Monthly Archives: December 2013

AP postal department goes hi-tech

Records, All, Science & Technology

The Andhra Pradesh circle of the postal department has drawn up plans to improve public services by adopting modern technology. For the first time in the country, it is set to implement a pilot scheme that facilitates the electronic monitoring of letter box clearance.

Developed by the software section of the postal department, the technology involves a handheld device which will transfer the data electronically to the Central Data Centre, providing details of the number of letter boxes opened and those cleared at any given time.

Each time the letter box is opened, the information is transmitted to the Data Centre, indicating the time and the number of times the letter box has been opened, the Chief Post Master General of the Andhra Pradesh circle, B V Sudhakar said.

The department had conducted a survey and found that there were several letter boxes which were almost empty while some others were overflowing with letters for want of clearance on time.

The hand-held devices will be given to postmen who, while clearing the letter box, will feed the data, the official explained. Earlier, the department had no way of knowing whether a letter box had been opened or not. There have been complaints from the public that letters did not reach on time.

The scheme, currently undergoing trials with satisfactory results, will be launched in the second week of December. The postmen will start using these handheld devices. Once it is successful, the technology will be replicated across India, Sudhakar said.
At a later stage, solar panels will be fitted to the letter boxes, which will record the movement of the door whenever it is opened. On opening, a signal will be transmitted to the central data centre.

Nearly 75 lakh mails are cleared all over the state every day, including 20 lakh in the city. Majority of them are business mails.

Across the country, 1.72 crore mails are cleared daily. The state circle is handling Speed Post, registered post, money orders, besides others. In addition, it is also handling Aadhaar cards and has delivered approximately 5.5 crores of Aadhaar cards statewide.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> National / DHNS – Hyderabad, November 28th, 2013

Ethnic setting in urban milieu gets artistic flavour

Arts, Culture & Entertainment
A sculptor working on scrap metal creation at the ongoing art and sculpture camp at Shilparamam-Jatara in Visakhapatnam on Friday / . Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam / The Hindu
A sculptor working on scrap metal creation at the ongoing art and sculpture camp at Shilparamam-Jatara in Visakhapatnam on Friday / . Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam / The Hindu

57 artists, including AU fine arts students, participating in the camp at Shilparamam

Shilparamam Jatara off the National Highway 16 at Madhurawada has drawn visitors and tourists alike for its rural ambience. In another month or so the same location would have some very contemporary icons thanks to the students of Andhra University Department of Fine Arts.

There would be some scrap steel sculptures, some cement sculptures, fibreglass models and a few paintings dotting the landscape adding to the attraction. There are 57 artists at work at the ongoing art and sculpture camp organised jointly by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Department – Shilparamam – and the Department of Fine Arts of Andhra University.

Under the benign gaze of camp curator, Professor of Fine Arts Ravi Shankar Patnaik, the artists are enjoying themselves and as a result producing some extraordinary pieces of art. All of them are students of the AU Department of Fine Arts, while some are studying a few of them have graduated earlier.

Artists working on their paintings at the art and sculpture camp at Shilparamam-Jatara in Visakhapatnam on Friday./ Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam / The Hindu
Artists working on their paintings at the art and sculpture camp at Shilparamam-Jatara in Visakhapatnam on Friday./ Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam / The Hindu

At the beginning of the camp the artists were given a simple brief that they should let their creative juices flow and create something that reflects the values, ethos of the region. There has been no restriction on what they want to do, he said. The artists participating in the camp include 7 painters, 10 working on scrap metal, 10 are working on cement structures, 10 are creating fibreglass models and another 10 are carving stone.

The granite blocks have been brought from Kotappakonda in Guntur district and the sculptors along with assistants are chiselling away the blocks to create works that would stand the test of time.

The artists have selected the sites for display of cement sculptures and are working on the location.

The general visitors to Jatara were in for a treat to see the art camp in progress and watch the creative juices flow giving shape to icons that would remain in the landmark for generations of tourists to watch and wonder.

