Kisan Baburao Hazare About this sound pronunciation (help·info) (Marathi: किसन बापट बाबुराव हजारे, Kisan Bāpat Bāburāv Hajārē ?) (born 15 June 1937), popularly known as Anna Hazare About this sound pronunciation (help·info) (Marathi: अण्णा हजारे, Aṇṇā Hajārē ?) is an Indian social activist and a prominent leader in the 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement, using nonviolent methods following the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.[1][2][3] Hazare also contributed to the development and structuring of Ralegan Siddhi, a village in Parner taluka of Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, India. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan—the third-highest civilian award—by the Government of India in 1992 for his efforts in establishing this village as a model for others.[4]
Anna Hazare started an indefinite hunger strike on 5 April 2011 to exert pressure on the Indian government to enact a stringent anti-corruption law as envisaged in the Jan Lokpal Bill, for the institution of an ombudsman with the power to deal with corruption in public places. The fast led to nation-wide protests in support of Hazare. The fast ended on 9 April 2011, a day after the government accepted Hazare's demands. The government issued a gazette notification on the formation of a joint committee, consisting of government and civil society representatives, to draft the legislation.[5][6]
For the year 2011 Foreign Policy magazine has named him among top 100 global thinkers.[7] Anna has been ranked as the most influential person in Mumbai by a national daily newspaper.[8] He has faced criticism for his authoritarian views on justice, including death as punishment for corrupt public officials and his alleged support for forced vasectomies as a method of family planning.[9][10]
Contents
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1 Early life
2 Military service
3 Transformation of Ralegan Siddhi
3.1 Prohibition of alcohol
3.2 Grain Bank
3.3 Watershed development programme
3.4 Milk production
3.5 Education
3.6 Removal of untouchability
3.7 Collective marriages
3.8 Gram Sabha
4 Activism
4.1 Anti-corruption protests in Maharashtra
4.2 Right to Information movement
4.3 Regulation of Transfers and Prevention of Delay in Discharge of Official Duties Act
4.4 Campaign against liquor from food grains
4.5 Lokpal Bill movement
4.5.1 Hunger strike in Delhi
4.5.2 End of hunger strike after meeting demands
4.5.3 Differences with the government on draft bill
4.5.4 Indefinite fast
4.5.5 Arrest and aftermath
4.5.6 Fast at Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi
4.5.7 I Am Anna Chant
4.5.8 Fast on MMRDA ground
4.6 Electoral reform movement
4.7 Protest against atrocities against Swami Ramdev and his supporters
5 Controversies and criticism
5.1 RSS Agent
5.2 Views on Narendra Modi
5.3 Fraud during fasts
5.4 Accusations of corruption
5.5 Accusation of being anti-democratic and anti-dalit
5.6 Accusation of being nonsecular
5.7 Anna supports violence selectively
6 Conspiracy to murder Hazare
7 Honours, awards and international recognition
8 Personal life
9 Writings
10 References
11 Further reading
12 External links
Early life
Kisan Hazare was born on 15 June 1937[citation needed] (some sources say 1940)[11] in Bhingar, near to Ahmednagar. The eldest son, with two sisters and four brothers, the later adoption of the name Anna reflects the Indian word for "elder brother". His father worked in a pharmacy and struggled to support the family financially. In time, the family moved to their ancestral village of Ralegan Siddhi, where they owned a small amount of agricultural land. A relative took on the burden of providing Kisan with an education, taking him to Mumbai because the village had no primary school. The relative became unable financially to continue the support and Kisan's schooling ended in the Standard Seventh grade; his siblings were not schooled at all.[12] He started selling flowers at the Dadar railway station in Mumbai and was able eventually to own two flower shops in the city.[13] He also became involved in vigilantism, joining groups who acted to prevent the poor from being bullied out of their shelters by thugs in the employ of landlords.[14]
Military service
The Indo-China War of 1962 caused the Indian Army to commence emergency recruitment measures. Hazare was recruited in April 1963, despite not meeting the physical requirements, and was attested as a soldier on 16 November of that year after undertaking training at Aurangabad.[12][15]
