Telugu University to confer doctorate award to Hemalatha

VIJAYAWADA: Noted social worker, atheist and literary figure Hemalata Lavanam will be honoured with a honorary doctorate by Sri Potti Sriramulu Telugu University.

Talking to UNI here, atheist centre executive director G Vijayam said the doctorate will be conferred up on Lavanam by Andhra Pradesh Governor Rameswhar Thakur in the convocation at Ravindra Bharati in Hyderabad on Monday.

Earlier, the university had chosen her as an outstanding worker, as she was involved in a number of social activities like jogini and criminal rehabilitation, he added.

The other recipients, who will be conferred the doctorate, included Kalipatnam Rama Rao for literature, G S Varadachary for journalism and A Radhakrishna Raju for his services to Telegu people in other states.

Courtesy: NewIndPress

Telugu filmmaker gets Golden Bear award at 2007 Berlin Film Festival

K.V.S. Madhav

Non-resident Telugu's maiden film wins top award at film festival

ON A HIGH: Rajnesh Domalpalle receiving the `Golden Bear' award for his film `Vanaja' at the Berlin Film Festival. Actress Mamatha Bhukya is also seen.

HYDERABAD: A non-resident Telugu who shuttles between Hyderabad and New York, రజనేష్ దోమలపల్లె (Rajnesh Domalpalle), has won the coveted Golden Bear award at the 2007 edition of the Berlin Film Festival for his Telugu film వనజ (Vanaja).

The film about a poor girl's passion for classical dance won the big prize in the Best First Feature Award category. "For any independent film to succeed, a 100 miracles need to happen and we are grateful it happened for us. I was shocked when the award was announced. To be appreciated by connoisseurs of cinema at Berlin was a real high."

The Chennai-born, IIT Chennai alumnus grew up in different districts of Andhra Pradesh thanks to his civil engineer father who worked on various dam sites, before heading for the Big Apple.

He worked in the IT Mecca of Silicon Valley before taking to film studies at Columbia University, New York in 2004. In fact, the script of `Vanaja' was his thesis for the Master's programme.

Love for writing

Rajnesh says his love for writing drew him into films and "writing is the greatest challenge in making a good film."

The film's making was a hard learning curve. It has no trained performers but first timers whom he roped by giving a newspaper ad for household helps!

"Telugu cinema is star-driven and my film needed real people not shampooed heroines in stilettos. The ploy was to have newcomers to make it as real as it can get."

He attributes the film's critical acclaim and completion amidst all odds to a crew that believed in making an independent film was `worth pouring lifeblood into, and a cast that was nervous yet raring to go. This sent us sailing'.

The film sailed far and wide, be it Berlin or Toronto, but not to the land of Telugus. "Making a film in this genre is hard and distribution even tougher. With no takers here, we plan to release it in the US this May and hopefully by the year-end here," says Rajnesh, a trained `Veena' player and Carnatic vocalist.

For now, he is soaking himself in the melody of acclaim his maiden venture has composed the world over awaiting it to reach the commonest of the commoners.

Courtesy: The Hindu

The sound of music scores over a career in IT

Prasaad Bhosekar

Life begins at 50. An IT professional after working for 18 years in major companies like Reliance, ONGC, Bosch, Satyam and SHICL has taken to music full time. He says he listened to his heart.

In India you now no longer see No Vacancy boards. Jobs are plenty so are the number of professionals. However, there's another side to the professionalism too. Many professionals after some point of time feel like doing something else which is not related to their core area. Here is a story of an IT professional in Hyderabad, who after working for 18 years in major companies, has taken to music full time. The speciality is fusion music and that too at the age of 50.

For ఉదయ శంకర్‌ (Uday Shankar), life began at 50. An electronics and telecommunications engineer, the addition to his portfolio is music. Having worked for ONGC, Bosch, SHCIL (Stocks Holding Corporation of India Ltd), Satyam and Reliance for 18 years, Uday Shankar has taken to music now.

He is no longer a full time professional in electronics and telecommunications but prefers to be called a full time musician. He writes, composes and sings.

He says, ``I was inclined towards music right from my childhood. 18 years of hard professional life has taken its toll on me. Now I have financial security and now I want to listen to my heart which is in music.”

As a young boy Uday always liked music. After quitting his profession Uday even cut an audio album titled హృదయమా (Hrudayama) in Telugu. Now he has taken up the unique task of presenting famous Telugu writers and singers అన్నమాచార్య కృతులు (Annamayacharaya's Kirtans) with fusion music which no one has attempted before. It will be a three-way fusion: base being Carnatic, style of singing Sufi and orchestration western.

