A scientist par excellence

Leaders, Records, All, Science & Technology

Prof. Tummala Ramamohana Rao.

Rao R. Tummala led a team that invented the first plasma display

He left his village nearly five decades ago to study and then work in the U.S. Today, Rammohana Rao Tummala is highly respected as a scientist and inventor. He holds 71 U.S. patents and credit for inventions. He has invented and manufactured the first ever plasma display for the IBM.

Six months in a year he travels extensively as adviser to several academic, research bodies and consultant to many Fortune 500 electronic companies in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. In spite of his hectic life, Prof. Rao R. Tummala always makes time to visit his native village, Nandamuru, on the Vijayawada-Gudivada Road.

He came to make a presentation at the Nano Conference at Bangalore and came to spend some time with his cousins in his village. Born in Nandamuru, he did his entire schooling in the village. He is the son of the soil in the true sense because his father was a farmer. Prof. Rao did his science degree in Andhra Loyola College in Vijayawada and his engineering degree in Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. In 1965, he left India to do his MS in Metallurgical Engineering in Canada. After that, there was no turning back for Prof. Rao. After working for several years with the IBM, he became an IBM Fellow in 1983 and held the honour till 1993.

Claim to fame

“My claim to fame is heading the team that invented the first plasma display and manufacturing it. It was small (he used his hands to indicate that it was about five inches long and wide), but IBM made 300 million dollars with it,” he said. After being the IBM fellow, Prof. Rao moved over to academics and is today a professor at the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, more popularly known as Georgia Tech at Atlanta. Prof. Rao has published over 320 technical papers and has authored several books, including the first modern reference book for Microsystems.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Special Correspondent / December 14th, 2012

Karimnagar NRIs lead by example

Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Nri's / Pio's

Non-Resident Indians hailing from Karimnagar district in the State and living in the United States of America have offered to sponsor the travel back home, for Gulf migrants who are stranded in the United Arab Emirates by providing them air tickets from Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah to Hyderabad.

In a press release, M. Bheem Reddy, vice-president, Migrants Rights Council, said Alladi Sanjeeva Rao and Challagonda Venu, both from Karimnagar district and who now live in Boston, were moved by the plight of migrants and had offered to help.

The ‘undocumented, overstayed’ migrant workers in the UAE could now leave back home without paying the penalties and serving jail term, under the amnesty’ scheme from December 4 to February 3, 2013, Mr. Reddy said.

Mr. Rao and Mr. Venu offered to sponsor air tickets for four migrant labourers each.

The services of Janagama Srinivas, a social workers in Sharjah were being used for the purpose, the release said, adding that those interested could contact him over his mobile +971505490298.

  • Mr. Rao and Mr. Venu offer to sponsor air tickets for four migrant labour each
  • ———————————————————————————-
  • Those interested can get more information on +971505490298
  • _______________________________________________

    • source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad, December 10th, 2012

    Machilipatnam DRDO Missile Testing Range

    Business & Economy, Science & Technology
    This historic town in Krishna district will soon find a place in the world map with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) proposing to set up a Missile Launch Site near Machilipatnam.

    The State government has identified land for the proposed missile testing range in Nagayalanka mandal, near the coastal town. Details of the land available have been sent to the defence authorities.

    Krishna District Collector Budhaprakash Jyothi said following a plea by the DRDO seeking land near Machilipantam for setting up the long range missile testing site, the Revenue officials forwarded the file to the Government of India on the extent of land and other information.

    Machilipatnam Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) I. Venkateswara Reddy said that the DRDO had asked for land a few months ago and a 325-acre land was identified at Gollalamoda village for the new missile launch site. A few acres of the land are under occupation by local fishermen and farmers.

    “The DRDO asked for 350 acres for the launch site. Recently, we submitted the details on the type of land available, price position and how much land is under occupation. We are waiting for further orders from the government”, said the RDO.

    Director General of DRDO and Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister, V.K. Saraswat, announced the launch of the missile testing range, near the Coastal town in Machilipatnam, in Andhra Pradesh at a cost of Rs.1,000 crore.

    The ambitious project is expected to be completed in three years.

    source: http://www.CurrentEventsWorld.com / Home> Science Technolgy / December 09th, 2012

    New Guiness record set for non-stop joke narration

    Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, Sports

    BSNL employee Nanduri Prabhaakar being greeted on completing 48-hour non-stop joke narration marathon at the office of the GM BSNL in Visakhapatnam on Monday. /  Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam / The Hindu

    Forsaking sleep for two consecutive nights to achieve the distinction of having surpassed a 20-year-old Guinness World Record for non-stop narration of jokes and in the process bring fame to his employer BSNL, Nanduri Prabhaakar talked away for 50 hours.

