Category Archives: World Opinion

Game developer strikes it rich

Business & Economy, Education, Science & Technology, World Opinion

 

Yogesh Boppana, a second year engineering student of GITAM University, who has developed two games so far and recently bagged a plum job offer from Canada-based Rockstar Games./ The Hindu
Yogesh Boppana, a second year engineering student of GITAM University, who has developed two games so far and recently bagged a plum job offer from Canada-based Rockstar Games./ The Hindu

Yogesh Boppana (19),a second year engineering student of GITAM, has bagged an annual package of $ 360,000 (Rs 2.2 crore) from Canada-based Rockstar Games

Playing games may be fun, but for some developing them gives a different kind of kick. At the age of 19, Yogesh Boppana has not only designed and developed two games and but also bagged a plum offer from Canada-based Rockstar Games with an annual pay package of $ 360,000 (Rs 2.2 crore).

Passionate about game developing Boppana, second year engineering student of GITAM University, got initiated into the exciting world of gaming when he was in school. “I used to play all kinds of games and also keep a lookout for what’s the latest development in the gaming sector,” he says.

The young game developer’s first game was out when he was just 17 years old. Titled ‘Avoid Blades’ – it is a fun game suitable for any age group. “The game is simple and has unlimited levels in which the gamer has to protect rings from the blades to get the highest score,” he says. His second game ‘The Sky Fight’ was designed and developed in seven months.

Skill and creativity apart, game development has turned into serious business. Gaming across platforms (PC, mobile, social media, local networks) is set to grow exponentially over the next few years. India has 15 million social gamers at the moment and this is expected grow to 31.96 million by 2018, according to industry estimates.

Realising the potential of this growing sector, Boppana is now developing his third game which he says will be the “special highlight” of his works so far. A ‘story-based 3D game’, he plans to complete it by the fall of 2016. “The programming part is done but designing and developing the animation takes a lot of time. I am working on it now,” he adds.

Bopanna recently started his own enterprise called ‘YNations’ with a small young team. The team’s first project is on a unique product called ‘Digital Complaint Box’. “We have applied for patent for this. It is a gadget wherein complaints can be registered by the vocal medium as well,” says Bopanna.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Nivedita Ganguly / Visakhapatnam – April 01st, 2014

From Araku, the aroma wafts across global frontiers

Business & Economy, World Opinion
Winners of best the Biodynamic Coffee Growing Villages interacting with Chief Sustainability Officer of the Naandi Foundation David Hogg at Gems of Araku Festival 2014 organised at Thuraiguda in Visakhapatnam district on Wednesday./ Photo: K. R. Deepak / The Hindu
Winners of best the Biodynamic Coffee Growing Villages interacting with Chief Sustainability Officer of the Naandi Foundation David Hogg at Gems of Araku Festival 2014 organised at Thuraiguda in Visakhapatnam district on Wednesday./ Photo: K. R. Deepak / The Hindu

Norway, South Korea, Switzerland, and Japan, among others, keen on a deal on the coffee of the valley

This scenic locale that is a popular tourist destination is on the international map for one more reason – coffee.

The coffee Arabica from Araku is set to sell at Rs. 450-500 per kilo. The premium coffee is grown by the 12,000 small and marginal tribal coffee farmers of the valley and the world’s coffee guzzling nations including Norway, South Korea, Switzerland, and Japan are keen on striking a deal on the produce this year.

Making the world know the existence of Araku Arabica and having it appreciated for its unique taste and flavour is the Araku Originals Limited floated by the Naandi Foundation. AOL is marketing the idea and the coffee by bringing in the discerning international buyers to the Araku Valley to see the cultivation and interact with the farmers.

On the other hand the international recognition has boosted the morale of the farmers who are taking pride in their produce and are willing to walk that extra mile to ensure quality.

