For the first time ever, the state administration will come to a standstill for a one week from Sunday till June 1 as the staff will observe “zero week” in the run-up to bifurcation on June 2. The entire machinery will be engaged in running the “trail run administration” of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
This is to gear up the bureaucracy to work in both the new states from June 2. Employees who were allotted on provisional basis have to report to their respective state offices.
Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan had directed the administration to halt all transactions from May 25 to June 1 at the Secretariat. Accordingly, there will be no clearance of files or payment of bills.
Employees and officials allotted to Telangana have to work from A,B,C and D blocks and those allotted to Andhra Pradesh from H,J,K,L blocks.
Meanwhile, it was a “double bonanza” for about 14 lakh state employees and pensioners as they received salaries and pensions of two months, ahead of bifurcation. They were paid for April on May 2 and for May on Saturday. The amount disbursed for May was calculated till June 1. From June 2, all staff and pensioners will be paid from their respective governments.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / DC / L. Venkat Ram Reddy / May 25th, 2014
Equipped with a degree in Fine Arts, 20-year-old Siva Krishna is the only resident of Kummari Veedhi who still holds on to pottery
The few racks of mud pots and vessels at the entrance are the only hint of the years of pottery tradition that lies hidden behind the dingy lanes of the potters’ colony of Kummari Veedhi here.
It’s in one of the houses here that Siva Krishna sits watching his 60-year-old grandfather K. Satyam tirelessly spinning the potter’s wheel.
The 20-year-old Fine Arts graduate of Andhra University is the only youngster from this old colony of potters, who has taken up the task to preserve the pottery profession through his art works.
“Pottery is a craft, an expression of creative poetry,” says Krishna, as he offers a helping hand to his grandfather, who is one of the two traditional potters of the colony still holding on to the profession.
There was a time when the colony had more than 50 families, who practiced pottery. In sharp contrast to the buzz of the potter’s wheel of those days, today there are just two families which silently churn out clay marvels.
Paradesi Atcha Rao is the other old potter still engaged in the profession.
Artistic blend
It is these impressions from a potter’s wheel and life that Siva Krishna has managed to capture in his art forms. His works are a blend of different mediums. For instance, one of his works in clay with charcoal portrays the face of the potter on pieces of charcoal reflecting the hardships in a potter’s life, says the artist.
At a time when a majority of the youngsters of the present generation are shying away from the age-old tradition, what makes Siva Krishna still hold on to it?
In fact, his grandfather advised him to take up another profession.
“Even as a child I was fascinated by the moving potter’s wheel. But only after I learnt the various techniques of fine arts and worked in different mediums, I realised how difficult and artistic pottery is. Through my work, I want to depict this dying form,” says Krishna.
Today, in his colony, what is conspicuously absent is the presence of youth, who have taken others forms of works.
“The old people who still churn the potters’ wheel do not have the energy or money to make on a large-scale. So, their work is reduced to creating small coin pots, which are fragile and don’t fetch much,” he says.
Siva Krishna feels that the art of pottery is valued more in bigger cities, where there is a market for it. But the traditional potters need to be trained and the younger generation should be involved in saving the traditional profession of these families, he adds.
Masters course
During the first year of Fine Arts course, he gave a demo of pottery-making at the department.
“There, I learnt the improvisations in pottery by exchange of thoughts and ideas,” he says.
Siva now has applied for his masters course in Central University, Hyderabad, and Shantiniketan.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Nivedita Ganguly / Visakhapatnam -May 13th, 2014
The contingent of 32 students of Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies (RGUKT) who won prizes in the NASA Ames Space Settlement Design Contest 2014 will be participating in the 33rd NSS International Space Development Conference in Los Angeles, scheduled to be held from May 14 to 18.
The State Bank of Hyderabad and the State Bank of India have come forward to provide sponsorship to the tune of Rs.30 lakh and Rs. 5 lakh respectively to fund the participation of the students. The university is also providing partial support, said R.V.Raja Kumar, Vice- Chancellor, RGUKT.
Prof. Kumar said that RUGKT students have been participating in this global competition for the last three years. This year they have won prizes for all the 19 projects done by them. “We are proud of our students for the recognition they got. They get a chance to interact with space scientists of high reputation from different countries.”
