Monthly Archives: April 2016

Piramal Group launches mobile health project in Andhra

Vijayawada :

A mobile health project to provide medical services to the poor in villages of Andhra Pradesh was today launched.

“Chandranna Sanchar Chikitsa”, started by Piramal Swasthya and supported by the state Government, was launched by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at a function here.

Naidu flagged off 275 mobile medical units, provided by the trust, equipped with basic medical equipment and also teams of healthcare professionals.

These mobile units will travel to villages in the state everyday to provide health services to the poor who are unable to get qualitative medical aid, Piramal Swasthya said in a statement.

The project will focus on maternal health, medical issues related to neonatal, infants, reproductive health and contraceptive services and management of chronic communicable diseases. Basic OPD, management of common non-communicable diseases & mental illness, dental & eye care and geriatric care, among others, too will be covered, it said.

More than 300 doctors and 900 paramedics, trained in clinical domain and IT, have been drafted for the project to deliver the services in villages, the statement said.

Anand Piramal, Executive Director, Piramal Group and member of Governing Board of Piramal Swasthya, said, “Only 30 per cent Indians have access to modern healthcare. Our foundation’s vision is to deliver healthcare using technology, healthcare workers and with Government support.

“We are privileged to partner with the government of Andhra Pradesh to provide high quality healthcare at significant scale to the people of the State.” COR RSY DBS

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home / PTI / April 20th, 2016

Kohinoor controversy stirs British media

Vintage illustration of the State Crown of Queen Mary, Consort of George V, part of the Crown Jewels of England (chromolithograph), 1919. The crown contains 2,200 diamonds, including the famous Koh-i-Noor, Cullinan III and Cullinan IV gems. / Getty Images
Vintage illustration of the State Crown of Queen Mary, Consort of George V, part of the Crown Jewels of England (chromolithograph), 1919. The crown contains 2,200 diamonds, including the famous Koh-i-Noor, Cullinan III and Cullinan IV gems. / Getty Images

British press pick up Indian Solicitor General’s submission before the SC that the heirs of Maharaja Ranjit Singh gave the gem as “voluntary compensation.”

New claims over the Koh-i-Noor diamond make their periodic appearance in the United Kingdom. Most of them flounder and finally sink as they make their way through the law courts — or indeed the court of public opinion, getting a day or two of media light at best. However, the relinquishment of a claim to the much-contested gem is a different matter and a cause for interest, as we just saw.

The Indian Solicitor General’s submission before the Supreme Court that the heirs of Maharaja Ranjit Singh gave the diamond to the British as “voluntary compensation” for the expenses incurred in the Anglo-Sikh wars was widely picked up by the British press, with the leading British parliamentarian of Indian-origin, Keith Vaz, even issuing a statement in support of the Government of India’s “stand.”

A gem of a debate again

The government’s subsequent clarification dissociating itself from the view of its Solicitor General brings the debate over the 106-carat symbol of British colonialism, which at present glints harshly from the crown once worn by the former Queen Mother, back to where it was.

Questions about ownership, authorship, theft and possession in the context of colonialism and today were raised at a recent exhibition at Tate Britain, Artist and Empire, which brought together a vast and unexpected array of works from collections across Britain.

Says Javed Majeed, a historian at King’s College, “The current Koh-i-Noor diamond controversy [comes] at a point in history when the terms “Indian”, “English” and “British” are in crisis again. In India we have a strong Hindu nationalist government which has re-defined what “Indian” means and thrown secularism into disarray. Claims have also been filed in Pakistan to return the diamond to Punjab there, from where it was gifted or taken [depending on your point of view]. In 2000, even the Taliban in Afghanistan asked the Queen to return the gem because of its brief association with that region at one point in time.”

Brexit and monarchy angst

In an era of economic and political uncertainties — in Britain associated with Brexit and what it portends — “anxieties about the future of the monarchy have intensified, and not surprisingly the focus of this worry is the crown itself as an actual object as well as an institution,” Dr. Majeed argues.

“Moreover, Britain’s imperial past surfaces in obvious and sometimes surreptitious ways in all these current debates, from the question of who owns the diamond to ideas of British power in the world should it leave the EU.”

Legacy control and mistrust

Legacy-control and legacy-mistrust can happen on both sides. A senior curator at a prominent British national collection in London told The Hindu that the authorities of the Victoria Memorial Museum in Kolkata refuse to lend their works from their collections to British museums.

The collection includes works by Johan Zoffany, William Hodges and Thomas and William Daniell. “Britain put in several requests to borrow art but they have all been turned down,” the senior curator, who did not wish to be named, said.

