Monthly Archives: November 2014

Meet to recall services of Kopparapu poets today

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

A celebration of poets of Kopparapu lineage is being held by Kopparapu Kavula Kalapeetham in association with Sahiti Samakhya here at Venkateswara Vignana Mandiram on Saturday evening. The programme is being organised to mark the 130th birth anniversary of Kopparapu poets.

The programme is being billed as a tribute to the contribution of the poets — Kopparapu Venkataramana (1887-1942) and Kopparapu Venkata Subbaraya (1885-1932) — to Telugu verse poetry. Born at Kopparam village in Narasaraopet mandal, the poets were said to have pioneered one of the most difficult forms of verse poetry- reciting verses extempore (‘asukavitwam’).

The poets were believed to have recited more than 500 poems extempore, only some of them have found their way in printed form, while most others have been lost.

Maa Sharma, founder president of Kala Peetham, and S.V.S. Lakshminarayana, secretary of Sahiti Samakhya, said that the celebrations were being held to rekindle interest in Telugu verse poetry.

Siddeswara Bharathi Swamy will inaugurate the celebrations. Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao, former editor Potturi Venkateswara Rao and Collector Kantilal Dande are the guests. Kopparapu Venkata Subbaraya Sharma, a scion of Kopparapu dynasty, is a special guest of honour.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News>Cities> Vijayawada / by Staff Reporter / Guntur – November 29th, 2014

Gaiety, fervour mark ‘Subrahmanya Sashti’

Arts, Culture & Entertainment
Subrahmanya Sastti festial was celebrated in many temples including at Srigari Sarada Mutt on the banks of river Godavari on Friday. Photo: S. Rambabu / The Hindu
Subrahmanya Sastti festial was celebrated in many temples including at Srigari Sarada Mutt on the banks of river Godavari on Friday. Photo: S. Rambabu / The Hindu

Hundreds of devotees thronged Lord Subrahmanyeswara Swamy temples in East Godavari district on Friday on the occasion of Subramanyeswara Swamy Sashti.

Subrahmanyeswara Swamy temple, located in the temple complex of Golingeswara Swami, was packed with devotees from early hours of Friday as thousands of people from different parts of the district and adjourning West Godavari lined up on this auspicious day. ‘Abhishekams’ with milk started at around 3.30 a.m. and continued till 4.00 p.m.

Special pujas for the god and goddess Valli and Devasena were performed.

At Rajahmundry Sringeri Sarada Peetham, chief priest Tatacharyulu, Vedic pandits Prasad Sarma, Mahesh Sarma and others conducted different ‘abhishekams’ to Lord Subrahmanya Swami, Nagendra and Dattatreya Swami idols. Mr. Tatacharyulu conducted Ganapathi, Rudra, Shanmukha Homams early in the morning and devotees in large number attended all the ‘abhishekams’ from all over the district.

Special pujas and ‘abhishekams’ were conducted at Subrahmanyeswara Swami temple at Korukonda Road temple in Rajahmundry, Special arrangements were made by the temple committee for the convenience of devotees. Kalyanam was performed on Friday night on the temple premises. Uma Markandeya Swami Temple on the banks of the Godavari and Uma-Ramalingeswara Swami temple in Jampeta were crowded with devotees from early hours to till midnight.

Devotees throng temples

On the occasion of Margasira Suddha Sashti that is celebrated as ‘Subrahmanya Sashti’ in all Hindu households and temples’, Sri Maruti Deeksha Seva Peetham Trust organised ‘Sri Valli Devasena Sametha Sri Subrahmanya Swamy kalyanotsavam’ at Sri Panchamukha Anjaneya Swamy Temple on the N.C.S. Road on Friday.

Devotees thronged the temple from early hours and participated in the temple rituals that began with ‘Ganapathi homam’ at 5 a.m. followed by ‘panchamrutabhishekam’ and ‘poornaahuti.’ Amid chanting of Vedic hymns and beating of drums, priests performed the celestial wedding of Sri Valli, Devasena and Sri Subrahmanya Swamy.

