Veteran film producer Edida Nageshwara Rao (81) passed away at a private hospital in the city on Sunday. Nageshwara Rao, who was suffering from ill health for the past few days, breathed his last while undergoing treatment at Star Hospitals in the city.
Known for his commitment to aesthetic and cultural values, Nageswara Rao produces classics like Sagara Sangamam, Shankarabharanam, Swati Mutyam, Sitara, Apathbhandavudu, among others. He produced movies under the banner of Poornodaya Pictures and most of these movies were directed by director K Vishwanath.
Nageswara Rao was born in Kothapet of West Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh. Besides producing many movies he held important positions in film industry bodies like Producers Council, Nandi Awards Committee, among others. The mortal remains of Rao will be kept at his residence in Film Nagar till Monday afternoon and final rites will be performed in the evening.
Chief minister KCR and AP chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed grief over Edida’s death.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / October 05th, 2015
Adilabad Additional Superintendent of Police G.R. Radhika at a tent on her way to the summit of the Kun mountain in Jammu and Kashmir. – Photo: By Arrangement
Adilabad Additional Superintendent of Police G.R. Radhika performed the feat on September 7 after a gruelling climb for over 10 days.
As any mountaineer would do, G.R. Radhika, the frail-looking police officer in Adilabad District of Telangana also swears by Sir Edmund Hillary’s belief, “It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.” And her concurrence with the legendary mountaineer does matter as she has become the first Indian woman to conquer the 7,077-metre Kun mountain, the twin of Nun, located in the inhospitable Zanskar range of Himalayas in Jammu and Kashmir.
Adilabad Additional Superintendent of Police performed the feat on September 7 after a gruelling climb for over 10 days. The Indian Mountaineering Foundation subsequently declared her to be holding the record for an Indian woman.
“I am a bit of a risk taker,” reveals Ms.Radhika about her personality which evidently craves for challenges that go beyond the ordinary ones faced by women. “I was brought up more like a boy than a girl,” says the younger one of the two children of a teacher couple as she tries to reason out her craving for adventure.
She likes to accept challenges which is why she quit her earlier job as an English language lecturer and took up policing. Despite her inclination, there was nothing to write home about in her 8 years as a cop until the opportunity to climb the rugged mountain came her way.
It was in 2012 that this mother of two children belonging to Anantapur District in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, her birth place and Kadapa, where she grew up, got to know about mountaineering as a sport. One of her friends suggested she get trained in mountain climbing after she successfully completed the difficult pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar in the Himalayas, Radhika recalls.
This set in motion her as yet short yet illustrious association with the sport. She finished her basic and advanced mountaineering courses which was, among other things, a confidence-building exercise.
“As part of the course I climbed the 5,980 mtr high Golep Kangri peak, also in the harsh Zanskar range in 2013,” Radhika states. “The following year, I scaled the 6,443 mtr high mount Menthosa in Himachal Pradesh which was all technical climbing,” she adds.
The policewoman enrolled herself for the Kun expedition with a recognised mountaineering outfit and set off towards it in the latter half of August. The team consisted of 7 muntaineers, some of them much experienced.
“Five of them dropped out on our way to the peak,” Radhika remembers trying to drive home the point about the difficulty quotient which even had her lose 4 kg of her weight. “Kun is considered more difficult because of its numerous crevasses and the ‘walls’ which meant a vertical climb of even 300 mtr at some place with a load of 6 kg,” she shrugs off a shudder as recent memories came flooding back.
Having seen her team mates back out did not diminish the gutsy woman’s enthusiasm in any way though she swears that it was only will power that kept her driving towards the peak. “The peak was visible but seemed ever so far thanks to he fatigue,” she recalls of her final effort.
“It took a few seconds for the feeling of victory to register,” she observes of the moment when she made it to the top. “I felt happy when it was confirmed that I was the first Indian woman to achieve the feat,” she adds, a wide grin breaking on her face.
Radhika is seriously contemplating making an attempt at scaling Mount Everest. “I have not decided as yet but I am definitely inclined to do so,” she asserts.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Telangana / by S. Harpal Singh / Adilabad – October 04th, 2015
The Telangana State Archaeology Department has taken up digitisation of negatives of old photographs in Hyderabad. Senior photographer of the department Narsing Rao engaged in the process.— Photo: Nagara Gopal
The department has already categorised 2,795 stampages from Telangana districts and their documentation is to be taken up soon.