What makes the coffee cultivated by the members of Small and Marginal Tribal Coffee Farmers Mutually Aided Cooperative Society in the Valley so unique is the biodynamic cultivation process that avoids use of chemicals, SAMTCFMACS president Killo Kondal Rao of Thuraiguda says.

Competition

The Naandi Foundation, in association with the Mahindra & Mahindra, organised a competition — Gems of Araku 2014 — to recognise and award the best biodynamic farmer and the best biodynamic farming village.

The competition has been designed with an aim to encourage the farmers to adopt the best practices and maintain the quality that is sought after in the international markets, says Chief Sustainability Officer of Naandi Foundation David Hogg.

On Wednesday Rajeev Dubey of the Mahindra & Mahindra along with the CEO of Naandi Foundation in the presence of a number of international coffee buyers gave away the awards to the Best Biodynamic Farmer Janni Budho of Ganjaiguda village, runner-up G. Anantaram of K. Bodapat village; Best Biodynamic Village to K. Bodapat village and runner-up to Ganjaiguda village at a function organised at the Coffee Processing Unit of the SAMTCFMACS at Thuraiguda near here.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by G. S. Subrahmanyam / Araku Valley (Visakhapatnam District) – March 20th, 2014

Dr Nageshwar chased a killer, honored ‘Good Citizens Award’

Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Records, All, World Opinion
Allergy specialist Dr Nageshwar | File photo DC
Allergy specialist Dr Nageshwar | File photo DC

Dr Vyakarnam Nageshwar has been named for this year’s Good Citizens Award by the Cyberabad Police.

The allergy expert from Warangal won the salute because last week, he chased a truck driver from the National Highway down into the fields and handed him over to the Ghatkesar police. The driver had been speeding away after knocking down a kid, who was crossing a road in Nalgonda.

Even after bagging the honour, Dr Nageshwar doesn’t underplay the laxity showed by the cops. “I held the driver hostage for 40 minutes. I dialled the control room so many times. But every single time, I had to repeat myself. Then I called up the Cyberabad police commissioner and they sprang into action.”

But this isn’t the first time that the owner of Aswini Hospitals in Warangal rose up to the occasion. Or, yelled at the authorities.

In 2006, when 300 medical students of the Pondicherry Central University, including himself, were not issued certificates after seven months of their results, he shot a letter to then President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. In two weeks, he got the certificate, had the Vice- Chancellor transferred and registrar sacked.

Four years later, he brought a Delhi-bound train to a halt mid-way. Because the AC in his bogey wasn’t working.

The 39-year-old, who also runs a clinic in Hyderabad and visits it every two weeks, has endless such tales to his credit. He says, “When we buy a car, we make every effort to keep it safe and running. Because we own it. Similarly, I am a citizen of India, I own my country. If there’s something wrong with my country, I will fight for it. Just saying ‘I love my nation’ isn’t enough.”

Besides honours from the state, Dr Nageshwar has also received a note of blessings sent personally by the Pope Benedict XVL from Vatican City for attending 5,000-plus cases of HIV+patients at St. Joseph’s Care Centre while he was still studying. He is also the first doctor in the state to enter the Guinness Book of Records for rendering medical services to 1.6 lakh patients for a philanthropic cause in the year 2009.

Quite naturally, political parties have been following his works. In the past, the vigilante doctor has had offers from many parties. But he’s refused them all. “I want people to know that power doesn’t come by joining a party. You can make a difference even as a common man,” says Dr Nageshwar.

source: http://www.decccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Crime / by DC / Barkha Kumari / March 25th, 2014

18 projects of RGUKT selected for NASA contest

Education, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion
Students of RGUKT Nuzvid IIIT discussing on the space settlement projects, which were selected in NASA Contest. / The Hindu
Students of RGUKT Nuzvid IIIT discussing on the space settlement projects, which were selected in NASA Contest. / The Hindu

Budding engineers prepare projects on journey to space, different modes of transportation, facilities and space settlement

Eighteen projects designed by students of Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies (RGUKT), Nuzvid International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), have been selected in the NASA Ames Space Settlement Design Contest – 2014.

