Well-known cartoonist Ragati Pandari (50) passed away here on Thursday while undergoing treatment for a lung disease at a private hospital. Pandari fell ill after her mother Santa Kumari’s sudden demise a month ago.
Pandari started her career as a cartoonist at the age of eight. Affected by polio as a child, Ragati could not pursue her studies and learnt to draw cartoons by sketching in books available at home. Since 1980, her cartoons have been carried in several regional and English newspapers, weekly and monthly magazines. Ragati, who drew inspiration from eminent cartoonist Jayadev, sketched more than 16,000 cartoons, pictorial stories and scripts.
The city-based cartoonist was felicitated by various organizations and received several awards, including Kalaratna by the state government. As per her last wishes, Pandari’s body was donated to a hospital and eyes donated to an eye bank.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Visakhapatnam / TNN / February 20th, 2015
Participants of Mrs. Vizag contest walking down the ramp at the audition round in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.— Photo: K. R. Deepak
Grace Simon’s phone kept ringing as soon as she got off the stage. She hurried out to a corner of the crowded hall to speak to her husband, who seemed as anxious as Grace was to know the outcome of the audition round of Mrs. Vizag contest.
A nurse at the critical section of anti-retroviral therapy at KGH, this was Grace’s first experience in the modelling world as she walked the ramp, a bit tentatively, to participate in the first beauty pageant held in the city for married women.
“I would have never done this had it not been for my colleagues and my husband,” said the 27-year-old mother of two.
Handling the critical care section of providing support to HIV-positive patients, Grace has learnt the art of taking challenges with a smile.
“Married life is challenging and so is the ability of striking a balance. Once we learn to do any work with love and commitment, it is easy to deal with the challenges. Family support, of course, is very crucial,” said Grace, who looks at the Mrs. Vizag platform as a medium to gain self confidence and also to spread awareness about AIDS and various medical assistance available for the patients.
Grace was one of the 80 participants who registered for the audition round of the contest held at Hotel Royal Fort on Tuesday.
Being organised by Moon Power Events, the finale of the contest will be held on February 28 at MGM Park.
The audition round brought out myriad facets of a woman. It was a first for many contestants, who broke the image of their traditional roles as a housewife and a mother to pull out a smile and walk on to the ramp in glittering Indian wear. The wobbly steps on high heels were the first attempt at winning recognition, and, perhaps, one day even celebrity status.
The husbands, with a degree of pride, stood holding the kids and capturing the moment on their cell phones while watching their wives sashay down the stage.
“Doesn’t she look charming!” a man whispered, as he cheered for his wife.
Twenty-five-year-old Charu Chowdhary waited for her turn to walk the ramp as her husband and her months-old baby waved out to her from the other end of the hall. “My husband took a day off from work to support me in the auditions,” she said with a smile and added, “This platform will help me discover myself.”
The winner of the contest will get a gold crown worth Rs. 1 lakh. The event is being held for a charitable cause. The proceeds from the show will go for the welfare of HIV-positive people.
Participants in the audition round of Mrs. Vizag contest shed their traditional roles to make a dazzling debut
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Nivedita Ganguly / Visakhapatham – February 18tgh, 2015
Degala Lakshmi, a pioneer in lace work, displaying designer saris at an exhibition in Tanuku of West Godavari district.— Photo: A.V.G. Prasad
Degala Lakshmi, an unassuming SHG woman who became a brand ambassador for lace products in the global market once, is now in oblivion.
She shared the dais with the Microsoft giant Bill Gates at a function in HITEC city, Hyderabad, in 1999, where she displayed her exquisitely crafted lace products . The symmetrical beauty of the lace creations with a world-wide craft-loving clientele helped her embark upon an exciting journey from her non-descript delta village of Annavarapupadu under Peravali mandal of West Godavari district to the United States, Sri Lanka and Dubai. A lace flower presented by Ms. Lakshmi elegantly adorned the then US president Bill Clinton who visited her stall in the US. The SHG movement, which began in a small way in her village with only three groups in 1996, grew into 86 groups under her tireless efforts.
