Monthly Archives: March 2018

Dravidian language family is 4,500 years old: study

About Telangana, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, World Opinion

The Dravidian language family’s four largest languages — Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu — have literary traditions spanning centuries, of which Tamil reaches back the furthest, researchers said.

The Dravidian language family, consisting of 80 varieties spoken by nearly 220 million people across southern and central India, originated about 4,500 years ago, a study has found.

This estimate is based on new linguistic analyses by an international team, including researchers from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Germany, and the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun.

The researchers used data collected first-hand from native speakers representing all previously reported Dravidian subgroups. The findings, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, match with earlier linguistic and archaeological studies.

South Asia, reaching from Afghanistan in the west and Bangladesh in the east, is home to at least six hundred languages belonging to six large language families, including Dravidian, Indo-European and Sino-Tibetan.

The Dravidian language family, consisting of about 80 language varieties (both languages and dialects) is today spoken by about 220 million people, mostly in southern and central India, and surrounding countries.

The Dravidian language family’s four largest languages — Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu — have literary traditions spanning centuries, of which Tamil reaches back the furthest, researchers said.

Along with Sanskrit, Tamil is one of the world’s classical languages, but unlike Sanskrit, there is continuity between its classical and modern forms documented in inscriptions, poems, and secular and religious texts and songs, they said.

“The study of the Dravidian languages is crucial for understanding prehistory in Eurasia, as they played a significant role in influencing other language groups,” said Annemarie Verkerk of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.

Neither the geographical origin of the Dravidian language nor its exact dispersal through time is known with certainty.

The consensus of the research community is that the Dravidians are natives of the Indian subcontinent and were present prior to the arrival of the Indo-Aryans (Indo-European speakers) in India around 3,500 years ago.

Researchers said that it is likely that the Dravidian languages were much more widespread to the west in the past than they are today.

In order to examine questions about when and where the Dravidian languages developed, they made a detailed investigation of the historical relationships of 20 Dravidian varieties.

Study author Vishnupriya Kolipakam of the Wildlife Institute of India collected contemporary first-hand data from native speakers of a diverse sample of Dravidian languages, representing all the previously reported subgroups of Dravidian.

The researchers used advanced statistical methods to infer the age and sub-grouping of the Dravidian language family at about 4,000-4,500 years old.

This estimate, while in line with suggestions from previous linguistic studies, is a more robust result because it was found consistently in the majority of the different statistical models of evolution tested in this study.

This age also matches well with inferences from archaeology, which have previously placed the diversification of Dravidian into North, Central, and South branches at exactly this age, coinciding with the beginnings of cultural developments evident in the archaeological record.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Science / by PTI / Berlin – March 21st, 2018

Hyderabad varsity faculty wins Young Scientist Award

Education, Green Initiatives / Environment, Records, All, Science & Technology
Governor of Imphal Najma Heptulla has presented the Young Scientist Award to Dr Murali Banavoth in 105th ISC.

Dr Banavoth has been conferred with three Young Scientist Awards till now, after his joining the University of Hyderabad in January 2017, according to a press release.

Hyderabad:

For his contributions to the solar energy research during the 105th Indian Science Congress (ISC) held at Manipur University, Imphal from March 16 to 20, Dr Murali Banavoth, faculty in the School of Chemistry at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) has been conferred with the Young Scientist Award in the Materials Science domain.

India Science Congress Association is a professional body under Department of Science & Technology and Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India. The 105th Science Congress, was attended by about 5,000 delegations including scientists, scholars and researchers from all across the country with a focal theme: “Reaching the unreached through Science and Technology”. Governor of Imphal Najma Heptulla has presented the awards.

Dr Banavoth has been conferred with three Young Scientist Awards till now, after his joining the University of Hyderabad in January 2017, according to a press release. After obtaining his Ph.D., from Indian Institute of Science, he had moved to King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) at Solar Center as a post-doctoral associate and carried out pioneering work in the field of hybrid functional materials for solar harvesting, the release added.

source: http://www.telanganatoday.com / Telangana Today / Home / by T Lalith Singh / March 21st, 2018

Power looms to run full steam ahead

Business & Economy

Sircilla weavers given orders for school uniforms, Ramzan gifts and Bathukamma sarees

The power loom weavers of Sircilla textile town in Rajanna-Sircilla district have their hands full as the State government has placed bulk orders for school uniforms, Ramzan gifts and Bathukamma sarees.

