Category Archives: Education

Architecture students think out of the box

September 28, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Educationadmin

A final-year student of School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada explaining her project details to external jury member Balbir Verma as part of thesis presentation on Thursday./ Photo: Ch. Vijaya Bhaskar / The Hindu

SPAV students showcase their theses for external evaluation

The subject of architecture is not about just designing buildings and model townships, it is about life and the way that you design and plan your life. This was the expression given out by Anirban Jyoti Baruah, a fifth year student from the School of Planning and Architecture-Vijayawada (SPAV), when he was asked how he felt about the subject.

Anirban wanted to become a civil engineer after clearing his AIEEE but ventured into the realm of architecture and is now in love with the subject, as he believes that the subject is not only ancient but has a direct link to human lifestyle. All the 68 first batch students of the SPAV seem to share a similar view. The young architects, who would be passing out in next few days, showcased their theses at the campus for external evaluation here on Thursday. “It is our final project and the effort of our five-year study of B. Arch,” said Chunnu Kumar. Chunnu has conceptualised and produced a model to display a floating resort on the Arabian Sea. Explaining the project he said, “It is a floating resort which will be anchored in the middle of the sea and is designed to absorb the roll and pitch of the ocean.” Like Chunnu each of the 68 students has come up with their unique ideas. Anirban has modelled a mini Assam which he says can be replicated on a 50-acre site and can act as the cultural hub of the State.

K. Dharanidharan has conceptualised a Transegrity- FIFA football stadium says that his design can be used to make the Salt Lake Stadium at Kolkata more people-friendly. Similarly Manjunath redesigned the old Jayanagar Market of Bangalore to make it more people-centric without losing any of its original character. “This is the first batch of this college and their effort is beyond my expectation. They have set high standards for their successors, who will be left with the daunting task to improve upon,” said Harimohan Pillai, a senior architect and a jury member. The other external jury comprised Balbir Verma, architect and member board of governors- SPAV, Sumit Ghosh, senior architect, and Jeysudhean, former chief architect of CPWD.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Special Correspondent / May 24th, 2013

Latvia and India strengthen cooperation in education in Hyderabad

September 26, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Education, World Opinionadmin

On September 15, continuing his official visit to India, Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics met with Andhra Pradesh Governor Ekkadu S.L. Narasimhan and expressed Latvia’s interest in building cooperation with this developed region of India, reports LETA.

Ekkadu S.L. Narasimhan and Edgars Rinkevics. Photo: flickr.com

The Foreign Ministry is planning to appoint a Latvian honorary consul in Hyderabad District. The Governor expressed support for Latvia’s cooperation initiatives and mentioned cooperation in the fields of energy, higher education, environmental protection and infrastructure development as offering excellent prospects.

“We know about Latvia’s success in economy and state development. We are interested in Latvia’s experience in the production of renewable energy, especially in the use of wind and water energy,” Ekkadu S.L. Narasimhan indicated. “It is important to develop tourism and cultural contacts, so that we could learn more about Latvia, and you – about India and Hyderabad District,” the governor continued.

Rinkevics informed the Indian side that Riga will be next year’s European Capital of Culture and invited representatives from Hyderabad to make use of this opportunity to introduce Latvia to India’s culture and art. University of Latvia Rector Marcis Auzins told the governor about the Hindi Language and Cultural Cooperation Center at the University of Latvia and plans for future cooperation with India’s universities.

Cooperation in education, one of the central topics of the visit, will be continued during discussions between Rinkevics, Latvian university representatives and University of Hyderabad administration and staff. Latvian and Indian university staff shared opinions on the study and research process and agreed about the exchange of students and academic staff. To facilitate further contacts, a cooperation agreement between the University of Latvia and the University of Hyderabad will be drawn up and signed in the near future.

