Executive Vice-chairman and Director of National Institute of Amateur Radio S. Ram Mohan and Tom K Jose of Hyderabad who played an active role in the relief works of the recent Hudhud Cyclone. Photo: Nagara Gopal / The Hindu
Uses his Ham radio skills to gather vital information during Hudhud. One contact talked about trees falling at a Jain temple in Bhimli and resulting in precarious conditions. The young Ham immediately passed on the information to senior officials, who in turn directed their field personnel.
For a week, Tom K. Jose kept his studies aside, travelled to a cyclone-hit city and used his Ham radio skills to contribute to disaster management.
When Hudhud swept through Visakhapatnam disrupting its communication network and a team of amateur radio (Ham) operators from the city were sought, the 15-year-old student of Little Flower Junior College, Uppal, volunteered for the task.
With his call sign, VU3TMO, Tom was stationed in the control room set up at Visakhapatnam Police Commissionerate and spent long hours collecting messages from other team members spread over the cyclone affected areas and passed them on to the administration for relief measures.
The intermediate first year student, who got his Ham licence at the age of 13, along with colleagues, operated under adverse conditions, often skipping meals and spending long hours before the radio, waiting for it to crackle with messages. “For seven days, I was at the Visakhapatnam Police Commissionerate and one day at the District Collector’s office at Srikakulam and made anywhere up to 500 contacts,” says Tom.
One contact talked about trees falling at a Jain temple in Bhimli and resulting in precarious conditions. The young Ham immediately passed on the information to senior officials, who in turn directed their field personnel, and the situation was attended to. Another was a contact from Bangalore who was desperately trying to locate his brother and sister in the Hudhud affected area. “We operated without checking the watch or caring whether it was day or night. We had to just sit in front of the radio and wait for a contact,” he says.
Tom, who got his licence when he was in class 9, explores the Ham world and so far, has contacted more than 150 countries and received appreciations for his operational skills from Ham associations from different parts of the globe, including US, Germany and Japan. He comfortably juggles his hobby with studies and says, “Each night after studies I spend 30 minutes to 45 minutes with the radio apart from a brief tryst in the morning before going to college.”
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Telangana / by T. Lalith Singh / Hyderabad – October 26th, 2014
The 74th death anniversary of legendary Gond rebel Komaram Bheem was observed at Congress Bhavan at Hanamkonda on Wednesday.Speaking on the occasionm, Congress district president Naini Rajender Reddy recalled the greatness of tribal leader born in Jodeghat.
He fought against the Nizams for Jal-Jungle-Jameen (water-forest-land) and died on this day fighting for protection of tribal rights.” Ex-minister Basawaraj Saraiah recalled that the state government organised a programme in memory of Bheem last year too. He also said Bheem’s biography should be included in school curriculum.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / DC Correspondent / October 09th, 2014
Women police personnel and IT employees show ‘thumbs up’ sign at the inauguration of all-women police station at Gachibowli in Hyderabad on Wednesday. | NEERAJ MURALI
Hyderabad :
Keeping the safety and security of women in mind, the state government has set up its first all-women police station at Gachibowli here.
The IT Corridor Women’s Police Station was inaugurated by minister for IT and panchayat raj KT Rama Rao along with transport minister P Mahender Reddy and DGP Anurag Sharma on Wednesday.
Another police station was also inaugurated in the same area.
The first all-women police station in the state consists of a reception desk, help desk, inspector’s office and a room for medicare and counselling of victims. A special emergency helpline has also been set up, and women may call at 9494731100 to register complaints and seek assistance.
The police station has one inspector, one sub-inspector, two head constables, eight constables and four Home Guards. A police car has been provided to the women police officers.
“An important feature of this station is that there is a special room for medicare and counselling where victims are taken care off by medical professionals,” says K Madhulata, inspector at the station.
KTR announced that another all-women police station would be established soon at Adibatla in Ranga Reddy district.
“It is necessary that even villages should have all-women police stations. There is shortage of women in the police force and we have requested the chief minister to allot 3 pc reservation for women in all ranks in the department,” Anurag Sharma said.
Mahender Reddy said 15 buses would be provided to the police.
Cyberabad police commissioner CV Anand gave a presentation on the work done by the Society for Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC). Formed in 2006 under the Societies Act, SCSC consists of IT companies, TSIIC and HMDA. There are 173 IT companies working closely with the Cyberabad police to ensure safety and security of Cyberabad IT Corridor.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Express News Service / Ocotber 02nd, 2014
A tough politician, a proud Telangana bidda, a caring daughter and a loving mother, TRS MP Ms Kalvakuntla Kavita has more to her than meets the eye. Calling herself a pampered “Papa ki Beti”, during a chat with the Deccan Chronicle, she reinstated that politics is not a part-time profession.
