HyDeRaBaDi bLoGs

New passport seva kendras

2011-11-23T22:32:00.000-08:00

Hyderabad: The passport authorities promise to make the life of citizens seeking new passports and renewals easier from November 25. They have also promised to do away with the menace of middle men and make the services accessible and less cumbersome with the help of online slot booking facility.

Addressing the media after inaugurating the new passport centre at Begumpet on Tuesday, the Regional Passport Officer K Srikar Reddy said once the citizens file applications online, they would be given time to be present at the passport centre and it would take just 40 to 45 minutes to complete the procedure. They would then be getting passport in the shortest possible time, he said.

Hyderabad Regional Passport Officer (RPO) K Srikar Reddy said that the three passport centres would be established at Gowra Trinity Complex at Begumpet, Anand Silicon Chip centre at Towlichowki and Aditya trade centre Ameerpet in the city. Another three centres would be set up at Pragatinagar in Nizamabad, MG Road in Vijayawada and Annmayya Marg in Tirupathi.

The new system is being launched as a joint venture with Tata Consultancy Services. The officials also assured that this new system would do away with the menace of touts fleecing the passport seekers. The entire system is being computerised and would bring down 80 per cent of manual work involved in passport process to zero,” said Mr Srikar Reddy.

Even police verification which results in undue delay in issuing passport would also be done online. The practice until now is to send and receive the details through post.

With an existing system, the passport issuance process under the Tatkal scheme takes at least 7-14 days and in general scheme 35-45 days. But with the proposed system, the time period for passport issuance under Tatkal and normal scheme would come down to 1-3 days and 7-30 days respectively, said the RPO.

With integration of slot booking system, there is no need to queue up at the passport office from early dawn nor would the passport offices be crowded, Reddy added.

Online registration: http://www.ap.nic.in/passport/

Million March - A sad moment in Hyderabad

2011-03-10T21:16:00.000-08:00

I pray that all this drama in Hyderabad ends soon.

March 11, 2011: Telangana agitators pulled down statues of some of the greatest Telugu personalities during the ‘Million March’ on Thursday at Tank Bund and threw them into the Hussainsagar as security forces stood by watching.

The former chief minister, N.T. Rama Rao, had erected 33 statues of the famous personalities of Andhra Pradesh in 1986 and the poetic descriptions were written by the noted poet C. Narayana Reddy.

It all started with the demolition of Brahmanaidu’s statue, which they pulled down with barricade rods and pipes.

Statues of Vijayanagar king Srikrishnadevaraya, the Adhikavi Nannaiah and Errapragada, who translated the great epic of Mahabharat into Telugu, saint and composer Annamacharya who penned keertanas for Lord Venkateswara, composer and poet Kshetrayya, and architect of Kuchipudi dance, Mahakavi Gurram Joshua and Siddendra Yogi were pulled down and thrown into the Hussainsagar.

The agitators did not even leave the statues of Brahmanaidu, the ruler of Palnadu, Salivahana, the first emperor of Andhra, Gurujada Appa Rao, writer and reformist who had written Kanya Sulkham, Sir Arthur Cotton, the man behind the Godavari barrage, Tripuraneni Ramaswamy Choudhary, famous reformist and rationalist and Ballari Raghava, the noted stage artiste.

When the statue of Siddendra Yogi was toppled, the city joint commissioner of Police, Mr Mahesh Muralidhar Bhagwat, was standing by along with at least 100 Rapid Action Force personnel.

But instead of taking any action, the police simply moved away.

I wish media gives more importance to news that can do more good to mankind and the state as a whole instead of splitting the states. Looking at the news daily makes me sad as I do not see anybody comming forward in India to do good for people around them.

All the political parties are stinking with all dirty ideas. It is time for a big change all over the state. No political party has genuine interest in doing any good to people. They are just using the innocent students. The students are unnecessarily wasting their precious lives.

Hyderbad getting hooked to luxury cars

2010-12-09T04:43:00.000-08:00

Over 900 luxury cars, with a price tag between Rs 20 lakh and Rs two crore, were registered in the state in the past 11 months. Not surprisingly, Hyderabad logged the maximum registrations with over 500 luxury cars, while Karimnagar zoomed away with the numero uno position by registering a Rs 2.01 crore worth Porsche 911 Turbo.

For the record, this year 110 Mercs, 82 BMWs, 94 Audis, four Porsches, 19 Land Rovers, four Land Cruisers and 14 Volkswagens were registered in Greater Hyderabad. Till November, 87,574 four-wheelers were registered at Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) across the state and over 50 per cent (44,000) were registered in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts alone.

Among the 87,574 cars, 900 vehicles are in the luxury vehicle category, cost upwards of Rs 20 lakhs. Even in this category, more than half (513) were registered in the state capital.

About 800 customers squandered a mind-boggling Rs 280.59 crore this year on purchasing these metal beauties. And, they coughed up life tax to the tune of Rs 39.28 crore to the Regional Transport Authority (RTA).

Mercedes Benz seems to be the most pouplar brand with car enthusiasts as about 170 vehicles were lapped up this year followed by Audi (125) and BMW (120).

Also, 25 people bought Land Rovers, whose price ranges between Rs 34 lakh and Rs 1.13 crore. Toyota Kirloskar’s Land Cruiser, ranging between Rs 45-87 lakh, found favour with seven buyers in the state. Six persons took home Jaguars, which come in the price band of Rs 49-86 lakh, while 20 people drove home Volkswagens’ different cars in the price range of Rs 20-52 lakhs.

Over 50 per cent of these luxury cars were registered in Hyderabad (377) and Ranga Reddy (136) districts, followed by coastal Andhra districts like Visakhapatnam (33), Krishna (23), Guntur (14) and East Godavari (12).

Barring Hyderabad and RR district, other Telangana districts along with Rayalaseema and North Coastal Andhra districts are at the bottom of the luxury list. Districts where luxury seems to be less affordable are Adilabad and Kadapa (2 each), Mahbubnagar, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Nizamabad and Chittoor (3 each), Anantapur, Khammam and Warangal with five luxury car registrations each. So going by the luxury car sales figures, it seems all is well for the rich in AP.

Animation: Hyderabad in 2012

2010-10-31T23:07:00.000-07:00

Good graphic animation by IACG students

Shekhar Kammula talent hunt

2010-09-13T00:41:00.000-07:00

The Director, who works with fresh faces, is on the lookout for new talent.

"Life is Beautiful Star Search"

A role in a Shekhar Kammula movie is considered to be a sure-shot ticket to stardom in Telugu cinema.

His Happydays which released three years ago made the debutant actors stars overnight. Leader, which was another blockbuster, followed soon and the director is now hunting for new faces for his latest project Life is beautiful. To that effect, Shekhar has advertised on hoardings, tied up with radio stations and is touring colleges in search of the “faces” for his next movie, something he also did for Happydays.

Rubbishing claims that these are just publicity stunts, he says that it’s an honest search for the six lead pairs for the movie.

“My next movie needs young fresh faces. They needn’t be one of those six-pack boys and size zero girls who are usually wanted in films. Any outgoing, energetic youngster can log on to our website www.amigoscreations.com and send their pictures to me. If I feel they suit the characters of my film, they will be in. I am not looking at this as a forum to create buzz for the movie,” the director claims.

With Shekhar Kammula being a brand by himself, why doesn’t he work with established stars? “The script demands fresh faces with no other image. If I cast the same team of Happydays, it would be called its sequel. And the actors now have a certain image that doesn’t suit the characters. In Leader, I worked with seasoned actors like Suhasini, Kota Srinivasa Rao etc. They give us so many variations for a shot and we can choose what we want from it. At the same time, it is tough to get the freshers to be camera-friendly and train them. Everything has its pros and cons,” he clarifies.

The ace director is not bothered about being branded as a director who makes cinema for urban youngsters. He says the acceptance of urban cinema is increasing since there are multiplexes coming up everywhere.

“It is not a conscious effort to make cinema for a certain audience. I just write the script and make movies. For me, cinema is not a business equation; it is my passion and a medium to tell a story. When I made Anand, my audience were about 15 lakh people and then Happydays was watched by about one crore people. This means there is an increasing acceptance of urban cinema. Urban stories are not conscious decisions at all,” he says.

His films don’t have murderous villains or clichéd comedy tracks. They have no gravity defying fights or vulgar romance. Will we ever get to see a typical masala film from Shekhar? “I don’t do movies which patronize heroes where the audience see the hero more than the character. But I will certainly do action movies in the future with an established star,” he assures.

“Success doesn’t get to my head since I know that audiences’ tastes keep changing. So far my movies haven’t failed. There is pressure on me but since I make cinema for passion and not for business, I don’t let it affect me,” the director concludes.

Affordable smart phones

2010-09-13T00:25:00.000-07:00

It's certainly a great convenience to be able to check your mail on the move and check some quick websites on the web. But if you had been worried that such smart phones are a way too high to fit your budget, here are some entry-level phones that will let you do some of the fantastic things, yet won't pinch your purse.

Though there is no official definition for a smart phone and each manufacturer adds up his product's capability to its definition, there are a few generally recognised criteria for a phone to be "smart". It is one that is capable of getting access to your e-mail; that can display web pages without too much distortion and that can connect to the Internet via GPRS. And for our definition of an "entry-level phone", we will look at phones that cost not more than Rs5,000 and yet offer all the above-said conveniences.

Nokia 2700, a slim design GSM mobile phone with two megapixel camera, allows easy Internet browsing with its GPRS connectivity. This handset, which can be also used as a data modem, has Opera mini browser is installed for satisfactory net surfing experience. All this for a price of Rs3,690.

A slight variant of the 2700 variety, the Nokia 2730, is a 3G-based mobile phone with neat style and slim looks that is available for Rs4,090. It holds all the basic features like texting and mailing and while its 3G supporting hardware makes data transfer pretty faster, the phone's GPRS and EDGE technology speeds up internet browsing.

Another true smart phone from Nokia is the 7210 Blue mobile. Apart from a two megapixel camera and MP4 player, it comes with a built-in WAP 2.0 and HTML web browser to assist the net savvy people. Again this phone too falls well within the entry-level range of Rs4,090.

If you are Samsung fan, don't fret.

The Samsung S3310, a light weight phone that lacks a smart look yet offers good features such as 240x320 TFT screen display, a MP3 and WAV compatibility, etc. A user can stay connected globally through its browser connectivity of WAP 2.0 xHTML, Net front and this handset is Bluetooth enabled at USB 2.0. And its selling price? Rs3,950.

However, if you are willing to stretch your budget by just about another Rs 500, you can take home the Samsung Corby TXT B3210 for Rs4,950. A youthful looking phone, Corby has a lot of communication options and lets you access Facebook, MySpace and Twitter through a simple Pop-up SNS (Social Networking Service) feature. Community sites such as YouTube, Flickr, Picasa and Photobucket are also integrated directly into its user interface.

From the Sony Ericsson stable, the W 205 is another smart phone in the range of Rs3,690. This Sony model has a high resolution 3.2 mega pixel camera, music player, FM radio, messaging services and blue tooth connectivity. Its quad band technology allows users to it even while travelling across the world.

With a range of entry-level phones available at affordable prices, go ahead and flaunt your smart phone of your choice among your friends.

Hyderabad Weekend Getaways

2010-08-05T00:53:00.000-07:00

Wet and wild getaways

Wondering how to spend your weekend this monsoon? Read on, before you pack your bags

Cuddling up in a blanket on the window sill with a mug of hot chocolate and enjoying your favourite romance novel is not the only way to spend your weekends during the monsoons. Get out there and take a quick trip, away from city limits, to enjoy the monsoons like they are supposed to be: amidst lush greenery and teasing, chilly winds.

Hot picks

An hour’s drive from the city, Osman Sagar Dam makes for the best half-day drive when you need a short break. Known for its beautiful sunset, it makes for an ideal location for people who enjoy stargazing. The well laid-out gardens and the lake resort make for enjoyable picnic spots.

When you drive down to Ananthgiri Hills (near Vikarabad, 70 km), the lush green hilltops make a pretty picture. Take your camping equipment along if you want to enjoy the greenery and the fresh mountain air.

The serene Manjeera Lake (at Sanga Reddy, 98km) is a hotspot for bird-lovers making for a peaceful hangout. You can also take a dip into the cool waters if you are a braveheart. Make sure to catch the sunset here, it’s breathtaking.

A perfect Sunday

Got a Sunday and you have nothing else to do except wondering about the 11 am meeting on Monday? We give you better options. For those of you who are fond of the forests, the Pocharam Wild Life Sanctuary, situated 104 km away from the city, is a fun place to check out. For those interested in fishing, sink your hooks into the Pocharam Lake and chill out in a serene surrounding.

The historic church with its famous stained glass interiors at Medak is definitely worth a visit. What’s wonderful is that if you start at 6 am, you can enjoy the trip and be back in town by 3 pm - in time for lunch and even an evening party.

And for those who love jamming on that gas pedal and hitting top speeds, the four-lane, 130 km highway from Hyderabad to Kamareddy is just what you need. Kuntala, AP’s highest waterfall, is covered with dense forest and beautiful birds chirping. Water gushes from a height of 200 feet into multiple streams here and this is also a fun place for rock-climbers and trekkers.

For a short trip, Bidar could be mesmerising. The Fort looks romantic on a monsoon afternoon and is certainly worth a visit.

So, what are you waiting for? Go pack your overnight bags and hit the road to your favourite monsoon getaway!

Maruti launched new Alto K10

2010-08-04T23:49:00.000-07:00

August 4: The leading small car manufacturer in the country, Maruti Udyog Limited, unveiled its new Alto K10, an upgraded variant of existing Alto.

The new Alto has two variants ‘Alto K10 Lxi’ and ‘Alto K10 Vxi’. New Alto K10 boast of a refined and fuel efficient 67bhp, 998cc, three cylinder engine that will give impressive mileage of 22-23 kmpl, claims company and goes form 0-100 kmph in 13.3 seconds.

The Alto K10 sports a 5 Speed Manual Transmission with Cable Gear Shift. The earlier version had a Lever Shift Mechanism. The car also has front power windows and a key reminder, if case you forget your keys in the car. The Alto has finally got a Central Locking System in place. Besides, a collapsible steering column and front fog lights are some additional features that the car will come with.

The 13-inch tubeless tyres also form a part of the features list of the car. The car has a turning radius of 4.6 metres. The ground clearance of the car too is 160 mm. The rear exteriors of the Alto K10 have been given a fresh look, with a newly designed back door and a set of new rear combination lights. The car will also have standard features such as air-conditioning and power steering. The Alto K10 is BS-IV, E-10 and ELV compliant.

The new Alto K10 will be available in six colours – sunlight Copper, Fire Brick Red, Ecru Beige, Midnight Black, Superior White and Silky Silver.

The Alto K10 LXi will be priced at Rs. 3.19 lakhs and the VXi trim will cost Rs 3.32 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai).

If sources are to be believed, the company is likely to slash price of existing Alto.

After new Alto, the company has also announced to launch CNG variants of five other models on August 13. However, the CNG model will cost more. It will be costlier by Rs 40-50 thousand than petrol model.

What is new in new Alto K10:

K-series 1000cc engine
Font Power Windows
Equipped with Fog light
Speed meter along with RPM meter
Attractive tale light
Same colour bumper
Side new mirror
Broad bonnet
The new Alto is 125 mm longer than existing

The New Micromax Q55 Bling

2010-06-08T00:49:00.000-07:00

Charm your girl friend with the new Micromax Bling (Price: Rs.5,500)

The new Micromax Q55 bling is a Dual SIM mobile with Full QWERTY keypad as one its remarkable feature. It also offers 2.0 MP camera, Expandable Memory, Opera Mini, Multi-Messenger, Stereo FM Radio, Facebook, Bluetooth and Music Player.

Specifications:

Type	262K Color QVGA
Resolution	320*240 Pixels
Screen size	2.4 inches
Band	Dual GSM-Dual-Band (900/1800 MHz)
FM radio	Yes
Messaging	SMS,MMS
Bluetooth	Yes
GPRS	Yes
Games	Yes
Camera	Yes, 2.0 Mega Pixel
Expandable memory	Micro SD (up to 8GB)
Music	Multi Format Music Player (MP3 / AMR / MIDI / WAV), Background Music Playback, Flight Mode, Powered by Yamaha
Battery	Li-ion (850mAh)
Dimensions	707016.3cm
Weight	75g

Official Website: http://www.micromaxinfo.com/products

Upcomming cars in 2010

2010-01-29T00:38:00.000-08:00

Below are the list of cars launching in India this year (2010), prices mentioned below are not accurate.

Click on the image to get bigger image.

