Monthly Archives: October 2013

Two aces and a queen add glam quotient

Sports
Indian tennis player Sania Mirza (L), actress Diana Hayden (C) and badminton player Saina Nehwal during the IPL-6 match between Sunrisers Hyderabad's and Pune Warriors in Hyderabad./ Photo: PTI
Indian tennis player Sania Mirza (L), actress Diana Hayden (C) and badminton player Saina Nehwal during the IPL-6 match between Sunrisers Hyderabad’s and Pune Warriors in Hyderabad./ Photo: PTI

Though it was not a jam-packed stadium that greeted Sunrisers Hyderabad and Pune Warriors India playing their 2013 IPL opener at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here on Friday night, the glamour element was very much evident even as the crowds had fun soaking in the atmosphere.

Former Miss World Diana Hayden was seen chatting away with badminton champ Saina Nehwal and tennis star Sania Mirza. It was indeed a treat for the crowds to watch two aces in the company of a beauty queen!

Sania supporting Warriors

Sania Mirza, brand ambassador for Sahara India, was there to support the Pune Warriors. “Sunrisers’ captain Kumar Sangakkara is a classy batsman and a wonderful captain. I wish the home team the best of luck. But I am here to support Warriors which has my very good friend Yuvraj Singh,” she said.

Getting down to business

V.V.S. Laxman, donning the role of mentor, was taking the throw-ins from former Pakistan fast bowling great and now bowling coach of Sunrisers Waqar Younis, to give some catching practice to local boy G.H. Vihari, Cameron White and Parthiv Patel. Former India captain and mentor Krishnamachari Srikkanth was also seen chatting with the players trying to making them comfortable.

Then, there was South African speedster Dale Steyn and the tall Ishant Sharma, who were focused on bowling, indicating that they clearly meant business.

‘White Lightning’ in action

Not far away, from the Sunrisers camp was another South African fast bowling great Allan Donald. Nicknamed ‘White Lightning’ in his playing days for his torrid pace, Donald was seen chatting animatedly with the Pune Warriors lads in his new role as bowling coach for Warriors.

Huge roar for Yuvi

The 2011 World Cup player of the series and the one who has fond memories of this venue, Yuvraj Singh, too looked in his elements. Returning to the ground where he hit a double century in his first four-day match after battling cancer, he seemed to be ready for the big challenge. Yuvi was moved by the huge roar from the crowd when he was shown on the giant screen. “I am happy to be back here, which has always been a lucky ground for me,” he said.

With weather God being kind over the last two days, the match was off to prompt start thanks to the wonderful job done by the ground staff led by chief curator Y. L. Chandrasekhar.

The copy has been corrected for typographical error

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by V. V. Suhrahmanyam / April 05th, 2013

11 Andhra Cricket Association members find place in BCCI sub-panels

Sports
Andhra Cricket Association secretary Gokaraju Gangaraju announcing the names of ACA members who made it to cricket board’s various sub committees in Vijayawada on Monday. / Photo: V. Raju / The Hindu
Andhra Cricket Association secretary Gokaraju Gangaraju announcing the names of ACA members who made it to cricket board’s various sub committees in Vijayawada on Monday. / Photo: V. Raju / The Hindu

Vizag to host India-West Indies ODI in November

Andhra Cricket Association has succeeded in getting plump postings for its members and nod for a couple of other demands in return for supporting former Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) chief N. Srinivasan during his re-election as board’s president on Sunday.

For the first time 11 persons of the 60-year-old association found their way into BCCI sub committees.

Leading the list is ACA secretary Gokaraju Ganga Raju, who will be chairman of the Finance Committee and ex-officio member of IPL Governing Council.

Association chief D.V.Subba Rao will be member of the constitution review committee.

AcamembersHF12oct2013

Test status

The board, at the 84th AGM promised to depute a team to review the facilities for one final time at Dr.YSR ACA–VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam before awarding the Test status.

“In one month we will get the much elusive Test status. In fact we should have got it (status) four years ago,” said the ACA secretary here on Monday.

He said India-West Indies One Day International will be held in Visakhapatnam in November, commemorating the diamond jubilee celebrations of the ACA.