KCR the CM and KCR the dad
He is the most wonderful person on the face of the Earth. He is amazing and jovial unlike what is portrayed, and he is very easy going, calm and cool. He doesn’t directly praise like typical, orthodox fathers, but puts it in such a weird way that I don’t know if he is praising me or not. I get away with a lot of things and sometimes as a kid, I used to even cover up for my brother’s mischief. My dad is a very adamant person and he will do what he thinks is right. He has proved himself beyond a point and I am an ardent papa ki beti and will always argue with people on how he is right. I believe him and will stand by him. One should be a Hitler sometimes to get things done. I think the strict approach is required as the system is messed up.
Being a CM’s daughter
Being a chief minister’s daughter has more disadvantages than advantages. All this while, not many people knew me. And now suddenly, so many approach you and talk to you and I wonder where all these people were. The scariest part is that you don’t know if the person talking to you is serious. But I am strict and serious and will stick with people who were with me in my bad times. There are no advantages at all.
Juggling between politics and family
It’s my conscious decision today for being a part of such a busy life and I need to get things right instead of stressing out. Being a modern woman, I compartmentalise my life very well and I manage my time also very well. I discussed this with my husband and in-laws that they wouldn’t get any time. I prepared them and made them understand how life would be. They understand me, except for my sons as they are too young. I miss them and they miss me too. I try to make up as much as possible and sometimes I spoil them. I feel guilty when I am away, but I sit with them and make them understand about my work. When they understand and respect your work, life becomes easier. I am already dealing with three boys, including my husband. It is amazing as I go home and my younger son addresses me in the Telangana slang, and I forget all my tensions. It feels like heaven.
Politics, the family business
All of us breathe, eat and drink politics. We always disagree each other’s views. I am the one who is very vocal and we have arguments like every parent and kid. Sometimes, my dad tells me I don’t know stuff and I go like, “yeah, right.”
One day as the CM
If I was the chief minister for one day, I would appoint a woman inspector in every center and also appoint more women police overall. It is very sad that no matter what happens, nothing is done for women. Women politicians, after coming to power, don’t do anything for women and I have consciously refrained from making a few comments as well as I am seen as an overall leader and not just a woman leader.”
Advice to young girls in politics
Do your homework as whenever you get into a party, people will take you for a ride. When you know you have your stuff right and when you make sense when you speak, people will shut up. Many don’t do their homework and don’t speak sense and go back. They blame this on the politicians and say that we don’t give them a chance. We run a party and it is difficult to find hardworking people. Many are part time politicians with one leg in business and one leg in politics. I have seen my father who has been through good, bad and rough patches in life. But he never did any business except politics and only drew salary as an MLA. I quit business and came into politics. My dad’s experience definitely helps me, but if you don’t perform, people will vote you out.
Choosing Centre over the state
Centre is better in a way as you can give your inputs for policy making, whereas state is more of implementation. Parliament offers greater, wider spectrum of issues to work on and I don’t want to restrict myself only to Telangana. Though development of Telangana is my ultimate view, I want to work on other issues as well.
There are a lot of friends. Supriya Sule, Anupriya Patil and many senior BJP MPs come up to me and tell me that I am active and I speak up. My oratory skills are my hard work. After becoming an MP, I consciously rehearse and tweak my speech a lot. I am on record and I must be careful. I have always wanted
to be a Parliamentarian.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / DC Correspondent / September 24th, 2014
Mir Osman Ali Khan receives Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri at Begumpet airport. Responding to Shastri’s appeal, the Nizam donated 5000 kg of gold to the National Defence Fund
OF POWER AND POISON
British Residents in Hyderabad spoke of the mutual antipathy that apparently existed between the Nizam’s eldest wife Dulhan Pasha and her sons Prince Azam Jah and Prince Moazzam Jah.
The mother of the two Sahebzadas was keen to marry them to her nieces, described by the Resident, Lt. Col. T.H. Keyes, as “two half-starved little Hyderabadi girls”. She had even been involved in a public slanging match with the Nizam on the issue of her sons’ marriage, and was supposed by British officials to be not fond of her sons.
To illustrate the discord between the mother and sons, Keyes recalled what Prince Moazzam Jah used to reveal to his guests. The younger Sahebzada claimed that his mother wanted to become the regent on the Nizam’s death. “When someone takes the cue and asks how she could be regent when his brother and he are of age, he replies: ‘We won’t be here. Mother is always experimenting with poisons, and there are no cats left in King Kothi’.”
