Category Archives: Records, All

Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao picks Golconda for Independence Day

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Nature, Records, All
Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao inspects the Golconda Fort on Monday along with other officials. (Photo: DECCAN CHRONICLE)
Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao inspects the Golconda Fort on Monday along with other officials. (Photo: DECCAN CHRONICLE)

Hyderabad:

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will unfurl the national flag in the historic 15th century Golconda fort on Independence Day.

“I received tremendous response from people across Telangana, India and abroad over the proposal to have Independence Day celebrations at Golconda Fort. Henceforth Golconda, one of the icons of Telangana, will be the permanent venue for Independence day celebrations,” the Chief Minister told this newspaper on Monday. Mr Rao also plans to hold national celebrations at landmark places like forts in Telangana next year.

If he has his way, the Republic Day celebrations on January 26, 2015, may also be held in the Golconda Fort instead of the Parade Grounds in Secunderabad.

Mr Rao was inspired by the unfurling of the national flag at the Red Fort in New Delhi on Independence Day. “Selection of Golconda Fort is symbolic, a remembering of the past. It’s a re-glorification of TS. We have to showcase our priceless treasures like Golconda and other historical places in Telangana,” he said.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / DC / C. R. Gowri Shanker / August 05th, 2014

It’s a ‘golden’ moment for us, say Kashyap’s parents

Amazing Feats, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion
India's Kashyap Parupalli holds the National Flag as he celebrates beating Singapore's Derek Wong in the men's singles badminton for gold medal in 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, on Sunday. Photo: AFP
India’s Kashyap Parupalli holds the National Flag as he celebrates beating Singapore’s Derek Wong in the men’s singles badminton for gold medal in 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, on Sunday. Photo: AFP

Parupalli Kashyap achieved what his coach and mentor Pullela Gopichand could not do – win the men’s singles badminton gold in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Sunday. And, quite predictably, this fantastic achievement proved to be a “huge relief” for his parents, Parupalli Uday Shankar and Subadhra.

Immediately after this feat, Telangana State Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao sent him a congratulatory message. “We hope this Hyderabad-born player will win many more medals in future,” Mr. Rao said in the message.

Kashyap’s parents’ anxiety, especially in the decider of the men’s final when he warded off a spirited challenge from Derek Wong of Singapore, was understandable. “Yes, we were all waiting for this ‘golden’ moment. It is a huge relief that finally Kashyap is the gold medallist in a major event,” exclaimed a beaming Uday in a chat with The Hindu.

“We know how much pain and suffering he had to undergo because of the asthma problem. There was a phase when that threatened his career. But sheer grit, support from everyone and by God’s grace, Kashyap overcame all that and is now a champion player,” pointed out the proud father, who is scheduled to leave for Nigeria for a long assignment as the CEO of a company.

File photo of India's best men's singles badminton player Parupalli Kashyap sharing a few moments with his parents Uday Shankar and Subadhra after winning the Arjuna Award at his residence in Hyderabad. PHOTO: V. V. Subrahmanyam / The Hindu
File photo of India’s best men’s singles badminton player Parupalli Kashyap sharing a few moments with his parents Uday Shankar and Subadhra after winning the Arjuna Award at his residence in Hyderabad. PHOTO: V. V. Subrahmanyam / The Hindu

Interestingly, though the 27-year-old champion shuttler did try to speak to his mother after the marathon semi-final on Saturday evening, he could not because she was indisposed. “He was a bit disappointed but I just told him that you should win the gold,” reveals Uday Shankar. What has apparently delighted the proud parents is that now Kashyap is the proud owner of a gold in a major event of this magnitude beating his previous best performances of a bronze (men’s singles) and a silver (mixed team event)in the 2010 CWG and a quarter-final appearance in the 2012 London Olympics.

“Yes, we are all proud of his achievement,” his elated parents commented.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by V. V. Subrahmanyam / Hyderabad – August 04th, 2014

City’s ‘fab four’ for Asian Games

Records, All, Sports
T. Naresh, Sara Ravinder Reddy, Kasi Viswanadha Raju and M. C. H. R. Krishnam Raju who will represent India in the Incheon Asian Games beach volleyball competitions, meet in Hyderabad on Friday. Photo: V.V. Subrahmanyam / The Hindu
T. Naresh, Sara Ravinder Reddy, Kasi Viswanadha Raju and M. C. H. R. Krishnam Raju who will represent India in the Incheon Asian Games beach volleyball competitions, meet in Hyderabad on Friday. Photo: V.V. Subrahmanyam / The Hindu

Even the dearth of facilities for beach volleyball here could not deter these players from winning accolades. The ‘Fab Four’, also represent the way some die-hard athletes continue to struggle despite lack of a proper system.

