Category Archives: Education

Durgabai Deshmukh remembered

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Leaders

A freedom fighter, a social worker, an advocate, a feminist, a leader and above all Durgabai Deshmukh was a visionary who gave a new identity to women by empowering them in all aspects, Professor and Chairperson of Dr B R Ambedkar College of Law, Andhra University V. Rajyalakshmi has said.

Addressing a group of Gandhians and senior citizens at Ba-Bapu Seva Sangham as part of the 105 birth anniversary celebrations of Durgabai Deshmukh here on Tuesday, Prof. Rajyalakshmi said: “Education, employment and health are the three sectors that Durgabai Deshmukh focused on. Her immense positive energy and approach towards life made her stand out and make use of wisdom into constructive course of action.”

Head of the Department of Telugu, Mrs. A.V.N. College A. Sita Ratnam said that Durgabai Deshmukh was instrumental in introducing the concepts like ladies hostel, mahila sabha, rehabilitation centre for the visually challenged, family court and vocational training courses. “Her consistent endeavour to improve the standard of living of the weaker sections, especially women continues to inspire the present generation,” she added.

In the end, president of Praja Spandana president C.S. Rao and secretary of the sangham Ch.V.S. Bhaskaram along with others felicitated athletic champion Muthyam Lakshmi, popularly known as walking queen, for her achievements in number of national and international competitions.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Staff Reporter / Visakhapatnam – July 15th, 2014

Classrooms getting smart

Education, Science & Technology

The concept of digital classrooms to make learning experience more interactive is fast gaining acceptance

In a small classroom of Vizianagaram, students sit together learning how to carry out the heart dissection of a frog. But there are no messy hands or students feeling uncomfortable due to the elaborate process and strong chemical odour. They watch the entire procedure on the screen in their digital classrooms.

The concept of learning is fast going through a metamorphosis with schools adopting the latest technologies to make the learning experience more interactive.

Cashing in on this trend, digital classroom service providers like Educomp Solutions, Pearson Education Service, and Tata Interactive Systems (TIS) are expanding their presence in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities of India to provide such services.

City schools too have embraced the evolving learning methods by introducing learning modules for digital classroom aids.

At a conference here organised by Educomp, many school representatives turned up to know more about the offerings, and inculcate the digital methods of learning.

According to the digital classroom service providers, nearly 10 schools in the city have already adopted technologies for e-learning.

With a market size of digital classrooms estimated to be over Rs. 3,000 crore, service providers are looking at this segment with added vigour and tapping into southern cities such as Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada to widen their reach.

Recently, Educomp launched its ‘SmartSchool’ concept in the region, going a step forward from their ‘Smartclass’ product.

“The idea of ‘SmartSchool’ is to transform the whole school by providing digital contents, laboratories, and learning modules, and also digital assessment tools and other digitised procedural elements like report card generation and attendance monitoring through advanced technology,” said Rohit Malik, Regional CEO, Educomp.

The company has tied-up with five schools in the city for its SmartSchool product.

The digital classroom aids allow teachers to use interactive multimedia content to supplement the standard textbook-and-blackboard approach.

The schools normally pay a monthly fee per class over a contract period to the digital classroom service providers. In turn, the school passes on the cost as a monthly fee increase of Rs. 150 to Rs. 200 per student.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Nivedita Ganguly / Visakhapatnam – July 15th, 2014

Hindupur to House NACEN

Business & Economy, Education

Hyderabad :

Hindupur in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh will now house the prestigious National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics (NACEN) where the probationary Indian Revenue Service (IRS) will be imparted training.

It will be the second NACEN in the country and the first in South India. At present, NACEN is located at Faridabad in Haryana, which is also the regional training centre of the the World Customs Organisation for the South-Asia region.

According to officials at NACEN, a proposal was mooted some time back for establishing another NACEN as extension of the existing one keeping in view the future requirements. Given the area constraints for such a premier academy of national importance, the officers of the Ministry of Finance were scouting for the right place.

