Category Archives: Arts, Culture & Entertainment

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

Chekuri Rama Rao, a Versatile Literary Personality

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Hyderabad :

In the death of Chekuri Rama Rao (1934-2014), popularly and affectionately called CheRaa, Telugu literature has lost one of its finest literary critics and a highly respected mentor of poetry in particular and literature in general. He was a versatile literary personality spread across poetry, linguistics, poetry appreciation, literary criticism, teaching, public speaking and editing.

Born in an agricultural family in Illindalapadu near Madhira in Khammam district, he had his education in Sattenapalli, Narsaraopet, Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam. While in high school in Narasaraopet, he began writing romantic poetry under the influence of Nayani Subba Rao, a harbinger of romantic poetry in Telugu. Studying BA in Nizam College in the early 1950s when love for Telugu language and literature were in the air, he got interested in Telugu and went to Andhra University to do his masters in Telugu. Acquaintance with Bhadriraju Krishnamurthy, forerunner Lingusitics discipline in this part of the world, inspired Rama Rao to take up his masters in Linguistics from University of Wisconsin and doctoral study at Cornell University, US. Returning from the US in mid 1960s, he joined Osmania University as a lecturer and worked there in various positions for about 30 years.

The hallmark of Chera was that he was a blend of a rigorous, trained analyst and sensitive, emotional dreamer. These two essential characteristics inform all his writings and speeches as well as his inter-personal relationships. All through he sailed with revolutionary trends in Telugu, so much that he was considered as a member of Revolutionary Writers’ Association without membership in technical sense. He might have attended and spoke at hundreds of meetings of revolutionary literary, students and cultural associations. Yet, that did not prevent him from sharing dais with traditionalists and speaking about and appreciating non-revolutionary trends. He was democratic to the core in all his personal and professional relations though being very strong in his views.

His name stands tall among the Marxist literary critics in Telugu, but his approach was a bit inclusive of taste and rasa, unlike traditional Marxist literary criticism. He published more than a dozen standard texts of literary criticism and linguistics including Telugu Vakyam (1975), Vachana Padyam – Lakshana Charcha (1978), Telugulo Velugulu (1982), CheRaathalu (1991), CheRaa Peethikalu (1994), Mutyala Saraala Muchchatlu (1997), Smriti Kinaankam (2000), Bhaashaanuvartanam (2000), Bhashaantarangam (2001), Sahitya Vyasa Rincholi (2001), Kavitvaanubhavam (2001), Vachana Rachana Tatvaanveshana (2002), Sahitya Kirmeeram (2002) and Bhasha Parivesham (2003).

He also published his poetry of youth after 20 years with the same title – Rendu Padula Paina (1982). Besides these published books and collections, there might be hundreds of uncollected research papers, essays, prefaces and introductions.

He will be remembered more for at least three significant works:

He created a sort of sensational interest among poets and poetry lovers in the mid-1980s with a weekly column of poetry appreciation in the Sunday supplement of Andhra Jyothi. The column, CheRaatalu was a rage in those days with almost all poets aspiring to be written about and all the poetry lovers seeking Rama Rao’s recommendations and analyses.

Any Telugu reader would thank Hyderabad Book Trust for creating and feeding the urge for good reading in Telugu society with its hundreds of titles since late 1970s. The credit for making HBT such an enduring brand goes to Rama Rao for helping HBT as its editor.

Andhra Pradesh Open University was able to attract thousands of neo literates to become graduates not only because of its ease of admission but also of the great style it used in all its text books. Rama Rao was one of the architects of the style.

The legacy Chekuri Rama Rao leaves behind is immense and in a way death cannot take him away from Telugu literary lovers.

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

Government Names Award in Honour of Telangana Literary Giant Dasarathi

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Hyderabad :

Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao wants to completely change the cultural image of Telangana. Stating that the culture was Telangana was always kept low under the rule of Seemandhra leaders, KCR said he now wants to establish a new cultural era for Telangana and show the world that Telangana culture is in no way inferior when compared to other cultures.

Post bifurcation, the KCR-led new government is leaving no stone unturned in extending its vision to rebuild the cultural image of the state. Keeping in view the vision, the chief minister announced a `1lakh award in the name of Telangana literary icon Dasarathi Karishnamachary on his 89th birth anniversary at Ravindra Bharathi on Tuesday. The award will encourage yound writers in the state, he said.

The award is the first one to be constituted by the new government in honour of a personality from the state. The award will annually recognise outstanding contributions in the field of Telugu literature. As a tribute to Dasarathi, who is known for his rebellious writings against the Nizams, the government will install his statue at Tankbund, KCR announced. “People create controversies when I speak about statutes but the reality is our children do not even know whose statutes exist at Tankbund,” the chief minister said.