Chevrolet Beat

Chevrolet Spark

Fiat Bravo

Hyundai i30

Maruti Suzuki Cervo

Mini Cooper

Renault Sandero

Toyota Yaris

Tata Prima

Mitsubishi Colt

Nissan Micra

Nissan Pixo

Nissan Ultra Low Car

Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Scirocco

Volkswagen Phaeton

Why Telangana region people are fighting for separate state

2010-01-11T01:52:00.000-08:00

1. There are 10 districts in Telangana, 9 in Andhra and 4 in Rayalaseema. Out of these 7 districts in Telangana, 3 in Andhra and 1 in Rayalaseema are considered severely backward districts which means 70% of districts in Telangana are backward while in Andhra it is 35% and in Rayalaseema it is 25%. Apart from these there are some areas in all parts of the state which are also backward.

2. 45% of the state income comes from Telangana region. When it comes to utilization of funds, the share of Telangana is only 28%.

3. Normally canals are dug to supply water to the crops from rivers for cultivation. The amount of land cultivated through canals in just Guntur district is more than the land cultivated with canals in entire Telangana region.

4. Nagarjuna sagar dam is built in Nalgonda district which is in Telangana but majority of the water from the dam is used for Krishna and Guntur district. The original dam was supposed to be build much ahead of its present location but the location was changed so that it falls in the Telangana region. Due to the construction of the dam several hectares of Lime stone mines vanished as part of the dam back waters. Everyone know that lime stone is used for producing cement. Even the natural resources were not allowed to remain.

5. Fluorinated water problem is only in Nalgonda district which has not been resolved since decades.

6. Two major rivers Krishna and Tungabhadra enter the state of AP in the district of Mahaboobnagar(the biggest district in Telangana) but the district always remains the worst draught hit areas along with Anantapur because there is no project and process with which the water can be utilized. The plans for utilization has been pending for decades.

7. RDS (Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme) is build in Mahaboobnagar to provide water to 85000 hectares of land in the district. The leaders of Rayalaseems blasted the gates of RDS and water is supplied to KC (Kurnool-Cudapah) canal while only remaining water, if any, is supplied to the lands in Mahaboobnagar.

8. 3 TMC of water from Gandipet is sufficient to supply drinking water to our city. Every year 1700 TMC of water is wasted and is flown into Bay of Bengal from river Godavari. Starting from Nizambad to Bay of Bengal there is no project allowed to build on Godavari. If it is built leaders in Godavari districts fear that the fertile lands in the area may fall short of water. If the Godavari water is utilized properly, there will be no scarcity for food grains in our state.

9. In Telangana regions, only few areas cultivate one crop a year and very rarely two crops a year while most of the land doesn’t even cultivate single crop. In both the Godavari districts, Krishna and Guntur district, two crops a year is common and there are times where even 3 crops a year are cultivated. The only reason is WATER.

10. Government issue G.O.’s for implicating its decisions. G.O number 610 is the longest non implicated G.O in the history of AP. The G.O was issued in 1986 by late NTR who was then the CM of AP, which is not yet implicated. The G.O speaks about the share of Telangana employees in Government jobs in Telangana region.

11. 33% of the population in Mahaboobnagar district have left the district for livelihood to different parts of the state due to draught and majority of them are working as daily labour. No other district has so many people who fled the home place due to lack of livelihood and working as daily labour.

12. There are 25 plus government degree colleges in Krishna, Kadapa and Guntur district while there is not even a single government degree college in Ranga Reddy district.

13. Dairy development corporation of AP purchases milk from farmers across the state for distribution. For the same milk, in Andhra, the government pay Rs. 24 to the farmers and in Telangana they pay Rs. 22 per litre. Partiality is shown even in milk.

14. In between 2005-2008 government sold lands worth Rs. 20000 crores in and around Hyderabad which was utilized to build projects in Rayalaseema and Andhra.

15. Not even a single project was completed in Telangana in the last 5 years while several projects were completed in Andhra and Rayalaseema.

Nobody wants a split in the state but when the people of one region are constantly humiliated and denied of what they should be getting, such demands keep coming. Let us show maturity in understanding social problems keeping aside the sentiments.

Note: This article may have little discrepancies from the real facts unintentionally. Corrections are always welcome. This article tried to be neutral as an issue always has two stories.

Do we really need a separate Telangana State?

2010-01-11T01:35:00.000-08:00

Leaving aside the politics and the strategies of the politicians let us take a look at the real facts about Telangana issue and its status.

Formation of Andhra Pradesh

* In 1947 Nizam of Hyderabad State (Telangana) did not want to merge with India
* In 1948 Hyderabad State was forced to become part of India
* In 1953 Andhra State was formed based on Telugu speaking area (Sacrifice of Potti Sriramulu who fasted until death)

Jawaharlal Nehru appointed States Reorganization Commission(SRC) to divide (reorganize) Indian states based on people speaking the same language. And there was a proposal to merge Hyderabad State and Andhra State. But the SRC was against this as they thought that Hyderabad State was underdeveloped and it better be a separate state for its own good.

* In 1956 Hyderabad State (Telangana) was merged with Andhra State to form Andhra Pradesh

But the Government ignored SRC and there was an agreement called “Gentleman’s agreement” which assured sufficient development for Telangana.

After 13 years starts a movement to separate Andhra Pradesh again

* In 1969 Jai Telangana Movement started People in Telangana region were not happy with the 1956 agreement as the Government did not implement what was promised. Students in Osmania University started this movement and this caused violence and deaths of hundreds of people in Telangana region. The sacrifices of these people were wasted as the cruel politics of Congress lured many separatists to their party and the movement was all dampened.

Today

After 1969 there was not many complains from the people of the region but when even a new party wants to come to power they bring up the topic of Seperate Telangana State to win elections starting
In 1990’s BJP promised a separate state if they come to power but could not as TDP was opposing it
In 2004 Congress promised a separate state if they come to power and merged with parties in Telangana regions to win elections.
Now KCR has succeeded in doing so with his fasting .

Some Controversial Facts:

Pro Telangana:

People from Telangana region pay more taxes (More Alcohol consumption) than Andhra but the claim is that these are being used for the development of Andhra regions. It if were a separate state it can use all the money from the region for its own development.

No Telangana:

Isn’t it a fact that every part of the state needs resources for its own development. As most parts of Andhra have good lands they generate more money and this can be shared if not equally. There are no big movements after 1969 unless the political parties bring it up

Aside from the Facts there are the questions that need to answered ap map leaders

Yes, Telangana was not being developed in 1969. Does that fact still apply after 40 years in 2009?
Isn’t Hyderabad the 5th largest city in the country and is in Telangana region?
Where will the Telangana get money for its development (Still from Alcohol Taxes) or Will it be only from Hyderabad?
Do the people in Telangana regions really feel the pain or Is it just a political game to come to power?
Is it just the small parties in Telangana region that want recognition by getting a new state?
Was the decision made by the government in 1956 based on Telugu speaking people instead of development a right one?
Is it just that people who want identity bring this up so that they could get one?
Does Telugu Thalli needs to split into half?
Why is this issue so low during NTR’s period?
Does Telangana have Identity crises? Don’t even talk about it. Its about the development of the region.

I wish the politicians or the political parties take right decisions based on the real fact that could develop the Telangana region and give an advantage to the people living there instead of playing games to get power. Be it a separate Telangana State or a unified Andhra Pradesh.

Note: This article may have little discrepancies from the real facts unintentionally. Corrections are always welcome. This article tried to be neutral as an issue always has two stories.

What do you think? Do you know more about this issue? Do you think some of the facts are missing? Please write your opinion in comments section below.

Swine Flu Health Advisory

2009-08-06T04:40:00.000-07:00

With the first swine flu death being recorded in INDIA yesterday, it will be all important to keep a ready recknor at hand. More so we need to be aware of the correct symptoms and the right place for treatment. So in case we have someone who is seen to have symptoms we could guide them to the right hospital.

The attached presentation would give you additional details about the swine flu, its symptoms and the actions that need to be initiated.

As a Unified Force we can stop the spread of this EPIDEMIC and cure the affected ones with timely and correct treatment.

Please forward this article to as many known people as possible so as to make them aware and be part of the Unified Force.

Click the image for large preview

GOVERNMENT AUTHORIZED HOSPITALS FOR TREATMENT OF SWINE FLU
Click the image for large preview

Ramayana In Hollywood style

2009-02-26T02:08:00.000-08:00

Ramayana 3392 A.D.Reloaded

Good news for comics fans!

Virgin Comics is working with writer Grant Morrison ("All Star Superman," "Final Crisis") on an animated online short series inspired by one of the greatest books in India, the Ramayana!

Below are the legendary pictures:

The 4 brothers, Lakshmana's axe looks way too cool!!!

Lord Rama - check out that BOW!

4 Brothers!!!

Lord Hanuman ... oozing raw power!!

Story Board

A Vanara - the agile warriors!

The coolest of them all - Ravana!!!

All gods at one place - Surendrapuri near Yadagirigutta

2009-02-10T22:27:00.000-08:00

"You can have the Darshan of all the gods in one place" Whether it’s the vanavasam of Lord Rama or the churning of the Ksheera Sagaram (Milky Ocean), the newly opened mythological museum ‘Kunda Satyanarayana Kala Dhamam’ presents Indian mythology to devotees, especially youngsters, in a simplified manner.

A 60-km drive away from the city, this museum at Surendrapuri near Yadagirigutta has given a great opportunity to the devotees to get acquainted with the fascinating events of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Bhagavata and other Puranas. All the important events are carved out in the form of eye-catching sculptures employing ultra-modern artistic techniques. That’s not all, this sprawling 18-acre set up also has famous replicas of all the important temples and gods such as Kaashi Viswanath, Kolkata Kali, Madhura Meenakshi, Tirumala Balaji, Shirdi Saibaba, Palani Kumara Swami and Ayodhya Rama.

“The best part about this place is that you can have the darshan of all the Gods in one place,” says Sachchidanda, one of the visitors who came all the way from Raigarh of Maharashtra to visit the centre says, “It’s like a pilgrimage of a life time.” The 36-feet high sculptures depicting Lord Krishna, enlightening Arjuna with message of the Bhagavad Gita, even as the the armies get ready for war at Kurukshetra, is simply spell binding. Also worth mentioning are the sculptures of Lord Vishnu along with his weapons and that of Goddess Lakshmi as she saves Gajendra from the clutches of the crocodile. Equally fascinating is the sculpture of Balakrishna who’s shown dancing on the the snake-king Kaliya.

The brain child of a single man, Kunda Satyanarayana, Kaladhamam was established so that “devotees can go back feeling as though they’ve visited all the holy places under one roof.” Satyanarayana got this idea a decade ago and he constructed the centre in the memory of his son Surendra who passed away at a young age. “I always wanted to do something in his memory and zeroed in on this idea when I realised that it was impossible for anybody to visit all the temples in one life time.” Satyanarayana disposed all his property and pumped in about Rs 6 crore to complete this project which he entrusted to Chennai based sculptor C.Rajendran, who is the man behind making Khairatabad Ganesha every year. “It was a challenging task for me,” he adds.

Flashback: Beginning of Satyam Computer

2009-01-07T22:37:00.001-08:00

Although Mr Ramalinga Raju has been the face of Satyam Computers, the Hyderabad-based IT company was actually founded in June 1977 as a private company by him and his cousin Mr D. Venkata Satyanarayana Raju.

In June 1991, Satyam Computers got its first Fortune 500 Client and in August, it became a public limited company. In May 1992, the company entered capital markets with its issue being oversubscribed 17 times.

By 1992, the cousins had a difference of opinion over the issue of investing Satyam money in the other sister concerns - Satyam Spinning Mills and Satyam Constructions. While Mr Ramalinga Raju wanted to keep Satyam money in the company only, Mr D.V.S. Raju was against it.

However, the cousins parted their ways after their mothers brokered a peace deal between them. According to the deal, Mr D.V.S. Raju had to quit the company that he co-founded and had to face a three-year bar on starting another IT company of his own.

After three years, Mr D.V.S Raju started his own IT company VisualSoft, which was later merged with Applabs. He is now heading Gangavaram Port Ltd of Visakhapatnam. It has been 16 years since the deal, Mr D.V.S. Raju and Mr Ramalinga Raju are not on friendly terms. The only occasions they get met each other, according sources, is only during marriages of their relatives or common friends. ?

Following the exit of Mr D.V.S. Raju, Mr Ramalinga Raju roped in his another relative Mr Srini Raju in 1992.

From 1992 to 2000, Mr Srini Raju was chief operating officer of Satyam Computers. While Mr Ramalinga Raju ran Satyam Spinning Mills and his brother Rama Raju, who was CEO till Wednesday, ran Satyam Constructions, which has now split into Maytas Infra and Maytas Constructions.?

Last year, Ramalinga Raju’s sons - Teja Raju and Rama Raju Junior - had taken over Maytas Infra and Maytas Constructions.

2,000 Satyam staff resign

2009-01-07T22:30:00.000-08:00

Around 2,000 employees of Satyam Computers resigned on Wednesday after its chairman B. Ramalinga Raju admitted to fraud of over Rs 7,000 crores.

Many more are expected to follow. Company sources said most had already got job offers. “Most have joined the clients for whom they were working," the source said. “These companies are more than willing to take them to cut their outsourcing burden.” Some reports said as many as 10,000 employees had quit the company overall, and its staff strength was now at about 43,000. This could not be immediately confirmed.

The company’s offices in Hyderabad wore a deserted look as staffers stayed inside.

The outgoing Satyam Computers chairman, Mr Ramalinga Raju, and his colleagues may face a four-cornered inquiry for the fraud of over Rs 5,000 crore. As per the law, Mr Raju will have to undergo a jail term of 10 years and will have to pay 500 times the amount as penalty if the charges are proved under Section 45 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act.

Mohtesham Khan from Hyderabad wins Bronze at Musclemania world championship

2008-11-24T00:05:00.000-08:00

Mir Mohtesham Ali Khan, the acclaimed body builder from Hyderabad, has brought the rare honor to the country by winning Bronze medal at the Musclemania World Tour competition, the highly respected world bodybuilding championship in Las Vegas, California.

33 year old Mohtesham Ali Khan won the bronze in the heavy weight category of the world championship held at the Grand Hall of Golden Nugget Hotel in Las Vegas on Saturday. 6.2 ft tall Khan, who made it to top ten and then to top five on the first day of the competition gave impressive performance in the finals. The professional body builders from China and Columbia won the gold and the bronze medals.

Mohtesham, who before leaving Hyderabad last week had vowed to bring laurels to the country in the field where Indians do not have much to celebrate till now, said, “I had hoped and worked hard to leave my mark. Even then this victory is much more than what I had dreamt. Achieving something at this level of international competition is not easy”, he said over phone for Las Vegas, Nevada.

Mohtesham was however not the only bright spot for India. Prakash, another of the 8 Indians participating in the event, won gold medal in the light weight category. There were five categories in which 400 body builders from 26 countries participated in the Musclemania world championship, the leader in natural body building events in the world.

As the news of the victory of Mohtesham Ali Khan, spread, hundreds of his supporters and well wishers gathered at his residence in Hussaini Alam area of old Hyderabad and celebrated the victory. Youth took out a procession with Mohtesham’s daughters Tahera and Humaira carrying the national flag on the back of camel.

Mohtesham’s father Mir Abul Mani Khan was so moved by the good news from Las Vegas that he could not hold back his tears. “We prayed for him throughout the night as he was participating in the contest”, he said. “It is a great joy for all of us as he has brought name and honor to the country”, he said.

Mohtesham Ali Khan is the first body builder from Andhra Pradesh to compete in the world bodybuilding championship.

Mohtesham, who works in the railways and has won several medals at the national level, said that he was thankful to God and the people who supported him. “I am very happy and I dedicate this victory to my country, my people. My wish of doing country proud is fulfilled”, he said.

Mohtesham Ali Khan was the captain of 14 member Indian team, which participated in the Musclemania championship. This was again a rare honor bestowed upon a body builder from Hyderabad.

In a rare honor, a body builder from Hyderabad is leading the 14 member Indian team at the World Body Building Championship at Las Vegas in USA starting from today. Mir Mohtesham Ali Khan, winner of several titles in the country will be contesting for the Mr. World title in the heavy weight category of 90 kg plus.

Before leaving for the US, Mohtashem had told the reporters in Hyderabad that he was going with the hope and confidence of brining laurels to the country. “The record of Indian contestants at the international body building contest has not been too impressive in the past. I hope to improve it and bring laurels to our country”, he said.

Premchand Degra was the only Indian to win the Mr. Universe title in 1988. Manohar Aitch and Mantosh Roy were the other winner of different tiles but Indians drew blank during the last two decades. 30 year old Mohtesham said that he will try his best to put an end to the drought.

