Category Archives: Inspiration /Positive News and Features

Azharuddin boosts Toronto fundraiser

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Nri's / Pio's

Mohd Azharuddin and Iftekhar Shareef at Toronto event

Toronto:
Mohammad Azharuddin attracted a large number of Hyderabadi community members in Toronto on a recent visit. He was invited as the chief guest for a fundraiser event to support Peace Services, a welfare organization for elders and youths.
Azharuddin proved that he was still the magnet for overseas Indian community as more than 200 people attended the Peace Services fundraiser at Shingar Banquet Hall, Brampton, Ontario. Almost everyone was keen to meet Azharuddin on one to one basis. Azharuddin was accompanied by Iftekhar Shareef, the FIA trustee and a Chicago community activist.
The Indian Hyderabadi community in Toronto extended warm greetings to Azharuddin and Shareef. The fundraiser event was organized by members of Peace Services (Prevention of Elder Abuse and Community Education Services). Moiz Khan, President, Peace Services received the guests and spoke about the activities of Peace Services.
He informed that since 2007 Peace Services is catering to welfare programs for seniors and new immigrants. Welfare programs included free computer classes, health awareness seminars for elders and spoken English classes for all.
However, the organization focused on welfare of elders; help provide food and shelter to neglected elders and educate their young family members about the importance of elders.
Iftekhar Shareef expressed his excitement at meeting the Indian Hyderabadi community in Toronto. He said when members of Peace Services approached him to get Azharuddin for the event; he could not refuse in view of the noble cause undertaken by the organization. Azharuddin also emphasized that he could not refuse to Iftekhar Shareef, though it was time for hectic political activities in India. He, however remarked that Canada was always a tough ground for him, but the event offered an opportunity to meet old schoolmates and friends from Hyderabad. As the fundraiser event concluded, there was a beeline of Azharuddin fans eager to see him and have a photograph with him.

source: http://www.indiapost.com / Home> Community Post / July 29th, 2012

Students from Dublin share joy with orphans

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, World Opinion

A student of University College of Dublin, Volunteers Overseas, Ireland, who was on a study tour to India, playing ‘Gachakayalu’, a traditional game, with the inmates of Care and Share Charitable Trust at Buddavaram village in Krishna district on Friday. / Photo: Ch.Vijaya Bhaskar / The Hindu

“It is very pathetic that some children lost their parents and near and dear in natural calamities, while a few were abandoned due to infection of AIDS/HIV” said students

Students of University College of Dublin (UCD), Volunteers Overseas, Ireland, shared fun and joy with the inmates of Care and Share Charitable Trust at their home.

When a reporter of this paper visited the Care and Share campus in the village, the students were seen dancing, jumping and playing with the poor and orphan children on Friday.

The students, who were on a month-long study tour to India, understood the lifestyles of hundreds of orphans in the home. They learnt about the role of Non-Governmental Organisations in taking care of the deprived children in the society.

“It is very pathetic that some children lost their parents and near and dear in natural calamities, while a few were abandoned due to infection of AIDS/HIV,” said the students who were pursuing different courses in the university.

“The children are very active and have become friendly with us. We spent about 30 days in the home and attended a few get-togethers with them,” said the UCD Volunteers Overseas Manager Caroline O `Connor, who headed the team to Vijayawada.

A bachelor in Psychology student, Paul O `Sullivan thanked the Care and Share management for providing good hospitality for the team members on their campus.

“The food is very spicy and the trust management arranged special diet for us. But, the Indian food is very tasty,” said a nursing student Sorcha O `Brien.

“I am very happy to spend time with the Irish students at our home. We sang songs, played games and enjoyed with the brothers and sisters.

I request them to visit us once again,” said Saritha, an inmate of the home.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Rajulapudi Srinivas / Budhavaram (Krishna District), July 14th, 2012

Free eye screening held in Vijayawada

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Resources of Free Materials, Science & Technology

The David Brown Children’s Eye Care Centre at the L.V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) in Tadigadapa conducted free eye examination and treatment for 63 HIV positive children of Tulip Garden at Buthimillipadu, Gannavaram mandal.