The deities were tastefully decorated with flowers. Later, the trust members, P.V. Subba Rao, P. Kamaraju, G.N. Gupta and others conducted ‘anna samaradhana’ on the temple premises.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Special Correspondent / Rajahmundry:Vizianagaram / November 28th, 2014

Andhra Pradesh hits jackpot

About Seemandhra / Andhra Pradesh, Business & Economy, Nature

In what could be music to the ears of the Chandrababu Naidu government, a study has concluded that the Chintalapudi area in the Godavari valley contains more than 3,000 million tonnes of coal reserves. If harnessed effectively, it can turn Andhra Pradesh into a major player in the power and allied sectors. An upbeat TDP government is now getting ready to seek clearance from the Union coal ministry to start mining as early as possible.

The study, conducted by geologist Omprakash S Sarate of the Lucknow-based Birbal Sahni Institute of Paleobotany, was published in the Journal of the Paleontological Society of India in December 2013. The study team, after touring Krishna, West Godavari and East Godavari districts, found that high quality coal reserves are available from Somavaram in Krishna district to Rajamundry in East Godavari district within 500 meters of depth.

“We became aware of the study last month and wrote to the Union coal ministry two weeks ago seeking immediate clearance for mining in the Chintalapudi area,” AP government sources told TOI.

The government is, as expected, overjoyed as coal plays a vital role in the economic development of any region. It not only provides a cheap source of electricity production, but also creates employment opportunity for thousands of people. It also plays an essential role in the chemical, cement, fertilizer, ceramic and steel industries.

The coal demand in Andhra Pradesh is expected to increase several fold within the next five to 10 years due to the ongoing and proposed coal-based power projects. At present, the industries dependent on coal buy the supply from Singareni Collieries at a premium rate. Once the Chintalapudi mines are harnessed, the increased availability of coal will reduce the prices and trigger economic development, feel AP officials.

The study had compared the quality of coal at Chintalapudi with that of Ramagundam and Talcher, saying that the Godavari valley region’s “coal grade and its calorific value is higher than what is available in the Singareni mines.”

The study had also found that the reserves extend to Krishna, West Godavari and East Godavari districts with most of the quality coal concentrated between Aswaraopet, Chinthalapudi and Jangareddy Gudem. While Aswaraopet is located in Khammam district of Telangana, Chinthalapudi and Jangareddy Gudem fall in West Godavari district. The Chatrai mandal in Krishna district and Rajahmundry in East Goadavari were also identified as having massive coal reserves.

“We have brought this to the notice of the Union coal ministry and want the assistance of the Geological Survey of India to figure out the exact locations to carry out explorations. After getting the nod from the Centre, we would take up exploration by acquiring land in these villages,” said a senior official overseeing the matter.

According to sources, AP chief minister Chandrababu Naidu has asked the mining department to prepare a clear roadmap to take up the exploration as early as possible. With more than 3,000 million tonnes of coal reserves within its reach, the AP government is confident that its economic development will take place at a pace faster than anticipated earlier.

We have brought this to the notice of the Union coal ministry and want the assistance of the Geological Survey of India to figure out the exact locations to carry out explorations. After getting the nod from the Centre, we would take up exploration by acquiring land in these villages: Senior official.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> India / TNN / October 10th, 2014

Excellence Award in ‘5S’ Implementation for Visakhapatnam Steel Plant

Records, All, Science & Technology
RINL director (Personnel) GBS Prasad, receiving the award from Neethi Mohan, MD, Vaighai Agro Products Limited, in Madurai on Saturday. R Nagarajan, GM (CO & CCP) and G Gandhi are seen.
RINL director (Personnel) GBS Prasad, receiving the award from Neethi Mohan, MD, Vaighai Agro Products Limited, in Madurai on Saturday. R Nagarajan, GM (CO & CCP) and G Gandhi are seen.

Visakhapatnam :

The Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), added another feather to its cap by bagging the ‘Par Excellence Award’ for ‘5S Implementation in Vizag Steel’ at the national conclave held in Madurai Saturday.

