Category Archives: Education

A treasure trove

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All

BapujiHF20apr2014

A non-profit institution, Bapuji Vachanalayam in the district headquarters town has the distinction of functioning uninterruptedly for more than 70 years. The library can boast of operating without any hiccups since its inception and perhaps the only such library in the State.

Located on the busy Bodhan road on huge premises the ‘vachanalayam’ (library) was set up by freedom fighters when the ‘granthalayodyamam’ (movement for libraries) was at its peak before independence. Thereafter, it was expanded with the financial assistance extended by the Domakonda dominion.

The library thus has 90 shopping rooms, two fuel stations on its three-acre land which is centrally located. It is being run by a 13 member trust now headed by Bantu Rajeswar, on sound lines without seeking any financial help from the Government.

The library has a huge competitive books section besides wide range of literature. All magazines, weeklies and monthlies and newspapers are available at the library and one can see many readers browsing through the book and magazines all through the day. “A number of students who prepared for various exams using the books and magazines available at the Bapuji Vachanalayam are now positioned comfortable in good jobs. They often come to the library to express their gratitude. We are proud of this library as it is being run for over seven decades without any hiccups,’ says Mr. Rajeswar.

The trust while maintaining this old and reputed library has been helping in the form of distribution of books to other libraries and also homes for the aged in the district. It is believed that the trust which maintains distance from politics and is represented by retired teachers is healthy because of these two reasons.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by P. Ram Mohan / Nizamabad – April 02nd,  2014

Going places with greeting cards

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Education, World Opinion
Techies for tomorrow: Keep it Simple Silly (KISS) team members Jharna H.Makhija and Chaitra Salimeeti. — PHOTO: V. RAJU / The Hindu
Techies for tomorrow: Keep it Simple Silly (KISS) team members Jharna H.Makhija and Chaitra Salimeeti. — PHOTO: V. RAJU / The Hindu

Undergraduate girls turn entrepreneurs, export cards to UK and USA. They have just shipped an order by post to California. Jharna H. Makhija and Chaitra Salimeeti doing their third year in Computer Science Engineering in Velagapudi Ramakrishna Siddhartha Engineering College (VRSEC).

They have still a year to complete their engineering. But that has not stopped them from making a success of a business that most people consider unviable or impossible. Making and selling greeting cards abroad in the age of whatsapp and email is a small achievement for the young entrepreneurs.

Making customised greeting cards is their USP. They have just shipped an order by post to California. Jharna H. Makhija and Chaitra Salimeeti doing their third year in Computer Science Engineering in Velagapudi Ramakrishna Siddhartha Engineering College (VRSEC) have successful bagged and executed nearly 200 orders in less than a year.

Starting with regular greeting cards they diversified to a variety of customised cards including the ‘explosion’ box greeting cards, invitations for a wide range of occasions and more recently flyers and tickets for commercial programmes. The brand name they have given for all these products is the highly catchy phrase, Keep It Simple Silly (KISS).

Customised fare

The big attraction in the customised cards, which often have photographs of both the senders and receivers, is that they are permanent. “Whatsapp messages, emails are temporary, but our cards remain forever. They are mementoes which can be collected to remember all the important occasions,” said Ms. Makhija.

The book “How I Braved Anu Aunty and Co-Founded a Million Dollar Company” inspired the girls to start the business. The college E-Cell gave them a little nudge by permitting them to have a stall on the campus for a couple of days.

With their creativity and computer knowledge they design the customised cards, which often have many pages, using graphic design software like CorelDRAW, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.

The cost of the cards ranges from Rs. 15 for a regular card to Rs. 600 for an explosion box greeting card (explode into several pages of photos and text when the lid is removed).

It is not that the two-girl team had no competition.

A few months after they began the business in July 2013, a few boys from another engineering college started a similar enterprise. But having a head-start gave KISS an advantage, Ms. Salimeeti said. The real advantage is the wonderfully maintained Facebook page that attracted customers from as far as UK and USA.

Wedding season is hectic time for KISS. In the beginning the parents resisted, but extended logistic support when the orders began flowing in.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities / by G. Venkataramana Rao / Vijayawada – April 17th, 2014

An old institution craves for attention

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Historical Links, Pre-Independence

Call for national status to Gowthami Regional Library

Sri Gowthami Regional Library (SGRL) has the oldest and rarest collection of books between the 1805 and 1898. It also boasts unpublished manuscripts.

The government took over the library in 1979 and renamed it as Sri Gowthami Regional Library.

The name Sri Gowthami Regional Library, popularly known s ‘Gowthami’, adjoins the Palm leaf manuscripts since its inception. At present, the library has more than 400 manuscripts of ‘Colonel McKenzie’ describing East and West Godavari Districts. These manuscripts are in three volumes. ‘Tamara Sasanalu’, meaning copper plates (from the 13th and 14th centuries), are also available in the library. An interesting facet of the library is its possession of the first Britannica Encyclopedia of the year 1771.