33 year old Mohtesham, who exercises for four and a half hour every day and whose diet costs him Rs 1200 per day, rued that the body building does not get as much encouragement and patronage in India as in the other countries including the USA. “it is a good sports which encourages the youth to stay healthy and fit. It should be encourage and mad a passion for the youth”, he said.

6.2 feet tall Mohtesham’s diet include one kg chicken, 30 boiled eggs, 12 oranges, 250 gram oatmeal, and other fruits and vitamin powder. He said that he was strongly averse to the use of any steroids and never used them in his life.

The long list of Mohtesham’s achievements includes winning the bronze at the Mr. India competition. He is also the thrice winner of Mr South India title, 8 time winner of Mr. South Central Railways, nine time winner of Mr AP and 8 time winner of Mr. Hyderabad.

For Mohtesham, another dream remains yet to be fulfilled.

“Arnold Schwarzenegger is my role model and I am looking forward to meet him"., he said.

Source: http://www.groundreport.com

Film Stars and Crickers Family Potraits

2008-09-11T00:28:00.001-07:00

Chiranjeevi Family Photo

Nadamuri Bala Krishna Family Photo

Akkineni Nagarjuna Family Photo

Sachin Tendulkar Family Photo

Shahrukh Khan Family Photo

Venkatesh Family Photo

Vishal Family Photo

Trisha Family Photo

Shreya Saran Family Photo

Vijay Family Photo

Ajit Family Photo

Arjun Family Photo

Vijaykanth Family Photo

Bhagyaraj Family Photo

Saurav Ganguly Family Photo

Gopika Family Photo

Shalini Family Photo

Simran Family Photo

Chiranjeevi launched his political party 'Praja Rajyam'

2008-08-26T22:57:00.000-07:00

Actor Chiranjeevi on Tuesday announced the name of his political party, Praja Rajyam, amidst thunderous cheers from lakhs of hysteric fans and vowed to change the politics of Andhra Pradesh.

Giving full play to histrionics, Chiranjeevi, the son of a police constable, recounted the difficulties he had faced as a child in an emotion-choked voice and charged up the crowd in the temple town with a few interactions before announcing the name of his party with a dramatic countdown.

In fact, Chiranjeevi waited till sundown to announce his party’s name and stretched his speech till then, so that the display on the giant screen behind him and 18 screens located at the ground would be eye catching.

As the name of the party was splashed on the huge screens to the accompaniment of music, the 53-year old actor got a handicapped person to unfurl a green and white flag with a red sun in the middle.

Chiranjeevi's 'Praja Rajyam' flag

The roaring crowds surged ahead, breaking barricades and alarming security men, even as Chiranjeevi declared that he was entering politics to ensure social justice and development. Around 40 persons were injured in the melee.

“People want me to join politics,” said Chiranjeevi, who earlier entered the stage dramatically with his arms stretched wide.

“I am here to restore respect to politics. After spending 30 years in the glamorous world of films, I could have lived a cosy life. But I decided to be in your midst.” “How blessed are my eyes to see these crowds who love me,” said Chiranjeevi, as people roared in appreciation.

“I am overwhelmed by your support. Now it is time for me to give it back.” The actor in Chiranjeevi was in play throughout the speech, which was carefully crafted and touched upon all major issues though giving the appearance of spontaneity.

“Mine will be a democratic and secular party, born from the hearts of the people,” he said. “Its goal will be the contentment and happiness of the state.” Though high on rhetoric, the actor’s speech was devoid of courage or imagination when it came to crucial issues. He said he was not averse to a separate Telangana but added that his first priority would be trying to end the backwardness of the region. He also sought more “brainstorming” to solve the Maoist problem and said the issue of backward status to Kapus should be examined thoroughly.

However, Chiranjeevi vigorously opposed the concept of Special Economic Zones and said land was meant for cultivation.

“My top priority would be to make agriculture viable,” he said. “Even a soap manufacturer can decide the price of his product, but not a farmer.” The actor said that only at few people were cornering all benefits in societies and major communities were being denied opportunities and added that he would put an end to that. He said he was also aware of the plight of the middle classes who did not get the benefits of any scheme.

“They can neither send their kids to government schools nor pay huge fee at corporate schools,” he said.

Taking a subtle swipe at other political parties, Chiranjeevi said that his party had no rivals. “Problems are our rivals.

We have entered the battlefield but our battle is against problems,” he said.

Chiranjeevi inaugurated his party office in Hyderabad

2008-08-11T22:49:00.000-07:00

Superstar Chiranjeevi added to the intrigue surrounding his political entry by inaugurating the headquarters of his proposed party in relative secrecy in the dead of the night.

The actor’s penchant for building up suspense about his plans and his secretive ways are getting on the nerves of senior leaders who quit other parties to follow him.

Keeping the script under wraps may be good in tinsel town, but does not really impress those in the political arena, where going public is the name of the game. Chiranjeevi inaugurated his party office on Road No. 46 of Jubilee Hills here in a discreet manner at 00.55 am on Monday. It was a totally family affair.

Even his fans were not aware of the programme until it commenced and was telecast live on TV. Pujas were performed in the presence of Chiranjeevi’s mother, wife Surekha, brothers and film actors Nagendra Babu and Pawan Kalyan and son Ravi Charan Teja. Brother-in-law Allu Arvind and close aides Dr Mitra and K.S.R. Murthy were also present at the ceremony.

The Congress MP, Mr Ch. Harirama Jogaiah, and the former TD leader, Mr K. Vidyadhara Rao, were bystanders. Mr Jogaiah said he would quit the Congress on August 17. Even after opening the party office, the superstar was not willing to reveal anything about the date of launch of his party, its name and agenda. The only thing he was ready to disclose was that he was entering politics. “I will announce the new political outfit in a week and place before the people its name, shape and agenda,” was all that he said.

Apparently, the actor has not revealed anything to the senior leaders who defected from other parties either. “Chiranjeevi is keeping his cards close to his chest,” said a senior leader. “Though we meet him often, he doesn’t discuss his political plans with us. Everyone is kept in the dark.” Meanwhile, the Chiranjeevi camp intensified its efforts to pull in more prospective leaders from the Congress and the Telugu Desam.
The actor also asked his followers and fans to take part in the relief and rehabilitation measures in flood hit areas across the state. Sources said Chiranjeevi will be performing a two day Chandi Homam at Goddess Kamakshi temple in Kancheepuram near Chennai on August 21 and 22.

Devender Goud Quit TDP, starting party!

2008-06-25T00:08:00.000-07:00

The Telugu Desam second in command, Mr T. Devender Goud, quit the party on Monday over its refusal to champion the cause of a separate Telangana state.

In his resignation letter, Mr Goud pointed out that the TD had performed well in the recent bypolls since it had announced that it was not against Telangana.

“But after the bypolls, some leaders in the party are again reiterating the united Andhra slogan, which is nothing but betraying the people of this region,” Mr Goud said.

He said the people of Telangana region have been exploited in every aspect by the other regions and also flayed the TD leadership for encouraging those who criticised him.

The Telangana protagonist, Devender Goud, will announce his new political outfit after a brainstorming session with Telangana intellectuals on June 28 in hyderabad.

The prospect of Mr Goud starting his own party is creating ripples in the Telangana Rashtra Samiti, which is espousing the cause of separate Telangana. The TRS ideologue, Prof K. Jayasankar, party adviser on irrigation matters Mr R. Vidyasagar Rao and some other intellectuals, who are backing TRS chief Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao called on Mr Goud at his residence on Tuesday.

It is learnt that Mr Rao sent Prof Jayasankar as an emissary to have a co-ordination with Mr Goud’s party. But, Mr Goud bluntly rejected the proposal of a tie-up with the TRS. “We won’t sail with the TRS under any circumstances,” he said.

The TRS leadership apparently feels that as Mr Goud belongs to the backward community and his goal is the same as that of the TRS, there may be mass migrations from the party to Mr Goud’s outfit in the backdrop of the recent debacle in the recent bypolls.

Prof Jayasankar said the Telangana movement has reached a crucial stage. He called upon all pro-statehood forces to launch a unified agitation. He said that Telangana statehood would be a reality after 2009 elections.

Carpooling takes off in Hyderabad

2008-06-19T03:08:00.000-07:00

Parents of school children in the city are now going for carpooling to reduce the expenses of trips to the school and back.

The sharp rise in fuel prices has prompted them to use one car to ship a group of children in a locality to school rather than use individual vehicles.

This eases the pressure on their pockets. If the trend catches on, it will also decongest the city roads and reduce pollution.

A high ranking official in the Chief Minister’s Office said he had asked his son to get details of classmates who travel along the same route.

“We spoke to their parents and started using a single car instead of several to drop children to school and bring them back,” said the CMO official.

The group of five students now travels from Banjara Hills to Geetanjali Public School at Begumpet in a single car.

The parents are not sharing money but have adopted a rotation system whereby each one uses his or her car as per convenience.

The usual practice of parents is to drop their children to school in their own cars. This causes daily traffic snarls at Secunderabad, Begumpet, Abids, Narayanaguda, Mehdipatnam, Jubilee Hills, Banjara Hills, Ameerpet, S R Nagar and other prime localities in the city.

Vehicles have to inch for ward, losing precious minutes as well as precious fuel. Carpooling is likely to reduce these problems to an extent.

A freelance technocrat, Mr B. Leela Krishna, is also designing a software which will enable every school management to create a database of the addresses of children and their mode of transport.

Route maps thus prepared will help in effective carpooling and better management.

Carpooling had so far remained confined to only major metros such as Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru, while the concept is relatively new in Chennai and Pune.

In Hyderabad, carpooling has come into vogue after the recent petrol price hike.

To begin with, office goers adopted the tactic to save money.

“Right now about 40 people have registered on our free website and started using the carpool facility,” said Channel9 Eventz head, Mr Srinivas Rahul.

Steap increase in fuel prices

2008-06-04T21:30:00.000-07:00

The Rajasekhar Reddy (congress) government can cut Rs 2 per litre of petrol by cutting Value Added Tax (VAT), but has not done so despite the public outcry.

West Bengal has said it would cut VAT till the impact of Wednesday’s hike is neutralised. Maharashtra has also cut taxes.

But AP — which has cut tax on aviation fuel to 4 per cent tax against 33 per cent elsewhere — has not considered cutting VAT on petro fuels. It will profit by Rs 30 crore every month following Wednesday’s price hike. It is easy for the state to forgo the tax.

“These additional revenues are unexpected and were not incorporated in the budget estimates,” a senior revenue department official said.

AP levies 33 per cent VAT on petrol, the highest in the country, and 22.25 per cent on diesel, the second highest after Gujarat. The government earned Rs 18 on every litre of petrol at the old rate of Rs 51.40.

No takers for high rise buildings in Hyderabad

2008-05-07T22:35:00.000-07:00

Not many builders are willing to construct high-rises in the city though the state government had relaxed many norms including the height restrictions two years ago.

In two years, officials of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (Huda) have given permissions for 28-floor buildings only in a couple of cases. Of the nearly 100 applications received under multistoreyed buildings category, a majority of them are between 12 floors and 18 floors.

Certain stipulations such as impact fee and mandatory parking area are keeping the builders away.

Competition from low cost and medium-cost builders is another reason for major construction players not taking up high-rise projects.

“The cost of construction increases after the fifth floor as then the government starts to levy an impact fee.

As per government orders, an impact fee of Rs 500 per square metre for any number of floors between 15 feet and 21 feet, Rs 750 per square metre from 21 metre to 30 metres height, Rs 1,500 per square metre for 30 to 50 metres height and Rs 3,000 for above 50 metres height has to be paid,” said a builder.

These are the rates for residential high rises. In case of commercial and IT-parks, the slabs are Rs 1,000, Rs 1,500, Rs 2,500 and Rs 5,000 respectively. These rates would not be acceptable to buyers as a low-cost builder would be selling flats in a four-storeyed building in the vicinity for Rs 2,000 or 2,500 per square feet, where as the cost in a high-rise would be over Rs 5,000 per square feet, he added.

According to the Andhra Pradesh Builders’ Forum president, Mr C. Shekhar Reddy, builders have to earmark 66 per cent of the total project site for parking in case of it being an IT building, 44 per cent per cent parking area for commercial ventures and 33 per cent for residential projects.

“We have not received any applications for buildings of 40 or 50 floors. But we are sure that the builders will queue up after construction of projects such as the 100storeyed tower by Reliance,” said the GHMC additional commissioner, Mr K. Dhanunjaya Reddy.

Harbhajan Singh banned from Indian Premier League

2008-04-28T05:08:00.000-07:00

New Delhi (PTI): Off spinner Harbhajan Singh on Monday banned from playing in the Indian Premier League matches for slapping his Indian teammate S. Sreesanth after he pleaded guilty and apologized for it.

Harbhajan Singh was also slapped with a fine of 100 per cent match fees from the third match onwards while his Mumbai Indians coach Lalchand Rajput was fined 50 per cent of the match fee for not stopping the off-spinner's attack on Sreesanth playing for Kings XI Punjab.

Under the ICC code of conduct rules, a 4.2 offence refers to a physical assault and carries a minimum ban of 10 games and a maximum life ban from play.

S. Sreesanth, who was at the receiving end Harbhajan Singh's behaviour at the end of an IPL match in Mohali on Friday night, was also warned that his aggression on the field in future would be taken seriously.

"After looking into the video footage in the presence of Sreesanth, complainant Neil Maxwell (Kings XI Punjab CEO), Harbhajan and Lalchand Rajput, (Mumbai Indians coach), and managers of both sides and considering the submissions from both sides and in view of Harbhajan's admission Match Referee Farokh Engineer found him guilty of level 4.2 offence," IPL Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi said at a press conference at the conclusion of a two-hour hearing.

Will Deccan Chargers make it to finals?

2008-04-27T22:51:00.000-07:00

After lying low for three matches, the Deccan Chargers came out in full force on Sunday to maul Mumbai Indians and record their first win of the IPL tournament at the D.Y. Patil Stadium.

After restricting the home side to a modest 154, the Chargers made mockery of the Mumbai total courtesy Adam Gilchrist’s savage 47-ball 109 not out to overhaul the target in just 12 overs without losing a wicket. The win took Deccan Chargers from eighth to sixth on the points table, which has Bangalore and Mumbai languishing at the bottom.

Gilchrist exploded like a dynamite, cracking 10 soaring sixes and nine boundaries to batter the Mumbai bowlers, in the process recording the fastest century in Twenty20 cricket (42 balls). The previous fastest hundred, off 47 balls, was set by Gilly’s teammate Andrew Symonds during the Chargers’ last game against Rajasthan Royals at home last week.

The Australian was in devastating form, striking the ball clean and long from the very beginning to take the game away from Mumbai, whose stand-in captain Shaun Pollock shuffled the bowling pack regularly without much success. With Gilly on fire smashing sixes at will, all the Mumbai fielders could do was fetch the ball from the fence.

The man of the match was modest. “I played according to my instinct,” Gilchrist said, before giving credit to the bowlers. “They did a good job of restricting Mumbai, which made it easy for the batsmen.”

Dasa Mahavidyas or the 10 Goddesses of wisdom

2008-03-31T22:39:00.000-07:00

Hindu Mythology: The 10 Mahavidyas or the goddesses of wisdom are believed to be aspects of Devi in Hinduism. These goddesses are believed to cover the entire range of feminine divinity, from beauty to ugliness. They are - Kali, Tara, Tripura Sundari, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi, Chhinnamasta, Dhumavati, Bagalamukhi, Matangi and Kamalatmika. All the 10 forms of Mahavidya are worshipped as the one universal Mother.

According to Hindu legend, Shiva and Parvati once had a terrible fight. Shiva was so furious that no amount of pleading with him would work. So in order to win back his regard, Parvati multiplied herself into 10 different forms. No matter how hard Shiva tried to escape from her, he would find Parvati guarding his escape routes. Each of her manifested avatars proved to Shiva the eternal nature of their love. That is how the 10 Mahavidyas came into being.

Another legend tells of how Shiva and Sati (believed to be an earlier incarnation of Parvati) had an argument. When they were married, her father Daksha, who disapproved of the match, organised a sacrificial ritual to which he invited everyone in the kingdom except his own daughter and her husband. Sati was furious and insisted on attending. Shiva was adamant that she should not attend, but Sati would not listen. She transformed herself into the 10 Mahavidyas by which she managed to subdue her husband and attain his consent to attend the sacrifice.

The Mahavidyas are said to question matters such as worldly comfort, respect and honour, and worshipping them is believed to be a liberating experience.

This is because, according to popular belief, worshipping the Mahavidyas is the best way to attain spiritual peace away from the barriers of social norms and rules.

Goddess Gayatri: Mother of all Gods

2008-03-25T22:32:00.000-07:00

Brush up your mythology: In Hindu mythology, the goddess Gayatri is known as the Veda Mata — the mother of all the Vedas. To some, she is also seen as the mother of all Gods, and the culmination of Lakshmi, Parvati and Saraswati.

