BSNL to ring in job training for youth

Business & Economy, Education, Science & Technology

Visakhapatnam : 

Bharat Sanchar Nigham Limited (BSNL) Visakhapatnam Telcom district will kick off its Employability Enhancement Training Programme-2013 in a week’s time to select engineering students of various colleges in the district.

Inaugurating the programme, BSNL senior general manager RMM Krishna said it is aimed at training engineering students from the electronics and communication branch to enhance their employability through silver, gold and platinum certificate programmes. The telecom company will be locally conducting the programme as per an MoU with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

“BSNL has selected 6,793 students from 693 colleges across the country for training at 23 BSNL training centres, including Visakhapatnam. Nearly 300 students from 26 colleges were selected for the programme in BSNL’s Visakhapatnam limits,” Krishna added.

VSRK Prasad, principal, Anil Neerukonda Institute of Technology and Sciences (ANITS), which sent 10 engineering students for the BSNL training programme, said that the students will be given practical knowledge on electronics and communication four hours in a week.

“Though BSNL did not give any job assurance to the participants, the employability programme plays a vital role in moulding their careers. The programme will surely help them encounter challenges in their career,” Prasad said.

Students of the fifth semester will get a BSNL Silver Certificate on completion of the Transmission Switching System and Telecom Support Infrastructure programme, while the BSNL Gold certificate will be issued to sixth semester engineering candidates completing the certificate programme on Broadband Technology, Digital Switching System and Optical Fibre. The BSNL Platinum certificate will be issued to seventh semester candidates completing the Mobilie Communication and IP Networking and Security Certificate programme as part of the BSNL training programme.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Visakhapatnam / TNN / September 18th, 2013

Curator of a tradition

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence
Cherial paintings depicting scenes from the epics and local legends. / Photo: Azera Parveen Rahman / The Hindu
Cherial paintings depicting scenes from the epics and local legends. / Photo: Azera Parveen Rahman / The Hindu

An 18-year-old is using his skills to revive the fading cherial heritage of Warangal

At the first glance, 18-year-old Vinay Kumar looks like any other teenager, with lofty dreams in his eyes. But once he starts speaking while rolling out scrolls of painting or cherial, a strange passion takes over. Coming from the youngest generation of the only family in the Cherial village of Andhra Pradesh to continue doing this art, Vinay’s passion is heartening, for, in his hands now lies the fate of the more than 500-year-old art form.

Vinay Kumar./ Photo: Azera Parveen Rahman / The Hindu
Vinay Kumar./ Photo: Azera Parveen Rahman / The Hindu

Cherial is located in Warangal district. Here, these paintings, which depict scenes from the epics and local legends, form an integral part of the story-telling tradition. Since the paintings are mostly three-feet-wide and 60-feet-long, unrolling the scroll bit by bit, while narrating the story, may sometime take weeks or even a month. Music adds further drama to the whole spectacle.

“Ever since I can remember, storytellers used to come to our house and place order for a scroll, and depending on what they want, my father or uncle used to paint. A cherial painting lasts for 150 years, so we won’t get the same customer again. Before 1995, my father used to get two-three orders from storytellers every year; now we hardly get any in a year,” Vinay, who is also involved in the family art, said.

A craft that has been passed down generations, he said that although cherial has been a family tradition since the 16 Century, his grandfather was not very keen on his sons learning it because it did not pay much. “But one day, he was struck by paralysis, and because there were pending orders, my father and his elder brother had to fill in his shoes and do the painting.”

Apart from the expert handiwork, the beauty of a cherial painting is in its all-natural elements. The canvas is khadi cloth, on which a mixture of tamarind seed powder, white clay, and rice starch is applied thrice to make it stiff. After that, inglikum, which is also an Ayurvedic medicine according to Vinay, is applied for the red background colour. Then the sketch of the bodies are made and filled with natural colours, ornaments come next, and finally a black outline is drawn to make the figures stand out.

“We get the white colour from burning sea shells, the black from lamp soot, the blue from indigo leaves, yellow from stone, and others by mixing the colours,” the young, award-winning artist elaborated.