Uday Shankar explains ``No one has tried this before in Telugu. Annamacharya's Kirtans were composed by him more than 600 years ago. Many have sung his Kirtans. Now I want the younger generation to listen to these beautiful compositions and that is the reason I have inserted fusion element into it.''

Believing himself to be a student of music, Uday Shankar wants to work on devotional music which he says will remove negative thoughts in his mind.

Courtesy: Zee News

Tollywood is the largest film industry in India

Telugu banners produced 245 films in 2006, as against 223 in Hindi and 162 in Tamil.

Article in Hindustan Times

మాత్రు భాషా దినోత్సవం: Vow to restore Telugu glory

TAKING TO STREETS: Teachers and students of the TTD's S.V. Oriental College taking out a rally in Tirupati on the eve of the 'Mathru Bhasha Dinothsavam'

తెలుగు అమలుపై శ్రద్దేది ?

వి నరేవందర్‌ రెడ్డి

హైదరాబాద్‌, ఫిబ్రవరివ 21 (ఆన్‌లైన్‌): మాతృభాష తెలుగును అధికార భాషగా అమలు చేయడంలో ప్రభు త్వం వైఫల్యం చెందిందని మహబూబాబాద్‌ ఎమ్మెల్యే వి.నరేందర్‌రెడ్డి ఆరోపించారు. బుధవారం శాసనసభ జీరో అవర్‌లో ఆయన ఈ అంశాన్ని ప్రస్తావించారు. ప్రాచీన భాషగా తెలుగుకు హోదా తీసుకువచ్చేందుకు ప్రభుత్వం ఎలాంటి చర్యలు తీసుకుంటోందని ఆయన ప్రశ్నించారు. తెలు గుకు ప్రాచీన భాష హోదాను తీసుకువచ్చేందుకు మాజీ మంత్రి ఎం.సత్య నారాయణరావు చేసిన కృషిని ప్రభుత్వం కొనసాగించలేక పోతోందని ఆయన దుయ్యబట్టారు.

ఇకనైనా ఈ విషయంలో అఖిలపక్షాన్ని ఢిల్లీకి తీసుకెళ్లాలని ఆయన ముఖ్యమంత్రిని కోరారు. తెలుగును అధికార భాషగా అమలు చేసేం దుకు ప్రభుత్వం చర్యలు తీసుకుంటోందని పాఠశాల విద్యాశాఖ మంత్రి నేదురుమల్లి రాజ్యలక్ష్మి నరేందర్‌రెడ్డి ప్రశ్నకు సమాధానమిచ్చారు. అయితే ప్రజాప్రతినిధులు తమ పిల్లలను తెలుగు మాధ్యమం పాఠశాలల్లో చేర్చించి తెలుగుపై ఉన్న శ్రద్ధను ప్రదర్శించాలని ఆమె సూచించారు.

Courtesy: Andhra Jyothy

*****

TIRUPATI: Some of the local schools and colleges have on Wednesday observed with enthusiasm, the `International Mother Tongue Day' by pledging to work for the restoration of the past glory to Telugu. The language, which was once acknowledged as the Italian of the East, but was fast fading into oblivion.

At a programme organised by the Telugu Bhashodyama Samithi with its State committee member Kota Puthshotham as the chief guest, speakers observed that unless the children were taught traditional Telugu poems as in the past, there was no way to save the language . Speakers also sought to drive home the point, that unless urgent steps were taken by the Government and the literary world , Telugu language and culture was sure to meet the same fate as depleting groundwater table.

TTD's SV Oriental College teachers and students celebrated the day by taking out a rally while Ravindra Bharathi School observed the day by offering floral tributes to `Telugu .

Courtesy: The Hindu

Kuchipudi to host music, dance fest

Idea is to propagate the art form and highlight the village's heritage

• Artistes of the village struggle to support their families now
• Pandit Birju Mahararj to be honoured at the fest

HYDERABAD: Kuchipudi Art Academy, Chennai, and Akhila Bharata Kuchipudi Natya Kala Mandali, Kuchipudi, will organise సిద్ధేంద్ర యోగి మహోత్సవ్ (Siddhendra Yogi Mahotsav) at Kuchipudi (Natyakshetram) from February 26 to March 4.

The objective of this festival of music and dance is to highlight the heritage of Kuchipudi village in Krishna district as an abode of art and encourage artistes to propagate and take up this art form, said the organisers.