In Hyderabad, the official delegation of Latvia and entrepreneurs had a meeting with representatives from the Andhra Pradesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry led by Srinivas Ayyadevara. A great interest by the Indian business people present at the meeting was felt in possibilities for developing trade cooperation with Latvia and investing in this country. Rinkevics and Latvian business people answered questions about Latvia’s business environment, financial and tax policy and the adoption of the euro planned next year. The minister also gave interviews for the mass media, including the EENADU television company.

Today, the delegation, headed by Rinkevics, will go to the State of Tamil Nadu, where meetings will be held with the governor and representatives from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce. At the University of Madras, a cooperation agreement will be signed between the University of Madras and the University of Latvia and a lecture will be delivered to outline Latvia’s view on the European Union-India relations.

Rinkevics’ stay in India will conclude with a visit to Delhi on September 18-20, when the Latvian foreign minister will be received by his counterpart, Indian External Affairs Minister Shri Salman Khurshid. Rinkevics will also meet with the country’s Indian Culture Minister Chandresh Kumari, Communications and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal and deliver an address at the International Relations Institute of Jawaharlal Nehru University.

source: http://www.baltic-course.com / The Baltic Course / Home> Education & Science / BC, Riga / September 17th, 2013

Students take to robot veda

September 21, 2013Education, Science & Technologyadmin

The Robotics Club members work on a robot at the Sreenidhi Institute of Science & Technology premises | EPS

Streamline Bus Transit System, Voting Machines, Intelligent Traffic Control System, Autonomous Solar Street Light, Electronic Security and Switching System and PC-based Wireless Application Control. Wondering who has developed these products?

Well, not any reputed research labs or corporates but students of The Robotics Club of the Sreenidhi Institute of Science & Technology(SNIST). Founded in 2007 by a few enthusiastic students, it provides a platform to students from different disciplines to come together and share knowledge.

“Acquiring and spreading knowledge in robotics is the governing motive behind the working of the club. Within a short span, it has grown to the level of an organisation that boasts of unparalleled strength and reputation,” says club’s founder-member A Pradeep Iyer.

The club aims not just at building robots for fun but also to inculcate that spirit of engineering among students which drives them to develop automation systems useful for the society, he explains.

The club is meant for every student from every branch in the college, as robotics is not just about mechanics or electronics. It is all about overcoming challenges in designing integrated systems like robots, adds another founder-member B Naga Chaitanya.

Since its inception, the club has undertaken numerous projects such as unmanned agricultural vehicle, all terrain navigator, pneumatic robotic arm, hydraulic robotic arm, automatic brake system, shooting robot, Streamline Bus Transit System, Voting Machines, Intelligent Traffic Control System, Autonomous Solar Street Light, Electronic Security and Switching System and PC-based Wireless Application Control.

Pradeep Iyer, who is presently working in a private firm, points out that ‘Robotic Vision’ has become a prominent area of research in the last decade. While structure and motion estimation from a video sequence has been an active topic for the last two decades.

The Postal department and BSNL officials are using voting machines developed by the club for their organisational polls. Even APSRTC officials have checked the Streamline Bus Transit System developed by the club, discloses its joint secretary V Nagendhar Reddy. Though the equipments developed by the club members are in an initial stage, interested organisations can carry forward the research, he says.

In fact, every year the club organises a national-level robotics festival titled “Roboveda”, meaning “knowledge in Robotics” in which thousands of students from various colleges from across the country participate. This year, around 500 out-station students, including, 232 from Puducherry participated in the event. The DRDO has sponsored Roboveda for about four years in the past and this time, it has been sponsored by AMI Tech.

Becoming a club member is, however, not easy. One has to take various tests before he or she is selected. Around 70 students are selected every year through a rigorous selection process.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Anil Kumar / ENS – Hyderabad / August 22nd, 2013

DPS to conduct discussion on media literacy

September 15, 2013Business & Economy, Educationadmin

Coinciding with International Literacy Day, Delhi Public School, Vijayawada, will organise a panel discussion on ‘Media Literacy’ on the school campus on September 7 (Saturday).

The event will commence at 9.30 a.m. in the seminar hall of the school.

