Monthly Archives: May 2016

Budding designers, entrepreneurs make a fashion statement

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy
Fashion designer Rebecca Williams showcasing her first line of creation at the Annual Design Awards of JD Institute of Fashion Technology in Visakhapatnam. Photo: C.V.Subrahmanyam
Fashion designer Rebecca Williams showcasing her first line of creation at the Annual Design Awards of JD Institute of Fashion Technology in Visakhapatnam. Photo: C.V.Subrahmanyam

Social media platforms , online fashion destinations are giving a big fillip to them

The advent of technology in the fashion industry has changed things dramatically for aspiring fashion designers, especially in tier-2 cities. Competition has increased, yes, but at the same time the industry has also become more accessible for young fashion professionals. And giving this new crop of designers a big fillip are social media platforms and online fashion destinations such as Jabong and LimeRoad, with concepts like online fashion shows. Similarly, opening up of fashion boutiques in the city is gradually bringing about a change in the fashion perspective and giving an impetus to these fashion designers to showcase their creations.

At the recently held annual design awards show of JD Institute of Fashion Technology (JDIFT), aspiring fashion designers of the city talked about their design philosophy and the changing dynamics of the fashion industry.

Take for example, 19-year-old fashion designer Soundarya Mishra, who graduated from JD Institute of Fashion Technology this year. In a short span of time, she has created an online custom designed garment brand – Avatar and a Facebook page called ‘Avatar You’ where she showcases her designs. “In the two months since I started my brand, the online platform and social media have helped me to reach out to potential customers. Last month, four of my designer garments were booked through my Facebook page. It is a big boost for budding fashion designers like me,” says Soundarya, who takes her inspiration from international designer Zuhair Murad.

Her new collection showcased at JD Institute’s annual design awards show highlighted the hidden emotions of a human being through layers of fabric in five creations of western ethnic designs. The young designer used leather belts, hanging dolls and artistic prints in her collection to convey this theme in Bhagalpuri silk fabric.

“Vizag is not an easy city for budding fashion designers. It is still at a nascent stage when it comes to fashion consciousness. Having said that, online platforms and entrepreneurship trends among youngsters have changed the scenario for budding talents. They need a bit initial mentoring and get to a flying start. Many of our students have opened their own boutiques and also become fashion stylists at leading brands,” says Sangita Daga, the Head of Department of JDIFT.

An alumnus of the institute, Sai Prasanna works as a fashion stylist at Kankatala’s The Fabric Store.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Nivedita Ganguly / Visakhapatnam – May 23rd, 2016

Peddapuram, Samalkot to become twin cities

About Seemandhra / Andhra Pradesh, Records, All

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday said that Peddapuram and Samalkot would become twin cities of East Godavari district in the near future.

Inaugurating the centenary celebrations of the Peddapuram Municipality here, Mr. Naidu said that the town had vast potential for development, as it had better road connectivity, natural resources and industrial estates. “We are going to construct an indoor stadium and outdoor stadium here in an extent of 10 acres and lay a double road from Peddapuram to Samalkot with central lighting facility,” he said, adding that the bus stand and market were being swapped for better town planning.

“A new bus stand will be constructed in the present market. Similarly, the present bus stand will be turned into a market. The entire process will be completed within two months from now,” he said. Stating that the Government was keen on providing irrigation to all the areas and irrigate every acre of land, the Chief Minister said that special focus would be made on irrigation facilities to the upland areas. “Water facility to Peddapuram town will accelerate the industrial growth here,” he observed.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Naidu inaugurated Centenary Park, cement concrete roads in the town, besides laying foundation stones for the Kapu and BC welfare buildings to be constructed in Kakinada. Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, Home Minister N. Chinna Rajappa, local elected representatives and officials were present.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Peddapuram (East Godavari) / May 19th, 2016

11 ghatams conjure up perfect symphony

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

HanumanthaRaoANDHRA18may2016

Visakhapatnam :

SARASWATULA Hanumatha Rao of Tadepalligudem gave an engrossing performance of Carnatic Ghata Tarangini with 11 Ghatams in the 36th edition of the Indian classical music concert organised by Tarakeshwara Foundation at Rajiv Smruthi Bhavan on Sunday.

It was the artiste’s first concert in the city. The classical music concert was first such in the city by any artiste in many years. The artiste rendered full nine compositions with Hanumatha Ramcharan on violin and Guntuka Venkata Rao on  mridangam.

Hanumatha Rao gave performances across India and abroad and accompanied some of the eminent personalities of Indian classical music. He presented his master works in Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Dubai, Muscat and West Indies. He was also honoured with the title of ‘Asthana Vidwan’ by Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham of Kanchipuram.

