Tech workers from India celebrate their culture and Telugu language

Article in The Sacramento Bee

Ranbaxy and the Telugu connection

Stock market pundits may be unsure of why Ranbaxy Labs has moved to buy a sizeable stake in Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals, but folks down South are not surprised. They term it the Malvinder-Garu magic. 

Ranbaxy has shown an uncanny ability to acquire stakes in companies promoted by Telugu entrepreneurs, sometimes in the backyard of its chief rival Dr Reddy’s Labs. 

In 2006, Ranbaxy bought 45% stake in biopharma firm Zenotech Labs, a Hyderabad-based firm promoted by Jayaram Chigurupati, a respected Telugu scientist who once worked at Dr Reddy’s. Later, Ranbaxy bought a 14.9% stake in another Hyderabad-based company, Krebs Biochemicals, in which the promoter of Dr Reddy’s, Anji Reddy, had a 5.1% stake. 

The country’s largest drug maker also bought a minority stake in Jupiter Bioscience, founded by late KS Sarma and now run by his son, Venkat Ramana Kalavakolanu. Orchid’s Kailasam Raghavendra Rao is the latest in the illustrious line of Telugu entrepreneurs facing Ranbaxy’s acquisitive attitude. 

The only difference this time is that Ranbaxy group had been buying up shares in the open market, while the earlier ones were all negotiated deals. While the twists in the Orchid sage have been worthy of the climax of any Telugu movie, one hopes Ranbaxy’s Telugu fetish will again have a happy ending, just like in Tollywood. 

Courtesy: Economic Times

NTR literary award for Somasundaram

TIRUPATI: Noted writer Avanthsa Somasundaram has been selected for the prestigious NTR Jathiya Sahitya Puraskaram (NTR National Literary Award) for the year 2008-09.

Announcing this here on Saturday, NTR Vignana Trust chairperson Lakshmi Parvathi said the octogenarian was selected for the award in recognition to his immense contribution to Telugu literature. Somasundaram, who started writing at the tender age of 10, has 78 literary works to his credit so far.

The award will be presented at a function to be held at Ravindra Bharathi in Hyderabad on May 28. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, a certificate and a citation. Somasundaram was selected for the award by the selection committee comprising Potturu Venkateswara Rao, Siva Reddy, Rachapalem Chandrasekhar, Mukthevi Bharati and Akkiraju Ramapathi Rao.

Noted Kannada writer SL Bairappa of Karnataka was the first recipient of the award instituted by NTR Vignana Trust last year. Trust executive director KV Ramanachary, members Potturu Venkateswara Rao, Mrunalini and Jwalamukhi were present.

Courtesy: NewIndpress

Telugu Bharati Puraskaram for ex-VC

The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 2.5 lakh Governor to present the award on April 20

The award is instituted by C.P.Brown Academy

HYDERABAD: Veteran linguist and former Vice-Chancellor, University of Hyderabad, Bhadriraju Krishnamurti, has been selected for the award of the first ever Telugu Bharathi Puraskaram instituted by C. P. Brown Academy, Hyderabad, for the year 2008.

The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 2.5 lakh and a gold medal and it will be presented by Governor Narayan Datt Tiwari at a function to be held on April 20.

The awardee is selected by a jury of literary luminaries aided by nominations received from a representative cross section of Telugu writers, editors, critics, academicians and scholars for the purpose.

Unanimous selection

According to P. Dinakara Rao, convener, and M. Hanumantha Rao, chief consultant of C.P.Brown Academy, the jury has unanimously selected Prof. Krishnamurti for the award.

They said C. P. Brown Academy was established in 2007 by the Alpha Foundation to promote resurgence of Telugu language and culture through various activities such as publication of Telugu self-learning texts and other books and magazines, and institution of awards in recognition of excellent work in various Telugu literary forms and researches.

Prof. Krishnamurti is an internationally acknowledged authority on linguistics.

He worked in Andhra University, Sri Venkateshwara University and Osmania University before being appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of Hyderabad Central University.

He was a visiting Professor to University of Michigan, Cornell University, Australian National University, Tokyo University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Illinois apart from heading various linguistic bodies in the country.

Prof. Krishnamurti has 25 books and over 120 research papers to his credit, both in English and Telugu.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Bay Area Telugus celebrate Ugadi

FREMONT: On the occasion of beginning of Telugu New Year సర్వధారి నామ సంవత్సరం (sarvadhari naama samvatsaram), Bay Area Telugu Association (BATA) and BharatFamily.com presented a day-long Telugu Mela on April 5 at Hindu Temple, Sunnyvale. Highlights of the day-long event 'Mela' included "Youth Talent Show" during the day and a spectacular cultural event in the evening.

The dances, songs, and music presented during both the Youth Talent Show and in the evening cultural program were a feast to the audience as all of the performances were well presented and fascinating. The Youth Talent show has been providing a platform for youth to showcase their talents in music, dance, singing, and other fields. This year's talent show had more than 70 entries in various categories with over 150 children participating in sub-junior, junior and senior categories. The show was anchored by youth introducing the performers and items in Telugu.

