The Hindu Articles

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Visalaandhra Book Fest begins

The Hindu Representatives of Visalaandhra Book House making preparations for 13th Visakha Book Festival Turner's Choultry. The 28-day exhibition will begin on November 1. Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

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Andhra Pradesh Visakhapatnam

arts, culture and entertainment books and literature

Books of interest for children, youth, women and all segments of society will be available for sale at the 13 annual Visalaandhra Book Festival beginning here at Turner’s Choultry on Thursday.

Being organised under the aegis of Visalaandhra Book House, the 28-day book festival will have stalls by 100 reputed publishers including Cambridge, Penguin and Pustak Mahal. About 10,000 varieties of books ranging from literacy, religion, fashion, songs, tailoring, film, sex to philosophy will be put up for sale.

The books are priced at Rs. 2 to Rs.1,000. “We are offering a discount of 10 per cent. All those making purchase of above Rs.500 will qualify for a lucky-dip. A gift box of books will be offered to the first and second prize winners. Lucky-dip will also be there for all those visiting the exhibition,” Book House manager P.A. Raju and Visalaandhra chief reporter M.R.N. Varma told reporters on Wednesday.

They said they had total sales of books worth Rs.15 lakh and this year they were expecting sales worth Rs.20 lakh.

The exhibition will remain open from 11 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. every day. Police Commissioner J. Purnachandra Rao will inaugurate. Literary meetings will be held on 11 days.

Keywords: Visalaandhra Book Fest

Engineering student proves he is cut above the rest

The Hindu Fourth year B.Tech student A. Surendra Kumar with students of Sri Hayagreeva Concept School at Payakapuram in Vijayawada. Photo: V. Raju

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Andhra Pradesh Vijayawada

human interest people

teaching and learning teachers

He even dons the role of correspondent of a concept school

To excel in a chosen field of activity, one needs a lot of determination and a clear-cut goal. Twenty-two-year-old A. Surendra Kumar of the city has ample of these qualities. The fact that he is running a concept school even while pursuing his fourth year engineering course vouches for it.

While youth of his age are either busy hunting for jobs or enjoying their last year in college, this mechanical engineering student dons a bigger role. Mr. Surendra is the managing director and correspondent of Sri Hayagreeva Concept School in Burma Colony with a student strength of 470.

Sounding quite optimistic, Mr. Surendra told The Hindu that the road to success was never smooth. “I had to face many challenges. Due to financial constraints, my family was sceptical about the venture. But I felt it was worth the risk. And the way the school has taken shape proves that,” he said.

“I always felt I was meant to do bigger things than just finishing my engineering course and taking up a job. About a year ago, I decided it was time I did something on my own,” Mr. Surendra said.

The process took a while and seemed never ending because of the formalities involved. But there was no looking back once the loan was confirmed and a leased premises hired, he observed.

The school has adequate classrooms, experienced teachers, a computer lab, and a van for transport. With competition from 50 schools in the locality, Hyagreeva school has registered an impressive result with an overall GPA of 8 in Class 10 State board examinations this year.

“Personally, I believe in incorporation of practical methods in the curriculum. But, to be able to do that I have to prove myself. And these results are proof,” says Mr. Surendra.

He does not wish to discontinue his studies and is quite successful in balancing time between college and school.

“We have college only till 1.30 p.m. After that, I dedicate time to the school till 9.30 p.m.,” he says.

Keywords: human interest

Congress re-launches Seva Dal

The Hindu Congress workers at a function to mark the death anniversary of the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in Mangalore on Wednesday. Photo: R. Eswarraj

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Karnataka Mangalore

politics national politics

After Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s call to restart Congress Seva Dal during her visit to the city recently, several leaders and workers of the party gathered at the Town Hall for a booth-level Seva Dal workers’ convention on Wednesday.

The convention was held after 17 years. The “re-launch” also coincided with the death anniversary of the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Elaborating on the importance of Seva Dal, U.T. Khader, MLA, said the organisation imparted moral and physical skills.

“It is the eyes and ears of the Congress and can convey people’s reactions to policies and governance,” he added.

Vinay Kumar Sorake, secretary in-charge of Akhila Bharathiya Seva Dal, said the organisation would be active in 54,000 booths of the State and 1,500 booths in Dakshina Kannada. “A three-day training session will be held to imbibe the spirit of the dal among the workers,” he said.

Extolling the achievements of Indira Gandhi, Janardhan Poojary, former Union Minister, said she showed no fear even before death, and did whatever she could for the good of the nation and especially for the poor.

Members of the Seva Dal should learn about the sacrifice made by the Gandhi family, he said.

Keywords: Congress Seva Dal

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Karnataka Mangalore

transport air transport

The Mangalore International Airport is quite safe and complete. People of the region should act as its ambassadors and help in furthering airport’s growth, said outgoing Director of the Airport M.R. Vasudeva, who retired from service on Wednesday.

Speaking at a send off function organised by Airport Authority of India, Mr. Vasudeva said Mangalore Airport was complete in all sense and had the best facilities. “The recent landing of the critical flight namely the Air Bus 310 (during the Haj Yatra) showed that the runway is capable of withstanding flight weighing 1.5 lakh kg,” he said. People need to remove apprehensions about the airport and feel free to make use of it, he added.