…The rumours of poisoning in 1932 also led to revival of allegations that Sir Salar Jung I had been poisoned by the Nizam’s zenana as he had been insisting on Mahbub Ali Pasha being sent to Europe for education.
TONNES OF GOLD FOR WAR EFFORT
Mir Osman Ali Khan, Nizam VII, may have delayed his decision on merging Hyderabad State with the Indian Union after Britain left the country in August 1947, but he created a record when he responded to the call of Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1965. The PM visited Hyderabad and requested the Nizam to contribute generously to the National Defence Fund, set up in the wake of the Indo-Chinese skirmish. Without a second thought, Mir Osman Ali announced that he would contribute five tonnes of gold to augment the war fund. In monetary terms, the Nizam’s contribution was about Rs 75 lakh, or about three-fourth of the annual Privy Purse he received from the Centre. In terms of today’s gold price in the international market, this donation translates to a whopping Rs 1,500 crore.
The Nizam’s donation of 5,000 kg of gold to the National Defence Fund in 1965 was the biggest ever contribution by any individual or organisation in India and remains unsurpassed till today.
However, known for his wit and frugality, Mir Osman Ali Khan did not hesitate to seek the return of the empty iron boxes once the gold coins and bars were offloaded in Delhi. “I am donating the gold and not the iron boxes. Do not forget to return them,” the Nizam told the officials even as his son-in-law and confidant Ali Pasha carried trays of gold coins from the Nazri Bagh Palace. The empty boxes were duly returned.
ALBERT ABID AND THE SILK SOCKS
Hyderabad’s history is full of fables about foreigners who gave Hyderabad a new meaning and purpose. Albert Abid Evans, a Jew from Armenia, gave Hyderabadis their first department store and a new name to an otherwise abandoned locality.
Abid’s, one of the busiest business centres of Hyderabad, owes its name to Albert Abid, who set up a shop that served the needs of Hyderabadis from needle to grains and stationery to clothes.
…As a valet of the Nizam, Abid looked after Mir Mahbub Ali Khan’s wardrobe, the biggest of its kind in the world. It is rumoured that Nizam VI did not like to repeat his silk socks and the enterprising Abid would put the used socks back in the packet they came in and recycle them while his trusting master kept paying for new socks! If rumours are to be believed Abid also helped himself to the rings from his ruler’s fingers when his ruler was in a stupor and promptly thanked the Nizam very profusely the next morning for gifting him the jewellery.
AN UNHAPPY PRINCESS
Niloufer Khanum Sultana, who was called the world’s most beautiful woman, was pained by the fact that she was unable to produce an heir and felt that she had failed in her duty as a princess. It was especially upsetting for her that her cousin Princess Durru Shehvar had given birth to two lovely boys, Prince Mukarram Jah and Prince Muffakham Jah.
On a particular occasion, when Princess Niloufer was in England in response to her mother’s distress call about her financial and social health, Prince Moazzam Jah decided to let everyone know that it was not he who was responsible for their childless marriage. He brought a lady of doubtful repute into his home, and was apparently able to demonstrate his virility. Princess Niloufer returned from England to learn of this treachery and never shared a room with her husband again.
Her husband’s betrayal was not the only fact that pained her. She also returned to find that her personal maid, of whom she was very fond, had died in childbirth. This moved her to open a hospital for children and women. The Niloufer Hospital is still a sought-after medical institution today.
This gesture of the childless princess earned her a place in the hearts of Hyderabadis.
BORN TO RULE
Prince Mukarram Jah had the best of education — Doon, Harrow, Cambridge and LSE. He also trained at the Sandhurst Military Academy in England. …During a visit to Hyderabad, his first wife Princess Esra said he was a bright young man when she married him but was overwhelmed by the fast-paced political developments at home.
In 1969, the Indira Gandhi government decided to discontinue the annual purse to descendants of former rulers of princely states, who numbered around 600. The land bank vanished with the Land Ceiling Act. Mukarram found himself at a complete loss when he lost his privy purse and was compelled to sell off his assets. He would dispose invaluable jewellery to meet his immediate needs without verifying the value of the gems he offered for sale. Not surprisingly, he was taken for a ride by everyone, while the list of those dependent on him kept expanding. This list had grown to include the legion of relatives (14,792), servants (14,000), grandfather’s concubines (42) and children (hundreds of them).
