Monthly Archives: February 2012

Hyderabad airport bags National Tourism Award

New Delhi, Feb 29 (IBNS)

GMR Hyderabad International Airport (GHIAL) has been awarded the National Tourism Award 2010-’11 under the Best Airport category.

The airport has been adjudged as the best airport in India for actively promoting tourism, not only in Andhra Pradesh but also at the pan India level. 

The award was presented by President Pratibha Singh Patil to Vikram R. Jaisinghani, CEO of GHIAL at an award ceremony in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India presents, the National Tourism Awards to various segments of the travel and tourism industry every year, which includes states/union territories, hotels, travel agents, tour operators, airports, etc., to recognize their performance with an aim to promote tourism. RGIA has now won this award for 2 consecutive years.

GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL) is a joint venture company promoted by the GMR Group (63%) in partnership with Government of India (13%), Government of Andhra Pradesh (13%) and Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (11%).

source: http://www.IndiaBlooms.com / Business / India Blooms News Service / New Delhi, February 29th, 2012 (IBNS)

Hyderabad Angels Invest 2 Crores in Green India Building Systems & Services

Hyderabad Angels invested 2 crores in Green India Building Systems & Services. Green India offers operational, maintenance, and energy solutions to reduce the overall building life-cycle expenses.

Speaking about why they chose to invest, Chandrakiran Mallarapu of Hyderabad Angels said, “Green India has a great team, a very unique value proposition, and a huge market to go after.” Hyderabad Angels previously invested 25 lakhs in Green India.

The investment is led by Sashi Reddi of AppLabs fame, and includes other industry veterans like Srini Koppolu ( Ex-Microsoft India MD ), BVR Mohan Reddy ( MD, Infotech Enterprise ) and J A Chowdary ( Ex-Nvidia Graphics MD ).

Hyderabad Angels have made 3 investments so far, out of which 2 are disclosed. They have also invested in RFID products company Identis Technologies.

Hyderabad Angels plan to make 5 – 10 investments in 2012. Typical deal size is 2 – 4 crores.

Do visit http://www.gibss.in

source: http://www.yourstory.in / by Team YS / February 25th, 2012

Torque’12, Mechanical Fest at JNTU College of Engineering, Kakinada

JNTU College of Engineering, Kakinada will organize Torque’12, national level mechanical fest from March 16 to March 17, 2012.

Torque’12 is a national level technical symposium organised by the department of mechanical engineering, JNTU. Torque is a moment to couple your innovation.

At present the whole world is about engineers and their technology, and the dictum is proved by the “TORQUE” in JNTU. For this the national level fest Torque’12 is back again.

With guest lectures that will explore new vistas and technical events, both fun filled and sober, that are designed to make your mind race, the two day national level symposium will be an arena for exchanging ideas and showcasing brilliance.

The dimensions of the events are being enlarged with the progress of the Torque and the accommodation will be provided for free of cost for all the participants.

Events:

  • Technodox – Paper Presentation
  • Posterite
  • Action Replay – Movie Making
  • Contraption
  • Machine Impossible – Innovative Design
  • Step Up
  • Death Race – Robo Wars
  • Spot Events

Registrations are opened for all the events.

Last Date for registrations is 10th march.

Venue: JNTU College of Engineering, Kakinada

For more details, please contact:

For Registrations:

M.V.Ravi Kishore, 9701579416

A.V.S.Ranga Rao, 9493333245

Website: www.torque2k12.com

Event Face book page:

www.facebook.com/pages/Torque12/218908128206906

source: http://www.Minglebox.com / Home> Campus> Articles / February 27th, 2012

 

Birla Science Centre plans to set up research telescope in Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad, DEC 14:

After installing the C-11 telescope for amateur star gazers, the city-based B M Birla Science Centre is now planning to set up a more powerful research telescope for experts in the field.

Work on the location of the proposed research telescope, its funding and other related aspects are at a preliminary stage and the project is likely to become a reality in the next 3-4 years, B M Birla Science Centre Director General, Mr B.G. Sidharth, said.

“Birla Science Centre is working on setting up a research telescope. The work is at a primary stage and we have had an exchange of intent and also held preliminary rounds of talk with a French agency,” Mr Sidharth told PTI.

