The event included activities such as flash mobs, street plays, face painting, mehendi, and direct interaction with the public.

These activities focused on highlighting early signs of autism, the need for early intervention, and the importance of inclusion and acceptance of individuals with autism.

The campaign reached around 300 to 500 members of the public. It also provided students with practical exposure to community-based rehabilitation and public health education.

As part of the initiative, QR-based digital resources were introduced to help the public access reliable information on autism. 

“Awareness is the first step towards inclusion, and early intervention can significantly improve outcomes,” the organising team said.

The department thanked the university for its support in organising the campaign. It also acknowledged the cooperation of the management of Fiza Mall and the Ullal Beach Police Department in facilitating the event.