Category Archives: Inspiration /Positive News and Features

Duo making a difference by donating blood

Inspiration /Positive News and Features

Visakhapatnam : 

KRB Prakash is the director of the shipping firm KRM Sons, while Dr A V Siva Prasad is a gastroenterologist – two professions that are poles apart. However, the two have something in common – the practice of donating blood.

Prakash has donated blood 65 times in the last 30 years, while Dr Prasad has donated blood 52 times since the early ’80s. The two have also turn their families and friends into regular blood donors.

Prakash told TOI during the World Blood Donor Day celebrations organised by A S Raja Voluntary Blood Bank here on Friday that he had started donating blood in 1982 at KGH Blood Bank, which was the only blood bank at that time.

He said that he had become a regular voluntary donor as there was a need to help people in distress. He was also one of the members of his club who helped create a directory of blood donors so that it could allow people to easily locate voluntary donors.

Since then not only has he donated blood but has also encouraged employees at his firm and family members to do this noble deed. “My son K Rohit has already donated blood 15 times,” he said proudly.

Ask Dr Prasad why he donated blood 52 times and he says, “The question should be why have you not donated blood? People should walk in voluntarily and donate blood because everyday some person or the other will need it.”

There is a high requirement for blood, Dr Prasad said, adding that his wife Dr Sugandhi, who looks after the A S Raja Blood Bank, and doctor son Sailesh also donate blood regularly. “Most of my family members donate blood regularly,” he said.

Dr Prasad said that while he was studying in Chandigarh in the early 1980s, the blood donation campaigns had influenced him.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Visakhapatnam / TNN / June 15th, 2013

NDDB pats Karimnagar Dairy for launching welfare schemes

Business & Economy, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Science & Technology

National Dairy Development Board team inspects functioning of the dairy

The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) authorities were all praise for the Karimnagar district milk producer company (Karimnagar Dairy) for launching several welfare schemes for the milk producers and also taking measures for increasing the milk production.

The eight-member NDDB team led by S.K. Dalaal is on a three-day tour of the district to inspect the functioning of the dairy activities, procurement of milk from villages, welfare schemes and other expansion programmes.

The NDDB team toured the villages on Thursday and on Friday and had meeting with the Karimnagar Dairy authorities, including chairman Ch. Rajeshwara Rao and managing director V. Hanumantha Reddy.

The NDDB authorities said that Karimnagar Dairy was doing well and there was a lot of scope for the expansion of its activities to meet the demand in the future.

The authorities said that they were also planning for the inclusion of Karimnagar Dairy in the National Dairy Plan to provide funds for the increasing the milk production, sources said.

The Karimnagar Dairy authorities explained to the NDDB team about the growth of the dairy over the last one decade with the farmer-friendly policies and increase of milk production and sales.

The NDDB authorities complimented the Karimnagar Dairy authorities for launching the ‘Paalanidhi’, a social security pension scheme to the milk producers, which was not existing in any dairy of Andhra Pradesh state.

  • NDDB planning to include Karimnagar Dairy in National Dairy Plan to provide funds
  • NDDB praises launching of ‘Paalanidhi’, a pension scheme for milk producers 

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Karimnagar, April 27th, 2013

Music for a cause

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration /Positive News and Features
The three day programme witnessed a host of classical music and dance programmes featuring veteran artists | EPS
The three day programme witnessed a host of classical music and dance programmes featuring veteran artists | EPS

The Suranjali foundation had organised the Tata Capital Pt Bhimsen Joshi National Festival of Music and Dance from April 5 to 7 at the Shilpa Kala Vedika at Madhapur. The three day programme witnessed a host of classical music and dance programmes featuring veteran artists like Shashank Subramanyam, Shobhana and Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia. Being conducted for the second time, the national festival was conceptualised to provide a helping hand to autistic children. With last year being a success, the festival has now been made an annual feature.

Besides being a fund raiser, Secretary General of the foundation, Abhijit Bhattacharjee added that the festival also provides a platform to for Indian musicians to perform and interact with their audience.Other artists who performed at the festival included Purbayan Chatterjee, the sitarist, who performed a jugalbandi with Shashank Subramanyam on the Flute. Vocalist Begum Parween Sutan, Kuchipudi dancer Shallu Jindal and sitarist Pt Budhaditya Mukherjee also enthralled the audience with their art. The festival was concluded on Sunday with the doible treat of the danseuse Shobhana and flautist Pt.Hari Prasad Chaurasia.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Express Features – Hyderabad / April 08th, 2013

Award for Guntur SP for anti-tobacco campaign

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

Guntur :

Rural SP J Satyanarayana on Wednesday received the national award for effectively implementing the anti-tobacco campaign in the district during 2011-12.