Although cherial has a Geographical Indications (GI) tag, and Vinay’s father, D. Vaikuntam, is a national award-winning artist whose work is appreciated in exhibitions held in and outside the State, there continues to be a looming threat to its sustainability. “In 1970, the State department of handicrafts approached our family to do cherial for the general public, and not just storytellers, for it to sustain, and since then we have been doing smaller scrolls, 6×12 inches, for decorative purposes,” Vaikuntam said.

Depicting one scene in the small scrolls cost about Rs. 500, but the price increases with greater intricacy. For storytellers, the price is quoted per metre of work.

“Over the years we have further innovated, and have painted on ornament boxes, envelopes, letter heads, even on a sari, which people have appreciated. We also do different colour schemes and take up themes like the village life, other than the epics.”

But Vinay has bigger dreams. Supported by the Crafts Council of Andhra Pradesh, he is now studying fine arts in a design school. “No other job for me, this is what I want to do. I want to take cherial across the borders of our country, and maybe open a gallery one day. Our first preference will always be the storytellers, but with changing times our market has changed and I would like to innovate in order forcherial to thrive,” he smiles.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Friday Review> Art / by Azera Parveen Rahman / September 18th, 2013

Adam Malik passed away

Leaders
Hyderabad :

Mr.Adam Malik, Advocate President of MBT died of heart attack. He felt uneasiness after offering Friday prayer yesterday. He was immediately rushed to hospital were he was declared dead.

On receiving this information, Convener of MBT Dr. Qayam Khan, Spokesman of MBT, Mr. Majeedullah Khan Farhath, Mr. Amjadullah Khan Khalid, Corporator of Azampura Municipal Division and other workers visited his residence. His dead body is kept in Grammar School Balapur. His funeral prayer will be offered after Zohar at Makka Masjid today. He will be buried at Muslim Graveyard adjacent to Masjid Hassa, opposite Omer Restaurant, Hafiz Baba Nagar.

He is survived by wife and three sons. His two sons Mohd Afhan Malik and Mohd Isram Malik are in Londan. The third son Mr. Akhan Malik is a student of Law College in Hyderabad.

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> English> Siasat News / Friday – July 12th, 2013

Surekha for Antalya and Chinese Taipei

Sports
Jyothi Surekha / The Hindu
Jyothi Surekha / The Hindu

‘Once the management gets approval for operating the flights and complete other procedures, Air Costa will start flying the planes’

After sealing her berth in the world youth archery championship at Wuxi in China, the city teenage archer Jyothi Surekha continued her dream run by topping the table and emerging winner at the National Ranking tournament at Aurangabad on Saturday.

She will be part of the Indian team for both the senior world championship (Antalya, Turkey) and Asian championship at Chinese Taipei. Surekha, a first-year mechanical engineering student of Koneru Lakshmaiah University, garnered 23 points out of 32 points to emerge winner and closely following her was Trisha Deb with 22 points.

“In the four National ranking tourneys held at Delhi, Hyderabad, Jharkahand and Aurangabad, Surekha tallied 88 points to emerge No.1 compound archer in the country,” says the archer’s father Surendra. Incidentally Surekha is world No. 36 compound archer.

Surekha, a product of Volga Archery Academy, has been performing consistently in the national circuit and she is a regular member of the Indian women’s compound team. She could not participate in the World Stage I and 11 events at China and Turkey as she finished fifth in the ranking at Jamshedpur in April owing to lack of form. Later she regained her lost touch both in performance and in confidence.

Surekha’s itinerary is packed with national camps and international tourneys and she will be in city for a week to undergo a series of tests with physiotherapist. “She (Surekha) badly needs rest for she has been moving around playing and training vigorously. She will leave for senior world championship at Antalya (Turkey) from September 29 to October 6 and later she will leave for Wuxi at China for the world youth championship from October 13 to 20.