Hanumatha Rao holds a diploma in mridangam and a B-high grade artiste of All India Radio both in ghatam and mridangam.

Visakha Dance and Music Academy founder CN Raju and Andhra Music Academy director MS Srinivas and others were present.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / May 16th, 2016

Rich tributes paid to Sir Arthur Cotton

Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Leaders, Science & Technology, World Opinion
IN REMEMBRANCE: Lieutenant Murthy Jasti of River Bay Resorts performing Abhishekam to the statue of Sir Arthur Cotton on the occasion of his birth anniversary in Rajahmundry on Friday.
IN REMEMBRANCE: Lieutenant Murthy Jasti of River Bay Resorts performing Abhishekam to the statue of Sir Arthur Cotton on the occasion of his birth anniversary in Rajahmundry on Friday.

Felicitations to former chief engineer and others mark his 206th birth anniversary

His contributions to the irrigation recalled

Documentary on Sir Arthur Cotton sought

Kakinada:

Rich tributes were paid to Sir Arthur Cotton at JNTU-Kakinada on Friday on the occasion of his 206th birth anniversary by Vice-Chancellor Allam Appa Rao and retired engineers of the Irrigation Department. Prof. Rao also felicitated former chief engineer (irrigation) A. Rameswara Rao and others who made valuable contributions to the irrigation engineering.

Relentless efforts

Addressing the gathering, Prof. Rao said India would not have witnessed the green revolution but for the relentless efforts of Sir Arthur Cotton to realise the full potential of the arable lands by building a network of canals and drains in major river basins. Unfortunately, Sir Arthur Cotton was identified with only the Godavari canal system and Dowleswaram barrage whereas he had played an instrumental role in the construction of the Ganges canal.

He had also envisaged the Gannavaram aqueduct and several other projects that helped farmers increase productivity by leaps and bounds.

Sir Arthur Cotton was basically a military man who had the penchant for engineering which eventually led him to design and execute some of the world’s best irrigation schemes in India. However, he did not get the due recognition in spite of his great accomplishments though his memories were relived every year on his birth and death days.

Prof. Rao suggested to the Civil Engineering Department to make out a documentary on Sir Arthur Cotton and make it an integral part of the irrigation engineering course planned to be offered in the varsity.

The innovative concepts of Sir Cotton have to be studied in detail and scrupulously followed upon to find new ways of augmenting the potential of India’s irrigation systems.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / May 16th, 2016

First Telugu to head All-India Carrom Federation

Records, All, Sports
Proud moment:S. Madan Raj, the newly-elected treasurer of All-India Carrom Federation, seen with the federation’s new president Dr. Neeraj Sampathy, in Hyderabad on Sunday.– PHOTO: V.V. SUBRAHMANYAM
Proud moment:S. Madan Raj, the newly-elected treasurer of All-India Carrom Federation, seen with the federation’s new president Dr. Neeraj Sampathy, in Hyderabad on Sunday.– PHOTO: V.V. SUBRAHMANYAM

In a rare show of unity in sporting circles, Andhra Carrom Association and Hyderabad Carrom Association join hands to ensure unanimous election for all posts

He was not born when the All-India Carrom Federation was formed back in 1956. But, 47-year-old Dr. Neeraj Sampathy has achieved the rare distinction of becoming the first-ever Telugu speaking official to head the national sports body, on Sunday.

Nothing could have been more symbolic than one of the founder-members of the AICF, 75-year-old omnipresent B.K. Haranath, ensuring that there are no more hiccups in handing over the baton to Dr. Sampathy, who himself is a passionate carom player besides being an enterprising president of Andhra Carrom Association.

Ironically, despite his vast experience and major contribution to promoting the sport, Mr. Haranath has never headed the AICF. In the new setup too, he was given the post of director (media), as he is known to be adept in handling the media.

And, in a rare show of unity in sporting circles, both Andhra Carrom Association and the Hyderabad Carrom Association joined hands as part of the process to ensure the unanimous election for all the posts at the AGM here. Consequently, S. Madan Raj, secretary of Hyderabad Carrom Association, will be the treasurer.

The new AICF chief says that every effort would be made to see that carrom, which is in Group C in terms of sports discipline priority list – both at the State and the Central-level, gains a place in Group A.

“The only way out is to popularise the sport hosting more events – national and international – to produce more champions,” Dr. Sampathy remarked. “With the School Games Federation of India already including carrom in its curriculum, we will try our best to see that it is introduced at the university level too,” he said.

We will try our best to introduce carom at the university level. Dr. Neeraj Sampathypresident, AICF

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by V.V. Subrahmanyam / Hyderabad – May 16th, 2016