Correction

This story has been corrected for a factual error. Changed “Anglo-Maratha” war into “Anglo-Sikh” war

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> International / by Parvathi Menon / London – April 20th, 2016

Now, Lunch Box@your work place

Green's The Lunch Box owner Y. Sarat Chandra with hot packs. —PHOTO: V. RAJU
Green’s The Lunch Box owner Y. Sarat Chandra with hot packs. —PHOTO: V. RAJU

It is a boon for the working woman. For bachelors it offers the luxury of timely lunch in the comfort of their office dining hall instead of a crowded restaurant. The Green’s Lunch Box is being launched on April 25. The modern Dabbawala will service the meal in a hot pack with four compartments for Rs 75. The contents are standard — three phulkas (or two chappatis), curry, flavoured rice and curd rice.

Woman entrepreneur Srilakshmi Yadvalli who is launching the service said ‘The Lunch Box’ was meant for executives who do not have the time and the elderly and others who do not relish hotel food.

“The Lunch Box with homely hot lunch will be delivered at your office table at 1 p.m. and the empty hot pack will be collected at around 3 p.m.,” she said. The curry and flavoured rice would be changed from time to time.

Those interested in taking the lunch box will have to order in advance. The marketing staff say as an introductory offer lunch would be served even if the order was given the same morning (before 10 a.m.).

But gradually the customers will be given coupons for a minimum of 15 days. If for some reason the person does not attend office on a day the service provider should be informed in advance.

Those taking The Lunch Box regularly can order for their friends. “The friends of those who are getting Lunch Box regularly can use these coupons and enjoy the service,” explained Sarat Chandra, partner and husband of Ms Srilakshmi.

The meals will be served only against coupons purchased in advance. This kind of service was being provided for the first time in the Telugu states, he claimed.

LIC employee N Y V Vijayalakhmi says Lunch Box will be particularly convenient for working women. “Preparing lunch in the morning, carrying the box and then carrying the box back can be avoided if we order The Lunch Box,” she says.

Those interested can also place an order on email –greenslunchbox@gmail.com or by calling 7382256666.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / Special Correspondent / Vijayawada – April 20th, 2016

Nagireddypalle , a legally literate village

Nagireddypalle, a nondescript village in Prakasam district has set a record of sorts with the State Legal Services Authority(SLSA) declaring it as a litigation-free village.

The people of the sleepy village in Konakanamitla(K.K.Mitla) mandal, where agriculture is the main occupation, are worth emulating by their counterparts elsewhere in the country where lakhs of cases are pending in courts at different levels, costing time and money for the litigants.

The village elders including Gram Sarpanch B.Acheswaramma sit on the village square(Rachabanda) and hear the grievances of the public periodically in a cordial atmosphere in the village with a population of over 1000 people. “Shedding ego, we settle minor disputes including those relating to sharing of water, land boundaries and other matters in a spirit of give-and-take,” Mandal Praja Parishad member Udumala Ramanarayana Reddy told The Hindu.

No criminal case had been registered in the village in the last five years, K.K.Mitla Sub-Inspector Brahma Naidu said.

“As per revenue records, not a single revenue-related case is pending in the village,” K.K.Mitla Mandal Revenue Officer M. Jwala Narasimham said. No civil cases are pending too, he added.

The villagers efforts gave an impetus to the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) method articulated by the SLSA to help people settle their differences amicably, observed District Legal Services Authoritiy Chairman and Principal District Judge K.V.Vijaykumar.

Shedding ego, we settle disputes in a spirit of give-and-take.

Udumala Ramanarayana Reddy ,Mandal Praja Parishad member

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / Staff Reporter / Ongole – April 18th, 2016

A farmer responds to newspaper ad, finds the fabric of his true calling

Proud moment:This is the longest Kalamkari art produced so far, says Siva Prasad Reddy
Proud moment:This is the longest Kalamkari art produced so far, says Siva Prasad Reddy

A.P. Kalamkari artist comes up with a 47×11-ft record piece for posterity

He was not aiming for a record; his eyes were set much higher. “Creating the record was a by-product. I had started out with the idea of doing something that will help me pass on this treasure of art to the next generation,” says K. Siva Prasad Reddy, a master craftsman of Kalamkari art from Tanguturu village of Banaganapalle mandal in Kurnool district.

Pointing to his 47×11-ft Kalamkari art piece, completed in 2002, which is a pictorial depiction of more than 2,000 images from Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagwad Geeta, he declares with a glint of pride in his eyes:

“This is the longest Kalamkari art produced so far.” Mr. Reddy is the recipient of several awards that include one from the UNESCO, the President’s award and the State award and many other laurels.

