Germany to launch roadshow in Hyderabad for academics

Hyderabad, April 21 (IANS) The German House for Research and Innovation will launch 'excellence on tour 2013' here from April 26 to promote cooperation between German and Indian academic and scientific communities.
The tour is a multi-city road show, an initiative by the German government.
The eight-day road show at Muffakham Jah College of Engineering and Technology here consists of exhibitions, workshops, lectures, symposiums, quizzes and cultural events on Indo-German research collaboration, said a statement from the organizers.
"Germany is a hub of innovation, India is blessed with many extremely gifted young academics. The DWIH tour is a perfect matchmaker for both and a pioneer project, showcasing German science know-how at its best," said German ambassador to India Michael Steiner.
Muffakham Jah College of Engineering and Technology is a premier institute of the Sultan-ul-Uloom Society and is providing high standard education to over 8,000 students.
Torsten Fischer, director, German Research Foundation (DFG), the official coordinator of DWIH New Delhi, said this was a unique opportunity for researchers and future researchers from Andhra Pradesh to come and see how good it can be to work in an Indo-German environment.
The road show is also planned at Ahmedabad and Kolkatta.

Sunrisers are still underdogs, says Cameron White

Hyderabad, April 20 (IANS) Sunrisers Hyderabad top the points table after their five-wicket win against Kings XI Punjab here Friday night, but their stand-in captain Cameron White believes they are still the underdogs in the Pepsi Indian Premier League (IPL).
White, who led the team to its second consecutive win, does not see Sunrisers as the favourites.
"I think we are definitely very much still the underdogs. There are some big name franchises out there that are playing really very well. We fought hard in every game against any opposition but we definitely don't see ourselves as the favourites. We are fighting hard to keep winning. We are just happy to be playing well at the moment," White told reporters at the post-match press conference.
For him, Mumbai, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals and defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders are the favourites.
Sunrisers, which made their debut in this IPL replacing Deccan Chargers as the Hyderabad franchise, have 10 points from seven games.
White feels while it was good position to be in, they need to improve to win "four or more games whatever it takes to qualify for the semi-finals".
"I think our bowling and fielding is still going pretty well but obviously our batting still needs to come on a bit."
On captain Kumar Sangakkara not playing in the last two matches, the Australian said the selection committee took the decision to give him a break as he would not be available for the match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Chennai on April 25.
Sangakkara and Thisara Perera, the two Sri Lankan players in the team, will not be available for the match as all the players from the island have been pulled out of the IPL games in Chennai on the demand from Tamil Nadu government.
White admitted that it would be tough to beat CSK in their home conditions. He said the absence of Sangakkara and Perera would also be a big blow for the team. He, however, said this would give an opportunity to other overseas players like Darren Sammy or Nathan McCullum.
On the victory against Punjab, White said the conditions suited them as the pitch was pretty nice with a bit of spin.
"It was great hitting by Thisara (Perera) at the end. We were all looking to get after the bowling in 14th or 15th over but they bowled well in combination on quite a tough pitch. Probably it was a little late but it was nice to have enough wickets in hands to really attack the last couple of overs."
Perera hit three massive sixes off Azhar Mahmood in the 19th over to help Sunrisers reach 124 target with seven balls to spare.
On man-of-the match Hanuma Vihari, who was top scorer with 46, White said he played nicely. "He has played a couple of important innings for us. Today, I think was his best innings. He was nice and positive. He really set the run chase for us."
On leg-spinner Amit Mishra claiming purple cap with 11 wickets, he said it is great for Mishra. "He is bowling well and good to see him getting wickets. He is not in his own. Mishy is getting lot of rewards at the moment. He is bowling beautifully."
"Everyone is bowling well. Karan Sharma has done a great job. Dale Steyn and Ishant (Sharma) are doing a great job supported by Thisara. It is a good team effort," he added.

