The foyer of Hari Hara Kala Bhavan was filled up with cut outs and banners all welcoming the distinguished guests. At one side of the entrance beautiful paintings by Mrs. Lakshmi Vaneswari, an artist, were on display and for sale.  V Care also put up charts and photographs with captions displaying all their activities, shows, programmes and camps organized so far, during the last one year of its existence.

The Charts depicting the activities of 'V' Care. Credit: Pearl Rive

Classical Dance by the Gadwal Children. Credit: Pearl Rive

Mrs.Vaneshwari's Paintings .Credit: Pearl Rive

The show started off with a prayer followed by a classical welcome dance by five students of Gadwal Blind School, one of them, Kum Nagarani was a Rashtrapathi  Awardee for classical dance.  The children danced wonderfully and were in sync with rhythm in spite of their vision disability.

The main attractions of the evening were that of Harinath Reddy, who was the winner of the popular dance reality show ‘Dhee’ and little Rasheed of ‘Rela Re Rela’ fame. Rasheed was bubbling with excitement and presented his folklore songs with full enthusiasm. The audience simply lapped up the songs and their witty lyrics.  He was jumping with joy after every song in the midst of heavy applause from the audience.

The anchor, Gayatri Bhargav introduced Harinath Reddy as a dancer from Orissa who rose to fame through the show ‘Dhee’.  He was runner up in ‘Boogie Woogie’ which is also a dance show on Sony TV. He also choreographed the 56^th Film Fare Awards.  The first dance performed by him and his troupe was a tribute to Michael Jackson.  His world famous song ‘Dangerous’ was replete with moonwalk and caught everyone’s fancy. He performed 5 times on the stage at intervals with a medley of Bollywood hits and enthralled the audience. He also coyly donated Rs. 30,000/- to the V Care organization and was the highest donor during the ‘SPANDANA’ show.

Harinath thanking the audience for their support. Credit: Pearl Rive

"We Want Rasheed... ". Credit: Pearl Rive

Harinath sets the dance floor on Fire . Credit: Pearl Rive

All the delegates spoke one by one interspersed with a performance by the artists to keep the audience buoyed up and maintain interest. They applauded the efforts of the organization and for their active participation in various activities to help the differently abled people.  Each dignitary was given a memento and a live plant to promote afforestation.  All the people present in the auditorium were urged to donate as much as they can by the anchor.  Donation boxes were placed all over the venue for collections.

One more attraction of the evening was Mr.Mahesh who was trained under the famous choreographer Raghavendra Lawrence. He lost both his legs but very nimbly danced away to popular numbers of Bollywood and was the highlight of the programme. “I really enjoyed the show. We should learn a lesson from these differently abled children, especially Mahesh, who have proved that nothing is impossible for a human being. My kudos to V Care  who have given these children the opportunity and facilities to learn and perform”, says Mrs Rukmini Venkateswaran, a home maker.

Telangana Shakuntala. Credit: Pearl Rive

Mahesh performing on stage. Credit: Pearl Rive

'V 'care with the media. Credit: Pearl Rive

Actress Telangana Shakuntala also was a person hard to be ignored.  She was invited on to the stage amidst thunderous applause.  She announced that the day coincided with her birthday and was happy to be celebrating it at the SPANDANA.  On public behest she even rattled off some of her popular dialogues in the film ‘Nuvvu Nenu’ where she is the antagonist.  She announced a donation of Rs. 10,000/- to V Care and lauded the efforts of the organization for a very noble cause.

Another attraction on the stage was Mr Jagan from Srikakulam who is a stage artist and has many dance performances to his credit.  He has a prosthetic foot and in one of his performances he held burning lamps on both hands and danced with one foot to a devotional song on Lord Sri Rama and paid tributes to Him. It was a heart riveting performance.  The song changed track to a song ‘Rhythm of Andhra’.

“This show is better than the opening show ‘Colours’ with very good response from people of all walks of life” opined the anchor Gayatri Bhargav.  “The show was a grand success and the objective of the show was fully achieved.  Harinath Reddy’s dance was simply mind blowing.  We volunteers were in a great frenzy as he set the stage on fire”, gushed Sandeep Sharma, a student volunteer of V Care from MVSR Engineering College.

Shalini, a volunteer, read out the annual report and history of V Care and its objectives and said “we need more funds, more sponsors and are presently raising funds for a building for merging many orphanages and also want to start a home for the aged and an orphanage together so that the wise old people can have the company of unfortunate children and the children can in turn learn good values from them”.  The hall burst into loud applause and this idea was widely appreciated.

The show went on for about three hours and the fun-filled evening came to an end at 10.00 PM after honouring all the artists. More details about the organization check out the website www.vcare.org.in.

There were a wide range of aircrafts on display and many global companies which manufacture the aircrafts were present there to explain their work humbly and share their experience with the visitors. There were suppliers of parts, training schools, manufacturers, the Airport Authority of India, The DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation in India) and also were many partners of firms. It was a delight to anyone who has always been fascinated by the skies

Sh. Praful Patel, Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation, Government of India had inaugurated the event on 3^rd and then the proceedings took place from there on. There were many air shows and a variety of aircrafts were been taken high up into the air and then hovered around the place for a while to enthrall the audience and keep them excited. Unfortunately, two pilots lost their lives in an plane crash during air show by the Indian crew. The aircraft hit a local telecom tower and crashed into a building in the Begumpet area.

There were conferences held during this event in which delegates from various countries and different manufacturing backgrounds took part and shared their knowledge and new innovation in the field of civil aviation and the airline industry. “When all the giants meet at one place to sit and discuss what changes and new implementations they have done with their airlines, the results and the outcomes, there is a chance for the new aspirants to learn more, gain knowledge and improve it, ” said a 3rd year B.tech student  Sri Harshitha from G. Narayanama Institute of Technology and Sciences, who has attended a few of the conferences.

