Daily Archives: April 6, 2015

Doon’s bonds with Hyderabad

Education, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All

The Nizam was one of the principal donors to the school prior to Independence, and it continues to have a house named after the city

One Prime Minister, several Chief Ministers and prominent politicians, exponents in art, drama, film and literature, sporting icons and top bureaucrats and militarymen – The Doon School has all of them and more on its list of alumni.

Interestingly, the prestigious Dehradun-based school has a Hyderabad connection. The Nizam was one of the principal donors to the school prior to Independence, and the school continues to have one its houses named after Hyderabad.

Students from Hyderabad were a prominent presence till the 1960s, while now the school has only a dozen students who hail from the city.

However, Doon is now trying to reconnect with students from the Telugu-speaking States. “We find that students from AP and Telangana flourish and thrive with us intellectually, creatively and sportingly and we want to further strengthen it,” the school’s headmaster Peter Mclaughlin told The Hindu .

Headmaster Peter Mclauchlin says the prestigious school is trying to reconnect to students from theTelugu-speaking States.– Photo: Special Arrangement
Headmaster Peter Mclauchlin says the prestigious school is trying to reconnect to students from theTelugu-speaking States.– Photo: Special Arrangement

Dr. Maclaughlin, who was in Hyderabad to speak to parents and students on the education Doon offered, said efforts had been made to make the school more democratic and meritocratic.

“The educational landscape is changing dramatically in India, and historic schools cannot sit on past glory. Such an attitude is a great enemy,” he said, revealing that school has students from diverse social and economic background.

To maintain such diversity, the school has consciously made efforts to admit meritorious children from economically backward sections of society. Around 40 per cent students get some scholarship, including a 100 per cent concession on fee. After the Central Government discontinued its scholarship scheme, it is the school’s alumni who are supporting such students.

‘An all-India school’

Dr. Maclaughlin reminds that India is fractured by regional, religious and ethnic mindset.

“They take pride in their identity, but are rooted to their Indianess. An all-India school like ours offers precisely such an atmosphere, where students thrive on learning from each other and respect other’s values.”

Dr. Maclaughlin felt students from southern India gravitate more towards science and math, while those from the north have interests in commerce and economics. Southern students also show a keen interest in creative arts like music and dance. They are more focussed too, he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by R. Ravikanth Reddy / Hyderabad – April 06th, 2015

Veteran lawyer still going strong at 90

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features
P.V. Raj Ganesh took to writing at the age of 85 and published two works on Western and Indian philosophies.–Photo: K.V. RAMANA.
P.V. Raj Ganesh took to writing at the age of 85 and published two works on Western and Indian philosophies.–Photo: K.V. RAMANA.

He has proved that age is no bar to do greater things if one has the will and dedication. He has even overcome physical debility and excelled at writing at an advanced age when most members of his peer group are suffering from various ailments. One of the most senior lawyers in the Nizamabad bar, Penumarthi Venkata Raj Ganesh, fondly called “peddayana” (elderly man) by his juniors and admirers, he took to writing at the age of 85 and published two works on Western and Indian philosophies. Though he attained the age of 90 this year, he intends to publish two more books, “Some Miscellaneous Concepts and Subjects” and “How India Attained the Name of Bharat.” In the first book he discusses at length whether god, soul and rebirth exist. “The manuscripts are ready and I will publish them as soon as possible. I am neither a writer nor a poet. I have got down to this business only to tell something to society,” says Mr. Raj Ganesh with all humility.

Stickler for ethics

Born in Machilipatnam to P.V. Narasimham and Jogamma on July 10, 1925, he completed his education and law in his home town. Seeing an advertisement in a newspaper he had come to Nizamabad to join the Collector’s office as a second grade clerk in 1949. Within two years he left the job and started legal practice at the district court. In his long legal career he had seen so many ups and downs, but never lost heart. Strictly abiding by professional ethics he helped many poor people without charging them anything. He gave up legal practice after 55 years only due to hearing impairment. Though he was not interested in politics some friends and fellow lawyers elected him district president of the Janata Party after the Emergency. During the Emergency he was sent to jail for a few days for his outspokenness and critical comments against Indira Gandhi.

