Category Archives: Records, All

Raman effect still visible in Mrs. AVN College

Education, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion
The physics lab is maintained as it is, at Mrs. A.V.N. College in Visakhapatnam. | Photo Credit: C.V.Subrahmanyam
The physics lab is maintained as it is, at Mrs. A.V.N. College in Visakhapatnam. | Photo Credit: C.V.Subrahmanyam

Physics lab, where he did his practicals, is now heritage part of the hallowed institution

Any idea how did Nobel laureate C.V. Raman get the idea of his path-breaking theory which is called the Raman Effect or Raman Scattering.

It was in this city and at Mrs. AVN College where the seed for his theory ‘Molecular Diffraction of Light’ was sown.

Dr. Raman, who spent a few of his formative years in this city, was a student of Mrs. AVN College High School, where he completed his high school from Std VIII to X and later moved to Mrs. AVN College to complete his pre-university course.

In a passage in his biography, he quoted that from his sea-facing classroom, which was located on the first floor of the Gothic-styled stone building, he would observe the changing colours of the Bay of Bengal and it would fascinate him.

“It is from this classroom in this college that I developed the urge to get into the details of this phenomenon.” This was what he (Raman) had said, when he visited his alma mater in 1930, recounted Dr. Srinivasa Rao, the present HoD of the Physics Department, from the old diaries. According to college records, Raman studied in the high school from 1902 to 1905 and PUC from 1905 to 1907 and his father Chandra Sekhara Iyer was a teacher in Mrs. AVN College High School, said principal of the college D. Vijaya Prakash.

The physics lab in the college, where Dr. Raman conducted his first experiments, is still kept as it is and has become a heritage part of the edifice.

Glorious journey

Mrs. AVN College was set up in 1860, principally as a high school, with the support of the public and the then zamindars. In 1878, it was elevated to the status of a college in the name of Hindu College. In 1892, Ankitam Venkata Narsinga Row, a landlord, bequeathed a sum of ₹1 lakh, an11-acre site, a Gothic-style building, and a building grant of ₹15,000, and since then the college is known in his wife’s name as Mrs. AVN College.

It has grown from a strength of 50 students to over 2,500 today. Apart from Dr C.V. Raman, the college boasts of alumnus that includes revolutionary Alluri Sitaramaraju, statistician CR Rao, General KV Krishna Rao, film star S.V. Ranga Rao, freedom fighter Tenneti Viswanadham and writers such as Raavi Sastry and Sri Sri. The two-day founder’s day celebrations will begin from Thursday.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Sumit Bhattacharjee / Visakhapatnam – December 05th, 2018

Three more national awards to Andhra Pradesh power sector

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology

He received the award at SIECC (Surat International Exhibition and Convention centre) held in Surat.

Vijayawada :

The sustained efforts of AP  power sector in providing 24X7 quality and reliable power supply to  consumers have earned three more national awards, adding up to more than 105 national awards won till date.

The State has been conferred the top investment-friendly and infra excellent State in sustainable energy and power, while APGENCO has been awarded as the best performing utility in power generation by Enertia Foundation during the Enertia Award-2018  held in Gujarat on Sunday.

Principal Secretary (IT), CMD APTRANSCO and MD APGENCO K Vijayanand has been awarded prestigious Lifetime Yeomen Contribution to Power, Energy, and Renewable sector in Andhra Pradesh and public sector at large.

He received the award at SIECC (Surat International Exhibition and Convention centre) held in Surat.
The jury for Enertia Awards- 2018 has praised APGENCO for its relentless efforts in sustaining as the best power generation company with an installed capacity of 6813 MW, hydel-1797 MW and solar power with a capacity of 5.426 MW.

