Daily Archives: October 29, 2014

Hi-Tec Hyderabad logs into free public Wi-Fi

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology

Hyderabad :

In a bid to make Hyderabad the first WiFi enabled city in the country, telecom operator Bharti Airtel along with the Telangana government launched the pilot project, ‘Public WiFi,’ with the rollout of 17 WiFi spots in the city’s IT district on Friday.

Elaborating on the project, Bharti Airtel chief executive officer (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana) Venkatesh Vijayraghavan said ‘Public WiFi’ has been launched in 17 locations in the hub of Hi-Tec City and will enable people living in those areas to access up to 750 MB of free internet per day on any device.

To begin with, these public WiFi hotspots have been set up between Cyber Towers to Madhapur police station, Cyber Towers to Kothaguda junction and Cyber Towers to Raheja Mindspace Circle. On an average, around 40,000 commuters, commercial establishments and visitors would be able to benefit from this service, he said.

Explaining the process, Vijayraghavan said that anybody with a valid mobile number can access this facility. Once the WiFi has been switched on, the user needs to submit the mobile number, following which a username and one-time password (OTP) would be sent to the user via SMS. Using the password, the user can log on and use the free WiFi, he explained.

The project will be operational for three months as of now and the future course will be decided based on the response and outcome, he added.

Meanwhile, speaking about future plans of the government’s pet project of making Hyderabad a fully WiFi city, Telangana IT minister KT Rama Rao said the state government has already invited expression of interest from players keen on working in the area of WiFi enabling the city and the state government will be floating tenders in this regard in a couple of weeks. The IT minister pointed out that the entire city will be WiFi enabled in the next four to five months.

Free internet

* ‘Public WiFi’ launched in 17 locations in Hi-Tec City

* Users can access up to 750 MB free internet per day

* Any user with a valid mobile number would get a username and one-time password via SMS once the WiFi is switched on

* Project to be operational for three months on pilot basis

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / TNN / October 11th, 2014

New Tribal Girls School at Khammam

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

Khammam:

A tribal girls school established by Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) was inaugurated by Assembly speaker C Madhusudhana Chary in Rompedu village on Sunday. The school was built at a cost of `80 lakh.

Later, he participated in the opening ceremony of a seeds storage godown, ITDA’s sub-office and farmer’s waiting room at Yellandu.

Mahabubabad MP Ajmeera Seetaram Naik, ZP Chairperson G Kavitha, Yellandu MLA K Kanakaiah, ITDA project officer D Divya and other officials were present at the function.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / October 27th, 2014

Know the magic of ‘four’ in Charminar

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel
M.A. Qaiyum, historian, with his new book "Charminar in Replica of Paradise" Photo: Satyanarayana Gola / The Hindu
M.A. Qaiyum, historian, with his new book “Charminar in Replica of Paradise” Photo: Satyanarayana Gola / The Hindu

Do you know that great geometric combinations and mathematical reasoning has gone into the construction of Charminar? Visitors are usually astounded by the beauty of the 16 century monument, but not many know how the number ‘char’ (four) and its multiples figure in the designing of the structure. In at least 22 spots the magic of four dazzles.

Of course, the main Minars and arches are four. So are the small arches decorated on each side of the main arch. The number of galleries built in each Minar at different level is four. Again each Minar is divided into four parts. The supporting arches (big petals) to galleries and main dome in each Minar are four. The number of entrance arches built in four directions to enter the Minar is also four. And it was the fourth Qutb Shahi king, Mohd. Quli Qutb Shah, who built the Charminar!

There are also effigies of pigeon, parrot, squirrel and peacock in the delicate stucco work of Charminar. Mind-boggling, isn’t it? If your curiosity is aroused, don’t mind. You can now find all about Charminar, the little known and not so well-known things, in the new book on the monument authored by M.A. Qaiyum, retired deputy director, Department of Archaeology and Museums.

The book titled “Charminar in Replica of Paradise” is, perhaps, the first publication devoted entirely to the legendary Qutb Shahi masterpiece.

“So beautiful, so old and so complete”. One is compelled to repeat this comment of a western traveller after going through the 220-page book. The 190 multi colour photos, illustrations and paintings on real art paper make it a collector’s item.

