City kid to represent India at international competition

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Records, All, World Opinion

A three-day grooming session for children by D’La Valentina at Hotel Aira in city concluded here on Sunday.

Vijayawada :

A three-day grooming session for children by D’La Valentina at Hotel Aira in city concluded here on Sunday.

On the occasion, various competitions were conducted in which kids, trained by Valentina Mishra ( who is the national director of International Kids Pageants) took part. Along with training on personality development and communication skills, the children were introduced to concepts of oral care and hygiene by Dr Kavya and Dr Madhu.

In an audition conducted in February, eight students–Parineeta Sinha (8), Darsh Joshi (7), Taufiq Mansoor Ansari (9), Sanvi Kongra, (11), Gagana K (6), N Yashasvi Sai (8), Safin (10), Aditya Vasudev (12)–were selected for this three-day grooming session. Among them, Yashasvi Sai from Vijayawada was selected to represent India in the ‘little category’ at the ‘Little Miss Galaxy Contest’ to be held from March 16 to 23 in Bulgaria. Aditya Vasudev from Visakhapatnam was selected to represent the country in the ‘pre-teen’ category at the ‘Best Prince of the World’ contest in Georgia from April 23 to 28.

A photo shoot was organised for them to showcase their style quotient, and mementoes and participation certificates were distributed.

Speaking on the occasion, Mishra said: “Learning to groom oneself at such a tender age will help a child improve his/her self-confidence. It also boosts public speaking and leadership skills.”

Recently,  Yamini Patibandla (6), who was groomed by the organisation, won the World Rising Stars contest in Georgia.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Vijayawada / by Express News Service / March 04th, 2019

AP college wins prize at hackathon

Education, Records, All, Science & Technology

Each team consisted six students out of which one was a girl.

Hyderabad :

Siddartha Institute of Science and Technology, in Puttur, Andhra Pradesh, emerged as one of the winners of the Grand Finale of Smart India Hackathon conducted at NIT Warangal from March 2-3.
The other winners included Indian Institute of Technology, Pune, National Institute of Technology Raipur, Rodgrigues Institute of Technology, Mumbai, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida,Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Technology Rohini, New Delhi, Indira College of Engineering and Management, Pune and Vivekananda Education Society’s Institute of Technology, Mumbai.

Each team consisted six students out of which one was a girl.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / March 05th, 2019

Session to build GenNext entrepreneurs in Vijayawada

Business & Economy, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Leaders

Vijayawada :

Observing that opportunities for women in the country have increased with the availability of technology, Brandix India Partner Dora Swamy said there is an immense need to mentor them in the right direction so as to make them self-sustainable.

Delivering a keynote address at ‘Building Next Generation Women Entrepreneurs’ event in Vijayawada on Wednesday, Dora Swamy called upon the men in the society to encourage the fairer sex by giving them jobs in all fields of the society. The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), Amaravati and Andhra Pradesh Innovation Society have organised the event.

“Out of total 22,000 staff in our company, a majority of them i.e.18,000 are women, who hail from rural background. This is our priority the company accords to women,” he added. “We at Innovation Valley believe that entrepreneurship potential can be enhanced vis-a-vis structured support to establish enterprises,” Andhra Pradesh Innovation Society CEO Winny Patro said.

He said, “We are creating a framework to support women entrepreneurs and encouraging them to work in their companies.” TiE Board member Purnima Kamble said the session focused on topics such as challenges faced by women in leadership positions in a male-dominated work environment.
Association of Lady Entrepreneurs of AP President K Ramadevi among others participated.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Vijayawada / by Express News Service / February 28th, 2019

Nat’l conference on improving cashew cultivation begins

Agriculture, Business & Economy

Horticulture commissioner Chiranjiv Choudhary said that his department was taking steps to improve the cultivation of cashew and value-added products of the fruit.

Vijayawada :

Horticulture commissioner Chiranjiv Choudhary said that his department was taking steps to improve the cultivation of cashew and value-added products of the fruit. After inaugurating a two-day national conference on improving cashew cultivation in the State, the Commissioner said that the byproducts of cashew have a huge market. “Oil extracted from cashews has a large market.

That is why the government is working on increasing the production of a variety of cashews using latest techniques,” he said. He added that cultivating the fruit would help double the income of farmers as it had a very high demand in the market.

The Commissioner noted that over 250 delegates from 17 States from across the country were participating in the conference. “A report would be submitted to us on the deliberations made in the conference on the latest techniques for improving cashew cultivation,” he added.

He further explained the initiatives taken up by the State government to promote horticulture in Andhra Pradesh. “Over the last three to four years, production of horticulture crops has increased manifold, especially in Rayalaseema region. This has helped in boosting the farmers’ income,” Chiranjiv Choudhary said.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Vijayawada / by Express News Service / February 23rd, 2019

Alumni walk through familiar corridors as college turns 50

Education, Leaders, Records, All
A view of the Sri Govindaraja Swamy (SGS) Arts College in Tirupati
A view of the Sri Govindaraja Swamy (SGS) Arts College in Tirupati

Association to come out with database of graduates soon

What do A.P. Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) Chairman V. Jayarami Reddy, litterateur ‘Sahasravadhani’ Medasani Mohan, former Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, Progressive Writers Association president Sakam Nagaraja and bureaucrat K. Dhananjaya Reddy have in common? They graduated from the Sri Govindaraja Swamy (SGS) Arts College here.