Hyderabad doesn’t have a beach anywhere in the vicinity. But, the makeshift beach volleyball court at Musheerabad Playground continues to produce quality players good enough to represent India at the highest level.

Asian Games in Incheon from September 19 will witness a rare feature of four Hyderabadis – Sara Ravinder Reddy (Postal), Kasi Viswanadha Raju (Income Tax), Tumpera Naresh and M.C.H.R. Krishnam Raju (both from Customs & Central Excise) – representing India in the beach volleyball competitions. While Ravinder and Kasi earned the privilege by virtue of being the national champions, Naresh and Krishnam Raju were the runners-up in the Chennai edition.

The ‘Fab Four’, also represent the way some die-hard athletes continue to struggle despite lack of a proper system.

“It is very difficult to sustain your interest in the sport for you are not sure of what sort of encouragement you get,” says 34-year-old Ravinder, who along with Kasi will be featuring in his second Asian Games.

Significantly, these beach volley ball players have no coach and train on their own; thanks to the efforts of national volleyball referee M.B. Narsimloo, hailing from the locality.

“Our competitors have long-term training and facilities. You can imagine how difficult it will be for us to adjust to the playing conditions in Incheon where you play on the natural beach with strong winds. It demands high levels of endurance, skills and a different kind of preparation altogether,” the four say.

Ravinder and Kasi won the senior national title last week in Chennai as wild card entrants because the Telangana Volleyball Association is yet to get the affiliation from the Volleyball Federation of India.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / V. V. Subrahmanyam / Hyderabad – August 02nd, 2014

Telenagana map of coins

Amazing Feats, Records, All
Harish Reddy is a student of Vasundhara Degree College and he made a map which was displayed at the Secretariat. (Photo: DC)
Harish Reddy is a student of Vasundhara Degree College and he made a map which was displayed at the Secretariat. (Photo: DC)

Hyderabad:

On Thursday, 19-year-old Harish Reddy, a student of Vasundhara Degree College, created a record by making a 20 feet x 20 feet Telangana map from coins. The map, comprising 21,031 coins, some of which are hundreds of years old, was on display at the Secretariat.

“I have been collecting these coins since 10-10-2010. It was after my grandmother told me fascinating stories about coins from her era that I got hooked on this hobby. It took me four to five hours to make this map,” says Harish, who had help from NGO Youth in Action, Vasundhara Group of Colleges and Vasavi Seva Telangana organisation.

“Andhra Pradesh was formed on 1-11-1956 and Telangana State on 2-6-2014. The difference between the two is of 21,031 days, which is also the number of coins I have used. For my contribution, I have been included in the India and Limca Book of Records,” he says.

“My family was a big support. Keeping in mind that I spent Rs 1 lakh to procure these coins for the map, they would give me a few thousand rupees every month and I would travel to different villages in and around Hyderabad to buy the required coins,” adds Harish.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / DC / Anisha Dhiman / July 31st, 2014

Metro creates record; completes 27 km, 1,000 spans in 20 months

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, Travel
Hyderabad Metro Rail project created an all India construction record on Sunday with erection of the 1000th viaduct span and completion of 27 KM of Metro viaduct in just 20 months. The 1000th span near S.R. Nagar Bus stop was erected on Sunday. Photo: By Arrangement
Hyderabad Metro Rail project created an all India construction record on Sunday with erection of the 1000th viaduct span and completion of 27 KM of Metro viaduct in just 20 months. The 1000th span near S.R. Nagar Bus stop was erected on Sunday. Photo: By Arrangement

The significance of record can be measured by the fact that Mumbai Metro Rail took about seven years to complete 11 km of metro viaduct; Bangalore and Chennai took over five years to complete about 25 km of viaduct each. Delhi took more than three years to achieve the same.

City’s ongoing elevated metro project has created a construction record by completing 27 kilometres of metro viaduct in just 20 months.

While the first between two pillars was erected near Genpact in Habsiguda in December 2012, the 1,000th was done on Sunday near S.R.Nagar bus stop, thus completing 38 per cent of viaduct works.

A total of 2,665 spans are required for 72 km of viaduct spread over three corridors: Miyapur to L.B.Nagar, JBS to Falaknuma and Nagole to Shilparamam/Raidurg.