RINL director (Personnel) GBS Prasad received the award during the 2nd National Conclave on 5S organised by the Quality Circle Forum of India (QCFI). The ‘5S’ is a Japanese concept of Work Place Management. RINL chairman and managing director P Madhusudan congratulated the VSP workforce for the coveted recognition and pointed out that the award reflects their commitment in implementing the ‘5S’ concept in true spirit.

This award was given to the RINL at national level among 36 ‘5S’ certified organisations, based on the QCFI-Auditors report/feedback for the initiative and effective implementation of ‘5S’. Less than a year ago, the VSP achieved the ‘Total Plant Level’ certification in 5S-Work Place Management System.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh /by Express News Service / November 24th, 2014

First tele-serial shot in city to roll out soon

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All
Ankuram director C.Umameshara Rao / Photo: By Arrangement / The Hindu
Ankuram director C.Umameshara Rao / Photo: By Arrangement / The Hindu

The first ever desi ‘made-in-Vijayawada’ teleserial will roll out from the stable of the city-based Futureall Media House, which is again the first full-fledged media house in the new Andhra Pradesh State.

“We plan to launch the pilot episode of the serial Mouna Poratam, based on the novel of the same name written by Telugu writer Yeddanapudi Sulochana Rani, in the next 10 days. The idea is to equip the current generation youth with the core values that are needed to build a healthy society. It is sad to see youngsters confining themselves to the peripheral factors. For instance, a majority of them think that social commitment means contributing a sum of money, shirking the real responsibility of becoming active part of the problem-solution team. Someone has to take up this responsibility of making them realise about their skewed priorities,” says C. Umamaheswara Rao, the director of the serial.

Mr. Rao, who is also the media advisor to Futureall Media, has in the past given us compelling films likeAnkuram, which won the national award. The media house currently is working on serials, sitcoms, game shows and reality shows and has plans to finally make a foray into Telugu cinema. Lamenting absence of good cinema, Mr. Rao says “we do not have experimental theatre in Andhra Pradesh. Theatre and performing arts must develop parallelly for survival of good cinema. We do not have philosophical output. To reverse the prevailing trend, there is a need for cultural revolution and we are at work to usher in that,” says the director who is an activist at heart.

Mr. Rao also speaks about working on a reality show to promote folk and fusion arts. “In Afro-American nations, they are doing wonders with fusion arts. Sanity and money along with hard work and commitment can make things work,” he says emphatically.

Mr. Rao has churned out a number of tele-serials for Telugu audience in the State with compelling message of social justice in the past.

The Futureall Homes in real estate sector has branched out into entertainment segment and floated the media house.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by P. Sujatha Varma / Vijayawada – November 24th, 2014

Loknayak Foundation Award for Gollapudi

Arts, Culture & Entertainment
Gollapudi Maruti Rao
Gollapudi Maruti Rao

This time, stage artiste, writer, and Telugu actor Gollapudi Maruti Rao has been selected for the Loknayak Foundation Award 2015 for his contribution to the Telugu cinema and literature.

Announcing this at a press conference here on Monday, coinciding with his birthday celebrations, Loknayak Foundation Trust president Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad said that Mr. Maruti Rao would be receiving the 11th award of the trust. “Telugu people have been making significant contributions in the fields of art and literature. Unfortunately, a very few have been honoured with ‘Jnanpith award’. Loknayak Foundation Award aims at plugging this gap,” Prof. Lakshmi Prasad said.

He lamented that except a few scholars and writers like Viswanatha Satyanarayana, C. Narayana Reddy, and Ravuri Bharadwaja, most are not getting due recognition in the literary world. The annual event would be celebrated to honour achievers across the globe, he said.

The trust that launched in 2005 honoured several scholars and writers, including well-known writer Kalipatnam Ramarao (popularly known as Kaara Mastaru), human rights activist and Telugu writer P. Lalita Kumari (known as Olga) and eminent Telugu Sanskrit scholar Venkata Subbanna Satavadhani.

