Ten-year-old Gade Parineetha seems to have a special ability. She can identify or read from flash cards when blindfolded, by smell and sense. She has set a world record by doing so with as many as 101 flash cards in a matter of 60 seconds and entered the Limca Book of World Records, Unique World Records, Wonder Book of Records and four more book of records.
She set these world records, a couple of days ago, in front of a full house of guests and luminaries like justice Challa Kodanda Ram of Hyderbad High Court; GD Priyadarshini, director of department of agriculturem S Kumar, BJP Telangana state secretary and several others at Ravindra Bharati here. The technique is simply called Mid-Brain Activation. “Mid-brain activation gurus Hitesh Satara and Dr B Sai Kiran have been training over 5,000 students in this technique. They realised that Parineetha has special talent. She has been training only for about three weeks,” says her father Pawan Kumar Gade, who is a High Court Lawyer.
G Parineetha performing mid-brain activation skills blindfolded while her father G Pawan Kumar looks on at a function in Hyderabad | NEERAJ MURALI
A class 5 student of Johnson Grammar School in Habsiguda, Parineetha says the new found ability has helped her in her studies too. “What I do now is only a first level. In a few months, I should be able to identify a card from a distance, without touching or even summarise a book by just flipping through it,” says Parineetha who aspires to become a scientist.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Express News Service / February 23rd, 2015
Not all players who have played cricket in the country can claim to have experienced the diverse ethos of two prominent centres of the game in the south -Madras and Hyderabad. V Ramnarayan belongs to this rare breed. Brought up in Madras, Ramnarayan’s professional commitments took him to Hyderabad. He went on to represent Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy.
Hailing from a family with its share of cricketers, it didn’t take long for Ramnarayan to be smitten by the g ame. He grew up admiring of fspinner Jim Laker and R a m n a r ay a n too chose to take up the craft the illus trious Englishman excelled in. “By the time I was 16, I found a liking for it (offspin) and continued to pursue it,” says the 67-year-old.He recalls an incident where Venkatraman, physical director of Vivekananda College, overlooked him for the college team. “Later, when I did well against Vivekananda College while representing Presidency College, Venkatraman apologized for his error. It was a moment I will cherish.”
After honing his skills on the Madras league cricket circuit, Ramnarayan’s professional career took him to Andhra Pradesh where he joined SBI (State Bank of India) as a probationary officer in December 1970. He began playing cricket at the league level in Hyderabad and it didn’t take long for him to make a mark there. The prestigious Ranji Trophy soon beckoned, and Ramnarayan made his debut in 1975 against Kerala at Trivandrum.
“Playing zonal games in Hyderabad and that too alongside the likes of Abbas Ali Baig, Abid Ali, M A K Pataudi and M L Jaisimha prepared me to play at the Ranji level,” says Ramnarayan, whose figures in his debut match were an impressive 6-33.
Among the numer ous incidents of his career, the legendary offie recounts the one featuring Tiger Patau di with rel ish. “A day before Hydera bad’s Ranji game against Ma dras at Chepauk in 1975, one of the fans asked some uncomfortable questions to Tiger at our team hotel (Admiralty Hotel at Mandaveli). Tiger soon told skipper Jaisimha that he would open,” says Ramnarayan, who played 25 first class games for Hyderabad.
“The next morning,” he says, “Jaisimha had to persuade Tiger to bat at No 3.”
What followed was a vintage knock with Tiger notching up his highest Ranji score of 198. That also turned out to be his last innings at the MA Chirambaram stadium in Chepauk, remembers Ramnarayan.
“What was special about Tiger was his ability to take on challenges and come up trumps,” adds Ramnarayan.He may not have gone on to play at the highest level for the country, but Ramnarayan’s skills were considered good enough for him to make it to the list of probables for the national team’s tour of Australia in 1977-78.”I count on my blessings. To have played the game with some of the illustrious names in the Indian cricket is something that will alw ay s s t ay with me,” says the man, whose book Third Man: Recollections from a life in cricket was released recently.