As part of the camp on Wednesday the artists made a presentation on their works to peers and other artists and art lovers and picked up a tip or few on how to address some finer nuances, Prof Patnaik said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Special Correspondent / Visakhapatnam – November 30th, 2013

JKCCS Honours Balagopal with Robert Thorp Award

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

BalagopalHF11dec2013

The J&K Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) has honoured Dr K Balagopal, a human rights activist and lawyer from Andhra Pradesh, with Robert Thorp Award-2013, posthumously, for his contribution in highlighting the human rights issues in Jammu and Kashmir.

The JKCCS every year confers Robert Thorp Award to persons who have shown exemplary courage and contributed to the achievement of civil society and political rights of the people of J&K. The award was received by his colleague, Prof Babaiah on Tuesday.

The award is given in memory of Robert Thorp, a young British Army officer, who arrived in Kashmir in 1865 and fought for the right of self-determination of Kashmir.

He was killed in 1868 by forces of Maharaja Gulab Singh, a feudal ruler of Kashmir, for highlighting the miseries of Kashmiris in international media.

Dr Kandala Balagopal, born on June 10,1952, was a trained Mathematician and taught at Kakatiya University in Andhra Pradesh. An uncompromising human rights activist, Balagopal broke away from the Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee (APCLC), with which he was associated from 1980s, on the issue of violence perpetrated by the erstwhile CPI-ML Peoples War.

During his visits to Kashmir, Balagopal worked actively for human rights in Kashmir and wrote numerous articles on Kashmir issue, questioning Indian occupation in Kashmir.

Fifth child of a middle class Telugu Brahmin couple, his education happened in various towns across AP owing to his father’s occupation. After pre-university education at Kavali and BSc in Tirupati, he took an MSc and PhD in Mathematics from the Regional Engineering College in Warangal before proceeding to Delhi for a post-doctoral at the Indian Statistical Institute. He returned to Warangal in 1981, where he started teaching Maths at the Kakatiya University. This was also the time when he decided on social activism and joined the APCLC, which he left after two decades to form Human Rights Forum.

Balagopal, who played a commendable role in exposing the institutional impunity enjoyed by the Indian military force and his unflinching support for the right of self determination of people of Jammu and Kashmir, died of lung aspiration following bleeding of stomach ulcer in Hyderabad on  October 8, 2009.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Express News Service – Hyderabad / November 29th, 2013

Abdul Khayum Khan appointed head of Andhra Pradesh Anti-Corruption Bureau

Leaders, Records, All
Picture for representational purposes only.
Picture for representational purposes only.

Hyderabad:

Abdul Khayum Khan, an IPS officer of the 1981 batch, has been appointed as Director General of the Andhra Pradesh Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

Currently Vice-Chairman and Managing Director (VC&MD) of the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC), he had also held additional charge as ACB Director General (DG) for the past few days, after the appointment of B. Prasada Rao as Andhra Pradesh’s Director General of Police.

In a minor exercise on Thursday, the government appointed Khan as the regular DG of the ACB and posted 1988 batch IPS officer J. Purnachandra Rao as VC&MD of APSRTC. Chief Secretary P. K. Mohanty issued an order to this effect on Thursday evening.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> News> Current Affairs / by Sijihaya / November 28th, 2013

Khazana Group opens luxury furniture showroom in Hyderabad

Business & Economy

Khazana Group, a leading furniture brand, Friday opened a new showroom here, bringing top global brands under one roof.

Elevate, the luxury furniture and stylish kitchen showroom which has come up in the upmarket Jubliee Hills offers renowned global brands like Leathereditions by Natuzzi, Alno from Germany, Italian sofas from Erba, home solutions from EGO Design and Milmueble from Spain.

Bhawant Anand, chairman, Khazana Group, told reporters that they invested Rs.20 crore in 32,000 square feet showroom. The prices of the products range from Rs.1 lakh to Rs.1 crore.

It is the third showroom of Khazana in the city and it plans to expand its operations to other cities.