They also appreciated AP’s initiatives in adopting global technologies in power generation at par with advanced countries.Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and  Energy Minister K Kala Venkata Rao congratulated Vijayanand for the lifetime achievement award.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / December 03rd, 2018

Skater Rana’s marathon reaches Vizag

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Records, All, Sports
Way to go: Rana Uppalapati has covered 4,500 km till date. | Photo Credit: C.V.Subrahmanyam
Way to go: Rana Uppalapati has covered 4,500 km till date. | Photo Credit: C.V.Subrahmanyam

‘Indian Golden Quadrilateral’ aims at raising money for girl child education

Noted skater Rana Uppalapati, who has taken up the task of covering the 6,000-km Golden Quadrilateral to create awareness and raise money for girl child education, reached Visakhapatnam on Thursday.

The ‘Indian Golden Quadrilateral’ programme, being funded by the Titan Company Limited in collaboration with the Tata Group, was flagged off at Hosur in Karnataka on September 5 and he had so far covered Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Odisha.

The 37-year-old skater, who covered about 4,500 km and reached his home town after 70 days, was given a warm welcome by the denizens, skaters and friends, at the VUDA Children’s Arena in Siripuram.

Money mobilised so far

He is accompanied by a six-member logistic team, who travel in a car ahead.

“In the last 70 days, we have interacted with at least 5 lakh people across various parts of the country and raised ₹3.60 crore, which would be enough for educating close to 10,000 girls. But our target is to provide education for 25,000 girls and I am sure in the next 30 days, we would achieve it,” Mr. Rana Uppalapati said.

Earlier he undertook two such skating trips to create awareness on health issues.

The longest trip he had taken up was from Vizag to Chennai, around 800 km.

Covering 6,000 km now was definitely a tough task, “but it will be a milestone if I can achieve it,” he said.

“In the first 30 days, due to bad roads, high temperature and a few other hassles, we would cover around 12 km per day, starting at 4 am. But later we started to cover close to 50 to 60 km, on a daily basis. Today, I skated from Tagarapuvalasa to Lankapalem, covering almost 67 km in just two and half hours. When we show people the amount of difficulty involved in our journey, the message reaches in a strong way,” said Mr. Uppalapati.

He said his journey would end by meeting kids, communities and other people in schools, colleges, meeting halls etc every day.

“Apart from educating underprivileged girl children, we are also creating awareness among children on safety, especially on good touch and bad touch.”

The mission is expected to end on December 18 at Hosur. A grand event is being planned in Bengaluru.

Managing Director of the Titan Company Bhaskar Bhat, AVP & Head, Corporate Sustainability Titan NE Sridhar, family members, city-based skaters, athletes and others were present.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Harish Gilai / Visakhapatnam – November 22nd, 2018

Ongole’s cricket stadium has scary past!

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, Sports

The city of Ongole, in Prakasam district, is known for a particular breed of oxen. It’s also known for the CSR Sarma College, where Tollywood star Chiranjeevi studied from 1970-72

File photo of the cricket stadium in Ongole
File photo of the cricket stadium in Ongole

Ongole :

The city of Ongole, in Prakasam district, is known for a particular breed of oxen. It’s also known for the CSR Sarma College, where Tollywood star Chiranjeevi studied from 1970-72. Few know that the cricket ground at CSR Sarma College has a unique history.

It’s perhaps the only cricket ground in India which is built on a burial ground. It was home to venomous snakes and other wild creatures.  It was in 2008 when the Prakasam District Cricket Association (PDCA) and the college decided to sign a memorandum of understanding to build a quality stadium, which the city lacked.

“A decade ago, this place was in a totally different state,” says PDCA secretary Pratap Kumar. “It used to be a burial ground and was even named as crime zone. Since 2008, we have been developing it gradually. The ground, with a hillock in the backdrop, had a pond, 15 feet in depth. We dumped almost 16,000 truck loads of soil and renovated a lot to make it look like this.”

Looking like any other cricket venue now, this ground has hosted four Ranji Trophy matches. The fifth, between Andhra and Tamil Nadu, starts on Tuesday. “The eastern side is where we put up chairs. During the last match, crowds turned up in huge numbers to watch Shreyas Iyer and Prithvi Shaw in action. We can expect a sizeable turnout for the Tamil Nadu tie, although it would be more exciting if Dinesh Karthik and R Ashwin were in the team,” said Pratap.

