Monthly Archives: July 2015

Masula scientists develop salinity-resistant paddy seed

Scientists of Agricultural Research Station display MCM-103, a new paddy seed variety at Machilipatnam in Krishna District. Photo: T. Appala Naidu / The Hindu
Scientists of Agricultural Research Station display MCM-103, a new paddy seed variety at Machilipatnam in Krishna District. Photo: T. Appala Naidu / The Hindu

The seed varieties developed by Principal Scientist T. Anuradha and Scientist K. Nagendra Rao are MCM 103, a Kharif variety and Rabi variety MCM110, which are sanity resistant.

Plant breeding scientists of Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University’s Research Station at Machilipatnam have developed two new paddy seed varieties, exclusively meant for saline soil and the 10-year research has yielded expected results.

The seed varieties developed by Principal Scientist T. Anuradha and Scientist K. Nagendra Rao are MCM 103, a Kharif variety and Rabi variety MCM110. The duration of crop period of the varieties is 140 and 120 days respectively.

“The Directorate of Rice Research (DRR), Hyderabad, has tagged the MCM 103 as the best paddy seed variety among the 40 entries from across the country in 2013. The DRR has also tested the variety in the six states, where it gave expected results including yield and quality grain”, T. Anuradha told The Hindu.

“The MCM-103 seed variety gives nearly six tonnes of yield while the MCM-110 gives up to 5.5 tonnes per hectare”, she added. The scientists have claimed that the yield of the two varieties would arguably be much higher in the normal soil. Another Scientist K. Nagendra Rao added that the MCM 103 is being tested in the saline fields in the coastal Andhra districts from the ongoing Kharif season and the other variety would also be tested from the next Rabi season in the State.

The District Agricultural Advisory & Transfer of Technology Centre in the respective districts in the State had selected the fields to test the seed varieties from the Kharif-2015. “The medium duration paddy varieties will primarily encourage the farmers to turn the saline soil fields into cultivable fields. The varieties will also ensure better yield”, opined Ms. Anuradha.

Farmers indebted to scientists:

The farmers having saline soil are indebted to the scientists, said Ms. Anuradha and Mr. Nagendra Rao, who had developed two paddy seed varieties – MCM 100 and 101- in 2011. It has been proposed for seeking approval of the Andhra Pradesh State’s Seed Varietal Release Committee for final release of the two varieties into the market.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by T. Appala Naidu /Machilipatnam – July 31st, 2015

Chalasani Prasad passes away

Chalasani Prasad was scheduled to attend Virasam’s 45th anniversary meeting on Saturday evening.
Chalasani Prasad was scheduled to attend Virasam’s 45th anniversary meeting on Saturday evening.

One of the founders of Viplava Rachayitala Sangham (Virasam), a revolutionary writers’ association, Chalasani Prasad, passed away at his residence at HB Colony in Seetammadhara here on Saturday.

He suffered a heart attack and passed away before an ambulance reached his home.

He was 83 and is survived by two daughters.

Prasad’s wife passed away a few years ago.

Incidentally, Saturday was the 45th anniversary of Virasam, and he was to preside over a meeting scheduled to be held in the evening.

Born at Bhatlapenumarru in Krishna district, Chalasani Prasad was influenced by his paternal uncle, a Communist who was killed during an agitation, and lived all through his life as an unwavering Marxist.

He was detained during Emergency and arrested several times later due to his Marxist thought and pronouncements, and because Virasam was considered as a front organisation of the CPI (Maoist).

Prasad retired as a lecturer of politics at Mrs. A.V.N. College here. He had endeared himself to the students not only because he was an excellent teacher but also as one interested in improving their personality. He was very close to Sri Sri, Raavi Sastry, Ranganayakamma, and several others.

A voracious reader, Chalasani Prasad’s house is packed with thousands of books, many of them rare titles. This is considered as one of the biggest private collection.