She is also known to be the consort of Lord Brahma. In religious terms, Gayatri is said to be the essence of Brahman, combining all the features of Brahman, that is past, present and future. That is why Gayatri is worshiped as the Trimurti combined into one.

Gayatri is normally shown seated on a red lotus, which connotes wealth. She has five forms. For instance, one depiction may show her with five heads, with 10 eyes looking in eight directions and her arms holding all the weapons of Vishnu, while another might show her accompanied by a white swan and holding a book to depict knowledge in one hand, and a cure for illness in another.

Gayatri is also, in Sanskrit, a reference to a song or a hymn. In fact, the famous Gayatri Mantra, taken from the Rig Veda and attributed to Vishvamitra, is with reference to her. The Gayatri Mantra, simply speaking, consists of a formula taken from the Yajur Veda, and a verse from the Rig Veda. However, the Gayatri Mantra can be found in all four Vedas. By many Hindus, Gayatri is associated with Brahman and chanting the Gayatri Mantra is believed to be the easiest route to a divine awakening of the mind and soul. Only through chanting it can one achieve a union with Brahman and thus reach the highest peak of existence. Therefore, understanding the essence of the Mantra is believed to be one of the most powerful ways to reach God.

NTR family to hit roads for Naidu

2008-03-17T23:26:00.000-07:00

The NTR family has warmed up to the Telugu Desam president, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, after he nominated Nandamuri Harikrishna to the Rajya Sabha, braving strong pressure from the backward classes lobby.

Mr Harikrishna, who has been associated with the TD ever since his father NTR floated it in early 1980s, is regarded as an ‘elder' by the family members.

Similarly, Mr Harikrishna will also field his son and actor, Junior NTR, and a host of film personalities to campaign for the TD, to help it avoid a defeat in the 2009 Assembly polls. Party workers got a foretaste of this when he invited a host of film directors, producers, actors and actresses to the NTR Bhavan before he left to file his nomination papers.

With his nomination to the RS, Mr Naidu has got cosy with the family again after a gap of more than a decade.

NTR's family had initially sided with Mr Naidu after the party witnessed a vertical split following the Lakshmi Parvati episode in 1995.

However, the family members, particularly Mr Harikrishna, distanced themselves from Mr Naidu within a couple of years.

Now, 12 years down the line, the TD supremo has been able to bring about a ‘political patch up' with the family in the hope that it would pay dividends during the polls.

It is to be seen if Mr. Naidu's gesture towards Mr. Harikrishna helps the TD, which is plagued by infighting and dissidence in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema and rattled by the separate Telangana demand.

TD sources claim that the entire NTR family barring the Daggubatis - Union minister Purandareswari and her husband MLA Venkateswara Rao who are in the Congress - has now pledged support to Mr Naidu.

Mr Harikrishna's younger brother and film actor Balakrishna has gone on record that he would campaign for the TD in the next Assembly elections.

Learn how to motivate yourself always

2008-03-13T23:44:00.000-07:00

As you spiral into the veritable rat race that may or may not be your workplace, there will be days when you feel low. These are days when your motivation levels are at their lowest peak. What with people trying to pull you down to grab that plum position, sometimes just staying afloat may be difficult to do. So, in all this morass, how do you stay motivated ?

HERE ARE 13 WAYS THAT COULD HELP

Self Belief: Believe in your dreams and don't be afraid to chase them.
Stub out the negative: Cut out the negative vibes and jive with those who emit positive signals.
Never say die: Don't give up or give in. Failure and rejection happen all the time and have happened to people.
Use your friends: When you are down, use your friends to help you stay motivated.
It's always darkest before the Dawn: There may be times when the picture of things around you looks dark and dismal. But remember, if you fight on regardless of the odds, success will be in your favour.
Push forward: Push for ward relentlessly. In the end you have to fight for what you want.
Love yourself: There is nothing like loving your self. By doing this you will be a happier and more motivated person.
Play fair: Never cheat, steal or do anything under hand. Play fair always. This will allow you to be proud of what you do.
Never Quit: Remember quitters never win and winners never quit.
Practice: Practice makes perfect. The more you practice, the better you will become.
Be aware of the opportunities: Never let an opportunity pass by you. Be ready to take advantage of things that come your way.
Be in control: Take control of your life and feel the motivation surge into you.
Have a burning desire: Every successful person has a burning desire to achieve his goals. If you have this desire, you too can be successful.

House buyers flock to Hyderabad

2008-03-13T23:29:00.000-07:00

More and more people from other states are investing in real estate in Hyderabad, as property prices have skyrocketed in New Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai , Kolkata, Bangalore and Chennai. Despite the realty boom, prices of flats and houses in Hyderabad are lower than in other metropolitan cities. Those who are unable to buy their dream homes in the cities they dwell in, are able to do so in Hyderabad.

A survey by Makaan.com, an online real estate portal, has revealed that many North Indians were acquiring properties in Hyderabad. "Most buyers feel that they can afford to buy flats in Hyderabad," said Mr Aditya Verma, vice president and business head of Makaan.com. "This is true since the cost is between Rs 2,500 to Rs 4,000 per square foot in most localities." In New Delhi, the cost ranges from Rs 4,500 to Rs 8,000 per square feet and in Mumbai, a person would have to spend Rs 65 lakh to purchase a two-bedroom flat since the square feet cost is between Rs 6,500 and Rs 10,500. Even in Bangalore and Chennai, the square feet rate ranges from Rs 4,000 to Rs 9,000. At the same time, a double bedroom flat can be purchased for Rs 30 lakh in Hyderabad.

Makaan.com recently conducted a property show in Hyderabad to cater to the increasing number of buyers. "Over 50 per cent of enquiries in our portal are related to real estate of the city," said Mr Verma. Most people whose children have got jobs in IT, BPO, infrastructure and pharma companies of Hyderabad are also opting to buy flats and houses. "I would like to lead my post retirement life in Hyderabad since I don't have to pay an astronomical sum to buy a flat," said Mr S.S. Agarwal, who works in a textile company of Mumbai. Mr Agarwal regularly attends property shows where you can get all the information about the new real estate ventures. Most people who come from outside the state also prefer to invest in AP Housing Board flats to have clear title deeds and to avoid problems in the future.

More than 400 out of 2,080 flats in the Singapore Township developed by APHB at Pocharam were sold to North Indians. "They will also get good returns even if they want to sell off the properties at a later date," said Mr T.S.V. Ratnam, general manager of Deccan Infrastructure and Land Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of APHB.

Producer weds Shriya Reddy

2008-03-10T22:29:00.000-07:00

Several film and sports personalities turned up for the marriage and reception of actress Shriya Reddy, daughter of former cricketer Bharath Reddy, to producer Vikram Krishna, brother of actor Vishal and son of producer G. K. Reddy.

The bride looked beautiful in a pink saree with matching jewellery. Superstar Rajinikanth's family turned up in full attendance for the wedding held at Park Sheraton on Sunday. Aishwarya Dhanush was the bridesmaid.

Kamal Haasan was one of the early guests to arrive at the reception at Anna Arivalayam and after blessing the couple, he left immediately.

Priyadarshan, who rarely makes public appearances was also present at the reception along with his wife, Lizzy. M K Stalin's wife Durga, son Udayanithi and daughter-in-law Kritika were also present for the occasion.

Actress Priyamani looked stunning dressed in a brown salwaar kameez.

The invitees for the wedding included Vikram, Ramya Krishna, Khushboo, yesteryear actress Sheela, Arjun, Srikanth with wife Vandhana, K.S.Ravi Kumar, K.Balachandar, Sridevi, Sathyaraj, Sibiraj, Suhasini Maniratnam and cricketers L. Balaji and S. Badrinath.

Chidambaram spells out vision India 2009

2008-02-29T01:40:00.000-08:00

29:Feb:2008: Following are the highlights of the 2008-09 General Budget presented by Finance Minister P.Chidambaram in Parliament:

Taxation: Capital Gains Tax hiked
— No change in Corporate Tax
— No change in surcharge
— Short term Capital Gains Tax hiked 15%
— Post office time deposit under 80C
— Medical Insurance premium for parents liable for exemption under 80B of IT Act
— 2-3-4 star hotels to get 5 year tax holiday
— Non filter cigarettes to have more tax
— 55% of GDP is from services
— Asset management services to ULIP
— Services provided by stock exchanges, Customized software to come under service tax
— Banking cash transactions to be withdrawn from April 1 2007
— Central sales tax to be reduced to 2% from 3%

Personal Taxation: Slab Raised
— Tax exemption limit raised to 1.5 lakhs
— Tax slab above 5 lakhs is 30%
— Tax slab between 3-5 lakhs 20%
— Tax slab between 1.5 to 3 lakhs is 10%
— Income Tax exemption for women (at 1.8 lakhs)
— Tax relief for senior citizens

Duty cuts
— Coconut drinks
— Water purification devices
— Breakfast cereals
— Wireless data cards
— Refrigeration equipment
— Small cars
— 2-3 wheelers to attract lesser excise at 12%
— Excise duty on pharma halved to 8%

Pan must for financial market deals
— Higher growth rate, changes in attitude and stricter compliance helped tax collection
— Smart card based delivery system for public distribution system to be taken up on pilot basis
— Pan to be made compulsory for all financial market transactions
— Defence allocation up to 1.05 lakh crore
— Rural housing loans at 4% interest to be made available
— Sixth pay commission for Govt employees to submit report by March 2008
— Rs 75 to ICCR to promote Indian art, movies
— Completion ratio is 96% on the golden quadrangular national highway project
— 3.5 billion to 8 billion expected during next round of bidding for 53 oil blocks
— 17 lakh families of weavers to be included under insurance schemes
— Steps to create a transparent credit trading system
— Skill development programme to be launched with a non profit corporation being set up with Rs 15,000 crore capital

Growth Story:One more year before eliminating Revenue Deficit
— Average growth rate 8.8%
— 10.7% and 9.4% growth for services and manufacturing respectively
— Agriculture growth rate estimated at 2.6%
— Capital inflows in excess of current account deficit
— Revenue deficit is at 1.4%
— Fiscal deficit pegged at 3.1% as against 3.2% estimated last year

Agri pepped up: 60,000 crore loans to farmers waived off
— Record high: Foodgrain output at 219.32 million tonnes
— Agri credit doubled in 2 yrs cumulating to 2.40 lakh crore by end of this fiscal year
— Credit target for Agri: Rs 2,80,000 by 2009
— Additional 4 lakh hectare to be brought under drip irrigation programme
— Irrigation and Water Resources Finance Corporation to be set up
— Coconut, cashew and pepper to be revived as cash crops
— 250 districts to have fully fitted mobile soil testing facility by March 2009
— Crop insurance scheme to be extended to more cash crop
— Complete waiver of all loans for marginal and small farmers
— For other farmers there would be a one time waiver

Education: IITs for Bihar, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh
— Allocation to education up by 20%
— Bihar, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh to get IITs
— New scholarships for scientific study and research
— IT Ministry gets Rs 100 crore to set up knowledge network
— 16 Central Universities to be established
— All national institutions to be networked on knowledge network

Health
— Health allocation increased by 15%

Employment
— Rs 30,000 cover for unorganised sector labourers
— Rs 16,000 crore allocated for the employment sector
— Rs 16,447 crore allocated to the North eastern region for development
— More minority recruitment for Central para military forces

Banking, Insurance
— 256 Public sector bank branches started, 288 more to come up by March’08

Public Sector Units: Over 16000 crore equity support by 2009
— 16,436 crore as equity support to Central PSUs in 2008-09
— More public sector units to be divested of govt. stakes

Manufacturing: Growth in double digits
— Target growth rate to get in double digits

Power
— Over 10,000 mw power would be added to the grid by March 2008

Child care and Welfare
— Mid-day meal extended to upper primary classes
— National program for elderly Rs 800 crore, Geriatric medical facilities to be set up on eleventh plan

Broad vision
— Monitor foreign fund inflows
— Boost for Education, Health
— 38,286 crore increased in Budget allocation to plan size
— 31,280 crore set aside for Bharat Nirman
— 11.4 crore children covered in mid-day meal system

Quotable quotes
— Budget 2008-09 is about raising our sights, doing better and doing more

Hindu Mythology: Mighty king of the devas

2008-02-25T23:34:00.000-08:00

In Hindu mythology, Indra is the god of war, the lord of thunder and storms besides being the king of the gods or devas. He is, in fact, the chief god of the Rig Veda, other than Agni the lord of fire.

Indra was also a great warrior and the strongest of all beings. As such he was the defender of the gods and mankind against the forces of evil. He is also regarded as one of the guardians of the directions, and is believed to represent the east. With the god of the sky as his father and the earth goddess as his mother, it is said that Indra was born fully grown and fully armed. Married to Indrani, Indra's sons include the famed Arjuna.

Weilding his celestial weapon Vajra, or the bolt of lightning, Indra is the one who brought water to the earth. The legend goes that the demon Vritra took the form of a mighty dragon, and stole all the waters of the world. No one could do anything about this until Indra was born. Upon hearing what had happened, Indra vowed to bring back the life-giving liquid. He rode forth to meet the terrible Vritra and managed to pass through all of Vritra's ninety-nine fortresses before he slaughtered the huge dragon and brought the stolen water back to earth.

Yet another legend tells of how Vritra, a huge serpent, was created by Tvashtri to get revenge for Indra's murder of his son, Trisiras, whose increasing power had worried Indra. The battle was won by Vritra who then swallowed Indra. He was, however, forced by the other gods to vomit Indra out. A truce was then brought about between Vishnu and the rishis, on the condition that Indra swore that he would not attack Vritra with anything made either of metal, wood or stone, or anything that was either dry or wet, during the day or the night. So Indra used the foam from the waves of the ocean to kill Vritra at twilight.

It is believed that Indra lives in Svarga in the clouds around Mount Meru. Deceased warriors, it is said, go to his hall after death where they watch the apsaras and the Gandharvas dance and play games.

Voice of ANR, Krishna, YSR, KCR and Bala krishna

2008-02-24T23:14:00.000-08:00

Funny conversation between ANR, Nagarjuna, YSR, Chandra Babu Naidu, KCR, Balakrishna and more...

Warning: Audio contains bad words

Top guns in home team VVS Laxman to be captain

2008-02-20T23:35:00.000-08:00

The Indian Premium League bids for the top players yielded fabulous results for the South based teams.
Deccan Chronicle won five of the world's best players including Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds, Shahid Afridi, Scott Styris and Herschelle Gibbs proving that cricket has become a global game

Icons don't matter, players do

The Hyderabad franchise of the Indian Premier League (IPL) won Australian keeper opener Adam Gilchrist after making a $7,00,000 bid for him at the first round of players' auction in Mumbai.

Controversy ridden Australian Andrew Symonds was also bought by Hyderabad for the second highest price of $1.35 million. So far, the Hyderabad and Chennai franchises have secured the highest bids.

Hyderabad's other winning bids were for Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi ($675,000), New Zealander Scott Styris ($175,000), Herschelle Gibbs, South Africa ($5,75,000), Rohit Sharma ($750,000), V.V.S.Laxman ($375,000) and Sri Lankan Chamara Silva ($100,000).

Managing director of Deccan Chronicle Mr P.K. Iyer said that team Hyderabad has appointed V.V.S. Laxman as its captain. "Laxman has put his team before his status. He has done a great job and has always shown true sportsman spirit. We look forward to taking the team ahead," he said Vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Mr Rajeev Shukla said, "Hyderabad had picked the best combination of players. They do not just have good performers but big names as well. They have an advantage of not having an iconic Indian player in their team so they can work better with their team composition."

Anshuman Gaekwad (Former Team India coach) also shares Shukla's opinion. He feels the theory of having an iconic player is not that important because it is the team management which will work on the best combination and balance for the team. "What's an iconic player? It's just a big name. The absence of an iconic player gives Hyderabad a good chance. With Symonds and Gilchrist roped in, Hyderabad will have a big advantage over the other teams," he says.

Lack of an iconic player is worrying no one. Vivek Jaisimha too says he doesn't understand the concept of an iconic player influencing a team. "I would say we have damn good team. With such powerful batsmen, we will definitely pose a tough fight against the others," says Vivek.

Just goes to show that a winning team does not merely need big names but players who are good performers.with their team composition.

Rs 600 crore car fraud unearthed

2008-02-20T23:27:00.000-08:00

Several motor vehicle dealers in the state have been cheating customers in the last five years by collecting up to Rs 4,000 as registration and service charge from them.

As per rules, they can only collect Rs 15 for temporary registration and between Rs 400 and Rs 600 for permanent registration, depending on the vehicle's capacity. However, it is learn't that around 2,000 dealers in the state have been collecting extra charges in the name of "service" provided to the customers.