As part of the annual literary achievement award function, a cash award of Rs.1.25 lakh and a citation would be presented to Mr. Maruti Rao on January 18, 2015 at Kalabharathi auditorium, marking the death anniversaries of former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N.T. Rama Rao and poet Harivash Rai Bachchan, father of actor Amitabh Bachchan.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News>Visakhapatnam / by Staff Reporter / Visakhapatnam – November 25th, 2014

Taking it in her stride, she wins bronze

Sports
M. Satyavathi
M. Satyavathi

The frail looking class VII student, M. Satyavathi, bagged bronze in Snatch and Clean and Jerk in the recently conducted AP Women’s Weightlifting Championship.

A student of Government Residential School for Visually Challenged Girls at Sagar Nagar, she competed with regular weightlifters and bested them with a bronze.

“It was very nice getting a medal, there were many competitors and they were helpful too. They congratulated me on my medal,” Satyavathi said. She is a very committed performer and with a little encouragement she can win a medal at the Paralympics, school principal Nimton Babu said. Her parents are fisherfolk who can barely make both ends meet and as a result Satyavathi is what she is a frail 13-year-old who does not seem capable of the feat.

“If someone can help her with a proper protein diet, she can beat everyone else in any championship,” the principal added. The students have trained without proper sports equipment. “The principal believes that the students are capable of achieving great heights and the teachers too are very cooperative and this has helped the students train for competitions,” their physical education teacher said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News>Visakhapatnam / by Special Correspondent / Visakhapatnam – November 25th, 2014

Rejuvenating Vizag, as artists see it

Arts, Culture & Entertainment
Artists working on their idea of the City of Visakhapatnam emerging from the devastation caused by Cyclone Hudhud at a two-day Art Camp in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam / The Hindu
Artists working on their idea of the City of Visakhapatnam emerging from the devastation caused by Cyclone Hudhud at a two-day Art Camp in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam / The Hindu

It was a classroom kind of atmosphere with everyone working and sharing tips, chatting away and looking at one another’s works in a critical appraisal as 60 upcoming and established artists grappled with their emotions in trying to portray their experiences of the very severe cyclonic storm Hudhud that tore through the city a month ago.

The wounds are too fresh to be forget or heal. The artists were trying hard to express vividly with acrylic on canvas on Sunday, the first day of the two-day art camp jointly organised by the AP Tourism Development Corporation and the Andhra University Department of Fine Arts on the Beach Road.

An artist working on his idea of the City of Visakhapatnam emerging from the devastation caused by Cyclone Hudhud at a two-day Art Camp in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam / The Hindu
An artist working on his idea of the City of Visakhapatnam emerging from the devastation caused by Cyclone Hudhud at a two-day Art Camp in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam / The Hindu

The art camp conducted as part of Rejuvenating Vizag carnival being organised by the APTDC to celebrate the resilience of people of the city in bouncing back in quick time had many students of the Department of Fine Arts and also some self-taught and trained professionals, professor in AU Department of Fine Arts Ravi Shankar Patnaik said. This is a good platform for artists to come together, share and learn, he said, appreciating the effort of Special Chief Secretary (Tourism) Chandana Khan for having APTDC conduct the camp.

“It has been a long time since we had such a camp to work together,” city-based artist Abraham said, pointing out that it was a good learning experience looking at others work.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is scheduled to inaugurate the exhibition of paintings done in the two-day Art Camp on the Beach Road. The exhibition of paintings on the same location would continue on Tuesday.

Noting the absence of a proper art gallery in the city, Special Chief Secretary (Tourism) Chandana Khan has asked the APTDC to build an art gallery on the Ramakrishna Beach where any artist would be able to display his or her works.

