Category Archives: Inspiration /Positive News and Features

Babu Seeks NGO Support for Development of AP

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Inspiration /Positive News and Features

Nellore :

Lauding Union Urban development minister M Venkaiah Naidu for his initiation in expanding the services of Swarna Bharath Trust (SBT) to various sectors, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu called upon Non-Governmental Organisations like SBT to come forward for extending support to the government and be part of the development as it will be a mammoth task for the government to overcome the problems on its own.

Addressing a meeting while participating in the 13th anniversary of SBT established by Venkaiah Naidu’s daughter Deepa Venkat at Venkatachalam on Sunday, CM said that the NGO concept is already existing in foreign countries and millionaires and several organisations are spending 60 per cent of their earnings for social service.

He recalled that 13 years ago when the SBT was established in a small remote village Venkatachalam, he never expected that it would grow to such an extent. At present, the SBT is playing a crucial role in eradicating rural poverty by introducing several employment generation concepts including Internet technology, training programmes for farmers over the latest technologies.

Chandrababu Naidu said that it is a proud moment for him to participate in the SBT anniversary and expressed his surprise over the success of government concepts like Palle Pilustondi, Polam Pilustondi, Pedarikam Gelupu and others being effectively implemented by the SBT under different names.

The CM said that it is possible for him to make AP as one of the 10 developed states in the country, despite several hurdles from all fronts.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / August 25th, 2014

ANU student designs baby rescue unit

Education, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Records, All, Science & Technology
Hassan, an M.Sc (Biochemistry) student, explains working of a baby rescue unit designed by him to ANU Vice-Chancellor K. Viyanna Rao at the academic exhibition held in Guntur on Friday. Photo: T. Vijaya Kuma / The Hindu
Hassan, an M.Sc (Biochemistry) student, explains working of a baby rescue unit designed by him to ANU Vice-Chancellor K. Viyanna Rao at the academic exhibition held in Guntur on Friday. Photo: T. Vijaya Kuma / The Hindu

An indigenous baby rescue unit to extricate children who accidentally fall into borewells in countryside has been designed by a student of Acharya Nagarjuna University (ANU) here.

Hassan, a first year student of M.Sc. (Biochemistry), has designed a simple baby rescue unit, which he says, can be used to safely extricate babies from borewell pits, which sometimes are well over 100 ft deep.

His exhibit at the ongoing academic exhibition being held on Civil & Mechanical Engineering block has been catching the attention of viewers. ANU Vice-Chancellor K. Viyanna Rao asked the student to further modify the design and added that the university would support further research and development of the model.

Consisting of a cylindrical iron netted structure, the rescue unit has a bulb, a web camera and an oxygen cylinder tube attached to it. The structure is funnelled through the earth soil through extra pipes till it reaches the spot where the baby is located. Using the pictures beamed by the camera, the operator can use the trays at the bottom of the structure to extricate the baby with the soil. The continuous supply of oxygen with the tube helps the baby in staying alive during the operation.

“Conventional method of digging a parallel pit along with borewell consumes a lot of time and poses a risk to the life of baby. With the baby rescue unit designed by me, the whole operation gets completed within 2-3 hours and the precious lives of children can be saved,’’ Hassan told The Hindu.

Dean, College Development Council and Coordinator of academic exhibition, G.V. Chalam said that the exhibition featured innovative solutions including, solar based appliances, national disaster prevention mechanisms, NSS extension activities etc. The 10 science departments, professional colleges and University college of Pharmaceutical Sciences took part in the exhibition.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by P. Samuel Jonathan / Guntur – August 23rd, 2014

Book Exhibition on Freedom Fighters

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All

Visakhapatnam :

Commemorating the services of Indian freedom fighters, a special book exhibition was organised by GITAM Knowledge Resource Center (KRC) at GITAM University here Thursday.

Valuable literature available at the GITAM KRC will be kept at display to create awareness about the freedom struggle among the students. The exhibition will be open for two more days.

“Remembering our leaders and their struggle means remembering our history. The books put for display at the expo, which pass on rich historical background, will hopefully inspire the youth,” university vice-chancellor G Subrahmanyam said while inaugurating the event.