During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Hazare was posted at the border in the Khem Karan sector. He was the sole survivor of an enemy attack - variously claimed to have been a bomb, an aerial assault and an exchange of fire at the border - while he was driving a truck.[12][13][16] The experiences of war time, coupled with the poverty from which he had come, affected him. He had considered suicide at one point but now turned to pondering the meaning of life and death.[12] He has said of the truck attack that "[It] sent me thinking. I felt that God wanted me to stay alive for some reason. I was re-born in the battlefield of Khem Karan. And I decided to dedicate my new life to serving people."[13] He spent his spare time reading the works of Swami Vivekananda, Gandhi, and Vinoba Bhave.[17] In a blog post, Hazare expressed his views on Kashmir by saying that it was his "active conviction that Kashmir is an integral part of India" and that if required once again for service, he would remain "ready to take part in war against Pakistan."[18]
During the mid-1970s, Hazare survived a road accident while driving for the army. He interpreted his survival as a further sign that his life was intended to be dedicated to the service of the community.[14] Despite subsequent allegations that he had deserted from the army, official records show that he was honourably discharged in 1975 after completing his 12 years of service.[15]
Transformation of Ralegan Siddhi
Hazare returned to Ralegan Siddhi, a village described by Satpathy and Mehta as being then "one of the many villages of India plagued by acute poverty, deprivation, a fragile ecosystem, neglect and hopelessness."[19]
Although most of the villagers owned some land, cultivation was extremely difficult due to the rocky ground preventing retention of the monsoon rains; this situation had not been assisted by a gradual deterioration as trees were cut down, erosion spread and droughts were also experienced. The shortage of water also led to disease because conditions became unsanitary and water was re-used for multiple purposes. The economy of the village had become reliant on illegal manufacture and sale of alcohol, a product to which many of the villagers had themselves become addicted. Many inhabitants were at the mercy of moneylenders in order to survive, and those lenders would charge monthly interest rates of as much as 10%. Crime and violence (including domestic violence) had become commonplace, while education and employment opportunities were poor.[14][20]
Hazare was relatively wealthy because of the gratuity from his army service. He set about using that money to restore a run-down, vandalised village temple as a focal point for the community. Some were able to respond with small financial donations but many other villagers, particularly among the elderly, donated their labour in a process that became known as shramdaan. Some youths also became involved in the work and these he organised into a Tarun Mandal (Youth Association). One of the works of Vivekananda which he had read was Call to the youth for nation building.[21]
Prohibition of alcohol
Hazare and the youth group decided to take up the issue of alcoholism as a means to drive a process of reform. At a meeting conducted in the temple, the villagers resolved to close down liquor dens and ban alcohol in the village. Since these resolutions were made in the temple, they became, in a sense, religious commitments. Over thirty liquor brewing units were closed by their owners voluntarily. Those who did not succumb to social pressure were forced to close down their businesses when the youth group smashed up their liquor dens. The owners could not complain as their businesses were illegal.[22]
When some villagers were found to be drunk they were tied to pillars and then flogged, sometimes personally by Hazare. He justified this punishment by stating that “rural India was a harsh society”,[23] and that
Doesn’t a mother administer bitter medicines to a sick child when she knows that the medicine can cure her child? The child may not like the medicine, but the mother does it only because she cares for the child. The alcoholics were punished so that their families would not be destroyed.[24]
Hazare appealed to the government of Maharashtra to bring in a law whereby prohibition would come into force in a village if 25% of the women in the village demanded it. In 2009 the state government amended the Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949 to reflect this.[25]
It was decided to ban the sale of tobacco, cigarettes, and beedies (an unfiltered cigarette where the tobacco is rolled in tendu also known as Diospyros melanoxylon leaves instead of paper) in the village. In order to implement this resolution, the youth group performed a unique "Holi" ceremony twenty two years ago.[when?] The festival of Holi is celebrated as a symbolic burning of evil. The youth group brought all the tobacco, cigarettes, and beedies from the shops in the village and burnt them in a Holi fire. Tobacco, cigarettes, or beedies are no longer sold.[26][27]