For Ms. Lakshmi, it is all history now. She bears testimony to the utter neglect the art of international fame and its artisans have been subjected to. She has diversified into designer and painting works and doing lace borders on saris as she finds little support from the government agencies.
Ms. Lakshmi was spotted by this correspondent at a stall put up at a college here in connection with a symposium on women entrepreneurship. She said she felt suffocated in the SHG movement due to politicisation of the groups and the lack of a sense of belongingness among the members.
The Union Ministry of Textiles proposed to set up a mega hub for hand-crafted lace at Rustumbada near Narsapur at a cost of Rs. 70 crore, but the project failed to take off.
Degala Lakshmi shared the dais with Bill Gates at a function in HITEC city in 1999
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by G. Nagaraja / Tanuku (West Godavari Dist.) – February 18th, 2015
Students honour parents during ‘Mata Pita Pujotsavam’ in a school in Ongole on Monday.—Photo: Kommuri Srinivas
Over 400 students of the Montessori Public School performed puja to their parents and honoured them during the ‘Mata Pita Pujotsavam’ organised under the banner of the Sanatana Dharma Prachara Samiti here on Monday, ahead of Valentine’s Day. School headmistress Sucharita joined the students in honouring the parents of students.
The event was organised to mould children into responsible citizens, taking care of their parents well and not to blindly ape western cultural practices like the Valentine’s Day, Samiti Ongole chapter president J. Satyanarayana Raju.
After the break-up of the joint family system, parents were left in the lurch due to western cultural onslaught, said Samiti Ongole chapter secretary N. Bharata Sastri.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Ongole – February 10th, 2015
K. Ranga Rao presenting skits as part of his endeavour to get into the Limca Book of Records in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. —Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam
What happens when you add zero between ‘padi’ (ten)? It becomes ‘pandi’ (pig). What do you call a ‘vantavadu’ these days in English? The answer is: husband. What follows after alphabet ‘T’? It is ‘biscuits’. The most sought-after word is — ‘free’.
Husband: Why did you stop the housemaid from work all of a sudden?
Wife: She started calling me akka !!
If Ravan becomes a singer, he doesn’t need a chorus.
Woman: Will you love me even after your marriage?
Man: Only if your husband permits.
Doling out a total of 37 jokes in one minute, Korukonda Ranga Rao, a foreman in Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, completed his first mission of narrating ‘Most jokes told in one minute’ in his attempt to get into the Limca Book of Records at Vysakhi Jala Udyanavanam on Sunday.
Organised by the Laugthers Fun Club, the first event covered a wide range of topics.
After a break, Mr. Ranga Rao started off his 10-hour-long journey of solo performance of skits with uniform energy levels and perfect timing from 10.13 a.m. From lethargic employees to conversations between husband and wife, and how police personnel swing into action after they receive a complaint, the skits kept the viewers spellbound throughout the show. Sporting wigs, changing costumes, and donning about 40 roles in a split second, Mr. Ranga Rao treated the audience to a number of skits that lasted a few minutes each.
“I am very passionate about acting. It drives me to bring the best out of me. Apart from attempting to break the record, participating in such events helps me quench my thirst for acting,” he said.
AU Vice-Chancellor G.S.N. Raju inaugurated the programme. VSP General Manager in-charge (Maintenance) O.R. Ramani, CID Inspector Nagesh Kumar, and joint secretary of the club P.K. Durgaprasad were among those present.
In an effort to enter the Limca Book of Records, VSP employee K. Ranga Rao narrates 37 jokes in one minute and begins his 10-hour solo performance of skits
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Staff Reporter / Visakhapatnam – February 02nd, 2015
A group of friends poses for a selfie at the Disney Family Carnival in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.—Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam
A group of girls was seen clicking selfies. Doting fathers took turns to take care of their children and mothers found the place quite warm as they could freak out for a while with their friends. Children were lost in their own sweet world of food, games, and loads of fun.
This sums up the scene at the Disney Family Carnival held at The Park Hotel on Sunday evening.
Hosted by the Creative Plus Entertainment Network, along with a group of likeminded people, the event whipped up a magic show, contests like kids fancy dress, family fashion parade, and Disney parade clubbed with heart-pounding music.
The carnival provided an avenue for all age groups to meet and make merry.