Women’s Academy

The board has adopted the Andhra Women’s Cricket Academy run by the ACA at JKC Grounds at Guntur and from now on it will be called – BCCI Women’s Academy. “Our Guntur academy will be the hub of the Indian women’s cricketing activities,” Mr. Raju added.The ACA secretary said former India stumper and ACA director M.S.K. Prasad will get into the National junior selection committee next year when the South Zone representative K. Jayaram (Kerala) completes his term.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Vijayawada – October 01st, 2013

Hotel in Hyderabad Reaches New Heights in Entertainment

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy

Hyderabad, India :

Having a routine can be comforting, but it can also get a little boring. To make sure guests of the Hyderabad Marriott Hotel & Convention Centre always have something new to look forward to, the Altitude Lounge Bar offers an exciting calendar that brings a different experience to this 5 star Hyderabad Hotel every night of the week.

Named Best Lounge Bar in Hyderabad by the Times Food and Nightlife Awards 2013, Altitude is located on the 8th floor of this Hyderabad conference hall hotel, and offers a breathtaking view of Hussain Sagar Lake. The restaurant-lounge is the perfect place to meet with colleagues for dinner or the daily happy hour, when all beverages are 50% off between 5 and 8pm.

The week kicks off at this Hyderabad luxury hotel  lounge with Monday Mayhem, when shooters are free until the bar turns its traffic light to red. On Tuesday, experience India’s hottest club music with Nocturnal House, when hip-hop and desi beats will keep guests on the dance floor until the early hours. Wednesday hosts an After Dark after-hours party, while Thursday’s Rock Retro & Refuel features live rock and retro and exotic cocktails. The weekend is in full swing with Friday’s Melange Madness, fusing live music with a DJ, and Saturday’s Indulge Like a Queen, when ladies get the VIP treatment and high heels score discounts. Recover from a hectic week with laid-back Siesta Sundays.

The menu at this Hyderabad banquet hall bar offers plenty of options to keep things refreshing and exciting. In addition to an extensive list of wine and whiskey, guests will find an array of classic and special cocktails. Try the Aviation (gin, cherry liqueur and lemon juice), a Melon Ball (vodka, melon and orange juice), a Kentucky Coffee (Maker’s Mark, demerara sugar, black coffee and whipped cream) or, for the teetotaler, the Nawab’s Punch (fruit juices, vanilla ice cream and condensed milk).

source: http://www.broadwayworld.com / BWW travelworld.com / Home> Travel Today / by Travel News Desk / September 30th, 2013

Hyderabad to turn pink on Tuesday

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence
(Hyderabad to turn pink on…)
(Hyderabad to turn pink on…)

Hyderabad’s landmarks will be illuminated to spread Bread Cancer  awareness.

Heading out on October 1, you might notice a number of prominent buildings in the city being lit up in pink. Confused? October is International Breast Cancer Awareness month, and organisations across the world illuminate prominent buildings of their cities in pink — a colour that is used to demonstrate breast cancer Awareness.

The idea was started by Evelyn Lauder of Estee Lauder group of companies, when she lost her sister to breast cancer. She was a pioneer in making the now ubiquitous pink ribbon a symbol of international breast cancer awareness. After more than a decade, this pink campaign has caught on worldwide. Prominent buildings such as White House and the Empire State Building in the US, Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, Victoria Memorial and Nelson’s Column in the UK, Eifel Tower in Paris and others are illuminated in October.
In mana Hyderabad, Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation has been illuminating prominent buildings in the colour since the last four years, to spread the message of hope, survival and courage. Also to remind people that women  over 40 must get themselves an annual screening for mammogram to detect this disease early. Since breast cancer is non-preventable, the only way to fight it is by detecting it early.
Like previous years, a number of historic and prominent buildings will be lit up in pink this year as well. On October 1, watch the Legislative Assembly, Charminar, Buddha Statue, Prasads IMAX, KIMS Hospitals and Times of India Building turn pink.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Life & Style> People> Breast Cancer / by Apuurva Sridharan, TNN / September 30th, 2013

Sharada is new chief of Andhra Pradesh forensic lab

Science & Technology
A. Sharada
A. Sharada

Hyderabad:

A. Sharada, deputy director at the AP Police Academy, has been appointed director of the AP Forensic Science Laboratory with full additional charge. She is the second woman to head the FSL, after Gayatri in the 1990s.