The scam came to light after retired IAS officer, Mr K.R. Venu Gopal, who purchased a car recently in Hyderabad, was asked to pay Rs 2,000 extra as registration charges. Since he was aware of the prescribed rates, Mr Gopal brought the issue to the notice of the Transport Commissioner, Ms Poonam Malakondaiah, who ordered a probe.

Investigations which followed revealed that vehicle dealers in all districts were collecting exorbitant charges in the name of registration and service.

The department estimated that over Rs 600 crore had been collected by vehicle dealers who registered over 13 lakh cars and bikes from 2002 to 2007. They also evaded payment of Rs 70 crore to the state exchequer.

"We would not have raised objection if the service and registration charges were shown separately in the bills," said a transport department official. "The government can also collect VAT if the break-up is given."

Dealers are able to cheat the customers since most of them do not want to approach RTO offices for registration.

Meanwhile, the transport commissioner has asked the government to turn down the dealers' request for exemption from VAT collected on the turnover of insurance premium and life tax.

The commissioner said she would urge the government to prevent dealers from issuing even temporary registration certificates.

"Customers can approach e-Seva centres for temporary registration and RTO offices for permanent registration," said Ms Malakondaiah.

NANDI AWARDS - Nagarjuna is best actor

2008-02-14T02:19:00.000-08:00

Actor Akkineni Nagarjuna won his 3rd Nandi award for best actor for his role in Sri Raama Dasu. The Nandi awards for 2006 were announced here on Wednesday. Nagarjuna had earlier won the award for Annamayya (1997) and Santosham (2002).

Nandita Das was selected best actress for her role in Kamli. The awards ceremony for 2005 and 2006 will be held in the last week of March. "There were 54 entries for the six categories of awards," said Mr M.S. Reddy, film-maker and chairman of the 15-member awards committee. Sekhar Kammula was adjudged best director for Godavari. Bommaril lu was adjudged the best feature film, Godavari and Ganga won the second and third best awards. Bharathi won the best child actor, Kittu was selected second best. Raghava was adjudged best child actor for Style and Sri Divya best child actress for Bharathi. Mr Challa Srinivas of Andhra Bhoomi was adjudged best film critic on Telugu cinema.

The other winners are: Best supporting actor: Prakash Raj (Bommarillu); best supporting actress: Eswari (Ganga); Best character actor: Kota Srinivasa Rao (Pellaina Kothalo); best comedians Venumadhav (Lakshmi) and Abhinayasri (Paisaalo Paramaathma); best villain Saikumar (Saamaanyudu) and best debut of director: Bhaskar (Bommarillu)

Kamadeva - The winged god of love

2008-02-05T01:19:00.000-08:00

Hindu Mythology: Kamadeva is the Hindu god of love and he is represented as a handsome, winged young man who wields a bow and arrow. Legend has it that the bow is made of sugarcane with a string of honeybees, while his arrows are said to be decorated with five different kinds of flowers. Kamadeva is accompanied by a cuckoo, a parrot, humming bees, the spring season and a soft and tender breeze.

According to legend, Kamadeva is the son of Brahma, however there are other tales stating that he was also once reincarnated as Pradyumna, the son of Lord Krishna and his Queen, Rukmini. In literature like the Kumârasâmbhavam, Kamadeva, also known as Kandarpa, resolved to help Parvati in her efforts to gain the favor of Lord Shiva.

In order to do this he shot his arrows of love at Shiva while the god was deep in meditation. The idea being that Shiva's meditation may be interrupted and his eye would fall on Parvati. However, the ploy backfired, with dreadful consequences. Shiva was temporarily distracted, but when he realised what had happened, he was furious. Opening his dreaded third eye, he annihilated Kamadeva and with just one glance, reduced his body to ashes.

Now, with Kamadeva's destruction, the world became barren and infertile, for he had been the god of desire and love. Shiva and Parvati went on to get married. But when Parvati and the other gods including Rati, Kamdeva's wife pleaded with Shiva to resurrect Kamadeva, Shiva relented. He brought Kamadeva to ‘life' thereby restoring the fertile cycles of nature. However, Kamadeva was resurrected purely as a mental image, so that he represented the emotional and mental state of love, rather than pure physical lust.

It is believed that Holi, the festival of colors, and the traditional bonfire that is lit on that day, commemorate this legend.

Ayesha's father vows revenge against Shoaib

2008-02-01T22:04:00.000-08:00

Cricketer Shoaib Malik's harassment had traumatized his wife Ayesha so much that she had to be hospitalized several times, said her father, Mr Ahmed Siddiqui. Malik had married Ayesha over telephone in 2002 but recently denied that the marriage ever took place.

An angry Mr Siddiqui told this correspondent that though Malik's appearance was innocent, he was deceptive and dangerous.

"He kept on asking Ayesha to lose weight," said Mr Siddiqui. "Apparently to please him, she secretly underwent liposuction by spending Rs 5 lakh. But the surgery created complications and her condition turned serious. Her life was in danger."

Ayesha and her family are in a fix since Islamic clerics have termed the telephone marriage valid and have said that the young woman could not marry again without getting a divorce.

"I was thinking of marrying her off to someone else," said Mr Siddiqui. "But Malik does not want to acknowledge the marriage. Unless he divorces, how can my daughter marry again?"

The young woman's father said that he would try to get divorce for her through court.

"I will also teach Malik such a lesson that he would not dare to cheat any other girl," said Mr Siddiqui. "I have enough evidence to prove that the marriage took place. The most important piece is the marriage certificate which Malik

Chiranjeevi fans attack Rajasekhar and family

2008-01-28T23:16:00.001-08:00

Irate fans of mega star Chiranjeevi on Monday chased, attacked, and injured fellow actor Rajasekhar, his wife Jeevita, and their two kids for a comment made about their hero's entry into politics.

This is not the first time that Chiranjeevi's ‘fans' have taken the law into their hands and attacked ‘rivals' of their idol. However, the attack on Rajasekhar and his family in front of the office of the Assistant Commissioner of Police in Panjagutta is a new low even for them.

In a bizarre re-enactment of the kind of sequences seen in Tollywood films, Chiranjeevi ‘fans' chased Rajasekhar's vehicle in four cars and attacked him and his terrified family with stones injuring them.

The actor had commented the other day had that he would not join Chiranjeevi's proposed political party "because he has no experience in politics". This was enough to arouse Chiranjeevi ‘fans'.

Rajasekhar, Jeevita and their children were treated at Apollo Hospital in Jubilee Hills.

THEY WERE FOLLOWED

Chiranjeevi fans had been stalking them right from Guntur. They entered the Narsapur Express in which the family was travelling but could not locate them. Once they got to know that Rajasekhar had reached Hyderabad and was going towards his house in a car, they chased him.

They not only attacked the actor and his family but also filmed the attack and brazenly handed over the footage to TV channels.

She added that however much the ‘fans' loved Chiranjeevi, they should never have acted like this. "My husband didn't say anything about Chiranjeevi's party," she said. "He simply expressed his opinion. Whoever instigated the fans has to be brought to book."

Later in the day, megastar Chiranjeevi went to Rajasekhar's house and apologised on his behalf and on behalf of his ‘fans'. He termed the attack "unfortunate" and waited for over an hour at Rajasekhar's residence since the couple had gone for a recording in a TV studio.

"Rajasekhar has only expressed his own opinion and my fans should not have taken the law into their hands," said Chiranjeevi. "Their aggression was unwarranted. I am very sorry about the incident. Rajasekhar is like my brother and I urge my fans not to be unruly."

Rajasekhar is planning to meet the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, to request for more security cover to his family. A police picket has already been set up in front of his house.

The attack on Rajasekhar took an immediate political turn with the Greater Hyderabad Congress chief Danam Nagendar visiting the actor's residence and expressing solidarity. Minister for Housing, Mr Botsa Satyanarayana, also turned up at the actor's bungalow.

In the train, it was the bodyguards of Maganti Venkateshwara Rao, minister for minor irrigation, who saved Rajasekhar from the irate ‘fans'.

In Chittoor, Telugu Desam activists staged a protest against Chiranjeevi expressing solidarity with Rajasekhar, who had supported the party in the last polls. However, in other parts of the state, Chiranjeevi's ‘fans' burnt the effigy of Rajasekhar.

Actor Mohan Babu, who has also faced the ire of Chiranjeevi fans, called on Rajasekhar and Jeevita and expressed anguish over the incident. "I have come as a friend and not as a representative of the film industry," he said. "The attack on Rajasekhar has caused me a lot of pain. In a democracy, every person has a right to express his or her opinion without any fear. What if someone from the family had got seriously injured?"

Sania Mirza is Asian No.1 in women's tennis

2008-01-28T22:56:00.000-08:00

Controversies, injuries and inconsistent form have threatened to derail Sania Mirza's career time and again but the Indian star continues to rise nevertheless, touching a new high on Monday by becoming Asia's number one woman tennis player.

After her third round appearance at the Australian Open, Sania gained three spots to rise to the 29th position with 931 points to become Asia's new numero uno player in the latest WTA rankings overtaking Chinese ace Na Li, who dropped to the 32nd position.

Sania, who lost to Wimbledon champion Venus Williams in the third round, however, slipped in the doubles rankings, losing five places to drop out of top20 and be placed 23rd in the latest list.

She had teamed up with Australian Alicia Molik in the Australian Open and the duo had been knocked out in the third round.

Becoming the Asian number one is yet anoth er remarkable achievement for the 21-year-old Hyderabad lass, who has been India's lone flagbearer in women's tennis after a breakthrough season in 2005.

"I am very happy, I think this is the first time I have become Asian number one, so it's an honor," Sania said.

She became the first Indian to break into the top 50 of WTA rankings and has notched up some memorable wins over Grand Slam champions like Martina Hingis and top 20 players like Patty Schnyder and Dinara Safina.

However, the glamorous star has had to deal with heightened expectations and one controversy after another ever since her rise to prominence.

Her on court attire, her views on pre marital sex and numerous other petty issues have raised the heckles of Islamic fundamentalists who have never wasted time in issuing one fatwa after another against her.

Injuries have also hampered her and she continues to play with minor niggles but all this has not affected her performance.

A WTA title eludes her and the best she has done at a Grand Slam is reaching the fourth round of US Open, but her fighting spirit and determination have won hearts wherever she has played.

"I'm 21 and I'm trying to be the best I can be," a bit upset but resolute Sania had said after off court furores forced her to think of quitting the game altogether a few weeks ago.

Cyberabad cops first in S. Asia to get GPS radio

2008-01-28T22:38:00.000-08:00

The Cyberabad police is set to become the first force in south and southeast Asia to get a GPS-based Tetra radio system.

The police is using an analogue radio network that jams when an excessive number of users use it. In Tetra, or Terrestrial Trunk Radio System, the channels are multi-pronged. The police frequency cannot be intercepted by terror elements.

The police can create different groups for law and order, crime and traffic. Closed groups can be created to hold conversations that cannot be heard by those outside the loop. The police can talk and listen at the same time like in cellphones.

"Tetra is like GSM. With hand-held compact radio sets, voice calls can be made and SMSes can be sent," said Mr Vinay Ranjan Ray, director of police communications.

The police entered into an agreement with European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), a multi-country consortia, last month for procuring the system. "The system would become operational by March end. It will help the control room know the location and movement of personnel carrying the handsets," Mr Ray said.

IIT aspirants up in Andhra Pradesh

2008-01-28T22:32:00.000-08:00

The number of students from the state who are trying to get into Indian Institute of Technology has increased by 25 per cent when compared to last year.

While nearly 39,000 candidates had applied for Joint Entrance Examination in 2007, the number went up to about 50,100 this year. Last year, over 500 students from the state secured seats in various IITs.

The JEE-2008 for admission to various undergraduate courses in the seven IIT's and other technological universities of the country will be held on April 13. The last date for submitting application forms ended on January 4.

"There has been more than 25 per cent increase in the number of applicants across the country and not just in Andhra Pradesh," said Mr N.M. Bhandari, chairman of JEE-2008.

Last year, 2.43 lakh students had appeared for the test and one lakh more students have applied for JEE-2008. The number of students competing for a seat has gone up to 77 while it was 55 last year.

There are nearly 4,500 seats available in the seven IITs across the country.

"The number of students competing for a seat in prestigious global universities such as Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology is eight," said Mr Bhandari.

"The competition for IITs is tougher."

Veteran IIT trainer and MLC, Mr Chukka Ramaiah, said the drop in standards and lack of faculty and infrastructure in most engineering colleges of the state had forced students to opt for IITs.

"Most of the engineering colleges in the state produce graduates who are unemployable," he said. "They are forced to undergo training in Jawahar Knowledge Centres to develop skills."

Meanwhile, the newly announced IIT at Medak may not start functioning from this year.

Shoaib Malik - A cricketer, not a gentleman

2008-01-21T23:23:00.000-08:00

This is one love story that has unfortunately gone sour. Pakistani cricket captain Shoaib Malik has done a volte-face and claims he never married Hyderabadi girl Ayesha Siddiqui, and was only involved with her in a longrelationship. He further adds that the couple split because their families could not reach an agreement on the marriage issue.

This is in complete contrast to his confession last year when Shoaib visited India. He had acknowledged in an interview to this newspaper, on March 26, 2007, "We met in Dubai for the first time. The nikaah was performed on phone on May 2, 2003." It was reported then that in 2002 the couple had met in Dubai and sparks flew instantly. Two years later, they got married through a clandestine phone-nikaah. Shoaib was based in Sialkot and Ayesha in Hyderabad, India.

But the cricketer who has now become the captain of the Pakistan cricket team suddenly seems to have had a change of heart and has unceremoniously dumped Ayesha. Shoaib Malik as well as his parents started avoiding talks with the Hyderabadi family.

Though the first few months after the revelation of the secret marriage passed happily, soon relatives and friends started inquiring about the bride's future plans. Ayesha's family gradually realised that the Maliks were in no mood to discuss the future.

Despite all odds Ayesha's family members tried to meet Malik, who refused to even meet his in-laws citing inane excuses, according to a close friend of Mr Ahmed Siddiqui, father of Ayesha Siddiqui. "Mr Siddiqui tried to contact Malik who refused to meet his fatherin-law," says a family friend.

This is in complete contrast to the happy family picture that was portrayed when the Pakistani team was here last year. Ayesha's father, Ahmed Siddiqui had hosted a grand dinner for his son-in-law and the entire Pakistani team when they were in Hyderabad last year.

What's more his mother Farookh Sultana had stated in a telephonic interview from Sialkot, "Yes Shoaib has chosen a girl from Hyderabad. We all liked the girl very much. She is a good looking, pyari girl. We have decided to conduct the wedding in India."

Sadly, the proposed wedding ceremony, which was slated for August 2007 never took place dashing Ayesha's dreams of joining her husband.

Ayesha has completed her MBA but is not working. The family of Mr Siddiqui, a retired Saudi Airlines employee, lives in Banjara Hills. "They don't share much about what's going on in their life and Mr Siddiqui seeks advice very rarely with his close friends," says a friend. "It's better that it happened now. Who knows what kind of life Ayesha would have encountered with Shoaib in Pakistan," adds another close friend.

The family members refused to comment on the issue, hoping to put this unfortunate incident behind them and get on with their lives.

Remedy tours take pilgrims to temples for specific cures

2008-01-14T01:27:00.000-08:00

Tour operators of the state have given a slight tweak to temple tourism and are promoting it as ‘Remedial Tourism'.

Instead of shepherding pilgrims from within and outside the state to a host of famous temples, tour operators are taking them to holy spots which offer solutions to specific problems.

For instance, more than 12,000 tourists visited the Naga Temple located in little known Fazullabad in East Godavari district last year to get relief for Rahu Dosha. The temple was built by a Muslim officer Fazulla Khan in 1200 AD.

Similarly, "remedial" tours are being conducted to temples of deities who have powers to sort out problems ranging from family troubles to financial mess.

Temples in Muramandla and Vasanthavada villages, also in East Godavari, are witnessing heavy rush of people who have unmarried children.

Santhana Venugopala Swamy Kshetram in Nemili village of Khammam district and Pynaraju Palem of East Godavari are seeing a constant stream of couples who don't have children. Similarly, ailing people are even taken in ambulances to Mrutyunjayeswara Temple at Juittuga near Tanuku. The deity is believed to have power to restore people to health.

"Many persons who were on their deathbed got new life after visiting this place," said Mr D. Nagarjuna Sarma, managing director of Imprint, a leading tour operator.

Tourists are being shipped outside the state too. Many have been taken to Bhagheeswar in Uttarakand where Lord Siva reigns in the form of Mrutyunjayeswara and is believed to be very powerful.

Interestingly, there are also holy places which cater to mundane problems such as transfers.