Around 500 rare publications, particularly ones like ‘Struggle for Freedom’ by RC Majumdar, ‘Story of the Indian National Army’, ‘Jail Diary’ by C Rajagopalachari, ‘Pakistan or the Partition of India’ by Dr BR Ambedkar, ‘Punjab Freedom Fighter Baba Prithvi Singh Azad’, ‘Nehru-Thoughts’, and books on Mahatma Gandhi were main attractions at the exhibition.

GITAM Institute of Technology principal K Lakshmiprasad and university librarian Nagaratnamani also participated.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / August 15th, 2014

Rotary to Adopt Two Schools, Villages

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Inspiration /Positive News and Features

Visakhapatnam :

The Rotary Club-Visakha Port City is planning to adopt two government schools and two villages with a view to provide safe drinking water, school benches, blackboards and better sanitation facilities for the year 2014-15. The Club is also contemplating encouraging Rotaract Clubs in colleges and Interact Clubs in schools.

Club city president PLK Murthy, past district governor D Varada Reddy, secretary R Ramakrishna Rao, past president KSMK Murthy and Rotary Blood Bank vice-chairman K Srinivasa Reddy unveiled the Rotary Club-Visakha Port City action plan for the year 2014-15 here Saturday. A meeting in this connection was held Friday night on the Club premises.

Speaking on this year’s Rotary International Presidents’ theme, ‘Light up Rotary’, Varada Reddy gave a clarion call to the Rotarians to light a candle to serve the society and light up the entire world.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / July 13th, 2014

Karthik conquers Glasgow, clinches gold

Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Sports, World Opinion
K.V.K. Karthik / The Hindu
K.V.K. Karthik / The Hindu

For 27-year-old K.V.K. Karthik, a city chess player down with a peculiar orthopaedic complication, the sojourn to Scotland ended in a memorable fashion, as he went on to win the gold medal in the physically challenged segment of the Commonwealth chess championship that concluded in Glasgow on Wednesday.

Karthik hauled five points out of nine rounds and finished top of the heap. In the open category, he finished at 40 among 152 players participated from the world over.

The 11-day tournament, jointly organised by the World Chess Federation (FIDE) and Commonwealth Chess Association, witnessed top Grand Masters and International Masters taking part from 24 countries. “More than 11 GMs and 11 IMs vied for honours,” said Sk. Khasim, Karthik’s coach who accompanied his ward.

Khasim said his ward played against Australians, Scots and fellow-Indians in the allotted nine rounds. “He defeated Dishan Baura of India in the first round and later tamed Scots like Andrew Burnett, Robert O’Brien and Ian Robertson. He drew with Clement Streeves and Andrew Green to finish with five points. Karthik is a victim of failed nervous system that resulted in blurred vision (right eye) and his head hardly stays on the shoulders – wobbling continuously – owing to detachment of an optical nerve.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by  J. R. Sridharan / Vijayawada – July 10th, 2014

Youth emerges successful in pauper trial

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Inspiration /Positive News and Features
Rahul Mahajan
Rahul Mahajan

They set out with empty pockets but returned richer. City boy Rajul Mahajan and his two friends Abhimanyu Rao and Manobal were eager to determine if having money and being rich are two different things. The trio is convinced that it is not money alone that makes one rich.

The three boys, who are pursuing a degree in Economics in Hans Raj College in New Delhi, headed to Agra where they visited the Mogul emperor Shah Jahan’s ‘monument of love’ Taj Mahal, and managed to return to their hostel, without carrying a single paisa or even their mobile phones.

Rahul is a product of Siddhartha Public School in the city. “We did not even carry our student ID cards and managed to travel back and forth thanks to a few good-natured people who helped us. Our only transgression was a lie that we had been robbed of our money by pick-pockets. We were given help by strangers because people respond differently to the beggars and those who genuinely need help,” says Rahul.

With a sound financial background, it was a new experience for him to sleep in the open and make do with a small cup of tea and a few biscuits for a meal. “The most difficult part was convincing the caretakers of Sulabh public toilets. The first time, we were shooed off the place but we managed to convince them in the second attempt,” he recalls with a smile.

More than anything else, the trip has infused a confidence in the boys to face unfamiliar situations and people. “The fear of being surrounded by strangers in an unknown terrain is no more,” he declares, informing that help came from the most unexpected quarter. “A Good Samaritan working in the parking lot of Taj Mahal was of great help. He wanted us also to help others without expecting anything in return,” he fondly reminisces.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by G. Venkataramana Rao / Vijayawada – June 24th, 2014

City lad for national meet

Education, Inspiration /Positive News and Features
A. Kundhan Karunakar / The Hindu
A. Kundhan Karunakar / The Hindu

Among 364 applicants, who have been selected for the national-level ‘Change-makers confluence’, to be held between June 26 and 30 at Ishan Institute of Management and Technology, Greater Noida, is student from the city A. Kundhan Karunakar.

