Bucket List For 2015: Hyderabad Among World's Must-See Places, National Geographic Traveler

 National Geographic Traveler

 

In the news:

Hyderabad is the second best place in the world that one should see in 2015, according to an international travel publication.

The Presidio of San Francisco in the US ranked first on the "Best of the World - 20 Places You Should See in 2015" list, published in the annual guide of 'Traveler' magazine of National Geographic.

In the December 2014-January 2015 issue, periodical ranked India's Hyderabad at second position on the list, which included cities Zermatt in Switzerland, National Mall in Washington D.C, Corsica, Choquequirao in Peru, Sark in Channel Islands, Koyasan in Japan, Oklahoma City, and Maramures in Romania.

“Stories of Hyderabad’s poetic past weave amid strings of programming code in this South Eastern India city that was home to one of the richest men in the world, Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last ruling nizam of Hyderabad,” the periodical said.

It goes on to talk about how Hyderabad has now become a seedbed for many global IT brands, the opulent Taj Falaknuma Palace, Irani cafes, fifth generation pearl merchants and other attractions. Continue reading: Hyderabad 2nd best place in world one should see in 2015: Magazine  [daijiworld.com]¸

See also on the same series of National Geographic: I Heart My City: Sharada’s Hyderabad

Hyderabad special: Osmania biscuits after Biryani, haleem

November 21,2014, 01.24 PM  IST | | THE HANS INDIA

 Extract:

The biscuit is made of maida mixed with sugar, salt, milk powder, ghee, baking powder, and other ingredients.

 

"We don't compromise on quality and supply the biscuits hot and fresh," Obaid Bin Aboos of Nimrah Bakery and Cafe told IANS, adding that he had maintained the same quality and taste for 23 years.

 

Traders also buy Osmania from Nimrah for their business in various parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

By Mohammed Shafeeq --

(Mohammed Shafeeq can be contacted at m.shafeeq@ians.in)

Continue reading full text [same article with different titles : Hyderabad special: Osmania biscuits after Biryani, haleem; Osmania biscuits: Cookies with a unique taste; Meet Hyderabad's Most Popular Cookies; Osmania biscuits: Cookies with a unique taste (Foodie Trail-Hyderabad)] here, here or here: article

Hyderabadi Website of the month: How Well Do You Know Hyderabad? by Quizified India

About the Website :  Quizified India

1. Ease of access  

·         Pros:  Quick load of graphics

·         Cons: None.

2. Content 

·                Pros:  Detailed

·         Cons: None.

3. Currency

·         Pros:  None

·         Cons: All sections/pages need a date (last updated)

4. Design  

·               Pros:  Excellent

·               Cons: None.

5. Navigation 

·              Pros:  Easy

·        Cons: None

6. Miscellaneous

·             Age/Grade Appropriateness: Excellent. Curriculum Connection: Excellent;
 
7. Overview : 4 star- The website is user-friendly.

How Well Do You Know Hyderabad?

The Nizam's built this city with great passion and pride. How well do you know the Cyber City?

START QUIZ, Click at Start (The replies are displayed in the result page, in the end. Scroll to bottom and see.)

Google, Amazon, HSBC To Go Ahead With Expansion Plans In Hyderabad, Deccan Herald

HYDERABAD: Internet services company Google, global e-commerce major Amazon, global banking giant HSBC and others have decided to go ahead their expansion plans, which were stuck due to political uncertainty and issues relating to land allotment in Hyderabad.

With the formation of Telangana state ending the political uncertainty and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government keen to create investment-friendly atmosphere, the big firms have started working out their plans.

Information Technology Minister K. Tarakarama Rao Tuesday said the problems relating to allotment of land for Google would be sorted out soon. continue reading

Hyderabadi Website of the month: Osmania University Center For International Programs (OUCIP), Hyderabad

OUCIP: Conceived primarily as the international face of Osmania University, OUCIP came into existence in September 2006 after the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, handed over the management and administration of the American Studies Research Center (ASRC) to Osmania University. It is housed in the building complex of the ASRC and has inherited its academic and infrastructural strengths. However, OUCIP has broadened its scope and added new fields of study from humanities and social studies to American Studies." ACAS: "A UGC-funded research centre, ACAS promotes quality research in the field of American Studies. Established during XI Plan Period by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India at Osmania University Centre for International Programmes (OUCIP), ACAS promotes inter/multi disciplinary research in the broad field of American Studies." (Source)

1. Ease of access

• Pros:  Quick load of graphics
• Cons: Library page is not loading.

