Category Archives: Records, All

A teacher with a passion for poetry

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Records, All

For a person educated in the vernacular medium, learning the basics of English language is a challenge more often. But Pendoti Chandrashekar has proved to be an exception. Schooled in Telugu medium, he had the conviction to opt for BA English Literature, which he followed up with an MA in English and a B.Ed degree, going on to become a post-graduate teacher in English at the Government Model School, Nandipet. Not stopping at that, he has carved out a niche for himself by writing poetry in English and has also encouraged his students to follow suit. His poem on former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has been published in the anthology titled The Hope Re-Born.

Mr. Chandrashekar was one among the 28 poets across the country selected by the noted publishers Research and Publication Academy, Allahabad to write for their publication The Hope Reborn, which will be released very soon this month. With a good command over English, he has endeared himself to his students by teaching the subject in a simple method. Born in Mallapur village in Indalwai mandal he completed his primary and secondary education at government schools in his village and studied Intermediate at Government Junior College, Bheemgal in Telugu medium. Thereafter, he opted for BA English Literature at Giriraj Degree College here.

Having completed MA English and B.Ed in distance mode from Osmania University, he got selection as PGT in 2012 and since then, has been working in Nandipet. Coming from a humble background he achieved his goal. Chandrashekar is also one of the four writers who authored the English subject book for PGT Gurukul Mains Examinations published by the TS Telugu Academy. “His poetry is lucid, simple and can easily be understood by ordinary English readers,” said Dasari Raghu, a PGT in Botony. “His contribution to the Telugu Academy book is very valuable and useful to candidates preparing for the PGT competitive exam. He has done an excellent job. He is the pride of the district,” said Nampally Rajesh, District Educational Officer, speaking at a function to felicitate Mr. Chandrashekar at the GMS.

Another feather in his cap is that poems written by his students M. Rachana and M. Lavanya of X Class are being published along with his poem in The Hope Reborn. “

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by P. Ram Mohan / Nizamabad – September 03rd, 2018

Hyderabad entrepreneur is new DICCI Working President

Business & Economy, Leaders, Records, All

The Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI) elevated its south India president Narra Ravi Kumar, an entrepreneur from the city, as its National Working President.

His appointment was announced in a communication issued by DICCI Chairman Milind Kamble and the Governing Council, a release said.

Born to slum-dweller parents in Hyderabad – his father was a daily-wage mason and mother a daily-wage labourer – Mr. Ravi Kumar struggled to get education. He did his postgraduation in law and also acquired PG diploma in journalism as well as in public relations.

After his studies, he got into construction business. He is the managing director of several businesses—Apna Door Step Services Pvt Ltd, Smart Green Infra and Logistics Management India (P) Ltd and Aditya Communications.

As Working President, he will be second in command of the Pune-headquartered body of 8,500 Dalit entrepreneurs that has 26 State chapters and seven international chapters. “My challenges as National Working President of DICCI is to bring together all Dalit entrepreneurs under one umbrella and make the organisation a one-stop resource centre to promote entrepreneurship among Dalits as a solution to their socio-economic problems,” he said in the statement.

Mr. Ravi Kumar is the first Dalit entrepreneur to be awarded Padma Shri from south India, for his contribution to the growth of Indian industry. He played an active role in formulating a role model policy support for entrepreneurs in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, which is now being adopted by various States, the release said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – July 17th, 2018

T-Hub to mentor Canadian tech firm

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Invites entries for Communitech’s programme for companies to access Indian market
The T-Hub has called for applications from Canadian start-ups and scale-ups for a Global Bridge programme of Communitech, a Canada-based public-private innovation hub, to help them build expertise in scaling their operations in India.

Through mentorship, T-Hub would enable Canadian entrepreneurs to offer high-quality solutions to Indian consumers and supercharge innovation, while bolstering trade relations and knowledge-transfer between the two countries. The T-Hub and Communitech had signed an MoU during Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to India earlier this year. “India unlocks huge opportunities for global entrepreneurs to scale their businesses,” T-Hub CEO Jay Krishnan said in a release on the programme. Canadian start-ups stood to benefit from the vast market, while India would receive technology solutions in critical areas such as sustainability and healthcare, he added. Being accepted into this programme offered by Communitech, the Canadian Digital Media Network and T-Hub would result in a much more successful entry into India for Canadian tech companies, said Lisa Cashmore, Communitech’s director of international strategy.

Selected companies – in the areas of clean technologies and sustainable infrastructure; health and biotechnology; and B2B enterprise solutions – would receive two-and-a-half months of virtual coaching and access to resources, followed by three weeks in market.

