Secunderabad sailor wins Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award.
The INSV Tarini team with (inset)Lieutenant Commander Aishwarya Boddapati during their 254-day voyage circumventing the globe | Express
Hyderabad :
Secunderabad-based Navy sailor Lt Commander Aishwarya Boddapati who, along with five other Navy women, became the first to circumnavigate the world on a shipping vessel, was surprised when she learnt that she had won the Tenzing Norgay Award for Adventure.
“I couldn’t believe it. This is the highest award for adventure in the country,” a jubilant Boddapati told Express on Tuesday. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports informed the Lieutenant and the five other Naval officers via email late on Monday night. She is set to receive the award from President Ram Nath Kovind on September 25 at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.
She said, “The expedition was a gruelling challenge for all of us. It was never done before by women and we were given extensive physical, psychological and emotional training for six months before embarking upon the mission.”
She considers the Pacific Ocean to be the most gruelling part of her journey that spanned 254 days. “Even though we chose to circumnavigate around the world during the summer season, the average temperature in the Pacific Region was -six degree Celsius,” Bodapatti said.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New IndianExpress / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Aihik Sur, Express News Service / September 19th, 2018
School children dressed as Mahatma Gandhi gather in an attempt to qualify for the Guinness World Record, in Nalgonda on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: Singam Venkataramana
5,500 students gather in a record-breaking bid in Nalgonda
Gandhi’s iconic garb — a loincloth, khadi shawl and a stick — to identify himself with the poor, is meant to teach students the simple way of life the Mahatma preached and practised.
But organisers of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi in Nalgonda, went a step further, to create a record, teaching schoolchildren Gandhi’s practices — truth and non-violence — in a demonstration.
Bare-chested, with bald head caps, round glasses, watercolour moustaches and sticks, thousands of students reached the N.G. College Grounds here, for what they were told will be, “a historic exercise”.
Record-breaker
Organising the ‘largest gathering of people dressed as Mohandas Gandhi’ in the town, members from the Gandhi Global Family and Gandhi Gyan Prathishtan said the event was breaking a Guinness world record, of 4,605 students dressed as Bal Gandhis in Bengaluru in 2015. An organiser announced that the official count for the record on Tuesday was 5,500 students, all between age six and 14. “This is not only an attempt to get into the Guinness World Records (GWR), but to tell students to walk in Gandhi ways,” chairman of GGF G. Rajender Reddy said. He later read the ‘Gandhi pledge’ to the gathering. While no one from from the Guinness World Records was present, the organisers were meticulous in hiring a lot of photographers, videographers and a drone camera to record the event.
No Gandhigiri this
However, for parents who were at the venue, organisers teaching the students ahimsa or non-violence and truth, through the event was just ‘going overboard’, and was aimed only for a record.
“Like all parents, I dropped my son in school at 7.30 a.m. Why should they stand in the sun for four hours, for a ten-minute song and video recording for their competition? How will this help them learn about Gandhi?” P. Vara Prasad, a parent questioned.
Another parent pointed that all the 5,500 students were photo and videographed individually, for evidence, with numbered tokens, and then allowed into enclosures, causing the delay. Many were seen holding umbrellas and water bottles for their children in the 35 degree Celsius temperature, and some feeding them. By the end of the programme at 12 noon, tens of students were down due to dizziness, and were helped by volunteers.
Speaking to The Hindu, a member from the GGF justified the waiting. “If they are unable to be like Gandhi for four hours, how will they serve the country in future?” he asked. He eventually expressed regrets for missing out on amenities for some students.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Telangana / by B. Pradeep / Nalgonda – October 02nd, 2018
Two-time world champion S. Appoorwa being felicitated at Anand Nagar Welfare Association Sports Academy in the city.
Carrom player Appoorwa continues to evoke admiration with her consistent performance
The young as well as the champions, who have already made a mark in carrom, continue playing the game with the same passion shown by yesteryear stars in the last four decades.
Also, carrom is one sport that has helped players in the State get more jobs in government and public sector undertakings than some of the Olympic disciplines.
And two of the finest women stars – P. Nirmala and S. Appoorwa – continue to evoke awe and admiration with their consistent performances at all levels.
When Appoorwa, a two-time world champion, was felicitated at Anand Nagar Welfare Association Sports Academy during the on-going State championship, it was an acknowledgement of not just her achievements, but her efforts to keep the sport alive.
For the record, the Hyderabad Carrom Association, founded 42 years ago, has been a pioneer in sustaining the interest of many in the sport, thanks to the efforts its founder-president B.K. Haranath and general secretary S. Madan Raj.
Dreaming big
“It’s always nice to be felicitated by your fraternity. It keeps you going and dream big,” said Apporwa in a chat with The Hindu.
“My journey began way back in 1991 and I am glad that I keep playing the sport, thanks to the Association officials, my parents and my husband Kishore Kumar. It’s never easy to be an Administrative Officer (LIC), take care of your family and a growing kid (son Kanishk),” she said.
“I am not even thinking of life beyond carrom. I will keep playing as long as I can. It’s an integral part of my life,” said Appoorwa.
Decent job
Former SAARC champion D. Ravinder Goud says the best part is that many achievers are still assured of a decent job. “This is a biggest motivating factor for many to continue playing,” he said.
Former U.S. Open carrom champion, R.D. Dinesh Babu, said the increasing number of players was a tribute to the way the State association has been organising the events with such regularity over the decades.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Telangana / by V.V. Subrahmanyam / Hyderabad – October 02nd, 2018
Collector appoints special officers to oversee production
With less than two weeks for the distribution of Bathukamma sarees to commence, production work in Sircilla has picked up pace with powerlooms operating round-the-clock to meet the target.
In a bid to provide regular employment to powerloom weavers of Sircilla, the State government had placed orders for 90 lakh Bathukamma sarees and blouses measuring 6 crore metres of fabric at a cost of ₹280 crore. A total of 16,000 weavers are working on 20,000 powerlooms to produce the sarees.
Last year, the weavers could not achieve the targeted production of sarees, forcing the State government authorities to purchase sarees from Surat, Gujarat. However, following the supply of poor quality of sarees, the government faced the wrath of womenfolk. So, this time, it has taken up saree production as a prestige issue.
Collector P. Venkatarama Reddy is overseeing the daily production and has appointed 10 district officials as special officers with another 77 officials inspecting the powerloom units. So far, 4.21 crore metres (74 lakh sarees) have been woven.
Officials are ensuring that 12 lakh metres are woven on a daily average. They have also dispatched 34 lakh sarees to various districts for the distribution among beneficiaries from October 12. The weavers are producing two varieties of sarees in 80 colours — one for the elderly and the other for younger women.
Officials have also decided to conduct exhibitions by displaying the 80 colours of Bathukamma sarees from October 2 in Rajanna-Sircilla, Karimnagar, Jagtial, Siddipet, Nizamabad, Peddapalli, Kamareddy and other districts.
Mr. Reddy said the production of sarees has gathered considerable pace following supervision by special officers and added that the production of fabric has increased from 7 lakh metres to 12 lakh metres a day.
The Collector exuded confidence that the target would be achieved in time.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Telangana / by K.M. Dayashankar / Rajanna-Sircilla, October 01st, 2018