The significance of record can be measured by the fact that Mumbai Metro Rail took about seven years to complete 11 km of metro viaduct; Bangalore and Chennai took over five years to complete about 25 km of viaduct each. Delhi took more than three years to achieve the same.

Engineering feat

HMR’s engineering feat of fast construction in congested roads of Hyderabad with a good safety record was possible due to a number of proactive measures taken by the State Government and the engineering capabilities of L&T, said Managing Director N.V.S. Reddy.

As on date 1,473 foundations (56 per cent), 1,370 pillars (52 per cent) are completed.

The Government too had facilitated setting up of the country’s two biggest precast yards, one at Uppal in 70 acres and another one at Qutbullahpur in 62 acres where L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad had established factory-like precast yards with sophisticated machinery such as automatic steel cutting and bending machines to produce precast segments each weighing about 40 tons, he said.

Precast segments are being transported in the night on low-bedded trolleys to various metro construction sites and erected between metro pillars with the help of “launching girders”. In all, 15 launching girders are being used to carry out these erection works simultaneously at several spots.

General length between two pillars is 100 feet, bridged by 11 precast segments. They are then glued and tied with a bunch of iron strands from inside, elongated and permanently grouted. The viaduct spans can withstand heavy loads plus heavy gales or earthquakes.

CM’s pat for HMR

Meanwhile, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao congratulated HMR & L&TMRH engineers for the achievement on being informed by the MD.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – July 28th, 2014

Race among Anglo-Indians hots up for nominated post

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leaders, Records, All

Decision of the Telangana government to put on hold nomination of Anglo-Indian community member to the Legislative Assembly it had selected has raised the hopes of other aspirants.

The 10,000 strong Anglo-Indian community in the new State expressed surprise when Telangana government backed Royden Roach for the nominated MLA’s post. It is said that the community associations have written to the government objecting to his nomination.

Maureen Hatch, a social activist, Warren Latouche, president of All-India Anglo-Indian Association, Secunderabad-Hyderabad branch and Gerard Charles Carr, Treasurer of Federation of Anglo-Indian Association of India are hopeful of nomination.

Initially, the TRS government had recommended the name of Maureen Hatch, a social activist and former employee of AP Industrial Development Corporation.

However, a ‘small technical error’ in the covering letter and not her bio-data had resulted in the file recommending Ms. Maureen Hatch as the nominated MLA being returned from Governor’s office for ‘relook’.

Ms. Maureen told The Hindu that when she was requested to give a copy of her bio-data to the Telangana Legislature Secretary. The covering letter addressed to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was given, but the body of the letter contained YSR Congress party’s name. The error was brought to her notice, correction was made and a fresh letter submitted and accepted. She appealed to the TRS government to consider her candidature.

Wing-commander Peter de Padua, Vice-president of All India Anglo Indian Association Hyderabad-Secunderabad branch said that country head of the association Neil O’Brien and the governing body has recommend the name of Warren Latouche, president of the City branch for the post. “Mr. Latouche has demonstrated in many ways, genuine concern for the members of Anglo Indian community,” he said.

Mr. Carr is also in the race hoping that his association with the TRS and the community service he had done would get him the nomination.

Anglo-Indian Association general secretary Hilary Platel clarified that Elvis Stephenson was not the vice-president of the Association.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – July 26th, 2014

Bathukamma is made Telangana state festival

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All
Bathukamma festival in Telangana. ( Photo:DC/File)
Bathukamma festival in Telangana. ( Photo:DC/File)

Hyderabad:

The famed Bathukamma will now be a Telangana State festival. The government has declared “Bathukamma Panduga” to be the state festival on the lines of recently declared Bonalu Jatra. This is the second festival in Telangana to be declared a state festival after Bonalu, which was celebrated with state-backing in Secunderabad and Hyderabad in a big way recently.

Youth advancement tourism and culture department issued orders on Thursday in this regard. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao held a meeting with officials of the department of culture and others on June 16 and decided that Bonalu, Bathukamma be declared state festivals and celebrated in a big way across the state.

The Telangana Jagruti, headed by TRS MP Kavitha, had promoted Bathukamma in a big way during the Telangana movement along with Telangana cuisine. “Bathukamma Panduga is an important festival, which is celebrated across Telangana.

It is also an important cultural event of Telangana state, wherein large number of people, particularly women, participate with devotional fervour. Therefore, it is decided to declare the “Bathukamma Panduga”, as state festival duly providing assistance from different government departments and agencies for celebrating the festival,” said principal secretary to Telangana government B.P. Acharya.