The NASA Ames Space Settlement Contest is an annual contest, which invites students from around the world, to design permanent orbital settlements in space, not on any planet or moon, and the best designs are awarded prizes.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – May 13th, 2014
The South Central Railway launched new air-conditioned double-decker bi-weekly superfast trains from Kacheguda to Guntur on Tuesday./ PHOTO: Nagara Gopal / The Hindu
Excitement grips passengers and those who came to see them off. On its inaugural run, it was flagged off not by a ‘neta’ or a senior official, but by Abdul Rehman, a train lighting helper.
Practically every one of the 350-odd passengers was getting himself/herself photographed with his/her near and dear ones, with the colourful train serving as the backdrop, as the electric locomotive blew its horn before beginning its journey, early on Tuesday morning.
As South Central Railway’s first air-conditioned, chair-car, double-decker superfast express to Guntur left Kacheguda, there were cheers all around. For most of those on platform no. 4, those who boarded the train and those who came to see them off, the sight of a double-decker train was a first time experience and hence the high-level excitement.
It was driven by loco pilot Karimullah, who has 18 years of experience behind the locomotive wheel and assistant loco pilot Ramakrishna (three years). On its inaugural run, it was flagged off not by a ‘neta’ or a senior official, but by Abdul Rehman, a train lighting helper, as he would retire from service this month-end. With the model code of conduct in force, inaugural by a Minister or a political leader was ruled out. A senior official informed that SCR’s General Manager P.K. Srivastava wanted the inauguration of this train to be done differently.
Schedule
The Kacheguda-Guntur train no. 22118 will leave on Tuesdays and Fridays at 5.30 a.m. and reach at 10.40 a.m. with halts at Malkajgiri, Nalgonda, Miryalaguda and Piduguralla. On the return, no. 22117 will leave Guntur at 12.45 p.m. and reach Kacheguda at 5.55 p.m. The 10-rake train can carry 120 passengers in each, totalling to a whopping 1,200 passengers, the equivalent of 55 to 60 trains.
Starting from Wednesday, the same rake will leave for Tirupati at 6.45 a.m. and return by Thursday night, in time for its run to Guntur on Friday, said Chief Public Relations Officer K. Sambasiva Rao, pointing out that the rake would be used to its optimum, with eight services, four each to Guntur and Tirupati. “Depending upon the patronage, we will work out how to expand our service,” he said.
The unique selling proposition of the rake is that for the first time in Indian Railways, it comes with VESDA (Very Early Smoke/Fire Detection with Alarm System). There are 17 sensors at different points in each coach for the purpose. Each chair-car coach can seat 120 persons and as against the conventional chair-car coaches that cost Rs. 1.54 crore each, the new ones cost a whopping Rs. 2.86 crore each. The fare to Guntur is Rs. 415 and Rs. 720 for Tirupati.
Meanwhile, the members of the Suburban Train and Bus Travellers’ Association, Malkajgiri welcomed the newly-introduced Kacheguda-Guntur superfast double-decker train on Tuesday at Malkajgiri railway station. The Association members thanked the railway authorities for arranging stoppage at Malkajgiri and also requested the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited authorities to call fresh tenders for MMTS Phase 2.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> City> Hyderabad / by Suresh Krishnamoorthy / Hyderabad – May 13th, 2014
Passengers travelling in the air-conditioned double-decker train on its inaugural run from Kacheguda in Hyderabad to Guntur on Tuesday | EXPRESS PHOTO
For about 500 rail passengers who travelled from Kacheguda to Guntur on Tuesday morning turned out to bememorable and joyous occasion when they travelled in the first ever double decker train which was flagged off from Kacheguda on Tuesday.
South Central Railway added another milestone in its eventful journey, when the first-ever double decker train on its network began its run at 5:30 am from Kacheguda to Guntur on its maiden trip. The AC coach train, powered by two generator cars, was a feast to the eye with its bright yellow and red colour.
The colour scheme and interiors are a departure from the convention to give aesthetic appeal and added comfort.
The train chugged off from Kacheguda, with the senior most employee of the station, M.Abdul Rahman, working in the electrical department waving the green flag for the loco pilot to start.
The passengers were busy taking their ‘selfies’ on the smart phones to cherish this journey. For the children, it was an interesting interlude as they ran through the passage of the coaches, shuffling between various decks.
‘’We are thrilled to travel in the double decker train and will cherish this proud moment for long and even clicked our photographs in the train,’’ Lakshmi of Guntur, who came to city to attend a function, said.