Senior journalists from the print and electronic media will discuss key components of media literacy such as media as a watchdog, watching the watchdog, media ethics, social media and career opportunities in media.

Freelance writer and ELT Consultant P. Ramanujam will moderate the discussion.

In a statement on Friday, Head of the English Department and coordinator of the event Shanthi Ramajujam said the discussion would be followed by an interaction with children from different schools.

“The objective is to disabuse the notion of medial literacy and educate children to be intelligent users of media,” she said.

Two students and one teacher from each school are invited to participate.

The students may be from classes IX–XII.

Interested schools may confirm their participation by forwarding names of the students and the teacher by email to the Faculty Coordinator (English), Email: shanthiramanujam1962@gmail.com

The last date for registration is September 3.

Further information can be sought by contacting Shanthi Ramanujam, Discussion Coordinator (mobile: 77029 29564).

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> news> Cities> Vijayawada / by Special Correspondent / Vijayawada – August 31st, 2013

Now, a film-making workshop for engineers

September 10, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Educationadmin

Actor Nagarjuna addressing the media in Hyderabad on Tuesday.- PHOTO: NAGARA GOPAL

In what possible manner could a film-making workshop be of help to an engineering student, except, of course, to guide him through the rudiments of projecting his/her message on the screen?

Actor Akkineni Nagarjuna, who is also president of Annapurna International School of Film + Media (AISFM), on Tuesday said going through the basics of film-making would help to improve confidence of engineering students who were hard-pressed for time and busy with projects. “It facilitates expression of ideas. Sheer brilliance needs to be expressed properly. Just getting a degree is not enough, and you need to sell your ideas,” he said.

“When I was told about the proposal for the workshop, I was reminded of my days as a mechanical engineering student at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA, and later as I did my Masters in Automobile Engineering at San Jose State University. There were times when I was simply unable to put my ideas across, at a presentation in a crowded seminar hall,” he recalled. Another reason for designing such a short-term course/workshop is his firm belief that everybody needs a passion that needs to be nursed, even while being busy in a profession. “Today, life has become so mechanical and stressful that people need an outlet for their creativity,” he said.

Chris Higgins, AISFM’s vice-president, said the four-week summer workshop will be held from May 27 on the Annapurna Studios campus.

According to actor Akkineni Nagarjuna, going through the basics of film-making will help engineering students to develop self-confidence.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Suresh Krishnamoorthy / Hyderabad – May 22nd, 2013

Determination is the key

September 9, 2013Education, Records, Alladmin

Top Rankers of ICWA, D. Guru Prasad and T. Rajani interact with The Hindu in Vijayawada. / Photo: V. Raju / The Hindu

A dream doesn’t become a reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work- Colin Powell. This piece of advice from the veteran general of US Gulf War appears to have hit the duo from Vijayawada D. Guru Prasad and T. Rajani hard and fast. It is sole determination that has brought both of them this far in their academic pursuit.

While Guru Prasad topped the recently held ICWA (Intermediate) examination in the all-India level, Rajani secured the third rank in the ICWA (Final) examination. But what makes them stand out? It is the economic background that they come from.

While Guru Prasad is the son of an autorickshaw driver in Kadapa, Rajani is the daughter of a daily wage earner.

And it is not the first time that both of them had topped any examination. While Guru Prasad secured the all-India first rank in the CA IPCC examination and ICWA (Foundation) examination and stood fifth in the CA CPT examination; Rajani secured the all-India second rank in CA (Inter). And all through they had been coached at Superwhizz-Vijayawada.

On why CA and ICWA, Guru Prasad said, “The economic condition impelled me to take up the course. I secured 97 per cent in intermediate and Superwhizz offered me free coaching for CA CPT and promised me free tuitions for CA and ICWA if I secured ranks within top 5 in the CPT and ICWA foundation. I worked hard for 15 hours a day and secured fifth rank in both the examination. Moreover, I decided that I would take up CA and ICWA, as even an engineering degree would take four years, so why not put that effort here. I need to settle fast to take care of my family and two sisters.”