The research telescope will be a powerful one to facilitate experts to work on a variety of observational research projects. It would be installed at a far-off location away from the city, he said.

“We are working on this…but it will take at least next 3-4 years to set up the research telescope,” Mr Sidharth said.

Compared to the amateur telescope, the research telescope will be much more powerful and can be used by experts and space researchers to spot distant galaxies several ‘light years’ away, Mr Sidharth explained, adding there are few research telescopes at Nainital, Kodaikanal and Rangapur observatory in the country.

With a view to promote awareness in astronomy and science education, the Birla Science Centre, in collaboration with a France-based NGO ‘Uranoscope De France’, had set up the ‘G P Birla Observatory and Astronomical Research Centre’ that houses the C-11 telescope.

A series of lectures and new courses in astronomy have been launched at the science centre after the observatory was opened.

source: http://www.TheHinduBusinessLine.com / Industry & Economy> Government & Policy / by PTI / Hyderabad, December 14th, 2012

 

‘No second chances when you are playing for the country’

After a good run in Tests, Ojha eyes comeback in shorter version

It was sheer coincidence that just after England completed their 4-0 whitewash of India in the Test series late last year at The Oval, the home of Surrey, Pragyan Ojha played a crucial role in the English County side getting promoted to Division One.

The left-arm spinner, one of the overseas players for the then Division Two side, took 24 wickets at 12.95 as Surrey won four matches in a row to make the grade after a prolonged stint in the lower division. The irony, though, was hard to miss. While Ojha relished the English conditions, India, among several other things, were desperately looking for a spinner to turn their fortunes around.

Harbhajan Singh left injured midway through the tour while second spinner Amit Mishra was listless in the final two Tests he played. Of course, no one can state with surety that Ojha would have made the difference, but there weren’t many cricketing reasons as to why the Hyderabad bowler, inducted for the final Test as Harbhajan’s replacement, wasn’t part of the Indian squad in the first place.

“Yeah, when you are not playing for your country, you do get disappointed,” admitted Ojha when asked if he was surprised not to find a place on Test tours to the West Indies and England. The 25-year-old had taken 28 wickets in six Tests preceding the Caribbean soujourn, but Mishra got the selectors’ nod. After the Haryana bowler failed to make an impression during the twin away series, Ojha was recalled and, together with debutant R Ashwin, bowled India to a 2-0 Test series win over West Indies at home with 20 scalps from three matches.

“I was just trying to focus on my inner strengths and brush up on my cricket,” remarked the Orissa-born cricketer. “I was really keen on being more consistent, especially in the county cricket. Then playing a lot of domestic cricket, getting a lot of match practice — that always keeps you ready. County cricket helped me a lot and when I got my chance against the West Indies in India, I did quite well and I am really happy about that,” observed Ojha, whose last 48 wickets have come in just nine Tests.

While on tours outside the sub-continent he is still not an automatic choice, Ojha, along with Ashwin, has made the struggling Harbhajan’s return a bit more difficult. “I know one thing very clearly — that when you are playing for your country, it is not a cake-walk. When the whole country is depending on you, you have a lot of responsibility. You do have senior players but you always share the same responsibility as they do. I just tell myself ‘I really have to do well and that there are no ifs and buts.’ You know there are really no second chances when you are playing for the country.”

The fastest Indian left-arm spinner to 50 Test wickets — in all, he has 62 wickets from 14 games — Ojha appears quite satisfied with the way his career is progressing in the longer version.

“To be very honest, till it happened, I was not aware of what the record was,” he noted. “Having great left-arm spinners like BS Bedi, Venkatapathi Raju, Sunil Joshi and then Ravi Shastri … I mean there have been a lot of great bowlers and then to be the fastest left-arm spinner to reach 50 wickets, it’s a great feeling.

“If I tick all the boxes like practising, having good matches and keeping myself fit, that will really help me perform better in the years to come. As far as my Test career is concerned, I have done well. Right now, I am really looking forward to getting into the one-day and T20 sides,” he explained, stressing that improving his batting could be the key to breaking back into the ODI and T20 squads.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com /  Home> Sports / by Madhu Jawali / Bangalore, February 27th, 2012 / DHNS

TAFE holds Farmer’s Day in AP

Hyderabad, FEB. 26:

Tractors and Farm Equipment Ltd (TAFE), India’s second-largest tractor maker, organised a Farmer’s Day in Ongole in Andhra Pradesh, aimed at bringing the farming community and agricultural experts for interaction on a common platform.