Natuzzi, the world’s largest manufacturer of leather furniture, has 22 franchise stores in India with annual sales of Rs.100 crore, Nitin Behl, country manager, Natuzzi, said they plan to open another 15 stores in next one year.

Natuzzi, which has retail presence in 123 countries, is a billion dollar company listed on New York Stock Exchange. Behal said the Italian company has its own forests in Romania to source the raw material.

Alno is the second largest kitchen manufacturer in the world. The 85-year-old German firm, which had a turnover of 446 million Euros last year, has presence in 64 countries.

Nadine Gindele, marketing coordinator, Alno, said they had nine showrooms in India and plan to open three next year.

Alno, which has undertaken some projects at star hotels in India including ITC Green Tower Kolkatta, is offering a wide range of kitchens at Khazna showroom. The high-end kitchen is priced at Rs.1 crore.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> News-IANS> Business-Economy / by IANS / Hyderabad – November 29th, 2013

Navy official visits NSTL in Visakhapatnam

Records, All, Science & Technology
Commander-in-Chief Strategic Forces Command Vice Admiral SPS Cheema with Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command Anil Chopra in Visakhapatnam on Friday. / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu
Commander-in-Chief Strategic Forces Command Vice Admiral SPS Cheema with Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command Anil Chopra in Visakhapatnam on Friday. / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu

As part of the three-day visit to Eastern Naval Command, Commander-in-Chief Strategic Forces Command Vice Admiral SPS Cheema, arrived in the Port City on Thursday.

He along with the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command Vice Admiral Anil Chopra visited the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory and went around the naval ships and related establishments, here on Friday. Vice Admiral SPS Cheema is scheduled to leave the city on Sunday.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Staff Reporter / Visakhapatnam – November 30th, 2013

Cadbury India to set up chocolate unit in Andhra Pradesh

Business & Economy, Records, All, World Opinion

CadburyHF09dec2013

Cadbury India signed a memorandum of understanding with the Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday (November 27) to set up a chocolate manufacturing facility at Sri City Special Economic Zone in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.

“Spread across 134 acre, it will be the company’s largest manufacturing facility in Asia-Pacific region,” said Manu Anand, Managing Director, Cadbury India.

He expects the first phase of the project to be completed by mid-2015. Cadbury India will invest Rs 1,000 crore and produce around 100,000 tonne of Cadbury chocolates annually.

Though Anand did not provide details of the total investment on the entire project, expected to be completed in four phases by 2020.

“The plant will ultimately have an annual capacity of 250,000 tonnes and directly employ 1600 people,” he added.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who spoke at the MoU signing ceremony, said the project would also benefit some 400,000 farmers in the region as it will need about 500,000 litre of milk and 100 tonne of sugar per day.

The signatories to the MoU were Anand on behalf of Cadbury India and the state’s Principal Secretary, Industries, K. Pradeep Chandra. Major Industries Minister J. Geeta Reddy and a number of other ministers also attended. Sri City lies about 55 kms north of Chennai.

The Andhra Pradesh unit will be Cadbury India’s seventh manufacturing facility in India. Some other global chocolate manufacturers in India are also eyeing opportunities for setting up manufacturing. Cadbury India is part of Mondelez International group of companies. Some of its key brands are Cadbury Dairy Milk, Bournvita, 5 Star, Perk, Bourneville, Halls, Tang and Oreo.

source: http://www.businesstoday.intoday.in / Business Today / Home> Biz Wrap> Corporate> Story / by E. Kumar Sharma / November 27th, 2013

Americans in Hyderabad to ‘give thanks’

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, World Opinion

Hyderabad:

A growing expatriate community in the city and an increased interest in international culture has made it easier for holidays like Thanksgiving to be celebrated away from home, say American expats.Traditionally celebrated in Canada and the United States on the fourth Thursday of November each year, Thanksgiving is an annual festival heavily laden with cultural significance, a time for family and friends to come together.