Netherlands-based philanthropist Margaret said the David Brown Children’s Eye Care Centre was catering to the needs of children from Vijayawada and five other neighbouring districts.

“The eye care centre is so clean, sand everybody was so kind . It was so different from other hospitals in Vijayawada. I felt I was in a hospital in The Netherlands,” she said.

Eye specialists Niranjan examined the eyes of the children and prescribed medication when required.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / June 28th, 2012

Turning a blind eye to their rights

Education, Inspiration /Positive News and Features

Bustling classrooms, children flipping through text books — at first sight this school in Begumpet looks like any ordinary school. A closer look reveals a different picture.

The Devnar School for the Blind is tucked away in a corner of Begumpet in Mayuri Marg. About 500 students study here. Aided by corporates and individuals, the school is free for all the students. Unfortunately, this is also the only English medium school for the visually challenged, as well as one of the three such schools in the City.

According to a WHO report, 39 million people in the world are blind. About 90 per cent of the world’s visually challenged live in developing countries.

There are a staggering 15 million blind people in India, two million of whom are children. In fact, one out of every three visually challenged people in the world live in India alone.

Hyderabad has an estimated 2 lakh children who are visually challenged. For a number that high, there are only three schools — Devnar School for the Blind, Darus Safa School for the Blind for Boys, and Malakpet School for the Blind for Girls. The number of students studying in these schools is a meager 740. The State has just eight schools.

“Many parents whose children are visually challenged, aren’t aware of how the potential of such children can be tapped. Unfortunately, there aren’t many schools in the City that cater to them. Visually impaired children are focused on what they want. Their IQ is high and the mental capacity is as high as other children. If you expose them to different topics, they can learn well. Education and a job can give them a secure future,” pointed out Lily Egbert, principal, Devnar School.

Take for example Zubair and Amir, who studied at Devnar. Zubair is now a lecturer in Jawaharlal Nehru University, while Amir works as an HR with an MNC.

“Visually challenged people are now working successfully and even paying taxes to the government. They can do any job. However, the bigger problem is enrolment. Parents should have the courage to send their children to such schools. There is a lot of demand for blind schools, and NGOs are working towards it. The facilities for the visually challenged should improve. Enrolment and opening schools go hand in hand,” opined Dr A Saibabab Goud, founder and

chairman of Devnar.

Teachers in such schools need to complete a B.Ed in Visual Impairment and learn braille (a form of written language for the visually challenged), have immense patience, and love what they do. In Devnar, many teachers are also parents of visually challenged children.

The government is doing their bit, or so they claim. “We are opening Kasturba Gandhi School for the Blind and Hearing Impaired in all the districts. It has opened in some of the districts and will soon be open in all as well. The Anganwadi workers and Indira Kranthi Pathakam workers, along with the education department, is roaming door-to-door and counselling the parents,” said Sunitha Laxma Reddy, minister for juvenile welfare.

“We are sanctioning free metric and post-metric scholarships to students, as well as providing MP3 players, laptops, apart from training them in computers. The government is also sanctioning grants to NGOs. The Central minister for social justice said that if we can propose a plan by August, he will sanction more grants. We even requested the CM for more sanctions. He suggested inclusive education where mainstream schools can have separate sections for them,” she added.

The fact remains that there is an urgent need for more schools that cater to them. As the tag line of the Devnar reads ‘The blind need opportunity not sympathy’.

source: http://www.postnoon.com / Home> City> by Osama Salman / June 28th, 2012

2,300 students get gifts from NAM Foundation

Education, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Resources of Free Materials, Uncategorized

Around 2,300 students from various schools in old city were provided with schoolbags and stationery by NAM Foundation on Sunday in Hyderabad.  / Photo: Balachander Goud RK / The Hindu

Ten-year-old Mohd. Shareef, student of class five of Government Primary School at Achireddynagar, was quite worried about purchasing a school bag, notebooks and stationery as his father, who is an auto driver cannot afford to provide him with all these materials at one time.