Over the centuries, the zeal of stalwarts kept this art alive in its traditional purity and their descendants had taken the art form beyond the confines of the State. However with declining patronage for the art form, the artistes in the village who struggle to support their families are now compelled to take up alternative careers.

The annual festival is being organised to serve as a platform to showcase the contribution of the stalwarts. Many renowned artistes will participate in the festival. Kathak dance maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj would be honoured with Siddhendra Yogi Puraskar, they said.

Courtesy: The Hindu

In the Gurukula style

- GUDIPOODI SRIHARI

Nathaki Nataraj displayed her skills in the Tanjore style of Bharatanatyam.

TANJORE STYLE Narthaki Nataraj presents the `nayaki roopa'

Chaitanya Art theatres and Natyasthal together introduced, for the first time, a Bharatnatyam artiste of rare talent. Narthaki Nataraj belonging to the original Tanjore style. Her programme was staged at Ravindra Bharati recently.The nattuvanar Dinesh Mahadevan in his introduction introduced the artiste as person who had studied under the tutelage of Natyakalanidhi K.P.Kittappa Pillai, a scholar and direct descendent of Tanjore quartet, to learn Bharatnatyam in gurukula style. This style of dance was set by the 17th century's Ponnaiah Pillai and his three brothers known as `Tanjore Quartet', who are said to be the fathers of Bharatanatyam. Narthaki grew up in age and art in that school, specialising in presenting the Nayaki Roopa that presentsthe roles of heroines of themes mostly revolving around Lord Krishna. Most of the compositions in those days were of Telugu origin that travelled from Andhra to the deep south along with the artistes, during the rule of Nayaka kings of Tanjore. The వర్ణం (varnam), of the repertoire Narthaki presented was in Telugu, in which she revealed her talent both in లాస్య (lasya) and శుద్ధ ళయ (Suddha Laya) (doing abhinaya in sitting posture). The varnam that was the highlight was originally presented by Balasaraswati.

Narthaki has given many shows in India and abroad and has also earned the prestigious fellowship of Sangeetha Nataka Academy of Government of India for 2003 - 2005. She is also a top grade artiste and all this goes to say, what the will of a person can achieve. Narthaki's performance revealed her great artistic talent, that stamp her one of the great dancers of Bharatanatyam, known for శృంగార నాయకి (Sringara Nayaki) and as true representative of the Tanjore style, known for perfect grammar. Most of the numbers she had in her repertoire belonged to this quartet. However the repertoire presented here had been limited to a mere four numbers that included the long varnam. The presence of a concert standard vocalist, Roshini Ramanathan, and young Nattuvanar Dinesh Mahadevan, Viswanathan on mridangam and Devaraj on flute added to the beauty of her performance. It proved to be good teamwork too. The tradition is also known for setting pace of a rendition in vilambit, so that the audience can understand lyrical beauty of the composition and its interpretation in abhinaya by the dancer.

Before the dancer came on stage, the invocation to Vinayaka was chosen from one of Thyagaraja's operas. The performance of the artiste was opened with Sollukattu (verbal expression of Jatis) in Khandajati Triputa, in raga Hamsanadam. This gave a kind of warming up exercise to the dancer like in a nritta part, striking different postures a she went out with foot work matching every syllable of Sollukattu. Then there was a ragamalika slokam in ragamalika, in praise of Goddess Lakshmi. Every word of sloka found apt mudras and movements, literally translating them into a dance format of vivid expressions. The main and the most attractive piece of her show was a Kalyani Pada Varnam in Telugu - Sarsijakhsi written by Ponnaiah Pillai of the quartet. The dancer (heroine) is the devotee of Soundararaja Gopala swamy and the thematic content reveals how the dancer craves to meet her Lord. Her eagerness to join him and the way her friends pacify her, even applying Gandham were reflected in her vivid abhinaya expressions, as part of her dance. Every charanam was rendered like a nereval giving opportunity for the dancer to come out with different thematic expressions, enabling the audience to enjoy every bit of it. Roshini spelled every Telugu word with perfection and clarity. Each of these charanas was interspersed with Jaties of different choreographic format in pure dance patterns, ending in perfect Teeramanams, matching the mridangam beat. The came Chinnam Chirukeliye a ragamalika kirtana of Subramanyam Bharati, a kind of lullaby, that presents how Yasoda cajoles her child Krishna to sleep. She plays with him, feeds him with butter and finally puts him to sleep. Krishna's childhood activity and Yasoda's interaction with him, sometimes carrying him on back and in arms was well presented by her in detail. Then there was a Tillana in Nalinakanthi set in Sankeerna Jati Chapu talam. The jatis matched with dancer's posturing and delicate movements. Devaraj on flute gave apt tunes to every scene.