“Several years ago we used to travel in double decker buses on city roads and now travelling in double decker train is exciting. Railways should extend more and more such double decker trains on other important routes where the demand is heavy,’’ Venkat from Hyderabad said.
For two loco pilots of Guntur division, SK Karimulla and Y Ramakrishna (assistant loco pilot) who steered the train, it was a proud moment of their career as they received accolades from all the passengers and the onlookers.
Kacheguda-Guntur AC bi-weekly double decker superfast express will depart from Kacheguda at 05:30 am every Tuesday and Friday and arrive in Guntur at 10:40 am.
In the return direction, it will depart from Guntur at 12:45 pm every Tuesday and Friday and arrive in Kacheguda at 05:55 pm.
Sec’bad-Kakinada Spl Train on May 16
Hyderabad: The South Central Railway will run two special trains between Secunderabad and Kakinada Town to clear extra rush of passengers. Secunderabad-Kakinada Town special train will depart from Secunderabad at 09:45 pm on May 16 (Friday) and arrive in Kakinada Town at 09:35 am the next day. In the opposite direction, the special train will depart from Kakinada Town at 10 pm on May 15 (Thursday) and arrive in Secunderabad at 10:55 am the next day. Enroute, these trains will stop at Nalgonda, Miryalguda, Nadikudi, Guntur, Vijayawada, Gudivada, Kaikalur, Akividu, Bhimavaram Town, Tanuku, Nidadavolu, Rajahmundry and Samalkot stations in both the directions. Advance Reservations will open at 8 am on Wednesday.
Sec’bad-Hubli Spl Trains to Run till June 29
Hyderabad: To clear extra rush of passengers during summer season, tri-weekly special train currently running between Secunderabad and Hubli has been extended to run till June 29. Secunderabad-Hubli tri-weekly special train will depart from Secunderabad at 4:00 pm on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from May 18 to June 29 and arrive in Hubli at 07:50 a.m. the next day. In the return direction, it will depart from Hubli at 08:50 pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from May 17 to June 28 and arrive in Secunderabad at 11:45 am the next day. Enroute, these trains will stop at Begumpet, Lingampally, Vikarabad, Tandur, Sedam, Chittapur, Wadi, Shahabad, Gulburga, Ganagapur, Hotgi, Indi Rd, Bijapur, Bagevadi Rd, Almatti, Bagalkot, Badami, Hole Alur, Gadag and Annigeri stations in both the directions.
Kacheguda, Tirupati train to be Flagged Off Today
This brand new double decker train will chug its way out to another popular destination, Tirupati, from Kacheguda on Wednesday. Kacheguda-Tirupati bi-weekly double decker superfast express will depart from Kacheguda at 06:45 am every Wednesday and Saturday and arrive in Tirupati at 06:15 pm In the return direction, it will depart from Tirupati at 05:45 am every Thursday and Sunday and arrive in Kacheguda at 05:15 pm
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Express News Service – Hyderabad / May 14th, 2014
Hyderabad, India is known as an information technology hub with fine academic institutions. To history aficionados, it is known as the former capital of the last Islamic state in the world, with a rich intellectual and cultural legacy. It was a nation the size of Europe, stretching from Warangal in the east to the outskirts of Mumbai in the west, in the heart of what is now south-central India.
Between these starkly different Hyderabads is Kaz Rahman’s film “Deccani Souls” that strings together the present with the past. Taking the audience through an artistic foray of the erstwhile state, the film was screened by the Bilim and Sanat Foundation in Istanbul last weekend. Canadian filmmaker, producer, and writer Kaz Rahman pioneers rare waters as he embraces what he calls “the black cloud” of history hardly discussed in contemporary Hyderabad.
When I had the chance to sit down with the filmmaker it was apparent that his most recent film had been a part of him for some time. Mr. Rahman grew up listening to stories about the Nizam era from his father who migrated from Hyderabad as a teenager.
During his time living in Hyderabad between 2004 and 2007, Mr. Rahman observed the frenetic ebb and flow of the region and saw how the neglected pages of history were impacting the present. It was then that he said he knew he had to make the film. “Whether I liked it or not, this had to be the subject. In the film, Hyderabad is both a place people leave and a destination much like the reality of the city today. There’s a lingering sense that people need to leave in order to make something of themselves but there’s also this longing for return. Muslims have been migrating out of the region since the 1950s, to Pakistan, the Gulf and North America.
There’s this psychological state that they can’t get ahead in Hyderabad,” Mr. Rahman said.