While in India, the company representatives get to participate in formal programming in Hyderabad and network and travel for sales meetings around the country. Companies would receive up to $4,000 CAD to help offset travel and accommodation costs to be reimbursed by the CDMN, the release said. Last date for application is August 15. Visit https://t-hub.co/globalbridge_ca_in for more details.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – July 17th, 2018

A near-professional U-15 football team in the making

Records, All, Sports

To play league matches exclusively for Hyderabad Football Academy

The coming week, Hyderabad Football Academy (HFA) would become the only sports school in the city to have an under-15 football team that would exclusively play for it. Besides, the team would play for the academy in league matches at the national level approved by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The U-15 tournaments hosted by the AIFF include Indian-league (I-league).

The team would be selected from a group of children who are already being trained at the academy. The HFA holds three regular training sessions for children in a week. The U-15 team would, however, be trained throughout the year.

According to HFA director Tejo Ananth Dasari, the team would start playing at the national level in 2019, after completing over six months of training in Hyderabad. “When they play in national tournaments, they get more exposure and their game improves. It also helps them improve their discipline and performance. Each of the States in the country, including Telangana, has about 40 U-15 teams, though a very few play at the national level. Each professional football club in India too has U-15 teams as they work as talent pool for the club,” said Mr. Dasari.

The HFA that feeds talent to Kerala Blasters also hopes to make its U-15 team rise to professional standards. “In Europe, U-15 players get to play a lot of matches at the national level. Our aim is to develop the same culture here,” Mr. Dasari explained.

The academy organised an U-14 and U-16 tournament in 2017 in which 22 teams participated. “Children who have talent should be encouraged to play league matches nationally as it makes them feel like a professional in some way. We want our U-15 team to play 11-a-side matches (11 players on each side),” Mr. Dasari said.

Most children’s football matches are held with five or seven players on each side. “The U-15 team will also play against children from different backgrounds. Students from government, private and public schools should play together so that we get to see the talent from rural districts too,” Mr. Dasari said.

The academy that was founded in 2014 also hopes to run residential facility for its team. “We hope to set up residential facility and develop our own ground in two years,” the HFA director said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Nikhila Henry / Hyderabad – July 15th, 2018

A literary trove found in a grain market

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leaders, Records, All

Sarojini Naidu’s unseen private collection will soon be available for research

A treasure trove of hundred thousand private papers, books, paintings and scribblings of poetess and stateswoman Sarojini Naidu was discovered after a massive hunt ended in the Mahankali Grain Market attached to the famous Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad.

Now, books and documents filling about eight almirahs have been moved to Marri Chenna Reddy Human Resource Development Institute (MCRHRDI) for safe-keeping and cataloguing. They will soon be available for researchers and historians. Though Sarojini Naidu hailed from Hyderabad, most of her personal papers and collections were donated to the Nehru Memorial Museum in New Delhi by her daughter Padmaja Naidu while some are with the National Archives of India.

The hint

The hint about these lost documents first came when former Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh was writing the biography of the founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Then again while former journalist and author Sheela Reddy was writing a book about the Jinnahs, she began searching for the documents and located them in the upper floor room of a busy grain market.

“It was 7.20 p.m. on August 2, 2017, and it had already become dark when the custodian of the market opened the door. Without any light, I could not see anything. The next day I reached there at 6 a.m. and the treasure in the almirahs blew my mind away,” said Raghavendra Singh, Director-General National Archives of India who was helped in tracing the papers by Ms. Sheela Reddy.

Among the collection were a few autographed portraits of Sarojini Naidu. “See this. This one has been drawn by the brother of W.B. Yeats (John Butler Yeats),” says Mr. Singh, showing an image clicked with his cellphone.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Serish Nanisetti / Hyderabad – July 11th, 2018

Master class on mitigating severe asthma

Education, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

A Master class on Bronchial Thermoplasty, the ultra advanced procedure to treat severe asthma was organised by the Department of Interventional Pulmonology of Yashoda Hospitals here on Tuesday.

Said to be the first-ever such Master class in the country, the innovative and state-of-the-art procedure gaining rapid acceptance world over is available in few major modern medical centres. The Yahsoda had taken the initiative to organise the Master class for the benefit of practising pulmonologists, according to a release.

The two-day training programme included hands-on workshop and was inaugurated by Pavan Gorukanti, Director, Yashoda Hospitals Group, Hyderabad here on Monday. The Master class provided a comprehensive overview of advanced therapeutic bronchoscopic procedure- Bronchial Thermoplasty, he said.

About 200 leading pulmonologists from India and from overseas attended the programme. The Master class had both foreign and Indian faculties and few guest invitees including Adrian Chan from Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Jamalul Azizi Abdul Rahman from Serdang Hospital, Malaysia and Elena from Romania and Deepak Talwar (Metro Hospitals) and Karan Madan (AIIMS) from India.

The programme also included live case demonstrations organised by the Yashoda Hospitals team of Interventional Pulmonologists led by Hari Kishan, V.G. Nagarjuna Maturu , M. Gangadhar Reddy and Y.Gopi Krishna. the release added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – July 11th, 2018

From Everest with Love, a climbing experience

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, Sports
Mountaineer Neelima Pudota at book release function.