    Starting on Saturday at 11:24 a.m. the BSNL employee and head of the Visakha Humour Club started narrating humorous anecdotes in Telugu from lives of famous personalities and those recorded in the works of famous writers. He made a very smooth transition from one anecdote to another without fumbling for words or thoughts.

    Most of us cannot speak for five minutes. Imagine talking for 50 hours that too keeping track of what he is saying, and not being disturbed by the noise around him, BSNL General Manager (Consumer Fixed Access) Y V Sastry said putting the effort in perspective. He spoke during a break taken to mark the completion of 48 hours of narration.

    Prabhaakar was felicitated by Government Whip Dronamraju Srinivas, General Manager (CFA), Deputy General Manager (Admin) R Harimohan, DGM (Finance) Y Srirama Murthy, writer Kasi Viswanath and patron of Omkar and Lions School for the Deaf Kasim Mehdi during the break taken after completion of 48 hours of Joke Marathon.

    Prabhaakar finally concluded his marathon after 50 hours. The Guinness World Record for non-stop joke narration was set in 1992 in the US and has not been broken. He will submit the records of this performance, conducted according to the guidelines prescribed by the Guinness Book, in his bid to enter the record book.

    source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Special Correspondent / December 11th, 2012

    Alien tree species pose a threat to Eastern Ghats

    Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature

    Visakhapatnam :

    Forest biodiversity in the Eastern Ghats  is undergoing a tremendouschange. Experts at the department of environmental sciences, Andhra University, believe that the hilly slopes in the district are changing for the worse.

    The department of environmental sciences estimates that over 80,000 acres of forest land has been permanently destroyed in the last 32 years alone (from 1980-2012). In addition to this, biodiversity in the deciduous forests on the hilly slopes of the Eastern Ghats in the district has virtually gone for a toss.

    Pointing out that diversity in flora has a new meaning today,  Professor  A Solomon Raju  said, “Intrusive non-native species are taking over the forest cover and artificial block plantations in many pockets of our reserve are threatening the existence of seasonal native plants in many ‘forested’ areas.”

    Over a period of time, many block plantations of tree species like Eucalyptus and timber trees such as Cashew rina have been introduced in the reserve area, resulting in erosion of endemic species peculiar to the Eastern Ghats like Native Basil, Fida, Justicia, Borreria and Merremia that help in soil conservation, increase moisture level and produce organic matter which helps trap carbon.

    Agreeing to this, N Govinda Rao, a biotechnologist from  Andhra University  said that the introduction of foreign species in a specific and sensitive ecosystem must be done carefully and care must be taken to ensure that they are friendly towards the ecosystem and not intrusive.

    According to experts, the forests in Eastern Ghats are unique, in the sense that they are the most ancient forest cover in the subcontinent. More importantly, thanks to the solid bedrock, they house a vast number of tree species.

    The three-tier structure of the forest is predominantly tree based and supported by shrub and herbaceous cover which is conducive to supporting life forms of great variance. The undulating and gentle sloping nature of the Ghats makes it ideal to support a three-tier forest, said sources at the environmental sciences department.

    Elaborating on this, professor Solomon Raju said, “The very sloping nature of the Ghats makes a three-tier forest absolutely necessary. The seasonal herbaceous species such as Hyptis and Ocymm are extremely eco-friendly, in the sense that they not only help bind the soil and absorb rain water but also act as generators of organic matter that help the forest sustain.”

    Moreover, the sub-tropical nature of the climate ensures that species found in different climatic zones can make a home in the Eastern Ghats. However, experts fear that the very existence of forests in the Eastern Ghats is being threatened due to various reasons today.

    The introduction of non-friendly species such as Eucalyptus and Cashew rina is spelling doom for the ethnic nature of the forest, even as illegal mining, excessive urbanisation and shifting cultivation in addition to illegal logging could actually wipe out the forest cover for good, experts pointed out.

    “Almost three species of butterflies have been wiped out and honey bees too are a threatened lot. If we do not act today and protect our forest cover, the implications would be serious as pollination itself could be affected. This means that food production would be drastically affected in the long run,” warned Dr Govind Rao .

    However, forest department officials defended the decision to opt for quick growing plantations of Acacia, Cashew rina, Eucalyptus, Prosopis (Thumma) and Coffee because the focus was on regenerating tree and land cover in completely denuded areas. “We also need to take into consideration the fact that these trees have a commercial value. After all we cannot have the locals in conflict with the ecosystem. In the process, we try to find a balance. Environmentalists might say that we are compromising, but at least we are doing our bit to regenerate forest cover. At the end of the day, the block plantations can be slowly replaced by a natural forest cover.”

    source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com  / Home> Environment / TNN / December 11th, 2012

    SIO exhibition to create awareness on environment

    Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Nature, Science & Technology

    Documentary films will be screened at the venue for students in the next few days. Most of the models have been prepared by the children themselves.

