Monthly Archives: September 2013

FB target: Five billion users in 5 years

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion
Kirthiga Reddy,head,Facebook India delivering a lecture on Future of the Digital: A Vision Statement at the two day ISB Digital Summit being held at the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad on Friday | RVK Rao
Kirthiga Reddy,head,Facebook India delivering a lecture on Future of the Digital: A Vision Statement at the two day ISB Digital Summit being held at the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad on Friday | RVK Rao

No matter how low the price of mobile phones and other electronic devices are, the main issues are rising cost of data packages and lack of infrastructure, especially in rural areas, according to Kirthiga Reddy, head, Facebook India.

Kirthiga was speaking on the topic, Future of the Digital: A vision statement at the two-day ISB Digital Summit 2013 held at Indian School of Business which commenced on Friday.

In an elaborate speech on Facebook’s vision, she touched upon factors like users, targeted reach, equalisation, personalisation as the five important points leading to the future of the digital arena.

Stating that Facebook’s goal was to reach five billion users in the next five years, she added, that the goal could be achieved only by taking along all the stakeholders like governments, business establishments and telecom companies. She also explained how the devices used today would be 100 times faster in the future with the advancement in applications, networks, data access and other factors. She admitted that data transmission prices were the biggest barrier today.

According to her, local languages too are barriers in terms of compatibility of content. Responding to a query on how would social media including Facebook impact the society, Reddy said, “Every medium is a medium and it is up to us on how we use it.”

Speaking at the first panel discussion on mobile marketing and location based services(LBS), Sridhar Iyer, director, Digital Business, Citibank India pointed out that the growth in smart phones usage will lend itself to location-based services as mobile devices today are centre to all activities including social, shopping and banking among others.

Explaining factors that hinder location based services in the country, he said, geographic information system (GIS) needs to improve and termed the lack of wireless networks, bandwidth limitation, network congestion, high cost of 3G services, lack of awareness among age group above 45 and other causes as some of the major constraints. However, he was confident that LBS was bound to grow with significant amount of investment and subsequent increase in competition.

Anuj Kumar, co-founder and MD, Ripple, who spoke about mobile advertising, pointed out that battery problems in smart phones is the biggest challenge in the advancement of LBS. He hoped it would be solved in the near future.

Social media expert and CEO of Autumn Worldwide, Anusha Shetty, noted that, at a time when users relate to the virtual world more than the real one, it is the responsibility of brands to ensure that problems are addressed and solved in real-time.

Anushka further explained that 66 per cent of Facebook and 50 per cent of Twitter users in the country use mobile devices for internet access and that in the future people would look up to first-hand information on social media over newspapers and channels.

The ISB Digital summit is being organised by the Srini Raju Centre for IT and the Networked Economy at ISB in association with Jigserv Digital, a digital marketing company founded by four ISB alumni. The summit will discuss and debate on trends in the digital media, recent innovations, new business models.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Express  News Service – Hyderabad / August 31st, 2013

Delicious ‘koramenu’ becomes dearer

Business & Economy, Nature

 

A fisherman sells 'koramenu' fish at Kanuru on the outskirts of Vijayawada./ Photo: T. Appala Naidu / The Hindu
A fisherman sells ‘koramenu’ fish at Kanuru on the outskirts of Vijayawada./ Photo: T. Appala Naidu / The Hindu

Bullseye snakehead fish, locally known as Koramenu, a non-vegetarian’s delight during the summer in many parts of Andhra Pradesh, is in a great demand even during the ongoing rainy season in the city.

The fresh water fish is fetching up to Rs.400 a kg in Krishna district and even small-sized fish are being sold for a minimum of Rs.250 a kg. at Pamarru and Vuyyuru junctions. The high demand led to the price rising abnormally on Sunday and Tuesday. The price was double that of chicken and varied from one selling point to another depending on demand.

Local communities such as fishermen and Yanadi tribe catch the muddy-coloured fish when the local ponds and canals of the Krishna dry up in summer across the Krishna delta region. “Huge quantity of Koramenu fish comes from West Godavari district largely from Eluru area, where farmers grow it in their ponds. Nevertheless, the big-sized fish has become a ‘hotcake’ in Vijayawada city,” says Sala Nagaraju, who sells the fish at Kanuru junction in the city.