Thanks to the initiative of National Association of Muslims (NAM) Foundation, Mohd. Shareef is all smiles today.

The foundation, which is a voluntary organisation, provided him with books, school bags, pencil box etc. free of cost on Sunday at Mehdipatnam.

It’s not just Mohd. Shareef alone, 2,300 other students too were presented with school books and other stationery on the occasion. Besides, distributing books and stationery, the foundation also paid the first-term tuition fee for 1,104 students studying at different private schools and colleges.

Cheques were presented to the respective school and college management representatives during the programme.

Meritorious students adopted by the foundation were presented with gold medals and cash awards.

All the expenditure is met through donations received from various philanthropists and organisations across the globe.

The objective behind distributing books and paying fee was to motivate and improve the quality of education and literacy rate in old city, said foundation chairman, Mohd. Jameeluddin.

In addition to distributing books, the organisation presented 55 sewing and embroidery machines to poor and illiterate women, who had completed training in craft and tailoring courses.

Syed Anwarul Huda, Director General (law and order) was chief guest for the function while Dr. Hemanth Kaukuntla, consultant cardiothoracic surgeon, Care Hospital and M.A. Basith, former Director General of Police were among special invitees.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Staff Reporter / June 25th, 2012

Music concert for a cause

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

Rohit Dutta performing at a rock show at Gurajada Kalakshetram on Sunday. The show was organised to raise contributions for charity. Photo:C.V.Subrahmanyam / The Hindu

Vision and You (VAY) Foundation and Marshall’s Youth Organisation on Sunday evening organised a charity show, “A cause to rock” at Gurajada Kalakshetram.

The performance of a rock band comprising engineering students was the mainstay of the programme.

Earlier singing of Janaganamana by hearing impaired students and a dance by physically challenged student, Pushpalata, won the applause of the audience.

Visakhapatnam West MLA Malla Vijay Prasad lauded VAY Foundation and Marshall’s Youth Organisation for their initiative to contribute to the cause of service.

He hoped they would continue to involve themselves in such activities.

Municipal Commissioner B. Ramanjaneyulu said the show organised for a good cause achieved its objective and complimented the quality of programmes.

VAY Foundation president Ganta Swamy said the foundation conducted several programmes to help poor students, women and the aged during the last two years.

The proceeds from the show would be spent on organising medical and blood donation camps.

Municipal Administration Regional Joint Director P. Ashajyothi, Symbiosys CEO O. Naresh Kumar, Mother Charitable Trust chairman Vikas Pandey and representatives of the youth organisation participated.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Staff Reporter / June 11th, 2012

Child prodigy clears SSC at 11

Amazing Feats, Education, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Records, All

Kasibhatta Samhita

Kasibhatta Samhita is a child prodigy for sure. When lakhs of 16-year olds have failed to obtain the all important pass grade in the SSC exam this year, this 11-year old girl created history of sorts by clearing the examination with an impressive 8.8 Grade Point Average (GPA).

Said to be the youngest ever to clear the 10 class examinations in the State, the 5 class student of Nalanda Schools in Vengalarao Nagar here obtained special permission to write the SSC exams and surprised everyone. Though the new grading system will not reveal her marks, she has probably scored highest in Maths subject.

No stress

The impressive part was she didn’t go through the stress generally associated with the public exams. “I was pretty confident as I cleared several internal tests of my school and did pretty well,” she said. The thought of writing SSC examinations was infused by her teachers who realised her potential in the class.

“She is a special talent and we nurtured it carefully,” says Suryanarayana Raju, director of the Nalanda Group. Realising her potential, the school offered her free education.

Samihita says her parents role has been immense. Her father L.N. Kasibhatta, who used to work for Boeing in the USA, left the cushy job and moved to India seeing her child’s potential. “I wanted her to study in India and just shifted. Her amazing memory skills and understanding capabilities surprised me.