TSR-TV9 film awards for 2011-12 announced

Hyderabad, April 18 (IANS) The T. Subbarami Reddy-TV9 film awards for the year 2011-12 were announced here Thursday by MP and TSR Lalithakala Parishad founder T. Subbarami Reddy.
While artists from Telugu industry were honored in different categories, members from Tamil and Malayalam industries along with Bollywood have been chosen for special jury awards. The awards ceremony will be held on Saturday at Shilpa Kala Vedika here.
For the year 2011 in Telugu, Mahesh Babu-starrer "Dookudu" won five awards, while "Sri Rama Rajyam" and "Mogudu" pocketed two awards. Others Telugu films such as "Badrinath", "100% Love", "Veedinthe", "Anaganaga Oka Dheerudu", "Gangaputrulu" and "Mangala" won one award each.
Nandamuri Balakrishna won the best actor award for his performance in Telugu mythological-drama "Sri Rama Rajyam", while actor Allu Arjun pocketed the best hero award for his performance in action-drama "Badrinath".
Actresses Taapsee Pannu and Tamannah Bhatia were awarded the best actress and best heroine awards for Telugu films "Mogudu" and "100% Love", respectively.
While director Sreenu Vaitla won the best director award for "Dookudu", producer Yelamanchili Sai Babu won the best producer title.
Actors Prakash Raj and Brahmanadam won the best character actor and best comedian awards for "Dookudu", respectively.
Actress Sana was awarded the best character actress for the film "Veedinthe", while compose S.S Thaman won the best music director award for "Dookudu".
Karthi won the best playback singer male award for "Mogudu" and N.S Ramya pocketed the best playback singer female award for "Dookudu".
Manchu Lakshmi won the best actress for negative role for her critically acclaimed performance in "Anaganaga Oka Dheerudu".
Charmi Kaur and Ramki were awarded best jury awards for the performance in "Mangala" and "Gangputrulu", respectively.
Akkineni Nagarjuna's Telugu period-drama "Rajanna" won the special jury award for best film, while his father Akkineni Nageswara Rao also won a special jury award for his contribution to Telugu cinema as producer and actor.
Tamil actress Sneha and child artist Baby Annie were awarded the special jury awards for their performance in "Rajanna".
For 2012 in Telugu, mythological-drama "Shirdi Sai" won three awards, while fantasy-drama "Damarukam" and romantic-comedy "Denikaina Ready" pocketed two awards each. Other Telugu films such as "Eega", "Gabbar Singh", "The Businessman" and "Krishnam Vande Jagatgurum" won one award each.
Akkineni Nagarjuna won the best actor award for "Shirdi Sai" and Ram Charan won the best hero award for his performance in "Rachcha".
For her performance in critically acclaimed film "Eega", Samantha Ruth Prabhu won the best actress award, while Anushka won the best heroine title for "Damarukam".
While Puri Jagannadh was awarded best director for his film "The Businessman", Mahesh Reddy won the best producer award for "Shirdi Sai".
Brahmanadam and Surekha Vani won the best comedian male and female awards for the performance in "Denikaina Ready".
Kota Srinivasa Rao won the best character award for his role in "Krishnam Vande Jagatgurum", while Devi Sri Prasad was awarded the best music director for the film "Damarukam".
V. Srinivas was awarded best singer male for "Gabbar Singh". Kousalya pocketed the best singer female award for "Shirdi Sai".
The special jury awards were handed over to Vishnu Manchu for "Denikaina Ready" and Nitin Reddy for "Ishq". Tanikella Bharani and Khadir Babu were awarded the special jury award too for their directorial excellence in films "Mithunam" and "Onamalu", respectively
Director M. Venkateswara Rao was also handed the special jury award for his Children's film "Chadukovali".
Veteran Telugu actor Krishnam Raju was awarded the lifetime achievement award along with Kaikala Satyanarayana.
Actor-producer Mohan Babu won the best actor of millennium award, while director K. Raghavendra Rao won the star director of millennium award.
Dil Raju was awarded best producer under special awards category.