Offering Koramenu curry is still considered the best way to honour guests in many parts of Andhra Pradesh. Inclusion of the item in the menu of the feast is seen as a matter of prestige.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by T. Appala Naidu / Vijayawada – September 07th, 2013

Khairatabad laddu to reach city on September 8

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

Hyderabad :

The nearly 4,000 kg laddu, which is to be offered to the 56-feet Khairatabad Ganesh, will reach the city on September 8. It will be the third consecutive year that an East Godavari-based sweet maker is making the offering to the tallest Ganesh idol in the city. Sixteen people, including the sweet maker PVVS Mallikarjuna Rao, would undertake a special deeksha at his shop in Tapeswaram village. As part of the ritual, a small Ganesh idol was installed there on August 31. The team will start preparing the boondi on September 4 and start the actual preparation of the laddu two days later. They would be using 1,600 kg sugar, 1,000 kg Bengal gram (Chana dal), 900 kg ghee, 200 kg cashew, 100 kg almonds , 50 kg cardamom and 10 kg green camphor to make the laddu. The final touches would be given on September 7. tnn It would be brought to the city through a special transport arrangement,.

“We have taken all measures to keep the laddu fresh till the time of immersion. In fact, the city’s weather will aid in keeping the laddu fresh,” Mallikarjuna Rao told TOI. He would also offer a 50 kg laddu to a Ganesh idol to be put up at Chappal Bazar in the city.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad> Laddu / TNN / September 02nd, 2013

Now, a film-making workshop for engineers

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education
Actor Nagarjuna addressing the media in Hyderabad on Tuesday.- PHOTO: NAGARA GOPAL
Actor Nagarjuna addressing the media in Hyderabad on Tuesday.- PHOTO: NAGARA GOPAL

In what possible manner could a film-making workshop be of help to an engineering student, except, of course, to guide him through the rudiments of projecting his/her message on the screen?

Actor Akkineni Nagarjuna, who is also president of Annapurna International School of Film + Media (AISFM), on Tuesday said going through the basics of film-making would help to improve confidence of engineering students who were hard-pressed for time and busy with projects. “It facilitates expression of ideas. Sheer brilliance needs to be expressed properly. Just getting a degree is not enough, and you need to sell your ideas,” he said.

“When I was told about the proposal for the workshop, I was reminded of my days as a mechanical engineering student at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA, and later as I did my Masters in Automobile Engineering at San Jose State University. There were times when I was simply unable to put my ideas across, at a presentation in a crowded seminar hall,” he recalled. Another reason for designing such a short-term course/workshop is his firm belief that everybody needs a passion that needs to be nursed, even while being busy in a profession. “Today, life has become so mechanical and stressful that people need an outlet for their creativity,” he said.

Chris Higgins, AISFM’s vice-president, said the four-week summer workshop will be held from May 27 on the Annapurna Studios campus.

According to actor Akkineni Nagarjuna, going through the basics of film-making will help engineering students to develop self-confidence.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by  Suresh Krishnamoorthy / Hyderabad – May 22nd, 2013

Chand is new Chairman of CSI, Vizag

Business & Economy, Science & Technology

Visakhapatnam :

T.K. Chand, Director (Commercial) of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, assumed charge as the Chairman of the Computer Society of India, Visakhapatnam chapter, here on Friday. He said on the occasion, “The chapter at Visakhapatnam is one of the most active and happening chapters amongst all chapters of CSI and it is the responsibility of all of us to take it forward.

Computerisation is essential for achieving transparency and efficiency in productivity.” He also announced that the annual convention of the Computer Society of India would be held here December13-15. Chand expressed concern over the continuing devaluation and weakening of the rupee. He advised the industry to consider it as a window of opportunity as the imported goods would be costlier and there would be a sudden increase in demand for domestic goods.