“It is a nice way to relax and unwind before we start our week ahead. Being part of the carnival helps us de-stress to a great extent,” says Pratyusha, a final year BBM student.
Children queued up at the makeshift stalls to pick up their favourite flavour of ice golas . Some of the counters were dishing out pastas topped with broccoli and cheese to suit the taste of the younger crowd.
Mothers who turned up in large numbers felt that the platform helped them meet their friends.
“It is a rare opportunity for us to meet at a common place as we are tangled in our world of responsibilities. With a bunch of games to keep the kids occupied and food counters to fill our appetite, the venue has turned out to be quite refreshing for all of us,” says Abha Goel, who came along with her group of friends.
The carnival roped in families from across communities.
“The idea is to bring in innovative elements to engage people of all age groups and involve them in a row of fun-filled activities,” says Naresh Agarwal, one of the organisers.
Participants find innovative activities a perfect way to unwind
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Rani Devalla / Visakhapatnam – February 02nd, 2015
Fishermen casting their nets in the river; Tourist boat approaching the shore. Photo: K.R. Deepak
Papikondalu (Papi Hills) takes travellers through a canopy of greens covered by tropical and deciduous rain forests
Silence whispers through the Eastern Ghats of Papikondalu (Papi Hills) as the boat wobbles along the riverbed. An oasis of enchanting beauty and tranquillity, Papikondalu takes travellers through a canopy of greens covered by tropical and deciduous rain forests. Here, one can forget all their worries and just sink in the peaceful arms of nature.
Running through Khammam, East Godavari and West Godavari districts, Papikondalu can be reached via the river way through Rajahmundry. Boats dock every day on the banks of the Godavari to ferry tourists to the Papi Hills.
Navigating through the meandering river trails, through which the Godavari penetrates to find its way to the east after several twists and turns, one can spot colonies of migratory birds perched on the banks of the river. For tourists and birders, the best time to visit the place is between November and March. Here, it is the locals who double up as guides providing excellent information about the place, its significance and the flora and fauna. The locals and tribal communities have a way of life – simple, sorted and a rhythmic pattern. When there, do taste their local cuisine like bamboo chicken or a special fish curry with a flavour unique to the local communities living there.
Fisherman fishing on waters. Photo: K.R. Deepak
While there are many private tour operators, last year Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) started a new package with the Vizag – Papikondalu road-cum-river cruise that would take the tourists through a quick tour of the picturesque hills and temples along the river. The places covered include Gandipochamma temple, Devipatnam, Papikondalu, and Perantalapalli temple.
During the monsoons, high water levels submerge half of the Papi Hills which makes it inaccessible for tourists.
A photographer’s delight, the place today faces the threat of submersion once the irrigation project Polavaram is implemented. Locals and tour operators fear that once the dam is ready, Papikondalu may be reduced to a beautiful memory.
The best way to reach Papikondalu is to get to Rajahmundry and hire boat to reach the Papi Hills. There are AC and non-AC boats and the boat ride can take anywhere between four to six hours.
Tribals in their traditional gear regaling tourists in the backdrop of the picturesque Papikondalu Hills. Photo: K.R. Deepak
For stay options, you can explore the tented accommodations which the locals give on hire to tourists. Tents are available on the flat bed of sand as well as on the elevated hilly side overlooking the river. While the stay arrangements are basic, the beauty of the place surrounded by Eastern Ghats and the pristine tribal life are sure to caress away the fatigue of the busy urban life.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Nivedita Ganguly /January 30th, 2015
With one more day left for the renowned Ratha Sapthami celebrations, the Endowments department and temple officials at Arasavilli Sri Suryanarayana Swami temple are making all out efforts to ensure that adequate facilities are made available to the devotees. The devotees won’t face the difficulties they had undergone last year, the officials promised.
The celebrations will begin after 12 am on Monday with Suprabhata seva, early morning puja and Mahabhishekam (consecrated bathing of the Deity) with milk. The abhishekams with milk would continue from 1 am till daybreak. The Nijarupa darshan of the deity would start from daybreak and end at 4 pm. The devotees will have darshan of the Deity decorated with flowers after that. All through the day there would be mega pujas, Dwadasa harathi and mega food offerings to the deity. Everything is of mega size for the Sun God on that day. The celebrations would conclude with Ekanta seva at 9 pm.
