Monthly Archives: May 2016

Capital region gets its first SBI paperless, digital branch

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Records, All
SBI chief general manager Hardayal Prasad and DGM Rajiv Kohli (2nd left) and regional manager GV Sastry during the inauguration of SBI Intouch (digital branch) at Governorpet in Vijayawada on Thursday | Express
SBI chief general manager Hardayal Prasad and DGM Rajiv Kohli (2nd left) and regional manager GV Sastry during the inauguration of SBI Intouch (digital branch) at Governorpet in Vijayawada on Thursday | Express

Vijayawada :

First SBI Intouch (digital) branch in Vijayawada was inaugurated at Governorpet as part of the bank’s contribution to ‘Digital India’ initiative of the Central government on Thursday.

It is second such branch in the state after Visakhapatnam. Paperless transaction and online transaction are the focus the branch. By September 2016, SBI management want to have at least one such branch in each of 13 districts of the state.

Addressing the media, after inaugurating the digital branch, SBI Chief General Manager of AP and Telangana, Hardayal Prasad said that ‘SBI  Intouch’ branch will have facilities including instant opening of account, printing and issue of personalised debit card, and expert advice on investment through video conference. “It will have an Online Banking Kiosk, where customers can learn and use Internet Banking. It also has an Express Banking Zone that includes an ATM, recycler (ATM + cash deposit machine), debit card printer, passbook printer (Swayam), and electronic cheque drop machine,” CGM said.

Deputy General Manager (B&O) Rajiv Kohli, Regional Manager G V Sastry and SBI Intouch Branch Manager P Rajeswara Rao were present.

Digitisation First SBI Intouch  at Visakhapatnam

Second at Vijayawada

By September 2016 in all districts

Advantage SBI Intouch

Instant opening of account

Printing, issuing of personalised debit card

Expert advice on investments

Online Banking Kiosk

Express Banking Zone

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

Eamcet engineering topper eyeing iit

Education, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Records, All
Satti Vamsi Krishna Reddy
Satti Vamsi Krishna Reddy

Visakhapatnam  :

City boy Satti Vamsi Krishna Reddy has topped the APEAMCET 2016 in engineering stream by scoring of 158 marks out the total 160.

As the results were out in the evening after several announced delay on the publication of the results, celebrations began at Vamsi Krishna Reddy’s home at Lalithanagar.

Jubilant parents of Vamsi Krishna Reddy distributed sweets in the locality as congratulations flowed in through texts, WhatsApp and in persons. But, Vamsi said Eamcet was not his ultimate goal, but IIT.

“I have been dreaming for IIT since I was in class seven. That was precisely why I shifted from Delhi Public School to Sri Chaitanya Techno School. I want to pursue computer science in IIT Mumbai,” he said.

Asked about the Eamcet, he said,”I am elated. I expected to be in the top 10, but Rank 1 definitely a surprise. My mother Bharathi Jyothi has been my inspiration all through.”

Vamsi, who studied intermediate in Sri Chaitanya Narayana Junior college, has got NTSE (National Talent Search Examination) scholarship in class VIII and KVPY (Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana) scholarship in class XI.

His father Sudhakar Reddy is an AGM in the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and mother Bharathi Jyothi is a home maker.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Sri Lakshmi Muttevi /May 10th, 2016

A school that drew many smart students

Education, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All
St. Anthony 's High School is one of the oldest schools in Visakhapatnam. Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam
St. Anthony ‘s High School is one of the oldest schools in Visakhapatnam. Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

St. Anthony’s High School is one of the oldest institutions in Visakhapatnam.

The famous St. Anthony’s High School and St. Anthony’s Church that date back to pre-independence era form a part of Anthony Nagar in Maharanipeta.

One of the oldest schools in the city, on a five-acre plot, St. Anthony’s High School is an institution that drew children from all walks of life. Since there was limited choice available earlier, the school appeared to be the sole option for most professors, doctors, district judges and businessmen to admit their children.

Interestingly, the school has churned out famous doctors including dermatologist G. Raghu Rama Rao.

“Even after a century, the infrastructure of the school is so strong and quality-driven as it is hard to trace a single crack in the premises. The only difference now is that those who belong to below poverty line are admitting their children to the government-aided high school,” says Karnam Prakash, Headmaster of the school and a resident of the colony for the past 30 years. He voiced concern over dearth of teachers as the Government had brought the recruitment process to a halt.

From century-old buildings to brightly-painted individual houses, Anthony Nagar consists of a blend of old and new structures where private employees, businessmen and professionals live in harmony. “The place was once an orchard where cashews and mangoes were grown extensively. Gradually, the neighbourhood became a favourite spot for people who like to tuck into the compact and quiet haven. Ganesh Chaturti is the annual festival that brings us together as we celebrate it with grandeur by installing a pandal,” says Poli Thalli, a 63-year-old resident in Anthony Nagar.

Though the main lanes of the colony appear litter-free, poor maintenance of sewage channels and stagnated drain water pose health hazard to the residents. Residents say special attention is required to unclog the drainage system. “This apart, during rainy season, we are affected by poor water quality as the drinking water gets muddy, giving way to bacterial contamination,” adds S. Rani, another resident.

Zone III Commissioner Bapi Raju; Mobile No: 9848882593; Helpdesk No: 0891-2707299.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Rani Devalla / Visakhapatnam – May 11th, 2016

A helping hand for the visually-challenged

Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Records, All, Science & Technology
Cost-effective navigation system:The visional system fixed to the pair of shoes of a visually-challenged person, which is part of the app developed by students of Madanapalle Institute of Technology and Science .
Cost-effective navigation system:The visional system fixed to the pair of shoes of a visually-challenged person, which is part of the app developed by students of Madanapalle Institute of Technology and Science .