Grain Bank
In 1980, the Grain Bank was started by him at the temple, with the objective of providing food security to needful farmers during times of drought or crop failure. Rich farmers, or those with surplus grain production, could donate a quintal to the bank. In times of need, farmers could borrow the grain, but they had to return the same amount of grain they borrowed, plus an additional quintal as an interest. This ensured that nobody in the village ever went hungry or had to borrow money to buy grain. This also prevented distress sales of grain at lower prices at harvest time.[12]
Watershed development programme
Ralegan is located in the foothills, so Hazare persuaded villagers to construct a watershed embankment and associated works to stop water and allow it to percolate and increase the ground water level and improve irrigation in the area. These efforts solved the problem of water scarcity in the village and made irrigation possible.[14][17]
Cultivation of water-intensive crops like sugar cane was banned. Crops such as pulses, oil-seeds, and certain cash crops with low water requirements were grown. The farmers started growing high-yield varieties of crop and the cropping pattern of the village was changed. Hazare has helped farmers of more than 70 villages in drought-prone regions in the state of Maharashtra since 1975.[28] When Hazare came in Ralegan Siddhi in 1975 only 70 acres (28 ha) of land was irrigated, Hazare converted it into about 2,500 acres (1,000 ha).[22]
Milk production
As a secondary occupation, milk production was promoted in Ralegan Siddhi. Purchase of new cattle and improvement of the existing breed with the help of artificial insemination and timely guidance and assistance by a veterinarian resulted in an improvement in the cattle stock, increasing production of milk. Crossbred cows are replacing local ones which gave a lower milk yield.[citation needed]
Education
In 1932, Ralegan Siddhi got its first formal school, a single classroom primary school.[clarification needed] In 1962, the villagers added more classrooms through community volunteer efforts. By 1971, out of an estimated population of 1,209, only 30.43% were literate (72 women and 290 men). Boys moved to the nearby towns of Shirur and Parner to pursue higher education, but due to socioeconomic conditions, girls could not do the same and were limited to primary education. Hazare, along with the youth of Ralegan Siddhi, worked to increase literacy rates and education levels. In 1976 they started a pre-school and a high school in 1979. The villagers formed a charitable trust, the Sant Yadavbaba Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, which was registered in 1979.[citation needed]
Removal of untouchability
The social barriers and discrimination that existed due to the caste system in India have been largely eliminated by Ralegan Siddhi villagers. It was Hazare's moral leadership that motivated and inspired the villagers to shun untouchability and caste discrimination. Marriages of Dalits are held as part of community marriage program together with those of other castes. The Dalits have been integrated into the social and economic life of the village. The upper caste villagers have built houses for the lower caste Dalits by shramdaan and helped to repay their loans to free them from their indebtedness.[29][30][31]
Collective marriages
Most rural poor get into a debt trap as they incur heavy expenses at the time of marriage of their daughter or son. It is an undesirable practice but has almost become a social obligation in India. Ralegan's people have started celebrating marriages collectively. Joint feasts are held, where the expenses are further reduced by the Tarun Mandal taking responsibility for cooking and serving the food. The vessels, the loudspeaker system, the mandap, and the decorations have also been bought by the Tarun Mandal members belonging to the oppressed castes. From 1976 to 1986, 424 marriages have been held under this system.[citation needed]
Gram Sabha
The Gandhian philosophy on rural development considers the Gram Sabha as an important democratic institution for collective decision making in the villages of India.[32] Hazare campaigned between 1998 and 2006 for amending the Gram Sabha Act, so that the villagers have a say in the development works in their village. The state government initially refused, but eventually gave in due to public pressure. As per the amendments, it is mandatory to seek the sanction of the Gram Sabha (an assembly of all village adults, and not just the few elected representatives in the gram panchayat) for expenditures on development works in the village.[25]
Activism
Anti-corruption protests in Maharashtra
Anna Hazare listening to the problems of people at Nanded, Maharashtra.