At the age of two she could tell the capitals of 200 countries,” says the proud father. Her mother Geeta, who works with Satyam, reminds that she is not a book worm. In fact, she enjoys playing with her friends like any normal child.

Samhita proudly shows the appreciation letters from former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, to whom she had written a letter suggesting measures to improve Indian economy. What will she do now?

“Mr. Abdul Kalam is my inspiration and I want to be a scientist like him,” she says adding that she wants to make India proud with her achievements.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / News> Cities> Hyderabad / by R. Ravikanth Reddy / Hyderabad, May 25th, 2012

Boy from Mahimalore navigates his way to success

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

Hyderabad:

The ICBM test-fired from the Interim Test Range (ITR), Balasore, Orissa on April 19 was on target 5,000-km into the Indian Ocean. The missile’s accuracy, which hit within double-digit metres of the target, pleased the defence scientists.

“Advanced countries with a superior technology have reportedly achieved accuracy within three-digit metres but Agni-V has achieved what no other country could do before,” a senior DRDO scientist said.

The villagers of Mahimalore in Atmakur mandal of Nellore district have joined the country-wide celebrations of the success, because their boy has made India proud by developing a navigation system that helped Agni-V reach its target.

Soon after the Agni-V test-firing, flexis and posters of  Gundra Satheesh Reddy, associate director and outstanding scientist, Research Centre Imarat, appeared in his hometown hailing his achievement. Such honours are generally reserved for filmstars but what Satheesh Reddy and his team achieved was not of the filmi variety but real and rare.

As technology director (Navigation) for Agni-V, Satheesh Reddy provided a navigation system which had very high level reliability. The Ring Laser Gyro-based Navigation System (RINS) and the Micro Navigation System ensured that the missile could simply not fail.

“Em Debba kottinaranna (What a shot that was, brother),” callers from Mahimalore and Atmakur said appreciating Satheesh Reddy after the ICBM’s successful launch. They may not know much about the missile but they knew one thing: Gundra Sitarami Reddy and Rangamma’s son had done the country proud. The agricultural family had dreamt of Satheesh Reddy becoming an engineer and he realised not just that but a dream of the country to get into the ICBM club.

“Perhaps because of my village background, I developed a fascination for aeroplanes and during the course of time got into missile technology,” Satheesh Reddy told STOI. When the DRDO job came his way, he lapped it up. “It was not like any other job right from the beginning. I wanted to do something for the country,” Satheesh Reddy said. That was the reason why he stayed on in DRDO while most of his friends left the country for greener pastures. Quite of few of those who joined DRDO along with him may have left the job and gone for what they felt were better opportunities, he decided to stay and be faithful to his calling.

Satheesh Reddy has been involved in the navigation system of all the missiles developed by DRDO and the ‘Outstanding Scientist’ that he is now, has set his sights on achieving something much higher in the missile technology – all for the country’s sake.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Hyderabad / TNN / April 29th, 2012

Hyderabad duo attempts to scale Europe’s highest peak

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

FULL OF PASSION: Ali Razvi and Ranjan Sood undergo preparatory training in Hyderabad on Sunday. Photo: Nagara Gopal

Ali Razvi (40), well-known for his climbing prowess in Hyderabad, and Ranjan Sood’s (55) preparation routine is taxing

The sun continues to beat hard on their backs, even as the two try to steady their sweaty hands on the ropes and rappel down the 30-feet drop of a cliff at Ammuguda. The mountaineers know well that Hyderabad’s hot sun will not be a worry when they attempt to scale Europe’s highest peak, Mount Elbrus, at approximately 5,642 metres above sea level this June.

The mountaineers are more concerned about being in perfect physical condition before attempting the gruelling climb to Mt. Elbrus, a feat being attempted for the first time by adventurers in Hyderabad.

Ali Razvi (40), well-known for his climbing prowess in Hyderabad, and Ranjan Sood’s (55) preparation routine is taxing.