    The three day exhibition that SIO Hyderabad is organised with theme,”Think,Act,Save for all it’s worth, save the Earth” at nampally in Hyderabad on Saturday. /  Photo:G.Ramakrishna / The Hindu /

    In an effort to create awareness about the environmental hazards, the Students Islamic Organisation of India is organising a three-day environmental exhibition titled ‘Think, Act, Save. – For all it’s worth save the Earth’ at the Exhibition Grounds in Nampally.

    The event was inaugurated on Saturday by Dr. M.K.M. Zafar, Reader, Department of Translation, Maulana Azad National Urdu University. Students from over 15 educational institutions from across the city are participating in the event.

    Students demonstrated the need for constructing Rain Water Harvesting pits in houses. Different models were used to educate people about the ill-effects of deforestation and various forms of pollution. This apart, a painting and photo exhibition is also on at the venue.

    Documentary films will be screened at the venue for students in the next few days. Most of the models have been prepared by the children themselves.

    “We are trying to involve and educate children about the environment and the need to protect it,” said Arifuddin Ilyas, City Secretary, SIO Hyderabad. Hameed Mohammed Khan, president, Movement for Peace and Justice and Syed Anas Rizvi, president, SIO Hyderabad participated in the inauguration function. The exhibition is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m till Monday.

    source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Hyderabad / by Staff Reporter / December 09th, 2012

    Koneru Humpy felicitates Priyanka and her coach

    Records, All, Sports

    Former mayor T. Venkateswara Rao presenting a cheque for Rs. 25,000 donated by Grandmaster Koneru Humpy to world under-10 girls chess champion N. Priyanka in Vijayawada on Sunday./ Photo: Ch. Vijaya Bhaskar / The Hindu /

    It was a poignant moment for chess lovers on Sunday as women’s World No. 2 Koneru Humpy felicitated the world Under-10 girls’ champion Nutakki Priyanka at her residence for her title triumph recently at the world championship in Slovenia.

    The Grandmaster also presented a cheque of Rs.25,000 to the little girl as a token of appreciation.

    “I became world Under-10 champion in 1997 and after a gap of 15 years another girl (Priyanka) won the coveted trophy from Vijayawada and it is a feat to be celebrated,” said Padma Shri and Arjuna awardee Humpy. City’s first mayor T. Venkateswara Rao, who was also present, honoured Priyanka’s coach Bobba with a shawl. The former chess administrator played a crucial role in shaping the fledging chess career of the ‘little champ’.

    Koneru Ashok, coach-cum-father of Humpy, hailed the role of Bobba and felt that Priyanka possessed the wherewithal to garner more laurels in the game of sixty-four squares.

    “It was Bobba who taught the rudiments of chess to Grand Master Pendyala Harikrishna,” he added.

    Bobba said that Priyanka would take part in the Asian schools chess championship to be held at New Delhi from December 12 to 19. “The tournament will be held in age categories of 9, 11, 13, 16 and 17 and she will take part in the Under-11 category. She needs to deploy new openings and sharpen her middle and end games. Later she will take part in FIDE-norm tournament at Chennai,” he added.

    Krishna District Olympic Association secretary K.P. Rao said that Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh has sent a proposal to Chef Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy to grant a cash award of Rs.10 lakh to Priyanka. Priyanka’s parents N. Radhakrishna and Durga Devi also took part in the felicitation function.

    source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Staff Reporter / December 10th, 2012

    World allergy meet begins in city today

    Business & Economy, Science & Technology

    Hyderabad:

    The World Allergy Organisation’s International Scientific Conference will begin in the city on Thursday, with about 1,500 delegates from 80 countries participating.

    Union minister for health and family welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad will declare the conference, on the theme Severe Allergies, Severe Asthma, and New Strategies for Treatment and Prevention, open at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre. This is the second WAO conference.

    “In the conference, we will present data on marked global increase of allergic diseases that are becoming more complex, burdening children and adults. An international faculty of 90 key opinion leaders in the field of allergy will present the papers,” said WAO president Dr Ruby Pawankar.

    She said allergy, though relating to asthma, is often trivialised and clinical services are often limited.

    CM N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and ministers of health will also participate in the conference which will be on till Saturday.

    World Allergy Patient and Public Forum-2012 will be held at the Apollo Hospital in Jubilee Hills. Represen-tatives from Global Energy and Asthma Patient platform, Chinese Patient Organisation, Japanese Patient Organisation and Polish Federation of Asthma & Allergy will take part. A painting competition on the theme What do allergies look like, will also be held at Apollo on December 9.

    source: http://www.DeccanChronicle.com / Home> News> Current Affairs / DC / December 06th, 2012

    Ball set rolling for making Vijayawada a ‘solar city’

    Green Initiatives / Environment, Science & Technology

    Project aims at minimum 10 p.c. reduction in projected demand of conventional energy

    Krishna district Collector Budha Prakash M. Jyothi has set the ball rolling for transformation of Vijayawada into a solar city by approving the proposals submitted by the New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NREDCAP).