Union department of public health and family welfare had instituted the awards in various categories such as best district, best village and best school. Satyanarayana received the award from family welfare commissioner Poonam Malakondaiah and Secunderabad legislator Jayasudha at a function held in Hyderabad. Satyanarayana said the district had been selected for the award due to the police initiative in launching a crackdown on smokers in public places.

The union government had banned smoking in public places keeping in view the health of the general public , following which the district police had booked around 36,000 cases in the last one year and collected around Rs 18 lakh as fine.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / TNN / April 04th, 2013

At 86, he has left age way behind

Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Leaders
Thakur Bhavani Singh at work at the Secunderabad Cantonment Board office. - Photo: S. Sandeep Kumar / The Hindu
Thakur Bhavani Singh at work at the Secunderabad Cantonment Board office. – Photo: S. Sandeep Kumar / The Hindu

The 86-year-old ex-Army hawaldar is an athlete par excellence who has bagged over 60 medals and as many certificates in many national and state-level meets

His white beard, wrinkled-face and worn-out safari suit betray the bundle of energy that he is. As you enter the Secunderabad Cantonment Board office, Thakur Bhavani Singh greets you with a shrill whistle before guiding you to your parking slot.

He’s not an SCB employee; in fact, he never was. The 86-year-old ex-Army hawaldar is an athlete par excellence who has bagged over 60 medals and as many certificates in many national and state-level meets.

Last year, Mr. Singh won the first prize in javelin throw in the 80-plus years category at the 33 National Masters Athletic Championships held in Bangalore.

His throw measured 14.11 metres. In the previous edition of the event at Guntur, he won the 5-km walk in his category.

Abiding passion

Ever since he joined the AOC Centre, Trimulgherry in 1960, Mr. Singh developed a liking for sports, particularly boxing.

“It was my officer Major K.K. Naidu, who noticed my talent and made me participate in different events, including the 1965 Army Sports Championship in Pakistan where I won a gold medal. There was no looking back after that,” says Mr. Singh.

He had even received a cash award of Rs.500 from then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, apart from an appreciation letter. For years, and defying age, he has been participating in different veteran championships across the country and winning medals in shot put, javelin throw, discuss throw or marathon race.

Difficult times

However, with a monthly pension of Rs.3,500, he finds it difficult to make both ends meet. After retirement in 1975, he has been manning the parking lot at the SCB office, earning whatever little he can.

“I accept whatever the visitors give, earning about Rs.100 a day. I have to take care of my wife too, a retired employee of the Military Hospital, Trimulgherry,” he sighs.

Yet, none of these can deter him from competing in sports meets. He is already gearing up to participate in the next National Athletic Championships.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad /by S. Sandeep Kumar / April 06th, 2013

Guntur nun Glowrey on way to sainthood

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

GunturNunHF29mar2013

Hyderabad: 

The first nun-doctor missionary, who spent her life in India, mostly in Guntur and Bengaluru serving poor patients, will take her first step to sainthood on Wednesday.

The Vatican gave the nod for Sister Dr Mary Glowrey, an Australian of Irish origin, to be declared ‘Servant of God in India’, the first step to become a Catholic saint. The announcement of her declaration as Servant of God will be made by Bishop Gali Bali of Guntur diocese at a ‘chrism mass’ on Wednesday.

Dr Glowrey first landed in Guntur in 1920 at the age of 33. She came as a missionary of the Society of Jesus, Mary and Joseph and ran a dispensary which turned into St Joseph’s Hospital.

Director-general of the Catholic Health Associat-ion of India, Dr Tomi Tho-mas, says, “Sister Glowrey founded the Catholic Health Association of India in 1943 which now has 3,500 health care institutions in the country and is the largest NGO in the health sector. She was born in Victoria in 1887 and studied medicine and worked at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital and Saint Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne and also had a private practice.”