The infant State of Telangana would soon have its exclusive centuries-old past documented. In a major initiative, the State Archaeology Department has decided to piece together bits and pieces dating back to centuries culled from different archaeological finds to reconstruct the history of Telangana.
Ancient writings from different locations across the ten districts of the State collected during epigraphy surveys were being categorised and coinages, stone and copper plate inscriptions and other sources would be put together for the purpose. Independent district-wise surveys too form part of the exercise to build local narratives of the past to arrive at the larger picture.
The department has already categorised 2,795 stampages (imprints of stone inscriptions) from the districts and their documentation is to be taken up soon. These orders inscribed in stone shed light on the ruler who installed them, the period and occasion.
“The inscriptions have the names of the rulers, their genealogy and occasion such as donation of land to temples and so on. By deciphering them, we intend to piece the history,” said P. Brahma Chari, Assistant Director of the State Archaeology Department.
Inscriptions from across the districts provide a peep into the past with details such as rulers of that period, historical and cultural aspects, disputes resolved, taxation, revenue collections and lakes developed.
The earliest collection of history in the form of inscriptions and coinage available with the department date back to the Satavahana dynasty (First and second century) found in Kotilingala in Karimnagar district.
“From Satavahana onwards, among other dynasties we have Andhra Ikshvakus, Vishnukundinas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakuta, Kalyani Chalukyas, Kakatiya, Bahmani, Velama, Qutb Shahi and Asaf Jahi rulers,” Mr. Brahma Chari said.
Epigraphical survey of all the 10 districts was already in progress and inscriptions from five districts of Warangal, Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, Karimnagar and Medak have been completed and details published.
Director of the Archaeology department Sunita M. Bhagwat said the project was aimed at building up an exclusive history of Telangana with information from historical and archaeological finds and epigraphical surveys.
“We want to piece together the rich cultural and historical past of the State through extensive study of the available stampages and other material,” she adds.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by T. Lalith Singh / Hyderabad – September 28th, 2015
Praveen Mamidala, head, Department of Biotechnology in the Telangana University got international recognition for his research on the evolution and characteristics of soyabean seed.
On his research done along with scientists Bansal, Priyanka and Brian J. Kassone of Agriculture and Research Development Centre of Ohio State articles were published in the internationally famous science magazine-Public Library Open Source. The magazine has four impact factors being given acknowledging the research in science.
Dr. Praveen said that the research was the first of its kind on the particular subject. He thanked the university Vice-Chancellor C. Parthasarathi and the Registrar Prof. R. Limbadri for their encouragement for his research.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by Special Correspondent / Nizamabad – September 29th, 2015
IT minister KT Rama Rao flanked by state government advisor KV Ramanachary, TSTDC chairman P Ramulu and MD Christina Z Chongthu releasing a book on ‘Ancient Temples of Telangana’ on the occasion of World Tourism Day in Hyderabad on Sunday. | EXPRESS Photo
Hyderabad :
Coinciding with the World Tourism Day, the Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC) entered the online market and launched Android-based mobile phone application and touch-screen kiosks to promote tourism destinations in the state.
The App acts as a virtual guide to users and provides detailed information on the transport, accommodation and history of any chosen place. Any mobile phone user can download this Android-based App free of cost.
The touch-screen kiosks, which will also serve a similar purpose, will be installed at railway stations, bus stations and airports for the benefit of travellers to guide them to the nearest tourist spots.
Information technology minister K T Rama Rao inaugurated the two facilities during World Tourism Day celebrations at Taramati Baradari in the city on Sunday.
Rama Rao advised the TSTDC to explore new trends in tourism promotion such as palace tourism and theme park tourism. “The weekend culture is a developing trend in cities like Hyderabad. It is a good opportunity for the tourism sector to cash in on the growing demand for children’s parks and theme-based restaurants in the city.” He also suggested to TSTDC to develop adventure sports destinations near Hyderabad.
Meanwhile, the TSTDC has announced new initiatives to develop unexplored tourist destinations in the state. Corporation chairman Pervaram Ramulu said that the government was planning to develop theme- based tourism circuits to connect multiple tourist spots under a single package.