Mr. Qaiyum traces the 400 years of journey from Qutub Minar to Charminar (1192-1591 AD). He throws light on monuments all over the world which sport Minars to explain the concept of minarets. For instance, there are references with pictures of the first Turkish mosque with four Minars built between 1569-75, the Qaismi Mosque with four minarets built in Iranian architects in Baghdad, the four Minars on the main entrance gate of Emperor Akbar’s mausoleum in Agra. Not just this. The book contains pictures of spiral minaret (Iraq), square minaret (Morocco), cylindrical minaret (Afghanistan).

Mr. Qaiyum discusses in detail the Paradise gardens and their significance in Persian life and culture. A well laid out garden is a symbol of happiness and prosperity. The ‘Char Bagh’ or four garden pattern was introduced in India by the first Mughal king, Babar. This concept was also followed when Charminar was constructed. “In later years the gardens and parks gave way to streets and houses and few know that Hyderabad once had a virtual garden of Paradise”, says Mr. Qaiyum. He can be reached on phone 8978877448.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by J.S. Ifthekhar / Hyderabad – October 28th, 2014

Cara-Sania win doubles title at WTA Finals

Records, All, Sports, World Opinion
Cara Black of Zimbabwe (R) and Sania Mirza. File photo. / Reuters
Cara Black of Zimbabwe (R) and Sania Mirza. File photo. / Reuters

Cara Black and Sania Mirza cruised to the doubles title at the WTA Finals with an authoritative 6-1, 6-0 win over defending champions Peng Shuai and Hsieh Su-Wei on Sunday.

For Black, it was the third time she had won the doubles crown at the WTA Finals, while for Mirza it was her first victory at the season-ending championships.

It was a surprisingly one-sided final, given Peng and Hsieh entered the match with a 12—0 record in doubles finals, including this year’s French Open and Wimbledon in 2013.

The winning pair received $500,000 in prize money.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport> Tennis / AP / Singapore – October 26th, 2014

15-year-old helps save the day

Education, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Science & Technology
Executive Vice-chairman and Director of National Institute of Amateur Radio S. Ram Mohan and Tom K Jose of Hyderabad who played an active role in the relief works of the recent Hudhud Cyclone. Photo: Nagara Gopal / The Hindu
Executive Vice-chairman and Director of National Institute of Amateur Radio S. Ram Mohan and Tom K Jose of Hyderabad who played an active role in the relief works of the recent Hudhud Cyclone. Photo: Nagara Gopal / The Hindu

Uses his Ham radio skills to gather vital information during Hudhud. One contact talked about trees falling at a Jain temple in Bhimli and resulting in precarious conditions. The young Ham immediately passed on the information to senior officials, who in turn directed their field personnel.

For a week, Tom K. Jose kept his studies aside, travelled to a cyclone-hit city and used his Ham radio skills to contribute to disaster management.

When Hudhud swept through Visakhapatnam disrupting its communication network and a team of amateur radio (Ham) operators from the city were sought, the 15-year-old student of Little Flower Junior College, Uppal, volunteered for the task.

With his call sign, VU3TMO, Tom was stationed in the control room set up at Visakhapatnam Police Commissionerate and spent long hours collecting messages from other team members spread over the cyclone affected areas and passed them on to the administration for relief measures.

The intermediate first year student, who got his Ham licence at the age of 13, along with colleagues, operated under adverse conditions, often skipping meals and spending long hours before the radio, waiting for it to crackle with messages. “For seven days, I was at the Visakhapatnam Police Commissionerate and one day at the District Collector’s office at Srikakulam and made anywhere up to 500 contacts,” says Tom.

One contact talked about trees falling at a Jain temple in Bhimli and resulting in precarious conditions. The young Ham immediately passed on the information to senior officials, who in turn directed their field personnel, and the situation was attended to. Another was a contact from Bangalore who was desperately trying to locate his brother and sister in the Hudhud affected area. “We operated without checking the watch or caring whether it was day or night. We had to just sit in front of the radio and wait for a contact,” he says.

Tom, who got his licence when he was in class 9, explores the Ham world and so far, has contacted more than 150 countries and received appreciations for his operational skills from Ham associations from different parts of the globe, including US, Germany and Japan. He comfortably juggles his hobby with studies and says, “Each night after studies I spend 30 minutes to 45 minutes with the radio apart from a brief tryst in the morning before going to college.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Telangana / by T. Lalith Singh / Hyderabad – October 26th, 2014