As the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD)-run institute entered its golden jubilee year on Wednesday, its old students went down the memory lane by recalling the “golden moments” of their lives.

After opening arts colleges for men and women in the name of Sri Venkateswara and Sri Padmavathi respectively, the TTD opened another arts college to cater to a growing demand for higher education in Tirupati. Besides students from the Rayalaseema districts, many from Nellore, Prakasam and Guntur districts have studied at the college, known for its value-based education.

Many alumni at the golden jubilee event took selfies with their old classmates, related anecdotes to one another and walked with a heavy air of nostalgia through the institution’s corridors and rooms.

“The values ingrained in the curriculum made us what we are today,” says Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State general secretary G. Bhanuprakash Reddy, an alumnus. “Compared to corporate colleges, TTD institutions have better infrastructure, faculty members and foster spaces to encourage creativity among students,” says TTD Public Relations Officer T. Ravi, an alumnus.

Meanwhile, the alumni association of the institution has begun collecting details of its alumni through WhatsApp groups and Facebook profiles to come out with a database at the end of the year-long celebrations.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Special Correspondent / Tirupati – February 28th, 2019

Oldest Waltair railway division will now be history

Business & Economy, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All

Waltair will now be history as the division was bifurcated and part of it was merged with Vijayawada division and rest will be a new railway division.

Visakhaptanam :

Announcement of South Coastal Railway Zone with Visakhapatnam as headquarters by Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday brought cheers to the people of the Port City. However, in the process, one of the oldest divisions in the country, Waltair, will now be history as the division was bifurcated and part of it was merged with Vijayawada division and rest will be a new railway division with Rayagada (Odisha) as headquarters.

Uttarandhra Charcha Vedika convener Konathala Ramakrishna said, “We have mooted the idea of creating a  zone with Odisha areas to facilitate new zone in Visakhapatnam. However, the merger of part of Waltair division with Vijayawada was unwarranted. It will have bearing on employment opportunities for the local youth.” He said Kolkata has two divisions and in SCR zone there are two divisions. Maybe this is for the first time that a zone without a division, he said,  adding that the BJP government at the Centre had to concede to the demand in view of growing resentment among the people.

Waltair Divisional Railway Manager MS Mathur said South Coastal Zone, created with  Visakhapatnam as headquarters, will have three divisions — Vijayawada, Guntur and Guntakal — and it has a fair chance to become a premiere zone in the country. Addition of Visakhapatnam into Vijayawada division will add up to its revenue and will become one of the top divisions in the country.

 WaltairZoneANDHRA01stmar2019He said the zone can start functioning immediately with minimum disruption as the city has all necessary infrastructure facilities and employees. Modalities and geographical jurisdiction are being worked out and will be announced in a day or two, he said. Waltair division has 1106 km and it is bifurcated between Rayagada and Visakhapatnam. The new zone will facilitate redressal of the employees grievances and passenger-related issues which were hitherto looked after by zones in the neighbhouring States. Stating that holy places Tirupati and Tirumala will be under the new zone, he said new trains are likely to be introduced on the route.

Railway Zone Sadhana Samiti convener JV Satyanarayana Murthy said the BJP, at last, announced the zone, but there is a big question mark over jurisdiction of north Andhra areas — will they come under the new zone or East Coast Railway?

He said there is little to cheer for the people from the region and emphasised the need to merge the entire Waltair division leaving Odisha areas in the new zone by retaining Waltair division.

Uttarandhra Rakshana Vedika convener SS Shiva Sankar said the KK line, which is now under a single section, will face operational problems, if bifurcated. The control of two different zonal railways on a single section will result in administrative problems. So, Waltair division should not have been bifurcated while creating the new zone.

BJP MP Haribabu said the BJP government gave the zone though technical committee felt that the zone is not feasible. “The BJP had to convince its alliance partners and took a political decision, for which it took four years. All is well that ends well,”  Haribabu said, summing up the mood of the BJP cadre.

The move will be a morale booster for the BJP rank and file ahead of the general elections and it will help the party get a foothold in the coastal areas.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by G. Janardhana Rao / Express News Service / February 28th, 2019

On a high, literally

Education, Records, All
Vijja Reddy Raja Sree being congratulated by her parents in Anantapur on Wednesday.
Vijja Reddy Raja Sree being congratulated by her parents in Anantapur on Wednesday.

It was a proud moment for Vijja Reddy Raja Sree, daughter of a Kuppam-based polytechnic lecturer. The girl received six gold medals at the 10th convocation of Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Anantapur, on Wednesday. She got the gold medal for securing the highest marks in JNTUA examination in 2018 and five endowment gold medals for standing first in all the branches of engineering and other categories.