Bishop Gali Bali called her a “special creation of God and a great soul who embraced the whole world”. She left her lucrative career as an ENT specialist after she chanced on a pamphlet in 1915 about the appalling infant mortality rate in India. It changed the direction of her life.

“Pope Pius XI later bestowed a special blessing on her medical work and, as Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart, she became the first nun-doctor missionary. At Guntur, she trained local women to be pharmacists, nurses and midwives. She often travelled to visit the sick and dying in remote villages. She also used Indian traditional medicine,” the Bishop said.

My Jesus, I love you, were her last words

The people of Guntur were thrilled on hearing the news that Sister Glowrey will be declared ‘Servant of God in India’, the first step to become a Catholic saint.

Elizabeth, 65, of Amaravathi Road, Guntur, said, “I was brought up by Sr Glowrey. I cannot forget her love and affection. She used to be a very caring person for the poor and a devout Christian.”

Sister Victoria who had worked at St Joseph’s said, “It is a great honour for St Joseph’s General Hospital at Guntur as its founder is in the process of canonisation. She converted a small dispensary into a huge hospital which today is serving the poor and the needy.”

Dr Glowrey died on May 5, 1957. Her last words are said to be, “Jesus, Mary and Joseph” and “My Jesus, I love you”.

She spent her last days in Bengaluru and her vision led to the establishment of one of the best Indian medical colleges, St John’s Medical College.

source: http://www.DeccanChronicle.com / Home> News> Current Affairs / DC / by U. Sudhakar Reddy / March 27th, 2013

‘Nobody thought she could walk again’

Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Science & Technology

hospitalHF26mar2013

Neurosurgeon Y. V. Rama Prasad talking to Lakshmi Devi in Vijayawada on Saturday. / Photo: Ch.Vijaya Bhaskar / The Hindu

None of 22-year-old Lakshmi Devi’s relatives thought she will be able to walk again. They believed only a miracle will cure her. Both her lower limbs were paralysed. And nerves once damaged cannot be repaired.

Belonging to a poor family of Bhavanipuram there was little the relatives could do for the young woman. Fortunately the Smt. Subba Lakshmi Memorial Vijay Orthopaedic and Accident Care hospital offered to help. She came on a stretcher to the hospital, but walked out after the surgery. The hospital performed the surgery free of cost.

The cause of the patient’s condition was a benign tumour in a very crucial location in the spinal cord. According to consulting neuro surgeon Y.V.Ravi Prasad the neurofibroma (benign nerve sheath tumor) was intraspinal (inside the vertebral canal), but extradural (outside the dura mater–outer most layer of the spinal cord). The large tumour that formed between dorsal vertebra nine and ten was just pressing on the spinal cord, but did not damage it fortunately. A delicate surgery was performed to remove the neurofibroma to give the patient a new lease of life. The paralysis slowly disappeared after the surgery and Lakshmi Devi is able to walk normally today. Consulting orthopaedician S.Vijayakumar was in the surgical team.

Free medical camp

A free orthopaedic and neuro surgery camp will be conducted in Ibrahimpatnam for employees of thermal power station on Sunday.

The camp will begin at 10 a.m. and close at 5 p.m.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Special Correspondent / March 24th, 2013

Karimnagar’s Lions Clubs achieve a milestone

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

The ten Lions Clubs in Karimnagar have achieved a distinction in the country by collecting a record number of 207 pairs of eyeballs during this lionistic year from July 2012 to till date.

Similarly, the Lions Club of Karimnagar Manair had set another milestone by collecting 100 eyeballs in Karimnagar town during the year.

Disclosing this to newsmen here on Monday, Lions Clubs international region chairperson B Madhusudhan Reddy said that the Lions Club of Karimnagar have also collected four unclaimed bodies and donated the same to the Chalmeda Ananda Rao Institute of Medical Sciences (CAIMS) in Karimnagar. He said that they would continue their mission of educating the people to donate their eyes after death to provide eye-sight to the visionless people.

source:  http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Karimnagar, March 12th, 2013

From shepherd to scholar, Ramana goes places

Education, Inspiration /Positive News and Features

RamanaHF15mar2013

A file photo of  C.V. Ramana (right) with his parents. / The Hindu

Now a doctoral student at the UoH, Ramana has always refused to be pinned down by crises. He will now present a paper at Oxford University

While there is no dearth of stories that exemplify the strength of the human spirit, of that irrepressible drive to make it beyond all odds, this one is definitely is a stand-out. From being a shepherd and a child who missed school often, to presenting a research paper at the prestigious Oxford University, life has been an unbelievable dream journey for C.V. Ramana.

