Monthly Archives: February 2013

Taj Falaknuma Palace voted as Best Hotel 2013

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, World Opinion

Taj Falaknuma Palace has been awarded the prestigious Andrew Harpers ‘Grand Prize as the “Best Hotel of the Year 2013”. Andrew Harper Collection is a publication and a reference guide to the world’s most distinguished hotels with unique identities that offer unusually high levels of personal service.

The Taj Falaknuma Palace, located 2,000 feet above the bustling city of Hyderabad continues to stand testimony to royal heritage and is renowned for the Nizam’s legendary hospitality, beautifully refurbished and lovingly restored, the palace allows you to journey into the clouds and into the glided ages, where grandeur and excess is celebrated and savored in equal measure.

Once home to the world-renowned Kohinoor and Jacob diamonds, the Palace was the former residence of the most extravagant royal family. Extensive refurbishment carried out under the guidance of Princess Esra Jah, re-instated the grand Palace to its former glory.

Taj Falaknuma Palace, in its two years of opening has received several prestigious International awards and accolades; from being voted as the Asia and Indian subcontinent’s Best Hotel, and being voted as among the Top five hotels in the World in the ‘Best of Best’ list by Condé Nast Traveller’s Reader’s Travel Awards – 2012, to being recognized by The New York Times as among the ‘Top 20 Places in the World’ to visit.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / Home> Cities>Hyderabad / by Express News Service – Hyderabad / February 02nd, 2013

Jwala Gutta to dance in a Tollywood movie

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Sports

For all those who have been wondering why Jwala Gutta  has been MIA, here’s news! The glamourous shuttler is all set to play on a different field now. And no prizes for guessing that it is Tollywood! After much speculation about a possible filmi career, Jwala will be finally making her Tollywood debut, but not as a leading lady. The glam girl of  badminton  is all set to scorch screen in a special song for the upcoming Nithiin-starrer Gunde Jari Gallanthayinde.

Nikhitha Reddy, Nithiin’s sister and the producer of the film, says, “Jwala and Nithiin are great friends and he asked her to dance with him in a special song. She even underwent training for a whole week because she wanted to understand the lyrics of the song before she started shooting. Initially, Jwala was nervous in front of the camera, but she lost her inhibitions once shooting started. She is a quick learner and is very active on the sets. The chemistry between the two is cute. And she dances very well too.” Anup Rubens has composed the tunes of the peppy number in Gunde Jari Gallanthayinde, which marks the directorial debut of K Vijay Kumar. Excerpts from a chat with Jwala…

I thought Nithiin was joking
I am not new to Tollywood offers. I have been approached by many filmmakers in the past, but I have always maintained that I will take up a film only if I like it. This song came to me as a surprise. Nithiin is a very dear friend and we end up meeting every week. During one such meeting, Nithiin asked me to do a song with him. I really thought he was joking, but soon, he brought it up again. I was reluctant initially because this isn’t my field, but Nithiin convinced me to do it.

I’m playing myself
I am wearing a royal blue blingy outfit in this peppy number that has been shot inside a club. In fact, I play myself in the song. The lyrics has me talking about my game (badminton). It is being shot at a nightclub and I am sure the audiences will love it.

I’m not averse to the term ‘item’
I don’t really know how to define an item number, neither am I averse to it. But I guess the son that I am doing is not an item number. It’s more of a club track, they are calling it a special song.

I do know to dance
I can move and shake. I am not too bad at it, but yes, for this song, I had to rehearse for a week. Master Shekhar has choreographed this song.

Debuting with a song
I don’t know whether this can be called my debut. I did it because Nithiin harassed me a lot about it! (laughs). I took it up for the fun of it. We are still shooting for the song. After seeing me on screen, if filmmakers approach me with more songs, or item numbers as they call it, I am cool with it. If I like the offer, I’m game. There’s nothing wrong with item numbers.

Acting is a tough job!
Now that I have done this song, I know how hard people work on the sets. I would say playing badminton is a lot more easier for me than films! My first day on the sets was a 12-hours job! Acting is definitely not easy.

