The 700-year-old banyan tree, Pillalamarri, which will appear on a special cover being brought out by the Postal Department.
Hyderabad :
Pillalamarri, the famed 700-year-old banyan tree near Mahabubnagar, will appear on a special cover being brought out by the Department of Posts.
The magnificent tree with its branches stretching over an area of three acres is acclaimed as a “living legend” of the district. Over the years, the heritage symbol, located in the fields 4 km from Mahabubnagar town, attracted tourists from far and near. From a distance, it presents the look of a small hillock covered with thick foliage. As one draws closer, the majestic tree stands out like a giant umbrella, which can shelter upto 1,000 persons. There is a tomb of a Muslim saint underneath the tree.
On its part, the Postal Department has resolved to do its bit to commemorate the tree by releasing a special cover during a philatelic exhibition at Mahabubnagar on August 29 and 30. The special cover will be released by T.S.Govindarajan, Chief Postmaster General, Andhra Pradesh Circle.
A special video show for children on “stamp collection-an educative hobby”, philately workshop, essay and quiz competitions for students will be the highlights of the two-day exhibition. As an on-going effort to popularise stamp collection, the facility of philately deposit account is provided at all head post offices through which children can get newly released stamps with an initial deposit of Rs 200.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu, Online edition / Home> Southern States – Andhra Pradesh / by The Hindu Special Correspondent / Thursday – August 14th, 2003
Starbucks opens new outlet in Hyderabad on Tuesday.-PHOTO: NAGARA GOPAL
The first flagship Starbucks store was thrown open in Hyderabad on Tuesday. A joint venture between Starbucks Coffee Company and Tata Global Beverages, the Starbucks store promises to provide ‘elevated coffeehouse’ experience to customers.
This is not all; the company very soon will add one more store in the city in the coming months.
According to Tata Starbucks officials, within two years of launch in India, the company has managed to start 58 Starbucks stores across the country.
The well decorated Starbucks store at Road no-92, Banjara Hills has a range of offerings including the signature Starbucks espresso based beverages and extensive food menu comprising Indian and International favourites.
“Starbucks stores have always been a third place, a place away from home and office for customers where they can enjoy high quality Arabica coffee in an unparalleled store environment. We are excited to bring Starbucks Hyderabad,” said CEO, Tata Starbucks Limited, Avani Davda during the launch.
The store is also offering Starbucks range of merchandise and free Wi-Fi to customers. Currently, Starbucks is present in Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bangalore and Chennai.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – September 30th, 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 perimeter wall was proposed around Koti Lingala village, which was the first capital of Satavahana kingdom centuries ago, to protect it from submergence by the Sripada Yellampalli project backwaters.
A team consisting of officer on special duty (OSD) Sridhar Deshpande of the irrigation department, minister T Harish Rao, archeology department incharge director D Srinivas, archeology assistant director N Mallikarjun Rao, project CE Hariram and historians Jaishetti Kishan, Jitender Babu, Veda Kumar and S Nagender Sharma visited Koti Lingala village in Velgatoor mandal here on Thursday. Deshpande told the media that the government is planning to resume excavations at Koti Lingala site and there are also plans to build a world-class archeology museum with well-preserved historical data.
The historians present also opined that previous excavations were done using unscientific methods due to which damage was caused to inscriptions on the walls and monuments.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / September 12th, 2014
The Indian Navy is all set to maintain the 400-year-old Siva temple at Pudur village in Rangareddy district in Telangana as villagers opposed relocation of the historical temple.
It all began when Telangana government has decided to allot 2,730 acres in Damagundam Reserve Forest block near Pudur village to the Ministry of Defence for setting up a Very Low Frequency (VLF) station by the Navy. The land includes 32.19 acres belonging to Sri Ramalingeshwara Swamy temple in the village.
Apart from this, the main temple is located in Survey No. 473 in an extent of 12 acres and 04 guntas in which the Gundlam and some small temples are located.
