Icon for Physically challenged with patriotic zeal

Ratinam Tangaraj proves that faith can work wonder

Ratinam Tangaraj, a postgraduate and diploma holder in engineering, started crawling from his childhood as he was physically challenged by birth as a result of polio. But, he did not lose his courage or hope to come up in life. He decided to dedicate his life at the adobe feet of Swami Vivekananda and joined as an employee at Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu.

Not like others, he wanted to do some thing unique in his life, in spite of his disability and convinced his employer at the Kendra to a journey from Kanyakumari to Chennai from January 19 to February 6 this year.. He wanted to awaken the youth of his home State and enlighten them on the speeches of Swami Vivekananda.

After this mission, he did not stop his journey. He took another bold step of covering 2,600 km on his tricycle. Mr. Tangaraj named the yatra as “Narendra-Vivekananda Yatra” on the eve of 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. He started his journey from the house of the Swami at Kolkata on the day of Guru Pournima (July 22) and decided to cover West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to reach Kanyakumari by September 11.

He reached Rajahmundry via National Highway on Thursday and took a break at Lalacheruvu Centre. Mr. Tangaraj garlanded the statue of Raviprasad, Kargil War martyr, along with ABVP national executive member Kompella Sastry.

Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Tangaraj said that he had covered 1,050 km till now and had not faced any problem throughout his journey. He is covering about 30 to 40 km a day and meeting college and school students on the way.

“Students of the State are not interested to join politics. But, they are waiting for a good leader to lead the country,” he said.

JOB VACANCY: Wanted a leader for Seemandhra...interested can apply....!!!
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There is no dearth of leaders in Seemandhra. But there is no leader like KCR or Prof. Kodanda Ram in this region to lead agitation under one roof or under one banner. 
Take Kavuri Sambasiva Rao and Lagadapati Rajagopal. Mr. Kavuri is having good political knowledge of present and past and also vision. Mr. Rajagopal may not be knowing much about past, knows about contemporary politics and maintaining very good back office with volumes of information by using IT. Vision without view, arguments without any substance are some of the qualities of Mr. Rajagopal. Unfortunately, both have pledged their self interests at the feet of High Command. There is no exception to Mega Star Chiranjeevi, who is having no knowledge about politics, history and subjects like irrigation, agriculture, IT and so on. But, he is great brand ambassador for Congress party for crowd pulling in South, Icon for Tourism ministry and his charisma is nothing less than NTR. 
The think tank, "dubasi" of Congress party and Seemandhra's `valuable' leader is Rajahmundry MP Vundavalli Arun Kumar. The translation specialist from Indira Gandhi time to Sonia Gandhi is dillydallying and uncomfortable after bifurcation announcement by CWC. It is quite obvious that he is to dance to the tunes of Sonia Gandhi and at the same time, he has to won the hearts of his voters at home town, fans in AP. He is having credibility, respect and charisma. He is bookworm and computer savvy. But, he never gives solution to any of the issues he rises during his annual reports during public meetings. Mr. Arun Kumar makes scathing attack on KCR and shows clippings of his speeches against Seemandhra leaders (including Mr. Vundavalli). He is indecisive on whether to support united Andhra or only speak on Hyderabad.
Another mass maharajah is Amalapuram MP GV Harsha Kumar. He is good organizer, but in some occasions his credibility is at stake. His great minus in this movement is, he is speaking in support of bifurcation of state from the beginning. And now he is fighting for Hyderabad. Union Ministers Purandhareswari, Pallamraju are not crowd pullers and there are not much followers. 
Next comes, Bireddy Rajasekhara Reddy or TG Venkatesh or limited to three to four districts and they are not in a position to command the entire region. 
No minister in Kiran's Cabinet in Seemandhra are capable of leading entire Seemandhra people under one banner like Telangana Rastra Samiti or Telangana JAC. Katti Padma Rao, Anam Ramnarayana Reddy, Kasu Krishna Reddy, Gade Venkata Reddy, Balineni Srinivasula Reddy (Ongole), Mahidhar Reddy (Kandukuru), Kodelsa Siva Prasa, Devineni Uma, Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy are confined to their districts and not considered as state or regional leaders.
Business interests, doubts about their tickets in 2014 Parliament and Assembly elections, lack of knowledge about past history, present status and future political scenario are some of the regions for dearth of collective leadership.
Congress high command very well knows that there is no leader in his party to unite Seemandhra people from Tada to Itchapuram, Tirupati to Hyderabad or Visakhapatnam to Anantapuram.
People of Telangana agitated for separate state aggressively from last 12 years. We started our `struggle' only 15 days back. There is no seriousness in our agitation and there are many if's and but's in our efforts for united Andhra. 
Anyway, we are fighting for United Andhra Pradesh, if public are not having any problem, I want to make a suggestion. Shall we import a leader from Telangana to fight for Samaikhyandhra?
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BIFURCATION OF STATE...KCR COMMENTS, REACTIONS, REPERCUSSIONS..