They had zeroed in on Hindupur in Anantapur districts of AP, where  large tracts of land of some 200 acres at a stretch were available. Further, the area is also in close proximity to one of the metros – Benguluru.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Hyderabad / by Express News Service / July 11th, 2014

Contest for Students on Ideas for AP Growth

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education

Vijayawada :

Global Business Incubator (GBI) and Usha Rama Engineering College will conduct ‘Engineer Seemandhra into Swarnandhra’, a competition for engineering students, fresh engineering graduates and students who have appeared for EAMCET or ECET.

Students should present their concepts on how to develop AP in various fields, post-bifurcation the state is left with many problems.

Students can present their concepts relating to various fields like IT, infrastructure, power, health and pharma, explaining how their ideas can make a change and how they can contribute to the state’s development.

Each student will be given 10 minutes to present their ideas. Selected concepts will be given financial and research assistance for converting them into practical solutions. A total of 10 projects will be selected.

‘Engineer Swarnandhra into Seemandhra’ will be held on July 19 at Usha Rama Engineering College Campus, Telaprolu, near Gannavaram in Krishna district. Interested students  can contact M Ram Mohan, assistant professor, at 94400 95992, email: sacontest@usharama.com

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / July 12th, 2014

13-year-old Andhra Pradesh girl to scale Stok Kangri

Amazing Feats, Education, Records, All, Sports
Sriperambuduru Jaahnavi
Sriperambuduru Jaahnavi

Visakhapatnam:

Thirteen-year-old Vizag girl Sriperambuduru Jaahnavi, an adventure enthusiast, is probably the first girl from Andhra Pradesh to attempt scaling Stok Kangri, which is 6,125 metres (20,080 feet) above sea level and the highest peak in the Stok range of Himalayas in the Ladakh region. She will start her journey from August 2.

Young Jaahnavi, who is trained in trekking, rafting, parasailing, hot-air ballooning, rock-climbing, always dreamt of a being a mountaineer inspired by Bachendri Pal and Malli Mastan Babu. The young girl has completed two high attitude treks — 16,000 feet Roopkund ranges in 2010 and  the 10,000 feet National Himalayan Trek in 201“Adventure involves risk but it is necessary for all-round growth and development. I don’t know the meaning of fear” said Jaahnavi, who completed the 15 most difficult treks across the country.

“Adventure involves risk but it is necessary for all-round growth and development. I don’t know the meaning of fear” said Jaahnavi, who completed the 15 most difficult treks across the country.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / by DC Correspondent / July 15th, 2014

Now, a cow university for Guntur

Education, Nature, Records, All

Guntur :

After IIT, IIM and AIIMS, Andhra Pradesh is going to be feathered with a rare project.

A first-of-its-kind university dedicated to conserving cows is coming up in Guntur.

International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) has planned to set up a cow university near Kondaveedu where it is constructing a prestigious Krishna temple. The very idea behind the setting up of a cow university is to protect aging cows while providing employment to illiterate village youth.

“This is for the first time in the world that a university to teach how to earn while conserving disappearing cows is being set up,” Iskcon representative Ravindra Krishna told TOI.

He said that they would be launching a gosala (shelter for cows) costing Rs1 crore at Kondaveedu on July 13 and works for setting up the university would begin soon.

“Cow is a wonderful gift given by God to the humankind. It would keep helping us earn till its death,” he explained.

He also said that they would teach how to make medicines and other value addition products even from cowdung and the urine of an aged cow, adding that a youth could make at least Rs 30,000 per month if he could acquire 20 old cows which were being sent to slaughterhouses.

He said that Guntur district was chosen for the project because farmers here were using high quantities of pesticides causing severe damage to the health of humankind. He said that such pesticides could be replaced with bio-pests made of cow products.

Iskcon South India chief, Satyagopinath Das said that Puri Jagannath Rathyatra would be conducted in Guntur from Iskcon temple to Sri Venkateswara Vignana Mandiram on July 14.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / by M N Samdani, TNN / July 12th, 2014

Rotary to Adopt Two Schools, Villages

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

Visakhapatnam :

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

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

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

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

Expo on vexillology evokes interest

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education

The campus of St. John’s School was abuzz with a steady stream of students forming queues and walking past a delightful array of exhibits that raised their level of curiosity.