As of now, the library has more than 1,500 rare books published before 1900 and around 8,115 books published prior to 1923 and 5,000 published up to 1950. In all, more than 15,000 rare books find place in the collections. Magazines and periodicals like Bharathi, Chintamani, Vivekavardhini, Andhri and Krishna Patrika are oldest periodicals that are housed in the library.

Though Union Minister for Human Resources Development M.M. Pallam Raju hails from the district, the library is yet to get national status. “We got national status for the Telugu language after making tireless efforts. For getting the same status for this library also, we have to struggle in residual state of Andhra Pradesh,” says Sannidhanam Narasimha Sarma, who worked as librarian.

V.S. Suryanarayana Murthy, the current gazetted librarian, modernised the only big government library in coastal region in keeping with the advancement in Information Technology. It has now around 16 computers with scanner and Printers.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by B.V.S. Bhaskar / Rajkahmundry – April 04th, 2014

French ‘Burrakatha’ exponent feted

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Records, All, World Opinion
Daniel Negers
Daniel Negers

French National Institute of Oriental Languages, Civilisations assistant professor and an international authority on the folk art form of ‘Burrakatha’ Daniel Negers was felicitated for his contribution to Telugu by the Telugu Association of Netherlands (TANE) at its Ugadi celebrations.

The Telugus living in Netherlands met in the city of Eindhoven on Ugadi and felicitated Prof. Negers for his contribution to Telugu, according to a press release here by TANE team.

It was following his recommendation that Telugu was made one of the 90-odd languages taught at the Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales (INALCO), a national institute of France.

Prof. Negers speaks Telugu fluently and flawlessly like a person from Coastal Andhra Pradesh.

He lived in Peddapuram of East Godavari district for several years to study Burrakatha under various gurus.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Special Correspondent / Vijayawada – April 13th, 2014

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

Hands-on with robots, to improve basics

Education, Science & Technology
Children learning the basics of robotics at the Academy of Robotics in Visakhapatnam on Saturday./ Photo: by Arrangement / The Hindu
Children learning the basics of robotics at the Academy of Robotics in Visakhapatnam on Saturday./ Photo: by Arrangement / The Hindu

Growing awareness is encouraging, say experts

Imagine a chair that could fly and take you to school, or a smartphone that doubles up as your TV or AC remote!

All this is possible in the world of robotics.

With quite a few summer camps on robotics springing up in the city, parents are gradually warming up to the concept of practical learning, and there has been a growing awareness about it.

“Most children have high curiosity element for any toy or gadget. They like to dismantle it and see what is inside. But at home, they are stopped from doing so. The idea of robotics workshops is to nurture the curiosity in a child and nourish their own methodology of creation,” said M. Srikanth, director and national head, Academy of Robotics.

The academy has a two-week and a four-week programme for children of six years and above. By building and programming robots, the students explore fundamentals of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computer programming.

The concept of reverse engineering is used widely in these summer camps, wherein the learning time is shortened considerably.

“This is because you are working on a prototype, instead of the real model,” Srikanth added.

The academy has branches all across India, including two in the city and three in Hyderabad.

It also offers one month to three months programme for engineering students.

The growing inclination towards the concept of robotics has seen young B.Tech graduates launching their own firms in the city.

V. Naresh, who launched his academy called Megarobotics Technology this year, has already tied up with six schools for conducting summer camps.

Closing gap

Interestingly, the gender ratio in a robotics class, which used to be largely skewed towards boys not so long ago, is today seeing a balanced mix with many girls coming forward to explore the world of robotics.

While the market for robotics in India is yet to mature up to the levels of western countries, where the emphasis is far more on practical learning than theory, industry experts feel that the growth in awareness for robotics is an encouraging sign. “The challenge is to shift the emphasis to practical learning, which today is largely absent in most engineering colleges in the country,” said Srikanth.

According to industry estimates, the Indian robotics industry is worth approximately $750 million and is expected to double over the next three years.

This year, the Academy of Robotics has tied-up with JNTU, GITAM University, and some other colleges to offer training.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatanam / by Nivedita Ganguly / Visakhapatnam – April 06th, 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

National symposium held at MITS

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Science & Technology

A day-long national-level technical symposium Mechonance’14 was organised by Madanapalle Institute of Technology and Science (MITS) here on Saturday.

Interacting with students, JNTU Anantapur Vice-Chancellor K. Lal Kishore advised the participants to hone their technical skills along with interpersonal and interpretative skills. “Students are the future and they should work towards the development of the country. They should also be in touch with the latest technologies to keep a track of advancements in the field,” he added.