The film explores the region’s suppressed history that is the aftermath of Operation Polo, which left 200,000 dead, numerous institutions destroyed and Islamic libraries burnt in 1948 as India brutally acquired the state. Mr. Rahman used the Sunderlal report for information about the massacre and destruction.
It’s this chapter of history that casts the film’s melancholic tone. He said its purpose isn’t to tell the audience how to feel about it, it’s an attempt for them to come to terms with history. “I don’t think any community, state, society or people can look to go forward without coming to terms with its past,” he stated.
There is a play on the concept of time, Mr. Rahman said. “There’s an intersection of dreams, memories and how we recall the past.”
It poetically takes the audience on a journey back in time through the lives of two Hyderabadis: A censuscollector named Babu, who goes around door-to-door asking people to sign away the neglected memories and scars from the military action, and Hamza, the film’s protagonist, an Urdu poet suffering from writer’s block in search of his grandfather’s lost essay.
Mr. Rahman visually preserves the tradition of Deccani art throughout the film. “He said if you look at the art the Nizams commissioned, you will find that people are always in natural settings. People aren’t depicted being in institutional settings, they’re painted with individuality and in nature. In contrast to Moghul art, where people are often seen in military uniforms and closely associated with state endeavors,”
Mr. Rahman explained. “Their art collections indicate the appreciation they had for nature but also the quality of life they planned for the state’s residents. Now, Hyderabad is a bustling city that people move to for its advanced urban planning, parks, and walkways, something that’s unique in India. But the cities throughout the region, under the Nizam’s rule, were planned for more people than they accommodated at the time. Hyderabad city was planned for five million people at a time its population was only several hundred thousand. “It was a time they commissioned a variety of different endeavors in the sciences, arts, and literature. They welcomed talent from all over the world and it was the center of intellectual activity among Muslims, but today the constant brain drain of this population from the region has left few even able to read from the Persian library collections at Salar Jung Museum,” he noted.
But Mr. Rahman is quick to point out that the refined nature of the Nizam’s state that only had an army as a ceremonial emblem rather than one that could defend its population left it vulnerable in the face of the invasion.
The beautiful lyrical showcase of the region’s poetry, spiritual culture and cinematographic visuals of the architectural decay and Deccani art make “Deccani Souls” an immense achievement in the path to engaging with the past. Mr. Rahman’s film leaves the audience asking more questions and looking inward with greater reverence for all the layers we know and are yet to discover that make up our identities.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Daily Chronicle / Home> Features / by Sana Qutubuddin / May 12th, 2014
A host of Sunrisers Hyderabad players, including captain Shikhar Dhawan, joined cancer combating kids and played ‘Sunrisers – Juvenile Cancer Patients’ cricket match at Apollo Cancer Hospital at Jubilee Hills here on Tuesday.
Dale Steyn, Darren Sammy, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Irfan Pathan and Ishant Sharma were the other players who were present on the occasion. They interacted with the cancer-stricken kids.
Dhawan said, “These children are the true heroes as they have taken the challenge to fight this dreadful disease.”
“We take on the challenge in cricket ground only on the day of the match, but these children have taken the challenge of their life on a day-to-day to basis and are fighting bravely,” Sammy said.
“The never say die attitude of these kids taught us a lesson or two, they are our true idols and we need to emulate the strength of their solid character in an adverse phase of their lives. Their fortitude will ensure that these kids will hit cancer for a six,” South African speedster Steyn said in a release.
source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> News> Sports / by PTI / Hyderabad – May 13th, 2014
A. Ramadevi, Officer on Special Duty, Law and Order, Rajahmundry showing her short-film on Nirbhaya Act on her Tab. / Photo: BVS Bhaskar / The Hindu
Rama Devi chooses the visual medium to educate and enlighten unlettered masses
Visual storytelling is an ancient art. Visuals help us tell stories with impact. A. Rama Devi, Officer on Special Duty, Law and Order and Traffic (Additional SP rank), Rajahmundry, chose this powerful medium to educate and enlighten the unlettered masses on social evils.
A native of the Andhra region, the women police officer has gained prominence in Warangal district for her prudent approach to issues.
When she was posted as Sub-Divisional Police Officer at Mahabubabad in Warangal district towards the end of 2011, she decided to take up issues related to the welfare of women in Lambada thandas (hamlets). “There were a total of 696 Lambada thandas under the purview of 10 police stations which were under my jurisdiction. Almost 98 per cent of them were unlettered and so, the level of awareness about key issues was very low,” she recalls.