After calling time on his career, Ramnarayan made a smooth transition into a career in writing. He went on to become an author of repute, and now edits Sruti, a well-known monthly magazine on the performing arts.But Ramnarayan has not cut himself from his beloved sport. He continues to be involved in the game by writing on it for various publications.
(A weekly column on famous sportspersons whose first playing field was Chennai and its neighbourhood)
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / by Prasad S, TNN / February 14th, 2015
Funeral rites of veteran freedom fighter, Bhupati Krishnamurthy, popularly known as Telangana Gandhi, were performed with state honours here on Monday. Krishnamurthy, who was the president of Telangna Praja Samithi (TPS) died here on Sunday night. He was 89-years-old and is survived by a son and daughter.
Deputy chief minister Kadiyam Srihari, TJAC chairman M Kodandaram, PCC president Ponnala Lakshmaiah, district collector Vakati Karuna, superintendent of police Ambar Kishor Jha and several others, paid respects to the departed leader.
The funeral procession was taken from his residence in Girimajipet to Vysya cremation grounds at SRR Thota on the city outskirts. Krishnamurthy was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi and accompanied Gandhi on his visit to Warangal town then.
He fought against the British and Nizam rulers and also participated in the struggle for a separate Telangana. He, however, refused to merge TPS with TRS party and remained a lone fighter till the end. His relatives said, Krishnamurthy does not even own a house and lost all his wealth fighting for freedom of the country and later for Telangana.
Sources in TRS party said they were planning to celebrate his 90th birthday on February 21 on a grand scale, and now his demise has come as shock for the entire party. Chief Minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao expressed his condolences to the bereaved family.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / February 17th, 2015
Mylarapu Rajanna sharpening a pair of scissors on his knife sharpening contraption. Photo: S. Harpal Singh
Innovation and ingenuity were always the hallmark of rural technologists in the country and Mylarapu Rajanna only carries the tradition forward in tune with the times. He has not only simplified the mechanism to sharpen knives and scissors but has the pedal-driven ‘machine’ mounted on the rear of his moped which makes his task of moving around much easier.
Rajanna is a ‘retired’ lorry driver from Mendapally in Indervelli mandal whose comparatively larger area of operation covers the mandals of Gudihatnoor, Indervelli, Utnoor, Narnoor and Jainoor. He visits one mandal every week and ferrets out enough work to earn him a decent income of over Rs. 200 per day, after expenses.
“I park my moped on its stand and sit in the reverse direction on the pillion to operate the pedals,” says the 60-year-old toiler as he introduces his innovation to The Hindu. I have made this machine by using parts of a cycle and of course, the grinding stone,” he adds.
The machine consists of a discarded cycle rim, a cycle gear apparatus with chain and pedals and a rouded grinding stone. The speed of the grinding stone is controlled in the same manner as that in a bicycle.
“It takes about 5 minutes to sharpen a kitchen knife or the scissors used by the pan wallah. Heavier knives and cleavers of the butchers require more speed for the grinding stone and consume more time,” Rajanna reveals.
The former lorry driver’s love of film and bhakti music even has him improvise a music system and add to his moped mounted paraphernalia. “The music not only keeps me engrossed but attracts customers when the loudspeaker gets blaring at the village square,” he points out the old-fashioned round speaker within the gap in the handlebar just under the grinding stone.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Telangana / by S. Harpal Singh / Adilabad – February 17th, 2015
The last rites of the legendary film-maker Daggubati Ramanaidu being performed on Ramanaidu film studio premises in Hyderabad on Thursday.— Photo: Nagara Gopal
The mortal remains of ‘Movie Moghul’ Daggubati Rama Naidu were consigned to flames inside the D. Rama Naidu Studios here with full police honours on Thursday afternoon.
The who’s who of the Telugu film industry was present, as was Telangana’s Minister for Cinematography, Talasani Srinivas Yadav, on behalf of the State government. A while earlier, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao paid floral tributes, as did his Cabinet colleague Naini Narsimha Reddy, MLA Teegala Krishna Reddy and former MLA Payyavula Keshav, apart from balladeer Gaddar.