Following controversies over the distribution of Bathukamma sarees during the last Dasara, this time the government has exercised caution by placing order for Bathukamma sarees only with the Sircilla textile town, providing employment to the weavers and others belonging to various allied sectors of the textile industry, consistently for more than six months.

It may be recalled that last year the government had placed the bulk orders for Bathukamma sarees in the month of May, and the weavers could weave only 60 lakh sarees. In order to avoid last-minute rush, the orders were placed well in advance.

As per the textile calendar, the power loom weavers have already completed working on school uniforms worth ₹55 crore measuring 120 lakh metres under the Rajiv Vidya Mission. They had also handed over fabric worth 10.22 lakh metres to social welfare department and Ramzan gifts of 25 lakh metres for shirting and 30 lakh metres for pyjamas.

A total of 85 lakh sarees worth ₹250 crore would be distributed among the BPL women for the Bathukamma festival this year.

The State government had already placed orders for the sarees and the weavers have also placed orders for the procurement of yarn to begin the production from first week of April onwards. The government’s bulk order would ensure salary worth ₹16,000 per month against the regular salary of ₹8,000 to ₹10,000 per month for the weavers.

Assistant Director (Handloom and Textiles) Ashok Rao told The Hindu that Bathukamma sarees would be weaved by a total of 25,000 power looms providing employment to 10,000 weavers directly and another 10,000 weavers indirectly with allied sectors of power loom industry.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Telangana / by K. M. Dayashankar / Rajanna-Sircilla, March 19th, 2018

IT major from city scores big

Uncategorized

City-based IT giant Cyient has been positioned in the Winner’s Circle of the HfS Blueprint Report for Aerospace Engineering Services 2017.

The report by HfS Research, a leading analyst firm, is the first time that the HfS Blueprint methodology has been applied to the aerospace and defense (A&D) engineering services marketplace, a press release said.

The Aerospace Engineering Services Blueprint recognised Cyient’s cross-segment expertise and strong focus on mechanical and electronics disciplines.

It acknowledged the company’s end-to-end service portfolio, focus on capability augmentation through acquisitions, and their expertise throughout the aerospace engine life-cycle.

Cyient is a global provider of engineering, manufacturing, geospatial, networks,digital solutions, and operations management services to global industry leaders.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – March 17th, 2018

A group that helps and heals

Records, All, Science & Technology

30-odd TS residents fighting a rare genetic condition bond on social media groups

People suffering from a rare genetic skin condition, which impairs ability to control body temperature, have formed a small, functional support group in the State that has grabbed global attention.

Called ichthyosis, it causes overproduction of skin cells resulting in development of scales across the body.

The name is derived from Greek for ‘fish-like skin’. In India, it affects one in 20,000 people and hence, is rare.

The support group, which began as an online collective for those with ichthyosis in India currently, includes people from South and West Asian countries including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Iran and Afghanistan. People from Hong Kong, United States and Sweden are also part of it.

The group connects people both on Facebook and WhatsApp, and has over 30 members at present.

Christina Raj (40), who has lived with the condition all her life, tells The Hindu, “Normal life is impossible. It (ichthyosis) is a challenge which makes you take bath at least three times a day. One has to wash the face at least once every hour to keep the scales from appearing and body temperature from rising.”

Christina started the WhatsApp group in 2017; the Facebook group was active since 2013. Apart from scaly skin, the condition lead to brittle bones that need constant care.

Fat medical bills

While there are both less severe and fatal types of ichthyosis, the support group mainly caters to people who suffer from the most acute form.

Eight persons from Hyderabad and surrounding districts including Nalgonda and Warangal are part of the group. The age group of those suffering from the condition is anywhere between 14 and 40 years.

Medical expenditure of each patient, who needs care in moderate to severe cases of ichthyosis, works out to ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 every month for medicines and lotions to save the skin from irretrievable dryness as well as injury.

Battling stigma

Sai Chaitanya (21) of Nalgonda, who also has ichthyosis, says he cannot afford treatment and suffers injuries each day.

Prolonging treatment makes the toes crooked and callused. If left untreated, it might lead to breaking of limb bones and joints .

In many cases, scaling of skin also leads to social boycott. “Children suffering from this condition are not admitted in schools because they injure easily and are teased by others who find them ‘different looking’. All of my schooling was done at home,” Ms. Raj says.

Currently, the group has a 14-year-old girl who studies in a private school in Secunderabad. Two teenage boys in Warangal also feature as members of the group.