Government asked the Department of Culture to take necessary action to celebrate the festival in a befitting manner. Bathukamma is one of the unique festival of Telangana region celebrated during Dasara Navarathri by women. Dressed in the best, the women sing songs in praise of Goddess Gouri during the nine day festivities.

Women seek the blessings of mother Goddes seeking prosperity and a good year. Colours, flowers and water are all intrinsic to the festival and the goddess herself is not one rooted in a shrine but turmeric and placed on top of conical flower arrangements that signify both life and eternity in their colours.

The flowers are immersed in tanks and rivers water on the 10th day. Local flowers like Gunuka, Tangedi, Lotus, Alli, Katla, Teku flowers which bloom in this season in various vibrant colours all across the uncultivated and barren lands are used to create flower arrangements.

Immersion of Bathukamma (Bathukamma visarjan) in water bodies is celebrated with utmost devotion and enthusiasm through out Telangana region.

source: http://wwww.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / DC Correspondent / July 25th, 2014

7-year Norm to Determine ‘Local’ Tag

About Telangana, Records, All

Hyderabad :

Seven years of education immediately preceding the qualifying examination has been taken as the basis for determining the ‘local candidature’ in accordance with Andhra Pradesh Public Employment Order 1975 for the division of government employees between Telangana and the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh in the draft guidelines issued by CR Kamalanathan Committee.

The committee issued the guidelines on Friday for allocation of the state services employees, who are around 51,000, between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and published the same on the public domain – www.reorganisation.ap.gov.in.

As per the 19 pages of guidelines, Article 371-D of the constitution will continue to remain in force in relation to the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

All the state-level posts (non-territorial) in departments would be equitably apportioned between the two states in the ratio of population (58.32 for AP and 41.68 for Telangana) or on the basis of geographic intensity of activity in the two states. State governments will determine the departments, state-level posts that are to be divided on the basis of geographic intensity of activities of the departments.

All sanctioned civil services and civil posts that existed immediately prior to the appointed day (June 1, 2014) shall be allotted to both the states. However, sanctioned posts do not include posts approved to be filled-in on contract or by outsourcing.

State services employees (allocable posts) will be given option to indicate their preference to service in either of the two states and allocations will be made after taking their option into consideration. However, it shall be open to the central government to allot the person to any successor state in the administrative interest or in the exigencies of public service. The allocation shall be done in order of seniority as available on June 1, 2014.

Those who have opted, who are ‘local candidates’ relatable to the state to which they have opted, shall, in order of their seniority, be considered for allocation first. If allocable posts in that category remain, others will be considered in reverse order of seniority by allotting the junior most.

Employees who are not local in relation to both states will be allocated on the basis of nativity or domicile based on due verification and certification of nativity or domicile by the head of the department concerned. Employees belonging to SC/ST communities shall be considered for allocation on the basis of their option, if they are local candidates or domicile. In the event an SC or ST employee has not exercised his option they will be allocated to the State of their domicile, as determined on their service register.

Class IV employees and drivers of light vehicles shall be allocated on the basis of option or local candidature, as far as possible. Spouse of All-India Services officers who is a state government employee shall be allocated, where so desired by the spouse, to the state to which AIS officer is allocated. Spouses in state government and related state government institutions shall as far as practicable be allocated to the same state, after considering their options.

Cases of alleviation of extreme personal hardship of state government employees will be exception to the principle. Widowed, legally separated and divorced women employees may be considered for allocation to the state to which option is exercised. Handicapped persons of more than 40 per cent disability may be allocated on the basis of option, subject to the procedure prescribed by the state government. Employees facing serious medical hardships (cancer, by-pass surgery, kidney transplantation of failure) be considered for allotment on special ground on priority on the basis of their option, subject to strict proof of verification.

Employees have to exercise their options in the prescribed proforma published along with the guidelines and submit the same to the Member-Secretary, Advisory Committee, GA State Reorganisation Department, AP Secretariat electronically and through the proper channel indicating their preference for either of the states within two weeks from the date of public notification calling for options.

Scrutiny of statements made in the option forms shall be done and factual accuracy of the statements made therein certified by the head of the department under whom the employee is working. If no option is received within the prescribed time, or where an employee is willing to be allotted to either of the two states such person shall be allotted based on the other criteria. Options once exercised cannot be changed.