The budding engineers prepared projects on journey to space, different modes of transportation, facilities and space settlement. About 57 students designed the projects, which would be presented at the 33rd Annual International Space Development Conference (ISDC), to be held in Log Angles, USA, from May 14 to 18, Nuzvid IIIT Director Ibrahim Khan told The Hindu on Tuesday.

Feather in the cap

“The achievement of the students reflects their interest in space technology and it is a feather in the cap of RGUKT. Last year 13 projects got selected, and this year 18 projects designed by IIIT students of Krishna district have been selected for ISDC,” said Prof. Ibrahim Khan.

Mentor in English and guide for the projects Saleem Babu said the projects selected were Al-Hasa, Aakasha, Minerva, Anthena, Ranimer, Eingana, Incredible Invaders, Ark, Tito, Prathisarga, Aarohi, Nithya, Chandrahas, Organo, Volos and Mapshn and others. The projects were designed by pre-university students, he said.

“We designed a project titled ‘Incredible Invaders’, which aims at creating a new society on space. I along with four other students – G. Lalitha, D. Malathi, M. Lahari and Sk. Rizwana – prepared the project, which bagged second prize in Grade-12,” said Sk. Ruksana, a native of Vijayawada.

Four other pre-university students prepared a project ‘Ark’, which got literary merit second prize. The mission explains how to make a successful journey despite facing hurdles and create a wonderful society in space.

“We created transportation to space by using solar energy, arranged communication between earth and space with tabs, and provided online shopping and banking in space,” said V. Pothana Kavya, who designed ‘Ark’, along with P. Anju, T. Suteja and V. Likitha Sirisha.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Staff Reporter / Guntur – March 25th, 2014

Eight acclaimed literary works set to see light

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, World Opinion
The cover page of the commentary on Sri Krishna Devaraya’s work ‘Amuktamalyada’, brought out by SVU Oriental Research Institute, which is ready for release./ The Hindu
The cover page of the commentary on Sri Krishna Devaraya’s work ‘Amuktamalyada’, brought out by SVU Oriental Research Institute, which is ready for release./ The Hindu

SVU Vice-Chancellor and others to release the books today

Exactly 15 months after the government gave nod to its publication at the 4th World Telugu Conference in Tirupati, the eight acclaimed literary works are set to see light.

It was with great pomp that the mammoth literary carnival was held in the temple city, where ambitious measures were announced by the government to promote Telugu not only in the literary realms, but also in official communication.

As part of this, the Department of Culture gave the Herculean task of publishing eight works to Sri Venkateswara University’s Oriental Research Institute (ORI).

“It was a prestigious offer and we did our best to make them attractive,” ORI director V. Venkataramana Reddy says with a grin.

‘Amuktamalyada’ authored by Sri Krishnadevaraya, emperor of Vijayanagara dynasty, is a mesmerising literary masterpiece on which there are two commentaries viz., ‘Thatparya Bodhini Vyakhya’ by Gudipati Venkata Kavi and ‘Mahateeka’ by Gattupalli Srinivasa Kavi.

The other publications ready for release are ‘Nrusimha Puranam’ by Kotikalapudi Kodandarama Kavi, ‘Pattabhirama Vilasam’ by Panditharadhya Nagalinga Kavi, ‘Narapingala Sakuna Sastram’ by Appana Siddhanti, ‘Kalyanaraja Charitramu’ by Krishtipati Venkatasubba Kavi, ‘Goulisastra Vishayamu’ by N.S. Sundareswara Rao and ‘Bhanu Kalyanamu’ by Chandrasekhara Kavi.

Though the books were very much ready for publishing some six months ago, the delay in release has been attributed to the Samaikyandhra agitation.

SVU vice-chancellor W. Rajendra, rector M.A.K. Sukumar and registrar K. Satyavelu Reddy will release the books after Ugadi celebrations to be held on the campus on Monday.

