Daily Archives: August 22, 2016

Historical Sir Ronald Ross Institute remains unused

SirRonaldRossTELAN22aug2016

He discovered the malarial parasite in the intestines of female mosquito at the fag end of his stint as medical officer on these premises

The pride of being home to the discovery of malarial parasite is not something that any city would let pass without a care. The site of such historic discovery in Hyderabad, however, lies tucked away in a remote corner of Begumpet, unnoticed by many, and unused for more than six years.

The Sir Ronald Ross Institute of Parasitology, a heritage building, is under lock and key for most of the time, not open even for the visitors who might be interested in catching a few glimpses of the photo museum inside.

Nobel laureate Ronald Ross discovered the presence of malarial parasite in the intestines of female anopheles mosquito at the fag end of his stint as medical officer on these premises between 1895 and 1897, when it was a hospital for the British regimental troops. Copy of a journal entry by Mr. Ross about the discovery dated August 20 can be found in the museum, as also his drawings of the parasite.

The building later served as an “officers mess” for British regiment, and was under Deccan Airlines for a brief while. Later after accession of Hyderabad State, it was handed over to the Osmania Medical College for further research on Malaria.

However, later, the 2.5-acre premises were handed over to the Airport Authority of India (then National Airports Authority) for development of the peripheral areas of the Begumpet Airport. In 1975, with initiative from the OU Zoology department, the structure was handed over to the Osmania University, while the land remains with the AAI. After being identified as heritage structure, renovation of the building was carried out in 2010-12 with Rs.45 lakh, which has brought back the lost aura to it. However, since then, the premises remain unoccupied, with whatever research in the institute’s name, having been shifted out into the OU premises.

“Land ownership by the AAI remains a road block for any effort to develop it as a pioneering research centre for vector-borne diseases. There is no approach road to the premises. Though Rs.6.5 crore was sanctioned earlier by the Archaeological Survey of India for approach road, we could not use it as AAI denied permission,” Director of the institute B.Reddya Naik informed.

Besides, water supply too was disconnected recently by the AAI to curb illegal water tapping, which rendered the premises even more unusable. Correspondence since 1997 with the Civil Aviation Ministry for transfer of land has not yielded results.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Swathi Vadlamudi / Hyderabad – August 21st, 2016

Andhra ‘ammayi’ or Telangana ‘bidda’? Admirers on both sides stake claims

People break coconuts in Tirupati on Friday for Sindhu's victory. Photo: K.V. Poornachandra Kumar / The Hindu
People break coconuts in Tirupati on Friday for Sindhu’s victory. Photo: K.V. Poornachandra Kumar / The Hindu

She is an Indian first, says champion shuttler’s mother.

Even before Pusarla Venkata Sindhu pumped up the excitement on Friday, her admirers staked claim to her: both in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

The champion shuttler was their ‘ammayi’ (girl in Telugu), both sides said.

Some asserted that she was born and brought up in Hyderabad and was a Telangana ‘bidda.’ The counter was that she belonged to Vijayawada and was therefore an Andhra ‘ammayi’. Many even researched the champion’s caste, as her parents had a love marriage.

A third group played it safe, calling her a Telugu ‘Tejam.’ Chiding all ‘parochial’ factions were the nationalists who said Sindhu was an Indian.

The champion player’s parents, Mr. Ramana and Ms. Vijayalakshmi, meanwhile, made a quick 350-km trip to Eluru from Hyderabad to offer prayers at Ratnalamma temple on Friday.

In Hyderabad, the Gopi Chand Academy was full of fans keen to watch her battle Carolina Marin.

Ms. Vijayalakshmi said her girl is an Indian first. “Let us all enjoy this moment of triumph and look forward to a golden finish and not engage in a debate,” she said, as the family settled down to watch the final on a giant screen, accompanied by guests like Daggubati Purandeshwari and London Olympics bronze medallist Gagan Narang.

Sindhu was born in Secunderabad and lives in Marredpally. Her father is a Sports Officer in South Central Railway.

Images of the player carrying the traditional Bonam at the recent Bonalu festival in Hyderabad strengthened her Telangana supporters’ claims. She should be the State’s brand ambassador, replacing Sania Mirza, some said on social media.

Mr. Ramana was born in Nirmal, Adilabad district in Telangana, and Ms. Vijayalakshmi, a volleyball player like her husband, is the daughter of a Vijayawada businessman.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport> Other Sports / by V.V. Subrahmanyam & J.R. Sridharan / Hyderabad – Telangana, August 20th, 2016