Rajiv Gandhi statue is in flames in Konaseema

KCR is a very sagacious politician with cunning nature. He knows where he can cross his fingers and timings. Every one thought that Mr. KCR was quite and clam when there was a big hue and cry about bifurcation of state. But, he racked up new issue by asking non-Telangana NGOs to back to their respective district to "contribute to their new state", which instigated Seemandhra leaders, NGOs in Secretariat. 

The Telangana protagonist knows very well about the mindset of Congress leaders who started lamenting on KCR, because he started getting mileage after non-Telangana NGOs statement. He completely turned tables in favour of TRS and now Congress is in soup. 

One of my political friend's wife asked me, whether the ongoing agitation by Seemandhra is a "paid agitation"?. I was shocked and also surprised on her question. I simply said, "I don't think so". But she went on telling that each youth who are participating in agitation is being paid by different political parties on every evening.

But, fact is that NGOs, Advocates, students from different colleges including professional colleges, Universities in East Godavari are participating in agitation voluntarily. When, Rajahmundry Un-aided Colleges Association and All private schools management association met on Saturday and declared that they will sponsor part-time agitation by sending their students for one or two hours every day and seek police protection to run their institutions from Monday (5 Aug) as usually, my self and other journalist friends who are present at the meeting strongly opposed their move and suggested them to re-think about their decision. We told them that Seemandhra interests will not be safeguarded unless we are ready for some or other sacrifice. "At lease we have to a little sacrifice what the Telangana people have done earlier"-we suggested.

FIGHT...AND ALSO GET READY FOR STATIC PLAY

 No one will say that agitations be should stopped immediately and every one should be in closed doors. But, the agitations should continue by major sections of people and the think tank in the society should play a strategic and static role in getting our legitimate rights and share in all aspects.

Where is NIT (Regional Engineering College), it is in Warangal. After bifurcation, Andhra students are going to be non-locals in NIT, Warangal. Where is B-School, it is in Hyderabad, if Hyderabad is given to Telangana, our students are going to be non-locals. Like this, we are not having IIT, IISC, Hi-tech City, Metro Rail Project and so many. We are going to loose so many things. 

Already, the parents started sending their lads for Engineering this year to Chennai instead of Hyderabad as the process of EAMCET was not completed and agitations in Andhra had flaring up. Private medical seats are also vacant. 

It is the time now for our Central ministers, MPs to give pressure on CWC, Cabinet, PM, Ministerial Committee headed by Mr. AK Antony to give major share in every aspect. As told by Amalapuram MP Harsha Kumar, Telangana is not divided, "Andhra is separated".

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In process of transforming tribals...contribution of a teacher

 

 

School teacher, sarpanch transform village

A major transformation has taken place in this tiny village, 25 km from here, thanks to the efforts made by a former sarpanch and a government school teacher.

Snake catchers

Pamulametta, which lies in Jegurupadu Panchayat, is home to 70 families of ‘Yanadi’, a nomadic tribe that migrated from Nellore district about 90 years ago. They used to eke out a living by catching snakes and selling the skin in the market. But, after the Wildlife Conservation Act came into force and made sale of snake skin a punishable offence, they started catching venomous snakes from residential areas and releasing them in the wild.

Helping farmers

At present, the Yanadis are assisting farmers and agriculture officials in catching rats and they go wherever their services are required.Seven years ago, the government started a school in the village, but no student was enrolled as teachers refused to report to school due to difficulties in reaching there. Things changed after Chilukuri Srinivasa Rao, who won the best teacher award twice at the State level, opted to work in the Pamulametta school even after getting a posting in his native place.

Along with the then sarpanch, Y. Devadeevena Kumari, he started reforming the children. He engaged a barber and arranged hair-cut for all the 30 children who grew long hair in line with their family tradition. He also arranged clothes, notebooks and bags from donors.The teacher then brought out the latent skills in some children by making them draw pictures on the walls of the school and made this exercise a part of their curriculum.Within two years, there was a great transformation with the school wearing a clean and green look. Wall paintings were utilised to spread the messages of the importance of education, use of dustbin and abstaining from drinking. For their pioneering work Devdeevena Kumari got Nirmal Puraskar and the teacher and the school won laurels from former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.

SHG started

With a vast majority of the men shunning liquor, the village is poised to become liquor-free. Not to be left behind, the women started a self-help group recently and also thrift activity. The school won the Best School Award recently in the district and in the days to come, might win another award from the Government of India.

Bigwigs fight in land of Nurseries, Rs.80 lakh offered to Panchyat

Rs.80 lakh jackpot offer for development from candidates for sarpanch post

Auctioning the sarpanch post is a crime, according to State Election Commissioner’s ruling and also as per law. If two parties come to an “understanding” and are ready to spend some huge amount on development of the village, will it attract punishable sections under law?

This actually is happening in this lush, green garden village, which consists more than 3,000 acres of nurseries. As per the enumeration this time, the Kadiyam village sarpanch post is reserved for OC woman. After the poll bugle was blown for Panchayat elections, the heads of the village swung into action and decided to field their kith and kin .