Spark within

For this doctoral scholar from the University of Hyderabad, who hails from a small village in Chittoor district, the trigger for his achievements were the repeated instances of humiliation he faced from landlords of his village and the injustice meted out to his family from his own caste chieftains. Education, he thought, and has ever since proved, would be the liberator. He credits The Hindu for being an able enabler.

At Oxford, Ramana will present a paper titled ‘Higher Education as Capability in Enhancing Opportunities: A Study on Fee Reimbursement Policy in Andhra Pradesh, India’.

Story of struggle

As a ten-year-old, Ramana was forced to drop out of school and raise sheep in his village Bathalavari Palli. When a landlord, and later legal hurdles, denied his family the rights to purchase assigned land, he resolved to make it big in life.

Amid financial crises, Ramana completed Class 10 and Intermediate through the National Open School after a few failed attempts. The renewed confidence led him to completing graduation from the Government Degree College in Piler, Chittoor.

English embarrasses

“Gaining admission to the University of Hyderabad for my post graduation and accessing The Hinduchanged the course of my life,” he reveals. With a background in the Telugu medium of education, Ramana said he scored a blank in his first semester exams.

“Realising the need to improve English language skills, I took up reading The Hindu in the hostel and the passion for English just multiplied,” says Ramana, who also attributes his success to Internet access.

In fact, he made friends only with students from Nagaland so that he had no option but to speak in English. He completed his M. Phil in a year. For his Ph.D., he chose a topic close to his heart – the fee reimbursement scheme.

“Since I am a beneficiary of such schemes from the University Grants Commission, I chose it and my guide Prof. Ramabrahmam encouraged my idea. Our society needs such schemes,” Ramana feels.

After his presentation at Oxford, Ramana will be travelling to Harvard in May where he will speak on “Significance of Scholarships in Segregated Societies: New Directions in Indian Welfare Policies.” He had earlier presented a paper at Berlin, Germany.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by R. Ravikanth Reddy / Maerch 14th, 2013

Beats blindness to become CA

Amazing Feats, Education, Inspiration /Positive News and Features

Hyderabad :

In a rare show of courage and zeal, a 23-year-old Hyderabad youth, who lost his vision completely at the age of 11, has cleared this year’s chartered accountant exams to become the first-ever visually challenged  person to achieve this feat in the country.

J Rajasekhar cleared the CA examy , the results of which were announced on Monday in just his second attempt, a herculean task even for any normal and healthy person of his age.

Blessed with a sharp brain and aided by the latest software for the visually challenged, Rajashekhar made relentless efforts for five years to reach his goal.

“There were many, including my mother, who thought that it was impossible for a person like me to clear the examination but I never felt discouraged,” said Rajsekhar, who learnt to do mental math at an early age.

“I used to study for hours at a stretch for the exams not just to clear it but also to prove that a visually challenged can accomplish whatever he wants,” he added.

He is now being flooded with congratulatory messages from not just his family or friends but also from his peers who see in him their role model.

After taking the CA entrance examination, Rajasekhar pursued a degree in Bachelor of Commerce through long distance mode while working at a CA firm.

“During these three years, I used to try and understand accounts and auditing and record them in my digital voice recorder to keep on listening to them,” he said.

“I would do the same with my soft copy of notes given to me by my coaching centre and try and calculate as much as possible in my brain” he added.

Rajashekhar was provided with a volunteer to write the final examination, which included six theory and two practical subjects.

He comes from an agriculture family from Guntur and was diagnosed with brain tumor when he was in school which eventually affected his optic nerve leaving him completely blind.

“I want to start my own CA firm and also travel,” says Rajashekhar. “For those like me who want to become chartered accountants , I will some day start a training institute. If I can even help and inspire a few, I would be very happty.”

The management of Devnar School for the Blind which funded his education and accommodation, appealed to people not to discriminate but encourage the visually challenged to achieve their goal.

“Now there are good opportunities for the blind in private as well as government sector. One should not treat them as a burden but provide them with equal rights so that they can contribute to society and the country in their own way,” said Saibaba Gowd, founder of Devnar School for the Blind.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Hyderabad / TNN / January 23rd, 2013