She will head for Chinese Taipei for the Asian archery championship from October 29 to November 2.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by J. R. Sridharan / Vijayawada – September 08th, 2013

Full-fledged operations at Vizag airport from January

Business & Economy

Visakhapatnam :

The Indian Navy seems to have finally decided to give Vizagites and people of Coastal Andhra the perfect New Year gift. Come January, the naval authorities have agreed to completely throw open the Vizag airport for 24/7 operations round the year. Currently, the Navy allows only 24/7 operations thrice a week and the airport is closed for late night flights on the remaining four days of the week.
Making this announcement on the sidelines of a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) meet here on Wednesday, Union minister of state for commerce and industry D Purandeswari said it was confirmed to her by none other than Eastern Naval Command Flag officer commanding-in-chief vice admiral Anil Chopra.

“The airport will be operational for five days a week from November 1, 2013, and all through the year from January first week next year. It is a good opportunity as it will not only facilitate trade, but also result in expanding the international outreach,” Purandeswari, who is also the sitting MP from Visakhapatnam, said.

Vizag airport, which is under control of the Navy, is the only other international airport in the state after Hyderabad. While two direct international flights ferry passengers from the city to Dubai and Singapore, its growth has been hampered due to lack of round the clock operations.

The opening up of the airport to full-fledged operations is expected to bring many more international and domestic carriers flying in. At present, various airlines operate 30 services (15 flights) daily to different domestic and international destinations from Visakhapatnam airport, which has a 10,000-ft long runway.

Air Travellers Association of India president D Varada Reddy said the opening up of the airport for round the clock operations will immediately see passenger traffic rise by 10% as many more international and domestic flights will kick off, which is why the Indian Navy should allow 24/7/365 operations immediately instead of waiting for November 1 or January 1.

“With the green signal from the Navy, we will get many more flights in the next six months. Vizag airport’s financial performance too has been encouraging,” said Visakhapatnam Air Travellers Association (VATA) representative P Vishnu Kumar Raju.

“We will get more international flights thanks to this decision. Representatives of Thai Airways have already visited the Port City and are keen on running direct services to Bangkok, while Air Arabia authorities will also be visiting the city in October to explore the possibility of direct flights,” said Vizag Development Council representative O Naresh Kumar.

While the revenues clocked by Vizag airport have doubled in the last four years from Rs 12.29 crore in 2009-10 to Rs 30 crore in 2012-13, the number of passengers flying into Vizag too has soared in the last decade, crossing the one million mark in 2012-13 as compared to 1.74 lakh in 2003-04. As per the statistics of the Airports Authority of India, the number of incoming and outgoing passengers has already flown past the 85,000 mark per month. Cargo handling too has witnessed a steep 70% increase from 668.94 tonnes in 2004-05 to 1786.58 tonnes in 2012-13.

The move to step up 24/7 connectivity from November 1 will see Singaporean carrier Silk Airways add one more flight on Saturdays from November 4. Silk Airways currently operates direct flights thrice a week. Domestic carrier IndiGo is already set to start direct Hyderabad-Vizag-Mumbai and Mumbai-Vizag-Hyderabad flights from September 20, taking up the total number of arrivals and departures to 34 daily.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Visakhapatnam> Visakhapatnam Airport / by TNN / September 19th, 2013

Zareen’s splendid show in the ring

Records, All, Sports, World Opinion
Nikhat Zareen
Nikhat Zareen

Nikhat Zareen wins silver in the World Youth Boxing Championship

Nikhat Zareen represents the continuing “women force” from A.P. in the world of sports. This 17-year-old boxer from Nizamabad has won a silver in her maiden appearance in the World Youth Boxing Championship held in Bulgaria on Saturday night.

Zareen’s splendid feat proved that sport is not only all about the likes of Sania, Saina, Sindhu, Humpy and Harika but also of lesser-known star performers from the State.

This boxer has served a reminder that her gold in the 2011 Turkey World Junior Boxing Championship (flyweight) was no fluke as she came up with another splendid show in the ring to return – a silver after she lost narrowly in the bantam weight category final in the Women’s World Youth Boxing Meet in Bulgaria to Yunzi Yuan of China on Saturday.

The Intermediate student from New Kakatiya College at Nizamabad took to the sport first with the intent to demonstrate that even girls could excel when she first visited SAAP Academy, and she owes her success story to her first coach and uncle Shamsamuddin.