Prof. Kishore later visited the Project Expo organised by MITS mechanical department and appreciated their efforts. Principal K. Sreenivasa Reddy, Head C. Yuvaraj, programme convener G. Harinath Gowd, Deans M. Raja Reddy (Academics), B. Venkata Raman (R&D) and others took part.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Tirupati – March 29th, 2014

India must raise its knowledge capital, says economist R. Radhakrishna

Business & Economy, Education, Records, All
R. Radhakrishna, economist and Chairman and Professor at the Centre for Economic and Social Studies. / The Hindu

R. Radhakrishna, economist and Chairman and Professor at the Centre for Economic and Social Studies. / The Hindu

“India’s contribution to world knowledge creation is about three per cent, while China’s share has risen from one per cent to over 10 per cent in the last few decades.”

New Delhi :  

Since basic research is a public good, government funding for basic research is important, said R. Radhakrishna, economist and Chairman and Professor at the Centre for Economic and Social Studies, Hyderabad.

Radhakrishna was speaking during his inaugural address as chief guest at an international conference on Applied Econometrics. The conference was organised by Hyderabad-based ICFAI Business School (IBS) in collaboration with Delhi’s The Indian Econometric Society.

Citing the famous welfare economist Arthur Cecil Pigou, Radhakrishna said that all research is either fruit-bearing, as in the case of applied research, or light-bearing, as in the case of basic research.

Capital for growth

In his address on scientific and statistical methods, Radhakrishna, who is also former Chairman of the National Statistical Commission, spoke about how the accumulation of knowledge is as important as the accumulation of capital for economic growth and development.

He said that the share of India’s contribution to world knowledge creation is about three per cent today, while China’s share has risen from one per cent to over 10 per cent in the last few decades. This has important implications on economic growth and stability.

Thus, the country needs to focus on research and development even more.

Over seventy academicians and scholars from reputed institutes and universities across the country participated in the conference.

Technical sessions were conducted in Financial Economics, Industrial Economics, Development Economics, International Economics and Monetary Economics.

Session chairs and presenters of technical papers included researchers from International Food Policy Research Institute, New Delhi; Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune; Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani; Indian Institutes of Technology at Kanpur, Kharagpur and Hyderabad; Central Universities of Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu and Hyderabad; Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi; University of Mumbai; Institute of Public Enterprises, Hyderabad and many others.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home / by The Hindu Bureau / New Delhi – March 23rd, 2014

Sporting encounter for students

Education, Sports
Finalists of The Hindu In School Sports Quiz with quiz master N. Soorya Prakash and Sashidhar of Duhita Multi-Speciality Dental and Implant Centre, in Vijayawada on Saturday. / PHOTO: V_RAJU. / The Hindu
Finalists of The Hindu In School Sports Quiz with quiz master N. Soorya Prakash and Sashidhar of Duhita Multi-Speciality Dental and Implant Centre, in Vijayawada on Saturday. / PHOTO: V_RAJU. / The Hindu

Questions derived from soccer, cricket, football, tennis and Olympics had the contestants racking their brains to outsmart other teams. The questions were split into various categories.

Hundreds of students from 25 schools in the region (each team comprising two members) gathered at Manor Plaza here on Saturday to engage in a battle of brains as part of The Hindu In School organised its first ever sports quiz for schoolchildren

Following a preliminary test, six teams made it to the final round.

Questions derived from soccer, cricket, football, tennis and Olympics had the contestants racking their brains to outsmart other teams. The questions were split into various categories — General (two rounds), My Pick, Who Am I, Event Identification and Mera Bharat Mahan (one round each).

Quiz master N. Soorya Prakash was at his best egging on the students, saying, “Think different. These questions always have answers on unexpected lines.”

Besides multiple choices on the Hall of Fame greats, there were a few tough ones as well: “Who was the only Indian to participate in five winter Olympics?” and “Who won Independent India’s first Olympic medal?” The well-prepared contestants instantly replied – Siva Kesavan (Luge event) and K. D. Jadhav (wrestler).

Winners

E. Sai Nived and Md. Rayyan from V.P. Siddhartha Public School, Vijayawada emerged winners, Omkar Rath and Sri Harsha K. of DPS, Vijayawada were the first runners-up while Md. Azeez-ur-Rahman and P.M.S. Karthik of St. John’s Higher Secondary School, Gannavaram, were the second runner-up.

The remaining finalists were represented by Ramakrishna Public School, Repalli in Guntur district, Teja Talent School, Kodad, and Narayana IIT Olympiad School, Vijayawada.

Dr. Sashidhar of Duhita Multi-Speciality Dental & Implant Centre, the title sponsor, gave away the prizes. Hotel D.V. Manor was the hospitality sponsor while TWINS Sweets-Bakery Restaurant, New Modern Super Market, Attitude Accessories Arcade and North American Service Centre were the regional sponsors.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Special Correspondent / Vijayawada – March 22nd, 2014