2. Content

• Pros:  Detailed
• Cons: Needs a better site navigation; Hacked label/tag to be removed.

3. Currency

• Pros:  None
• Cons: All sections/pages need a date (to show last updated)

4. Design 

• Pros:  Over all OK
• Cons: None.

5. Navigation

• Pros:  Easy
• Cons: None

6. Miscellaneous

• Seo Perfomance:

• Google Pagerank 4/10
• Alexa #4,529,128

7. Overview : 3 star- The website is okay. Needs some major changes.


Media coverage + On the same shelf:

•  Website of the month: U.S. Consulate General Hyderabad, India
•  American Library Re-opens as 'American Corner' in Hyderabad
•  Americana : A Gateway

• OUCIP | Facebook

   

Hyderabadi Website of the month: U.S. Consulate General Hyderabad, India

http://hyderabad.usconsulate.gov/

1. Ease of access

• Pros: Quick load of graphics
• Cons: None.

2. Content

• Pros: Accurate. Sufficiently covered
• Cons: Needs a better site navigation

3. Currency

• Pros: News section is fairly recent
• Cons: All sections/pages need a date (to show last updated)

4. Design 

• Pros: Over all OK
• Cons: Needs reducing clutter like look-and-feel

5. Navigation

• Pros: Overall easy
• Cons: Confuses the first time visitor

6. Miscellaneous

• Seo Perfomance:

  • Alexa Rank: #20415
  • Google Page Rank: 6 (source)

7. Overview : 3 star- The website is okay. Needs some major changes.

8. User comments at Facebook:

(FB comment officially last updated : July 7, 2010

• Bhaskar Teegela, Priya Dharmavarapu, Rampras Vm and 2 others like this.
• 

  Kris Kishan Top Ten Web Picks : One of the best and must must visit

  July 7, 2010 at 5:41am
• 

  Rampras Vm yes!! have been observing for past a week!! Just one small mis-link., the 'back' is not working when we check the 221g status.,
  except that its wonderful!!
  it leads to page cannot be displayed:...See More

  July 7, 2010 at 6:25am
• 

  Bhaskar Teegela Having its location in Hyderbad, among the Telugu community, may be the website can contain details on Telugu emigration - like in form of an article or something to give where Telugus migrate, statistics etc.

  July 7, 2010 at 7:42am
• 

  Kaali Sudheer it can be improved .... photos size is too large and irrelevant to Hyderabad and it should be more city specific ...foot ball and American Entertainment are non issues on the website...

  July 7, 2010 at 9:45am
• 

  Magbool Shareef In Visas to the U.S. > Apply for a Visa , if we click on Photograph (in line 1) or passport size photograph in the checklist it is redirecting to the travel.state website where the page is moved to other location. Kindly fix it.
  
  Also in the checklist it is mentioned as "passport size photograph". In India passport size means 35mm X 45mm where US specification is 50mm X 50mm. It is contradictory

  July 8, 2010 at 3:46am

Media coverage + On the same shelf:

• ‘Be frank with Consular Officer’  
• From my archives: 
• Reviewing website: Best Practices  
• American Library Re-opens as 'American Corner' in Hyderabad

Branding a Commodity: Pista House's 'Hyderabadi Haleem'

Info courtesy: Mohammed Ayub Ali Khan
See also:

Branding a Commodity: Pista House's 'Hyderabadi Haleem' -- IBSCDC Case Studies, 2009

Abstract:
Every Muslim welcomes the month of Ramzan, but a Hyderabadi Muslim has something more to rejoice for - the Hyderabadi Haleem, a delicacy, which is available only during that month. It is a tradition to break the daily fast (roza) at Iftar with a plateful of Haleem. The making of the dish, which originated in Saudi Arabia, is mastered to an art form in Hyderabad. However, today, the dish is recognised all over the world by the name - Pista House Haleem. By 2009, Pista House - established as a bakery in 1997 - went on to become an organisation that exports its Haleem to all the major countries across the world. It turned a generic commodity - Haleem - into a unique global brand acquiring a cult like status - 'Pista House Haleem'. However, Pista House Haleem is offered only in the month of Ramzan. Considering the cyclical demand for the product, the way PH scales up its operations and manages quality along with its 'concentrated advantage' is very intriguing and worth emulating. The case deals with the economics of the demand for a cyclical product, management of scaled up operations, branding a commodity and taking such branded commodity global. This case can be used to understand and analyse: (1) the nature of demand for 'Hyderabadi Haleem'; (2) the maintenance of quality in a scaled up operation; (3) the building of a brand around a commodity; and (4) the best approach for the Pista House brand to go global.