“Once I got the better of ex-junior world champion Viktoriya Virt of Ukraine, the confidence was up. The final was a close encounter and could have gone either way, but I am happy to have made it to the final in my maiden World Youth Meet,” she told Shamsamuddin after her bout over the phone.

“The huge inspiration is, without doubt, Mary Kom who won the world title five times. This performance will boost my morale to aim big,” says Zareen, the only Indian finalist in the championship.

Interestingly, the Indian team’s chief coach is I. Venkateshwar Rao – under whom Zareen and other Indian women boxers have been training in Vizag for almost two years now at the SAI Centre.

“My goal is to qualify for the 2016 Olympics and win a medal for India. That is the biggest dream right now I am chasing,” signs off a confident Zareen.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by V. V. Subrahmanyam / Hyderabad – September 29th, 2013

Nalgonda student bags pharmacy award

Education, Records, All, Science & Technology

A student from Nalgonda district, Pagilla Balaraju, studying M.Pharmacy at G Pulla Reedy College of Pharmacy, Mehdipatnam, was chosen for the ‘Outstanding Student of the Year 2011-12’, which will be presented at the 64th Indian Pharmaceutical Congress on September 20.

He has done research on drug screening and he also won the second prize at the national-level quiz contest organised by the Pharmaceutical Congress in 2012.

Balaraju, studying PG in pharmacognosy and phytochemcistry, excelled in academics right from 10th class. He got the Pratibha award, along with a gold medal, for securing 90 percent in 10th class. Because of his merit, he had managed to secure a free seat in Intermediate. “Though I got a seat in MBBS, I could not join as I did not have money,” he said.  In PG first year, he stood university first by securing 83 percent marks.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Express News Service – Hyderabad / September 18th, 2013

Architecture students think out of the box

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education
A final-year student of School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada explaining her project details to external jury member Balbir Verma as part of thesis presentation on Thursday./ Photo: Ch. Vijaya Bhaskar / The Hindu
A final-year student of School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada explaining her project details to external jury member Balbir Verma as part of thesis presentation on Thursday./ Photo: Ch. Vijaya Bhaskar / The Hindu

SPAV students showcase their theses for external evaluation

The subject of architecture is not about just designing buildings and model townships, it is about life and the way that you design and plan your life. This was the expression given out by Anirban Jyoti Baruah, a fifth year student from the School of Planning and Architecture-Vijayawada (SPAV), when he was asked how he felt about the subject.

Anirban wanted to become a civil engineer after clearing his AIEEE but ventured into the realm of architecture and is now in love with the subject, as he believes that the subject is not only ancient but has a direct link to human lifestyle. All the 68 first batch students of the SPAV seem to share a similar view. The young architects, who would be passing out in next few days, showcased their theses at the campus for external evaluation here on Thursday. “It is our final project and the effort of our five-year study of B. Arch,” said Chunnu Kumar. Chunnu has conceptualised and produced a model to display a floating resort on the Arabian Sea. Explaining the project he said, “It is a floating resort which will be anchored in the middle of the sea and is designed to absorb the roll and pitch of the ocean.” Like Chunnu each of the 68 students has come up with their unique ideas. Anirban has modelled a mini Assam which he says can be replicated on a 50-acre site and can act as the cultural hub of the State.

K. Dharanidharan has conceptualised a Transegrity- FIFA football stadium says that his design can be used to make the Salt Lake Stadium at Kolkata more people-friendly. Similarly Manjunath redesigned the old Jayanagar Market of Bangalore to make it more people-centric without losing any of its original character. “This is the first batch of this college and their effort is beyond my expectation. They have set high standards for their successors, who will be left with the daunting task to improve upon,” said Harimohan Pillai, a senior architect and a jury member. The other external jury comprised Balbir Verma, architect and member board of governors- SPAV, Sumit Ghosh, senior architect, and Jeysudhean, former chief architect of CPWD.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Special Correspondent / May 24th, 2013

SSC to set up private polo facility in Hyd

Sports

Plans to start Indian arena polo league (IAPL) in India from next year

Suneendra Sports Club (SSC), a Hyderabad -based professional polo team, is in the process of setting up a private polo facility on the outskirts of the city with an investment of close to Rs 10 crore, according to its founder and captain Kanna Phaneendra.

