Monthly Archives: August 2016

Senior journalist Kasipathi passes away

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

He had been ailing for a few years. A native of Anantapur district, he spent most of his life there.

Eminent journalist and orator, Yadhati Kasipathi, who was a sympathiser of the then People’s War Group, passed away here on Thursday. He was 75 and is survived by wife Pushpa and two daughters – Pragathi and Vennela.

He had been ailing for a few years. A native of Anantapur district, he spent most of his life there.

For long he worked for the Telugu daily ‘Andhra Prabha’ and given his flair for writing in English, his news items were also published in The Indian Express .

A voracious reader, he used to be found in his stuffy office surrounded by papers. An accused in the Parvathipuram conspiracy case, he was also jailed for a while.

Interestingly, as a youth, he initially worked for the Youth Congress as a National Council member and also with the Red Cross Society of India.

He also did a Bachelor’s programme in Journalism and was helped financially in the endeavour by former Andhra Pradesh Speaker Kalluru Subba Rao.

He was then attracted by the Leftist ideology primarily due to top Communist leader Tarimela Nagi Reddy.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – August 12th, 2016

Tributes paid to Sankarambadi

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All
Writers led by Sahasravadhani Medasani Mohan paying tributes at the statue of Sankarambadi Sundarachari, in Tirupati on Wednesday.— Photo: K.V. POORNACHANDRA KUMAR
Writers led by Sahasravadhani Medasani Mohan paying tributes at the statue of Sankarambadi Sundarachari, in Tirupati on Wednesday.— Photo: K.V. POORNACHANDRA KUMAR

Writers turned up in large numbers at the statue of Sankarambadi Sundarachari, composer of the State anthem Maa Telugu Thalliki , to pay tributes to him on the occasion of his 102nd birth anniversary on Wednesday.

There is only one bronze statue for Sundarachari in the State installed by literary enthusiasts a decade back in his native place of Tirupati. A son of the soil, the poor man lived for literature and died an ‘unsung hero’.

Members of Sankarambadi Sahiti Peetham, a literary body formed in his name by academician Garlapati Damodaram Naidu to perpetuate his ideals, celebrated the day by garlanding Sundarachari’s statue and paying tributes, even as the organisation’s vice-president G. Suhasini rendered the anthem.

Noted ‘Sahasravadhani’ Medasani Mohan led the team of writers and poets in paying tributes. Peetham’s president D. Masthanamma announced that the body aimed at bringing the glory of the litterateurs of yesteryear to the present generation and popularising them. General secretary M. Devarajulu, writer Sakam Nagaraja and others participated.

At Sri Padmavathi Degree and PG College, TTD Special Officer (Projects) N. Muktheswara Rao explained the nuances in his compositions.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Tirupati – August 11th, 2016

Rajiv Gandhi award presented to educationist

Education, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Records, All
V. Koteswaramma
V. Koteswaramma

The International Business Council (IBC), New Delhi, has presented the Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award to Montessori Educational Institutions founder and correspondent V. Koteswaramma.

The award was presented recently for her outstanding achievements in the field of education. “I got many awards and the new award has added one more feather in the cap of Montessori Institutions. I thank the college and school principals, headmasters and teaching and non-teaching staff for their commitment and hard work, which helped me in achieving the awards,” said Koteswaramma, who expressed satisfaction at bagging the Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award.

Montessori Colleges Joint Secretary Avirneni Rajiv, Degree College Principal R. Padmavathi, Junior College Principal Y. Mangatayaru, B.Ed College Principal G. Padma Tulasi, High School headmistress K. Suhasini and other staff felicitated the institutions’ founder for her achievement, at a programme held on the college premises on Friday.

Montessori Educational Institutions, which started with a meagre staff and students about six decades ago, is now running many schools and colleges for girls, said Ms. Koteswaramma.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Staff Reporter / Vijayawada – August 06th, 2016

Mridanga Vidushi honoured

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All
Mridangam vidushi Sumathi Rammohan being honoured.
Mridangam vidushi Sumathi Rammohan being honoured.

The Palani Subramanyam memorial award was given to vidushi Dandamudi Sumathi Ramamohan Rao.