Genetic testing must

Doctors who specialise in ichthyosis treatment said genetic testing and eradication is must of this condition, which is considered a severe disability in developed countries including the US.

“In India, we do not have a standardised genetic testing panel. A genetic panel will have to be developed by testing the genes of several people within the same population. The panel developed after continually testing the population can then be used as a standard with which conditions like ichthyosis can be compared. Developing genetic panels reduces costs for testing and treating people with genetic disorders,” Dr. Ayush Gupta, a Pune-based physician, who specialises in ichthyosis and dermatology tells The Hindu.

The online group is expected to approach the government to demand medical aid for those suffering from the condition.

“In countries like the US, the government provides a month’s kit of medicines, lotions and other essentials for patients. We would expect subsidy in medical care,” Ms. Raj adds.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Nikhila Henry / Hyderabad – March 17th, 2018

Forest officer saves trees and dignity of his department too

Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Nature
Braving odd: The gutsy Indhanpalli Forest Range Officer R. Srinivas Rao who saved several trees braving immense political pressure. | Photo Credit: S_HARPALSINGH

Refusing to succumb to official pressure, gutsy FRO chalks out alternative road diversion plan in Kawal Tiger Reserve

The likes of R. Srinivas Rao, the Forest Range Officer (FRO) of Indhanpalli range in Kawal Tiger Reserve (KTR), are a rare species in the State. As many as 30 trees stand testimony to his steely resolve towards protection of the forest, which would otherwise have been stripped of greenery for creating a road diversion.

Braving immense political and official pressure, the gutsy forest officer saved several trees, thereby upholding the honour and dignity of his department. Not just that, he even demonstrated that damage to environment can be minimised if enough thought is given to the otherwise conventional idea of ‘development’.

The government has taken up the task of strengthening old bridges passing through KTR, mostly in Mancherial and Nirmal districts. It is alleged that the developmental work was taken up without due permission and a good number of trees were felled when new and large bridges until Jannaram from Luxettipet side were commissioned to create diversion from inside the forest.

Mr. Rao, who took over as FRO of Indhanpalli just six months ago, however, did not allow cutting of trees when R&B authorities wanted to create a diversion from the new bridge near the Anjaneya temple.

“I did not recommend felling of the 30 fully matured trees, 18 of which are teak, as it meant a lot of destruction just to create a diversion,” he says.

The not-so-busy Luxettipet-Nirmal road is 66 feet wide and the bridge needed to have a width of 10 metres. No tree was needed to be sacrificed for expanding the existing three-metre wide bridge, the FRO felt. “I wanted the R&B officials and the contractor to explore the possibility of a diversion without felling even a single tree. What I got instead of a plan was calls from various quarters to relent,” chuckles Mr. Rao.

Finally, the road authorities themselves relented and worked as per the plan shared by the forest officer. That included not just sparing the trees but setting up of the camp for the workforce away from the site of the bridge.

“I ensured that the camp was not set up at the place as wild animals criss-cross the area in the night. There would have been lot of disturbance in the forest due to movement of labourers,” the FRO signs off.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by S. Harpal Singh / Indhanpalli (Mancherial District) / March 17th, 2018

Boy uses feet to write test

Amazing Feats, Education, Inspiration / Positive News and Features

Hyderabad :

Elluri Shankar, a student of a government school in Mancherial district, wrote his Class 10 board exam using his feet.

He lost his hands in an accident when hewas in Class6 but that did not stop the 16-year-old to pursue his education and set an example for fellow students.

According to Gampa Srinivas, headmaster of Nennel High School, Shankar lost both his hands after sustaining an electric shock when he was playing with his friends at an under construction site.

“The accident did not prove to be a deterrent for him. He learnt to write with his feet soon after the accident and never opted for a writer,” said Srinivas.

The student, who hails from Nennel mandal in Adilabad, sat on the bench and wrote the first language paper. The headmaster said that Shankar lost his father at an early age and his mother was forcedtowork as a labourer. “There was a phase when the student wanted to quit his studies and support his family by doing domestic work. However, we encouraged him to pursue his studies to support his family in a better way,” he said.

Shankar is the only son of his mother and has two sisters, who are married.

Shankar wants to become independent in life and master some special skills after scoring goods marks in SSC exams. “He is brighter in academics than his classmates and has a resilience to learn. He doesn’t want to be dependent on anyone,” Srinivas added.