There were exhibitions by top-ranking companies like Bell Helicopters, Rolls Royce, Boeing, etc. They not only exhibited their global standards, but also briefed the visitors on how things work with them individually. Indian based companies were more in number, like Air India, Indigo, Kingfisher Airlines, Spice Jet and others. Apart from the exhibitions, there were a wide range of stalls set up at the event which were by the training schools, manufacturing industries which supply the parts, book houses which have wide range of collection of the all the kinds of books and multimedia which will teach people about aviation.

Tail View of a Flight. Credits : Nocturnal Czar

Fueling an Aircraft. Credits : Nocturnal Czar

Bell Helicopter. Credits : Nocturnal Czar

The students who wanted to seek a career in aviation industry could make the most of this event because it served as a medium of information exchange and had their doubts regarding the industry answered by many intellectuals from the industry. “The stalls set up by HAL and NAL-CSIR especially were knowledge imparting and explained in detail about the various processes they follow. It was so nice to see a set of videos being played, which was very useful, ” says a 3rd year B.tech student Aditya Dudu of Sreenidhi Engineering College.

Internal Parts of an Engine. Credits : Nocturnal Czar

Stalls put up by various Flying Schools. Credits : Nocturnal Czar

Stall by a Manufacturing Company. Credits : Nocturnal Czar

All the aircrafts were kept in plain view to the visitors and everyone was elated to watch them so close and have a better view of the planes which fly around in the sky. There were many varieties of planes put up on the show from single seater aircrafts to double seater and even the huge passenger flights could be seen with ease and one could learn more about their functioning as they were hovering around.

It was hugely successful event. “Though the prices of entry were high… it was worth every penny,” claims Sendil Nagaranjan, a 3rd year B.tech student, from St. Martins College of Engineering. There were visitors pouring in on all the days and it was well-organized and managed so that no problem arose with any issue and security was given highest preference. It is hoped that such events take place in the coming years and enlighten us with the knowledge and exposure we gain from them.. “Flying a 70-tonne aircraft at 3500ft above sea level and my office will be completely equipped with latest electronic gadgets … This is it… I wanna become a PILOT,” said Chaitanya Varma a 3rd year B.Tech student from Nalla Malla Reddy Engineering College, on an ending note.

‘Self-help’ is a genre that is getting popular with modern readers. Works under this genre include topics like personality development, success and hard work and relationship building. A promising book under this genre, ‘Fifteen Mantras for the Empowered Woman : Lessons to Awaken, Nurture and Inspire You’, written by Dr. Abha Sharma Rodrigues was launched in Hyderabad at the Crossword Bookstores, City Centre Mall on February 9, 2010. Dr. Geetha Reddy, Honourable Minister for Information and Public Relations was present to launch the book.

Dr. Abha Sharma was born and brought up in Rajasthan. She later moved to Edinburgh, Scotland, to pursue her doctoral studies in English Literature. An advocate of women’s rights and a pioneer of women empowerment, Dr. Abha Sharma is the founder of a unique organization named ‘Mantra Power’, which was established for the learning, education and empowerment of women. “Women exert great influence in all spheres of their lives – in their safe home environs, in a professional degree at work and in the world of politics”, says the author. The fact that most women are oblivious to their strengths because of their conditioned thought process inspired her to take up the cause of women. “The book is written for the universal woman,” she reveals.

“A woman is the embodiment of patience, the epitome of love and the personification of sacrifice. Women have strengths that even men don’t. Yet, there are not many books about women. I compliment Dr. Abha Rodrigues for having written about the ‘Atmashakti’ (Inner- Strength) of women and for doing something that is the need of the hour”, compliments Dr. Geetha Reddy.

‘Fifteen Mantras for the Empowered Woman: Lessons to Awaken, Nurture and Inspire You’ lays down fifteen traits, along with a few examples from the lives of successful personalities, which would help women lead abundant, meaningful and fulfilling lives. Introducing the book, Dr. Abha Sharma stated, “The lessons revealed in this book will arouse you. The principles in the mantras will nurture you. The life stories of empowered women will inspire you.”

The book launch. Credits : Painless Predator

The Empowered Women. Credits : Painless Predator

Dr. Geetha Reddy at the launch. Credits : Painless Predator

The experiences of noteworthy personalities such as J K Rowling, Oprah Winfrey, Princess Diana, Sonia Gandhi, Hillary Clinton, Kiran Bedi, Madame Curie, Rani Jhansi Bai, Emily Roblin, Helen Keller, Tasneema Nasreen and Mother Teresa are included in the book. These women represent the virtues of uniqueness, compassion, self-esteem, courage, forgiveness, responsiveness and assertiveness, which are also the ‘mantras’ underlined in the book.

The author is on a 7-city launch tour of the book, visiting Jaipur, Dehradun, Delhi, Udaipur, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bangalore. The book has been launched by eminent public personalities like Vasundhara Raje, Princess Bhargavi of Mewar, Dr. Kiran Bedi and HE. Margaret Alva. A copy of the book was also presented to The President of India, Pratibha Patil on February 5th.

Dr. Kiran Bedi launched the book in Delhi and said, “This book should be included in every educational institution’s syllabi. These vital values, imparted at a young age will go a long way in shaping the personality of our children.”

“The book is new, yet it has sold more than 20 copies in just two days of its launch. One thing I’ve noticed is that more number of women bought this book as compared to men,” shares Santosh Kumar, employee, Crossword Bookstores.

Reporters at the event. Credits : Painless Predator

Dr. Abha is a dedicated follower of Indian Spiritualism. “I am the Daughter of India and I’m proud of our age–old Indian values and traditions,” she remarks.

When VidYouth had asked Dr. Abha on what message she wants to pass on to the Youth, she said, “Think out of the box. Dream big and let not any limitations hamper your dreams. Follow your dreams, but above all, keep your moral values intact!”

To know more about Dr. Abha Sharma Rodrigues, log on to www.abharodrigues.com

To know more about her organization ‘Mantra Power’, log on to www.mantrapower.org

Republic day is synonymous with various mental images of children running about in white uniforms with the tricolour of all sizes, hawkers weaving through busy traffic intersections selling colourful motifs, plastic caps, flags, street vendors doling out colourful chuskis etc.  Some take great pride in watching the colourful parades marching down the Red Fort in perfect unison while others like to sit back and enjoy a worthy holiday!

