FINAL JOURNEY – With no vultures, a Parsis ritual on the brink

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

TowerofSilenceTELAN07sept2015

Parsis forced to make do with solar-powered machines.

Unlike in other religions where a deceased person’s body is cremated or buried, when a Parsi dies, his or her body is left in the ‘Tower of Silence’ for vultures. Though there are two such ‘towers’ in Hyderabad, it has been more than 20 years since a vulture swooped down on a dead body, as the scavenging birds have almost become extinct in the city and its surrounding areas.

Due to the disappearance of vultures, members of the Parsi community have installed solar concentrators as an alternative. The machines desiccate the bodies, though perhaps not as quickly as the scavenging birds. “The panels rotate in accordance with the Sun,” said Jahangir Bisney, a chartered accountant and trustee of the Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman of Secunderabad and Hyderabad.

SolarPanelsTELAN07sept2015

The solar panels, which run on small motors, work in accordance with Zoroastrian teachings, which consider dead bodies impure. Burning a corpse is also not allowed, as it would contaminate fire, which Parsis worship. “In Hyderabad, except during the monsoon season, there is good heat. It is basically like a sky burial,” mentioned Mr. Bisney, whose Trust manages the ‘Tower of Silence’ at Zamistanpur.

However, over the last few years, some Parsis have also been cremating their dead family members, instead of keeping their bodies at the ‘Tower of Silence’. “Some cremate bodies in the Hindu burial grounds, or opt for the new electrical or bio-gas crematoriums,” mentioned Ahmad (name changed). He, however, added that not following the ‘tradition’ is not seen kindly by some members.

“We offer prayers called ‘Arangah’, meaning rest in peace, for the deceased for four continuous days. When a person is cremated or buried in a city where there is a Tower of Silence, prayers are not offered for him, as it is considered taboo,” explained Mr. Bisney.

The Tower of Silence is situated in a complex called ‘Doongerwadi’, which is derived from the word Doonger, meaning mountain. “In Iran, centuries ago, the structure was built at an elevated place, and not near any habitation,” said Mr. Bisney

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National / by Yunus Y. Lasania / September 07th, 2015

Going professional

Business & Economy, Inspiration / Positive News and Features
HYDERABAD,TELANGANA,23/08/2015: Cobber Shanker (Right corner), with his family, and a photo of him, both in his house at L. B. Nagar in Hyderabad on Sunday. --Photo:Special Arrangements
HYDERABAD,TELANGANA,23/08/2015: Cobber Shanker (Right corner), with his family, and a photo of him, both in his house at L. B. Nagar in Hyderabad on Sunday. –Photo:Special Arrangements

Cobbler P. Shanker and his son are planning to market their skills through Facebook and are hoping that their business will take off soon.

Discarding old shoes after they are worn out is one thing, but having to discard those that are slightly damaged is another, especially if they are branded or expensive. And chances are that even showrooms where they are bought from may not be able to fix them.

That’s where P. Vijay and his father P. Shanker come in. Calling themselves professional cobblers, Mr. Shanker claims that he can repair any damaged shoe, especially branded ones.

“I used to mend shoes for Bata. I would repair at least five to 15 pairs a day. They would tell customers that their damaged shoes were sent to the ‘company’ for repair. I was that ‘company’,” laughs the 70-year-old cobbler.

Vijay is now set to change how people look at those who mend shoes, claiming that he and his father can repair almost any shoe.

“A lot of times, people just discard branded shoes, even if they can be repaired. Showrooms may not do it. We even get the material on our own and deliver finished goods to the customers,” he says.

As a test, this reporter gave Vijay a pair of two-year-old Red Tape shoes, with completely worn out soles and inner leather. In fact, before giving it to him, the showroom where the shoes were bought from and a few other stores refused to fix the pair, stating that the soles were not replaceable.

However, Mr. Shanker proved them wrong, bringing back the pair to life, by making a new pair of soles and fitting them perfectly.

“I had to cut out new soles from a sheet of rubber. We ourselves purchase material required for our work. That was how we worked for a few Bata stores, earning Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 10,000 a month,” recalls Mr. Shanker.

However, a few years ago, he stopped taking orders and branched out on his own.

After working for an Army battalion in Mehdiptnam garrison for some months, he shifted operations to his own house in L.B. Nagar. Vijay now plans to market his father’s skills to get more business by starting a Facebook page.

“I will leave my MNC job once this takes off,” he quips. He can be contacted on 97009 90160 and 84639 76778.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by Yunus Y. Lasania / Hyderabad – September 06th, 2015

Mahindra Group to Expand Tractor Unit in Zaheerabad

Business & Economy

Hyderabad :

Mahindra Group has plans to expand their existing tractor manufacturing unit in Zaheerabad and also planning to provide electrical vehicles to ferry passengers of Metro Rail stations to different destinations in the city.

The representatives of six companies of Mahindra and Mahindra group called on IT minister K T Rama Rao and industries minister Jupally Krishna Rao here on Thursday.

The representatives of Mahindra group discussed with the ministers on the expansion plans of their group companies.