Today, the 60-year-old man is a contented soul. “I was desperately seeking a means to preserve this art for posterity. It took me two years to finish this. While I was working on it, I was hit hard by financial crisis as I had no other income. My children’s education was at stake but I was determined not to stop half-way. I sold my three-acre farm land to support the family during the two years. The decision was hard then but today, I am happy having done what I did,” he says emphatically.

Mr. Reddy comes from an agriculture background but he was a reluctant farmer. “A newspaper ad on free training in Kalamkari art was reason enough for me to leave farming and join the training programme. I soon realised that this was my calling,” he says.

Despite the hard work involved in Kalamkari, finding marketing avenues was very difficult. “Fortunately, fashion designers came to our rescue. Once they embraced this eco-friendly fabric, people from elite sections started buying it,” he recalls, pointing out that the fabric is now used in home furnishings, apparel and accessories.

“Foreigners outnumber Indian buyers as they like the fact that the dyes used in the cloth are obtained by extracting colours from parts of fruits, vegetables, roots and leaves with mineral salts of iron, tin, copper and other metals serving as mordants (that helps bind the colour to the fabric).

‘Growing awareness’

“The growing awareness among people on the harmful effects of dangerous chemical dyes has come as a boon to us. They have started developing a taste for naturally dyed fabrics and what more, Kalamkari is the best specimen of natural colour artwork,” he says.

The duplicate version of Kalamkari fabric flooding the markets worries Mr. Reddy. “These fake designs are ruining the Kalamkari industry. But then, it also makes me feel happy that only products that are in great demand in market spawn replicas,” he adds with a smile.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by P. Sujatha Varma / Vijayawada – April 19th, 2016

Master plan to restore lost glory of Horsley Hills

Efforts under way to tide over water crisis; long-pending ropeway will be a reality soon, says tourism official

Place to be:The newly-constructed View Point atop Horsley Hills. (Right) The famous Governor’s Bungalow at the hill resort.—Photos: By Arrangement
Place to be:The newly-constructed View Point atop Horsley Hills. (Right) The famous Governor’s Bungalow at the hill resort.—Photos: By Arrangement

Horsley Hills, the one and only 160-year-old hill station in Andhra Pradesh, which faced the worst-ever water crisis in 2015, has a ray of hope this year with steady inflow of tourists from all over India, particularly from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

The Kadapa District Collector during the British rule, W.D. Horsley, discovered the beauty of the gigantic 4,312-ft.-high hill near Madanapalle in 1857. In a record time of a couple of years, he had transformed it into a hill station. The resort gradually took the name of its discoverer.

GovernorsANDHRA19apr2016

It had served many a British officer and royal family visiting it to beat the oppressive summer heat in South India till Independence.

Later, the hill station faded into oblivion. And it is yet to regain its lost glory. In spite of this, the very mention of Horsley Hills means romance and beauty to nature-lovers and tourists. After the State’s bifurcation in 2014, the hill station has topped the list of thrust areas of the AP Tourism.

The accommodation potential has risen to over 500 tourists from half of the figure. An amount of Rs. 50 lakh was spent to construct tent-model cottages, which would be ready in the next few months.

The annual revenue suddenly shot up to Rs. 3 crore from a few lakhs before 2014.

The hill station has everything to attract tourists such as trampoline, meltdown zone, adventure combo, bull ride, canopy walk, and view points at dizzy heights overlooking steep valleys, mini-zoo park, swimming pools, and, above all, cool climate round the year, which feature has brought it the title ‘Andhra Ooty’.

The Governor’s Bungalow and Forest Bungalow are an added attraction, for they have turned historical monuments.

To meet the water needs of the tourists, the hill station completely depends on water pumped from the foothills.

At present, water is being pumped to the hilltop through pipelines up to a distance of nearly 8 km in eight stages.

The daily average consumption stands at one lakh litres. The consumption could be more in the summer months. In 2015, when groundwater totally dried up, the tourists were forced to return immediately on arrival.

District Tourism Manager D.V. Chandramouli Reddy told The Hindu that the administration was all set to execute a master plan, giving top priority to overcome the water crisis and give wide publicity to attract tourists.

“In fact, the space available on the hill is just two square km, and congestion will be another problem. In the next one decade, Horsley Hills will definitely be one of the best hill stations with global standards. The long-pending ropeway will be a reality soon,” he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / byK. Umashanker / Chittoor – April 19th, 2016

Raghavendra gets a slot in athletics federation

Akula Raghavendra
Akula Raghavendra

It was red letter in the history of Andhra Pradesh Athletic Association (APAA) as its general secretary Akula Raghavendra was elected as executive member of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) in the general elections held in New Delhi on Friday.