An integrated eco-tourism circuit in Mahbubnagar district has been announced recently. A tribal tourism circuit in Warangal district with eight destinations was being developed with an investment of Rs 96.01 crore, he said. On the occasion of the World Tourism Day, the TSTDC presented awards to best performing restaurants, tour operators and guides. ‘One Billion Tourists, One Billion Opportunities’ has been chosen as the theme for Tourism Day celebrations this year. According to a recent report by the United Nations, the global tourism market will have 1.80 billion (100.80 crore) tourists.
To enhance its share in the country’s tourism revenue, the TSTDC is planning to spend Rs 600 crore with a target to develop the tourism spots to global standards.
Tourism secretary B Venkatesham, advisor to the state government KV Ramanachary, TSTDC managing director Christina Z Chongthu and director of archaeology Sunita Bhagawat were also present at the event.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / September 28th, 2015
A bi-monthly photo magazine presents stories from the city.
There is no dearth of magazines on photography, particularly those that teach amateurs the nuances of photography. But where would you look if you want stories from the city presented visually? Online photo forums perhaps? Photographer Kishor Krishnamoorthi sensed a vacuum in print and the result is Concorde, a bi-monthly city-based magazine that presents photo stories.
The first issue focussed on Chai and the second, with the subtitle Metrostruction, focuses on people who are part of the metro rail project, buildings razed to the ground and people displaced by the metro rail. The first issue, Chai, has photographs shot by Aditya Mopur, Akhil Tandulwadikar, Kishor Krishnamoorthi and Vishnu Oi. The pages narrate the unifying nature of chai across social strata — from GHMC workers in Secunderabad enjoying a chai break to green tea in a mug in a corporate boardroom. A doctor sips chai during a break from an operation in Apollo Hospital; a youngster stays glued to his laptop screen as he awaits his cuppa at Starbucks; and Irani chai and samosa do the rounds in Café Azad-e-Hind at RTC Cross Roads.
The magazine keeps text to a minimum. “The idea is to let the photographs speak for themselves and not have captions that say more than what’s necessary,” says Aditya Mopur.
Metrostruction presents snapshots of buildings in different stages of demolition photographed by Kishor while Suri Vasireddy vividly brings to focus stories of displacement — a few people from the vast workforce employed for the metro rail work who’ve moved to Hyderabad from other cities, and people whose shops have been razed or earmarked for demolition.
Concorde is available through concordezine.com
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Society / by Sangeetha Devi Dundoo / Hyderabad – September 27th, 2015
The Buddhist Stupa in Dhulikatta village of Eligaid mandal in Karimnagar district.—Photo: Thakur Ajay Pal Singh
The Buddhist Stupa dating back to 2nd century BC and one of the 30 walled cities mentioned by Megasthenes located in Dhulikatta village of Eligaid mandal in Karimnagar district lies neglected for several decades due to lethargy on the part of the government.
The Archaeology Department had discovered the heritage structure in 1975 along the shores of a picturesque rivulet on the outskirts of Dhulikatta village. Barring the discovery of this early Buddhist stupa, the authorities have failed to take up any measures for the development and protection of the heritage site for the promotion of tourism.
In spite of several pleas by the historians and others, the authorities failed to provide road facilities to the ancient protected monumental structure. It is barely 33 km distance from the district headquarters, but still reaching the Stupa is a herculean task due to non-availability of road.
Due to non-availability of security at this structure, the miscreants had damaged the ancient monument and stolen away the antique veneer slabs and other panels and bricks. There were also incidents of miscreants digging the structure in search of treasure hunt. Literally, there is not even a sign board educating the people about the importance of ancient structure to attract tourists.
This Buddhist Stupa was constructed on a mound with light weight bricks. It is embellished with sculpted veneer slabs and beautifully carved limestone slabs. It is stated that site had attained importance as it was constructed with 47 slabs to enhance the dome with the Stupa.
Historians say that the Archaeology authorities had discovered other relics such as gateways built with light weight bricks, mahastupa, chatra, residential houses, wells, bangle pieces, ivory combs, gold objects, punch-marked coins, beads, coins of Romans and Satavahanas and seals. Majority of relics were shifted to the present Andhra Pradesh State Museum and only a few antiques lie in the Karimnagar museum.
AD (Archaeology) Premsagar told The Hindu on Tuesday that the Telangana State government was planning to develop Buddhist circuit covering Dhulikatta and other ancient Buddhist structures located in Nalgonda district which will also promote tourism.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by Special Correspondent / Karimnagar – September 23rd, 2015