The officials conducted several meetings for allotment of the land and also shifting of the temple in view of the proposed acquisition of the entire Forest Block allocated to the Navy, by the Special Chief Secretary & Chief Commissioner of Land Administration (CCLA), Hyderabad.
The Endowments Department has said there is no objection for acquisition of land in respect of 39 acres and 23 guntas for which the Naval authorities have agreed to pay compensation as per new Land Acquisition of Revenue Recovery (LARR) Act 2013, amounting to approximately `5.14 crore.
With regard to 5 acres where the temple complex and also a tank are located, the Navy has sought acquisition of the land and transfer of title as the temple complex is located in the centre of the proposed project area (VLF station).
The Pudur Gram Panchayat has passed a resolution rejecting translocation of the temple complex as the temple is of about 400 years antiquity.
Later, the Naval Commandant concerned has said there are three approach roads from Pudur, Gudupally and Vikarabad to the temple. The Indian Navy is planning to construct 7 km road around the entire campus, which will lead to the main access point on the eastern side near Pudur. As it would take some time, the Navy has agreed to allow conditional access to devotees from all three access points till the road is laid. After the road is ready, there will be only one permanent access from the side of Pudur village.
Revenue Secretary B Venkateswara Rao issued orders on Wednesday stating that the TS government accorded permission to the district collector, Rangareddy for acquisition of the temple land to an extent of 44 acres and 23 guntas (39 acres and 23 guntas of temple land and 5 acres of temple complex), belonging to Sri Ramalingeshwara Swamy Temple, situated in Survey Nos. 217, 218, 219 and 473 in Pudur village, in favour of the Ministry of Defence, for the establishment of VLF Station.
The condition put forth by the TS govt to the Navy is that “the Indian Navy shall maintain and upkeep the temple which will continue to be there, where it is now situated”. Navy should submit a letter of acceptance from the Naval authorities for providing conditional access to the people, the government said.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / September 04th, 2014
Charminar, the symbol of Hyderabad | (File Photo/EPS)
Hyderabad :
Charminar — the symbol of Hyderabad — is the most searched historical site in the city on Google.
Google search trends analysis for the past six months reveals Charminar as the most searched historical site in the city, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.
Charminar has been searched the most in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana followed by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. “Interestingly, there is a rising interest on the builders of Charminar as it remained as one of the top most queries on Google.”
The city of pearls, which emerged as hot favourite among Indian netizens during 2013, continues to captivate the spirit of tourists and netizens offering a fascinating panorama of the past, with a richly mixed cultural and historical heritage.
Golconda Fort, one of the famous landmarks of Hyderabad is the second most searched historical site in Hyderabad. It has been searched the most in Andhra Pradesh followed by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Salar Jung Museum, the third largest museum in India, is also the third most searched historical site in Hyderabad. This museum which has the largest antiques collection in India has been searched by Andhra Pradesh followed by Karnataka.
Significant searches were also made on Falaknuma Palace. This palace which showcases a rare blend of Italian and Tudor architecture has been searched largely by Andhra Pradesh.
Purani Haveli, the official residence of Nizams in the past did attract a lot of queries majorly emerging from Delhi and Maharashtra.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by IANS / September 03rd, 2014
At 54, Nina Reddy is busier than ever. Photo: R. Ravindran / The Hindu
Savera Hotels managing director Nina Reddy, who is planning the 13th anniversary celebrations of her fitness studio O2, says there is never a dull moment in her day.
It’s a Saturday afternoon in Hyderabad and the sun isn’t being particularly kind. There are lessons to do and chores to finish, but for the 25 children who live in the majestic white house in Barkatpura, this is hardly of any concern.
Even as their parents and staff at the house, tell them to get back to work, they look towards the gate expectantly. When they hear the sound of an approaching car, they spring up, shrieking with excitement.
“Ninamma ochundhi!” exclaims the driver’s daughter even as the children race through the cherry and guava trees. They startle some cows as they dash past the servant quarters. They jump over the pond, run past gargoyles spouting water and stop just short of the entrance, panting.