Today’s youth are addicted to Gizmos, TV, mobiles, shopping, branded clothing and what not and do not realize the real significance of Republic Day and our responsibility towards the nation. We need to inculcate a sense of patriotism and contribute our share to the society.

The youth wing of Durgabai Deshmukh Colony started a Society named “Bhagat Yuva Morcha” on Republic Day this year. They organized a Blood Donation Camp in their colony where people turned up in droves. The chief guest was Mr. Kishen Reddy, BJP MLA and the present legislator of  Amberpet area.   The Chief Guest was late and the blood camp began on a high note. The charismatic MLA walked in amidst huge cheers and hoisted the flag. Many people turned up just to see the MLA and the venue was brimming with exuberant youngsters who were waiting to hear him speak.

Blood donation camp in full progress. Credit:Pearl Rive

Blood donation camp was going on in full swing. The weight has to be above 50 Kgs and the volunteer should be in good health. The general procedure was followed like filling in the details of the volunteers, checking their weight, Blood Pressure and a blood test to check for abnormalities, if any. Those who were anaemic or had any illness were restrained from donating blood. About 350 ML of blood was taken from each volunteer and later donated to Narayanguda Blood Bank. They were given refreshments to avoid any dizziness.  “This is the first time I am donating blood and I was quite at ease. I felt very good afterwards”, gushed Sai Chand, a student volunteer.

Mr.Kishen Reddy in his Saffron Robes started off in impeccable Telugu and gave a stirring speech. He congratulated the youth Society and told them to help towards the development of that area which could happen only with youngsters like them. Here are some excerpts from his speech. “We are economically good and the only problem with us is that we only keep blaming the government for not providing basic needs. We can solve quite a number of problems by taking care of the existing ones. Youth today are educated and can help us by joining hands and work towards the betterment of the society. No blame game is good for any society. Terrorism, social evils, suicides, ‘Dharnas’ have become part of our daily lives and what good have they done to us? None! We shouldn’t forget Dr.Ambedkar’s words who said do your duties first and then change the way everything is. We have the power to conquer the world”, he said.

“Nowadays people have forgotten to vote. It has to be taken seriously and everyone should exercise this right. It is essential to elect our leaders for a better tomorrow. According to me we should also have the compulsory Voting system like in the Narendra Modi Government where in the one’s who don’t vote are fined”, he said.

He finally congratulated the Members of  Bhagat Yuva Morcha and wished them good luck in their future endeavours. He also took a few photographs with them and everyone dispersed. The Chairman of this Youth Society is Mr. Kartik Arroju, President is Sri Satish Kumar, Vice President is Naveen Yadav.  Sandeep and Sai Krishna are the Joint Secretaries. Suman is the General Secretary. They represent the youth of Amberpet area. The membership is open to all.  The Press and the high dignitaries present were thanked profusely. A note of thanks was by a member and everyone dispersed in high spirits. Jai Ho BHAGAT YUVA MORCHA!

With the Society members. Credit: Pearl Rive

Member Speaking. Credit: Pearl Rive

MLA visiting the camp. Credit: Pearl Rive

This event was organized by an NGO named PASSIONATE. This NGO started the Hyderabad’s first ever cyclathon, a bicycle rally to create awareness about the benefits of cycling on 22nd February, 2009, welcoming the youth from everywhere to actively participate. The rally was flagged off  last year by many dignitaries such as A .Chakrapani, Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh state legislative council; Kishan Reddy, MLA; Christine Lazarus, nominated member of AP Legislative Assembly; Vinayak , Principal of Abhyasa School and others. “This year also dignitaries like minister Geeta Reddy, MLA Kishan Reddy and a popular actor Raja  were invited,” says Chaitanya, the event coordinator, who is studying in Amity B-school.

It’s a 9kms stretch friendly rally. “The moment it was flagged off the cyclists were seen pedaling upto Sanjeevaiah park and returned to People’s Plaza. This year also the same trend was followed”, explains Alekhya Ganga. Last year forty bicyclists from Hyderabad Bicyclists Club, students from thirty Engineering colleges, such as Malla Reddy, CMR , VJR , School students of Chiranmayananda , Sister Nivedita , Meridian, Abhyasa School etc had participated. “We hired around 250 cycles last time but with an overwhelming response from the youth of Hyderabad we had to conduct the rally in more than 1 trip”, says Nizarg Shah, a volunteer from CMEC. He also added that there were many sponsors like BSA, Fire fox , Hero Cycles etc so did they do this year too.

Volunteers of last year. Credits: Rabble Rouser

Purpose

Passionate Foundation aims at inspiring the citizens of Hyderabad to take up Cycling as a means of transport and save the environmental pollution and degradation. “The Rally aims at making people realize all the advantages of cycling ,which include health reason, traffic pollution, environmental pollution and sustainable source of energy, etc”, says Raza Ali ,a volunteer from Computer Science branch of CMEC.

“The money collected by the passes will be used for the charity purpose so that the unprivileged children can also have cycles.Thus this time its going to be an event for social cause too”, says Alekhya Ganga, a volunteer from CMEC college. Also all the students  taking part in this event will be given a certificate for contributing for a social cause from the NGO.

Cycling is a fantastic workout that not only enables  to drive pleasure but also goes a long way in ensuring over all fitness. “The best part of this sporting activity is that, it’s a delightful experience, without even realizing that it has done good to your body,” quips Neha Singh, a student from CMEC. When one likes pursuing a particular  activity, then carrying it out doesn’t appear cumbersome. There are innumerable benefits of cycling. It minimizes the risk of coronary heart disease and provides protection from the clutches of health problems like stroke, diabetes and cancer. It ensures that the blood pressure is under control.