Among those who paid their last respects on Thursday at the first level of the Studios where the body was kept for about four and a half hours were actors Anil Kapoor and Sridevi, with her husband Boney Kapoor and director Satish Kaushik from Bollywood and actor Karthi (actor Suriya’s brother) from Kollywood, the Tamil film industry, actor-turned-MP K. Chiranjeevi, actor Krishna, his director-wife Vijaya Nirmala and Jaya Prada, to name a few.
Several directors from the Telugu industry, including Boyapati Srinu, V.V. Vinayak, Y.V.S. Chowdhary and S.V. Krishna Reddy, Rajasekhar and his actor-director wife Jeevitha and other stars including Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Sharwanand, Harshavardhan Rane, Madhushalini, Kavitha and Ranganath of yesteryears. Producers present included Atchi Reddy, Bandla Ganesh, Boorugupalli Sivaramakrishna, ‘Dil’ Raju, K.C. Sekhar Babu, K.L. Narayana, Shyamprasad Reddy and Sunitha of Guru Films.
Earlier in the day, the body was brought from Naidu’s residence in Jubilee Hills to the Studios. Naidu’s son Venkatesh, grandsons Rana, Abhinav, Nagachaitanya and their best friend Ramcharan Tej were present near the air-conditioned container throughout.
Around 1.30 p.m., the body was shifted to an enclosure nearby for preparations before the last rites. Photographers were politely asked not to take pictures during this process and once it was over, at about 3 p.m., the body was carried by Rama Naidu’s son Venkatesh, grandsons and a few other close relatives and associates lifted it and placed it on a decorated vehicle.
It took about an hour for the body to be taken up to the third level of the Studios to the place opposite the Film School that was the designated spot for the last rites.
The Padma Bhushan awardee’s son and producer D. Suresh Babu lit the pyre and as the flames leapt into the air, the waiting policemen fired their gun salute, signalling the end of the last journey.
It was an incredible, three-decade-long journey ‘Naidu garu’
Producer Boney Kapoor
I went to have a ‘darshan’ of the ‘Movie Moghul’ and he gave me a role in ‘Bobbili Raja’. He was the one who created the Babu Mohan-Kota Srinivasa Rao combination in the movies.
Babu Mohan
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Suresh Krishnamoorthy / Hyderabad – February 20th, 2015
Nicholas Graves looking at one of the photos inside the carriage used by the Nizam State Guaranteed Railways at Lallaguda on Tuesday.– Photo: By Arrangement
With just pension saving details dating to the era of last Nizam, Scottish national Nicholas Graves embarked on a search for his maternal ancestors at Lallaguda Railway Carriage Workshop.
On Tuesday, Mr. Graves looked for anything that could reveal information about his great grandfather from his maternal side, James Theodre, who worked for the Nizam State Guaranteed Railways (NSGR) as a loco fitter in 1932 at Lallaguda.
Mr. Graves has his ancestor’s pension saving details, couple of photographs of his maternal grandmother and grandfather who were married at a church in Lucknow, along with their marriage certificate.
“It started eight years ago when I developed interest in my ancestry. Researching my paternal ancestry, I have been able to track it back to four centuries. But I know very little about my maternal side,” Mr. Graves said during his tour of the workshop.
His ancestor James Theodre was born in India in 1897. The pension book with Mr. Graves shows that James earned Rs. 52 in 1932. His daughter and Mr. Graves’s maternal grandmother, Phyllis Margret Champion, was also born in India and later married an army man from England in Lucknow.
“After they got married in 1938, there is no record of my maternal grandparents visiting India or any clues about their parents, including James Theodre,” he said, pointing to an incomplete family tree he has put together.
Mr. Graves’s grandparents died when he was a child and there isn’t much he knows of them.
His mother and his aunt could only offer him the artefacts he has with him. But he knows it’s not much to go on.