He could discuss in depth many issues and would appreciate a good piece of writing, whatever might be the stature of the writer and, at the same time, not spare even a well established author if he or she made a mistake or wrote something that was against society’s interests.

He may have been a Leftist, but read what was written by others too. He would not miss a literary meeting on Viswanadha Satyanarayana, because he appreciated his writings. A few days ago, he presided over a literary meeting on Viswanadha Satyanarayana’s works.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Special Correspondent / Visakhapatnam – July 26th, 2015

Ex-child worker already an MD, to become DM

Vijayawada :

A former child worker from Kurnool city is set to join the oncology department of Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad. K Sivaprasad, hailing from a backward community, topped the list of candidates shortlisted for admission in doctor of medicine (DM) at NIMS even though a host of candidates with MD qualification vied for only three seats in oncology this year.

What makes Sivaprasad’s achievement special is the fact that he once used to slog at a jute factory after dropping out of school. As there were four mouths to feed, his father Eswarappa had no option but to ask the std VII student to work at the unit along with him for a daily wage of Rs 30. Sivaprasad’s mother Visalamma vended milk to support the family.

The boy’s life took a different turn in 1997-98 when he was spotted by M V Sivakumar Reddy, deputy inspector of factories, during a raid against child labour. The inspector rescued him from the workplace. However, Eswarappa expressed his helplessness to allow Sivaprasad to study further.

Sivakumar Reddy not only offered to pay the fee and purchase schoolbooks but also ensured that the boy was admitted in a nearby zilla parishad high school. Sivaprasad obtained decent marks in the class X public examinations and opted for BPC in intermediate.

Subsequently Sivakumar Reddy extended financial help so that he could attend coaching for EAMCET in a corporate college. Sivaprasad scored 2000-odd rank in the exam, completed his MBBS and later joined a reputed college’s post-graduation course.

The unassuming doctor is not that surprised to have got the chance to become an oncologist.”After all I worked hard and it paid me back at the end of the day,” he told TOI. Visalamma was obviously ecstatic.”I am the most satisfied person today. Everything that has happened is due to God’s grace. I hope he will serve the poor,” she said, patting Sivaprasad on the back.

Eswarappa pointed out that while there are many people with a lot of money, only a few try to help the needy.”My son now has a rare opportunity which so many others crave for. This shows that poverty is not a hindrance to reach heights,” he averred.

Sivakumar Reddy was elated to hear the news.”I never thought of Sivaprasad creating history. I just did my duty and he lived up to everyone’s expectations,” Reddy said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Vijayawada / TNN / July 23rd, 2015

Annavaram Sells 12.5 Lakh Laddus in 9 days, Sets New Record

Rajahmundry :

Probably for the first time in its history, Sri Satyanarayana Swamy Temple at Annavaram has set a record of sorts through sale of over 12.5 lakh laddus within nine days from July 14 to 22.

Thanks to the ongoing Godavari Maha Pushkarams, the temple is receiving an unprecedented rush of devotees for the past 10 days.

Through the sale of laddu packets, which cost Rs 10 each, the Annavaram Temple raked in Rs 1.25 crore.

On Wednesday itself, about 90,000 devotees had darshan of Lord Sri Satyanarayana Swamy at Annavaram. Like the ‘Tirumala laddu’ of Lord Venkateswara, the prasadam of Sri Satyanarayana Swamy is also popular among devotees.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / July 24th, 2014

School alumni make their promise good

MLA P.G.V.R. Naidu unveiling a plaque to mark the inauguration of a stage at ZP Girls' High School at Gopalapatnam on Wednesday.
MLA P.G.V.R. Naidu unveiling a plaque to mark the inauguration of a stage at ZP Girls’ High School at Gopalapatnam on Wednesday.

The resolve of SSC 1974 batch students of Gopalapatnam ZP High School has quickly materialised into a permanent asset for the Girls High School.