Staying low-key post Olympics
Well, I am going to be back on the field soon. I will be playing tournaments from February end onwards.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> Sports> Off the field / by Suresh Kavirayani & Rupam Jain, TNN / January 30th, 2013

Emergency angioplasty saves Belgian

Business & Economy, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Vanhaeren Kohn

Minutes before the Vijayawada-New Delhi Air India flight was to take off from Gannavaram Airport, a 38-year-old Belgian national Vanhaeren Kohn, suffered a massive heart attack, but timely medical help saved his life.

A businessman, who was in Vijayawada to sell his company’s equipment, was on his way to New Delhi and sudden severe chest pain, palpitation left him motionless and identifying the problem, the people around immediately shifted him to the Pinnamaneni Medical College and Hospital in Gannavaram on Thursday evening.

Doctors shifted him to Dr. Ramesh Hospitals, where a primary emergency angioplasty was done in consultation with the family physician of Mr. Kohn back in Belgium. Ramesh Hospitals Chief Cardiologist P. Ramesh Babu said that there was a 100 per cent block in a vessel on the side and they removed it within 25 minutes .

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Special Correspondent / February 02nd, 2013

Humour, the Telugu way

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Nri's / Pio's

‘Noota Padaharu Americomedy Kathalu’ (116 humorous short stories of America), penned by Vanguri Chitten Raju was been released at Andhra Sahitya Parishad hall in Kakinada . A native of Kakinada, Chitten Raju had settled at Houston in the United States of America (USA) three decades ago. His penchant for writing made him convert some of his experiences in the foreign land into humorous short stories in his mother tongue Telugu.

These stories had been published in various magazines. Now, Chitten Raju has come out with a 483-page compilation, featuring all his works in one hard-bound book with cover design by none other than Bapu. Houston-based Vanguri Foundation of America published the book and the author was keen on arranging the book release function in his native town.

Lauding Chitten Raju’s fondness for humour, poet and critic K. Ramachandra Reddy said that the readers can experience American life of Telugus just by browsing the pages of the book. Referring to the character ‘Queen Victoria’ in all the stories, he compared the character with renowned humorous character ‘Kantham’ created by Munimanikyam Narasimha Rao.

Kakinada Revenue Divisional Officer G. Jawaharlal Nehru congratulated Chitten Raju for continuing literary activity despite his busy life in the USA. President of the Andhra Sahitya Parishad Dantu Surya Rao, P. Chiranjeevini Kumari, K. Gowri Naidu and others attended the function.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Arts > Books /by K.N. Murali Kumar / January 31st, 2013

Salar Jung goes solar

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Science & Technology

The SJM has decided to install a solar power plant to reduce the burden on conventional grid and to minimise its power charges

The rising power bill has forced the Salar Jung Museum (SJM) management to consider tapping solar energy to meet its captive needs. The SJM has decided to install a solar power plant to reduce the burden on conventional grid and to minimise its power charges.

The museum executive committee has already given the go-ahead, and the matter will be placed before the Board for its formal approval shortly. The SJM has already indicated Rs. 4 crore for the solar power plant in the budget projections for 2013-14.

Interestingly, SJM will be the first museum in the country to go for non-conventional energy. It plans to install 500 KW solar power plant on its roof top at a cost of Rs. 5.5 crore. The Ministry of Non Renewable Energy will provide a subsidy of 30 per cent.

However, the museum is looking for big companies, preferably those dealing in solar power, to sponsor the project as part of corporate social responsibility. In return, they can freely advertise their product in the museum, which has a visitor turnout of 12 lakh a month. A win-win situation for both.

“If none comes forward, we are prepared to go for the solar plant on our own,” says A. Nagender Reddy, Director, SJM. The New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of A P (NREDCAP) carried out a detailed survey of the museum premises recently and found ample space on the roof top of three buildings to install 500 KWp solar power plant to generate about 2500 KWh units of power a day. In a month the plant will generate nearly 75,000 KWh meeting 50 per cent of museum power requirement. The SJM power consumption is 4,851 units on an average a day. The average monthly consumption comes to 14,5,529 units. Annually the museum shells out a whopping Rs. 1.50 crore towards power charges.

Recently the SJM installed a 500 lpd capacity solar water heating plant at a cost of Rs. 64,000 to meet the needs of families of CISF personnel.

By going for solar power the museum hopes to save Rs. 7 to 8 lakh a month and recover the investment in about four years.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by J.S. Ifthekhar / February 01st, 2013