It was an exhibition of vexillology, the scientific study of the history, symbolism and usage of flags or, by extension, any interest in flags in general, notaphily, the study and collection of paper money, numismatics, the study of collection of coins and philately, the study and collection of postal stamps.

The two-day event, organised as part of ‘No Teaching Only Learning’ slogan of the school management, raised a fair amount of curiosity and excitement among students. “The idea is to provide a platform to the students to get adequate exposure to a treasure trove of knowledge. Our endeavour has been to groom the students into rounded personalities by adopting a practical approach while imparting lessons in the classroom,” said T. Suman Thyagaraj, secretary and correspondent of the school.

The main exhibits included collection of rare coins, currency notes and stamps for 200 countries. Guitar-shaped coins of Somalia, gold foil currency of China and ancient currency of Russia (1898) were some of the highlights.

A vivid depiction of the evolution of Indian National Flag (1857 – 1947) was the cynosure of all eyes at the venue.

“I am sure by mere viewing these, one can feel a sense of patriotism. We intend to motivate the children, youth and the adults towards this hobby and flourish in life with glorious colours,” said Mr. Thyagaraj.

The school principal, staff and others participated.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Vijayawada / by P. Sujatha Varma / Vijayawada – July 10th, 2014

SIDS students sizzle the ramp

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education
SAYING IT IN STYLE: Students of Samana Institute for Design Studies walk the ramp in Vijayawada on Sunday. / The Hindu
SAYING IT IN STYLE: Students of Samana Institute for Design Studies walk the ramp in Vijayawada on Sunday. / The Hindu

The evening was cloudy, cold with patchy drizzle. But a sprawling auditorium in Haailand, the theme park at Chinakakani near Vijayawada, exuded warmth as a bevy of beauties walked the ramp amidst incessant applause.

The young brigade scorching the ramp were final year students of city-based Samana Institute for Design Studies (SIDS) showcasing their works at ‘Project Runway.’ The venue boomed and rocked with high energy as the rookie models sashayed across with remarkable élan. The blaring music invited those in the vicinity to melt in the flow of jubilation that enveloped the place.

The collection, showcased by the participants and designed by in-house SIDS designers, ranged from classy to chic. It reflected myriad moods and the varied applications and understanding of fashion. Using net, lace, crepe, silhouettes, asymmetrical and clean cuts combined with drapery in layers of laces, the designers created a mystical impact. Use of raw silk, chiffon and karbon silk besides fur satin shimmer nets, crepes and bell shaped silhouettes with head gears and stylized accessories lent the participants a distinctive style.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Special Correspondent / Vijayawada – July 07th, 2014

AU proud of its alumnus holding HRD portfolio

Education, Leaders

The organisers of an international meet on environment on Monday showered praises on Minister for HRD Ganta Srinivasa Rao. Stating that he was a towering personality, easily accessible and ever-smiling, AU College of Engineering Vice-Principal P.S. Avadhani said they were feeling proud that Mr. Rao, an alumnus of the university, had become a Minister holding higher education portfolio.

Greeting him with Telugu couplets, Prof. Avadhani said they had high hopes on Mr. Rao for promotion of higher education. The function was held at Y.V.S. Murthy Auditorium, which is named in memory of a former student. Dr. Y.V.S. Murthy Charitable Trust contributed Rs.2 crore to construct ultra modern auditorium with a seating capacity of 300.

AU Engineering College principal Ch.V. Ramachandra Murthy said they were proud of former students and mentioned how they were second in the country to start chemical engineering in 1933 and formed AU College of Engineering with four departments in 1955. He said they had got 27th ranking in the entire country.

Incidentally, Mr. Rao is not the lone alumnus to hold an important office in the legislature. Union Minister for Urban Development M. Venkaiah Naidu, Vizag, and Anakapalle MPs K. Haribabu and M. Srinivasa Rao are products of Andhra University.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Special Correspondent / Visakhapatnam – June 30th, 2014