It is said to be additionally special this year with Thursday also being the first full day of Hanukkah. Nicole Wisler, an American currently wor-king with an NGO in the city, feels that the place is not important as long as the spirit of the festival is alive.

“Thanksgiving is not about where you spend it as long as you have your family and friends around you. I have my family visiting, so it’s not really very different from being at home,” she said.
Others say that in the absence of one’s family, having a large community of other expats helps. “Of course, it’s hard to celebrate Thanksgiving away from home, but having a community with whom to celebrate sort of makes up for it.
It won’t be the same but there will be a sense of togetherness at least,” said Alex Williams, an investment banker who is spending his first Thanksgiving in Hyderabad.
With most star properties in the city including Taj Vivanta, Novotel, Westin and Park Hyatt designing special menus for Thursday, Thanksgiving dishes like roast turkey, corn breads, cranberry sauce and collards, sauces and stuffing will be easily available.
They certainly won’t be missing out on the feast part of the festival, assured executive chef of Westin, Steffan Dawson.
“There is a lot of excitement about Thanksgiving here at the hotel. Our restaurants are booked almost full. We are seeing an increase in footfall year after year,” he added.

source: http://www.asianage.com / The Asian Age / Home> India / November 28th, 2013

Award for Icrisat scientist

Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Hyderabad :

Hari D. Upadhyaya, Principal Scientist (Groundnut) and Head of Gene Bank at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, has received the Crop Science Research Award from the Crop Science Society of America.

He received the award at the society’s annual meeting held at Tampa in Florida (the USA) recently.

He received the award for his “significant and original basic and applied research contributions in crop science and total impact of contributions on crop science”, an Icrisat statement said here on Thursday.

Upadhyaya is a practical plant breeder and has developed a large number of early-maturing, high-yielding, drought tolerant, and aflatoxin contamination resistant groundnut breeding lines.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Industry> Agri-Biz / by The Hindu Bureau ,  kurmanath.kanchi@thehindu.co.in / Hyderabad – November 28th, 2013

Hyderabad schools turning tech savvy

Education, Science & Technology

Hyderabad :

Teaching is no more just about textbooks and blackboards, as tablets, smart boards, laptops and other internet-based gadgets are steadily making their way into classrooms. Several schools are now incorporating digital media into their teaching methods in an attempt to stay tech savvy while make learning more interactive and experiential.

The Chirec Public school recently kicked off a pilot project under the city-based IGNITOR platform wherein students of class XIII, IX and X, have been provided with tablets in lieu of the textbook. The prescribed course material is already embedded in the tablet which also gives the added advantage of providing additional links for further reference.

“Gadgets are now the preferred mode of communication and it also saves the children the pain of lugging books to school. The tab also doubles up as an assessment tool as assignments are given on the device,” said Iffat Ibrahim, principal of Chirec Public Schools.

Tech experts estimate that close to one lakh out of India’s 2.6 lakh private schools have invested in some form of teaching technology. India’s market for digital learning systems is currently estimated to be around $500 million a year.

Many city-based tech firms are collaborating with the schools to build customized modules and even devices which are teacher-student friendly. Studio classrooms and the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) are concepts that are fast replacing the standard lecture technique.

Creya Learning, an experiential learning platform initiated in Hyderabad schools, is also implemented in schools in Bangalore. It works primarily on studio-based learning where real life problems are solved using interdisciplinary and hands on approach.

Concepts such as the Laws of Newton or theories in astronomy are explained using props, technology, discussions and debates.

Digitisation is not limited to the elite schools with technology coming to the aid of even government by just enabling student teacher interaction. One of the first schools in the city to have web based classes was the Red Cross Government School.

After classes were getting stalled due to lack of teachers who were unable to travel to the school, a tech firm arranged for internet connection in the school to make web classes available. “We managed to set up a class with basic equipment and internet speed. Teachers can be located anywhere, all they need is a webcam and internet,” said Rama Krishna, chief engineer with PurpleTalk which initiated the idea.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / TNN / November 28th, 2013