Daily Archives: November 23, 2014

Balachander Anirudh: He could be the next big thing from Hyderabad

Balachander Anirudh, who was adjudged 'Best Under-19 Cricketer' by the BCCI for the 2013-14 season, at St. John's Cricket Foundation. Photo: V.V. Subrahmanyam / The Hindu
Balachander Anirudh, who was adjudged ‘Best Under-19 Cricketer’ by the BCCI for the 2013-14 season, at St. John’s Cricket Foundation. Photo: V.V. Subrahmanyam / The Hindu

Immensely talented southpaw Balachander Anirudh promises much, but will he don the India colours?

The BCCI giving away the award for the ‘Best Under-19 Cricketer (2013-14)’ to Balachander Anirudh is just another reminder of the immense potential this young Hyderabadi has.

In fact, the gifted southpaw could well don India colours, going by Anirudh’s phenomenal record of 903 runs from seven matches in the All-India Cooch Behar Trophy (under-19), that included three centuries and three 50s.

A product of St. John’s Cricket Foundation, where the great V.V.S. Laxman also mastered the basics in his younger days, Anirudh is taking it one step at a time.

“First, I want to do well in the Ranji Trophy, if given the chance. Like anyone else, I too dream of playing for India one day,” says the B. Com student of SP College.

His parents – V. Balachander (a bank officer) and mother Girija – shifted to the city from Chennai when Anirudh was in Class III. After initial schooling at DAV Public School, he moved to St. Andrews School. John Manoj of St. John’s was his first coach and he never really looked back since.

“Earlier, I used to throw away my wicket playing rash strokes but thanks to Ashok Singh Sir (who also mentored VVS Laxman in his formative days) the focus was on concentration and fitness levels. I am glad the efforts paid off really well, because of which I could score a double century and two centuries in the Cooch Behar Trophy,” explains Anirudh.

This highly-rated young batting star admires Sri Lankan Kumara Sangakkara for he feels that his batting style is similar to the great cricketer.

“I have a long way to go. I would love to play at No. 3 and play a key role in the fortunes of whichever team I play,” signs off the young cricketer after another grinding session in the nets.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by V.V. Subrahmanyam / Hyderabad – November 23rd, 2014

Govt. urged to observe death anniversary of Rani Rudrama Devi

The restored inscription on the death of Rani Rudrama at Chandupatla village in Nalgonda district. Photo: Singam Venkataramana / The Hindu
The restored inscription on the death of Rani Rudrama at Chandupatla village in Nalgonda district. Photo: Singam Venkataramana / The Hindu

The historians, writers and people of Chandupatla village, where an inscription that confirmed the exact death date of great Kakatiya ruler Rani Rudrama Devi was found few years ago, have appealed to the Telangana government to organise the 725th death anniversary of Rani Rudrama Devi on November 27 at this village.

Until the inscription was found in 1994 at Chandupatla that confirmed the death date of Rudrama Devi as 1289 AD, November 27, there was no proof available on the death of the first Hindu woman emperor of India. According to historians, only Razia Sultana ruled parts of India from Delhi before Rudrama Devi.

Speaking to The Hindu, historian D. Suraya Kumar said that Rudrama Devi had initiated several welfare programmes like digging tanks for bringing many acres under cultivation, which was an inspiration for the Telangana government in restoring all the minor irrigation tanks.

Besides, the historian said that Rudrama Devi had also introduced several welfare programmes for the betterment of the life of her people while effectively confronting invading male warriors during her 30 years from 1259 to 1289.

He urged the Telangana government to make Rudrama Devi the symbol of women’s empowerment in Telangana.

He appealed to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to organise the 725th death anniversary ceremony at Chandupatla.

Besides an inscription, there are historical statues of Lord Ganesha and a warrior riding on the back of a horse in the village.

The village tank, Rasamudram, built during the Kakatiya Samudram, also finds a mention in the inscription because the inscription was installed very close to the village tank by a soldier of Rudrama Devi’s army Puvvula Mummadi, who is believed to be a native of Chandupatla.

The inscription also says the Chief of Army of Rudrama Devi, Mallikarjuna Nayakudu, was killed on the same day, but there was no mention of the reason and the place of her death.

Noted poet, Venu Sankoju, urged the Chief Minister to observe the death anniversary, because her achievements were belittled by previous governments.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Telangana / by T. Karnakar Reddy / Nalgonda – November 20th, 2014