He also got elected as an independent member of the municipal council defeating then chairman and ex-MLA Kishan Das in the 1970s. The council honoured him with the “elderly man” award. Mr. Raj Ganesh is a keen observer of everything and is also an ardent reader of The Hindu for over 60 years now.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Telangana / by P. Ram Mohan / Nizamabad – April 06th, 2015

Rs 100-cr Fund:A Lifeline to Startups in Hyd

Business & Economy

Hyderabad :

The government of Telangana’s proposed Rs 100 crore fund, a first-of-its-kind initiative, is likely to give fillip to startups in the city, say industry experts. There are 1,000 to 1,500 startups in the city, over 200 of them in the IT sector, followed by those in other sectors like pharma, retail and agriculture.

While there are several angel investors offering financial support and technical guidance for entrepreneurs, they come in only after the startup venture reaches a certain stage. “The need of the hour is seed funding. Startups need capital and mentoring in the first 12 months of their venture after which angel investors take over,” said Ramesh Loganathan, president of Hysea and MD of Progress Software.

Typically, seed funding involves providing capital assistance ranging between Rs 5 and 50 lakh, where angel investments are between Rs 75 lakh and Rs 3 crore.

“The proposed Rs 100-crore fund can either emulate the Central Government’s Department of Science & Technology (DST) model, which offers soft loans and grants to potential ventures or the government can tie up with a few venture capitalists and co-invest in startups,” said Bipin Chandra Pendyala, secretary of Hysea and director of iKeva. According to Ramesh, currently, there’s absolutely no support, either financial or technical, for startups in the seed stage. “Every firm needs mentoring and capital in the first few months after starting the venture. That’s lacking and we have suggested to the government to consider bridging this gap,” he said.

While incubators like the T-Hub, also provided by the state government, give startups access to infrastructure like systems and servers, they will still need capital to hire a team and grow.

“Compared to mature markets like the Silicon Valley, seed capital for startups in India is in a nascent stage. This is a first state-level initiative and once operationalised, will help several upcoming ventures,” explained Bipin. The government, according to sources, is evaluating the business model and it is expected that the proposed investment framework will be operational in the next three or four months.

The government of Andhra Pradesh too has announced a similar Rs 100-crore fund for startups but there too the framework is yet to get operationalised. Hyderabad is home to over 1,400 IT and ITeS companies, and the state government has fixed an ambitious target of software exports to the tune of Rs 70,000 crore in FY15, up from Rs 57,000 crore in FY13. Meanwhile, the first phase of T-Hub will be ready in the next two months and will house 700 to 800 startups and will be scaled up to 1,500 or more later.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Sunitha Natti / April 02nd, 2015

‘My mother had already taught me to win’

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Records, All, World Opinion
Actor-producer Dia Mirza posing with members of the FICCI Ladies Organisation in Hyderabad on Saturday.– Photo: K. Ramesh Babu
Actor-producer Dia Mirza posing with members of the FICCI Ladies Organisation in Hyderabad on Saturday.– Photo: K. Ramesh Babu

Former MissAsia-Pacific Dia Mirza says she did not have to put in more effort at the contest as her parents had already instilled in her wherewithal to win

When a teenaged Dia Mirza first stepped into the world of beauty pageants by participating in the ‘Miss Asia-Pacific’ contest, she did not enrol with an intention to win. It was only later that she realised that her parents had already prepared her for what she would go through in the event.

“I remember crying a lot. I had written a long letter to my mother on how she had taught me most of the things I was preparing for the programme in Mumbai. All the girls there had come with an ambition to win, but I did not go there to win, but it was very interesting,” explained Ms. Mirza while interacting with members of the FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) here on Saturday afternoon.

Dwelling on her Indo-German background, Ms. Mirza mentioned how a 10-day part-time job at the age of 16 led to her first job. “Dr. Neeraj’s Multi Media Studio, which had hired me to work at their kiosk at Walden for those 10 days, had later offered me a full-time job, because they liked my work,” she said.

Ms. Mirza also mentioned how stressed she was during the ‘Miss Asia-Pacific’ competition, which was held in Manila, Philippines in 2000.

“I realised for the first time I was afraid, I could not let my country down,” she stated, and added that apart from acting and producing movies, working with terminally-ill children helped her. “The thing about them is that they don’t whine and ask ‘why me’,” she said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Yunus Y Lasania / Hyderabad – March 29th, 2015