The main objective of the ACA to set up a cricket ground amidst unusual surroundings was to develop cricket at the grassroots. “We saw the potential to have a stadium here. With BCCI’s permission we allowed PDCA to host matches. Our aim is to conduct matches in every district. Wherever there are facilities, we grant them permission to organise first-class matches,” ACA general secretary Arun Kumar said.

With the aim to improving infrastructure, PDCA has arranged a 12-foot sight screen. The ground is equipped with underground cables (both electrical and optical), six cameras for recording the match, two air-conditioned rooms for video analysts, BCCI match referees and scorers.

Conducting matches during rainy season does not pose any hurdle despite the ground lacking an advanced drainage system. “Water drains out automatically. With a low hillock, even if it rains heavily, we can resume the match an hour after rain stops,” explained Pratap.

It was in January 2015 that the ground got the nod to host its maiden Ranji match. The first four-day match saw Andhra taking on Tripura. In four Ranji matches it has hosted till date, the Andhra-Mumbai encounter which took place last November witnessed nearly 7,000 spectators.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Srinidhi PR / Express News Service / November 20t, 2018

Formula 1 on Krishna river kicks off today

Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Powerboats to zoom at 200 km per hour at Grand Prix of India.

PowerboatsANDHRA19nov2018
Vijayawada :

The stage is set for the inauguration of the first international Formula 1 boat races on the waters of the Krishna river at Amaravati.

The 2018 UIM F1H2O World Championship’s six-round powerboat race will start on November 16. The powerboats with a speed of 220 km per hour would compete to win the championship.

Teams from 14 countries are going to participate in the first of its kind international powerboat racing on the Krishna river. The FIH20 is very famous and popular in other countries as 273 grand championships have been held in 32 countries.

Earlier, the FIH20 world championship was conducted in Mumbai in March 2004. This is the second time that the championship would be held in India, at Amaravati and it would be called the Grand Prix of India.

The AP tourism department in association with F1H2O Promoter Manage-ment and India Xtreme Adventure Activities said that the powerboat races would be telecast live in many countries. The tourism department has entered the Amaravati team for the competition from Andhra Pradesh.

Stable waters without waves are required to conduct powerboat races to avoid capsizing of boats and FIH2O found the Krishna water from Prakasam Barrage to Pavitra Sangamam suitable for powerboat racing.

India Xtreme Adventure, CEO, Sandeep Mandava said that F1H2O will be live telecast in almost 60 foreign countries and Amaravati would get good coverage due to the event.

He said that F1H2O was very popular globally and this is the first time that this international event would be conducted in India and for the first time in south India as well. He said that F1H2O would further promote water sports and would inspire the youth and students in Andhra Pradesh.

Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation managing director Himanshu Shukla said that arrangements had been made for the seating of one lakh people to watch powerboat racing.

He said that 20 LED screens had been erected to show the powerboat races live to the people of the state. He said that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will launch the FIH2O championship on November 16 and the competition would be held on November 16, 17 and 18.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / by Deccan Chronicle / November 16th, 2018

Proof of Kakatiya-era Shaivism school comes to light

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All
Lamudigalam sect worshipper sculpted on a granite slab during Kakatiya regime in Abbayapalem village of Telangana.
Lamudigalam sect worshipper sculpted on a granite slab during Kakatiya regime in Abbayapalem village of Telangana.

A slab depicts a person with Shivalinga and pitha on his head

Proof of existence of a sect of Shaivism during the Kakatiya rule came to light during a survey and exploratory work conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India in a temple in Mahabubabad district of Telangana recently.

A sculptural slab carved on granite stone illustrating a life-size portrait of a dedicated worshipper of Lord Shiva was discovered in a corner of Sri Agastisvaraswamy temple complex at Abbayapalem village in Maripeda Mandal of the district.