Volunteers working hard for the smooth conduct of rally. Credit: Raza Ali

“Pursuing cycling helps a great deal in building your stamina, to enable you to carry out your day-to-day activities effectively”, says Swathi Reddy. Cycling is one of the most effective exercises to shed off those extra calories and get rid of flabby abs. Even a small amount of cycling would be a good enough to boost your metabolism level, thereby fastening your weight loss program. It helps to improve the overall balance and coordination . “Look good and feel good factor works for me thereby cycling not only  paves for maintaining health fitness, but also for leading a healthy peaceful life. So stay fit,be healthy and live a long happy life”, states Sonali Verma, a 3rd year B tech student.

The volunteers from CMEC namely Alekhya Ganga , Raza Ali, Nizarg Shah and others have worked hard to make the event a success. They distributed the passes by going door –to- door of every classroom in their college. But the students, who are not from CMEC did not have to worry about the passes, as they were available on the spot too. The participation fee was Rs 30/- .

Venue: People’s Plaza, Necklace Road
Date: 21st February,2010
Time: 7am

Contact:
Chaitanya-9989613749
Raza Ali-9700672384

To know more about this event and cycles, click the link below:

http://www.hindu.com/mp/2010/02/24/stories/2010022411110100.htm

Sixty three years hence, Young India is a developing country. She has created a niche for herself in the global arena and has amiable relations with some of the most powerful nations of the world. India’s relationship with immediate neighbour, Pakistan, unfortunately doesn’t enjoy the same security and mutual trust. There are enough reasons to justify India’s present stand of hostility with Pakistan, but none whatsoever to let bygones be forgotten and start again on a new note.

With a singular hope for peace flickering in the entire grey horizon, The Times of India and The Jang Group of Newspapers of Pakistan have come together in organizing the ‘Aman Ki Asha : Destination Peace’. After two whole years of toil, the leading media houses of the two countries joined hands on January 1, 2010 for this unique Indo-Pak Peace Project. The idea behind this project is simple. It is time we look behind the narrow boundaries that have poisoned our relationship for decades. It is time peace is given a chance.

Introducing this concept as an eye-opener, The Times of India had a detailed report on the need for peace among the two nations. 2010 had to be started on a new note: of mending the relationship with Pakistan. The media has often been criticized for politicizing issues. This project shows how the media has taken the initiative to improve relations between the two nations, through a people-to-people initiative, where the citizens get the chance to interact with their neighbours. A friendly relation among the two countries is as much in India’s interest, as it is for Pakistan. A peaceful neighbourhood ensures stability and therefore gives greater scope for development. India and Pakistan share numerous ties – historical, cultural and emotional. It is for the sake of these ties and for the people, who above all, love one another, that Peace should be given a chance.

Peace is what the common citizens of India and Pakistan desire. An article in The Times of India said, “About two-thirds of those polled in India and almost three-fourths of those in Pakistan said they desire a peaceful relationship between the two countries. Only a tiny majority, 17% in India and 8% in Pakistan, are opposed to the idea of consigning hostility to the dustbin of history.”

Singer Parvathy Baul. Credits : Pens Eve

‘Aman Ki Asha’ is an initiative of The Times of India and the Jang Group of Pakistan, to develop stronger cultural, economic and diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan. Music is the universal platform of communication. It knows no boundaries. Musical concerts have been organized across six cities of India – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Ahmedabad. Eminent artists from both countries participated in these concerts, to spread the message of peace. They are Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Kailash Kher, Abida Parveen, Shubha Mudgal, the bands Strings and Euphoria, Arif Lohar, Parvathy Baul, Ghulam Ali, Hari Haran, the Wadali Brothers and Abu Mohd & Group. One remembers the song ‘Rind posh maal’ from the Bollywood movie, Mission Kashmir which also recognizes the role of music in uniting people from different nationalities. “Sangeet ko na roke diwaar, sangeet jaaye sarhad ke paar. Sangeet maane na dharm-jaat, sangeet mein hai Allah O Ram.” It means mere walls cannot hinder music and it goes beyond all boundaries. Music believes not in race or religion. Music is the unison of both Allah and Ram.

As part of the peace initiative an annual trade meet will be activated in Karachi to foster economic cooperation, and student exchange trips will be launched to fuel the citizens’ interaction.

Pakistan’s popular folk singer Arif Lohar and India’s baul singer, Parvathy Baul, sang at the Aman Ki Asha Concert at Chowmahallat Palace in Hyderabad on January 22, 2010.

The sprawling Chowmahalla Palace was splendid in all its grandeur. The residence of the erstwhile Nizams, the Palace was at its best. The palace is also known as ‘Khilwat’ in the native Hyderabadi tongue. The concert took place in the lawns and as the ‘Khilwat Clock’ chimed 6:30 p.m., the seats were occupied.

The denizens of Hyderabad were in for an evening of complete entertainment. The cool blowing wind set the mood for an evening for the noble cause of peace. Kingshuk Nal, Editor, The Times of India, said “The people of India and Pakistan are very friendly and effusive about one another. The Aman Ki Asha programme was started with this basic idea – that the people want peace. Despite the roadblocks that deter this process, we will have amity in our neighbourhood.”

The programme started and amidst much applause, Indian baul singer, Parvathy Baul occupied the stage. The epitome of simplicity, clad in a saffron gown, Parvathy Baul had a mesmerizing effect on the audience. Her soulful rendition of baul music in Bengali touched the hearts of all. She plays the ‘ektara’ (drone) and the percussion instrument ‘duggi’, sings and dances. Earlier named as Moushumi Parial, she has been a devoted practitioner of baul music for more than 12 years.

“Her music is beautiful. A blend of devotional Bengali and sufi music, she reminds one of Meera Bai,” says Uttam Kumar. She has performed all over India and at many international events. The Hindustan Times survey in 2007 showed her to have topped the charts in Indian folk music.

“Even though she sang in Bengali, which is a language many of us in Hyderabad don’t understand, she had a rapt attention of the audience,” says Shreya, a young music enthusiast. “Each of the songs had a great philosophical message about it. And she would translate it to us in English after the Bengali rendition,” she adds.

Pakistan's 'Pride of Performance', Arif Lohar. Credits : Pens Eve

“Human beings,” says Parvathy Baul, “are engulfed in the world of ‘maya’. The ones who are free of maya are free from worldly matters. They are the “flying kites” in the sky..” She has had two CD recordings. ‘Radha Bhava’ released by www.arion-music.com (Paris) and ‘Premgeethi : Beyond the times – love songs from Bengal’. They have received great national and international acclaim.