Artiste Narthaki Nataraj was felicitated after the conclusion of her dance.

Courtesy: The Hindu

First Thyagaraja Aradhana in Sri Lanka

Sri Thyagaraja Aradhana in Colombo

Silicon Fab City in Hyderabad : some updates

నిరంతర విద్యుత్తు, నీరు
ఇతర పరిశ్రమల్లాగే రాయితీలు
ముఖ్యమంత్రి సమీక్షలో కీలక నిర్ణయాలు

సెజ్‌లకు మించిన రాయితీలిస్తాం: పృథ్వీరాజ్‌

హైదరాబాద్‌, న్యూస్‌టుడే: రాష్ట్రంలో ఫ్యాబ్‌సిటీ అభివృద్ధికి సంబంధించి మంగళవారం పలు కీలక నిర్ణయాలు వెలువడ్డాయి. ఫ్యాబ్‌సిటీలో కంపెనీలకు కేటాయించే స్థలాల్ని ఎకరానికి రూ.20 లక్షల చొప్పున విక్రయించాలని రాష్ట్ర ప్రభుత్వం నిర్ణయించింది. ప్రభుత్వ పరంగా చెల్లించాల్సిన ఈక్విటీలో దీనిని జమ చేయనుంది. ఫ్యాబ్‌సిటీపై మంగళవారం ఉదయం సచివాలయంలో ముఖ్యమంత్రి వైఎస్‌ అధ్యక్షతన జరిగిన ఉన్నతస్థాయి సమావేశంలో ఈ మేరకు నిర్ణయాలు తీసుకున్నారు. ఈ సమావేశంలో భారీ పరిశ్రమల మంత్రి గీతారెడ్డి, పరిశ్రమల సలహాదారు సి.ఎస్‌.రావు, ముఖ్యకార్యదర్శి లక్ష్మిపార్థసారధి, ఏపీఐఐసీ ఎండీ బి.పి.ఆచార్య తదితరులు పాల్గొన్నారు. ఫ్యాబ్‌సిటీ కోసం దాదాపు 1200 ఎకరాల భూమిని సేకరించిన ప్రభుత్వం... మొదటిదశలో 300 ఎకరాల్ని అభివృద్ధి చేస్తోంది. ఇందులో 75 ఎకరాల్ని సెమ్‌ ఇండియాకు కేటాయించింది. కేంద్రం రాయితీలు ప్రకటించిన తర్వాత స్థలాల ధరల్ని నిర్ణయించాలని తొలుత భావించింది. కానీ ఇప్పటిదాకా కేంద్ర విధానం ఖరారు కాలేదు. దీంతో సమావేశంలో ఈ విషయం చర్చకు వచ్చింది. పరిశ్రమల శాఖ అధికారులు ఎకరానికి రూ. 20 లక్షల ధర ప్రాథమిక ధరను ప్రతిపాదించగా దానిని ముఖ్యమంత్రి ఆమోదించారు. ఫ్యాబ్‌సిటీలో ప్రభుత్వ ఈక్విటీ 11 శాతం కాగా, భూముల్ని విక్రయించడం ద్వారా వచ్చే మొత్తాన్ని కూడా అందులో జమ చేయాలని సూచించారు. మొత్తం 1200 ఎకరాలకు కంచె ఏర్పాటు చేయాలని వైఎస్‌ ఆదేశించారు.