High court cancels bail of Mecca Masjid blast accused

Hyderabad, April 18 (IANS) The Andhra Pradesh High Court Thursday cancelled the bail granted by a lower court to two former RSS members accused in the 2007 terror attack at the historic Mecca Masjid here.
The high court asked the sessions court to reconsider its orders, granting bail to Lokesh Sharma and Devender Gupta.
The high court verdict has come as a relief to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which opposed the bail on the ground that it could hamper the investigations.
The NIA had also argued that freeing the two accused on bail could also have an impact on the probe in the Malegaon, Ajmer and Samjhauta Express blasts as they are also suspected to be involved in all these terror attacks.
Nine people were killed and over 60 injured in the powerful bomb blast during Friday prayers on May 18, 2007, at the 17th century mosque here.
The high court on Dec 4, 2012, suspended the bail granted by the IVth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Court here on Nov 27.
Sharma and Gupta, former members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), are among six accused arrested by the NIA in the case.
Swamy Aseemanand, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai, Tejaram and Rajender Choudhary alias Samundar are the other accused in the judicial custody.
Two others, Sandeep V. Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra, are untraceable and on the run. According to the investigators, another key accused, Sunil Joshi, was gunned down by his associates in December 2007 following some differences.

Bodies of slain Maoists shifted to Andhra

Hyderabad, April 18 (IANS) The bodies of nine Maoists killed in an alleged gunfight with police in Chhattisgarh forests were shifted to their native villages in Andhra Pradesh early Thursday, two days after the incident, police said.
After an autopsy at Konta in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh, the bodies were brought to Andhra Pradesh. Amid tight security, the police shifted eight bodies to their villages in Warangal district and one body to Karimnagar district.
The slain members of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) include five women.
Their relatives, who had rushed to Bhadrachalam in Khammam district Tuesday night to take the bodies, had to wait for more than 24 hours as the police shifted the bodies back to Chhattisgarh for autopsy.
Though the families and civil liberties activists insisted that the autopsy be done at Bhadrachalam, the police shifted the bodies to the neighbouring state citing rules regarding jurisdictional limits.
The autopsy was done late Wednesday and the bodies were brought to their villages early Thursday morning.Earlier, police clarified that the dead include Marri Ravi alias Sudhakar, secretary of Khammam-Karimnagar-Warangal  (KKW) division committee and member of North Telangana state zonal committee, who was carrying a Rs.8 lakh reward on his head.
The clarification came after revolutionary writer Varavara Rao said Sudhakar's family members did not find his body.
The family was told that a bullet riddled body is that of Sudhakar, who had gone underground in 1995. Sudhakar's wife Lakshmi alias Pushpakka, secretary of Kothagudem-Narsannapet area committee, was also amongst those killed.
The Left-wing extremists were killed Tuesday in a joint operation by the commandos of Greyhounds, the elite anti-Maoist force of Andhra Pradesh Police, Chhattisgarh police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
Varvara Rao, however, alleged that the Maoists were killed in a 'covert operation' by the police. He suspects that the Maoists were poisoned and later shot dead.

TDP legislator to join TRS

Hyderabad, April 15 (IANS) A legislator of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Monday decided to join the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).
G. Kamlakar, member of the Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly from Karimnagar, took the decision after consultations with his followers and an assurance from the TRS that he would be fielded as the party candidate from the same constituency in next year's elections.
The TDP lawmaker will formally join the TRS at the party's proposed convention at Armoor town in
Nizamabad district April 27.
Kamlakar said continuing in the TDP was of no use as people perceive it as a party opposed to the formation of Telangana state.
When asked about reports that he was planning to join the TRS,  Congress MP S. Rajaiah Monday said he would go to any extent for Telangana.
The MP from Warangal said he would take a decision in line with the people's aspirations. Pointing out that they had long been fighting in the party for a separate Telangana state but in vain, Rajaiah said if the separate state is not formed now, it could never become a reality.
Another Congress MP from Telangana, Manda Jagannatham has already hinted at joining the TRS soon.
The sub-regional party's president K. Chandrasekhara Rao is inviting Congress MPs and state legislators to join his party for a decisive fight to achieve Telangana state.
The TRS chief Sunday called on Congress leader K. Keshava Rao to invite him to join the party. Chandrasekhara Rao is reportedly in touch with several legislators of the Congress and the TDP.
About a dozen legislators have joined TRS during the last two years and seven of them got re-elected from their respective constituencies on a TRS ticket.