After an hour, which seemed like a few minutes, Arif Lohar, hailed as the ‘Pride of Performance’ by the Government of Pakistan, took center stage, along with his musicians. A popular sufi singer, he said, “Sufi woh baat karta hai, jo poori duniya ke liye hai.” (Sufi music conveys the message which is in favour of the whole world). He sings with his trademark instrument, the “chimta” which closely resembles the tongs. This is his first visit to Hyderabad. Lohar has acted in as many as 45 Pakistani films and is willing to accept if invited by the Hindi Film Industry.

Interacting with the audience in Punjabi and also cracking ‘chutkule’, Lohar was a complete entertainer. He sang a few songs of which ‘Soniye ni Soniye’ and ‘Jugni’ were the favourites. “I couldn’t enjoy much of Parvathy Baul’s music because of the language barrier, but Arif Lohar was remarkable. His voice is pure,” says Alka. Echoing her friend’s sentiments, another youngster, Ami, says, “Arif Lohar was full of life and gaiety!”

Lohar was joined by his co-singer, Fouzia in the rendition of ‘Duma Dum Mast Kalandar’. The most popular song of the evening, this song had the audience on their toes. Some were singing along, while others were applauding their loudest.

Music is communion on various levels – on an interpersonal level, with the listeners and with God on an intrapersonal level. The singer can move his audience to tears by striking the right chords. The musical flights of imagination can transport the listener to a different world altogether. And this is what the two artists magically achieved in the ‘Jugalbandi’. The highlight of the show, the Jugalbandi was gripping and moving. Arif Lohar and Parvathy Baul shared the stage and complimented one another. It was a real treat to watch and hear them perform.

The Jugalbandi. Credits : Pens Eve

The message was conveyed and well-received. Peace is what we all want and Peace we shall have. “I loved this programme. Hindustan-Pakistan Zindabad!” exclaims Mrs. Rama Narendar Singh. “Hume shanti chahiye!” she adds. (We want peace!)

‘Aman Ki Asha’ was launched with the aim “to develop a stronger Track II in our diplomatic and cultural relations.” The musical concerts across various cities were a huge success and only proved what the media houses believed –that the people were friendly about one another and had no negative feelings to their counterparts across the border. Irrespective of our leaders’ views, the commoners of India and Pakistan have strong emotional ties with one another.

‘Aman Ki Asha : Destination Peace’ is a step in the right direction. Regardless of what has happened in the past, one cannot ignore the fact that India and Pakistan are closely knit. It encourages the youth to have their minds open and not be influenced by narrow nationalism. The destination of Peace might be far, but the persevering young generation can achieve the impossible. This initiative helps fuel the spirit of the youth, who should as the responsible leaders of tomorrow, act in their right mind.

“The territorial borders do not separate us. The differences have been fed to us by decades of political brainwashing. And these differences are being extended into faultless fields like sports. But it is clear that the people want friendship. And it is the popular will which succeeds in the end,” observes Uttam Kumar.

Amen.

(For more information on the ‘Aman Ki Asha’ initiative, log on to http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/amankiasha.cms )

The AIIE takes place every year starting on the 1st of January to the 15Th of February at the Nampally Exhibition grounds. Since 70 years, AIIE has been giving opportunities to entrepreneurs, traders, manufacturers, skilled-labours, exporters, importers, real-estate agents etc to promote their products.

The exhibition has got over more than 25000 stalls covering all the basic amenities and requirements. As the name(All India Industrial Exhibition) goes, the exhibition has a wide range of stalls which offer clothes, foot wear, bags, accessories, toys, home appliances, electronic items, gym equipments, crockery & kitchen utensils, furniture, carpets and mattresses. “I have been shopping for many of my household items from here because of the affordable prices they offer their products on”, says one of the customer. Its not just this, the exhibition has also got perfumes, cosmetics, key chains and even plots with great offers are also being sold here.

National Health Mission-a govt stall. Credit: Silent Beeper

Fountains - Treat to the eyes. Credit: Silent Beeper

The rides section - Best part of Exhibition. Credit: Silent Beeper

The varieties offered here are huge. Women have always found it difficult to shop for clothes and with so many stalls almost attached to each other, selection becomes even more tougher. ”Its tough to select one among so many shops, especially, when the shopkeeper is shouting the rates that are so reasonable”, says a shopper. In exhibition, when it comes to clothes, the widest range and varitey possible can be encountered. There western clothes and also dresses from the various states of India. The exhibition also has the traditional South Indian dresses to punjabi suits. And the accessories to complement clothes too are simply superb! There are more than 20 stalls that have imitation jewellery which are from various states. “This exhibition is ideal for buying gifts. Instead of buying each time, its better to buy all at once”, says Rekha. Her mother, who is also a regular visitor to the exhibition, adds, “Some of the items sold here are not that easily available in the market outside.” A shopkeeper, who sells these key chains, says, ”The best thing to gift anyone would be their names engraved on a rice grain which is put into various types of key chains”.

The exhibition has also got some informative stalls, which are usually put up by the government of India. These include stalls on the National Health Mission, Tourism Department, Traffic Police, etc. These stalls aware people, of schemes that the government offers for different sections of the society. And there are stalls that sell products like sweets and handloom clothes that are made by the prisoners. Stalls that are run by different women organizations are also put up here. “I buy beauty products because everything sold here is made form natural ingredients, and they are not easily available outside”, says Sunitha.

If one’s done with the shopping part & feeling exhausted and hungry, then the exhibition has got a lot in store for you. Ranging from chat ( from the famous Gokul chat, Agrawala’s and Delhi chat) to sweets. Dry fruits is also an important feature when it comes under foodie’s horizon of vision. These are not just from Hyderabad, but also from places like Kashmir; pan masalas from K0lkata and savouries from other places are also sold.