'ఫ్యాబ్‌సిటీ' ప్రతిపాదనలివీ... హైదరాబాద్‌ - న్యూస్‌టుడే * ఫ్యాబ్‌సిటీకి రోజుకు 20 మిలియన్‌ గ్యాలన్ల నీటి పంపిణీకి పైపులైన్ల ఏర్పాటు * మురుగునీటి పారుదల లైన్ల ఏర్పాటు * 24 గంటల పాటు విద్యుత్‌ సరఫరాకు ఫీడర్‌ నిర్మాణం * ఇతర పరిశ్రమల మాదిరిగానే సబ్సిడీపై విద్యుత్‌ సరఫరా - వంటి ప్రతిపాదనల్ని కూడా వైఎస్‌ ఆమోదించారు. మొదటిదశ నిర్మాణ పనులను ముమ్మరం చేయాలని ఆయన ఆదేశించారు. ఫ్యాబ్‌సిటీ అనుమతులకు సంబంధించిన ప్రతిపాదనలను వచ్చే మంత్రివర్గ సమావేశంలో ప్రవేశపెట్టాలని సూచించారు. త్వరలోనే జీవో: గీతారెడ్డి ఫ్యాబ్‌సిటీకి కేంద్ర సూత్రప్రాయంగా ఆమోదాన్ని తెలిపిందని, రాయితీలపై త్వరలోనే నిర్ణయం వెలువడే అవకాశముందని మంత్రి గీతారెడ్డి తెలిపారు. ఫ్యాబ్‌సిటీ మొదటిదశ పనులపై ముఖ్యమంత్రి సంతృప్తి వ్యక్తం చేశారని చెప్పారు. ఇప్పటికే దీనికి కాలుష్య నియంత్రణ మండలి అనుమతులతో పాటు ప్రభుత్వపరంగా అన్ని పనులకు ఆమోదం లభించిందని తెలిపారు. దీనిపై త్వరలోనే జీవో జారీ చేస్తామని, ఇందులో స్థలాల ధర గురించి పేర్కొంటామని చెప్పారు. బడ్జెట్‌ ముందే ప్రకటిస్తాం: చవాన్‌ సెమీకండక్టర్‌ పరిశ్రమ ఎంతో ఆశగా ఎదురుచూస్తున్న కేంద్ర ప్రభుత్వ విధానం బడ్జెట్‌కు ముందుగానే వెలువరించనున్నట్లు ప్రధానమంత్రి కార్యాలయంలో సహాయమంత్రి పృథ్వీరాజ్‌ చవాన్‌ పేర్కొన్నారు. సెమీకండక్టర్లపై హైదరాబాద్‌లో జరుగుతున్న సదస్సులో ఆయన మాట్లాడుతూ... బడ్జెట్‌కు ముందుగానే సెమీకండక్టర్‌ విధానాన్ని విడుదల చేసి, రాయితీలతో సహా అవసరమైన అన్ని వివరాల్ని అందిస్తామని చెప్పారు. ఈ రాయితీలు, ప్రోత్సాహకాలు ప్రస్తుతం ప్రత్యేక ఆర్థిక మండళ్లకు (సెజ్‌) ప్రభుత్వం అందిస్తున్న వాటికన్నా అధికంగా ఉంటాయని హామీనిచ్చారు. ప్రతిపాదిత ప్యాకేజీ ఎల్సీడీ, ప్లాస్మా డిస్‌ప్లే టెక్నాలజీ, సొలార్‌, ఫొటో వోల్టాయిక్‌ సెల్స్‌ తదితర సెమీకండక్టర్‌ ఆధారిత ఉపకరణాల తయారీరంగానికి సైతం వర్తిస్తుందని వివరించారు. దేశంలో ఇప్పుడిప్పుడే పురోగమిస్తున్న తయారీ రంగంలో సెమీకండక్టర్ల తయారీ అత్యంత కీలక పాత్ర పోషించనుందని చవాన్‌ అభిప్రాయపడ్డారు.

ఫ్యాబ్‌సిటీలో సోలార్‌సెమ్‌ యూనిట్‌ ఫ్యాబ్‌సిటీలో పరిశ్రమ స్థాపనకు సోలార్‌ సెమ్‌ మాన్యుఫాక్చరింగ్‌ అనే మరో సంస్థ ముందుకు వచ్చింది. తొలిదశలో సుమారు 3కోట్ల డాలర్ల పెట్టుబడి పెట్టేందుకు సుముఖత వ్యక్తం చేసింది. ఈ సంస్థకు 10 నుంచి 25 ఎకరాల స్థలం కేటాయించే అవకాశముందని అధికార వర్గాలు పేర్కొన్నాయి. ఈ సంస్థ స్థాపనకు పర్యావరణ అనుమతి కూడా లభించిందని వివరించాయి. దశలవారీగా ఇది పెట్టుబడిని 25 కోట్ల డాలర్లకు పెంచుతుందని తెలిపాయి.

Courtesy: ఈనాడు

Ugadi Telugu Creative Writing Contest

Ahead of Sarvajit Nama Ugadi (March 20, 2007), Vanguri Foundation of America, Inc has announced the 12th Telugu Creative Writing Contest open for all writers of North America and also for all Telugu writers present globally.

The contest, conducted for the past eleven years, is intended to encourage and inspire all Telugu writers to continue their creative writing. A panel of qualified Telugu Literary persons of North America and India will judge the winning entries.