Further, he advised the IT professionals and IT companies to take advantage of depreciation of the rupee by exporting more IT services and software. P.C. Mahapatra, Executive Director (Projects) of RINL, was appointed the Vice-Chairman of the chapter.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> News> National / by The Hindu Bureau / Visakhapatnam – August 30th, 2013

Determination is the key

Education, Records, All
Top Rankers of ICWA, D. Guru Prasad and T. Rajani interact with The Hindu in Vijayawada. / Photo: V. Raju / The Hindu
Top Rankers of ICWA, D. Guru Prasad and T. Rajani interact with The Hindu in Vijayawada. / Photo: V. Raju / The Hindu

A dream doesn’t become a reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work- Colin Powell. This piece of advice from the veteran general of US Gulf War appears to have hit the duo from Vijayawada D. Guru Prasad and T. Rajani hard and fast. It is sole determination that has brought both of them this far in their academic pursuit.

While Guru Prasad topped the recently held ICWA (Intermediate) examination in the all-India level, Rajani secured the third rank in the ICWA (Final) examination. But what makes them stand out? It is the economic background that they come from.

While Guru Prasad is the son of an autorickshaw driver in Kadapa, Rajani is the daughter of a daily wage earner.

And it is not the first time that both of them had topped any examination. While Guru Prasad secured the all-India first rank in the CA IPCC examination and ICWA (Foundation) examination and stood fifth in the CA CPT examination; Rajani secured the all-India second rank in CA (Inter). And all through they had been coached at Superwhizz-Vijayawada.

On why CA and ICWA, Guru Prasad said, “The economic condition impelled me to take up the course. I secured 97 per cent in intermediate and Superwhizz offered me free coaching for CA CPT and promised me free tuitions for CA and ICWA if I secured ranks within top 5 in the CPT and ICWA foundation. I worked hard for 15 hours a day and secured fifth rank in both the examination. Moreover, I decided that I would take up CA and ICWA, as even an engineering degree would take four years, so why not put that effort here. I need to settle fast to take care of my family and two sisters.”

The same was the case with Rajani. “It was not possible for my family to fund my engineering education, as the reimbursement scheme was not there at that time. Moreover, CA or ICWA offers a better career and I need to settle fast. Economic situation hardened my determination.”

While Guru Prasad is getting busy to tackle the finals of both CA and ICWA, Rajani has just got to complete CA (Final), and the world would be at their feet.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hind /  Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Sumit Bhattacharjee / August 30th, 2013

Techies form panel to protect Hyderabad’s IT hub identity

Business & Economy, Science & Technology

The decision taken by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) to divide Andhra Pradesh has found an echo in the Information Technology sector. The political uncertainty over the future status of Hyderabad is causing concern to the IT sector, a major growth engine that put the city on the global IT map.

In the midst of the turmoil over the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh with Hyderabad becoming the bone of contention, software employees in the city have come together and formed a Joint Action Committee (JAC) to strive towards bringing back the glory of Hyderabad as an IT hub.

“Brand Hyderabad” has clearly lost its sheen in recent times due to political uncertainties, agitations and counter-agitations. Following the deterioration in the image of the Capital, the Hyderabad IT Employees’ JAC has adopted a slogan “Save IT, save Hyderabad” and appealed to all the political parties not to tarnish the city’s image further. “Otherwise the city will disappear from the global IT map and future generations will suffer,” cautioned JAC Chairman M Brahmaiah.

Hyderabad is home to about 750 IT and ITES companies, including global giants like Microsoft, Google, IBM, Oracle, DELL, Motorola and Deloitte, employing over 250,000 people. The city is ranked fourth in the country in terms of software exports.

However, IT professionals say that the state had to pay a heavy price since 2009 due to political agitations. “The IT exports from the state, which was over Rs310 billion, in 2008-09, dipped to Rs270.6 billion in the next financial year. There was a slight increase in the subsequent years as the industry felt confident that normalcy would be restored,” said JAC convener N Raju. The latest exports figure stood at Rs300 billion.

The neighbouring states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, meanwhile, have benefitted from Hyderabad’s woes. Tamil Nadu’s IT exports grew from Rs380.3 billion in 2008-09 to over Rs490 billion in 2011-12, Karnataka’s from Rs700.3 billion to Rs820.1 billion and Maharashtra’s from Rs420.3 billion to Rs460.2 billion.

The JAC has also decided to launch ITism — IT in social media – to bring awareness among IT professionals and also the common public about the need to protect the interests of the industry in the city.