YSR Congress leader, Y S Sharmila complaints search engines, including Safari of Apple and Google over `rumours' on personal life

Two arrested for posting pictures, abusive messages PTI

 Two persons were arrested today for allegedly posting objectionable pictures, abusive messages and comments on the websites of YSR Congress leader Sharmila and Telugu movie actor Prabhas, police said.

Sreepathi Naresh, a web designer and Jannapu Reddy Kartheek, a private sector employee, were arrested by Cyber Crime Police from here and efforts were on to nab other accused, Cyber Crimes Police Inspector P Raju said.

• Sharmila Files Complaint Against Google, Safari The New Indian Express -- image courtesy: The New Indian Express

HYDERABAD: A day after the Central Crime Station police arrested two youths for posting ‘morphed obscene pictures’ of YSRCP leader Y S Sharmila and Tollywood actor Prabhas suggesting that the duo were having an affair, she lodged a complaint with Hyderabad police commissioner M Mahender Reddy on Saturday, seeking immediate action against the mischief-makers who posted obscene photos.

A five-page complaint signed by Sharmila was submitted to the police commissioner by YSRCP leaders Y V Subba Reddy and Somayajulu.

• Jagan sister flays search engines over `rumours’, files plaint http://freepressjournal.in/
• CURB SMEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST SHARMILA, YSRCP TELLS COPS sakshipost.com
• Two cases, two victims: Y S Sharmila files police complaint over `online rumours' on personal life 'South Bytes: Jaganmohan Reddy’s sister flays search engines over `rumours' on personal life, files complaint' deccanchronicle.com
• I never met Sharmila: Prabhas, Times of India
• Prabhas Reacts Strongly to Rumours about Sharmila, International Business Times, India Edition

24 students from Hyderabad feared drowned in Himachal

24 city students feared washed away in HP 

KANWAR YOGENDRA, thehindu.com

* * * 26 B.Tech students from Hyderabad missing in Himachal as power ... Indian Express

Students of Vigyan Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Bachuapalli, located around 20 km from Hyderabad, the 26 had started from Shimla Sunday morning for Kullu-Manali.

* * * More @ Google news * * * HIMACHAL FLASH FLOOD Prayaag Akbar Flash floods are inherent in design of plant that caused Himachal tragedy The deaths of several Hyderabad students in Himachal Pradesh underscore how strong warning systems are essential, now that ROR projects are becoming more common. Continue reading Prayaag Akbar

Welcome to Telangana State, the 29th State of India

 'Jaya Jayahe Telangana' Song written by lyricist Ande Sri - chosen as the Telangana state song was played across Hyderabad during midnight as the people welcomed the new state.

Telangana Timeline: A bird's eye-view into the formation of India's 29th state + + KCR to get royal entry at office in Telangana Secretariat @ deccanchronicle.com

Telangana State comes into existence, Siasat.com

Image courtesy: Majlis Bachao Tehreek 

Arts College, Osmania University,Hyderabad:
(image courtesy: Prof. Subbarayudu G Kameswara)

Image courtesy: Telangana set for a memorable birthday - The Hindu

On the same shelf:

• Salaam Telangana: Hopes soar in Telangana as India sees birth of its 29th state
• Telangana set for a memorable birthday
• GHMC lights up city roads

• Images: Hyderabad celebrates birth of Telangana

• City painted pink with TRS flags for KCR’S Coronation,  Siasat

• A First Step in Rebuilding Telangana http://missiontelangana.com

• TRYST WITH TELANGANA dailypioneer.com
  
  
• A view of the illuminated gate of the public garden near the Assembly on the eve of the Telangana formation day. ---PTI 

Communal clashes in Kishanbagh, Hyderabad: Demand by Interfaith Forum for Judicial Enquiry : COVA