The guard manning the gates is on his feet, to welcome six-year-old Nina Reddy with a salute, as she drives through the gates of her grandparents’ house. “From Saturday afternoon to Sunday evening, till I’d go back to my parents’ house, it used to be a riot,” recalls Nina Reddy.
The weekends spent playing hopscotch and making music with the staff’s children is not something Nina often thinks about 48 years later. Yet, she somehow seems to know that the maid’s visually-challenged son, Venkatram, is now a professor in Hyderabad.
Even today, as she bustles about managing the affairs of Savera Hotel, Nina stops to enquire after her employees — she asks her public relations manager if her son’s cold is any better and listens, nodding sympathetically, when she says that it’s only become worse. “I’m a people’s person,” Nina needlessly explains. Nina often sends young female employees scurrying into the powder room, insisting they put on some lipstick or touch up their make-up. Grooming is important, she says.
Known for her impeccable sense of style, Nina has always been chic. Even in college, when the nuns who ran St. Francis College for Women gave her disapproving looks, she wore the jeans, shorts and shirts that pleased her. “When you say Reddy, you typically expect conservativeness. Mum was not like that, she brought us up differently,” Nina explains. None of that, however, took her away from her traditional roots.
When Nina was still in college, her parents announced that a young man from Madras was coming to see her. Her first reaction, understandably, was to burst into tears — she was still in her teens and hadn’t even completed her college education.
When she met young Vijay Kumar Reddy, however, everything changed. “He was extremely shy, he still is,” she smiles. Soon, he was calling her every night post-10 p.m., because that’s when the STD call rates were cheaper. Yet, staying on the call till the wee hours of the morning ensured that he drew up a huge bill. They wrote each other love letters, long ones, which filled up every inch of the inland letter. For her wedding shopping, when Nina came down to Madras on her way to Kancheepuram, he took her to Marina beach, after a quick stopover at Savera Hotel to pick up a packed picnic lunch.
When 19-year-old Nina married into the Savera family and moved to Madras in 1979, she found the city welcoming. Still, she was a stranger here and the language posed a major challenge. For a while, she walked around referring to Vijay Kumar as ‘Namma husband’, till she watched enough Tamil movies and picked up enough of the language to stop doing it.
She dabbled in every course available in the city, making many friends along the way. She organised exhibitions and car rallies, took part in kitty parties and Round Table meetings, started The Duchess Club and fitness studio O2, took over operations at Savera and started revamping the look of the hotel. When her two daughters came into her busy life, she’d plop them on her hips, with a baby bag swinging from her shoulders and take them along wherever she went.
There was never a dull moment, nothing slowed her down and that’s just the way Nina liked it. Because, “Life is not stagnant, it’s dynamic.” And Nina’s dynamism is what makes her who she is.
Today, at 54, Nina feels that age has slowed her down physically. But, that’s hard to believe. As the clock strikes 4 p.m., most people would be itching to head home. Nina, however, fulfilling her role as the president of the National Association of the Blind, has to be present at a function. After a few hours there, she has a dance practice scheduled — she’s dancing to ‘Dhol Baje’ as part of O2’s 13th anniversary celebrations. Post that, she needs to come back to Savera, wrap up work for the day and squeeze in an hour of exercise. Once all that is done, she gets to go home, have dinner with her husband and play with her dogs.
Even with a schedule that hardly gives her time to breathe, she says she doesn’t need a vacation. “There’s no deprivation at any level, even in terms of time,” says Nina, who enjoys every activity she does. Her philosophy in life is not just to exist, but to live. And Nina lives her life quite large.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Fitness / September 02nd, 2014
Supported by the State government, the Rs.100-crore Hyderabad Habitat Centre will come up at Khanamet and provide space for artistes to perform and promote their culture
The proposed Rs.100-crore Hyderabad Habitat Centre (HHC) that is being planned at Khanamet will promote and showcase to world tourists the heritage, art, culture and theatre of the 400-year-old city.