The rate of new recruitment has also sunk to 10,000 a year from the earlier 30,000-40,000. The JAC will hold a round-table conference inviting top brass of the city-based IT firms and prepare a report containing their views on improving the situation. It will also meet the State Governor E S L Narasimhan, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, IT Minister P Lakshmaiah and Leader of the Opposition and TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu in this regard.

The JAC leaders wanted the centre to take immediate steps to remove the sense of insecurity prevailing among the IT professionals in the city.

source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com / Khaleej Times / Home> International / by P S Jayaram, news@khaleejtimes.com /  August 28th, 2013

L&T plans 3 malls-cum-multiplexes along metro rail corridors in Hyderabad

Business & Economy

Hyderabad : 

Even before the metro rail tracks are put in place, project developer Larsen and Toubro (L&T) has started moves to commercially exploit parcels of land allotted to it along the three metro corridors.

The project developer has proposed to construct malls with multiplexes at Punjagutta, Erramanzil and Madhapur. The L&T has applied for provisional no objection certificate (NOC) from the state disaster response and fire services department recently. Once the NOCs are obtained , the construction giant might seek building permission from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

Official sources said a mall, including a multiplex and office space, is being planned on 70,127 square metres land, where government quarters were demolished near Srinagar junction on the arterial Punjagutta-Ameerpet road. The land was handed over to the Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) last year.

At Punjagutta, the mall and multiplex would come up in one block, which would have three basements, ground and five upper floors.

L&T plans to build hotels, malls

Eight screens will come up on fourth and fifth floors. An office block is being planned in an area of 5,621 sq metres with three basements, ground and six upper floors. Another multiplex has been proposed at Erramanzil, near NIMS, where government quarters were razed for the metro rail project. L&T proposes to put up a mall, including a six-screen multiplex, and another multiplex and commercial building would come up opposite My Home Hub at Madhapur.

“We have inspected the sites on the request of L&T metro rail and recommended provisional NOCs for malls,” regional fire officer P Venkata Ramana told TOI.

As per the concessionaire agreement, the metro project developer could exploit space up to 18.5 million square feet (sft). Nearly, 12.5 million sft would be required for metro rail depots and terminal locations , while six million sft would be available for metro rail stations. HMR has agreed to transfer 269 acres land to the metro rail developer for executing the project. Of the total land, nearly 70% of the space was allocated to the three depots and 57 acres of land at 66 metro stations (air space) would be utilized for commercial exploitation.

L&T, which is eyeing transit oriented development along the metro corridors, is likely to come up similar proposals for office spaces, malls and multiplexes apart from hotels, service apartments, healthcare facilities like hospitals, poly clinics, convention centres, theme parks, entertainment zones and convenience retail at suitable places.

Meanwhile, both the fire services department and L&T have not yet finalized fire safety plan at metro stations. The fire department has offered to depute its senior officials for overseeing fire safety measures at stations, but L&T wants to have its own trained personnel. “In Delhi Metro, fire officials were deputed to train staff and ensure safety at all metro stations, but L&T wants to have its own set up,” a senior official of the fire services department said.

Times view

The Khairatabad to Ameerpet Road is already chock-a-block with multiplexes and shopping malls and adding more new ones will only add to the chaotic scenes prevailing in the streets. Plans to construct malls and multiplexes in the areas mentioned are also illogical, as there are several screens within a few kilometres, especially in Punjagutta. Instead of spending crores of rupees on multiplexes, authorities should invest more on traffic management by building flyovers and sidewalks for pedestrians.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Hyderabad> Delhi Metro / by Koride Mahesh, TNN / August 28th, 2013

Pest attack? Mobile Apps to help rice farmers with cure

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Science & Technology
Photo: The Hindu
Photo: The Hindu

Hyderabad :

Rice, one of the oldest harvested crops, still relies on very old farming traditions. But soon, rice farmers are set to get Internet savvy as they can download a few Apps on their mobile phones that can help them diagnose pest attacks and get the right prescription of fertilisers.

Rice Knowledge Management Portal (RKMP), run by the Directorate of Rice Research (DRR), is running a pilot on a diagnostic App that works on Android phones. The second App is on fertiliser recommendation and the third one is a slew of knowledge capsules. It provides vast data on eight categories of information on selection of varieties, land prescription, nutrition, water and pests.

