Daily Archives: November 25, 2014

Journalists Sinha, Amar Elected to IJU

Hyderabad :

Photo-journalist SN Sinha and senior journalist Devulapalli Amar have been elected unopposed as president and secretary-general of the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) for a second term.

Sinha worked for Hindustan Times at Delhi and has a career spanning over three decades. He is currently freelancing and teaching photojournalism. He is also a member of the Press Council of India.

Hyderabad-based journalist Amar worked with several print and electronic media. He also served as chairman of AP Press Academy during 2005-10.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Express News Service / November 22nd, 2014

Tale of Fading Glory

FakhrUlMulkMPOs25nov2014

Hyderabad :

Once a minister in Nizam’s court and a ‘shaukeen-mijaaz’, legend goes that he wore clothes European that were laundered in Paris, ate only European food, threw lavish parties, ‘Umrah-e-Uzaam’ nawab Fakhr-ul-mulk hadn’t wished to live longer to see his small kingdom being swept away by the winds of development, corruption and encroachment. The remnants of the more-than-century-old monument, peeping out from a corner at SR Nagar, tells the story of grandeur and splendour the Nawab was once known for.

Now a private property, as claimed by the great grandson of the aristocrat, the monument has tombs of Fakhr-ul-mulk, his wife, their five sons and other numerous descendants. “Until 1970, we received jaagir from the government to maintain the tomb. But when it stopped, shops and houses started cropping up on the property,” said Mir Sarfaraz Hussain, the great grand son of the nawab and a retired commissioner of commercial tax.

ZananaMPOs25nov2014

Recently the ‘zannana’ or female entrance of the tomb was obstructed when a mulgi was set up along boundary wall of the structure. “We even approached the GHMC commissoner but nothing has come of it,” rues the Sarfaraz Hussain.

Not just encroachment, but in last 100 years, the industrial development and urbanisation tanned down its shine. The structure has endured traffic pollution for decades. With the metro rail passing through the area, the existential troubles have only increased for the the nawab’s tomb. “When the area fell under HMR plan, they negotiated with the encroachers and paid them. If taken away, we fear the beauty of the tomb be lost as it will be further sandwiched in the dust of developing the transport system,” points out the Mir Amanath Hussain, the great great grand of Fakhr-ul-Mulk and adds that the matter is pending in the court at the moment.

Erected on two acres out of the total four acres and 27 guntas estate, the tomb is a pagan symbol of tomb architecture in Hyderabad. It is also marked as the last major monument to be constructed in the Qutub Shahi revival style of architecture. Constructed with stone, lime stone and sand, it is quite modest but imposing at the same time.

The tomb that was awarded the Intach Heritage award in 2011 for being instrumental in the evolution of tomb architecture in Hyderabad, with its creaking iron gate, wild overgrowth, broken fountain, rumbling pool, unkept pathway — are all the tell-tale signs of sheer negligence. It’s ironic that the sixth generation of the family hardly has any knowledge of their glorious past or of the majestic stone structure in which they are associated with.

“Yearly we spend a lot of money on the upkeeping of the tomb but as you can see its not enough. What’s more is that no one takes interest in the upkeep of the place,” rues Sarfaraz Hussain and adds “when family is apathetic towards our ancestors, there is no surprise if the administration takes no heed of our pleas.” While fighting many legal battles, the retired government employee is also battling his relatives to set up a private committee to look after the upkeep of the structure.

M Vedakumar, a former core committee member of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and the President of Forum for Better Hyderabad opines that retaining the rights of the heritage structure and its precinct by the private parties is justified. “The Government should, however, take into account the condition of the structure and provide assistance for its maintenance,” he said.

He feels that there is a need for a heritage cell to look into all the matter pertaining to the upkeeping of heritage structures. And rightly so, for one doesn’t know how many of the 156 heritage sites will exist for our grandchildren to see.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Sadaf Aman / November 25th, 2014

Fifty years on, Noshir stills swings his arm

Former Hyderabad off-spinner Noshir Mehta, who completed a rare record of competing in the HCA League for the 50th consecutive year, at the cake-cutting ceremony with his wife Yasmin on Sunday. - Photo: V. V. Subrahmanyam
Former Hyderabad off-spinner Noshir Mehta, who completed a rare record of competing in the HCA League for the 50th consecutive year, at the cake-cutting ceremony with his wife Yasmin on Sunday. – Photo: V. V. Subrahmanyam

Sixty-six-year-old former Hyderabad Ranji spinner Noshir Mehta took the field in the HCA League on Sunday, 50 years after he first did so in 1964. Like most old-timers, the Lal Bahadur Stadium was the hunting ground for this gentleman cricketer whose favourite was Salim Durrani. He fondly recalls how he clean-bowled the great Sunil Gavaskar and Ashok Mankad in a Ranji game.

Noshir Mehta is back at Gymkhana Grounds where he first played for SUCC in the HCA League – exactly 50 years ago. And, when this 66-year-old former Hyderabad Ranji off-spinner played for Roshanara against Hyderabad Panthers in the A-Division league match on Sunday, he set a rare record of longevity.

Sunday morning was a sentimental journey, with old-timers B. Mohan, Maheshwar Singh, N. Prahlad, Jyothi Prasad, Vijaya Paul, Abdul Bari Wahab, his mentor P.R. Man Singh, India left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha and former Davis Cupper S.P. Misra in attendance.

“The passion for the sport keeps me going and I will continue to play as long as I retain it,” says Mehta, who took 146 Ranji wickets between 1967 and 1977, playing mostly under the legendary M.L. Jaisimha.

Like most old-timers, the Lal Bahadur Stadium was the hunting ground for this gentleman cricketer whose favourite was Salim Durrani. He fondly recalls how he clean-bowled the great Sunil Gavaskar and Ashok Mankad in a Ranji game.

“Yes, it was a pity that my career ran parallel to the likes of the great Prasanna, whom I believe to be the best ever off-spinner, and Venkataraghavan. But, still the fact that I played with them along with Chandra for South Zone was itself a major achievement and a great experience,” he recalls with a big smile.

Some of Mehta’s most memorable feats include his personal best six-wicket haul against Tamil Nadu in Ranji Trophy in 1970, a record second-wicket partnership with Maheshwar Singh of about 480 in the Behraum-ud-Dowla Cup for State Bank of Hyderabad, the highest individual score of 55 not out in the then highly-popular single-wicket tournament, the next-best being Budi Kunderan (48) and Jaisimha (45).

“It has been a wonderful journey so far. Yes, the biggest regret is that I never got a chance to play for India. Perhaps, it is destiny’s call that I had to be content with only first-class cricket,” a philosophical Mehta said.

“And, this long journey is possible because of my parents (his father S. R. Mehta himself was an outstanding cricketer) and my wife Yasmin. They make me enjoy the game with the same passion even now,” he says.

Noshir signs off with a tinge of disgust at the falling standards of the HCA Leagues now. “I can tell you that 99 per cent of the current Hyderabad Ranji Trophy would not have got selected for the then prestigious Zonals itself, leave alone for the State,” he concluded.

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