The same was the case with Rajani. “It was not possible for my family to fund my engineering education, as the reimbursement scheme was not there at that time. Moreover, CA or ICWA offers a better career and I need to settle fast. Economic situation hardened my determination.”

While Guru Prasad is getting busy to tackle the finals of both CA and ICWA, Rajani has just got to complete CA (Final), and the world would be at their feet.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hind / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Sumit Bhattacharjee / August 30th, 2013

Schulich School of Business to launch MBA programme in Hyderabad

September 6, 2013Education, World Opinionadmin

New Delhi :

Canada’s Schulich School of Business will launch a new MBA programme in Hyderabad in collaboration with the GME Group , the business school said in a statement.

Schulich will lauch its programme for 40 MBA students in Hyderabad as a part of a new arrangement between the School and GMR School of Business , an educational initiative of GMR Varalakshmi Foundation of the GMR Group.

Students will spend the first year at the Hyderabad campus and the second year at Schulich’s Toronto campus, and Schulich faculty will teach all of the courses in Hyderabad, as well as in Toronto. Schulich also plans to offer an executive MBA programme at the Hyderabad campus by 2015.

Dezso J Horvath dean of the Schulich School of Business said in a statement: “”We intend to offer that same level of excellence in the Schulich MBA in India programme that will commence this September at the newly constructed GMR School of Business,” he added.

In the past, the school has had exchange partner agreements with a number of Indian business schools including the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and the Indian School of Business (ISB) in Hyderabad.

In 2005, Schulich opened an international satellite centre in Mumbai which provides career placement services to Schulich students and alumni seeking career opportunities in India; offers executive and leadership development programmes for Indian executives; supports Schulich’s alumni chapter in India; and manages local media relations.

Schulich previously offered the Schulich MBA in India programme in partnership with the SP Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR) in Mumbai. The Schulich MBA in India, which launched in January 2010, was the first MBA programme to be delivered in India by a leading international business school. Three cohorts have so far graduated through the programme.

source: http://www.articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com / The Economic Times / Home> Education> Programme / by Anumeha Chaturvedi, ET Bureau / August 23rd, 2013

ISB offers early entry option

September 3, 2013Educationadmin

Hyderabad:

Indian School of Business has good news for those who do not have a work experience of two years but want to enroll for its post graduate programme in management.

It is offering the early entry option under which candidates can secure a deferred admission to the one-year post graduate programme, provided he or she has two years of work experience at the time of joining the programme. Once a candidate gains the two year-work experience, he or she would be able to join the programme.

The business school said the option is to address the increasing demand from talented graduates, post graduates, with less than two years of work experience.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> News> Business/Tech / by DC / August 20th, 2013

Fight for rights, tribal communities told

September 1, 2013Education, Historical Links, Pre-Independenceadmin

Campaign launched to bring awareness in Visakha Agency area

A campaign has been launched to sensitise vulnerable tribal communities in the Agency area of the district on their rights and responsibilities. The weeklong campaign was inaugurated at Araku Valley on Friday on the occasion of the International Day of World Indigenous People.

A round-table meeting was held at Tribal Foundation at Padmapuram to drive home the point that tribal culture and advancement could sustain only if they overcome the fast spreading globalisation, privatisation and liberalisation simultaneously protecting the cultures.

It was decided to take up mass campaigns at shandies, ashram schools, youth gatherings and at villages covering around 1,200 participants to promote tribal cultures. The awareness will cover environment protection, conserving empowerment and indigenous living patterns.

The round-table meet called upon the communities to make unified efforts in accessing the constitutional rights and guarantees and overcome the challenges in the way of empowerment with unity.

The round-table laid emphasis on the health, education, livelihoods, facilitating the de-addiction, avoiding the child labour and marriages, poverty with a collective spirit recognising the beneficiaries as right holders’ overcoming the exclusion, disparities and other social barriers towards a holistic tribal advancement direction.