The prestigious Percussive Arts Centre of Bangalore (Palghat Mani Iyer Memorial Arts Centre) conducts Talavadyotsav every year in a big way. Talavadyotsav-2016, a festival of percussive arts and music conference was conducted for four days. Life time achievement awards were instituted by the Centre in memory of legendary percussive artistes like Palghat Mani Iyer, Palani Subramanyam Pillai, Bengaluru K. Venkataraman, H. Puttachar and G.S. Sriram.

Mridangam vidushi Sumathi Rammohan Rao.
Mridangam vidushi Sumathi Rammohan Rao.

This year mridanga vidushi Dandamudi Sumathi Ramamohan Rao of Vijayawada received the coveted Palani Subramanyam Memorial Award for her eminence in mridanga vadyam.

The wife and disciple of famed mridanga vidwan Dandamudi Ramamohan Rao, Sumathi is an A-grade artiste of Akashvani and Doordarshan and belongs to Palani Subramanyam bani. She learnt the preliminaries from father Nidumolu Raghavaiah and Mahadevu Radhakrishna Raju and received her advanced training from her husband Dandamudi Ramamohan Rao.

She travelled widely and in a mridangam playing career spanning 25 years, she accompanied many eminent vocal and instrumental vidwans for concerts in the country and abroad.

A few years ago she also received the Central Sangeet Natak Akademy award. She worked for more than 20 years as a mridangam lecturer in the G.V.R. Government College of music and trained a large number of disciples in mridanga vadyam.

Sumathi Ramamohan Rao established a sabha named Laya Vedika which provides stage for only percussive instrumentalists.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Friday Review / by P. Surya Rao / Hyderabad – August 04th, 2016

Anti-liquor activist Dubagunta Rosamma no more

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All

RosammaANDHRA08aug2016

Nellore :

Anti-arrack movement leader responsible for imposing total ban on liquor, Vardhineni Rosamma (93) popularly known as Dubagunta Rosamma, passed away  in Dubagunta village of Kaligri mandal, about 90 km from here on Sunday morning.

According to her family, she breathed her last around 3.30 AM on Sunday at her residence in Dubagunta village. Rosamma’s family has been living as agricultural labourers in the village. She is survived by two sons V Srinivasulu, and V Yddukondalu, and a daughter K Padmaja. Her last rights are expected to be held on Monday in Dubagunta village.

Nellore MP M Rajamohan Reddy, Udayagiri MLA B Venkata Rama Rao, former Udayagiri MLA M Chandrasekhar Reddy, MLCs V Balasubrahmanyam, S Chandra Mohan Reddy, CPM senior leader Jakka Venkaiah and others condoled her death.

Unlettered woman who made history

Vardhineni Rosamma, born in 1923 in Juvvaladinne village, married Kondaiah Naidu of Dubagunta village and settled as a agricultural labourer. Rosamma, who was an unlettered woman, was inspired by literacy movement, during the regime of Collector M Raju in 1990s. Later, she joined the Anti-Arrack Movement in 1991, with the inspiration of a book called ‘Mahila Meluko’ written by Vitavu Balasubrahmanyam. She intensified the movement by making ‘Dubagunta village the focus.’

All political parties except Congress, non-governmental organisations and social activists extended support, and joined the anti-arrack movement, which led to its ban by the late CM N T Rama Rao.

After winning polls, NTR  signed on the dotted line to ban liquor in the State.  AP had a golden era for two-and-a-half years during the regime of NTR and crime rate drastically came down following ban on liquor. N Chandrababu Naidu, who assumed office after NTR, lifted the ban. Rosamma’s last days were bad. The government, allotted  her four acres of land in Dubagunta village and a plot at Kavali outskirts, forcibly grabbed it by saying that she had no pattas.

Even APSRTC’s free pass was cancelled few years ago. After losing both kidneys, she travelled to Kanuparthipadu village to meet Chief Minister Naidu. She was not allowed to meet the CM, and was mercilessly necked out from the venue by calling her mad. However, philanthropists donated some money for her health and she died undergoing dialysis at her village on Sunday.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / August 08th, 2016

Wild plants are no more worthless!

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature

Scientist suggests agave and cactus plantation in barren lands.

If you think the wildly grown plants have no role to play, think again. Plants like agave, cactus (opuntia) and sitaphal, having high drought resistance and rich in nutrients, have a purpose that is yet to be fully uncovered and unleashed.