A photograph of Shankar writing with his feet went viral on social media with many people lauding his efforts. “Student of a 10 standard from a government school of Mancherial district Telangana, Shankar is giving exams in spite of all odds& has set an examplefor all students (sic),” tweeted Shaikh Zeeshan.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Hyderabad News / TNN / March 16th, 2018

Boeing grooming startups at T-Hub

Business & Economy, World Opinion

Three of them likely to come up with a demo model by July

US aerospace major Boeing is using the T-Hub facility in the city to groom startups and tap the tech and innovation ecosystem.

By July this year, three startups are likely to ready a demo model after which Boeing will decide on the schema of collaboration.

This was disclosed by Pradeep Fernandes, MD, Disruptive HorizonX, on Thursday as he spelled out how the company is exploring the new technology and innovation ecosystem.

“We wanted to tap the startup ecosystem and began exploring it post the Global Entrepreneurship Summit. We began with 4,500 startups that was narrowed down to 80, and now, we have short-listed 13 for the innovation challenge,” said Mr. Fernandes, on the sidelines of Wings India 2018 in the city.

Boeing is tapping startups for developing autonomous and unmanned systems, advanced manufacturing, industrial IOT and automation, analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).

“The numbers appear big because many of the startups have just ideas and we are helping them develop working prototypes. India is the first country where we are trying this kind of innovative approach,” pointed out Mr. Fernandes.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Telangana / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – March 09th, 2018

Hyderabad: Crafts, conquerors and continuum

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel
Glory atop Muhammad Saleem (in blue shirt) putting together pieces of the finial on top of the Hakims’ tomb. Serish Nanisetti

It’s the craftsmen who had kept alive the legacy of monuments

The dull rhythmic sound of a copper sheet being beaten into shape has a melody of its own. The tak-tak-tak-tak of the silver foil being beaten into slivers used in wrapping sweets and pans is predictable and heard often near Charminar and its surrounding areas. But that of copper sheets being beaten on the anvil has a different melody.

Near Chowk Masjid, the sound of copper and brass being beaten into shape and welded into vessels echoes over the urban cacophony, Azaan from various masjids and zipping vehicles. Inside an arched entrance is the small recessed room of Muhammad Saleem, one of the master craftsman and a coppersmith. “I have learnt it from my father who used to make similar objects. He used to make them in Basavakalyan. I have been making it here from the time I was a kid,” says Saleem.

He has made those tall tapering cones that adorn temples, dargahs, masjids and can be seen from great distances.

Presently, he is working on a finial; that involves cutting, beating and moulding into shape a copper sheet that weighs about 90 kilograms. “When I first mould it by hammering, it has a dull brown colour. I hammer it again to bring out the reddish shimmer which lasts longer if the copper is pure,” says Saleem about the 14-feet tall finial in 14 pieces that will be installed on Hakim’s Tomb at the Qutb Shahi Tombs Complex. The finials moulded by him have been installed in Bidar, Gulbarga, Bijapur, and many places in Telangana besides a host of sites in Hyderabad.

Incidentally, all the 14 pieces will not be crafted by him. Two of the pieces are from the old finial that used to exist in the place. So, what Saleem has made has to blend in with what was made centuries ago. In the setting sun as all the copper pieces are laid out on the ground in a row, the difference of finish on the objects could be easily detected. So can the similarity. While the pieces made by Saleem have a freshness with the beaten pattern, the older pieces look plain. “I can create a finish like that. But this will retain the pattern as well as shine for a longer period of time,” says Saleem.

It is craftsmen and metalworkers like this who have played a role in creating and preserving monuments. History is replete with examples of conquerors who carted away wealth after their successful endeavour.

When Timur conquered Delhi in late 14th Century, his assistants not only calculated the treasure they were taking with them but took away with them master craftsmen, on the orders of their master.

“I ordered that all the artisans and clever mechanics who were masters of their respective crafts should be selected from among the prisoners and set aside, and accordingly some thousands of craftsmen were bidden to await my command All these I distributed among the princes and amirs who were present, or who were officially engaged in other parts of my dominions. I had determined to build a Jami’ Masjid in Samarkand, the seat of my empire, which should be without a rival in any country; and for this reason I ordered that all builders and stone-masons should be set apart for my own especial service,” wrote Timur.

A similar thing happened when the Northern sultanates conquered the Southern kingdom of Vijayanagara in 1565. Thousands of master craftsmen rendered jobless shifted to the wealthier northern kingdoms resulting an efflorescence of architecture and craftsmanship including in Golconda that we can now see and admire.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Society> History & Culture / by Serish Nanisetti / February 24th, 2018