When Rama Rao called on Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra in Mumbai in the first week of August, Anand assured that he would send a team from his company to study the expansion plans and new investments.

At Thursday’s meeting, the representatives explained their expansion plans in motors, IT, infrastructure, aerospace and defence sector.

Mahindra group has decided to supply vehicles for the GHMC for lifting garbage.

They also explained their plans to provide electrical vehicles to transport passengers of Metro Rail stations to other places in the city.

The Mahindra group also hinted that they would further expand their tractor manufacturing plant in Zaheerabad.

When the representatives explained that their group was also involved in construction of weaker section houses, Rama Rao wanted them to give their plans in the proposed two-bed room flats taken up by the state government.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / September 04th, 2015

KCR Greets Sania for Khel Ratna

Records, All, Sports, World Opinion
Lawn Tennis player Sania Mirza | (File/PTI)
Lawn Tennis player Sania Mirza | (File/PTI)

Hyderabad :

Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday congratulated Hyderabad- based Indian lawn tennis player Sania Mirza for receiving Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.

The Chief Minister wished her all the best, expressed the hope that in future she would get many more such awards nationally and internationally, an official release from the CMO said.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / August 30th, 2015

Damodar Rao is Kakatiya Varsity’s English Dept HoD

Education, Leaders

Warangal :

Kendra Sahitya Akademi award winner and associate professor K Damodar Rao has been appointed as the head of English department at Kakatiya University (KU).

He is expected to hold the post till his retirement in January, 2017 and will head the department from August 31. Damodar Rao is a veteran educationalist and has won the prestigious Kendra Sahitya Akademi award for translation in 2008.

A well known critic and translator, Damodar has scribed 38 research articles and 10 books. Rao is a prolific translator, who has made Telugu literature available to English literati.

Under his guidance, 10 researchers have completed MPhil. He is also the joint editor of the university journal on English and Vivechana. As of now, Damodar Rao assists the vice-principal of the university and has previously held administrative positions such as director of CELT and varsity librarian successfully. Faculty, research scholars and students congratulated him on his success.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / August 30th, 2015

Narayankhed MLA Passes Away

Leaders

Sangareddy :

The sudden demise of Congress senior MLA and Public Accounts Committee chairman P Kista Reddy shocked people in the district and especially Narayankhed constituency, which he represented.

Kista Reddy was a veteran leader in Medak district. He had a special place in Narayankhed politics for a long time.

The party workers said that Kista Reddy left for Hyderabad to attend Public Accounts Committee meeting on Tuesday and didn’t return. When news channels started airing the news, a pall of gloom descented the Narayankhed town. Educational institutions and business establishments voluntarily closed after the news was flashed.

The mortal remains of Kista Reddy reached Narayankhed by 3 pm and party workers, collector Ronald Ross, SP B Sumathi, TDP leader and former MLA M Vijaypal Reddy, and others also paid rich tributes.

Officials are making arrangements for the cremation of Kista Reddy at his native village Panchagama on Wednesday. Kista Reddy was born on October 2, 1942 to Gandreddy and Sangamma at Panchagama village of Narayankhed mandal. Reddy graduated from Osmania University with gold medal in 1959.

Kista Reddy joined active politics in 1970 after becoming sarpanch of his native village. Later he served as president of Panchayat Samithi from 1981 to 1986.

He contested as Congress candidate from Narayankhed Assembly segment in 1989 and won. Again he contested as Congress candidate and got elected in 1999. In 2009, he won with a huge majority of 28,000 and retained the seat in 2014 amidst TRS wave.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / August 26th, 2015

Warangal first NBW-free city in India

Records, All
Warangal Police Commissioner G. Sudheer Babu announced the city to be Non-Bailable Warrant-free on Tuesday and is the first in the country to achieve the distinction. Photo: M. Murali / The Hindu
Warangal Police Commissioner G. Sudheer Babu announced the city to be Non-Bailable Warrant-free on Tuesday and is the first in the country to achieve the distinction. Photo: M. Murali / The Hindu

Many offenders who skip warrants resort to crime again and again. They appear to have either died or moved away. The police in course of time after prolonged pursuance give up at one point of time.

The Warangal Police Commissionerate has become first in the country to achieve the distinction of being free from pending Non Bailable Warrant (NBW), said Commissioner of Police G. Sudheer Babu.

“We have executed a record of 1070 NBWs in 44 days and we are the first in the country to clear all warrants. We have executed over 80 NBWs which were pending for over a decade,” he explained.

Many offenders who skip warrants resort to crime again and again. They appear to have either died or moved away. The police in course of time after prolonged pursuance give up at one point of time. “We reviewed the pendency of NBWs in July and decided to execute every single warrant by August 31 and we did it,” Mr. Sudheer Babu said.

He thanked DGP Anurag Sharma and other higher officials and those at police station level for the success. He also thanked the District Court authorities for their cooperation in achieving the distinction.

Executing the warrants was continous duty of the police but often they keep pending for want of evidence and when the offenders hoodwink the police. It was taken up as a challenge by the police commissionerate and decided to pursue every single warrant henceforth.