Wide range of ear rings. Credit: Silent Beeper

Sarees sold at affordale rates. Credit: Silent Beeper

Sweets and savouries. Credit: Silent Beeper

If one’s already full, snacks like pop-corn, American corn and the sweet sugar candy are not going to do a person’s digestive system any harm!

The exhibition’s famous attraction is the train. With a fare of just Rs 10, the train promises you a fun and joyful ride around the exhibition. Another major attraction is the amusement park. Rides like Break dance, cup n saucer, Columbus, giant wheel, Tora-Tora are the most popular among all the age groups. Another major attraction here is the horror of death. Here, one gets to watch a thrilling ride by stuntmen on bikes that go in a whirlpool fashion-This one’s surely a ’Must Watch’. The laughing show which has different kinds of mirrors, uplifts your tiring mood.

Be it anything, shopping, eating or just hanging out with friends and family, this exhibition promises all the fun… Not many from the twin cities miss the show! The crowd comes here in such a huge number, for which, special traffic personnel are appointed to keep the traffic moving on. The exhibition timings are evening 4pm to midnight 12am. An nominal entry fee of Rs. 10 on weekdays and Rs. 20 on weekends is charged. Don’t miss out the fun.

Over the years it’s been noticed that the number of people getting recruited in the rampart is increasing year after year. One such incident was clearly witnessed in the Passing Out Parade of the Indian Air Force which was conducted on 24th December 2009 at the Air Force Academy (AFA), Dundigal, Hyderabad which is 30 kilometers away from the city. It was hosted by the Commandant and the Staff of AFA. The POP or the Passing Out Parade is the day when cadets are declared as officers in their respective field of work. On this event, he Combined Graduation Parade was of 184 Pilots’ Course, 02 SSC(M) Pilots’ Course, 31 SSC(W) Pilots’ Course, 109 Navigation Course, 125 GDO Course, 34 SSC(W) GDO Course, 18 SSC(M) GDO and 06 SEC Course. Only those people who received an invitation by (AFA) were allowed to grand fanfare.

Defense Minister AK Antony. Credit: Engel Tatiana

The venue was the parade ground in front of the Sekhon Block at the Air Force Station. The Defense Minister of India, AK Antony was the Chief of Honor and was escorted by the Air Officer Commanding in Chief (Training) and Commandant of AFA Air Marshall V. R. Iyer. Air vice Marshall Amit Aneja also accompanied the duo. Many of the delegates of the armed forces were invited to the show. The parade commenced at 0800 hours. The newly-commissioned officers marched in with great self-command followed by their immediate junior cadets and queued themselves perfectly in the ground in front of the audience in co-ordinance with an impressive musical band. They saluted the Defense Minister who thereby addressed them. He directed them to be loyal to their nation, be selfless and have a good rapport with their seniors. He told them to be well acquainted by the latest technological developments in defense strategies and be ready to face any challenge in the road ahead. Later Mr. Antony presented wings to the cadets and commissioned 175 cadets into the Air Force in different areas like navigation, logistics, pilot, etc. Out of them, 37 were women. He also gave away trophies to the respective course toppers. Every cadet was on cloud nine after going through so many tests and one year of severe training and finally being commissioned.

Sarang's Synchro Cross. Credit: Engel Tatiana

This was followed by a spine-tingling aerobatic team display of ‘Suryakiran’ and ‘Sarang’. The nine Suryakirans (The Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team- SKAT) consisted of drop tanks for smoke generation which added grace to their panorama. The smokes ejected by aircrafts were in the colors of our national flag, thus making the show even more alluring. Their team was led by Wing Commander J. T. Kurien. The next eye-catching layout was the display team of ‘Sarang’ led by its Commanding Officer Wing Commander Ravuri Sheetal. The team members enthralled the audience by showcasing their talent by performing various stunts, The Arrow, The Cross Over break, The Stall Turn, The Syncro Cross, to name a few. Lieututenant Colonel T VenuGopal, presently serving The Indian Army says, “It was a fantastic experience looking at the parade of the cadets before passing out as commissioned officers. The various aerobatic displays by the Indian Air Force aircrafts and helicopters were simply fascinating. Moreover the experience of visiting the voluminous aircrafts like transportation, training, fighters, helicopters, etc, watching them closely and entering into the cockpits was indeed memorable.” The parade ended with a breath taking event by Air Warrior Drill Team which kept the viewers aghast.

Suryakiran's Stall Turn. Credit: Engel Tatiana

After the parade, all the spectators took a walk in the parade ground where in they were accessed to many Air Force aircrafts which were used in different fields of defense management like transport, training, etc. Some of them were AN32, Chetak, Avro, Dornier, MI8, Hawk, Suryakiran (Mark 1 and Mark 2), HPT, Sarang helicopter, MI17, etc.“The parade reminded me of the POP when I was passed out from IMA (Indian Military Academy) Dehradun. Those were the moments which I could never forget. The keen interest of the civilians is appreciable.” says Lieututenant Colonel Nalin Mohan. Many prominent organizations which aid The Defense System of India exhibited the products which are used in manufacturing the airships and jet planes and also gave a detailed explanation of their use for acknowledging the people. While some unfolded the details of satellite communication, titanium sponge, different types of rotors involved, INS-GPS, microwave and mill metric wave components, a few of them presented the diverse forms of missile like Aakash, Nag, Astra, etc.  Some of those organizations were ISRO (The Indian Space Research Organization), NRSI (National Remote Sensing Institute), HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited), DLRL (Defense Electronics Research Laboratory), DRDO (Defense Research and Development Organization), RCI, etc.Many serving as well as retired officers from all the three departments were present with their families during this auspicious event of POP.

Aircrafts On Display. Credit: Engel Tatiana

Surprisingly, apart from the official people, even some civilians were present who booked their passes long before just with a sole aim of getting a load of the conduct of a defense organized event.“It was awesome to have such an experience, really! It is the first time I attended an event like this one where I got to know the equipments and aids which our soldiers use in order to protect the country from external menace. My kids also enjoyed it thoroughly as they saw planes which were ‘real’. The fact which they observed was that these aircrafts were very much different to the military toy planes available in the market.” giggles Mrs. Saritha, a mother of two.