His resolve to uncover his ancestry was motivated by Londoner Duncan Hart, who posted a video detailing his visit to Hyderabad to learn about his grandfather’s past more than two years ago. Though he did not meet Mr. Hart’s success at the workshop on Tuesday, Mr. Graves is optimistic.
Should he decide to persist with his search, Mr. Graves’s next stop would be St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Lucknow, where he hopes to get details about his grandfather and grandmother, which would later help build a bigger picture of his maternal ancestry.
Nicholas Graves, a Scottish national, is in the city in search of his maternal ancestor who worked for the Nizam State Guaranteed Railways in 1932 at Lallaguda
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Rohit P S / Hyderabad – February 18th, 2015
Students showcase the All Terrain Vehicle, made using a 305cc Briggs and Stratton engine, at the Muffakkam Jah College of Engineering and Technology on Monday. Photo: P.V. Sivakumar
The All Terrain Vehicle, engineered by 25 students of Muffakkam Jah College of Engineering and Technology, will now compete on an international platform
In all of three months, 25 students of a city engineering college toiled to come up with a fine product. Their All Terrain Vehicle, named El-Fateh, will now compete on an international platform and vie for top honours.
Crafted by students of mechanical and production engineering students at Muffakkam Jah College of Engineering and Technology (MJCET), the ATV has been selected for Mahindra BAJA SAIENDIA, which will be held in Indore later this month.
Weighing about 270 kg, the ATV can cover 100 feet in 4.03 seconds and has a top speed of 52 km/hr. It uses a 305cc Briggs and Stratton engine, producing a torque of 19.5Nm, which is mated to an Alfa Mahindra transmission. Students involved in the project say the vehicle also has a first-of-its-kind mechanical paddle shifting mechanism, which is aimed at smoother shifts and ease of driving.
“This is a great practical experience for the students and they did a good job. We are confident of doing well in the event,” said Mohd. Viquar Mohiuddin, faculty advisor to the project.
“We spent 14 to 16 hours in the college every day for the last few months. There were times when we even slept in the college premises to complete the deadline of building the vehicle,” said Abdullah Zakria, a final-year mechanical engineering student.
Outlining the vehicle’s strong points, the team’s captain Mohd. Abdul Haq said, “One of the eligibility requirements was that the vehicle has to climb an inclination of 27 degrees but we managed to drive it over step sand boulders with about 40 degrees inclination.”
Cost Rs.4 lakh
The vehicle costs, which amounted to around Rs.4 lakh, and other expenses were borne by the college and private sponsors.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Staff Reporter / Hyderabad – February 17th, 2015
Funeral rites of veteran freedom fighter, Bhupati Krishnamurthy, popularly known as Telangana Gandhi, were performed with state honours here on Monday. Krishnamurthy, who was the president of Telangna Praja Samithi (TPS) died here on Sunday night. He was 89-years-old and is survived by a son and daughter.
Deputy chief minister Kadiyam Srihari, TJAC chairman M Kodandaram, PCC president Ponnala Lakshmaiah, district collector Vakati Karuna, superintendent of police Ambar Kishor Jha and several others, paid respects to the departed leader.
The funeral procession was taken from his residence in Girimajipet to Vysya cremation grounds at SRR Thota on the city outskirts. Krishnamurthy was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi and accompanied Gandhi on his visit to Warangal town then.
He fought against the British and Nizam rulers and also participated in the struggle for a separate Telangana. He, however, refused to merge TPS with TRS party and remained a lone fighter till the end. His relatives said, Krishnamurthy does not even own a house and lost all his wealth fighting for freedom of the country and later for Telangana.
Sources in TRS party said they were planning to celebrate his 90th birthday on February 21 on a grand scale, and now his demise has come as shock for the entire party. Chief Minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao expressed his condolences to the bereaved family.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / February 17th, 2015
The first-ever Photonics Valley in the world will come up in Telangana soon. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by state IT secretary Harpreet Singh and PhotonIC Corporation’s CEO Birendra Raj Dutt in the presence of chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and IT minister KT Rama Rao here on Saturday.