The batch announced that it would create an asset for the school during its golden jubilee in February 2015. The golden jubilee was celebrated for three days with Visakhapatnam West MLA P.G.V.R. Naidu, being himself an alumnus of the school, taking a lot of interest and organising the event in a big way.

Though the contributions of 1974 batch were then only Rs. 70,000, they committed themselves to spending Rs 1 lakh. When they had approached headmistress Swarnalatha on the amenities lacking, she wanted a permanent stage to be constructed.

However, when work was taken up the cost for the stage with roof rose to Rs. 2 lakh. Pursuing the work a few old students had begun it and completed it in a few months.

Inaugurating the stage on Wednesday, Mr. Naidu said the fruits of golden jubilee were tangible much quicker than expected. He hoped other batches of old students would follow the example of 1974 batch that was expressing their love for the alma mater after a full 40 years.

Several old students participated.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by G. V. Prasada Sarma / Visakhapatnam – July 23rd, 2015

Civils Ranker Felicitated

Vijayawada  :

Venkata Ramakrishna Teja, an alumni of Narasaraopeta Engineering College in Guntur district, who secured 66th rank in the Civil Services exam was felicitated by the college management Saturday.

Teja had completed Computers Science engineering from the college 2009. A native of Chilakaluripet of Guntur district, he was an active and hardworking student.

Speaking on the occasion, Teja said students from rural background can also achieve success in the civils exams.

College chairman Mittapalli Koteswara Rao said the college is proud of Teja, who will now be an IAS officer.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / July 12th, 2015

At 80, he still paddles

Vizag's octogenerian paddler D. Kesava Rao in action at the Futureall 1st AP State Table Tennis Championship at Vijayawada Club on Sunday. Photo: CH. Vijaya Bhaskar
Vizag’s octogenerian paddler D. Kesava Rao in action at the Futureall 1st AP State Table Tennis Championship at Vijayawada Club on Sunday. Photo: CH. Vijaya Bhaskar

D. Kesava Rao, a retired railway employee with the South Eastern Railways, has been passionately playing table tennis for more than five decades and he is the oldest paddler playing in the Futureall 1 Andhra Pradesh Veterans Table Tennis Championship.

Weighing just over 50 kg, the pencil-thin octogenarian paddler is a cynosure for all at the Vijayawada Club. This veteran table tennis player from Vizag is yet to wear spectacles and he is not stricken by either blood pressure or the dreaded diabetes.

Meet D. Kesava Rao, a retired railway employee with the South Eastern Railways, who has been passionately playing table tennis for more than five decades and he is the oldest paddler playing in the Futureall 1 Andhra Pradesh Veterans Table Tennis Championship.

Fit as a fiddle, Mr. Rao is a regular feature at the Port Stadium and at the Railway Institute at Visakhapatnam. He fondly interacts with the sub junior players, passing on his expertise and experience to the next generation.

“I am healthy owing to table tennis. For more than five decades I am sweating it out for three hours. In fact I travel with a TT racquet where I go,” says the eternal-lover of ping pong.

Mr. Rao, as a youngster broke his hand while playing football and he was forced to look for a safer game. “The noise the ball made on a table at the Railway Institute drew me closer to the game and from them on we (table tennis) are together,” says the former signal and telecommunications employee.

Mr. Rao is an inspiring face of the Vizag table tennis circuit and he has represented South Eastern Railways in several inter-railway championships. “I won several medals in the veteran championships. I also took part the Asian Veteran Championship at Chinese Taipei in 2007,” he recollects.

Mr. Rao is a worried man when it comes to the unhealthy habits among the youngsters. “Youngsters must learn how to sweat it out it in a playground. They should take up some game and should burn calories. In fact the eye sight will improve by playing some game or the other.”

The ageing process is yet to douse the spirit of the paddler as he bounces on ball to unleash a forehand smash with the enthusiasm of a teenager.

“I am an aggressive player and I believe that a ball is meant to be hit.”