“The idea is to promote polo and arena polo (the shorter version of the traditional sport) on a large scale than what it is at present. We have already acquired 25 acre abutting the Outer Ring Road in close proximity to the international airport. The facility should be ready in one-and-a-half years from now,” he told Business Standard.

Being set up in partnership with a luxury watch maker from Germany and a fashion brand in the UK, which are trying to set their foot in India, the proposed  facility will have a full ground (12 acre), a half ground (6 acre) and a floodlit arena polo ground (1 acre) to host matches, besides owning 15 horses to train youngsters in polo and equestrian sports like show jumping and dressage. He declined to name the two foreign companies citing non-disclosure clause in the agreement.

While a majority of the polo grounds is under the management of the Indian Armed Forces, including the 61st cavalry mounted regiment’s ground in Jaipur,  AAC in Bangalore and the Bison Polo Ground in Secunderabad, SSC’s 1,000-seat capacity project will be the third private polo facility in the country. Navin Jindal’s Jindal Steel and Power polo team already has its own facility in Jaipur, while Sahara India’s Sahara Warriors is in the process of setting up one in Pune.

Stating that the royal sport, played on horseback using long-handled mallets and a wooden ball, is slowly gaining popularity in the country, Phaneendra, son of state agriculture minister Kanna Lakshminarayana, said SSC was on the verge of starting an Indian arena polo league  (on the likes of Indian Premier League and  Indian Badminton League).

“We are trying to put our efforts to convince the Indian Polo Association (IPA) on the same. We are hopeful of starting the arena polo league by next year. In the meanwhile, we are gearing up to organise the country’s first beach polo tournament in Goa in the next six months,” he said.

SSC is also in talks with the Guards Polo Club, the official team of Queen Elizabeth for exchange of players. The talks are expected to be concluded in the next three months, Phaneendra said, adding SSC had also applied for a trademark called Golkonda Tigers.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Companies> News / by K Rajani Kanth, Hyderabad / September 18th, 2013

Pochampally weavers to get their due

Business & Economy
K.Sambhashiva Rao, Union Minister for Textiles, interacting with a weaver at handloom park at Kanumukula village in Nalgonda district on Monday. / Photo: Singam Venkataramana / The Hindu
K.Sambhashiva Rao, Union Minister for Textiles, interacting with a weaver at handloom park at Kanumukula village in Nalgonda district on Monday. / Photo: Singam Venkataramana / The Hindu

Union Textile Minister Kavuri Sambasiva Rao has sanctioned Rs.15 crore for bringing production at Pochampally Handloom Park Limited (PHPL) to its full capacity very soon. Besides, the Union Minister also assured weavers of getting Rs. 15 crore from the State government for PHPL’s development.

“I am going to meet Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy on Monday to apprise him about the need for sanctioning funds to PHPL,” Mr. Rao said.

On Monday, the Union Minister along with senior officials of his ministry arrived at PHPL in Kanumukkala village near Pochampally mandal headquarters to understand issues in the Park where production started in November 2008. PHPL, set up under Scheme for Integrated Textiles Park, is equipped with infrastructure for 2,000 functional handlooms, but at present only 150 looms are functional because of funds shortage. At the time of setting up of the handloom park in the 26 acre land, the Union government had sanctioned 40 per cent ( Rs. 13.6 crore) of the amount and provided the remaining 60 per cent (Rs. 21 crore) of the amount through banks to 35 Weaver Entrepreneurs to complete the project. “Since then, the borrowed amount multiplied and increased to Rs. 39 crore as weavers failed to pay the interest, CEO of PHPL, H.K. Chari said. Mr. Rao held discussions with officials of his ministry and decided to sanction Rs. 15 crore for the revival of PHPL. The weavers also demanded that the Union Minister set up an Indian Institute of Handloom and Textile Technology at PHPL.

NTC INVESTMENT

The National Textiles Corporation will invest Rs. 464 crore in processing a spinning and weaving project in the State. The Union Textile Ministry has agreed to sanction proposals for 40 new projects under group approach and 15 under cluster approach.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Pochampally (Nalgonda) – September 17th, 2013