Congress seeks probe into Jagan's activities in jail

Hyderabad, April 15 (IANS) The ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh Monday demanded a high-level probe into allegations that YSR Congress party leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy was running his party from Chanchalguda Jail here.
Congress chief whip G. Venkata Ramana Reddy said that Director General of Police V. Dinesh Reddy should order a probe into the allegations against jail authorities and police officials supporting Jaganmohan Reddy.
Venkata Ramana Reddy told reporters there was a need for a thorough inquiry into allegations that the Lok Sabha member from Kadapa is being allowed to meet a large number of visitors in violation of jail rules. He said there were doubts that Jagan, as he is popularly callede, was as well using mobile phone in jail.
Venkata Ramana Reddy said action should be taken against officials if found guilty of supporting Jaganmohan Reddy.
The ruling party made the demand close on the heels of Finance Minister Anam Ramnarayan Reddy's statement last week that Jaganmohan Reddy had turned Chanchalguda Jail into a YSR Congress party office.
Jaganmohan Reddy, son of late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, has been lodged in the jail since May last year in a disproportionate assets case.
Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member V. Hanumantha Rao demanded that Jaganmohan Reddy be shifted to a jail outside Andhra Pradesh.
Main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had repeatedly alleged that Jaganmohan Reddy, in collusion with some jail officials, was running the party activities from the jail and meeting several visitors.
During the last 10 months, about a dozen legislators of the Congress and the TDP switched loyalties to the YSR Congress after calling on Jaganmohan Reddy in prison.
The CBI court has extended the judicial custody of Jaganmohan Reddy, former minister Mopidevi Venkataramana, industrialist Nimmagada Prasad and other accused till April 29.
--Indo-Asian News Service

Hyderabad, April 15 (IANS) The ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh Monday demanded a high-level probe into allegations that YSR Congress party leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy was running his party from Chanchalguda Jail here.

Congress chief whip G. Venkata Ramana Reddy said that Director General of Police V. Dinesh Reddy should order a probe into the allegations against jail authorities and police officials supporting Jaganmohan Reddy.

Venkata Ramana Reddy told reporters there was a need for a thorough inquiry into allegations that the Lok Sabha member from Kadapa is being allowed to meet a large number of visitors in violation of jail rules. He said there were doubts that Jagan, as he is popularly callede, was as well using mobile phone in jail.

Venkata Ramana Reddy said action should be taken against officials if found guilty of supporting Jaganmohan Reddy.

The ruling party made the demand close on the heels of Finance Minister Anam Ramnarayan Reddy's statement last week that Jaganmohan Reddy had turned Chanchalguda Jail into a YSR Congress party office.

Jaganmohan Reddy, son of late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, has been lodged in the jail since May last year in a disproportionate assets case.

Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member V. Hanumantha Rao demanded that Jaganmohan Reddy be shifted to a jail outside Andhra Pradesh.

Main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had repeatedly alleged that Jaganmohan Reddy, in collusion with some jail officials, was running the party activities from the jail and meeting several visitors.

During the last 10 months, about a dozen legislators of the Congress and the TDP switched loyalties to the YSR Congress after calling on Jaganmohan Reddy in prison.

The CBI court has extended the judicial custody of Jaganmohan Reddy, former minister Mopidevi Venkataramana, industrialist Nimmagada Prasad and other accused till April 29.