Further, the proposed art gallery would be the venue for permanent display of the paintings produced by city artists at the two-day Art Camp, sources said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Special Correspondent / Visakhapatnam – November 17th, 2014

University of Florence keen to tie up with SPA

Education, World Opinion
VIJAYAWADA ANDHARA PRADESH, 17/11/2014: Prof. Raffaele Paloscia (second from right) of University of Florence addressing a seminar at School of Planning and Architecture near Vijayawada on Monday. Photo. HANDOUT_E_MAIL
VIJAYAWADA ANDHARA PRADESH, 17/11/2014: Prof. Raffaele Paloscia (second from right) of University of Florence addressing a seminar at School of Planning and Architecture near Vijayawada on Monday. Photo. HANDOUT_E_MAIL

Raffaele Paloscia, Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Florence (UoF) expressed his university’s keenness in collaborating with the School of Planning and Architecture in the fields of design, planning and architecture and sending students regularly for taking up joint student exercises and faculty exchange programmes.

Addressing a seminar on ‘village transformation in the peri-urban setting of Vijayawada metropolitan area’ at SPA at Nidamanuru near here on Monday, Mr. Paloscia said the UoF was working with SPA in developing new design, conservation practices and planning as being practiced in Italy and looked forward to greater interaction between faculty and students of both the institutions.

Italian students Sylvia and Roberta gave a presentation on the transformation of Nidamanuru village, the way it was dependent on Vijayawada and how land use changes were taking place.

Anna Krammer from University of Cologne spoke about the evolving peri-urban environment of Kondapalli along with Michelle and Archana, master’s degree students in urban and regional planning. They also pointed out the adverse impact of ‘invasion of the city’ and the thermal power plant on livelihoods of makers of the famous Kondapalli toys and need to conserve the dying art.

SPA Director N. Sridharan outlined the exchange programmes between various universities abroad and how they were enriching the knowledge of his students. He also informed about the study of the traditional hand block printing at Machilipatnam and Pedana by 30 German students with the support of their counterparts in SPA.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Vijayawada – November 17th, 2014

Spotlight on the art of Kalamkari

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy

Timeless are the crafts from different states of our country and so is Andhra Pradesh’s Kalamkari work. Decades ago it was practised by many villages in the state but now it is restricted to only a few.

The art, therefore, is surviving because of those few artisans who practised the age-old craft technique. Paying tribute to all those artisans Bina Rao, trustee of Creative Bee Foundation in collaboration with Delhi Crafts Council has curated special collection of Kalamkari, at the ‘Tree of Life’ exhibition.

Intricate works in colourful shades on muslin silk pieces put on display are the original which were produced in the late 18th and 19th century, in Srikakahasti, Andhra Pradesh. Each piece is based on the concept of ‘Tree of Life’ which has been used in science, religion, philosophy and mythology. A common motif in various world theologies, mythologies and philosophies, it alludes to the interconnection of all life on our planet and serves as a metaphor for common descent in the evolutionary sense.

In her note Rao has said, “The name Kalamkari comes from the word kalam which means pen, as the instrument used to paint on the fabric. Though it resembles a pen, it is made of bamboo or tree bark on which an ink pad comprising a piece of cloth or cotton wool is tied. The ‘ink pad’ is dipped in colour and free hand illustrations are made on the hand-woven soft muslin cloth which is pre treated with cow milk.”

Interestingly, cow’s milk has certain natural chemicals which can bleach the cloth and prevent the colours from spreading and blotting.

Giving an insight into this age-old art practice, the note reads, “ Through the 18th and 19th centuries India exported textiles – Palampore and chintz as they were known then. The industrial revolution in the mid-19th century permanently altered the nature of this trade, particularly between India and Europe.

The hand-printed kalam-kari textiles were replaced by block and machine-printed ones produced in Europe. Within the next few decades, hand skills were completely lost from the villages in and around Machlipatnam and the entire region. The only exception was in Srikakahasti, where the artisans had fortunately retained the same hand skills and knowledge of natural dyeing, till today.”

The exhibition is on view till November 23, Art Gallery, Kamladevi Complex, India International Centre, Lodhi Estate from 11 am to 7 pm.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> MetroLife / by Archana Mishra, New Delhi / DHNS – November 18th, 2014