After learning about the financial struggle of the icon’s family, the chief minister promised a government job for his son Dasarathi Laxman. “Dasarathi deserved greater honours and so does his family. From today, his family will not have to suffer. An appointment order will be ready in the next two-three days,” KCR said. Recalling his experience with Dasarathi’s writings, the chief minister said he was inspired by them as a students. “In fact, his writings inspired me during the Telangana movement,” he added.

“Today, to honour our legendary poet and writer is the victory of all the people of the state,” he said and added that the state government will organise the birth anniversary celebrations of eminent Telangana icons who have helped in the development of the state. “It is very disappointing that very few government institutions have been named after leaers from Telangana. Very soon a prestigious institution or university will be named after Dasarathi,” the chief minister said.

Listening to the discussion by guests like vice-chancellor of Telugu university Elluri Shiva Reddy and poet Rallabandi Kavita Prasad, KCR, who is a poet himself, rued the fact that he was not able to attend poetry meets due to his bust schedule. “Right now, I do not want to leave this place but I do not have a choice,” he said in a typically Telangana accent.

The chief minister felt that the state need more auditoriums like Ravindra Bharathi and promised to revamp the auditorium which has been hosting many cultural programmes for a long time.

Noticing the poor facilities at the auditorium, KCR promised to increase its annual grant from `30 lakh to `1 crore and assured that the state government would transform the auditorium into a world-class one. Taking a dig at previous regimes for the poor facilities in the auditorium, he said “Previous governments kept boasting that their Telugu was superior to our Telugu but left a place like Ravindra Bharathi in shambles,” and added the cultural revamp of the state included improving facilities at the Potti Sriramulu Telugu University.

KCR was the chief guest at a function to celebrate the 89th birth anniversary of Dasarathi Krishnamachary organised by the department of language and culture.

An Ode to Telangana

Dasarathi Krishnamacharya was a writer and poet from Telangana in the Nizam era. He is popularly known as Dasarathi. He was born on July 22, 1927, in Chinnaguduru village of Warangal district. Dasarathi is considered as one of the first to fight for Telangana. He became the icon of Telangana movement by his popular line ‘Na Telangana Koti Ratanala Veena’ in which he described Telangana with ‘veena’ decked with innumerable diamonds. He wrote these lines in the jail at Nizamabad when he was arrested for raising his voice against the Nizam rulers. These lines became very popular during the Telangana movement. He received Sahitya Akademi award for his literary work ‘Thimiramto Samaram’ (Fight against the Darkness) in 1974. He also wrote songs for Telugu movies like ‘Vandanam’ and ‘Iddaru Mitrulu’. He passed away in 1987.

Cultural Touch

Award to be given every year for best constribution in Telugu literature

Dasarathi’s statue to be installed at Tankbund

Birth anniv to be celebrated every year

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / July 23rd, 2014

Book plumbs new facets of Andhra Pradesh’s history

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence

Hyderabad :

The objective of writing history of Andhra Pradesh, covering coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana, without seeking government help is “to keep it scientific, secular and free from any bias,” said veteran historian V Ramakrishna on Friday.

He was speaking at a function organized to release the fifth volume of the comprehensive history of Andhra Pradesh. The volume was released by governor E L S Narasimhan who said that the Andhra Pradesh History Congress, which was formed in 1976 and whose members have compiled the voluminous data, should take some help to facilitate its work. “Do not oblige anybody, but do take help because it is a gigantic task and the need of the hour,” he said.

Ramakrishna, who is popularly known as VRK, said that it was in 1998 that the APHC decided to compile and publish the comprehensive History and Culture of Andhra Pradesh in eight volumes which, with time, have been expanded into nine volumes.

The need for the series was felt because no connected, authenticated, chronologically arranged narrative from an inter-disciplinary perspective, incorporating the latest data, is available today. “Writing micro history is difficult. The content of each chapter is verified at various levels for its authenticity. I want to pay tribute to the contributing historians because they have written, not for money, but their dedication towards the cause of history,” he informed the audience.

The members of the editorial board of the history series include K S Kameswara Rao, A Satyanarayan and G Venkata Ramayya while the general editor is V Ramakrishna. The fifth volume has been edited by R Soma Reddy.

According to speakers at the function, the present volume is on Late Medieval Andhra Pradesh covering the period between 1324 and 1724, a period that witnessed the rise of larger regional state powers such as the kingdom of Vijayanagara and the Bahmanis.