IT Minister K.T. Rama Rao said the centre would be supported and funded by the Telangana government, and would have space for artistes to perform and promote their culture. Inaugurating the Telangana Chamber of Events Industry (TCEI) here on Wednesday, Mr. Rama Rao said tourism and hospitality were poised for a big leap in the new State given the huge potential and proactive government policies.
The Minister said that even investors were not looking at just land, tax concessions and infrastructure, but also a lifestyle for their employees.
“We want to fit Hyderabad into such a scheme of things and make it a world brand,” he said.
Stating that his concept of ‘Happening Hyderabad’ had taken off, Mr. Rao said even the Indian Badminton League (IBL) had evinced interest, while a big player in the entertainment industry had expressed its desire to hold south Indian film events in Hyderabad for the next three years. The details would be revealed soon.
‘Happening Hyderabad’ was launched with plans to organise 52 events in 52 weeks in the year, but the Government had already received requests for 152 events.
Responding to TCEI Secretary Neeraj K.S. Thakur’s request to make Hyderabad police ‘event-friendly’, Mr. Rama Rao said a meeting would soon be arranged with the police to look into their issues. He also promised single-window clearances for events involving the GHMC and HMDA.
Mr. Thakur earlier requested the government to support the TCEI to make Hyderabad an ‘Events City’. The events industry in Telangana was worth about Rs.300 crore, which had only 40 per cent in the organised sector.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – August 28th, 2014
Capt. S.N. Reddy, former Director of Air India, was the first to operate an Avro flight to Vizag. Capt. Reddy took a trip down memory lane as he recalled his eventful career in Air India. “As Regional Director (Southern Region) of Air India I had introduced 14 international flights from various airports in south India like Chennai and Coimbatore to international destinations.
The Vizag Airport has come a long way since the introduction of Avros during the 1970s to expansion of the runway to 10,500 feet and introduction of Boeings and launching of international flights a couple of years ago.
“I was the first to operate an Avro flight to Vizag and the first to operate a Boeing during the early stages of expansion of the runway (from 6,500 feet to 7,500 feet in the mid-1980s),” recalled Capt S.N. Reddy, former Director of Air India, who is presently CEO Telangana Aviation Academy (formerly AP Aviation Academy) in Hyderabad. He was in the city to participate in a seminar on ‘Regional air connectivity and export of cargo by air’, organised by the Air Travellers’ Association (India), on Sunday.
Capt. Reddy took a trip down memory lane as he recalled his eventful career in Air India. “As Regional Director (Southern Region) of Air India I had introduced 14 international flights from various airports in south India like Chennai and Coimbatore to international destinations. I sought permission from our headquarters to make optimum use of the aircraft at our disposal to operate to international destinations.”
“It was a record in the history of Air India that so many international flights were introduced in a span of six months. Indian Airlines, which was incurring losses for seven years, achieved profits in the southern region due to these operations. I received a cash award for my contribution,” he recalled.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by B. Madhu Gopal / Visakhapatnam – August 24th, 2014
Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday said that the Hyderabad Metro Rail alignment was being changed to protect Sultan Bazaar, Moazzamjahi market and the Telangana martyrs’ memorial.
He said that the government had already conveyed its decision to L&T.
L&T has requested to alter the Metro Rail route by the Telangana government.
“We have suggested that the Metro route should be diverted towards Kacheguda at Narayanguda to avoid Sultan Bazaar. Besides, we are looking at diverting the Metro to behind the Assembly building to avoid the Telangana martyrs’ memorial. Also, realigning the Moazzamjahi market route is being worked out,” Chief Minister Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao said.
He added that he had had detailed discussions with HMR and L&T officials over realigning the route and they were convinced with the alternatives proposed by the government.
However, the government has softened it’s earlier stand on taking the Metro underground at these localities and has instead pitched for realignment after builder L&T cited huge financial repercussion that would make the project unviable.
Mr Rao blamed the previous government for entering into an agreement with L&T without addressing Sultan Bazaar and other contentious issues. “When I proposed the alternate routes they were convinced. They said that the then government had not brought these issues to their notice, else they would have planned accordingly,” Mr Rao said.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / DC Correspondent / August 18th, 2014