What can be a better occasion than the Telugu New Year’s day to release the literary gems!

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Tirupati – March 31st, 2014

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Tirupati – March 31st, 2014

NGA Human Resources to expand Hyderabad facility

Business & Economy, Science & Technology, World Opinion
Tech focus Adel Al-Saleh (right), CEO, NGA Human Resources, and Mark Squiers, Senior Vice-President, address the media in Hyderabad on Tuesday. / - PV SIVAKUMAR / The Hindu
Tech focus Adel Al-Saleh (right), CEO, NGA Human Resources, and Mark Squiers, Senior Vice-President, address the media in Hyderabad on Tuesday. / – PV SIVAKUMAR / The Hindu

Hyderabad :

The UK-based NGA Human Resources will be expanding its global delivery centre here by adding 100 new employees.

The number of professionals working in the facility would be increased from present 400 to 500 by 2015 which could involve an investment of about half-a-million pounds, its Group Chief Executive Officer Adel Al-Saleh told newspersons here on Tuesday.

NGA HR had invested about Rs 58 crore in Hyderabad since 2005 and was committed to invest more in the days to come, he added.

“Hyderabad is a unique centre for us in view of its focus on technology. It is supporting us in application maintenance and all our own/client and third party capabilities are being built here. It has also has significant testing capabilities,’’ Saleh said.

The next stage of growth for the one billion dollar company would be driven by Indian customers. “Till now, multinational company with Indian operations have been our clients. We will be focussing on companies headquartered in India going forward,” he added.

NGA HR has seven global delivery centres including two in India in Hyderabad and Kochi. The Kochi centre, with 1,050 employees now and mainly focuses call-centre related works while Hyderabad facility focus on hi-tech operations.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Companies / by G. Naga Sridhar / Hyderabad – March 18th, 2014

Aerobatics show keeps spectators spellbound

Business & Economy, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Hyderabad :

It was a role play that Hyderabad is unlikely to forget soon. With the sky as the stage and Mark Jefferies’ mean machines as actors, the aerobatic show on Day 1 of the India Aviation-2014, which opened to business delegates on Wednesday, was a runaway hit. So was the special appearance made by the glamorous Airbus A380 from the Emirates’ fleet. Together, the two ensured that the five-day event took off to a magnificent start.

Though the tension among the spectators on ground was palpable all through the 15-minute display, during which the two pilots swirled and somersaulted their aircraft in mid-air, the crowd broke into a thunderous applause soon after the curtains came down on the matinee. The reactions were much the same during the repeat telecast later in the day. “It was breathtaking,” said one of the spectators, echoing the common sentiment among the gathering which stared awe-struck at the sky, which the two pilots turned into their playground. The Jefferies’ pilots are scheduled to display this act twice a day till the end of the event.

As for the gorgeous double-decker A380 – standing over 24 metres high with a wing span of nearly 80 metres – it had onlookers at hello. Right from the time the huge ‘bird’ made its royal landing at the Begumpet airport, every participant was overheard discussing the red and white beauty. More so after taking a tour of its interiors that reeked of opulence, comfort and class. Even the sprawling economy class of the 517-seater, that has 14 extra-luxurious first class suites, appeared to be in a league way ahead of its competitors. “We are glad that the A380 has been authorized for flying in India. It is great news both for airline operators and travellers in the country,” said an Airbus spokesperson, while leading a group of delegates through the aircraft, which also has two lavish shower spas for its ‘high-flying’ clients.

“Our customers in India are eager to try the A380 services and we have worked closely with the Indian authorities to make this possible. We will be reviewing our existing operations and look forward to serving Indian travellers with our flagship aircraft in the near future,” said Majid Al Mualla, divisional senior vice president, commercial operations – centre, Emirates.