Consequent upon the constant flux of people of different languages, faiths, cultures and professions and the establishment of foreign settlements, a liberal spirit of tolerance developed, which was furthered by the prevalence of Sufi and Bhakti cults. One of the most significant features of the times was the evolution of composite Dakhni Deccani culture, along with the rise of the Deccani Urdu language.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / TNN / July 19th, 2014

Tennis star Sania Mirza appointed brand ambassador of Telangana

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Sports, World Opinion
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao with tennis star Sania Mirza at a meeting in Hyderabad. Photo: PTI
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao with tennis star Sania Mirza at a meeting in Hyderabad. Photo: PTI

Hyderabad:

Indian tennis star Sania Mirza was on Tuesday appointed ‘Brand Ambassador’ of Telangana.

She will promote the new “state’s interests” in India and abroad, according to Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Managing Director Jayesh Rajan.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao handed over a letter of appointment and also a cheque of Rs one crore to 27-year-old Sania at an interaction session with industrialists here.

“Telangana is proud of Sania who is a true Hyderabadi. She’s now ranked number five in international tennis and we wish she becomes the number one,” the Chief Minister said on the occasion.

Chief Secretary Rajiv Sharma, Special Chief Secretary (Industries) K Pradeep Chandra and other officials were present.

SaniaTELANGANA22jul2014

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Currrent Affairs / PTI / July 22nd, 2014

This ‘FAST’ one may stump students

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education

State working out modalities to ensure ‘Financial Assistance to Students of Telangana’ scheme benefits ‘genuine’ students

FASTtelengana19jul2014

Students can’t take the Financial Assistance to Students of Telangana (FAST) scheme for granted and they may have to continuously perform well in the annual examinations to gain eligibility for the next academic year apart from fulfilling the university-prescribed attendance norm.

Authorities are working out on the modalities to put several such riders to ensure that only ‘genuine’ students get the benefit while weeding out those joining the courses just because the Government pays the fee. Academic performance will be the main criterion apart from fulfilling other criterion like the parents’ annual income. Even the best students may not get the total fee reimbursed unless needy, senior officials, pleading anonymity said.

“Fee reimbursement scheme will see changes and a committee of IAS officers will decide on the new modalities. It is not free for all and more so, for the ineligible,” an official involved in the FAST scheme said.

“Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, wants engineers, who can meet the demands of the IT industry that will take a huge leap with the Information Technology Investments Region (ITIR) projects. Hence, he is serious about Telangana students benefitting from it,” the official said. He reminds that the employability of local engineers is just eight per cent compared to 47 per cent of Tamil Nadu. FAST will focus to create such serious professionals, he said.

The present scheme is grossly misused and funds are unevenly distributed, officials said. In the combined State, out of the Rs. 4,500 crore spent on reimbursement, 75 per cent was grabbed by students of engineering, MBA, MCA and Pharmacy, who are just 20 per cent of the student community. It means nearly 80 per cent of funds are going to just 20 per cent of students, officials claim.

Last year 28 lakh students benefitted from fee reimbursement of which 14.88 lakh were from Telangana. The number is likely to come down to just around 8 lakh this year due to the nativity factor being introduced. The Government said students whose parents were residents of Telangana region before November 1, 1956 will be eligible for the scheme virtually ruling out any scope for students from Andhra region to benefit.

Nativity issue

Officials say the reason behind designing the new ‘nativity’ norm is the large number of Seemandhra region students in Telangana. Nearly 39,000 students from Seemandhra districts are pursuing education in Telangana gaining admission through the 15 per cent non-local (open merit) quota.

Of this nearly 24,000 are in professional colleges, 6,000-odd each in Intermediate and Degree colleges. On the other side about 18,000 Telangana students are in Andhra Pradesh and majority of them have gone there to pursue education while their parents are still residents of Telangana.

However, number of students with Seemandhra ancestry will be much higher as thousands of students born in Telangana to parents from Seemandhra region are now technically considered as Telangana students only. The new norm plans to identify and make them ineligible for FAST scheme.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by R. Ravikanth Reddy / Hyderabad – July 19th, 2014

New Telangana State Ushers in Its First Bonalu Festival

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Hyderabad :

The annual Ashada Jatara Bonalu festival will be held at the Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad on Sunday. After the formation of new Telangana state, this would be the first grand festival to be held in the new state. The state government has declared Bonalu it a state festival.

Bonalu is an important Hindu festival dedicated to the Goddess Mahakali and is held in the month of Ashadam. The festival is celebrated to ward off evil and usher in peace and harmony.

Apart from Ujjaini Mahankali temple, several Mahakali temples located in Secunderadad like Ramgopalpet, Pan Bazar, Mettuguda, Bhoiguda, R P Road and M G Road, Paradise, YMCA, Patny and Ranigunj will also be celebrating the festival on the same day. Meanwhile, preparations are under way in full swing for the festival.