According to sources, the proposed Photonics Valley will have not one single industry but many related to the field, making investments to the tune of ` 7,000 crore. Once the project is ready, it is expected to provide employment to around 50,000 youths. The Valley would be operationalised in four years, sources said.
PhotonIC is a company having its registered office at Los Angeles in California, US. The PhotonIC International Private Ltd, Singapore is a technology company and sister company of PhotonIC Corporation that has evolved an expertise in photonics.
The company is executing various projects for the US military including defence advanced research projects and naval air systems command. The company has evolved state-of-the-art technology which encompasses development and operation of design, modelling and testing capabilities in support of standard and novel processing technology for commercial prototyping of photonic integrated circuits and related devices.
PhotonIC Corporation develops, fabricates, and manufactures highly-integrated photonic and electronic devices that promise to revolutionise conventional electronics by overcoming the inherent limitations of copper circuitry.
To achieve this, PhotonIC will establish silicon and CMOS processes to integrate optical and electronic components on a single substrate, thereby reaping the benefits of reduced power consumption and vastly increased bandwidth at significantly lower costs.
Both the state government and PhotonIC agreed to collaborate on setting up an ecosystem to facilitate the institutionalisation of all processes related to photonics. They have also agreed to evolve, test and produce the next generation chips by using Silicon Photonics and compound semi-conductor photonics technology.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / February 15th, 2015
Dr. Manjula Anagani, who was recently selected to be conferred with the Padma Shri, believes that there can be no shortcuts to success
When she began practicing medicine in the 90s, minimally invasive surgery was in its nascent stage. Dr. Manjula Anagani, a well-known gynaecologist and obstetrician in the city, saw the merits of the procedure especially in women’s health.
After nearly two decades of pursuing her passion and developing several new techniques in the field of laparoscopic surgery the doctor has been selected for one of the highest civilian honours, the Padma Shri.
One of the seven from the city to have won the prestigious award this year, Dr Manjula says the announcement came as a surprise.
“I knew about the nomination but didn’t expect to be actually selected. I was at a national conference when I got the call confirming the conferment and I was elated. The award came as a bigger surprise for my family, who had no inkling about the nomination,” she smiles, as she sits in her office at Sunshine Hospital with old Hindi songs playing softly in the background.
“I trained in both minimally invasive surgery and IVF and for a short while I tried my hand at IVF.
Minimally invasive surgery, which was just developing at the time helped me provide my patients with better treatment options while cutting down the risk of infections and recovery time,” says the doctor, who is credited with pioneering several new techniques in laparoscopy including her work on primary amenorrhea (absent menstrual cycles), using autologous stem cells to regenerate endometrium and a technique to create a Neovagina for women with absent vaginas.
“Back then minimally invasive surgery was a man’s world and it was more experience based, with surgeons developing their own techniques.
I soon realised that it was the future of medicine. From a 10mm incision we’ve now progressed to doing surgeries through a mere 3mm incision. From basic cameras we’ve now progressed to ones that afford us a panoramic view of the body and allow for precision,” she explains.
The reputed gynaecologist has in the past been associated with Apollo Hospitals, Care Hospital and currently is a consultant at Sunshine Hospitals.
But apart from being at the helm of cutting edge techniques in her field, she also heads several teaching programmes, has published several papers, consults at a hospital in Dubai and also founded an NGO Pratyusha along with actor Samantha to spread awareness about women’s health, while also extending help to those in need.
“When your work is driven by passion, you find a way to make it all happen,” she says about juggling so many roles. “It helps that I have always associated myself with health institutes rather than just hospitals as it gives me the chance to carry on my research work as well,” she adds.
But none of her work would have been possible without the support of her family she says. “It was my father’s dream that I become a doctor. I’ve been blessed with a very supportive family.
Even after I got married my husband and mother-in-law were with me every step of the way. In fact, I did my post graduation after marriage. On my part I try and ensure that I’m there for important family events. It’s all about prioritising and planning,” she smiles.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Rajani Rajendra / Hyderabad – February 09th, 2015