Interestingly, all the three contenders are with good political background. They are former MP Girijala Venkataswami Naidu’s daughter-in-law Ms. Ramakrishna Tulasi, Tadepalligudem MLA Eli Nani’s mother-in-law Ms. V. Leelavathi, who is also mother of V.V. Satyaprasad, TDP Commerce wing State organising secretary, and former Minister Jakkampudi Rammohana Rao’s close associate Torati Satyanarayana’s brother’s wife Ms. Geetha Raghava Lakshmi.

Just before the date of nominations, emissaries from Ms. Leelavathi’s (Eli Nani’s group) sent a word to rival group belonging to Girijala Venkataswami Naidu that they will deposit Rs.40 lakh for the development of the village, if Naidu’s group withdrew from the fray. Otherwise, if Naidu’s group is ready to spend more than Rs.40 lakh, they would withdraw from the election.

The immediate response was interesting. Naidu’s group also conveyed a proposal to their rival group that they were ready to part with Rs.40 lakh and deposit a total of Rs.80 lakh (amount of two groups) in the bank, and whoever gets elected would spend the entire amount on the development of the Panchayat. Both the groups were said to have come to the understanding, but nothing on paper. They were yet to deposit the amount in the bank. “They are waiting for last date of nominations. Before the withdrawal we expect Rs.80 lakh to be deposited in the bank. It is going to help the Panchyat,” said P. Satyanaryana, a nursery owner.

Speaking about breast related issues, still a social stigma

Social stigma attached to breast related disorders continuing 

Dr. Sumita Shankar, popular breast sculptor and aesthetic breast surgeon, has strongly advocated that social stigma attached to breast related issues should be addressed effectively, particularly in young girls and newly-married women. She said that it was most challenging for parents, girls and women to discuss, share or seek solutions to breast related problems in the society and suggested going for medical and surgical interventions. Dr. Sumita addressed media conference here on Saturday in connection with her year-long Andhra Pradesh Breast Awareness Programme, a social responsibility initiative, during which breast related problems will be addressed. This programme was launched on March 8 this year, International Women’s Day, to next year on same date during which free consultation camps will be held in each district headquarters. She already held camps in Nizamabad, Warangal, Khammam and Karimnagar.

With 13 years of experience in breast surgeries, transplantation, plastic and reconstructive surgeries, Dr. Sumita got Fellowships from Centro Medico Teknon, Barcelona, Spain and Wisconsin Hospital, Madison, USA.

According to Dr. Sumita, there were 1,000 plastic surgeons in the country and not more than 200 breast surgery specialists in which there were only a few female plastic surgeons.

She said that there were a number of breast deformities in women and very few in men also. Replying to some of the questions, Dr. Sumita Sankar said that though the surgery cost was little high, she was doing it for very minimum fee. She admitted that there was a risk in every surgery including breast surgeries, but post-operative side effects can be easily tackled.

She suggested every newly-married woman to go for breast feeding without any apprehensions and warned that if any woman avoids breast feeding, there were more chances of breast cancer. She also recommended that it was best to use comfortable and branded bras for breasts to avoid sagging.

THE RESULT OF OUTSOURCING ATMs BY PUBLIC SECTORS BANKS

How safe is the public money in the hands of outsourcing agencies?

The heist of State Bank of India’s Rs.7.31 crore from Scientific Securities Management Services Limited (SSMSL) locker in Rajahmundry on last Monday has raised several questions, including how safe the public money was, what with the policy of Public Sector Banks giving huge cash to private outsourcing agencies to fill in their offsite Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).

During the Five-year Wage Agreement of 2007-12, the United Forum of Bank Unions had strongly opposed privatisation of banks and also outsourcing of some key services, including filling of cash in ATMs.

In the year 2009, all the bank employees went on strike, particularly members of National Confederation of Bank Employees who opposed the outsourcing of services. But under the wage agreement, all the unions forcibly agreed to outsourcing some services .

The SBI had accordingly given the job to TCS' Banking and Financial Services Solutions at All India level about four years ago. In turn, the TCS had given sub-contract to some three agencies in Andhra, including SSMSL. But the Rajahmundry robbery case has thrown light on the grave lapses of SSMSL agency in dealing with cash, recruitment of employees and security measures.

The SSMSL had recruited employees with minimum qualification of Class X or undergraduates.

Neither the bank nor the SSMSL has crosschecked the antecedents of the staff who produced some fake certificates, including police certificate and residence certificate. When contacted, Chander, Business Head, SSMSL, Bangalore, during his visit to Rajahmundry on Thursday in connection with the above case, said that he came to know about the fraudulent track record of some of the employees in their agency a few months back and started removing them one by one. “All the onsite ATMs are filled by our staff and offsite ATMs are given for outsourcing, but one of our staff members goes for surprise check once in a month,” said K. Chittibabu, Chief Manager of SBI, Main Branch.