Condemnation of Communal Violence in Sikh Chawni: Demand by Interfaith Forum for Judicial Enquiry : COVA

The members of Interfaith Forum strongly condemn the incidence of violence in Kishan Bagh between the Sikh and the Muslim communities in the morning of 14th May 2014.
It is very unfortunate that some vested interests seemed to have succeeded in their aim to bring Muslims and Sikhs at loggerheads by damaging Sikh religious flag at Sikh Chowni, Kishan Bagh, Hyderabad in the intervening night of 13-14 May 2014. In retaliation, it is reported that innocent passerby was lethally attacked in morning hours of 14th May 2014. continue reading indtoday.com

Interfaith Forum Members:

Nanak Singh Nishter, Director, International Sikh Centrefor Interfaith Relations; and President, COVA. Hyderabad

Jain Ratan Surender Luniya, President, Jain Teerth Kulpak, Sultan Bazar, Hyderabad.

Rev. Fr. Anthoniraj Thumma, Executive Secretary, ANDHRA PRADESH BISHOPS’ COUNCIL, Hyderabad.

Mazher Hussain, Executive Director, COVA 

Mr. M. Veda Kumar, President,Forum For Better Hyderabad

Muneeruddin Mujahid, President, Tehreek Khair e Ummah

Omim Debara, Social Activist.

Khalid Rasool Khan, President, All IndiaMuslim Sangham, Hyderabad.

Bro. Varghese Theckanath s.g. Director, Montfort Social Institute (MSI), Hyderabad.

  

Ven.K. Sangha Rakshita Mahathera, Chairman & Chief Abbot. Ananda Budha Vihar Trust, Mahindra Hills,Secunderabad.26

Mohammed Turab, Convener, Interfaith Forum

Shaik Prof. Anwar Khan, Retd. Principal, Anwar-Ul-Uloom College, Hyderabad                                                                         

Moulana Hamid Shuttari, President, Sunni Millat Board 

Mohd Afzal Ali, General Secretary,State Minority Cell, EDP

 

On the same shelf:

• Hyderabad clashes, Times of India
• Communal clashes in Kishanbagh; 3 killed in police firing, The Hindu

I am NIRBHAYA, ... An Assurance by Cyberabad police

CYBERABAD POLICE : IT CORRIDOR POLICING ...WOMEN SECURITY.

I am NIRBHAYA, I am with you... Cyberabad Police Assurance to women employees ....and creating awareness to citizens of cyberabad in terms of safety and security... the precautions need to be taken...... 

Bottomline: My job is to protect friends like you who are in dangerous ... Nervous situations... Name  pl: My name  is Nirbhaya...

Find more at : Cyberabad Metropolitan Police

In the news:

23-year Delhi rape victim dies in Singapore: Media Monitoring

Testing time for police The Hindu

With two Governments operating from the city maintaining law and order will be a challenging task

Having two separate police Commissionerates is not the only distinction the over four-centuries-old Hyderabad has. From June 2, it is going to be the common capital for 10 years for the two States of Telangana and residuary Andhra Pradesh.

With two Chief Ministers, along with their respective Council of Ministers, and two Governments operating within a few kilometres of radius, protection of VVIPs surely would be a challenge. In this VVIP-centric policing, it is a moot point to wonder what’s in store for the common man in terms of safety, security and smoother journey on road points of view.continue reading The Hindu

A movie on lying - Islam.....mei jhoot bolna

Jai Hind coined by a Hyderabadi, THEHANSINDIA

Former chief secretary, Narendra Luther, in his book ‘Lengendotes of Hyderabad’, claims that it was not Subash Chandra Bose but his secretary, Zainul Abideen Hasan, son of a collector from the city, who coined the term, ‘Jai Hind’   continue reading  THEHANSINDIA

On the same shelf:

• Who coined ‘Jai Hind’? 
  The author Narendra Luther presents a number of interesting articles on Hyderabad in his book “Legendotes of Hyderabad.”Photo: K. Ramesh Babu.

Hasan became a major in the INA and participated in the march from Burma (now Myanmar) across the Indian frontier. The army reached Imphal. It was severely handicapped in supplies and armaments and so had to retreat, the author says.