Those who want transfers to preferred spots travel to pray at Sri Narasimha Temple near Eluru in West Godavari and Lord Jaganmohan Kesava Swamy temple near Ravula Palem. "Ministers, MLA and MPs don't come here since they are afraid of being shifted from their posts," said Mr Jandyala Jagannadha Sastry, a vedic expert.

Mr Sanjeev Reddy, Chief Operating Officer of Usha Tourism, said some of the temples in the ‘remedial circuit' had even got recognition from UNESCO.

Tour operators are now offering specific packages to relieve a host of astrological problems including Kuja Dosham, which prevents marriage, Guru Dosham, which creates work related crises, and Sani Dosham, which generally messes up one's life. "We are getting many enquiries," said Mr Sharma, "Last year we organised 21 tours taking about 4,000 people to various holy spots." Mrs Malati, a retired lecturer who is busy organising remedial tours for big companies, said the government should take care of temples which have such unique powers.

100 crore gift to Shirdi Sai Baba

2008-01-07T02:40:00.000-08:00

A Chennai based information technology industrialist has promised to donate Rs 100 crore to the Sai Baba temple trust in Shirdi.

Sources in the cash-rich temple trust said it was the biggest ever donation in its history.

KV Ramani, the CMD of Future Software, will be donating the money to the Shri Saibaba Sansthan for the construction of a Bhakta Niwas, a residential complex for devotees on January 10.

Ramani was not available for comment but the chairperson of the trust, Jayant Sasane, confirmed the donation. Sasane said negotiations between trustees and Ramani had been on for almost a year. The residential complex will come up on 14 acres of land owned by the trust.

Ramani, a great devotee of the Sai Baba, has asked the trust to reserve 10 per cent of the total number of rooms in the complex for poor devotees and give out 30 per cent at concession rates.

Sasane said 15,000 devotees could be accommodated in the facility. The foundation stone will be laid on January 10. Construction is expected to be complete within a year and a half.

Ramani set up the Shirdi Sai Trust with Rs 250 crore that he had in his kitty. His trust has been spending Rs 20 crore every year for social causes and for construction of Sai Baba temples at various places.

Sources in Shri Saibaba Sansthan said Ramani believes he owes his wealth to Sai Baba and he has to donate it to him. The sansthan, controlled by the Maharashtra government, has an annual turnover of around Rs 200 crore.

Rajnikanth as Shankar's Robot?

2008-01-07T01:52:00.000-08:00

The hottest news that is making rounds in Kollywood is about the teaming up of superstar Rajnikanth and ace director Shankar for the second time.

According to sources, the project is Shankar's dream sci-fi venture Robot, which he announced with Shah Rukh Khan a few months ago, since the subject required a national star.

The project, which was supposed to be produced under Shah Rukh Khan's home banner Red Chillies was dropped for various logistic problems, which the director himself confirmed.

Now the buzz is that after the stupendous success of Sivaji, it became easier for Shankar to approach the superstar and it's believed that he also completed one sitting of the story narration. While Shankar has confirmed that talks are going on with the superstar, nothing has been finalised.

The film is produced jointly by Mumbai based Eros International and Ayngaran International, an association that was mediated by producer A.M.Ratnam.

If sources are to be believed, this could be the most expensive project ever made in the country. Shankar, who has clout in Mumbai, is trying to rope in the latest Bollywood sensation Deepika Padukone to act opposite Rajnikanth. A.R. Rahman has been confirmed as music composer for the film.

Official announcements, according to sources, will be made during the silver jubilee function of Sivaji.

P. Janardhan Reddy (PJR) Died due to Heart Attack

2007-12-27T23:05:00.000-08:00

Hyderabad: A Great Congress Leader P.Janardhan Reddy is no more…

Janardhan Reddy popularly known as PJR, Khairthabad MLA died due to Heart attack on 28 Dec 07 at 11:00 AM on the way to hospital.

Today he was attending a meeting in Secundrabad Jewel Gardens, conducted by congress party due to the coming Greater Hyderabad elections. He suffered a sudden heart attack when he was getting down from his car, following this he was rushed into near KIMS Hospital where he was kept in Emergency Room, while the arrangements were taking place to conduct a surgery, he got severe attack and before first aid he found to be dead.

He is heart for the congress party in Hyderabad. He elected as MLA for congress party for five times. He was born on 1948 and his age is 58 years. Congress party shocked after knowing this news. There is deadly silence in hyderabad now.

May his Soul Rest in Peace.

SriLanka to hype Ramayana

2007-12-19T22:29:00.000-08:00

SriLanka is going to use the Ramayana to attract Indian tourists in a big way.

"The SriLanka Tourism Development Authority has formed a committee to work out a scheme to promote 34 sites associated with the Ramayana," the body's chief, Mr S. Kalaiselvam, said.

According to the Ramayana, Ravana brought Sita to SriLanka in a Pushpaka Vimanam which landed at Werangatota, about 10 km from Mahiyangana, east of the hill station of Nuwara Eliya, a hill station.

Sita was taken to Goorulupota, now Sitakotuwa, about 10 km from Mahiyangana on the road to Kandy. She was housed in a cave at Sita Eliya on a highway that links Colombo with Nuwara Eliya. North of Nuwara Eliya, in Matale district, is Yudhaganapitiya, where the Rama-Ravana battle took place. Dunuwila is the place from where Rama shot the Brahmastra that killed Ravana. Ravana was making battle plans in a place called Lakgala.

Ravana's body was placed on the rock at Yahangala for his subjects to pay their last respects.

To wash off the sin of killing a Brahmin that Ravana was, Rama prayed at Munneswaram in Chilaw, 80 km north of Colombo. At Manaweri, north of Chilaw, is a temple Rama is said to have gifted. There are also many sites associ ated with Hanuman.

Showcase your talent on India Ka Hero!

2007-12-18T22:31:00.000-08:00

Move over Superman, Spiderman and our very own Kkrish for that matter, India will have a new genre of heroes. These heroes might not be the cape and underwear wearing kind, but are heroes nevertheless in the World Wide Web. The website www.indiakahero.com is a portal for all those people who have the talent but were longing for a platform to showcase it. Apart from singing and dancing, this website pays homage to the talent of a different kind and also appreciates the whackiest of videos from participants and welcomes people armed with ‘crack-‘em-up kind' of jokes too.

Becoming a hero was never so easy, people who browse through the site can vote for their favourite posts and the entry in each category with most number of votes is declared the hero. One innings of the contest has just culminated with ‘Jokes ka Hero', ‘'Song ka Hero', ‘Mimicry ka Hero' and ‘Dance ka Hero' being declared.

In fact the site, which is creating waves all over the country, was created by a Hyderabad based technology startup, NowPos Online Services who have pioneered the concept of voice mail in the world. Now the next season of contests on IndiakaHero.com will start which includes interesting categories like ‘Zing Songs', ‘Tring Tones,' ‘Whacky Videos' and ‘Zip Zap Dance.' The site has already been flooded with entries, with many coming from Hyderabad too. Shalini Rao, an 18-year-old from Hyderabad has posted her rendition of a Faith Hill song as an entry on the site. "This is a novel concept especially considering it is an Indian site. I have also found it to be quite user friendly. This site is on par with YouTube or even better actually because you get prizes if you win," Shalini quips.

The site houses a powerhouse of talent and one will be amazed to hear some voices and moves that could give the Bollywood Brigade a run for their money. Triveni S., a student of Sri Vidhya College has posted an original Telugu composition which has already been viewed more than 150 times. "I suffer from stage fear and even though I have a good voice I'm scared to perform or sing in front of an audience. This website has given me a chance to discreetly put up my recording and people vote for me without any bias as my identity is unknown to them. Who knows maybe a music director will stumble upon this site and notice me," she says hopefully. The Whacky Videos section has some really funny entries with videos of ghosts in a ship (read chairs swaying around on their own due to the ocean tide!) to people capturing their friends' crazy antics on video. Arvind Manek, a student from Badruka College says, "I'm going to post a video of my friend who was dancing like a lunatic when he was completely drunk. He's going to have quite a fit though when he comes to know, because he wasn't aware we took this video."

This Hyderabadi site sure has the whole nation's virtual world in its grip. There are all kinds of aspirants here right from people showcasing their genuine talents to those who have come there just to have a good laugh. So log on and register, and embark on a quest to find the hero side of you.

Shani or Saturn is son of the sun

2007-12-17T23:00:00.000-08:00

Shani or Saturn, is one of the Navagrahas, or nine celestial beings in Hindu astrology. Believed to be the son of Surya and his wife Chhaya, legend has it that when Shani opened his eyes for the first time as a baby, there was a solar eclipse, which clearly denotes the impact of Shani on astrological charts even today.

The stories of Shani and his beautiful dark face and his lame feet were told in the courts of Vikramaditya in the city of Ujjain. It is said that Vikramaditya laughed and ridiculed Shani when he heard these stories. Shani cursed Vikramaditya, and the king faced innumerable problems and difficulties during his reign.

The king was most repentent and continued to pray to Shani without losing his faith and eventually Shani brought back all his lost glory.

In the Ramayana it is said that when Lord Hanuman rescued Shani from Ravana, Shani was so grateful that he promised Hanuman that anyone who prayed to him on Saturdays, would be protected from the effects of Saturn on that day.

Shani is believed to be a stern teacher, imbued with the qualities of patience, effort, and endurance. Most Hindus are fearful of Lord Shani, preferring to approach him indirectly, through his various forms, for relief. But Shani can also be very helpful if propitiated with reverence.

It is also said that Shani is the greatest teacher for it is he that induces responsibility, shows us that the ethics of hard work and discipline can be translated into rich rewards and provides us with the will to realize our true potential.

Rajnikanth celebrates 57th birthday

2007-12-12T01:34:00.000-08:00

The undisputed king of Tamil cinema Rajnikanth turns 57 on December 12.

He was born the fourth child of Jijabai and Ramojirao Gaekwad and was named Shivaji Rao Gaekward. Although a Maharashtrian, he was born and brought up in Karnataka.

Before he pursued his passion -- cinema -- he worked as a bus conductor in Bangalore. It was his friend and bus driver, Raj Bahadur, who encouraged and funded him to join the Adyar film institute.

Noted filmmaker K Balachander noticed him and signed him on as a villain in Apoorva Raagangal in 1975. He was rechristened Rajnikanth.

Rajni became a sensation as a villain, and starred in hits like Moondru Mudichu and 16 vayathinile.

The next turning point in his career was Billa in 1980. Rajni became a superstar, as more hits followed: Muthu, Padayappa, Basha, Annamalai, Chandramukhi and the recent Sivaji. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2000.

Now, 27 years later, he still rules the hearts of millions.

Himesh Reshammiya finally revealed his look in the Karzzzz

2007-12-10T21:49:00.000-08:00

Himesh Reshammiya, who will act in the remake of Karz, has finally revealed his look in the film. The audience will get to see Himesh without his trademark cap. Himesh will play the lead role of Rishi Kapoor in the remake and will sing and compose the music for the film The remake Karzzzz, is produced by Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar and directed by Satish Kaushik.

The film also stars Urmila Matondkar, Gulshan Grover, Danny Denzongpa and Rohini Hatangadi. The shooting is scheduled to commence from midJanuary and the film will be shot in South Africa, Kenya and Mumbai.

TSeries has bought the remake rights from Mukta Arts for the original film Karz directed by Subhash Ghai. The original film starred Rishi Kapoor, Tina Munim, Premnath amongst others and was a blockbuster hit of the 80s. The production company will also be producing three films starring Himesh in the lead.

Himesh's next movie is Kajraare. It will be directed by Pooja Bhatt. The third one is A Love Issshtory by John Matthew Matthan of Sarfarosh fame.

Murugan is also known by many other names

2007-12-10T21:33:00.000-08:00

Brush up your MYTHOLOGY!

Murugan is a prominent Hindu deity among the Tamilians. Like most Indian deities, Murugan is also known by many other names, including Kartikeya, Shanmukham, Kumara and Skanda. So, what exactly is Murugan's role in the Hindu pantheon? Well, he is the god of war and the patron deity of Tamil Nadu.

It is said that when Sati, the consort of Shiva, immolated herself at the Daksha Yagna, she was reborn as Uma, or Parvati, the daughter of the mountain king Himavaan (the Himalayas). At this time, Shiva withdrew himself from the universe and engaged in meditation within the Himalayas. Meanwhile, the demon Surapadman ravaged the earth. The gods realised that only a son born of Shiva could lead them to victory over the demon, so they plotted with Kamadeva, the god of love, to shoot a flower arrow at Shiva as he sat in meditation, so as to make him fall in love with Parvati. Things however, went slightly wrong.

When Kama aimed his arrow, Shiva opened his third eye and burned him to ashes instantly. The sparks of the fiery seed of Shiva were given to Agni, to take care of until they became offspring. But so fiery were they that even Agni, the god of fire, was unable to hold them. So they were sent along the river Ganga into the Saravana forest and put into a pond called Saravana Poigai, where they became six children. The infants were raised by the six Krittika or Kartika the stars that make up the Pleiades, earning the name Kartikeya. Parvati combined these six babies into one with six faces, Shanmukham, or Murugan.

It was thus Murugan who became the supreme General of the gods and led them to victory against the demons. Murugan rides a peacock and wields a bow in battle. The lance called the vel is closely associated with him. It was given to him by his mother, Parvati and is said to embody her energy and power. The flag of his army depicts a rooster. It is said that, during battle, Surapadman was split into two, and each half was granted a boon by Murugan. Thus, the two halves turned into a peacock and the rooster. Murugan is said to be married to two deities, Valli and Devasena.

A fool and his money are soon parted

2007-12-10T21:28:00.000-08:00

Simon the farmer and Sarah his wife lived simply. Simon tilled the land and Sarah took the produce to the market every week. They worked hard for their money but it was far from enough and as a result the couple was always fighting over the most trivial matters.

One day, after a particularly hard day, Simon went to see a friend of his with whom he shared his woes. Peter was an artist. He was tall and handsome and made a very good living selling his paintings, which were hugely popular in and out of town.

Even though Simon and Peter were as far apart as chalk and cheese, they seemed to get on very well. The kindly farmer and the artist often sat down after a heavy day's work to share a drink or have a bite to eat.

But this day was going to be somewhat different. As Simon approached Peter's house, he saw a large car parked in the porch.

Now had Simon not been such a simple minded soul, he would have recognised the car as one belonging to Paul Brown who was the biggest cheat in town. Instead of turning away, as he should have, Simon knocked on Peter's door and let himself in.

Peter and Paul were in the midst of a heated discussion. "No," Peter was telling Paul, "I cannot let you take advantage of Simon. He is my best friend and I will not allow you to go anywhere near his farm. It is the only thing he has and it is not for sale. And certainly not at the price you are offering." The minute Simon heard the word sale, he leapt into the conversation. "Did I hear the word sale?" he asked. "Do you mean to buy my property?" Paul tried to signal Simon to stop asking questions but Simon was not having any of it. "Why not come and see my farm," he said adding, "you can always come now if you have the time." Seizing the opportunity, Paul said he would be delighted and the two of them left Peter staring after them.

However, Peter was too good a friend to just sit and watch Simon get swindled. He got into his car and followed Paul to Simon's farm. There he negotiated a good price for his friend and the deal was clinched. So much money in the bank made both Simon and his wife giddy-headed. Despite Paul's pleading with them to save something for a rainy day, Simon and his wife began to live beyond their means. They shopped and entertained lavishly and soon the funds began to dwindle away. And then there came a time when they had no money left.

The house had to be put on the market and Paul came once again to buy it. Simon was left with no choice but to sell it far below the actual rate. He began to see the utter folly of what he had done but by then it was too late!

Toonz Academy to open centre in Hyderabad

2007-12-10T01:48:00.000-08:00

Thiruvananthapuram: Technopark headquartered Toonz Animation's sister company Toonz Academy announced Friday plans to open a centre in Hyderabad later this month.

A press release issued here said this would be the latest centre after the opening of the previous one in Delhi last month.

Their other centres are at Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai and Nagpur.

"The opening of these centres is just one among the major expansion plans we have in store. We will be opening the academies in Ahmedabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Visakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar in the coming months," said Binu Raj, national marketing head of the company.

Toonz Academy is a fully owned subsidiary of Toonz Entertainment Pvt Ltd, Singapore, which also owns Indian animation studio Toonz Animation India Pvt Ltd.

"The pioneering effort of our academy is giving a boost to the entire animation industry in the country to meet the burgeoning demand for world-class talent," said Ramaprasad, executive director, Toonz Academy.

The academy has recently signed memoranda of understanding with Beijing University and Shengyang University in China to set up centres of excellence in animation training in that country.

The academy follows a curriculum designed by international experts like Nik Powell and Barry Parker, and offers state-of-the-art training methodologies in 2D and 3D animation.