The participants at the round-table included teachers, students, farmers, self-help groups, Dhimsa Foundation, Tribal Foundation, Girinestham, Chaitanya, Vanamithra, Power, Focus, Chetana, IPAP and Nature and functionaries from international NGOs like DKA Austria, UNICEF, Save the Children, New Education Group — FIRE.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities / by Special Correspondent / Visakhapatnam – August 12th, 2013

Turn the page, royally

August 28, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, Alladmin

Kingdom of words: Chowmahalla Palace Library, Hyderabad. - Nagara Gopal — Kingdom of words: Chowmahalla Palace Library, Hyderabad. – Nagara Gopal

There is something about the quiescence and period ambience of the Chowmahalla Palace Library that is instantly charming. There are about 10,000 books and manuscripts in this admirable collection housed in old-world wooden cupboards and surrounded by carefully refurbished vintage furniture. The newly opened library is in Mahtab Mahal, one of the four palaces in the Chowmahalla complex at Khilwat in the Charminar area of Hyderabad.

Built over 200 years ago, the magnificent Chowmahalla was the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty and the venue where the Nizams entertained royal visitors and official guests. An amalgam of architectural styles and influences, the palace complex was carefully restored and opened to the public about eight years ago. The heritage building is now also available for private and corporate events.

The library is the latest attraction, rich with timeworn tomes sourced from the Asaf Jahi palaces in the city, including the Chiraan Palace, Nazri Bagh and, of course, Chowmahalla itself.

The Nizams loved literature and some of them were poets in their own right, including the first two Nizams, Mir Qamaruddin Khan and Mir Nizam Ali Khan, and the last two, Mir Mahbub Ali Khan and Mir Osman Ali Khan.

The books are in Urdu, Arabic, Persian and English. Some of them are nearly three centuries old. Besides works of history, geography, art and culture, poetry, Islamic law, medicine and philosophy, the repository has biographies, encyclopaedias and dictionaries.

An exquisite collection of rare Quran editions in calligraphy includes several that were received as birthday gifts by the seventh Nizam.

Of the nearly 300 Qurans in this library, 28 are being painstakingly restored for display in a special section.

There are priceless editions of the Quran in handmade paper, the text handwritten and embellished with gold, gems and pearls. Pointing to the richly-hued pages of one book, a member of the restoration team explains that the gold, red, blue and white colours come respectively from powders of gold, cinnebar, lapis lazuli and pearl.

Many of the English books are first editions from the UK. The bilingual dictionaries in the collection include English-Urdu, Persian-English and Persian-Urdu.

Vintage volumes such as Princes and Chiefs of India, View of Hindoostan, a set of Chambers Encyclopaedias, Glimpses of India, and Delhi Durbar are on view. A lot of hard work has gone into creating this library as many of the books were in a state of neglect, attacked by termites and wood-louse. The restorers did battle with missing pages and jackets, damaged pages and faded lettering. Mahtab Mahal itself needed some sprucing-up.

“The whole process took over six months… We have ensured attention to detail in the restoration and conservation of the books, and the setting up of the library,” says G. Kishan Rao, Director, Chowmahalla Palace. “This was all made possible by Princess Esra’s [Birgin] strong commitment and invaluable encouragement. We also used expert advice from academicians and professionals.”

The books were cleaned in a fumigation chamber and sent for binding — all the restoration work was done in-house.

The cataloguing was another time-consuming effort. “The books have been catalogued according to the US Library of Congress, which is a unique world resource,” says Rao.

Besides tourists and curious onlookers, the library with its rich and valuable trove is soon expected to attract bibliophiles, students and research scholars.

You may borrow a book to read on the premises, seated on the antique (renovated) furniture.

A Rs 100 fee is charged for use of the library, inclusive of the palace entry charge. Virtual visitors can go to www.chowmahalla.com .

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Weekend Life / by Aruna Chandarajan

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