• Bose secretary coined Jai Hind, says book:

“Bose wanted to introduce an Indian form of greeting for his army, and for independent India. Various suggestions came. Hasan suggested ‘Hello’. Netaji snubbed him. Then he suggested ‘Jai Hind’. Netaji liked it and it became the official form of greeting in INA and the revolutionary Indians. Later it was adopted as the official slogan of the country,” he says. The book mentions about 70 legends, anecdotes and personal accounts beginning from the beautiful rocks of the Deccan plateau to Bhagamati, to the developments during the era of Nizams and beyond. continue reading: Oman Tribune

Save Hyderabad from unscrupulous writers distorting history - Sign the petition please

Petition created by Created by Bakhtyar K. Malaysia

Why this is important
We have to tell the younger generation what the true History of Hyderabad is and what the Qutub Shahi and Asaf Jahi dynasties did to make it the RICHEST and most powerful Princely State in British India.The help rendered by His Exalted Highness Nawab Sir OSMAN ALI KHAN, Asaf Jah VII to the British Empire in the two world wars in 1914 and 1939.The TEHZEEB( Etiquette) and SECULARITY as practised in those days and the separation of the Executive from the Judiciary as early as 1921 and the PROHIBITION of forced labour in 1922 much before these were enacted in British India.The hundereds of buildings are to be preserved for posterity.

Let HYDERABADIS ALL AROUND the world rise together and put a permanent end to writers who are spinning tales and minting money with wrong projections of the city being named after a woman who never actually existed. Captain Bakhtyar S Kaoosji Malaysia.

To sign the Petitionclick here

Telangana Bill passed in Lok Sabha by voice vote, Doordarshan

Updated Feb 20, 2014:
The passage of Telangana Bill in Rajya Sabha on Thursday marks the realisation of a demand which cropped up almost 60 years ago and saw a journey punctuated by violent agitations and stiff resistance from certain quarters.(image courtesy: PTI Graphics )

Hyderabad: With the Lok Sabha passing the bill for bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, decks have been cleared for formation of Telangana as 29th state in India.

Image courtesy: Siasat.com

In an unprecedented move, live telecast of Parliament proceedings was stopped as the Lok Sabha passed the controversial bill that seeks to create a Telangana state by dividing Andhra Pradesh.
Amidst din, chaos and an unprecedented black out of proceedings on live televison, the bill to split Andhra Pradesh and carve out Telangana, the 29th state of the country, was today passed by the Lok Sabha with Congress and BJP coming togtether on the issue.
The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, 2014 was adopted by a voice after Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj voiced support to it in a debate in which other opposition leaders claimed they had no say. continue reading

On the same shelf:

Major developments in history of Telangana, Gulf News

The burial of linguistic states by M. J. Akbar

First ever Google doodles tribute to a Hyderabadi: Nightingale of India, Sarojini Devi Naidu's 135th birth anniversary

Memories of the great leader, Sarojini Naidu
proud to be INDIAN

Mohammed Ayub Ali Khan @ Facebook:.

"I feel excited that Google is celebrating our own Hyderabadi, Nightingale of India, Sarojini Devi Naidu's 135th birth anniversary. I am still on the lookout for her poem 'The Pathan' which she wrote at the death of Bahadur Yar Jung. Maybe one day I will find it."

NDTV: "The Nightingale of India Sarojini Naidu is the subject of Tuesday's doodle on the Google India homepage.
Sarojini Naidu was born as Sarojini Chattopadhyaya in Hyderabad in 1879, the eldest of eight siblings, and was considered a child prodigy. Her parents were luminaries in their own fields, with her father a respected doctor who founded the Hyderabad College (later named Nizam's College), and her mother an acclaimed Bengali poet. Sarojini Naidu passed her Matriculation examination from the University of Madras, and went on to complete her education in England, first at King's College London and later at Girton College, Cambridge.
Apart from her contributions to the Indian independence and suffragette movement, Naidu was also famous for her literary career. She began writing at the age of 13, and her first collection of poems, The Golden Threshold, was published in 1905.
The Google doodle marking Sarojini Naidu's birth anniversary is a simple image (seen above) featuring a portrait of Naidu in place of the second 'o' of the Google logo, and a symbolic blue umbrella in place of the 'l'. The image features mouse-over text, which says 'Sarojini Naidu's 135 birthday'." source: NDTV 

On the same  shelf:

• India Doodles @ Google