“One can be rest assured that all those involved in criminal activity are produced in court. If new warrants come out, we will take them to their logical end. We updated our database of habitual offenders and all their details,” the Police Commissioner said.

It was decided to reward all those who worked for the record at police station level suitably.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by Gollapudi Srinivasa Rao / Warangal – September 01st, 2015

Mallapur villagers make things happen

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features
Mallapur villagers repairing the road leading to their village in Indervelli mandal on Tuesday. (right) Utnoor ITDA Project Officer R.V. Karnan helping the villagers in repairing the road.-Photos: S. Harpal Singh
Mallapur villagers repairing the road leading to their village in Indervelli mandal on Tuesday. (right) Utnoor ITDA Project Officer R.V. Karnan helping the villagers in repairing the road.-Photos: S. Harpal Singh

80 tribals join hands to repair the connecting road in just a couple of hours

Instead of waiting for things to happen, the Adivasi villagers of Mallapur in Indervelli mandal got down to making things happen. They made the difficult looking task of repairing road look so easy as 80 of them got down to obliterating dangerous potholes on the connecting road in just a couple of hours.

About 80 tribal individuals, one each from a family, joined the effort to repair the road. The decision to repair the road, on their own, was taken by the village development committee.

The Project Officer, Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Utnoor, R.V. Karnan who has adopted Tejapur gram panchayat of which Mallapur is a constituent village, was all praise for the effort. He even contributed his mite by digging gravel and spreading it on the road during his visit to the village as part of Grama Jyothi programme on Tuesday.

Visiting agricultural fields in Mallapur, the Project Officer assured the tribal farmers of purchasing the indigenous variety of maize and minor millets which they have cultivated during the season. “This was part of the action plan devised to make Mallapur a seed bank for indigenous variety crops,” he said.

The ITDA has already purchased about 200 kg of millet seeds from the village. “These have been distributed among Adivasi farmers in Wankidi mandal under the Centrally sponsored Vanabandhu Kalyan Yojana,” Mr. Karnan pointed out.

“We will pay you more than the market price,” the Project Officer said while inquiring about the market rate of regular hybrid variety of millets and other food grains. He said payments will be made through the special committee on agriculture formed in the village under the Grama Jyothi programme.

Earlier, Mr. Karnan exhorted the villagers to go in for planting more number of custard apple trees under the Telanganaku Haritha Haram programme. He said the fruits fetched good price in the open market to bring in healthy income for the farmers.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by S. Harpal Singh / Mallapur (Adilabad Dist) – August 19th, 2015

NIT adds another feather in its cap

Education, Science & Technology

The National Institute of Technology (NIT), Warangal has scored another milestone in its annals on Tuesday by commencing Electronics and ICT Academy activities by Padma Shree Prof. D.B. Phatak, a renowned computer professor of IIT, Mumbai.

Mr Ajay Kumar, Joint Secretary, Department of Electronics and IT under Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, New Delhi also graced the occasion. The academy strengthens brand of NIT to train faculty of electronics and computer science in advanced areas, enabling other faculties of engineering to use ICT in their teaching and modern research.

The president of the function, Prof. T. Srinivasa Rao, Director of NITW narrated the chronology of events that culminated into to today’s commencing of activities ceremony.

The guest of honour Dr. Ajay Kumar gave the background with which DeitY concluded to have seven academies spread across the country and the method of selection of four institutes initially to understand pros and cons attaching about seven to eight nearby states for each academy. “Two such academies are in operation at Tamilnadu and Kerala the success of which led to the birth of these new generation academies,” he said.

The Chief guest Prof. D. B. Phatak acclaimed the efforts of technical institutions and government machinery to bring the fruits of ICT into teaching learning process to overcome the huge shortage of faculty to a large extent. He illustrated his point by mentioning the success of online courses through e-outreach, MOOCS, MOODLE and Coursera. “We aim to bring awareness amongst the faculty the advantages of using these online tools to 10,000 teachers all over India,” he said.

Representatives from industry, institutes, state and central governments, deans, heads of departments and centers, officers and other staff members were also present.

The academy strengthens brand of NIT to train faculty of electronics and computer science in advanced areas

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by Special Correspondent / Warangal – August 19th, 2015

D Srinivas Appointed Advisor to TS Government

Business & Economy, Leaders

Hyderabad :

Former APCC president D Srinivas, who joined TRS recently, will join the list of advisors to the Telangana State government.

Srinivas joined TRS recently stating that he would like to share his vast experience as a politician for developing the new state. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, while admitting DS, into the Pink Party also said the latter’s experience will be utilised for realising the goal of Bangaru Telangana.
On Friday, the government issued orders appointing DS as special advisor to the state government for inter-state affairs. The cabinet rank post has a tenure of one year from the date of assumption of office.

The state government has already appointed more than half-a-dozen advisors for guiding the government. Like the other advisors, DS will be paid Rs 1 lakh as salary apart from other allowances and perks. DS will get medical reimbursement on par with All India Services officers. He would be provided five supporting staff.

With the possibility of a rise in inter-state disputes, the government decided to appoint DS as an advisor for inter-state affairs.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / August 22nd, 2015