Mr. Raghavendra, the youngest member of the executive body, impressed the country’s athletic fraternity by hosting 2014 Junior National athletics championships in a befitting manner at Vijayawada, and later played a crucial role in Indian contingent performance at the recently-held Asian Indoor athletic meet at Doha as team Manager.

“His election to AFI will help Andhra Pradesh getting Indian camps and international athletics meets. Good days are ahead of us,” felt senior SAI athletic coach Vinayak Prasad.

APAA administrators Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, Nageswara Rao, Krishna District Athletic Association administrators Ramesh Jain, N. N. Rao, District Sports Development Officer P. Ramakrishna and others congratulated him.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Special Correspondent / Vijayawada – April 16th, 2016

Harshitha wins two silver medals in Mongolia

G. Harshitha
G. Harshitha

Young Rajahmundry teenager Guddanti Harshitha overcame biting cold weather and bouts of fever to add two international medals to her kitty by winning silver medals in the Asian youth chess championship that concluded in Mongolia on Thursday.

She scored seven points out of nine by winning seven and losing two to finish second in the standard under-16 girls’ category, and later she won silver in the rapid segment as well. “She finished fifth in the blitz segment,” says Andhra Pradesh Chess Association secretary D. Srihari.

“She lost the two crucial rounds owing to fever as the weather was unbearable for several youngsters,” says Harshitha’s mother Sridevi.

Harshitha, a Class X student of TRIPS International School, started playing chess six years ago. After learning the basics, she is now being trained by Grandmaster Arun Prasad of Chennai online since 2014.

Before major tournaments Harshitha visits Chennai for intensive training for 10 days with Mr. Arun Prasad. Harshitha won Asian youth silver in Korea, Commonwealth under-16 bronze, National Juniors Bronze Medal in 2015.

“Harshitha’s aim is to become a championship player like Grandmaster Koneru Humpy and Dronavalli Harika and play for the country in the premier international tournaments,” says her mother.

Harshitha wants to go aboard to train under the best of coaches and also play more competitive tourneys but the major hurdle she faces is the lack of sponsors. “We are looking are sponsors to support Harshitha‘s dream of becoming a Grandmaster. It is getting increasingly expensive to travel for training and play in fixtures,” says Dr. Sridevi.

A class X student, she finished fifth in the blitz segment, says APCA secretary D. Srihari

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / Special Correspondent / Vijayawada – April 16th, 2016

GI Tag Soon for AP’s Signature Products

Hyderabad :

Andhra Pradesh’s signature mango variety Banginapalli is likely to get GI (geographical indication) status soon along with four other famous varieties of produce, Tella Chakkerakeli banana, Palasa cashew, Duggirala turmeric and Krishnapuram (KP) Onion.

Andhra Pradesh, which has over 22 GI-certified products so far, has sent these five unique horticulture products for GI registration through the National Skill Foundation of India (NSFI), Gurgaon, Haryana.

The government has instructed the horticulture commissioner to take up the GI registration process of these five unique horticulture products of AP, said Chiranjiv Choudhary, ex-officio secretary to the state government on Tuesday.

GI registration is valid for an initial period of 10 years, and can be renewed from time to time. Karnataka, with 32, tops the list of states which have secured the GI tag for their unique products, followed by Tamil Nadu (24), AP (22) and Kerala (20).

A geographical indication is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or reputation that are due to that origin.

Some well-known GI products include Darjeeling tea, Tirupati laddu, Muga silk from Assam, Goa’s Feni, Kashmir’s Pashmina wool, Mysore Agarbatti, Bangalore Blue Grapes, Alleppey Coir and Malabar Pepper.

GI registration gives to the registered proprietor and its authorised users the legal right to the exclusive use of the GI tag and also the right to obtain relief in case of its infringement.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / April 13th, 2016

Scribes celebrate Sir C.Y. Chintamani’s birth anniversary

CHINTAMANI’S BIRTH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATED

On the occasion of the 136th birthday celebrations of veteran journalist Sir C.Y. Chintamani on Saturday, print and electronic media journalists in the town paid rich tributes by garlanding his bust size statue at Ambati Satram Junction here and distributed fruits to inmates of deaf and dumb school at Perla Vaari Street.

C.Y. Chintamani, a native of the town, had enlightened people during the freedom movement with his bold and uncompromising articles in The Leader and The Spectator. APUWJ leaders B. Chakravarti, Patro, Vijaya Kumar and others were present.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / Vizianagaram – April 10th, 2016