It is believed that having darshan of the Sun deity on the Ratha Sapthami day would free the devotees from illness, sorrows and poverty.
According to the Puranas, there would not be another birth for the devotee who has darshan of the Sun deity on that day.
Large barricades have been placed around the temple as well as Indra temple tank. Separate queue lines have also been also arranged for special darshan, normal darshan and Abhisekham. Strict bandobust will be there at the tonsure centre and holy bathing tank.
Executive officer Pushpanadam said that the Abhisekham ticket had been priced at Rs 216 and special darshan ticket at Rs 100 which would be sold only from 11 pm on Sunday. No other tickets would be on sale, the EO clarified. Temple Prasadam can be obtained from the Endowments counters.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / January 25th, 2015
Krishna District Revenue Officer A. Prabhavathi hoisting the national flag at Machilipatnam on Monday.— photo: by arrangement
Krishna District Revenue Officer A. Prabhavathi became the first woman officer from the State services to hoist the national flag since Independence in the history of Krishna district. Ms. Prabhavathi got the rare opportunity to hoist the tri-colour national flag at the 66th Republic Day celebrations in the absence of Krishna district Magistrate and Collector Babu.A, who accompanied Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan in Vijayawada.
“I cherish the memory of participating in the 66th Republic Day celebrations. This is the proudest moment in my twenty-years of service in the State revenue department,” Ms. Prabhavathi told The Hindu . “Each aspect of the celebrations including receiving guard of honour by police and delivering Republic Day speech are memorable,” she added.
Addressing the gathering at the Police Parade Grounds here, Ms. Prabhavathi announced that everything was in place for construction of bio-toilets as a pilot project in Krishna district, using the bio-digester concept of the Defence Research and Development Organisation. On K.L. Rao Sagar project at Pulichintala on Krishna river, she assured of releasing irrigation water by June in order to meet irrigation needs in the kharif season. She also promised to place stringent measures to curb infant mortality rate and school drop-out rate in Krishna district. Accompanied by senior police personnel, she interacted with women and differently challenged persons on their issues and livelihood options. Above 450 persons belonging to government departments, NGOs and others fields were presented with ‘Best Performance’ awards, following cultural performances by the students.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by T. Appala Naidu / Machilipatnam – January 27th, 2015
STILL AS STONE: Akshintha La Se Shu Babu has already entered the Limca Book of Records
Madurai :
On Monday, people attending the Republic Day celebrations at NMSS Vellaichamy Nadar College were surprised to find what was, at first glance, a brand new statue of Mahatma Gandhi. Till Sunday evening, no such statue had been spotted on the premises, and many believed that an Aluminium structure had been mounted for the special occasion.
In fact, the Gandhi ‘statue’ was Akshinthala Seshu Babu, a 44-year-old man from Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, who is attempting to set a new record by standing still for at least 36 hours at a stretch. Dressing in Bapu’s attire, Seshu Babu began his stillness feat at 10.30 am on Monday here, and is aiming to continue in the pose till 10.30 pm on Tuesday.
Sesha Babu, who began standing still in public in 1993, when he stood motionless for four hours at a function in Vijayawada, has already entered the Limca Book of Records and has won several competitions. With the latest stunt, he is hoping to break his own record of 35 hours which again, he performed dressed as the Mahatma.
According to Sesha Babu, standing still is not as easy task. It requires painful preparation, and being a regular yoga practitioner has helped him a lot, he said. Moreover, he tried to keep his physique fit by running and cycling, he said.
He had been fascinated by Gandhi since childhood, Babu added, and the objective of his performance was to demonstrate the principles of Gandhi to the nation’s youth, which he hoped might influence them to fight the evils in the society in a non-violent way.
“Most people know about Gandhi but remain ignorant of the principles he stood for. Since there is a lot of violence in the world today, I want to create this record and spread the message of living in harmony,” he said.
Besides, the performance would also demonstrate the importance of leading a healthy life, he said, without which such a feat would be impossible to achieve.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai / TNN / January 27th, 2015