An elated and smiling Raja Sree was the centre of attraction at the convocation hall with hundreds of her classmates, professors and parents of other students congratulating her on the achievement. And the icing on the cake was State government presenting ‘Pratibha Puraskar’ of ₹20,000 for her excellent performance in the B.Tech Civil Engineering.

Currently pursuing her M.Tech in Structural Engineering at S.V. University in Tirupati, she secured 88.89% in her graduation in 2018 from JNTU Anantapur Engineering College. She got through the GATE examination and received a stipend of ₹12,500 to pursue her post-graduation.

While she prepares for civils, she wishes to join the government service to be closer to her family. She gives credit for her success to hard work and encouragement from parents.

Her father Rajasekharaiah and mother S. Chandrakala, headmistress of MPUP School at Chowdepalli near Madanapalle, told The Hindu that they would encourage their daughter to do whatever she likes in future.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Special Correspondent / Anantapur – February 28th, 2019

Railways Minister announces new railway zone for Andhra Pradesh

Business & Economy, Records, All
A view of Visakhapatnam Railway Station. File | Photo Credit: C.V.Subrahmanyam
A view of Visakhapatnam Railway Station. File | Photo Credit: C.V.Subrahmanyam

Piyush Goyal announces that Southern Coast Railway will be headquartered in Visakhapatnam

Railways Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday announced a new railway zone for Andhra Pradesh.

The new railway zone — Southern Coast Railway — will be headquartered in Visakhapatnam, Mr. Goyal said.

The decision comes four days after a BJP delegation from the State met Goyal in the national capital demanding the formation of a railway zone.

In a memorandum submitted to Mr. Goyal, they had said the north Andhra region, comprising Srikaulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts, is “very backward and needs impetus for development”.

The Andhra Pradesh BJP leaders had said that during the 2014 general elections, they had assured the public that a railway zone would come up at Visakhapatnam.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by PTI / New Delhi – February 27th, 2019

Centre presents award to AP Capital Region Development Authority for promoting digital payments

Business & Economy, Records, All

The APCRDA will soon roll out a One Digital Card for all payments in Amaravati City.

Shan Mohan, CEO Amaravati Smart City and Team received the Digital Payment Award from Hardeep Singh Puri. (Photo| Twitter/ Amravati)
Shan Mohan, CEO Amaravati Smart City and Team received the Digital Payment Award from Hardeep Singh Puri. (Photo| Twitter/ Amravati)

Vijaywada  :

The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs conferred the Digital Payment Award on Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) at an event in New Delhi on Tuesday. CEO of Amaravati Smart City S Shan Mohan received the award from Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri.

The Smart Cities Digital Payments Awards 2018 ‘100 days Challenge in 100 Smart Cities’ is part of the ministry’s endeavour to guide, motivate, recognise and reward the Smart Cities for promoting digital payments and carrying out innovative payment initiatives.

Under this initiative, the APCRDA received the award for its Amaravati First Resident Card. The initiative taken by Amaravati to launch its Amaravati First Resident Card was selected as a case study in the Best Practices in Digital Payments by Smart Cities Mission.

The APCRDA has planned for a rollout of a virtual card, which brings an essence of Digital City, One Digital Card for all the payments in Amaravati City. “Amaravati First Resident Card” is an Account-based open loop system, which is QR-enabled for third-party services and generated by seeding with Aadhaar Number. The first resident card usage is planned for about 1,10,000 citizens in the first phase and shall be scaled with reference to the Household Survey, which takes place periodically.

The ‘Amaravati First Resident Card’ can be generated through a citizen portal, mobile app and a kiosk with a single click. This card is envisaged to have an integration with one of the leading payment bank for all the cashless transactions, for all G2G, G2C and G2B services, municipality services (high-valued services such as layout approval, building permissions, development permissions, annuity under land pooling scheme, EPC contracts, property tax, water tax, trade license fee, sewerage charges, property mutation fee and advertisement tax among others), retail services, cashless multimode transport, tourism services, toll payments and public restaurants.

Amaravati First Resident Card soon

APCRDA will soon roll out a One Digital Card for all payments in Amaravati City. Amaravati First Resident Card is an account-based open loop system, which is also QR-enabled.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Vijayawada / by Express News Service / February 27th, 2019

City doctor selected for psychiatrist board

Education, Leaders, Records, All, Science & Technology

The National Board of Examinations has the responsibility of granting permission for starting new PG Medical courses in recognised private and government hospitals.

Vijayawada :

Director of VIMHANS Hospitals and a senior psychiatrist there, Dr Indla Ramasubba Redyy, has been selected as part of a national-level psychiatrist board by The National Board of Examinations, affiliated to the Central Ministry of Health.

The National Board of Examinations has the responsibility of granting permission for starting new PG Medical courses in recognised private and government hospitals.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Vijayawada / by Express News Service / February 23rd, 2019