Superintending Archaeologist in Temple Survey Project (Southern Region, ASI) D. Kanna Babu, who is on a mission to explore, ascertain the antiquity and architectural pre-eminence of ancient shrines in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana chanced upon this proof of Lamudigalam — a school of Shaivism prevalent from the 11th C AD to 13th C AD.

The man on the granite slab is seen in vertical position with dignified features and folded hands in worship. The facial features are oval distinguished by wide open eyes and an elongated nose. He wears a dhoti fastened with a broad waist band having a central medallion.

Mr. Kanna Babu says the worshipper sports a beaded necklace, sacred thread, prominent ear rings, arm bands, bracelets and his hair is tied in a circular bun. A small Shivalinga with pitha is adorned by him on his head.

Mr. Kanna Babu told The Hindu, “The discovery of this spectacular portrait sculpture is the first of its kind in the two Telugu States. Unfortunately, a thick coat of colour painted by locals on it during the recent temple festivals had turned it unrecognisable.”

A new school

The uniqueness of the image is that a label inscription in Telugu (from 12th Century AD) is engraved on the top of the sculptural frame and ends at the bottom. The script is self-explanatory: ‘I affectionately adore the linga and placed on my head by tying with my hair.’

The spiritual significance of wearing a Shivalinga on head was considered the most pious act of an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva in the contemporary society of the Kakatiya regime. “The religious connotation of this thematic sculpture is for magnifying the beliefs of the Lamudigalam sect,” the ASI official says.

The prime principle was that one should achieve the state of advaita (non-separation) i.e. there is no difference between Paramatma (Supreme Being) and Jivatma (human being) by practising divine doctrines like Lingadharanam — bearing Shivalinga on his head.

The Agastisvaraswamy temple on the hillock served in those days as the place of worship and the principal seat of this sect finally emerged into Virashaiva aphorism,’ says Kanna Babu who deciphered the inscription.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Ramesh Susarla Anantapur / November 17th, 2018

For her, sweet memory over a bitter dish

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All
Delectable delight: Winners of the The Hindu Our State Our Taste contest at Chilakaluripet on Wednesday.
Delectable delight: Winners of the The Hindu Our State Our Taste contest at Chilakaluripet on Wednesday.

An array of delicious recipes at cookery event

People who eat this vegetable either love it or hate it; there doesn’t seem to be an in-between.

A winning recipe of bitter gourd would remain a sweet memory for a long time to come for M. Prasanna of Chilakaluripet city in Guntur district where The Hindu’s ‘Our State Our Taste’ cookery contest attracted close to 200 enthusiastic participants. The event was organised in association with the Andhra Pradesh Tourism.

Women of all age groups descended on the Prathipati Gardens at Chilakaluripet on Wednesday to showcase their amazing kitchen skills. The kakarakaya-ulli kaaram (stuffed karela) won hands down.

The dish won a cash prize of ₹50,000 for Ms. Prasanna. Korameenu chepala pulusu, a dish prepared by J. Dhana Lakshmi, was adjudged the second best by the jury, fetching a cash prize of ₹30,000 and biryani made with kanda (elephant yam) got the third prize (₹20,000) for N. Prasanna.

Prathipati Venkata Kumari, wife of Minister P. Pullarao, was the chief guest. She went around the tables laden with an array of delicious recipes and tasted some of them. Later, she told the participants it was heart-warming to see such good response in the small town.

The event was powered by Butterfly in association with RKG Ghee and oil and rice partner Fortune. Gift hampers were sponsored by CMR Shopping Mall, Guntur.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / the Hindu / Home> News>Cities> Vijayawada  / by Special Correspondent / November 15th, 2018

Literary award for police officer

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

.SunilKumarANDHRA15nov2018

V Sunil Kumar, Additional DG and Managing Director of AP Police Housing Corporation, was conferred the Sahiti Puraskaram by the Potti Sriramulu University, Hyderabad, for the year 2017.