It is a matter of delight that ‘The Young Generation’ is also imbibing the sense of patriotism.When asked about his aero-adventure, Chandan, a boy of seventh grade exclaimed, “I was very excited when my parents informed me about the event two weeks back. Today I was dumbstruck on seeing the disciplinary acts performed by the cadets, most importantly the march past and was also amazed but seeing their dedication towards our country. I would love to join the armed forces if I get an opportunity.”

At the end of the day, it was found that all the newly commissioned officers of Air Force held their head high and so did their parents. Our country is in need of such soldiers who are joining the devoted and skillfully technical force multiplier of the elite country and ready to forfeit their lives for the nation.

Professions generally define individuals but individuals themselves happen to define professions in very few instances! These great personalities bear testimony to Aamir Khan’s dialogue in the runaway success, Taare Zameen Par, in which he says, “Duniya mein aise heere paida hote hai, ki Bhagwan ne unhe chamakne ke liye hi bheja hai!” If cricket was redefined by Viv Richards or Don Bradman or by our very own Tendulkar, dance by Michael Jackson, then undoubtedly, at least for us contemporary Indians, Music = A. R. Rahman, the legend!

Often considered as the 8^th wonder of the world by many, this musical marvel needs no introduction! He has threaded life’s most thorny paths and has been a live example of the ‘rags–to–riches’ story. Allah Rakha Rahman (earlier known as A. S. Dileep Kumar), was born on the 6^th of January, 1966 in Chennai. In a career spanning over a decade, Isai Puyal (Music Storm) as he is fondly nicknamed, has sold more than a 100 million records and over 200 million cassettes in over half a dozen languages! Hailed by the TIME magazine as the ‘Mozart of Madras’, this singing sensation is a two time Academy Award (Oscar) winner, Golden Globe and BAFTA Award winner and was bestowed the prestigious ‘Padma Shri’, in addition to 4 National Film Awards (the most by any music composer), and a whopping 24 Filmfare Awards! Rahman obtained a degree in western classical music from the Trinity College of Music, London and has also been conferred with honorary doctorates from the Aligarh Muslim University and the University of Middlesex.

The genius at work! Credits: Candy Floss

Hyderabad, the city of pearls was fortunate enough to witness the performance of this gifted composer, named the ‘Jai Ho’ concert, on the 24^th of October, 2009, held at the lush GMR Arena near the Novotel Hotel, 2 kms away from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad. Rapport Global Events and Wizcraft organized the entire event, in association with Deccan Chronicle. Radio Mirchi, 98.3 FM was the official Radio Partner of the event, which witnessed a record-breaking crowd of over 50,000 ‘Rahmaniacs’! Mr. P. Sripathy, the CEO of GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL), stated before the start of the show, “We were very particular about the musical maestro performing here since he had never performed in Hyderabad earlier. Also, we felt privileged when he joined us for the festive celebrations of the Airport Festive Carnival, which was held from the 19^th of September, 2009 to the 25^th of October, 2009!”

The 'Jai Ho' logo on the passes! Credits: Candy Floss

There was quite a buzz in the air on the day of the performance. The crowds thronged into the arena from as early as 2.30 p.m to have better seats to watch the maestro perform. The event was quite widely publicized over the radio, television, and also over his official website. To facilitate easier access for the students to the show, the ticket prices were slashed by 50% for the students. This was met with a great deal of enthusiasm among the student fraternity who has never almost seen him perform live at Hyderabad before. Also, the fact that the proceeds of this event were to be donated to the flood victims helped in bringing out a large crowd. Tickets for the concert were made available at all the popular hangouts and places like Café Coffee Day, More Supermarkets, The City Central Mall and other such popular places. “The reduction of the price on the tickets was a boon to me as I couldn’t afford to pay big bucks to watch A.R.R and also I couldn’t afford to miss it. I just love the organizers for making this possible for me,” says Suharsh, a B.Tech student. The security and arrangements for the event were as good as anyone could’ve asked for. Routine checking of the vehicles started from as far as the Shamshabad main road and the audience coming for the event was scanned with ultra-sensitive detectors and scanners making up for a foolproof security arrangement.

The Mozart performing for 'Khwaja Mere Khwaja'! Credits: Insanity Personified

Finally, the sun set, the light began to dim, and with the arena packed with hordes and hordes of A.R.Rahman fans holding their breath, waiting for their idol to make an appearance, all the lights in the arena were dimmed and the musical wizard made his appearance. Moments before he came onto the stage a thought of Rahman’s that said: “As I get older, I see other points of view…. Things I wouldn’t have noticed before. If music wakes you up, makes you think, heals you, the music is working. And then, a thought put in action in a positive way is a blessed thought,” was displayed on the screens put up in the arena. Rahman emerged from under the stage with the anthemic chants of ‘Jaage Hain’ from ‘Guru’ on his lips. It was the moment everyone in the arena was waiting for. The place was filled with screams, whistles and applause at the entry of A.R.Rahman. He then went on to sing ‘Khalbali’ from ‘Rang De Basanti’ and ‘Athiridi’ from the movie ‘Shivaji’. Rahman was amiably supported by Shivamani who’s a crew mate of his and is also a very popular percussionist. It was then time for the other members of his troupe to come up with their performances. Rahman’s ‘blue-eyed’ boy Benny Dayal came up with amazing songs like ‘Maula’ from ‘Delhi-6′, ‘Style’ from the movie ‘Sivaji’ and the record breaking song ‘Taxi Taxi’ along with the rapper Blaaze. Singers like Rashid Ali, Javed Ali who became quite popular with their songs like ‘Kabhi Kabhi Aditi’ and ‘Jashn-e-Bahara’ respectively performed these songs much to the delight of the audience. In fact,

The deadly duo - Rahman and Sivamani! Credits: Insanity Personified

the troupe performing with A.R.Rahman consisted mostly of singers who were quite new compared to the established singers he normally does a concert with. The newest singer to be included in his troupe was ‘Vijay Prakash’ of ‘Fiqraana’ fame from the film Blue. He got to sing quite many songs which include ‘Fiqraana’, ‘Khwaja Mere Khwaja’ and a few Telugu numbers.