Karunakar, student of Miracle School of Engineering, is one among the 1,730 participants who have been shortlisted for the four-day youth conference. He is also instrumental in drawing scores of students together to work for the underprivileged groups through Oneness Organisation, an association of students. In order to encourage the young participants to become torchbearers of the nation, the confluence includes sessions like ‘young parliament’ and ‘social innovator programme’.

“It came as a pleasant surprise to me as I did not expect that I will be selected among hundreds of other participants. I am looking forward to the big day as it is a rare opportunity to meet people from different walks of life and share a common platform to express our views in panel discussions that cover topics like politics, education, health and other fronts,” he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Staff Reporter / Visakhapatnam – June 03rd, 2014

Body donated to GMC

Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Leaders, Science & Technology, Uncategorized

Even after death, the husband and wife duo refuse to be parted! When Lingam Hanumanta Rao died last year, his wife Lingam Durga Devi donated his body to Gandhi Medical College (GMC) for research. On last Friday, when Durga Devi died of old age, her wish was fulfilled by her close relatives when they donated her body for research purpose to the GMC.

The noble gesture came in the backdrop of severe shortage of bodies that are required to study human anatomy for medical students in government teaching hospitals.

In fact, medical college students struggle to find a body for study . Both Osmania Medical College and the GMC suffer from shortage of bodies for research.Relatives of Durga Devi along with members of A.P. Body Donors’ Association (APBDA) visited the GMC on Thursday to finish all formalities and donate the body of the deceased.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Staff Reporter / Hyderabad – May 16th, 2014

Sunrisers Hyderabad players visit cancer-stricken kids

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Sports

Hyderabad :

A host of Sunrisers Hyderabad players, including captain Shikhar Dhawan, joined cancer combating kids and played ‘Sunrisers – Juvenile Cancer Patients’ cricket match at Apollo Cancer Hospital at Jubilee Hills here on Tuesday.

Dale Steyn, Darren Sammy, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Irfan Pathan and Ishant Sharma were the other players who were present on the occasion. They interacted with the cancer-stricken kids.

Dhawan said, “These children are the true heroes as they have taken the challenge to fight this dreadful disease.”

“We take on the challenge in cricket ground only on the day of the match, but these children have taken the challenge of their life on a day-to-day to basis and are fighting bravely,” Sammy said.

“The never say die attitude of these kids taught us a lesson or two, they are our true idols and we need to emulate the strength of their solid character in an adverse phase of their lives. Their fortitude will ensure that these kids will hit cancer for a six,” South African speedster Steyn said in a release.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> News> Sports / by PTI / Hyderabad – May 13th, 2014

Braille books

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Nri's / Pio's, World Opinion
Chetana Guthikonda asks students in Laurie Miller’s fifth-grade class questions about the project after they finished.
Chetana Guthikonda asks students in Laurie Miller’s fifth-grade class questions about the project after they finished.

Students in grades 3-5 at Creek Valley made braille books to send to the Devnar Foundation for the Blind in Hyderabad, India, organized for Global Youth Service Day by EHS junior Chetana Guthikonda.

Guthikonda, a member of the HandsOn Twin Cities Youth Advisory Board, created the project based on whether it was simple, sustainable and affordable.

She contacted the school in India to ask about its needs before deciding on the project.

Students created books for beginner readers with words like giraffe, bear, tiger and lion spelled in braille. Each book cost less than $1 to make in Edina, compared with more than $1,000 with a braille machine.

Making the books teaches Edina students about braille while teaching students in India how to read, Guthikonda said.

Fifth-grader Aakash Narayan creates a braille book for the Devnar Foundation in Hyderabad, India, near where he’s from in India. (Sun Current staff photos by Lisa Kaczke)
Fifth-grader Aakash Narayan creates a braille book for the Devnar Foundation in Hyderabad, India, near where he’s from in India.
(Sun Current staff photos by Lisa Kaczke)

source: http://www.current.mnsun.com / Sun Current / Home> Education / by Lisa Kaczke / May 09th, 2014