Agave is one such plant that is ‘wildly’ abused in India, in spite of its multiple benefits to nature as well as society. Its tough fibre is used to make ropes in Central America, while its cellulose is a key ingredient in Brazil’s paper industry. These apart, hecogenin, a steroid is extracted from its juice.

Similar is the case of cactus, a regenerative plant known for its ‘carefree’ growth, which is confined to field fences. Categorised as a ‘Crassulacean Acid Metabolism’ (CAM) plant, the stomata open in nights to absorb carbon dioxide and closes in the day to facilitate photosynthesis.

“It has been proved beyond doubt that natural calamities happen due to CO2 concentration and atmospheric vapour. CAM plants grown on a massive scale are the simplest solution to act as a carbon sink,” says Anumakonda Jagadeesh, Director, Nayudamma Centre for Development Alternatives, Nellore.

In an informal chat with The Hindu , he explained how the Government can saturate barren lands with these plants to maintain equilibrium and as well kick-start the rural economy. According to him, the CAM family members yield fruits having nutritional values similar to apples and pomegranates.

A cup of prickly pears contains 1.09 gm of protein, compared to a medium-sized apple’s 0.47 gm. “Israel is a major exporter of juice that fetches Rs.1,000 per litre”, he added.

While the State is grappling with the menace of water hyacinth,

Dr. Jagadeesh suggests a cheap and easy remedy. “The combination of water hyacinth and animal dung is the best source of biogas”, he pointed out.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / A.D. Rangarajan / Tirupati – August 08th, 2016

‘ICU on Wheels’ launched by Apollo

Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Records, All, Science & Technology
ACP K Prabhakar flagging-off ‘ ICU on Wheels’ ambulance at Apollo Hospitals as regional CEO Dr Sandeep looks on in Visakhapatnam on Friday
ACP K Prabhakar flagging-off ‘ ICU on Wheels’ ambulance at Apollo Hospitals as regional CEO Dr Sandeep looks on in Visakhapatnam on Friday

Visakhapatnam :

Apollo Hospitals have launched five ‘ICU on Wheels’ ambulances, the first of their kind in the state, on Friday. The GPS-enabled (Geopositioning system) was flagged off by ACP (traffic) Prabhakar.

People can call the ambulance by dialing 1066. High-end medical equipment including provision for ventilator, defibrillator and spine boards are provided in the ambulance to serve critically ill patients..

The ambulances are placed in different parts of the city and during any medical emergency, the ambulance nearest to the patient’s location will be alerted by the control room in the hospital and using the GPS system that ambulance will reach the patient. Depending on the type of emergency, the patient will be shifted to either of the Apollo Hospitals located at Arilova and Ramnagar.

“Most of the trauma deaths occur while the patient is en route to the hospital and thus timely intervention is required. An ambulance in the nearest location during the ‘golden hour’, with all the required facilities would be a life-saver. The transit time can be utilised for the emergency treatment inside the ambulance,” said Dr Ranjith Kumar, specialist in emergency medicine at Apollo Hospital.

“The launch of International standard Trauma care services would help providing fast services under one roof for cases of cardiac attacks, brain strokes, head injuries, poisoning and accidents,” said, Sandeep C, regional CEO, Apollo Hospitals.

“An awareness program on the ambulances will be organised for policemen by the Apollo hospitals later this month,” the CEO added.

To clear any traffic obstruction for the ambulance to commute faster, a green channel concept for emergency vehicles will be launched shortly,” said the ACP.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express ./ Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / August 06th, 2016

First woman goods train guard makes maiden trip

Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Records, All
UH Lakshmi going on her maiden trip as Goods Guard from Visakhapatnam. / Photo: By Special Arangement
UH Lakshmi going on her maiden trip as Goods Guard from Visakhapatnam. /
Photo: By Special Arangement

U.H. Lakshmi has made history by becoming the first woman goods train guard in Waltair Division.

She assumed charge by taking her first trip from the marshalling yard here to Rayagada in Odisha. Ms. Lakshmi was appointed a trains clerk in Waltair Division on compassionate grounds in 2011 after the death of her husband.

She qualified for the post of goods guard after passing the departmental examination and later underwent training at the Zonal Railway Institute at Sini in Jharkhand from November, 2015, according to Senior Divisional Commercial Manager M. Yelvender Yadav.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Special Correspondent / Visakhapatnam – August 05th, 2016