“I was hoping and hoping for Sukhwinder Singh, Sonu Nigam and Lucky Ali to be there at this concert. It’s a pity they didn’t turn up,” says Anirudh, an ardent A.R.Rahman fan. The concert was missing a lot of the A.R.R regulars and the singer who was most missed by the fans was Hari Haran. It was quite a dampener for the audience present as Hari Haran was a part of the ‘Jai Ho Concert’ in Chennai and Ahmedabad but he was noticeably absent at Hyderabad. Renowed singers Chitra, Sadhana Sargam, Domnique more than made up for their absence by their tilting numbers. Hits like ‘Snehituda’, ‘Jiya Jale’, ‘Roja’, ‘Chandralekha’, ‘Rangeela’ were sung by them much to the delight of the audience.

Rendering a befitting tribute to the late Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Credits: Insanity Personified

There was a tribute paid to the late Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Dr.Y.S.Rajashekar Reddy by A.R.Rahman. A special video of the highlights of the late Chief Minister was compiled and presented on the screen by the troupe and Rahman expressed his condolences to the audience. Rahman was presented with a shawl by the present Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Mr.Rosaiah and the Chairman of the GMR Group of Industries at the halfway stage. The program commenced after the felicitation ceremony with the song ‘Khwaja Mere Khwaja’ from the movie ‘Jodha Akbar’ followed by ‘Maula’ from ‘Delhi-6′. Then there was a wonderful ‘jugalbandi’ of A.R.Rahman with a sitar player which probably was the highlight of the show. “Wow man, that was something!Wonder who the sitar player was?” asks S. Anirudh who was enchanted by the rapport Rahman had with the sitar player. The song that stood out from all the other songs was ‘Mustafa Mustafa’ as the crowd went wild as soon as it was being performed by Rahman and his troupe. “I was waiting for that song to come all evening and it couldn’t have come at a better time” says Rhea who enjoyed the song quite a lot with her friends.

The signature 'Jai Ho!' - A visual treat! Credits: Candy Floss

It was almost 10:15 pm when the performance came to end. Rahman ensured that the end was as good as the beginning, if not even better. The song ‘Jai Ho’ which had won the Academy Award for the year 2008, probably increased the decibel level by quite a considerable margin. No longer were the people seated on the chairs, everyone were standing on their chairs and shouting till their throats were sore. Just when the song came to an end and everyone were preparing to leave, came the song ‘Maa Tujhe Salaam’ that celebrated fifty years of Indian Independence. It was beyond every music lover’s dream. “Boy, I had goosebumps all over me as the song was being played. He couldn’t have finished on a better note than that,” says Rajesh, who says this is the best musical event he had ever been to. Rahman took his leave saying he would love to visit Hyderabad again in the near future promising to perform here again soon. A beautiful display of fireworks filled the sky putting an end to the spectacular show put up by the ‘Mozart of India’ and the audience sure had their money’s worth.

The 10k Foundation has been organizing the 10km run once a year since 2003 to support health, fitness and sports. The 10k Foundation is a non-profit organization which diverts its funds to aid the fitness and sports activities and encourages promising athletes in reaching their goals. “Fitness seems to have taken a back seat in today’s lifestyle. The hustle-bustle of life has left one with no time for exercise and keeping fit. Such events should be held to bring to light the importance of fitness, especially among the youth”, says Ms.Shashi, a regular 10k runner.

Crowds at the run! Credit: Enigmatic Euphony

This year, 2009,  has recorded the highest participation in the 10k run since its start in 2003,  reflecting the true enthusiasm of the city. The registered runners turned up at sharp 6 o’ clock in the morning and assembled at People’s Plaza. Telugu cine star Venkatesh inaugurated the Run, in which Assembly Speaker, N.Kiran Kumar Reddy, Nizamabad Lok Sabha member Madhu Yaski, film stars Allu Arjun, Vishnuvardhan Babu, Jagapathi Babu, Anushka and others participated to encourage the runners. Speaking on the occasion, Allu Arjun said, “I have come to the run previously to drop my friends and that was when I decided to come here as a guest and give a boost to the runners.” The run flagged off at around 7 a.m that morning.

Various organizations made their presence felt in the 10k Run, either by sponsoring the event or by group participation by their employees. Some of the sponsors included GVK, Lanco, Sreemitra, Granules, etc. and the Beverage partner Coca-Cola provided the runners with water by putting up stalls at regular intervals. Employees of the organizations such as Marriot, Deloitte, Tata AIG, TMC, etc. sported their T-shirts and banners during the run. Team Vidyouth also took part in the 10k run showcasing the undying spirit of the youth. “We are really glad to have participated in the run this year and will continue to participate in the future”, assured Team Vidyouth.

Team Vidyouth at the run! Credit: Enigmatic Euphony

The run was very well organized, taking into account every need of the runners. Ambulances were arranged in case of emergencies, precautions and measures to be taken before the run were also put up on the site beforehand to avoid ill effects on the day. Rock bands from various colleges were placed at regular intervals to cheer the crowds. “It is very relaxing to listen to music while running and the bands were totally successful in creating the right atmosphere”, shares Vipul, an engineering student. Students from many schools and colleges also took part in the run. Other entertaining programs were also conducted at the main stage, which also had Shaimak Davar’s students performing a dance number.

Prizes were given to the fastest runners in the 10k run and the Half Marathon. The 10k run, as the name suggests, covers a distance of 10km and the Half Marathon, a distance of 21.1km around the Necklace Road. The fastest runners, Elam Singh completed the 10k run in 30minutes and Irappa D Akki, finished the Half Marathon in 1hour 6 minutes.

Groups with banners. Credit: Enigmatic Euphony

For further information about the 10k foundation, log on to http://www.hyderabad10k.com/

The certificates of the runners can also be downloaded from the site.

“It is great to see such huge numbers participating for a cause. The people of the city rightfully deserve to be applauded. Wish to see more of them the coming year”, says a 10k representative. Way to go Hyderabadis!