MITS students develop an Android app ‘Blind Vision’

Students of Madanapalle Institute of Technology and Science (MITS), Madanapalle, have designed a system called ‘Blind Vision’ that helps the visually-challenged to tread easily even in crowded spaces.

M. Guru Prasad, P. Asha, S. Bhavya, M. Gunasekhar, Reddy Prasad and Samarasimha Reddy, final year ECE students, have replaced the canes that guide the visually challenged in detection and avoidance of obstacles. Unlike the scores of similar guiding systems developed at exorbitant costs for people with vision impairment, this seemingly simple, portable and cost-effective alternative navigation system focuses on two things, viz., sensing the immediate environment for them to travel and navigating to destinations beyond the immediate perceptible environment, by making use of GPS, voice, Bluetooth and ultrasonic sensor for obstacle detection.

The system has a visional system fixed to the pair of shoes that takes care of the obstacle detection, while the android application named ‘Blind Vision’ receives the signal. Once the application is activated, it automatically opens the Google Maps, traces the present location of the user and seeks his destination. When the user feeds the information, it tries to find the path to reach the destination and gives directions in the form of voice. The app will interface the maps and the obstacle information signals. The Google Maps will then guide the person through voice.

The device has also been selected for the ‘Motorola Scholar Award’ for final presentation. Principal C. Yuvaraj, ECE head A.R. Reddy and guide R. Velmani congratulated the students on their accomplishment.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by A.D. Rangarajan / Tirupati – May 06th, 2016

In a first, city-based corporate hospital completes knee implant surgery on 125-kg patient

Records, All, Science & Technology

Visakhapatnam:

Claimed to be the first time in Andhra Pradesh, a city-based corporate hospital has successfully undertaken total knee implant surgery on a 57-year-old patient weighing 125 kgs. Called Attune Knee, it’s a knee joint replacement procedure. The prosthesis was implanted in both knees of the patient in Seven Hills Hospital.

Explaining the procedure, Dr Sushant Kumar Mallik, consultant joint replacement surgeon, said the patient Ch Sanjeev Reddy from Visakhapatnam was suffering from severe degenerative arthritis of both knee joints and was unable to walk since the last five years. “His X-rays revealed badly damaged condition of both knees and reduction in joint space in both knee joints. After necessary investigations, the patient underwent total knee replacement in both knees 10 days ago during an operation that lasted for four hours. The patient is stable and is walking normally post surgery.”

“The patient underwent bilateral total knee replacement in a single sitting with Attune knee replacement implant. The surgery was done for the very first time in AP. The surgery team was headed by Dr SK Mallick, the joint replacement surgeon at our hospital with anaesthesia support from Dr V Kuchelababu and team,” said Dr M Dinakar, medical superintendent of Seven Hills Hospital, Visakhapatnam.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Visakhapatnam / TNN / May 06th, 2016

Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Project Wins International Information Prize

Agriculture, Green Initiatives / Environment, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

United Nations :

An Andhra Pradesh project to collect very specific climate data from farms and give farmers personalised information through SMS has won the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) 2016 prize in the e-Agriculture category.

International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Secretary-General Houlin Zhao announced the prize Tuesday in Geneva.

The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) in Hyderabad developed the project, which is having a pilot run in Anantpur district. WSIS said the organisation had an e-strategy for implementing it at the national level.

“The WSIS Prizes recognize all players in the effort to improve global connectivity, from governments and global ICT (information communication technology) companies to grassroots NGOs leading innovative ICT-oriented projects at the local level.” Zhao said.

A total of 18 prizes were awarded in categories ranging from international cooperation to information ethics. The prize in the e-Agriculture category was the only one won by an Indian organisation.

The project, Harmonized Information of Agriculture, Revenue and Irrigation for a Transformation Agenda- Precision Technology for Agriculture or HARITA-PRIYA, uses wireless sensor networks (WSN) to collect micro-climate information from farms, according to WSIS.

This data is used to create advisories and alerts on irrigation schedules and pests and plant disease. Based on them state agriculture officers send out personalised crop advisories in Telugu to farmers by SMS.

The Andhra Pradesh government, the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) station and the Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University in Anantapur partnered in the project.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by IANS / May 04th, 2016

Array of tribal artefacts on display

Arts, Culture & Entertainment
Mayor Pantam Rajani Sesha Sai, MLAs Akula Satyanarayana and Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary going round the exhibition after inaugurating it in Rajahmundry on Sunday.— PHOTO: S. RAMBABU
Mayor Pantam Rajani Sesha Sai, MLAs Akula Satyanarayana and Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary going round the exhibition after inaugurating it in Rajahmundry on Sunday.— PHOTO: S. RAMBABU

Young tribal artisans from Maredumilli agency area, who honed their skills with a special training programme in making of artefacts, have made the audience spellbound by displaying a wide range of artefacts made of bamboo in a special exhibition arranged at Hotel River Bay here on Sunday.

As many as 30 artisans from the agency area were chosen for a month-long training programme conducted by the Balakavi Educational Seva Trust (BEST), an NGO, from April 1.

Master trainer Prabhal Saikia and his team from Assom helped the tribal youth to hone their skills in making artefacts by using bamboos.

MLAs Akula Satyanarayana, Gorantla Buchayya Chowdary inaugurated the exhibition.

Mayor Pantam Rajani Sesha Sai attended as special guest.

President of the BEST B. Padmaja thanked the ITDA and APSSDC for choosing their organisation for the training programme.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Rajamahendravaram – May 02nd, 2016