Despairing of the circumstances he found himself in after the demise of his grandfather, this last true blue Nizam protested, “I was taught to be a soldier, not an administrator.”
Given the title of the eighth Nizam and brought up as an imperial prince of the Ottoman Empire, he was not wrong when he once confessed, “I was born to rule. That was the only thing I was prepared for.” Some believe it was the burden of having to deal with so many trusts and their beneficiaries that caused Mukarram Jah to leave for Australia.
3,000 WIVES?
In June 1936, the India Office received a letter from one Irene Cowen from Sheffield, asking how many wives the Nizam had and how many children. “A Hyderabadi had given a lecture on the Nizam’s government and in that had mentioned that the Nizam had over 3,000 wives, but he did not know the exact number, and had described him as having ‘a good many children’,” she wrote. …The Foreign Office sent Miss Cowen this reply: “The statement made by your lecturer is, on (the) face of it, incredible. Nor is any record of the kind suggested maintained in this office.”
The Nizam, however, did have over 100 women in his zenana and was even accused of kidnapping some. As for his progeny, it is claimed that Osman Ali Pasha sired over 147 children. A more modest estimate puts this figure at 28 daughters and 44 sons. However, like most stories about the Nizam, this claim is often exaggerated.
According to his daughter Basheerunissa Begum, it was impossible even for the family to keep track of everyone in the palace as each wife of the Nizam and her children had separate living quarters within the palace and had numbered badges to help the palace guards keep track of their security and identity.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Lifestyle> Offbeat / DC Correspondent / June 01st, 2014
IN HONOUR Shobha Gosa receives the Sadguru Gnananda Fellowship.
Honour for social entrepreneurs for their contribution to society
Why would Management professionals abandon promising careers or a wheel chair-bound individual serve the disabled through setting up their own NGOs? If heart did not rule head, social entrepreneurs would seldom be born. Fortunately, three such champions of change were identified by the Manava Seva Dharma Samvardhani (MSDS) and awarded the Sadguru Gnanananda Fellowship Program in the city last week.
Having met with a road accident Dilip Patro a software professional suddenly found himself wheel chair bound. This could hardly curtail his passion for reaching out to help others and in 2007 he set up The Ability People (TAP) an NGO that educates and supports rehabilitation of spinal cord injured persons (SCIP) at Vizag.
IN HONOUR Dilip Patro receives the Sadguru Gnananda Fellowship
Appointed as a representative under the National Trust, TAP provides mobility aids and appliances for various disabilities besides working with the police for road safety and promoting Right to Emergency Care in the critical ‘golden hour’ (the first one hour of an accident). The TAP website provides an All India Helpline and a toll free number within the state for easy access to citizens.
With a similar motive to serve the masses, Shobha Gosa, Founder, Young People for Life India based at Hyderabad was chosen for empowering youth from disadvantaged backgrounds with communication skills and behavioural management.
Her years as a Business Coach inspired her to focus on education and training of teenage girls gifting them leadership skills, cross cultural engagement, human rights etc.
The third awardee, Akshai Abraham an MBA from Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal founded Project KHEL in 2012 at Lucknow merging his interest in social work and sports in order to positively impact the lives of underprivileged children. KHEL being the acronym for Kids Holistic Education & Life skills his NGO playfully develops confidence, leadership, team work, trust and addresses important issues of health and sanitation through games. “Across the world sport is being applied to address development issues such as creating health awareness, promoting peace and gender equity,” said Abraham.
MSDS, is a registered Public Charitable Trust that initiates social consciousness amongst people.
The Fellowship constitutes monthly monetary support for a period of one year, extendable on impact.
Their learning Centres for Social Initiative & Management are located at Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Coimbatore.
It’s the helping hand that truly serves the world and the world comes to those that serve selflessly!
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Padmini B. Patell / Hyderabad – September 15th, 2014
Rasool Khan. / -PHOTO: S. HARPAL SINGH / The Hindu
This former Sepoy of the Royal Indian Service Corps, did not join Netaji’s Army as he had taken an oath to be loyal to the outfit he served
Honour and loyalty are known to be the mark of a perfect soldier. And World War II veteran, Rasool Khan, a resident of Chanchalguda in Hyderabad, fits the bill notwithstanding his age at over 90 years.
This former Sepoy of the Royal Indian Service Corps, a British Army unit active in the Burmese front during WW II, had even denied himself the chance to enrol in Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army as he had taken an oath to be loyal to the outfit he served.