    In the wake of a rapid rise in demand for electricity, development of solar cities is seen as the most viable proposition. It is designed to encourage local governing bodies to prepare a road map to guide their cities in becoming ‘renewable energy cities’ or ‘solar cities’.

    Vijayawada is the only city in Andhra Pradesh that figures out in the list of ‘solar cities’.To ensure optimum utilisation of solar energy to meet the objective of a solar city status, the local authorities plan to entrust the task of motivating individuals and various sectors to a group of departments.

    “A group of sectors have been attached to different government wings that will take shoulder the responsibility of bringing these segments into the fold of solar energy users,” said NREDCAP Executive Engineer K. Srinivasa Rao.

    As per the master plan, Municipal Health Officers, Regional Inspection Officers of the Board of Intermediate, RDO, Vijayawada and Town Planning Officers will coordinate to educate and motivate persons concerned with the city hotels and hostels.

    Municipal Health Officers and District Coordinator, Arogyasri, Vijayawada, will coordinate with hospitals, Deputy Commissioners in the Departments of Labour and Commercial Taxes and town planning officers will wield their influence on local traders, shop-keepers and other commercial establishments.

    Similarly, the Additional Joint Collector, Krishna district will encourage government officers while the District Education Officer, the Deputy District Education Officer in the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation and the Chief City Planner will shoulder the responsibility of schools and colleges, including private institutions.

    The solar city project aims at minimum 10% reduction in projected demand of conventional energy at the end of five years, through a combination of enhancing supply from renewable energy sources in the city and energy efficiency measures. With the duty margins chalked out for each category, it is now time for constitution of a Solar City Cell and a Solar City Stake Holders’ Committee.

    “The Municipal Commissioner will organise a meeting of all the stake-holders to involve them actively in meeting the objective of a solar city,” said Mr. Rao.

    source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by P. Sujatha Varma / December 06th, 2012

    Asian Eye Banks Awards L V Prasad Eye Institute’s Dr. Gullapalli Rao for Pioneering Contributions

    Records, All, Science & Technology

    Hyderabad , India, Dec 05, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) :

    The Association of Eye Banks of Asia (AEBA), an umbrella organization for major Asian eye banks and eye banking organizations, presented its inaugural award for “pioneering contributions to eye banking in Asia” to Dr. Gullapalli N Rao, Founder-Chair of L V Prasad Eye Institute here. The award was presented at the 3rd Asia Cornea Society Biennial Scientific Meeting held in Manila, November 27 to 29.

    Dr. Rao developed the first eye bank employing international standards in Asia at L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) in Hyderabad in 1989, and it has become a major global resource center and Center of Excellence in eye banking. LVPEI’s Ramayamma International Eye Bank is now one of the world’s biggest eye banks, and LVPEI performs the highest number of corneal transplants of any center in the world. The Ramayamma International Eye Bank is also a major international training center for eye banking personnel and research.

    Dr. Rao, who served on the Medical Advisory Board of the Eye Bank Association of America, played a major role in the creation of the Eye Bank Association of India (EBAI), of which he is also the former president. Through its activities, EBAI stimulated the development of a world-class eye banking network in India and supported the development of many Asian eye banks.

    Corneal transplantation, using healthy corneas donated by individuals at death, is the only way to rehabilitate the majority of those with corneal blindness. Because India has the world’s largest corneal blindness burden, a high-quality eye banking system is very important to restore vision to as many as possible so they can lead optimally productive lives.

    About LVPEI’s Ramayamma International Eye Bank

    LVPEI’s Ramayamma International Eye Bank (RIEB) is the largest provider of sight restoring corneas in India and a SightLife Center of Excellence in Eye Banking. Since its establishment in 1989, RIEB has greatly increased the collection of transplantable donor corneas and elevated eye banking performance standards in India, Asia and the developing world. As a leader in eye banking across Asia, RIEB has contributed significantly to the effective networking and proliferation of eye banks through promotion of community eye banking programs. REIB has harvested over 35,000 donor corneas, and transplanted over 17,000 of them to needy patients. RIEB also offers training to eye bank personnel.

    About L V Prasad Eye Institute

    The L V Prasad Eye Institute provides high-quality comprehensive eye care to all people; provides sight enhancement and rehabilitation services at the Institute and through its rural eye health network; offers professional ophthalmic training at all levels; and conducts cutting-edge eye care research. The Institute is a World Health Organization (WHO) Center for the Prevention of Blindness and a Global Resource Center for VISION 2020, a worldwide initiative for the elimination of avoidable blindness led by WHO and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness.

    SOURCE: L V Prasad Eye Institute

    source: http://www.marketwatch.com / Home> Press Release / December 05th, 2012