“We expect the first App to be ready on January 1, 2014,” Shaik N. Meera, a senior DRR scientist who heads the portal, told Business Line.

RKMP runs a portal on rice, the single largest portal for any crop in the country, with a huge repository of knowledge on rice. Launched two years ago, the initiative under the National Agricultural Innovation Project built the portal with information gathered from 106 rice research centres across the country.

The content is available in Bengali, English, Marathi, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu. The portal contains 6,000 minutes of audio content in all these languages. “Farmers can get information on what varieties should be grown on their lands. Policy makers can look for historic data on productivity and yield. Researchers can find past data on multi-location trials,” he said. The portal contains images of the crop at different stages. The images include the disease-hit plants.

“Farmers can simply take an image on their phones and compare it with a relevant image on the portal. A suitable prescription too is provided accordingly,” he said.

Based on the frequently asked questions at the Kisan Call Centre (1551), the portal narrowed down the common problems that bother the paddy farmers to 489 and provided detailed answers.

“We have analysed some 11,000 questions that they received at the call centre,” he said.

Keeping in view the bandwidth issues and other constraints, RKMP also developed all the content in CDs in order to make it available offline that are being distributed for free to non-governmental organisations and the other agencies in need.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Industry> Agri-Biz /  by K. V.Kurmanath    kurmanath.kanchi@thehindu.co.in / Hyderabad – August 27th, 2013

Kaloji’s birth centenary celebrations from Sept 9

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leaders
Kaloji Centenary Celebrations Committee chairman B Narsing Rao speaking at a press conference in Hyderabad on Friday. He is flanked by committee patron K Prathap Reddy and convener S Jeevan Kumar. (Photo: A Radhakrishna)
Kaloji Centenary Celebrations Committee chairman B Narsing Rao speaking at a press conference in Hyderabad on Friday. He is flanked by committee patron K Prathap Reddy and convener S Jeevan Kumar. (Photo: A Radhakrishna)

Noted poet Kaloji Narayana Rao’s birth centenary celebrations would be organised from September 9 across the state and continue till 2014.

Speaking to reporters here on Friday Kaloji Centenary Celebrations Committee chairperson B Narsinga Rao, convenor S Jeevan Kumar and patron K Pratap Reddy said that the centenary celebrations will begin on September 9 in Warangal, his birth place and conclude in Hyderabad next year on the same day. Former Supreme Court judge and Lokayukta of Goa justice B Sudarshan Reddy will inaugurate the celebrations.

To pay tributes to the great poet and social worker a group of his admirers, writers, artists, students and associates have decided to hold year-long series of events to spread his message and the undying vibrancy of his literary works, they said.

About 16 socio-cultural organisations of Telangana and Kaloji Foundation would actively coordinate with the celebrations committee in conducting the year-long programme, Narsinga Rao said. As part of the celebrations activities will be organised in Hyderabad every month.

CDs of Kaloji’s poetry recital, calendars, badges, cartoon books and Kaloji’s complete literary works will be released during the year-long celebrations.

Release of a documentary film on Kaloji and organising photo exhibition form part of the centenary celebrations. Ballets or docu-dramas would be held on the theme of Kaloji life and his literary works, he said.

Meetings and seminars on Kaloji’s writings will be held across the state throughout the year. The main objective of the celebrations is to showcase the works of Kaloji and to introduce his achievements to the younger generation.

Kaloji stood for values and use to raise voice against injustice, Narsinga Rao said and added that he was people’s poet and use to fight for the rights of the oppressed. He raised voice against the Nizam’s rule  through his writings and speeches.

His notable literary works are Kaloji Kathalu, Thudi Vijayam Manadi Jayam and Telangana Udyama Kavithalu, and translations entitled Na Bharata Desha Yatra and Jeevana Geetha.

He translated many literary works into Telugu.

Kaloji was a member of the state Legislative Council during 1958-60. He was an ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhi and Jayaprakash Narayan and was associated with  many social and cultural movements in the state. He was conferred with Padma Vibhushan.

Kaloji passed away on November 13, 2002.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Express News Service – Hyderabad / September 07th, 2013