The Contest categories include (1) Short Story (2) Kavitha and (3) Essay (4) Novel

Two prizes ($116 and $58) will be awarded in each of the Short Story, Poetry and Essay categories.

One prize in the novel category will be awarded with Cash Award of $250. The prize money for VFA may increase the prize money for deserving entries. All winners will receive a Certificate of Excellence.

The winning and other selected entries will be published by Vanguri Foundation of America, Inc. in accordance with its publication schedules.

Contest rules are as follows:

1. Submissions to Short Story and Essay categories must be less than 15 hand written pages and 5 pages for Poetry.

Participants are encouraged to explore themes that are related to the various phases of the lives of Telugu Americans, such as professional careers, future expectations or plain utopian dreams and the impact of globalization on the lives of Telugu people.

2. Only original, unpublished works will be accepted. The authors must send their real name, address, phone number and e-mail even though pen name can be used for the purpose of publication.

3. Last date to receive entries is March 20, 2007 (Sarvajit Nama Samvatsara Ugadi Day). Articles can be sent to the following addresses:

By Postal mail:

Vanguri Foundation of America, Inc.
P.O. Box 1948
Stafford, Texas 77497

By E-mail with PDF attachments:

rvanguri@wt. net
phspvr@physics. emory.edu

4. The results of the Contest will be announced on or before June 1, 2007

For more information, please contact

Pemmaraju Venugopala Rao (404) 727 4297 (W)
e-mail: phspvr@physics. emory.edu

Vanguri Chitten Raju (832) 594 9054 (C), (281) 277 0445 (W)
e-mail: rvanguri@wt. net

Courtesy: AndhraCafe

Literary fete to relive glory of Telugu

Three-day `Sri Krishnadevaraya Mahotsavam' from February 9

• Bronze statue of he emperor to be installed
• Literary festival to be held at Srikakulam

HYDERABAD: Circa 1518, February 10: Vijayanagara emperor Sri Krishnadevaraya, who patronised Telugu, was blessed by Lord Vishnu who appeared in his dream as he lay asleep under an ancient `mandap' in a place called Srikakulam, some 90 km away from Vijayawada, in Krishna district. That night, He told Krishnadevaraya to author a literary work in Telugu. Thus took shape his magnum opus అముక్త మల్యద(Amukta Malyada), one of his five literary works.

Avanigadda MLA and president of Divi Aithihaasika Parisodhana Mandali Mandali Buddha Prasad and Rallabandi Kavitha Prasad, Director, Department of Culture, on Saturday, announced that a three-day festival at Srikakulam- శ్రీ కృష్ణదేవరాయ మహోత్సవం (Sri Krishnadevaraya Mahotsavam)- will be held on February 9, 10 and 11, in a bid to relive those historic moments.

At a press conference here, Dr. Kavitha Prasad said the department would spend about Rs. 5 lakhs on the festival, with Mr. Buddha Prasad and others chipping in with their contribution. Raja Achyuthadevaraya, a direct descendant of Sri Krishnadevaraya, would be present as a special invitee at the inaugural on February 9.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Yahoo! Telugu portal launched

http://in.telugu.yahoo.com/


click on image

German learns Telugu in 15 days

At a time when patronisation of Telugu is losing its charm and importance among the youth, a German national comes all the way to Andhra to learn the language! And he does it with aplomb in 15 days flat despite hailing from a distant land. Language is the key to understanding native culture and traditions, says Frank Noiburt as he reveals his passion for Telugu to M.L.Melly Maitreyi

`Namaskaramandi'- is how the voice greets you over the phone. Nothing strange in that Telugu customary greeting, which sounds quite normal in accent and diction. Yet, the minute the speaker introduces himself as Frank Noiburt, eyebrows do go up.

Noiburt is a German who has learnt to read, write and speak Telugu in just 15 days at the International Telugu Centre of the Potti Sriramulu Telugu University and qualified in the examination held on the last day of the course. He impressed his teachers not only with his written answers and his spoken skills, but also with an essay he had written on `Sankranti'.

A research fellow of Religious Studies and Indian History at the University of Heidelderg, Noiburt came to India for inputs on culture and traditions of Telugu people as part of his research project, which would take another two years to be completed. How could he pick up the language so fast? " I learnt the basics of Telugu from a friend, a German again, who studied Indology. That helped me in picking up the language fast. I enjoyed the experience," he told The Hindu .

Courtesy: The Hindu