The state government will be formalising her appointment as FSL director after a meeting of the departmental promotion committee. Her tenure lasts till June 2015. O.N. Murthy retired as director on September 30.

Sharada joined APFSL as assistant director in 1980. She did her post-graduation in biochemistry and psychology and has completed courses in cyber law.

Sharada is an expert in DNA fingerprinting and biology, and written more than a dozen books. She has submitted papers on the proposed DNA Bill at the All India Police Science Congress.

Sharada said there was no pendency of cases at the forensics lab, but for one or two complicated cases. She said that new recruits would be inducted into lab work after training. “We are aiming at improving quality,” she said.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> News> Current Affairs / DC / October 03rd, 2013

SBH opens all-woman branch in Vizag

Business & Economy
GVMC Additional Commissioner M. Janaki inaugurating an ATM at SBH branch at LIC building in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. SBH DGM K. Ramesh Babu and AGM Madhuri are seen. / Photo: Special Arrangement / The Hindu
GVMC Additional Commissioner M. Janaki inaugurating an ATM at SBH branch at LIC building in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. SBH DGM K. Ramesh Babu and AGM Madhuri are seen. / Photo: Special Arrangement / The Hindu

It offers a special deposit account for women and girls

Visakhapatnam Zone of State Bank of Hyderabad has achieved a turnover of Rs.8,500 crore with deposits standing at Rs.5,000 crore during the first half of current financial year.

After inauguration of all-women branch of SBH, the first in Andhra Pradesh, at the LIC building here, bank’s Deputy General Manager K. Ramesh Babu said the zone comprising Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, East and West Godavari districts had 260 women employees constituting 23 per cent of workforce.

The new branch, opened by chairperson and managing director of Vaibhav Empire Private Ltd G.B.M. Ratna Kumari, is the 44 branch in the region, 157 in the zone and 1587 in the country. This was among four all-woman branches opened on the occasion of 144 birthday of Mahatma Gandhi at Salem, Bangalore and Pune. GVMC Additional Commissioner M. Janaki inaugurated an ATM. Mr. Ramesh Babu told reporters that the bank had financed over 700 housing and 500 car loans during first half of the year. The financial year is being observed as Year of MSME. The new branch, open to both male and female customers, offers a special deposit account for women and girls namely SBH Ujwala, which provides free personal accident insurance coverage up to Rs.4 lakh and loans with a concession in processing charges and interest rate.

SBH Assistant General Manager Madhuri and all-woman branch manager Ch. Shyamala Devi were present.

BANK’S GESTURE

On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti and inauguration of four all-woman branches in the country, SBH donated Rs.7.87 lakh towards the cost of uniforms, books, shoes and other education needs of the students studying at SBH GVMC School at Neelammavepachettu Road. The school is adopted by the bank for the past four years.

As part of corporate social responsibility, the bank is sponsoring medical expenses of students of Lebenshilfe, an institute taking care of mentally challenged children near Appughar. SBH donated a computer to CHILD, which runs a home for orphan children at New Paradesipalem. The bank also sponsored the stitching charges of uniforms for the students of visually challenged girls at a residential school at Yendada.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> C ities> Visakhapatnam / by Special Correspondent / Visakhapatnam – October 03rd, 2013

Vizag body aims world record for largest Olympic Day Run

Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

The Visakhapatnam District Olympic Association will attempt a new world record of the largest-ever ‘Olympic Day Run’ on June 23, organisers said today.

The VDOA, in association with the local administration and others, will be celebrating the Olympic Day by organising a rally ensuring participation of one lakh people, they said.

“Besides common people, prominent sportstars namely ace shuttler Saina Nehwal , cricketer VVS Laxman, shooter Gagan Narang, tennis star Sania Mirza, Tollywood celebrities, politicians and industrialists will participate in the 5-km run,” said VDOA president and convener of the event, T Harsha Vardhana Prasad.

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy  will flag off the run from the Andhra University College of Engineering ground, which culminates at RK Beach.

Andhra Pradesh Olympic Association (APOA) will be organising the annual Olympic festival on the occasion.

Olympic Day Run event has been organised to mark the creation of the  International Olympic Committee (IOC) which came into existence on June 23, 1984 in Paris.