Mr. Kumar is a prolific writer who has written novels, short stories and poems.

His anthology of short stories Neelaveni , published in 2016 was a run away success.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / Guntur – November 15th, 2018

Four young engineers turn innovators, develop solar electric auto

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Records, All, Science & Technology

The vehicle which can travel at a speed of 55 kmph,  is on par with commercial autos in the market in many aspects. The maintenance cost of the zero-emission auto is bare minimum.

Image used for representational purpose only.
Image used for representational purpose only.

Srikakulam :

Four mechanical engineering graduates have developed a solar electric auto-rickshaw. Instead of opting for jobs in automobile industries after completion of their engineering course, the quartet decided to set up their own automobile unit to be self-reliant. Vavilapalli Uday Kiran, Sasapu Vasudeva Rao, Majji Chanti Babu and Karanam Parthasaradhi launched their pilot project in the name of Vajra Motor Works in Srikakulam a few months ago.

They designed the solar-cum-battery operated auto in just 15 days and launched it in the district on a pilot basis. The quartet claimed that it took only three days for them to make the solar electric auto.
The dual-mode auto runs on solar power in daytime and battery power is used at night. The auto can travel a distance ranging from 110 to 160 km with three-hour charging of battery.  It can carry a load of up to one tonne and accommodate seven persons.

The vehicle which can travel at a speed of 55 kmph,  is on par with commercial autos in the market in many aspects. The maintenance cost of the zero-emission auto is bare minimum.

Highlighting the salient features of the eco-friendly solar electric auto, Uday Kiran says, “It costs Rs 440 on an average to run a diesel auto for a distance ranging from 110 to 160 km. The operation cost of the solar electric auto for the same distance is not more than Rs 40. If the government extends support to our innovative project, employment can be generated for mechanical engineering graduates in the district. We have already explained our innovative project to the officials concerned seeking the support of the government to expand it.”

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by G. Ramesh Babu / Express News Service / November 13th, 2018

Ryots get access to ‘dry chain’, a cost-effective technology

Agriculture, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

It helps in getting seed moisture at desired level

Dry chain, a sustainable farm production model, offering simple and cost-effective technology to ensure safe, dry and high-quality staple food, is now available to the farmers of Chittoor district. The technology helps reduce aflatoxin levels in groundnut, which is one of the major crops in the district.

Vivia Foundation, a Netherlands-based public benefit organisation, launched the ‘Dry chain for groundnuts’ post-harvest programme during the current kharif season at Renuka Bio Farms unit in Routhusuramala village near Srikalahasti recently, where the solar drying chambers were inaugurated. The technology was co-developed at the University of California, Davis. Grameena Vikas Samithi (GVS), a voluntary organisation accredited with the United Nations Conventions, extended support in establishing the ‘Clean works’ rural pilot project.

Dry chain is a technology aimed at getting seed moisture at the desired level, which is 9% for groundnut. “While solar drying is the optimal option for groundnut, using zeolite beads is suggested for absorbing moisture in high-value seeds”, says Rajendranath Reddy, founder of Renuka Bio Farms.

Field-tested

Kent J. Bradford, Director of Seed Biotechnology Centre at University of California, Davis, who inaugurated the facility, dubs it the first comprehensive field-tested ‘dry chain’ system in India, applied to pre-harvest and post-harvest crop processing. Future demonstrations and training programmes are being planned to showcase dry chain technologies at the farm.

“The research study for groundnuts will continue till the next rabi season ending next spring, in which farmers from across the State will be involved”, explains GVS director L. Suryanarayana Reddy. The pilot project utilised ‘Kalgudi’, a mobile application as the platform for farmer training, data collection, transactions and supply chain traceability. The technology will be passed on to local farmers so as to improve yield quality and increase overall farm revenue.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by A.D. Rangarajan / Tirupati – November 12th, 2018