To drive home her point effectively, she used the visual media as a tool and made a short film, Chaitanyam, which portrays a fierce fight against brewing of gudumba (illicit liquor). Several youngsters joined hands to promote the short film.
Chaitanyam also brings to the fore other existing practices like chewing of tobacco and child labour.
“I wrote the script and directed the film and gave it a voice. For camera, editing and acting, I used local talent,” she says. The first CD of the film was released by then SP Rajesh Kumar Singh.
When ‘Nirbhaya Act’ came into force following the Delhi rape incident, Ms. Ramadevi came up with yet another short film to enlighten the public on the clauses of the Act, explaining in detail each Section of the IPC relating to rape, attempt to rape and molestation. Her work was widely appreciated.
“My 10-year stint as Mandal Parishad Development Officer (MPDO) has helped me understand issues quickly and respond to them immediately,” she says.
Ms. Ramadevei passed Group-2 exams in 1996 and was appointed MPDO. She won the best MPDO award continuously for 10 years. A native of Srikakulam, she is also a postgraduate.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by B.V.S. Bhaskar / Rajahmundry – May 13th, 2014
Ongole, Andhra Pradesh May 12, 2013, caption: Young Kuchipudi dancers hog the limelight during a concert in Ongole./ photo: Kommuri Srinivas / The Hindu
Eight budding Kuchipudi dancers who have been part of a team that set a new Guinness record in Hyderabad in December 2012 will not rest on past laurels.
With an insatiable appetite for awards, they are gearing up to prove their mettle in the traditional dance-form under the guidance of their guru Parvathi Ramachandran.
Ongole, Andhra Pradesh May 12, 2013, caption: Young Kuchipudi dancers hog the limelight during a concert in Ongole./ photo: Kommuri Srinivas / The Hindu
The dancers Jyothi, Nikitha, Pujitha, Durgambika, Jahnavi, Tanmayi, Varshita and Chinmayi were the cynosure of all eyes as they performed at Sri Veerabrahmendraswamy vari Aradhana Kalayana Mahotsavam at Sri Achalananda Ashram here.
“I want to see my daughter reach the pinnacle of glory in Kuchipudi nrityam,” says Mr. K. Venkateswara Rao, father of 18-year-old Jyothi. “Now she is pursuing a diploma course in Kuchipudi,” he adds proudly.
Ms. Ramchandran who runs Shyamala Natyakala Academy says, “There is an increased awareness among people about the need to preserve our cultural traditions.” “More children are taking keen interest in learning Kuchipudi dance with devotion, adds Ms. Paravathi, whose students range from those studying in Kindergarten to junior college.
“My disciples have taken part in the largest Kuchipudi dance performance with 5,794 participants organised by Silicon Andhra (USA) during the Third International Kuchipudi Dance Convention in Hyderabad in 2012,” she adds.
source: http;//www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Staff Reporter / Ongole – May 12th, 2014
The Karimnagar District Cooperative Central Bank’s Farmers’ Development Centre would provide inputs on technology, weather, crop variants and fertilisers to spur productivity
In a bid to create awareness on farming techniques and to increase productivity, the Karimnagar District Cooperative Central Bank (DCCB) on Sunday launched Farmers Development Centre, a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country.
The FDC, launched in association with Nabard and e-fresh portal, would enlighten farmers about the latest farming technology and methods for increasing yield, DCCB chairman K. Ravinder Rao told reporters. It would also conduct soil and water testing and give appropriate suggestions to farmers on the use of fertilizers, pesticides and crops.
It would also sell the latest variety of seeds, pesticides, fertilizers and other agriculture tools etc. The FDC would educate the farmers about the need for developing vermin compost. They would also remove middlemen and ensure that farmers have direct linkage with the market so as to get better prices for their produce. The FDC would also provide weather forecast for farmers. Similar FDCs were being planned at Jagtial and Sircilla town, DCCB authorities said.
On the go
In order to ensure that the latest agricultural developments reach the grassroots-level farmers, the DCCB had also decided to launch ‘208 Rythu Ratham’. The specially-designed vehicle contains all information on the FDC and also facilities for the conduct of soil and water testing in the fields. It would also contain audio-video equipment for educating farmers on the latest farm technologies.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Karimnagar – May 12th, 2014