Whom to be blamed? Doctors on strike!

2007-12-05T01:38:00.000-08:00

5 Dec'07, Hyderabad: 10 Kids died as doctors strike at Niloufer Hospital
Third day of a strike by junior doctors that spread to other cities of Andhra Pradesh. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy asked hospital authorities to shift ailing children to private hospitals for emergency treatment as the situation worsened.

Some 250 doctors at the hospital have stayed away from work since Sunday in protest against an attack on them by a member of the legislative assembly and his supporters.

Members of several political parties, including the Telegu Desam, staged dharnas in protest against lack of facilities at the hospital and demanded that the suspension of the superintendent.

Supporters of MIM leader Afsar Khan and Mauzham Khan ransacked the hospital and broke smashed the windowpanes.
Hospital superintendent Narasimha Rao said that 10 children had died since Monday but their deaths had nothing to do with the agitation by the doctors. "Since it's a referral hospital, most of the cases that come here are very critical," he said, adding that the critical care services were unaffected.
Hospital sources put the number of deaths at 18 since the strike began on Sunday. The doctors are protesting against an attack by MIM (Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen Party) MLA Afsar Khan and his followers. Senior and junior doctors in other places in the state refused to work varying durations in support of fellow doctors.

The Andhra Pradesh Government Doctors' Association, the largest body of medical professionals in the state, came out in support of the striking doctors on Tuesday and called for a token half-hour strike every day from 9 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. The association said after a meeting that it hoped the government would come out with an acceptable solution to the problem by December 8, failing which the stir would be intensified.

The association demanded that the government must issue an ordinance making attacks on on duty doctors or hospital staff, is a non bailable offense. The striking doctors want attempt to murder charges slapped against Khan and his dismissal from the assembly.

Later, Vijayashanti, a popular Filmstar and president of the "Talli Telengana party" staged a dharna for sometime in front of the hospital demanding Rs 21akh Ex-Gratia to the family of the victims.

How trouble started
ON DECEMBER 2, Junaid, a relative of MIM legislator Afsar Khan, took his daughter to Niloufor Hospital. He allegedly assaulted some doctors and ransacked a room following an argument with doctors after he was asked for a case shoot of the patient. He was taken into police custody following a complaint by the doctors. Later, Khan arrived at the hospital with his supporters.

Doctors alleged he abused and manhandled several of them, including some women doctors. He also went to Nampally police station, where Junaid was being hold, and lodged a counter complaint against the doctors, accusing them of negligence and misconduct. The doctors went on a flash strike and have demanded Khan's arrest.

Not the first time
ON JUNE 15, women activists and TDP members had staged a dharna at the hospital to protest the death of six children due to alleged negligence on the part of the doctors. Then too, the hospital's PG doctors had struck work, seeking proper security and objecting to the conduct of some of the victims' attendants. Later, Khan and his men had come to the hospital and on being denied entry, broken some windowpanes. They had demanded that the doctors responsible for the death of the children be suspended and an inquiry ordered.

Chiranjeevi is going to start a new party

2007-12-03T21:35:00.000-08:00

Chiranjeevi will formally announce his entry into politics in January next year and launch a political party, sources close to him said on Monday.

Close confidants of the actor put out the word at an informal interaction with a select group of journalists here on Monday basically to test the waters and elicit feedback. The meeting was said to have been convened at the behest of Chiranjeevi himself.

The actor played out a poorly written script to announce his entry, and his behind-the-scenes directors clearly let him down. Some of the persons whom Chiranjeevi chose to spread the word have.

impeachable integrity, and their standing will be badly affected if the actor changes his mind.

Chiranjeevi made all the right noises. He does not want to be seen as casteist - the expectation is that the party would be heavily tilted in favour of the Kapu community to which he belongs - and wants to broaden his base among all sections, according to his confidants.

Chiranjeevi is obtaining feedback on the Telangana issue. He wants to speak in support of Statehood when he goes ahead with his political plans, they said. "When people strongly want Telangana state, how can we oppose it," the confidants quoted Chiranjeevi as saying.

Chiranjeevi is weighing his options as there is no considerable anti-incumbency against the Congress. There is also no support for the Telugu Desam.

When N.T. Rama Rao launched the Telugu Desam in 1982, all the Opposition parties supported it as they badly wanted a formidable alternative to the Congress. The scenario is different now.

"He may not get a landslide victory but nevertheless Chiranjeevi expects that he can emerge as a powerful force," his aides said. The CPI and the CPI(M) had earlier announced that they would welcome Chiranjeevi if he came out with a political plan.

ISB students win $ 75,000

2007-12-02T21:56:00.000-08:00

Team Innova makes history by coming second in the Innovation

Setting benchmarks, winning accolades and moving on to scale newer heights - this has become a habit for Indian School of Business. It is this spirit that took team Innova, comprising five students of class 2008, all the way to Darden Graduate School of Business, Virginia to participate in Idea Crossing's 5th Annual Innovation Challenge.

Innovation Challenge is the largest competition of its kind in the world, which attracts hundreds of teams from the top MBA programmes worldwide to solve real world business challenges faced by big global brands. The problems posed to all the teams are the same, so innovation is the keyword if you want to stand out.

Prashant Goel, Sushant Bhansali, Pushkar Jain, Meghna Rao and Nishant Pandey roughed it out in a competition that attracted 1,200 participants from 57 countries and beat over 270 teams from all over the world to become the ‘2nd most innovative team in the world'.

"We lost the first place to The University of North CarolinaKenan Flagler by just two marks. It was a close call," says Meghna, who is still beaming at the fact that their team made history at ISB by bringing back a trophy from Darden apart from winning the prize money - a neat sum of $ 75,000.

Prashant, the leader of the team feels that getting shortlisted among the top 10 groups was their first milestone. "The global bigwigs we got to brainstorm for this year was an interesting mix, Harley Davidson, Hilton Hotels and American Express, each facing a unique challenge," he says.

All the sleepless nights, crazy brain-storming sessions, selling of ideas thereafter, seemed to pay off when the team hit upon concepts that were regarded truly innovative by the judges who represented global companies like OPEN from American Express, Whirlpool, Lexmark, Harley-Davidson and Shell.

They impressed these global giants with solutions which were simple, effective and easily implementable. Harley Davidson question was the first in line. The students were asked to come up with ideas to integrate the Harley community. And as a solution they came up with the idea called, ‘Making Friends The Harley Way'.

"Keeping in mind the Harley cult, our solution was to come up with an exclusive social net working site and allow customers to design their own web page and have the option to create a bulk SMS link, thereby integrating the community further," says Meghna.

Amex wanted a new feature that can be added to their credit card to improve international transactions by their small business OPEN customers. "This was the tough cookie. Meghna hit upon the basic idea on which we worked really hard. We provided a solution that integrated the forward market with the credit card and created an easy platform for customers to hedge their currency risks. The idea was called ‘Leap Forward' and was received very well," says Sushant.

The last was the Hilton challenge which asked for ways to improve their ‘Green Marketing' by giving a solution that would also be revenue generating. "For this, we came up with ‘Green Ambassadors' - a marketing strategy revolving around a marketing tool like a green credit card with green points available to the customers. We backed it by a pull strategy through lifestyle brochures and a website which will draw customers to you, not push them to buy your product or idea," says Pushkar.

All their ideas were received well and some may also be implemented soon, a prospect which not only gives these young achievers a great high, but is also a super perk on their CVs.

An Indian woman, who spent 17 long years in Pakistan against her will

2007-11-30T22:46:00.000-08:00

An Indian woman, who spent 17 long years in Pakistan against her will, finally boarded a plane to India on Friday to be reunited with her family in Andhra Pradesh.

Yellamilli Kejiamani was brought to Pakistan in 1990 by a man named Riaz from Kuwait, where both of them were then working. "Riaz, a resident of Lahore, snatched everything she had and burnt her Indian passport He tortured her before finally throwing her out of his house six months after she reached Pakistan," Rao Abid Hamid, an official of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, told the Dawn newspaper The next 10 years were very hard for Kejiamani. "I had lost my senses. Then I met Muhammad Amin, a cook, who took me to his house and provided me shelter But soon my presence in his house started causing trouble for him," she said.

Amin's wife did not want to keep Kejiamani at their home and one of the neighbours filed a case against Amin for keeping a woman in his house without legal permission. Amin then took Kejiamani to his native village in Sahiwal district and arranged a marriage "on paper" with her after giving her the Muslim name Ayesha. He helped Kejiamani, a Christian from Sakhinetialli Mandal village in Andhra Pradesh, obtain a national identity card and a Pakistani passport.

Kejiamani also succeeded in contacting her family in India and one of her two sons working in Qatar One of her cousins in Britain came to know about her whereabouts in Pakistan, and his contacts in Lahore initiated efforts to help Kejiamani reunite with her family The woman's case finally reached the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), which wrote to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad on September 24. Rights activists said they believed there could probably be other Indian women being held against their will after being brought to Pakistan following marriages in the Middle East. But Kejiamani's was the first case where a woman had contacted the authorities to seek help to go back home.

Tech Babu goes live with radio over Net

2007-11-30T22:29:00.000-08:00

The main opposition Telugu Desam has set up an online radio station named TDP Radio. All you need is an Internet connection and a pair of speakers to tune into TD's version of the happenings in the State.

TDP Radio is the brainchild of party president N. Chandrababu Naidu, who has a yen for things hi-tech. He wants to disseminate hot news of the state to Telugu speaking people living in foreign countries, with a TD slant of course. It can be assessed by clicking TD's official website, www.Telugudesamparty.org.

Mr Naidu got the idea of having his own radio station after the recent interaction with Telugu speaking NRIs in the US, the UK and Canada.

A survey conducted by the party showed that about five million Telugu speaking people were living in about 100 countries. "The online radio service will not only give news to Telugu's but will also keep them in touch with our party," said a senior TD leader.

An exclusive website for the Telugu NRIs for exchange of views on various important topics has also been set up by TD. Telugus outside the country can post their views on TDP Radio in the NRI website. Since TDP Radio is webcast, it can be accessed and heard from anywhere in the globe. TD is perhaps the only political party in the country to have its own online radio station. Mr Naidu has also set up video links in the party's official website to enable people to see happenings in TD headquarters NTR Bhavan. Press conferences held at NTR Bhavan are webcast, both in audio and video formats.

Now that the State Assembly elections fast approaching, Mr Naidu is also thinking of reviving his party's mouthpiece, Telugu Desam Weekly, published earlier in Telugu and Urdu.

1 lakh can dine at Shirdi daily

2007-11-30T00:54:00.000-08:00

The Saibaba temple trust here has built what is billed to be Asia's biggest ‘prasadalaya', a dining hall with a seating capacity of 5,500, making it possible to feed more than 100,000 devotees daily.

The Sri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, on an average, spends Rs 19 crore annually on feeding pilgrims visiting Shirdi.

The prasadalaya, constructed at a cost of Rs 24 crore, was inaugurated by President Pratibha Patil on Tuesday. The complex is built on 7.5 acres of land and has a built-up area of 183,000 sq feet. It is 700 metres from the main Saibaba temple.

A gigantic hall has been constructed on the ground floor, which can seat 3,500 devotees. Two separate halls have been constructed on the first floor with a seating capacity of 1,000 each.

Fourteen domes made of polycarbonate and Manglorean tiles have been con structed to give ample natural light to the hall, so that power cuts do not disturb the activities in the prasadalaya during daytime.

"The work of the prasadalaya has been going on for 15 months and it will be fully functional in two months."

The meals served at the Sansthan are at highly subsidised rates of Rs 5.

Huge refrigerating rooms have been built for keeping vegetables fresh. Most of the cooking will be done with solar energy.

"All the cooking will be done with modern machines, giving top priority to hygiene."

According to the trust, Shirdi has become one of India's most visited pilgrim places after Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. On a normal day, around 20,000 devotees visit Shirdi whereas the number increases to about 60,000 during a festival.

Top class Brahmin colony in Medak

2007-11-26T20:41:00.000-08:00

A group of eminent Brahmins are setting up a 1,200-acre colony for the community in Siddipet of Medak district to resurrect the old Agraharam ambience.

They include senior IAS, IPS, IFS and IRTS officers and journalists from the community.

The Brahmin colony has been named Dhanwantari Agraharam and will have modern amenities including engineering and medical college, a super-specialty hospital, super markets, temples and an exclusive hall for rituals.

This is the first ‘caste-based' mega real estate venture in and around Hyderabad.

In olden days kings and rulers used to donate lands to Brahmins to set up Agraharams.

Similarly, the new venture is meant to bring Brahmins scattered all over the city to one colony to create "mutual understanding".

The ambitious project, being taken up by Dhanwantri Foundation International, will be ready in two years' time. Plots have been allotted and construction will begin on the auspicious Pongal day in mid-January next year. The foundation has purchased 180 acres of land near Jadcherla in Mahbubnagar district and 1,200 acres near Siddipet with funds contributed by about 1,000 members.

Plots are being sold at Rs 150 a square yard as against the normal market value of Rs 1,500.

Dr P. Kamalakara Sarma, managing trustee of the foundation, refused to divulge more about the project. "I am busy with my patients," he said when contacted.

However, his message on the foundation's website says that the vote bank-based democracy of India had led the Brahmins to a pathetic situation, irrespective of their position. "The feeling of ego and so-called intellect has not allowed the community to function as a systematic organisation leaving individuals to suffer," he further adds.

Despite the tall talk, poor Brahmins seem to have no place in this modern Agraharam.

The 504 governing council members of the foundation will get land ranging between one and three acres and 400 donor members will get 1,000 square yards each.

A senior IPS officer, who is on the board of trustees, said he had been briefed about the project though he did not buy a plot.

Shruti to debut with Madhavan?

2007-11-26T04:14:00.000-08:00

Though several leading producers and directors approached Shruti Haasan with offers to act in their films, the pretty and talented daughter of Kamal Haasan and Sarika had made it clear that she was going to take her own time before making a decision.

Looks like the light-eyed lass has finally succumbed to the lure of tinseltown, and has accepted an offer opposite none other than our favourite chocolate boy, Madhavan.

According to sources, the film will be directed by Nishikanth, the Marathi director who won several awards for his Dombivilli Fast, that was produced by Maddy. Nishikanth is presently remaking the film in Tamil as Evano Oruvan.

It is believed that Shruti was impressed with the storyline and her dad Kamal has also given his nod of approval. The music will be composed by talented trio Shankar-Ehsaan and Loy and the film will be produced by Raju Mahalingam and Subhash Karan under the Gnanam Films banner. Right now, they are producing the film Pirivom Sandhipom with Cheran.

When Shruti was contacted by this newspaper, she neither confirmed nor denied the news, and merely said she did not want to comment on the subject. "A lot of people have approached me with film offers. However, my first priority is music and I am keen on completing my music album which is still under production," she said.

1000 unrecognised schools in Hyderabad Secunderabad

2007-11-22T22:28:00.000-08:00

The number of unrecognized schools in the twin cities has grown to more than 1,000 from 593 in the previous academic year.

While teachers and educationists are blaming the government this, officials say they are cautious since they don't want to harm the students in these schools.

There are nearly 4,000 schools in twin cities in both private and public sector.

Out of these, only 2,800 schools are recognized by the government and the rest are all unrecognized.

Most of these unrecognized schools, having classes from kindergarten to Class X, are doing brisk business without complying with the norms of the School Education Department.

They charge steep fees, employ teachers who are not trained to handle kids, and are not too bothered about maintaining academic standards.

"These managements merely register their schools and admit students on the basis of the registration number," said district educational officer B. Mallamma. She pointed out that registration and recognition are two different things.

"Parents should under stand this or they will face many difficulties," she added. "We only recognise schools which comply with norms."

When officials issue notices to unrecognized schools seeking explanation, they make minor changes in the name of the school and pretend it is a new one.

"Problems occur when students of unrecognized schools want to shift to a new school," said K. Venugopal, secretary of the Andhra Pradesh Teachers Federation. "As the school itself has no recognition, the transfer certificate it issues has no value and the students will have to suffer."

Also, the managements of these schools are forced to make arrangements with other recognized schools for Class X students to appear for public exams. These students can only get certificates in another school's name.

Officials are unable to curb the antics of unrecognized schools because of their political influence.

"We cannot act tough against these schools, as it involves future of thousands of students," said the DEO. "What we are trying to do is making them comply with norms and to ensure that no such schools come up in the future."
Source:DC

Dollar plunge, No salary rise

2007-11-22T22:19:00.000-08:00

IT companies, faced with a free falling dollar and receding bottom lines, are cutting wages of their staff, reducing increments and freezing recruitment. They are also forcing techies to work for more hours so that every dollar they earn is worth it. Industry analysts say Indian software companies, labeled globally as cyber sweat shops, spend up to 45 per cent of their dollar earnings on staff salaries.