Meanwhile, the mood among business delegates, who converged at the venue on Wednesday, seemed to be upbeat with many hoping to strike a few deals by the end of the event. “The aviation industry has been down in the dumps over the past two-three years. Now, things are starting to look up again. The Boeing-SpiceJet deal is an example of that. So we are optimistic,” said a participant at the exhibition hall, which like the last time had a corner dedicated to the history of aviation.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / TNN / March 13th, 2014

Indian scientist gets Order of Merit from German government

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Hyderabad :

Eminent Indian scientist Prof Seyed E Hasnain has bagged the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Germany. He served as the founder-director of Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) and vice-chancellor of University of Hyderabad.

The award has conferred on Prof Hasnain in recognition of his contribution to Indo-German relations. The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany was instituted in 1951 by Federal President Theodor Heuss. It is the only honour that is awarded in all fields of endeavour and is the highest tribute the Federal Republic of Germany can pay to individuals for services to the nation.

German Ambassador to India, H E Michael Steiner, conferred the prestigious ‘Bundesverdienstkreuz’ on Prof. Seyed Hasnain at the German Embassy in India, says a statement from the University of Hyderabad on Thursday. Prof. Hasnain is a renowned microbiologist especially acclaimed for his path-breaking research on tuberculosis. He paved the way for the office of the German Research Foundation in India, which is one of the key forums for scientific cooperation between Germany and India. During his stay at the Robert Koch-Institute in Berlin and the University of Wurzburg, he produced remarkable research results in microbiology.

Prof. Hasnain has almost all major Indian Science Awards to his credit: GD Birla Award, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, FICCI Award, J.C. Bose National Fellow Award, Ranbaxy Research Award, Goyal Award, Bhasin Award and several others. He is the first Indian elected member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and one of the youngest to be elected Fellow of TWAS, Trieste, Italy. Internationally, Prof. Hasnain is a recipient of the prestigious Humboldt Research Prize, awarded by the Alexander-von-Humboldt Foundation, Germany; as well as the very exclusive Robert Koch Fellowship, of the Robert Koch Institute, Berlin.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / by Syed Akbar, TNN / March 13th, 2014

Turkish delights

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, World Opinion
A cold mezze platter./ Photo: K. Ramesh Babu / The Hindu
A cold mezze platter./ Photo: K. Ramesh Babu / The Hindu

The Turkish food festival at Park Hyatt offers a lot more than the staple doner kebab

The connection between Hyderabad and Turkey goes back a few centuries; Alauddin Khilji of the Khilji dynasty which ruled the state in the 14th century was of Turkic origin, Sultan Quli Qutb Shah who founded the Qutb Shahi dynasty too was of the same ethnicity, Princess Durre Shehvar, wife of Azam Jah, the eldest son of the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad is the daughter of the last Caliph of Turkey and more recently, Princess Esra, wife of Prince Mukarram Jah too hails from the country.

Surprisingly, while Hyderabad still retains much of the Mughlai and Iranian influence when it comes to culinary matters, Turkish food still remains quite different in flavour, ingredients and in technique. Moreover, while Mediterranean food is quite popular in the city, the fare is restricted to Lebanese, Greek and Italian, with the latter being present in almost every restaurant. So we head, all excited, to the Turkish food festival at The Dining Room in Park Hyatt with Turkish chef Turgut Tonbol from the Grand Hyatt in Istanbul. We sit down with the chef, who hails from Bolu, a province which he informs us is a region known for its contribution to Turkish culinary heritage.

“Turkish food mainly consists of the cold mezze and grilled or boiled meat,” he informs us, “but we also have a lot of broad beans, chickpeas and lots of soups in the diet.” Hyderabadis are no strangers to the cold mezze platter which has become a staple in many multi-cuisine and continental restaurants but the platter offered by Chef Tonbol has more than the usual Hummus and Tzatziki. The most interesting of these is the vine leaves, stuffed with rice, nuts and spices doused in olive oil. The platter also contains a simple preparation with broad beans and a mild chilli sauce. The freshly baked pita bread goes well with all or any of these accompaniments.