After the distribution of posts is finalised, a tentative allocation list for all employees will be drawn up.Any objections by employees should be made within two weeks from the date of the publication of the tentative list.

The ambiguity over their temporary allocation among the employees has been finally put to rest with the issue of draft guidelines by Kamalanathan Committee. We are mostly satisfied by the guidelines though we have certain reservations pertaining to ‘local status’. We will submit our representations, if any, to the committee as advised.

— KV Krishanaiah, AP Gazetted Officers Assocation president

The draft guidelines issued by the CR Kamalnathan Committee lack clarity on several counts. In spite of our representation to the committee through our Chief Minister and Chief Secretary, none of the objections and suggestions were considered. We will decide our future course of action in the meeting with employees on Saturday and submit our objections to the committee as stated within 10 days. — G Deviprasad Rao, TNGO president

371-D in force

Seven years of education immediately preceding the qualifying examination basis for ‘local candidature’ in accordance with Andhra Pradesh Public Employment Order 1975

Committee draft guidelines posted on website www.reorganisation.ap.gov.in

Article 371-D of the Constitution will continue to remain in force in relation to the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh

State services employees (allocable posts) will be given option to indicate their preference to service in either of the two states

Employees belonging to SC/ST communities shall be considered for allocation on the basis of their option if they are local candidates or domicile

The allocation shall be done in order of seniority as available on June 1, 2014

Options once exercised cannot be changed under any circumstance

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / July 26th, 2014

Trainee boxers strike gold

Records, All, Sports, World Opinion
Chairman of Visakhapatnam Port Trust M.T. Krishna Babu with trainees of Sports Authority of India's STC at Port stadium, Visakhapatnam Shashikala (on his right) and Nikhat Zareen who won gold medals in the Golden Gloves international youth men and women boxing meet in Serbia on Monday. / The Hindu
Chairman of Visakhapatnam Port Trust M.T. Krishna Babu with trainees of Sports Authority of India’s STC at Port stadium, Visakhapatnam Shashikala (on his right) and Nikhat Zareen who won gold medals in the Golden Gloves international youth men and women boxing meet in Serbia on Monday. / The Hindu

Two girls, who are trainees of the Sports Authority of India’s Sports Training Centre at the Port stadium here, won a gold medal each and helped India finish as runner-up in the Golden Gloves international youth women boxing meet held in Serbia from July 9 to 14. Twenty five teams participated in the meet.

Nikhat Zareen and Shashi Kala have participated in the international events in the past and the former has a few medals to her credit. Nikhat, hailing from Nizamabad district claimed the 54 kg category gold medal and Shashi Kala, a native of Himachal Pradesh won the 69 kg gold medal in the Serbia meet. Their coach, I. Venkateswara Rao, a Dronacharya awardee, is also from the port city.

The medal winners and their coach were congratulated by Chairman of Visakhapatnam Port Trust M.T. Krishna Babu on Wednesday. Deputy Chairman G.V.L. Satya Kumar, Sports Officer and former Olympian M.V. Manikyalu, Administrative Officer of SAI STC T. Kishor Kumar and general secretary of AP Boxing Federation G.V. Raviraju were also present.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Special Correspondent / Visakhapatnam – July 17th, 2014

Hyderabad may be Wi-Fi enabled by December

Records, All, Science & Technology

Hyderabad :

If everything goes according to plan, Hyderabad is all set to be a 4G Wi-Fi enabled city by the year end.

Reliance Group officials including CEO K S Venugopal and company coordinator PVC Madhava Rao called on chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao following which information technology minister Taraka Rama Rao held a review meeting with them. Reliance officials explained the road map for enabling the entire Hyderabad with 4G Wi-Fi towards the end of the year.

According to a press release, Reliance officials assured the government that the 4G service would be commissioned in September in the western part of the city where IT companies are clustered and would be gradually expanded to the rest of the city by December.

“The 4G Wi-Fi service will be launched in a phased manner.

In the first phase, along with Hyderabad, six corporations and 37 municipalities would be covered. In the second phase, 220 mandals will get the service. And in the third and final phase, the entire Telangana will come under 4G cover,” said the release.

For the first six months the service would be free. Following Hyderabad, Warangal would be a Wi-Fi enabled city in the second phase. Hoping to complete the ongoing works within the specified time frame,

Reliance is investing Rs 4,100 crore on the venture which calls for 1,700 km of optical fibre cable network. So far, 500 km of cabling has been completed.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / TNN / July 18th, 2014