“We were excited when we got an offer to join Netaji’s force but were bound by our oath,” says the ex-soldier, referring to the days when feelers were sent to Indian personnel in the British Army in Burma to desert their units. “We came out of the War with honour,” he adds as he throws light on the crucial period in World history.
The veteran was talking to The Hindu after being honoured at the ex-servicemen rally, which he came to attend in Adilabad, on Sunday. However, he observes, “The uncertainty of those times was quite an experience.”
Born on September 9 1923, Rasool Khan had enrolled in the British outfit in Secunderabad in 1939 at the tender age of 16. He was trained in a military training facility in Allahabad before being shifted to the Burmese front in an anti-aircraft gunnery unit.
“We never got a chance to use the anti-aircraft guns during all the six years I served on the front. Life in the trenches and open jungles, however, taught me to be tough,” says the nonagenarian ex-solider, who has remained single.
The fast paced events associated with the country’s independence made people forget about WW II and its veterans, which had Rasool Khan live a life of virtual seclusion. “Humku koi bhi nai puchte the,” he says in a typical Hyderabadi accent as he talks about the condition of WW II veterans in the wake of independence.
Later in life nevertheless, the ex-soldier was given employment in the Army Supply Corps (Maintenance and Transport) at Ramagundam. He is thankful for the support given by the Army.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by S. Harpal Singh / Adilabad – September 15th, 2014
Former National tennis champion Shaikh Jafreen (in the hearing impaired category) was in for a pleasant surprise at the Sania Mirza Tennis Academy in Hyderabad on Friday morning when the three-time Grand Slam winner Sania Mirza walked across to present a cheque of Rs. 5 lakhs to the former to help her prepare for the major events lined up over the next few months.
The 17-year-old Jafreen shifted her base to Hyderabad at the initiative of Sania Mirza and joined the SMTA last year. Ever since, she has been given free coaching and also being mentored personally by the star tennis player.
Only on Thursday, Telangana State Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao presented a cheque of Rs. 1 crore to Sania, who is brand ambassador of the State Government, as incentive for winning the US Open mixed doubles title.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Miscellaneous> Others / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – September 13th, 2014
Left teary-eyed after her Indianness was put into question just weeks back, tennis star Sania Mirza dedicated her US Open title to the country and the new state of Telangana, where her appointment as brand ambassador triggered a political furore.
Last night, the first-time combination of Sania and Brazil’s Bruno Soares clicked brilliantly as they secured a close win in the final to win the mixed doubles trophy.
“I am very happy, it’s great to win it with Bruno. For the first time we played together, it’s been great two weeks.
I dedicate this victory to everybody in India, my country, and to the state of Telangana and all people of Telangana,” Sania said from New York after winning the final.
“I am extremely ecstatic, it’s a dream come true, hopefully many more will come,” said the 27-year-old.
Sania’s third career Grand Slam came barely a month after she was branded ‘daughter-in-law’ of Pakistan by a BJP leader due to her marriage with cricketer Shoaib Malik. The comment was triggered by the Telangana government’s decision to appoint her brand ambassador of the newly-created state.
The Hyderabadi was forced to issue a statement to assert her roots and was seen breaking down on news channels while trying to do so.
Asked if the controversy played on her mind during the US Open campaign, Sania said she believes in moving forward and remains focussed on her game after stepping into the court.
“I don’t think we should focus on the negatives,” said Sania, who is first Indian female player and only the third from the country after Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes to have won Grand Slam titles.
Sania and Bruno were cruising in the Match Tie break and had five championship points after securing a comfortable 9-4 lead but a flurry of errors threatened to devastate their hopes.
Local hope Abigail Spears and Santiago Gonzalez made it 9-9 and looked like snatching it away from the Indo-Brazilian top seeds.
“We all had our hearts in our mouths at that point but we just tried to be positive and do whatever we could, help each other out and come out on top,” Sania said recalling the crunch moment.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Sport / by PTI / September 06th, 2014
St. Jude Child Care Centres inaugurated their first facility in Hyderabad to help the families of the children suffering from chronic ailments.
The centre will accommodate 19 paediatric patients, who are being treated at Mehdi Nawaz Jung Institutes of Oncology, Basavatarakam Indo American hospital and other local cancer treatment centres.
Located in Banjara Hills, the centre is being supported by the family of Premlata Vandravan Shah and Dr. Reddy’s Foundation.
During the inauguration, Usha Banerji, CEO, St. Jude’s Centres, said, “It is our goal to provide a safe environment and holistic care to every child. The centre will provide free accommodation along with nutritional support and transportation to children and their parents.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / Staff Reporter / Hyderabad – August 28th, 2014