The thrust of the interaction was on farming and pest management practices, apart from farm mechanisation for improving pulses, cotton and rice yields.

Over 300 farmers from Ongole and neighbouring areas participated in the sessions, which included demonstrations and display of the latest techniques and scientific practices in farming and related areas like seed-bed preparation, introduction of hybrid varieties of seeds, irrigation methods, crop protection, harvesting and storage. Officials from financial institutions and government representatives also shared information on agricultural loans, subsidies and policies available for farmers.

Dr S.S. Nagarajan, Vice-President, Agri Research, TAFE, wanted better interaction between farmers and research institutions spread out across the country.

amitmitra@thehindu.co.in

source: http://www.TheHinduBusinessLine.com / Industry & Economy> Agri-Biz / The Hindu Bureau / February 26th, 2012

 

Rs.500cr package for Anantapur

Plans are afoot to transform Anantapur district into a model district in the country with a layout of Rs.500 crore for the sustenance of agriculture, said the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) director general, Mr S. Ayyappan.

Plans are afoot to transform Anantapur district into a model district in the country with a layout of Rs.500 crore for the sustenance of agriculture, said the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) director general, Mr S. Ayyappan.

The committee consisting of 21 experts led by Mr Ayyappan on Saturday reached here after inspecting a sheep-rearing centre at Penukonda and Krishi Vignana Kendram at Kalyanadurgam, as part of their two-day tour.

The committee also interacted with the farmers during their field study.

Speaking at the Revenue Bhavan here, Mr Ayyappan said that they have studied the report submitted by a central panel, which toured the district in January.

He said that they will prepare an action plan with a layout of Rs.500 crore after their visit to the district for the sustenance of agriculture.

He clarified that they were not here to advise the discontinuation of groundnut but to make it more profitable.

Expressing concerns over the depletion of groundwater levels in as many as 50 mandals of the district, Mr Ayyappan wanted steps for water harvesting.

Referring to the farmers’ interest over dairy farming, he called it as a good development and added that they came to know that the bankers were adamant in giving loans.

Revealing committee’s favour towards groundnut farming in rabi, he advised farmers to take up new varieties of groundnut, which are conducive to the region’s atmosphere.

Mr Ayyappan opined that encouragement should be given to millet crops apart from castor and cluster beans.

Stressing the need for promoting dairy farming and sheep-rearing, he sought the support of politicians and officials in making strides towards development.

He advised the bankers not to link up crop loans when the farmers ask for loans for dairy farming.

The minister for revenue, Mr N. Raghuveera Reddy, MPs, Mr Ananta Venkatrami Reddy and Mr Nimmala Kistappa, MLAs, Ms Paritala Sunitha, Mr Palle Raghunath Reddy, Mr Madhusudan Gupta, MLC, Mr Gundumala Tip-peswamy, government pri-ncipal secretary, Mr Nagi Reddy, actor Mr Jagapati Babu, collector, Mr V. Dur-gadas and joint collector, Ms Anita Ramachandran were present.

source: http://www.DeccanChronicle.com / Home> Channels> CITIES> Regions> Anantapur / by DC Correspondent / Anantapur / February 24th, 2012

 

Sania Mirza most searched tennis star on Google

London:

Sania Mirza was the most Googled female tennis player in 2011, leaving behind bigger names like Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic.

Despite her lowly world ranking of 113, the 25-year-old tennis star can count on an army of fans in the subcontinent to cheer her on as she flies the flag for India on the women’s tour.

Mirza is married to Pakistan cricket star Shoaib Malik.

 

 

 

 

 

 

source: http://www.ZeeNews.india.com / Sports / Saturday, February 25th, 2012

Vulture egg ‘breaks’ all hopes

Hyderabad:

Dashing long-awaited hopes of breeding, the egg laid by a white-backed vulture a fortnight ago at the Nehru Zoological Park fell from the nest and smashed to the ground. The male vulture, in a bid to readjust the nest pulled out a few twigs which led to the egg falling down, zoo officials said. This was captured by the CCTV cameras installed at the breeding centre.