The cold mezze includes mainly vegetarian dishes. “In Turkey, we don’t have meat for mezze. It is only vegetables,” points out Chef Tonbol who says that the festival includes at least one dish from all the different culinary traditions in Turkey.

Chef Turgut Tonbol./ Photo: K. Ramesh Babu / The Hindu
Chef Turgut Tonbol./ Photo: K. Ramesh Babu / The Hindu

Ask Chef Tonbol what his favourite dish of the afternoon is and he doesn’t think too much before naming the Shrimp Guvec, a mild stew spiced with chilli and herbs. He also suggests the Chicken Sheesh, a grilled meat dish very similar to our own kebabs, except it is marinated with a special Turkish red chilli, a milder version of the Indian chilli. “It is more similar to Kashmiri chilli which is bright in colour but less spicy in taste,” he informs adding jokingly that to eat Indian food, you “must be a strong man” to be able to take the level of spice. “The Yayla soup, a yoghurt based soup with mint, rice and egg is also a uniquely Turkish dish and a must try.”

Desserts include the favourite Baklava, a Turkish rice pudding and Turkish pumpkin, a simple but fresh and tasty dessert of sweetened pumpkin and cream cheese. But whatever you may pick for the main course, Chef Tonbol advises that you don’t leave without savouring the Turkish coffee accompanied by Turkish delights. The strong black coffee is a must after a meal, “for the gossip sessions”.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Food / by Zeenab Aneez / Hyderabad – March 13th, 2014

Will to fight poverty: Hyderabad girl makes it to ‘Forbes 30 under 30 list’

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

ShvethaHF25mar2014

Hyderabad:

Twenty-six-year-old Svetha Janumpalli didn’t go to “Stanford or any of the big schools”. Neither was she born with a silver spoon. Her father from Jadcherla, a small town in Mahbubnagar district, went to the US on a scholarship while her mother, who’s from Gadwal, studied only till Class VI.

“My father moved to the US in the ’70s, but the department he was studying in closed down; so he set up a repair business to earn a living. My mother used to work for an insurance company, and when my father’s profits were negative, my mother supported the family. We are three sisters and I was pretty young at that time. But we used to joke that we would get new jeans only during holidays,” says Svetha, who was born in the US.

Mentioned in the annual lists of ‘Forbes 30 under 30’ social entrepreneurs, PartyCorps, Changemakers and the Clinton Global Initiative (2012), here is Svetha, years later, heading an organisation that the international press states is the “the world’s favourite anti-poverty device”.

And that device, where one “can save a child for the cost of a pair of shoe” is called New Incentives. Founded by Svetha at 23, it is a non-profit organisation dedicated to Conditional Cash Transfers (CCTs) — poor women are given money to visit HIV clinics or children are given money to go to schools.
As an experiment, Svetha moved to Nigeria two weeks back to prove that this model can work in a country that needs it the most. More than three million people living in Nigeria are affected with AIDS and one out of three mothers transmits this virus to their child. “So I am here for a year. And if the model works successfully, it will be easier to replicate it in other countries, including India.”
Svetha had set up the organisation in San Francisco after graduating from the University of Minnesota in 2008. Till date, her organisation has been able to help around 400 mothers and their families and she hopes to take the number to 1000. “There are   free clinics in Nigeria, but when the time spent by a woman at a clinic results in her losing money, why would she come to the clinic? And that’s where the CCT model helps.”
Svetha travelled to India with her mother frequently till 2009, and it was during one of these visits that she came across drastic poverty levels. “The idea to start New Incentives came after the realisation that there are many in India who have resources and if divided well, they can be used to help the poor.” She had tested the pilot projects in a few villages in Andhra Pradesh.
Svetha is not sure where she will be heading to after Nigeria. “My fiancé is from Nepal and he might want to stay there after marriage. I love India and San Francisco, so I am not sure where I’ll be staying next”.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / DC / by Anusha Dhiman / March 22nd, 2014