It involves a minimum of 10 kilometres of brisk walk, a 200-step steep climb at Ammuguda and fine tuning their climbing skills on the natural rock formations at various rock sites in Hyderabad. “It is not just physical fitness. We have to be mentally fit too. We are trying our best to get ready for the climb,” says Mr. Razvi, who on previous occasions has scaled the Himalayan mountain Kala Patthar twice (5,500 metres) and has led a group of mountaineers to the Everest Base Camp.

Mt. Elbrus, considered to be the highest point in Europe, is geographically the dividing line between Europe and Asia. The inactive volcano is part of the seven summits, a well-known mountaineering objective in which mountaineers dream of scaling the highest peaks in the seven continents of the world.

“It’s a challenging climb because we have to trek from 8,200 feet to 18,510 feet in thick snow. The route that we have decided on is not easy. It has lots of snow, high winds and difficulties associated with high elevation. There have been several failed attempts in the past but we are not thinking about it,” says Mr. Razvi.

CIRCUITOUS ROUTE

The route chosen for the 15-day expedition is circuitous. “We start on May 31 and fly to Moscow from Delhi and then reach an airport called Mineralnye Vody in Russia. This is 250 kilometres away from Mt. Elbrus. Here, we will join an international team of climbers and attempt the climb,” they explain.

TECHNICAL CLIMB

The mountaineers are busy fine-tuning their gears such as harness, carabiner, ropes, crampons, snow boots, ice axe etc. for the technical climb.

In addition, both are also working on the mental aspect of the climb. “We need will power for the attempt. The climb will test our endurance and, hopefully, we will be able to scale Mt. Elbrus by the middle of June,” says Ranjan Sood.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / News / by M. Sai Gopal / Hyderabad, April 22nd, 2012

Toe transplant hailed a success

Amazing Feats, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Nri's / Pio's, Science & Technology

Shyam Sundhar hopes to return to work soon after surgeons replaced his crushed thumb with a toe from his left foot. Lee Hoagland / The National

A carpenter who lost his thumb in a workplace accident hopes to return to work after having a toe transplanted on to his hand.

Shyam Sundhar lost the digit on his right hand in September while using a woodcutting machine at Gulf Craft, a boat manufacturer in Umm Al Quwain.

“I was totally depressed after losing my thumb as it is quite disabling for a carpenter,” said Mr Sundhar, 26, from India. “I could not grip anything with my right hand. I was wondering, ‘How will I hold the tools to do my work?’

“I went to the doctor immediately but they said it couldn’t be fixed as it was badly damaged. They advised me to go to India and get it done there as the treatment would be much cheaper and my family would be there to take care of me.”

He spent six hours in surgery while Dr K Murali Mohan Reddy, a plastic and microsurgeon at Yashoda Hospital in Hyderabad, removed the second toe of his left foot – along with its blood vessels, nerves and tendons – and attached it in place of the lost thumb.

“Thanks to this surgery I have recovered almost 60 per cent of the movement and hopefully in the next few weeks I might recover fully,” said Mr Sundhar, who returned to the UAE last Monday.

He still suffers some pain but can now hold most things. “I expect there will not be much problem when I start doing my work. I’m already able to write and eat food with my right hand,” he said.

Dr Reddy said Mr Sundhar first consulted him in October.

“Because the patient was not psychologically prepared for the surgery, I asked him to come back to me after a month. He came to me for surgery in November and it was performed on November 4.

“The reconstruction of an amputated thumb is a challenging option. It requires an advanced operation theatre and excellent microsurgery skills. Very few people in India, even in the medical fraternity, know that a toe can replace the amputated thumb.”

Mr Sundhar was discharged 10 days after his operation.

“His new thumb now has movement and will have sensation and nail growth in a few weeks,” said Dr Reddy. “The disability of the loss of a thumb is low compared with the loss of any other limb, but its real significance can be felt while doing daily chores like holding a cup, writing, eating food and so on.”

frahman@thenational.ae

source: http://www.TheNational.ae / News> UAE News> Health / by Fareed Rahman / March 25th, 2012