“If the run for record is successful in attracting more than one lakh people, it will find place into the Guinness Book of Records for largest Olympic Day Run”, Prasad said.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> PTI Stories> National> News / by Press Trust of India / Visakhapatnam – June 03rd, 2013

Bishop of Buckingham congratulates first female bishop in Church of South India

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinion
Bishop-designate Eggoni Pushpalalitha
Bishop-designate Eggoni Pushpalalitha

The Bishop of Buckingham has welcomed the election of the first female bishop in the Church of South India.

The Right Reverend Alan Wilson sent a message of congratulations to the partner Diocese of Nandyal on the election of the Reverend Eggoni Pushpalalitha as the new Bishop of Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh.

She is the first female bishop in the Church of South India and the Episcopal Church in Asia.

Bishop Wilson has met Bishop Pushpal several times and said he hoped to meet her again on his forthcoming visit to the diocese.

Her election comes days after the Church of Ireland announced the Reverend Pat Storey as the next Bishop of Meath and Kildare, also the Church’s first female bishop.

Bishop-designate Pushpalalitha was expected to be installed on Monday.

source: http://www.christiantoday.com / Christian Today / Home> World / September 30th, 2013

I-T sector growth to continue: Expert

Business & Economy, Science & Technology
Picture for representational purpose only. / The Deccan Chronicle
Picture for representational purpose only. / The Deccan Chronicle

Visakhapatnam: 

IT is the world’s most dynamic industry and will continue to grow worldwide if we properly understand and fulfil  the requirements of customers, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)  vice-president V. Rajanna said here on Monday at the Gitam University.

He said that good communications skills, fast learning skills,  and strong knowledge of fundamentals will provide opportunities in the IT sector.

Rajanna also suggested that software testing, enterprise resource planning and business process management were a few emerging areas where budding engineers can focus for placements. He briefed about the various training programmes and service activities organised by TCS.

While delivering the pre-placement talk at Gitam campus he told engineering graduates that the IT sector is performing well and had logged huge exports. He said the TCS was expanding in 46 countries with 197 offices. He pointed out that 33 per cent of the TCS employees were women, and the company had established a special women BPO centre in the Middle East.

Rajanna said that there was a lot of scope for R&D in the IT sector and that TCS had established the largest software R&D centre in the country which was also a first in IT R&D.

TCS HR head Jana also made some suggestions to students particularly on communication skills, general knowledge, in-depth preparation and B.Tech projects. He said that the management round, technical round and HR round were the main levels in campus placements.

source:  http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> News> Current Affairs / DC / October 01st, 2013

ECIL records its highest ever turnover of Rs 1,729 crore

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology

Hyderabad :

Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), Hyderabad, under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has achieved a record turnover of Rs. 1,729 crores during the financial year 2012-13 with earnings before interest, taxes depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of Rs 103 crore.

In 2012-13, ECIL continued its contributions to the strategic sectors of the nation, viz. Atomic Energy, Defence, Space and Homeland Security. Major supplies included Control & Instrumentation Systems for Nuclear Power Plants, Radiation Detection Equipment for Seaports, Command Control Systems for Akash and BrahMos Missile Programs, Communication Radios, Jammers and installation of integrated Video Surveillance Systems to cover a number of major markets in New Delhi City. ECIL has also contributed to the National Population Register (NPR) and the Socio-Economic Caste Census  (SECC) projects during the year.

The significant achievements during the year 2012-13 are the installation of Control and Instrumentation equipment at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant  (KKNPP) and Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam; supply, installation & commissioning of a Ground Station for Earth Observation Satellite at Antarctica, Integrated Security Systems for the Indian Chancery at Kabul and supply of two lakh artillery Fuzes to the Indian Army.

The company won the prestigious Gold Trophy for R&D, Technology Development and Innovation for the year 2011-12 awarded by the Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE) in April, 2013.

The company is working on several new technologies in association with major Research and Development laboratories and other national institutions to develop new products which will become the mainstay for the company. The company is also substantially increasing its investment in its infrastructure to renovate and modernize its facilities to make them future-ready.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Business> India Business / by Ch. Sushil Rao, TNN / September 30th, 2013