Mr. Vasudeva said the 2010 air crash had nothing to do either with the table-top runway or the airport system. But a lot appeared on television and newspapers that caused damage to the growth of the airport. He said the airport had the best navigational and communication facilities. The Mangalore Airport Fire Station had been winning the best fire station award for the last 10 years. The electric engineering division of the airport had provided beautiful approach lights on both sides of the runway.

Incidents such as beehive at the tail of an aircraft and wild buffalo running across the runway were among the routine ones seen in an airport. Such incidents should not be highlighted in a way that create a negative impression about the airport. “This is your airport. The progress or the downfall of it depends on you all.”

Mr. Vasudeva said the work he did at the Mangalore Airport was because of experience and support he gathered during his long service different airports of Airport Authority of India.

Regional Executive Director D. Devaraj, former Mangalore Urban Development Authority Chairman K. Thejomaya and art critic Prabhakar Joshi spoke.

Dharmadhikari of Srikshetra Dharmastala Veerendra Heggade felicitated Mr. Vasudeva and his wife Nagaratna Vasudeva on the occasion.

Keywords: Mangalore International Airport

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

A small blow to the Compton name

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sport cricket

No one present at the Brabourne Stadium on Wednesday probably recalls Denis Comptons’s superb efforts of 91 and 124 for the Europeans against the Hindus in the semifinals of the Pentagulars in his last match at the Dinshaw Vaccha Road venue in 1946.

But the day saw a third generation Compton — in the England opener Nick — appear in flannels at the storied ground in nearly seven decades.

Facing the third ball from Ashok Dinda operating with the new ball, the right-hander from Taunton nicked to the ’keeper to be dismissed for a duck.

And with that unhappy episode the Compton reputation took a minor blow.

Denis Compton, in fact, has a pretty impressive record at Brabourne — 844 runs with four centuries, with a best of an unbeaten 249 for Holkar against Bombay in the Ranji Trophy final of 1945.

Keywords: Denis Comptons

India starts favourite

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sport

The Indian men’s team would attempt to regain the title in the sixth World carrom Championship being staged in Colombo till November 4. India had won every title except the men’s team championship in the last edition after losing to Sri Lanka in the final.

Yogesh Pardeshi and S. Illavazhaki will attempt to defend their individual world crown in the men’s and women’s sections respectively.

The team: Men: Yogesh Pardeshi, K. Srinivas, C. Bharathidasan, Prakash Gaikwad. Women: M. Parimala Devi, S. Illavazhaki, Rashmi Kumari and Kavita Somanchi.

Keywords: World carrom Championship

Arafat’s remains could be exhumed in November

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World Palestine

crime, law and justice

French and Swiss investigators are expected to exhume the remains of Yasser Arafat to ascertain the cause of his death after suspicions arose that the iconic Palestinian leader might have been poisoned.

The French team will arrive anytime between November 24 and 26, AP reported. However, Switzerland’s Institute of Radiation Physics, expected to carry out a parallel autopsy, did not confirm the dates.

A fresh investigation into Arafat’s death — in November 2004 — was triggered by the findings of a Swiss laboratory, which examined clothes that supposedly belonged to Arafat. Investigators discovered traces of polonium-210, a deadly radioactive poison on the clothing — generating strong suspicions that Arafat, who had died in a French military hospital, might have been poisoned.

Armed with the report, Arafat’s wife Suha Arafat and the Palestinian Authority (PA) called for parallel probes — Ms. Arafat formally seeking a French investigation, while the PA apparently deciding to reach out to the Swiss investigators.

Both teams will draw samples at the same time from the remains of Arafat, who was buried in Ramallah. A grand mausoleum has been subsequently constructed to enclose the grave-site.

The investigation into Arafat’s death comes at a time when the PA is set for a major diplomatic confrontation with Israel and the United States. Strong opposition from Tel Aviv and Washington notwithstanding, the Palestinians are likely to move the General Assembly for a vote likely to establish Palestine as an “observer state” of the United Nations.

The Palestinians, supported by a majority of the developing countries, are expected to sail though the voting. “Observer state” status would empower the Palestinians with international legitimacy, which they can leverage during future negotiations with the Israelis for a genuine two-state solution.

Heavy price

However, the Palestinians could pay a heavy price for their audacious move. Saeb Erakat, veteran Palestinian negotiator, warned on Tuesday that the U.S could “freeze all or some of the funding for the Palestinian National Authority ... put pressure on other governments to discourage them from providing support and/or reduce their aid to Palestine”, after the U.N. vote, scheduled either on November 15 or November 29.

The Americans have already punished the U.N. cultural body United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) after it admitted Palestine as a member last year. Mr. Erekat also apprehended that the Israel could refuse to channel the monthly $100 million that it collects as customs payments on behalf of the PA.

Keywords: Yasser Arafat's death

The Hindu Articles

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Visalaandhra Book Fest begins

TOPICS

Engineering student proves he is cut above the rest

TOPICS

Congress re-launches Seva Dal

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RELATED NEWS

‘Mangalore airport is safe, complete’

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RELATED NEWS

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

A small blow to the Compton name

TOPICS

India starts favourite

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Arafat’s remains could be exhumed in November

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Heavy price