The Youth Talent show was very efficiently and professionally organized and conducted by Srilu Veligeti, Vijaya Aasuri, Preethi, and Aparna Pasumarthy.The hall was well decorated and adorned with traditional Telugu toranalu, mango leaves leaving the audience with a distinct impression of celebrating Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh. BATA advisory board member and Cultural Chair Mrs. Vijaya Aasuri started the evening program and announced the program was developed to showcase and celebrate Telugu culture while entertaining the audience.

At the beginning of the evening's cultural program, Vijaya Aasuri introduced the American Telugu Association (ATA) representatives (Chandra Reddy Gavva, Mohan Mallam, Hanimireddy Lakireddy, Rajendar Reddy Jinna, and Buchanna Gajula) who attended the event. Speaking at this occasion, representatives of ATA wished the audience a happy Ugadi. Dr. Hanimireddy Lakireddy served as the Chief Guest of the event.

Dr. Lakireddy applauded the fully packed attendees in embracing and promoting the Telugu culture and traditions with lot of enthusiasm. The main cultural event in the evening started with a Prayer song directed by Jayashree Varadarajan. Then a dance "okapari okapari" by anjali and Ramya reminded the beauty of classical art.

Then the dance for "sita rama kalyanam" by 40 kids showcased the insights of lord Sita Rama wedding. Coordinating 40 young kids in a single dance was a challenging task, but the directors Vijaya Aasuri and Srilu Veligeti prepared the kids so nicely that the kids performed to the script excellently. Following by this was another classical dance "Ksheeradhi Kanyakau" by Anjali and Ramya enlighten the audience with classical form of art.

The mini skit show "Ugadi special" by Sirisha, Chakrapani, Prasad, and Kamesh brought the audience to the lighter side of the life with laughter and comedy. This was directed by Brahmanandam Gorthi. The finale was set to some fast foot tapping hits from recent movies. Several vendors such as tax consultants, Telugu TV channels, boutiques, mehendi, jewelry, fashion dressings, financial services, real estate, food stalls, etc. were setup at the Mela. Part of the talent show, BATA in association with AAA Gems and Beads organized an Art Camp and Painting Competitions headed by Arvind Kotha (a Guinness book record holder).

There were over 100 kids participated in this art camp and the winners were awarded with the recognition trophies.The following businesses sponsored the event: Grand Sponsor: BharatFamily.com; Event Promoted by: Ravi Tax Services & Raji Insurance; Platinum Sponsors: Namasta Plaza, Channel Real Estate & Mortgage; Gold Sponsors: Shree Travels, IndoGain, Peacock Indian Cuisine.

Courtesy: IndiaPost

సర్వధారి నామ సంవత్సర ఉగాది శుభాకాంక్షలు

'వెన్నెల్లో హరివిల్లు' - కాలిఫోర్నియా కథకుల గుండె చప్పుడు

'వెన్నెల్లో హరివిల్లు', a book by శ్రీ బ్రహ్మానందం గోర్తి గారు was released at the 3rd తెలుగు సాహితి సదస్సు organized by కాలిఫోర్నియా తెలుగు సమితి at the India Community Center, Milpitas, California in March 2008

Unique Kuchipudi spectacle to be staged in America

Hyderabad, April 01: KUCHIPUDI is now going global. In an unprecedented way, about 2,500 Kuchipudi dancers, gurus from across the world, are going to grace a three-day International Kuchipudi Dance Convention.

This was disclosed by Kuchibotla Anand of SiliconAndhra in a press meet organised at Ravindra Bharathi in the city that was attended by Department of Culture director Rallabandi Kavitha Prasad, Vempati Chinna Satyam’s son Vempati Venkat and Kuchipudi dancers and gurus Sobha Naidu, Alekhya, Usha Gayathri, Ramadevi, Kothapalli Padma, KV Satyanarayana and Jonnalagadda Anuradha.

SiliconAndhra, a US-based organisation promoting Telugu culture among Telugu-speaking people of the United States, is organising the event in association with Department of Culture, Government of Andhra Pradesh, and Potti Sriramulu Telugu University at Flint Center, Cupertino City, California from June 20 to June 22.

“Cupertino City Mayor Dolly Sandoval told us that she would grace the occasion in a traditional sari while many senators, congress members will participate in Kuchipudi Sobhayatra (parade) on the streets of the city which will be monitored by the US civilian police,” said Kuchibhotla Anand of SiliconAndhra.

Choreographed by Kuchipudi exponent Vempati Chinasatyam, the convention will have 500 Kuchipudi dancers dancing on stage simultaneously in a tribute to Kuchipudi Kalamathalli. This unique feat will be supervised by officials of the Guinness Book of World Records.

Jonnalagadda Anuradha from Department of Dance, University of Hyderabad, is coming up with a book Srujana Ranjani Natya Manjari detailing the history, greatness, critical issues and future of Kuchipudi.

Dancers and dance gurus spanning five generations, including Vempati Chinna Satyam and Yamini Krishnamurthy, will be seen together on a single platform on the occasion.

To be organised every two years, the next convention will be held in Hyderabad in 2010.

Explaining the importance of the convention, Kavitha Prasad said, “The convention aims at promoting the dance at the international level, giving global exposure to Kuchipudi gurus and providing inspiration to the local Americans learning the dance form.”

The convention will witness lecture demonstrations, panel discussions, historic exhibits and workshops.

Courtesy: Siasat