In 1991 Hazare launched the Bhrashtachar Virodhi Jan Aandolan (BVJA) (People's Movement against Corruption), a popular movement to fight against corruption[33] in Ralegaon Siddhi. In the same year he protested against the collusion between 40 forest officials and timber merchants. This protest resulted in the transfer and suspension of these officials.[34]
In May 1997 Hazare protested against alleged malpractices in the purchase of powerlooms by the Vasantrao Naik Bhathya Vimukt Jhtra Governor P. C. Alexander.[35] On 4 November 1997 Gholap filed a defamation suit against Hazare for accusing him of corruption. He was arrested in April 1998 and was released on a personal bond of INR5,000 (US$100).[36] On 9 September 1998 Hazare was imprisoned in the Yerawada Jail to serve a three-month sentence mandated by the Mumbai Metropolitan Court.[16][37] The sentencing caused leaders of all political parties except the BJP and the Shiv Sena came in support of him. [38] Later, due to public protests, the Government of Maharashtra ordered his release from the jail. After release, Hazare wrote a letter to then chief minister Manohar Joshi demanding Gholap's removal for his role in alleged malpractices in the Awami Merchant Bank.[39] Gholap resigned from the cabinet on 27 April 1999.[40]
In 2003 corruption charges were raised by Hazare against four NCP ministers of the Congress-NCP government.[41] He started his fast unto death on 9 August 2003. He ended his fast on 17 August 2003 after then chief minister Sushil Kumar Shinde formed a one-man commission headed by the retired justice P. B. Sawant to probe his charges.[42] The P. B. Sawant commission report, submitted on 23 February 2005, indicted Sureshdada Jain, Nawab Malik, and Padmasinh Patil. The report exonerated Vijaykumar Gavit. Suresh Jain and Nawab Malik resigned from the cabinet in March 2005.[43]
Three trusts headed by Anna Hazare were also indicted in the P. B. Sawant commission report. INR220,000 (US$4,180) spent by the Hind Swaraj Trust for Anna Hazare's birthday celebrations was concluded by the commission as illegal and amounting to a corrupt practice,[44][45] though Abhay Firodia, an industrialist subsequently donated INR248,000 (US$4,710) to the trust for that purpose.[46] The setting apart of 11 acres of its land by the trust in favour of the Zilla Parishad without obtaining permission from the charity commissioner was concluded as a case of maladministration. The commission also concluded that the maintenance of accounts of the Bhrashtachar Virodhi Janandolan Trust after 10 November 2001 had not been according to the rules and INR46,374 (US$880) spent by the Sant Yadavbaba Shikshan Prasarak Mandal Trust for renovating a temple was in contravention to its object of imparting secular education.[44][45]
Right to Information movement
In the early 2000s Hazare led a movement in Maharashtra state which forced the state government to enact a revised Maharashtra Right to Information Act. This Act was later considered as the base document for the Right to Information Act 2005 (RTI), enacted by the Union Government. It also ensured that the President of India assented to this new Act.[47]
On 20 July 2006 the Union Cabinet amended the Right to Information Act 2005 to exclude the file noting by the government officials from its purview. Hazare began his fast unto death on 9 August 2006 in Alandi against the proposed amendment. He ended his fast on 19 August 2006, after the government agreed to change its earlier decision.[48]
Regulation of Transfers and Prevention of Delay in Discharge of Official Duties Act
Before 2006 in the state of Maharashtra, even honest government officers were transferred to other places according to ministers wish. Sometimes within months of being posted to a place, whereas some corrupt and favoured officials were cozy in their postings for many years in some cases even for 10 to 20 years and since there was not any guideline or law many government officials were reluctant to process files that contained important public proposals and decisions. Anna fought hard for a law whereby a government servant must clear a file within a specified time and that transfers must take place only after three years. After many years of relentless efforts of Anna, finally on 25 May 2006 state government of Maharashtra issued a notification announcing that the execution of the special act, The Prevention of Delay in Discharge of Official Duties Act 2006, aimed at curbing the delay by its officers and employees in discharging their duties. This act provides for disciplinary action against officials who move files slowly and enables monitoring officials who stay too long in a post, or in a department, and for involvement in a corrupt nexus. Within this act, it is mandatory for the government to effect transfers of all government officers and employees, except Class IV workers, after the stipulated three years. Act also prevents the government from effecting frequent transfers of officers before the stipulated three-year tenure, except in case of emergency and under exceptional circumstances. Maharashtra is the first state in the country to have introduced such act.[25] However, like others, this law has also not been followed in its true spirit.[49][50]
Campaign against liquor from food grains
Constitution of India Article 47 commits the State to raise the standard of living and improve public health, and prohibit the consumption of intoxicating drinks and drugs injurious to health.[51][52][53]
In 2007 Maharashtra Government rolled out the grain-based liquor policy aimed to encourage production of liquor from food grain in the light of the rising demand for spirit – used for industrial purposes and potable liquor and Issue 36 licenses for distilleries for making alcohol from food grains.[53]
Anna Hazare opposed the governments policy to promote making liquor from food grains in Maharashtra. He argued the government that Maharashtra is a food-deficit State and there was shortage of food grains and it is not logical to promote producing liquor from food grains.[54] One of the State ministers Laxman Dhoble said in his speech that those opposing the decision to allow use of food grains for the production of liquor are anti-farmers and those people should be beaten up with sugarcane sticks.[55][56] Hazare initiated fast at Shirdi, but on 21 March 2010 government promised to review the policy and Anna ended his 5 day long fast.[57] But the government later granted 36 licences and grants of INR10 (US$0.19) (per litre of alcohol) to politicians or their sons who were directly or indirectly engaged in making alcohol from foodgrains. Some of the main beneficiaries of these licences includes Amit and Dheeraj Deshmukh, sons of Union Heavy Industries Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Gopinath Munde's daughter Pankaja Palwe and her husband Charudatta Palwe, sons-in-law of P.V. Narasimha Rao, Rajya Sabha MP Govindrao Adik.[54][58][59] The government approved the proposal for food grain-based alcohol production in spite of stiff opposition from the planning and finance departments saying there is a huge demand in other countries for food grain made liquor in comparison with that of molasses.[60] Anna filed a Public Interest Litigation against the Government of Maharashtra for allowing food-grains for manufacturing liquor in the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court. On 20 August 2009 Maharashtra government stopped the policy. However, distilleries sanctioned before that date and those who started production within two years of sanction were entitled for subsidies.