Mithali Raj’s book Unguarded soon

Neelima Pudota, the first woman from Hyderabad to climb Mount Everest launched her book ‘From Everest with Love’ in an event at Dr.Y.S.R. National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Gachibowli recently.

Neelima, who penned her experience of scaling the peak in her book said it consisted of letters she wrote to her mother from the Everest. The objective behind compiling the letters into a book and publishing it is to share her experience with everyone, she said. The book would give the readers a virtual climb of the mountain, she said.

Mithali Raj, Captain of Indian Women’s Cricket team, released the book along with former MD and Vice Chairman of SAAP G. Rekha Rani. The SAAP had supported Neelima’s expedition to the Mount Everest.

Neelima’s mountaineering equipment on display got a lot of curious audience followed by a book signing session by the author.

The book is available for purchase on Amazon.in and Flipkart. Mithali Raj whose book ‘Unguarded’ due for release in October, shared her own journey.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – July 11th, 2018

NTPC bags Golden Peacock award

Green Initiatives / Environment, Records, All, Science & Technology

NTPC Ramagundam received the Golden Peacock award on energy efficiency at the 20th World Congress on Environment Management and Climate Change organised by the Institute of Directors, New Delhi, on Friday.

Ramagundam Group general manager Ravindra and DGM (EEMG) Manoj Kumar Jha received the award.

Recognition of efforts

This award recognises NTPC-Ramagundam’s contribution towards reducing the greenhouse gas emission into environment through well-developed energy efficiency management system at the power station as well as actions taken for system performance improvements by system modifications, augmentations and promotion of new technologies towards climate change.

NTPC-Ramagundam in last 20 years has avoided almost 15 millions tonnes of carbon-dioxide from emission into environment due to its performance/efficiency improvement initiatives.

Upon receiving the award, GGM Ravindra expressed his happiness and said this award will not only bolster NTPC-Ramagundam’s image but also motivate them to give their best.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Peddapalli – July 08th, 2018

TSRTC bags three awards in Kuala Lumpur

Records, All, Travel, World Opinion

The Telangana Road Transport Corporation bagged three awards at the fourth edition of the Ashok Leyland and Abhibus India Bus Awards in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The corporation received top awards for Leadership Award in Bus Transport – Strengthening of TSRTC, Excellence in Environmental Initiative – Usage of Alternate Fuels and runner-up for Top Bus Driver award.

Malaysia government’s Tourism Director-General Datuk Seri Mirza Mohammad Taiyba presented the awards. Chief Traffic Manager B. Ravinder and other officials received the awards on behalf of the RTC.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Telangana / by Staff Reporter / Hyderabad – July 07th, 2018

Tiny Zebra Fish come as a big boon to scientists

Agriculture, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology
CCMB Director Rakesh Mishra addressing a press conference in the city on Thursday.

Experiments being carried out on them as they have organs like humans

It’s a tiny fish found in abundance in India that has come as a boon to scientists and researchers here. They no longer need to be dependent on primates or mice for conducting tests that go through strict regulatory controls. To top it all, the Zebra Fish have organs just like humans which they can also regenerate that makes them ideal for carrying out experiments.

Scientists have been carrying out tests such as putting cancer tumours in fish and using a whole lot of medicines that are available to check for their potency and efficacy. “This could help us in getting closer to providing personalised medicine,” said Rakesh Mishra, Director of Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)’s Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB).

Research facility

The CCMB that opened an exclusive state-of-the-art Zebra Fish research facility within its campus here a few months ago, organised a two-day nationwide meet recently. It brought together scientists from top institutes like TIFR, IIT-H, IGIB, IISER, etc., dealing with Zebra Fish as a model system for research to collaborate and discuss the ongoing work in areas of developmental biology, neurobiology, disease biology, behavioural studies and so on.

Dr. Mishra and Megha Kumar, in-charge of the facility here, told the presspersons on Thursday that about 40 labs in the country were currently working with Zebra Fish for it can mimic the human body.

“It has a limited life span and due to its transparent outer layer, you can see the embryo growing and the functioning of its body parts. And, it is 500 times cheaper when compared to working with mice or others which require a lot of facilities,” they said.

As its body parts can regenerate, it opens up “exciting possibilities” and is very efficient for genome editing, explained Dr. Mishra.

At present, the CCMB unit is concentrating on breast cancer research where the tumour is introduced into the Zebra Fish to check for cells’ behaviour and their expansion and controlling it by using the available medicines.

Behavioural studies

Other studies on Zebra Fish include behavioural ones like how the female fish does not produce eggs to fertilise when few drops of alcohol are introduced into a male!

Mr. Mishra said another exclusive research facility for gene sequencing would be operational soon, while a proposal to have a high-end imaging facility was awaiting government approvals.

Discussions were on with the State government for taking possession of land for its new field lab to test for rice varieties, on mosquitoes and others, near Bhongir, he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – July 05th, 2018