Executive Officer and Assistant Commissioner of Sri Ujjaini Mahakali Devasthanam, Secunderabad, A Ashok Goud said Sri Ammavaru (Goddess Mahakali) darshan would will commence at 4 am on Sunday and go on till 2 am the next day.

Devotees will be allowed for darshan (prayers) of Goddess Mahakali through dharma darshanam entrance from 4 am. Lakhs of devotees are expected to visit the temple for darshan during this period.Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao along with family members, Ministers, MPs and MLAs would offer prayers to goddess Mahakali at around noon on Sunday.

Rangam tomorrow

The festival will conclude on Monday with ‘Rangam’, foretelling of the future by a young unmarried woman at 9 am followed by Mahakali procession on a caparisoned elephant. The procession with the Mahankali idol will begin at 10.30 am and culminate at Mettuguda.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Express News Service / July 13th, 2014

Telangana Steals Show at Tourism Fair

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Travel

Hyderabad :

The Travel and Tourism Fair (TTF) travel show that got underway at Hitex in Hyderabad on Friday proved to be a big canvas for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to promote their tourism in a big way.

Those who had visited the TTF trade fair, organised by Fairfest Media Limited in Hyderabad on previous occasions, would be now looking at two pavilions instead of one belonging to a composite state with the youngest state of India – Telangana – making its debut at the fair in a colourful manner. Its pavilion was artfully constructed based on Kakatiya theme. AP Tourism’s pavilion, simple yet elegant, catches the eye of the visitor with artfully decorated posters and wood carvings from Madavamala.

Beside the Telangana pavilion, Gujarat pavilion stands in all its glory with colourfully attired artistes playing dandiya raas. The three-day travel show, features around 200 stalls from across the country. Sri Lanka, Malyasia, Thailand and Oman also set up their stalls. In the middle of the expo, stands Kerala’s pavilion attracting the visitors.

Besides tourism departments and development corporations of states like Assam, Goa, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Jharkhand and others, several private players from hospitality industry have also set up stalls. “It is a platform for the who and who of tourism and hospitality industry to interact, share and collaborate,” Fairfest Medial Limited joint managing director Gazanfar Ibrahim told ‘Express.’

“Like previous year, this year too, there is a good participation from India as well as abroad,” he said. Ibrahim said the tourism sector is one of the top five priorities of the NDA government. “If there is no uncertainty, progress in tourism is possible,” he pointed out.

On the incentives announced for the tourism sector in the Union Budget, he said: “Much needs to be done for the sector, especially rationalisation of taxation, if we are to stand a chance with global tourism players like Malaysia, Singapore, among others.”

The travel show will be open for the general public from Saturday 3 pm. The show concludes on Sunday evening.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by S Guru Srikanth / July 02nd, 2014

Stars walk the ramp for education cause

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy
From Left: Shilpa Reddy, Lakshmi Manchu, event organiser M.R.S.K. Chaitanya, Dia Mirza and Saina Nehwal at a fashion show organised by the Teach for Change initiative (Photo: DC)
From Left: Shilpa Reddy, Lakshmi Manchu, event organiser M.R.S.K. Chaitanya, Dia Mirza and Saina Nehwal at a fashion show organised by the Teach for Change initiative (Photo: DC)

Hyderabad:

The who’s who of the city was present at a fashion show organised by the Teach for Change initiative at a star hotel here on Friday to raise funds for textbooks being sourced from Cambridge University. The initiative is supported by Deccan Chronicle. Hundreds of enthusiasts from different fields were present to support the cause for better education for the deprived children.

Badminton ace Saina Nehwal, actresses Dia Mirza, Lakshmi Manchu and Adah Sharma, theatre personality Dolly Thakore, IT minister K.T. Rama Rao, designer Shilpa Reddy, and Karuna Gopal of FFC walked the ramp with kids from 10 government schools.

Dolly Thakore also introduced the “Edu Beam” — a satellite-based educative link that is being tested in Mumbai’s municipal schools. “There is always a lacuna in what government does for its state. And such initiatives bring to light a few issues. The Telangana government will certainly give special attention to the field of education and will introduce innovation in learning,” said Mr Rama Rao.

“India must learn from Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Finland and Taiwan, which have adopted groundbreaking techniques in the field of education — like using information communication technology, teaching life and nature, using iPads etc. — now that the World Bank has allotted a billion dollars for education,” said Ms Karuna Gopal, president, Foundation for Futuristic Cities (FFC).

In a bid to add a comprehensive value addition, the Teach for Change initiative has adopted 10 government schools across the city to provide critical inputs in the areas of English learning and leadership qualities.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Education / DC / Bhagyashree Tarke / July 12th, 2014