And every dollar counts at a time when the greenback has plunged to an all-time low of Rs 39.39. Of course, the latest developments have been worrying those techies who earn part-dollar wages. Analysts say industry wage hike that has averaged 25 per cent in the past is likely to fall to 10 to 15 per cent this year. Also, some companies have started slowing down on recruitment although retrenchments look unlikely in the near future.

Mr E. Manoj Kumar, director of Software Technology Parks of India Hyderabad, feels the rupee appreciation has mostly affected Indian companies exporting to the US. The scenario is not at all rosy in small and medium scale IT firms that work on thin margins and whose profits have started dipping drastically. And this has their employees worried.

Chiranjeevi Family Photograph

2007-11-20T02:49:00.000-08:00

Hindu Mythology - Abhimanyu trapped in the Chakravyuha

2007-11-19T22:41:00.000-08:00

The son of Arjuna and Subhadra (the half-sister of Lord Krishna), Abhimanyu learnt the art of pene trating the deadly Chakravyuha while still in his mother's womb. According to Hindu mythology, it was from Arjuna that Abhimanyu got to know of this art. Apparently Arjuna was speaking to Subhadra about how to enter the Chakravyuha when she fell asleep so the baby did not hear how to get out of it successfully.

Abhimanyu's childhood was spent in Dwarka, being trained in the art of fighting by his father, and being brought up under the care of Lord Krishna himself. His father arranged his marriage to Uttara, the daughter of King Virata in order to consolidate the alliance between the Pandavas and the royal family of Virata, and so avoid the oncoming Kurukshetra War.

Being the grandson of Indra, the god of mystical weapons and wars, Abhimanyu was a daring and courageous warrior, considered equal to his father. He was able to hold great heroes like Drona and Duryodhana at bay and was constantly praised for his remarkable skills. And so Abhimanyu grew up a greatly admired man. However, legend has it that on the 13th day of the great battle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, the former were challenged by the latter to break the circular battle formation known as the Chakravyuha. This was accepted by the Pandavas as the knowledge of defeating the formation was known to both Krishna and Arjuna. However, on that day Krishna and Arjuna were forced to fight another war with the Samsaptakas. So there was no choice but to send in young Abhimanyu, who knew how to break into the formation, but had not the slightest idea how to get out of it.

Thus, on that fateful day, Abhimanyu used his skills to break into the formation. Though the Pandava brothers attempted to follow him, they were cut off by Jayadratha, the Sindhu king, leaving Abhimanyu trapped to fend for himself against the entire Kaurava army. Fighting valiantly, Abhimanyu managed to slay several warriors, amongst them Duryodhana's son Laxman. When Duryodhana saw this, he was furious and ordered that Abhimanyu be killed instantly. By firing arrows from behind him, Karna managed to break Abhimanyu's bow. Soon, his chariot broke down as well, and his charioteer and horses were slain. Now ignoring all codes of war, the Kauravas converged on Abhimanyu, who was still fighting using only a sword and a chariot wheel as a shield. However, the chariot wheel soon shattered, and Abhimanyu was killed shortly thereafter.

According to legend, Abhimanyu's death marks the end of the code of conduct adhered to during war. Some even say that this did not only apply to the Kurukshetra War, but marked the end of all fair and nobly conducted wars.

Airport may not be closed at Begumpet

2007-11-19T21:31:00.000-08:00

The city may be able to retain the Begumpet airport if the Centre accepts a Parliamentary committee's suggestion to allow multiple airports in metros. According to the committee, this would reduce congestion and cater to increasing air traffic.

The Centre has an agreement with GMR Group that is building the airport at Shamshabad that no other airport would be allowed within an aerial distance of 150 km. However, passengers would be happy to have two airports. So would airliners, who can save fuel by avoiding long waits for landing clearance.

All major cities including New York, London, Paris and Tokyo have two airports. The Central government's Airport Infrastructure Policy 1997 does not go against multiple airports.

New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore are considered metropolitan cities by the union civil aviation ministry. Air India director Jitender Bhargava termed it a good suggestion and said that one airport could be termed primary and the other secondary.

"It helps passengers and airliners," he added. "The primary airport can charge more for landing and the secondary less. This will be of help to low-cost flights."

Frequent flyers are keen on the Begumpet airport being functional even after the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad gets operational in the first half of 2008.

Silk Smitha to sizzle on screens once again

2007-11-19T01:06:00.000-08:00

Chennai: Eleven years after her death, "Silk" Smitha, the sensational actress who set the south Indian film world on fire with her dreamy eyes, voluptuous looks and seductive acting, is all set to bewitch moviegoers again. Thanga Thamarai (Golden Lotus), a movie in which Smitha has acted as the central character, will be released soon in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

"This is the first movie in which she did a lead role. She acted as a village girl in the movie. To make her fans happy, we have added four songs in which ‘Silk' will be dancing to the expectations of her fans," claimed Thirupathi Rajan, Chennai based producer and director of Thanga Thamarai. "Luckily, Smitha had completed all her scenes before her death," said Mr Rajan. An actor named Vijayan has played the male lead.

Andhra Pradesh man in Forbes richest list

2007-11-15T21:41:00.000-08:00

Lanco Group chairman L. Madhusudhan Rao of the city has made it to the Forbes' list of 40 richest persons in India.

Mr Madhusudhan Rao, who stands at No. 33 in the list which is dominated by Mumbai billionaires, however, played down his achievement by saying that personal fortunes do not matter.

"The company comes first and personal wealth is only a byproduct of our success," he said.

Another Hyderabadi, Satyam Computer Services Ltd chairman B. Ramalinga Raju, failed to make it to the list though he was ranked 36 in 2005 with a net worth of $670 million.

According to BSE website, the Ramalinga Raju family, who had 2,99,59,273 shares constituting 9.18 per cent of the total shares of the company in June 2006, had transferred 2,78,64,000 shares constituting 8.51 per cent of the total shares to SRSR Holdings Private Limited by September 2006. Being a private limited company, the shareholding pattern of SRSR Holdings Pvt Ltd is outside public domain.

Steel King Lakshmi N. Mittal continued to be the richest Indian 10 BILLIONAIRE INDIANS

1. Lakshmi Mittal $51 bn
2. Mukesh Ambani $49 bn
3. Anil Ambani $45 bn
4. K.P. Singh $35 bn
5. Azim Premji $14.8 bn
6. Sunil Mittal $12.5 bn
7. Shashi Ruia & Ravi Ruia $12 bn
8. R. Chandra $11.6 bn
9. Kumar Birla $11 bn
10. Tulsi Tanti $10 bn

Road to airport still not clear

2007-11-14T22:17:00.000-08:00

Hyderabad 15 Nov'07: Chief Minister Rajasekhar Reddy's plan to provide connectivity to the international airport at Shamshabad by March 2008 may not work.

Though he gave orders four months ago to remove hurdles in the construction of the Outer Ring Road, elevated expressway and the Inner Ring Road, nothing has happened so far.

Dr Reddy is scheduled to chair another high level review meeting on Thursday but it is not likely that things would fall in place before March, when the new airport would become operational.

Sources said that the road widening between Sangeet Theatre and Tarnaka had not moved an inch forward because of the reluctance of Railways to part with its land. It has sought a compensation of Rs 148 crores for the 2 km stretch.

Research and defense organizations coming in the 52 km IRR had agreed to give away land on lease of Rs 1 per acre per annum, but Railways insists on market value for its land.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation is also lagging behind in its task of acquiring private properties and removing encroachments near Habsiguda, Mettuguda and Banjara Hills.

Though ORR authorities assured the Chief Minister that the four lane road from Gachibowli to Shamshabad would be ready by March, the work would take at least three more months.

"Despite the CM giving instructions to AP police academy to vacate all the buildings coming in the alignment of the ORR and demolish them, it has not been done," sources said.

The expressway is also behind schedule. Only 77 out of 133 piers and 327 segments out of 1,300 have been completed so far. Dr Reddy had also sought a joint drive by the police and municipal officials to solve the problem of trucks being parked blocking the construction of the six lane road below the expressway.

"However, Huda managing director Jayesh Ranjan merely wrote a letter to the traffic police, who did not bother to take any action," a senior official said.

Hindu Mythology - The epitome of sacrifice

2007-11-12T22:33:00.000-08:00

According to Hindu mythology, Sati or Dakshayani is the goddess of marital felicity and longevity. An avatar of Devi, Sati is the first consort of Shiva, the second being Parvati.

Sati took human birth at the bidding of Brahma, being born as a daughter of Daksha Prajapati.

Brahma had planned that she should please Shiva with her humble devotion, and thus marry him. So, as Sati grew to be a young woman, she gave up the luxuries of her father's palace and retired to a forest, devoting herself to a life of austerity. Her penance finally bore fruit when Shiva consented to make her his bride.

When Sati returned home to tell her father the news, she found him reluctant to give his approval. But eventually Sati's wishes were granted and the wedding was held. After the wedding, the angry Daksha disowned his daughter. Sati however had no idea of her father's rage - and when a grand yagna was organised with the omission of Shiva and Sati, she was bewildered. However, she thought that since she was family, a formal invitation was not needed, and so she set off home.

Sati was received coldly by her father. Sensing the reason behind his treatment of her, she confronted him about the issue. Their argument soon turned into a fullfledged fight. Sati realised that her father was incapable of appreciating her husband. Filled with rage, she prayed that she might, in some future life, be born the daughter of a father whom she could respect - and immolated herself. The act of sati, in which a Hindu widow immolated herself on her husband's funeral pyre, is supposedly patterned after this tragedy.

However, such a heinous practice was banned by the end of the 18th century, in all territories held by the European powers.

Women sell wombs for cash

2007-11-12T22:23:00.000-08:00

Hyderabad: Remember that film Chori Chori Chupke Chupke where Preity Zinta played a surrogate mother? Now in a new twist to outsourcing, more and more Indian women are renting out their wombs to foreigners and NRIs, reveals a recent research. Surrogate motherhood, (which means injecting the infertile mother's eggs and her husband's sperms into another woman through gamate intra fallopian transfer or GIFT) was once limited in India to helping close relatives who couldn't conceive. But what was once done for emotional reasons has become a commercial venture with many women willing to carry babies for others, for a fee. In Gujarat's Anand district alone, presence of 50 surrogate mothers has been reported.

Gynaecologist Dr Mridula Verma says, "Considering that womb renting or IVF treatment can be done in the country at a much cheaper rate than abroad, coupled with the absence of legal complications, encourages foreigners or NRIs to come to India in search of surrogate mothers." Dr Verma feels that there's nothing wrong in this concept if a couple has genuine medical problems. Also, arrangements for proper counseling should be made for the surrogate mother as well as the couple, so that it becomes easier for the former to part with the baby. Dr Nabnita Patnaik gynecologist and obstetrician, Apollo DRDO Hospital agrees that counseling is very important as the surrogate mother may sink into depression otherwise. She feels that GIFT is a better option than adoption as the parents at least consider the newborn as their own. "However, there should be government approved norms for surrogate motherhood. There should be a committee comprising lawyers, social workers, doctors, psychologists etc. who will decide if the woman is stable and fit enough to undergo GIFT."

Sociologist, Professor G. Satyanarayana of Osmania University is apprehensive about the concept as he believes that it can lead to emotional exploitation of women. "Also, there are healthy women who might want to take the help of surrogate mothers, as they are unwilling to put their careers on hold for pregnancy. They are doing something unnatural and depriving themselves of the joys of motherhood," points out Prof Satyanarayana.

Psychologist, Dr Y.A. Macheswalla concludes that surrogate motherhood should be resorted to as the last recourse when all other options to conceive fail and there's also the need of well-defined laws and guidelines governing it.
Source: DC

DJ Aqeel is unprofessional

2007-11-12T21:50:00.000-08:00

Hyderabad: He is the best DJ in our country and knows how to make people dance to his tunes. Figuratively speaking, he did it on Sunday.

DJ Aqeel was supposed to play at a local pub on Sunday evening, but at the last moment, he didn't turn up and the pub owners suffered a huge loss. The club complained about the DJ's unprofessional approach. Arvind Lal, the MD of Afterlife is upset with Aqeel and says, "He called up at 2 pm on the day of the event and said that he will not be coming. This, when all the advertisements were out and we had sold almost 240 tickets for the show."

He told Lal that he was suffering from high fever but later on the pub owners discovered that he was all set to play at Poison, a club in Mumbai. Angry at the unprofessional attitude from India's one of the top DJs, the club is now planning to take legal action against him. Says Mr Arvind, "We had paid him in advance and placed advertisements for around Rs 3.5 lakhs. Plus we booked a special suite in ITC for him costing us around Rs 18,000. He travels in business class only, so we got him those tickets too. That was not it, as we will have to refund the money to public who brought the tickets. We are suffering a total loss of Rs 8 lakhs and the reputation of the club is also tarnished." This kind of unprofessionalism is not expected from a top-notch DJ and it's better he mend his ways.

Hyderabad burns up Rs 50cr on crackers

2007-11-12T03:13:00.000-08:00

Hyderabad 2007: According to modest estimates, the city spent more than Rs 100 crores on Diwali celebrations this year.

Of the entire amount, Rs 50 crores was spent on fire crackers alone. Rs 20 crores was spent on gambling. The Mithaiwalas sold Rs 15 crores worth of sweets and garments accounted for Rs 30 to 35 crores.

Fire cracker whole sale merchants and dealers association treasurer Pratap Kumar said that at least Rs 25 crores worth crackers were sold by licensed traders adding that Rs 20 crores to Rs 25 crores worth crackers were reportedly sold by persons without valid licences.

According to preliminary estimates, nearly Rs 20 crores were spent on gambling in the city, much less than the touted Rs 35 crores figure. The slump in real estate is also one of the reasons for money not being blown on gambling as expected, sources said.

City police commissioner Balwinder Singh said, "We are aware gambling happens on Diwali night as part of the tradition here, but the police has ensured that people didn't gamble at public places."

According to Mr G. Raghav Reddy, managing partner of G. Pulla Reddy Sweets and the treasurer of sweet shops association: "Nearly Rs 15 crores worth sweets are expected to have been sold for this Diwali."

Cloth merchants said almost Rs 35 crores worth business had been done this Diwali. "You cannot exactly put the figures, as some buy clothes for Diwali during Dasara itself due to the discounts available then," traders said.

Enjoy a safe Diwali Festival of Lights

2007-11-04T22:40:00.000-08:00

Diwali is knocking at the door and the city is all geared up to celebrate the festival of lights with fireworks. Take care to ensure that no disaster mars the occasion. Rule of thumb: While bursting crackers, it is essential to be careful and not get over excited. Children should not be allowed to burst crackers in the absence of parents or a guardian. And as a cardinal rule, always maintain a safe distance from the crackers. Experts suggest that while bursting bombs, it is best to light them on the grounds. "Do not light bombs in your hands. This can cause an accident,".

For safety crackers should not be piled and lit together; neither should one burst crackers in rooms or closed spaces. Also crackers must be kept away from the kitchen or any other places that has a gas cylinder. First aid to the rescue: Be armed with a basic first aid kit. "Creams like Burnol or any other ointment for burns should be kept at home. In case of a minor accident, remove clothing from the burned area, apply cold water followed by the medicated ointments. These act as anti septics and prevent further damage to the skin. In case of major burns, after applying the first aid, rush the victim to a hospital,".

Unfussy attire: Wearing the right kind of clothing is also important while bursting firecrackers. While it is common sense to wear cotton clothes, designers opine that natural fabrics are more suit able than synthetic or nylon. However you need not worry about looking like a plain Jane. "Keep it simple and traditional during Diwali. Avoid wearing fussy clothes, especially while bursting crackers,". "Do not wear flowy things or carry duppattas that may easily catch fire. Rather wear some nice kurtas or churidars. They can have brocade or embroidered works, but ensure that they are not too elaborate. This will make you look nice and also be safe for Diwali."

Fire safety: Before bursting crackers, store buckets of water and keep them close at hand. "Be careful of the cable wires hanging on your rooftop,".

Advice for cracker stores. "Make sure your shed is made of zinc, asbestos or any other fire resistant materials. Keep two fire extinguishers and two drums of water and four buckets of sand. If there is fire, call 101 or 108 for immediate assistance.

Pet care: Animals also face a number of problems because of the smoke and sound created by crackers. Some advice for pet owners. "Keep your pet in a closed room with the fans and AC's on. Often we give herbal medicine to pets one week prior to Diwali. This modulates their nervous system and has no side effects. If the pet gets scared, we also give them mild sedatives,". In case of accidental burns, water and ointments should be applied and the pet should then be taken to a vet.

Follow these precautions and enjoy your Diwali !