The egg was crucial for the centre that became operational about a year-andhalf ago, four years after it was announced, to initiate captive breeding of the endangered birds. The scavenging birds have been almost wiped out in India in the past 10-15 years due to a drug called Diclofenac, used as a pain-killer in humans and animals.

The Parsi community that places its dead in the `Tower of Silence’ to be consumed by these scavenging birds has been the worst effected. Zoo officials said the egg fell down within a couple of days after it was laid. “Both were incubating it but on the day of the incident, the female went a few metres away to have its feed and in the meantime, the male vulture pulled out some twigs from the nest and the egg fell down,” said Shekhar Reddy, curator (in-charge) of the zoo park.

Though experts said that once the first egg is lost, the birds usually lay a second one but zoo officials said that another egg was not laid.

The captive breeding centre in zoo park is among the two such establishments set up by the Centre, including the one at Pinjore in Haryana.

The centre in Hyderabad, currently operating in collaboration with the Centre for Cellular and Micro Biology (CCMB), has two male and three female vultures aged over 20 years. Officials said the breeding is likely to begin again in the next season starting October. They said that this was the first time the egg was laid in the centre.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / City> Hyderabad / Home> Collections> Centre / TNN / February 23rd, 2012

SNF specialty chemical plant goes on stream in Vizag pharma city

Mr Pascal Remy, CEO of SPCM SA, France, and Dr Prasad S. Mulukutla, CMD of SNF (India), at the inauguration of the SNF plant at the Pharma City at Parawada, Visakhapatnam district, on Wednesday.
Visakhapatnam , FEB. 22:

India is a growing market with a huge potential for specialty chemicals such as polymers with a wide range of applications. And SNF (India) Private Limited is all set to capture a major chunk of it, according to Mr Pascal Remy, the CEO of SPCM SA, France, the parent company of SNF.

He was speaking at the chemical plant set up by SNF in the Jawaharlal Nehru Pharma City in Visakhapatnam district on Wednesday after its formal inauguration.

The plant, with a capacity of 35,000 tonnes per annum, has been set up at a cost of Rs 200 crore and has been in operation for over a year.

Mr Pascal Remy said SNF was the world’s largest producer of water-soluble polymers, used in water treatment, mineral extraction, paper manufacture and for enhanced oil recovery in the oil sector. He said the company had a market share of 40 per cent globally.

TO EXPAND, UPGRADE

“We have 20 major production facilities in the world, with 3,350 employees and 45 subsidiaries and a network of more than 1,000 distributors.

Our annual revenue in 2011 was $2.2 billion,” he said, adding that the company intended to expand and upgrade the facilities here in tune with market requirements. SNF would take up the construction of monomer and powder lines at the Visakhapatnam plant in a phased manner and a new plant, with a capacity of 35,000 tonnes more, would be set up at the site by the second half of 2013, he said.

“We have a smaller plant with a capacity of 6,000 tonnes per annum near Hyderabad, but we are cutting down production there and ultimately it will be closed,” he said.

He said the two main applications are “in water treatment and for enhanced oil recovery in the oil sector.

It is a cheap technology and you can get a barrel for $15 in the oil sector.”

Dr Prasad S. Mulukutla, the Chairman and Managing Director of SNF India, said the company had market share of 60 per cent in India.

“Last year, our sales turnover was Rs 215 crore and we expect it to touch Rs 250 crore this year. We have 111 regular employees in the plant and roughly 50 or so temporary and contract workers.”

GREEN CHEMISTRY

He said there were no pollution problems and the effluents were being sent to the common treatment plant in the pharma city.

Even in Hyderabad, he said, there were no problems on that count. “Our production facilities are eco-friendly and we employ green chemistry here,” he said. He said negotiations were going on with Cairn India and it may result in a big order of 70,000 tonnes or so per annum.

Mr Richard Saint Sauveur, of SNF, said that, in future, sewage treatment will be a major application, with increasing urbanisation all over the world. Mr G. Prabhakara Sastry, one of the directors of SNF India, said the establishment of a world-class specialty chemical plant by the SNF here would spur industrial growth in the area.

source: http://www.TheHinduBusinessLine.com / Companies / February 22nd, 2012