The affable veteran preferred the old format of 21-points as he felt it gave the player an opportunity to bounce back. “The 11-point format is ruthless. If you lose the initial momentum then you are in trouble.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by J.R. Shridharan / Vijayawada – July 13th, 2015

Goddess Gayatri Devi’s footprint discovered

 

Vedic pandit Telakapalli Raghurama Sarma applying turmeric near Sangameswara Temple in Kurnool district.
Vedic pandit Telakapalli Raghurama Sarma applying turmeric near Sangameswara Temple in Kurnool district.

A footprint of Sri Gayatri Devi, who, according to scriptures, appeared in the form of Gomatha to sage Viswamitra during his penance in Tretayugam, was discovered in the Viswamitra cave atop a hillock on the banks of Krishna at the Sri Sangameswara temple in Atmakur forest division in Kurnool district.

Quoting the ‘Skanda Puranam’, Telakapalli Raghurama Sarma, Vedic pandit of Sri Sangameswara temple, said he had discovered the footprint, applied turmeric to it and offered prayers to the idol of Sri Rama in the cave.

Recounting history, Sarma said the government had initially proposed the construction of an anicut for the Srisailam project at Siddheswaram in 1948, but subsequently built the dam at Srisailam in 1963. “As many as 100 villages were submerged following the construction of the project,” he added.

As water depleted in the reservoir this year, the footprint surfaced in the cave, Sarma said. On sighting the footprint on a stone near Chajratheertham, the pandit applied turmeric on it improving its visibility.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by Special Correspondent / Kurnool – July 12th, 2015

Expo of Coins at Bank Anniversary

Visakhapatnam  :

The exhibition of artefacts, old coins and stamps of various countries, organised by the Sri Kanakamahalakshmi Co-operative Bank Limited at Akkayyapalem here received good response.

On the bank’s 16th anniversary, the management organised the expo by displaying various artefacts and a large number of  vintage items.

Bank CEO K Syam Kishore explained the various schemes.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / July 11th, 2015

Overwhelming Response to Art Expo

A family has a look at the paintings on display at an art exhibition organised by the Vijayawada Art Society at the Culture Centre in Vijayawada on Thursday | P Ravindra Babu
A family has a look at the paintings on display at an art exhibition organised by the Vijayawada Art Society at the Culture Centre in Vijayawada on Thursday | P Ravindra Babu

Vijayawada : 

Art is not a kaleidoscope of colours, but an expression of deeper feeling and sensitivities on different aspects of life. It is unveiling an emotion of the artist on the canvas. A group of artists have displayed their masterpieces at the Culture Centre of Vijayawada, which drew a good response from art-lovers in the city.

Around 500 art-lovers, including about 200 schoolchildren, have visited the group show by Vijayawada Art Society, that concluded on Thursday. The five-day exhibition has showcased some select  masterpieces of art by around 30 artists.

The art expo, which had paintings done in various media including water colours, oil paints and pastels was on different themes. Some were traditional and some modern, but each and every one of them had held the attention of the visitors. One of the painting at the show was done by Vemula Kameswara Rao, the 94-year-old artist, revered by art community in the region as grand old man of paintings.

The artists, who had their works displayed at the art  expo included N Babu Rao, K Gandhi,  A Appa Rao, A Sunil Kumar, A Rambabu, NS Sarma, M Syama Sundara Rao, A Giridhar, Mallik and several others. They hailed from different places from across the state and also from Hyderabad. Art and the desire to promote the art in the new capital of the State, which had always been the cultural capital of the region has brought them together.

“It has given me an intense satisfaction to have the art of several artists displayed at one place. It not just exposes the great effort put in by the artists in their works, but also inspires the budding talent to pursue art,” said A Giridhar, general secretary of Vijayawada Art Society. He said it is the beginning and in future more such shows will be held in Vijayawada.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / July 10th, 2015