On 5 May 2011 court refused to hear a Public Interest Litigation saying "not before me, this is a court of law, not a court of justice" as a reason of not hearing the plea.[61][62] One of Principal Secretary in Maharashtra state C.S. Sangeet Rao, enlighten that there is no law exists to scrap these licences as this is a government policy.[54]
Lokpal Bill movement
Anna Hazare's hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
Main article: 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement
In 2011, Hazare initiated a Satyagraha movement for passing a stronger anti-corruption Lokpal (ombudsman) bill in the Indian Parliament as conceived in the Jan Lokpal Bill (People's Ombudsman Bill). The Jan Lokpal Bill was drafted earlier by N. Santosh Hegde, former justice of the Supreme Court of India and Lokayukta of Karnataka, Prashant Bhushan, a senior lawyer in the Supreme Court and Arvind Kejriwal, a social activist along with members of the India Against Corruption movement. This draft bill incorporated more stringent provisions and wider power to the Lokpal (Ombudsman) than the draft Lokpal bill prepared by the government in 2010.[63] These include placing "the Prime Minister within the ambit of the proposed lokpal’s powers".[64]
Hunger strike in Delhi
Wikinews has related news: Anna Hazare begins "fast-unto-death" hunger strike to end corruption.
Hazare began his Indefinite Fast[65] on 5 April 2011 at Jantar Mantar in Delhi to press for the demand to form a joint committee of the representatives of the Government and the civil society to draft a stronger anti-corruption bill with stronger penal actions and more independence to the Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Ombudsmen in the states), after his demand was rejected by the Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh.[66] He stated, "I will fast until Jan Lokpal Bill is passed".[67]
The movement attracted attention in the media, and thousands of supporters. Almost 150 people reportedly joined Hazare in his fast.[68] Social activists, including Medha Patkar, Arvind Kejriwal, former IPS officer Kiran Bedi, and Jayaprakash Narayan lent their support to Hazare's hunger strike and anti-corruption campaign. People have shown support in internet social media such as Twitter and Facebook. In addition to spiritual leaders Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Swami Ramdev, Swami Agnivesh and former Indian cricketer Kapil Dev, many celebrities showed their public support through Twitter.[69][70] Hazare decided that he would not allow any politician to sit with him in this movement. Politicians like Uma Bharti and Om Prakash Chautala were shooed away by the protesters when they came to visit the site where the protest was taking place.[71] On 6 April 2011 Sharad Pawar resigned from the group of ministers formed for reviewing the draft Lokpal bill 2010.[72]
Protests spread to Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Shillong, Aizawl and a number of other cities in India.[73]
End of hunger strike after meeting demands
On 8 April 2011 the Government of India accepted all demands of the movement. On 9 April 2011 it issued a notification in the Gazette of India on formation of a joint committee. It accepted the formula that there be a politician Chairman and an activist, non-politician Co-Chairman. According to the notification, Pranab Mukherjee will be the Chairman of the draft committee while Shanti Bhushan will be the co-chairman. “The Joint Drafting Committee shall consist of five nominee ministers of the Government of India and five nominees of the civil society. The five nominee Ministers of the Government of India are Pranab Mukherjee, Union Minister of Finance, P. Chidambaram, Union Minister of Home Affairs, M. Veerappa Moily, Union Minister of Law and Justice, Kapil Sibal, Union Minister of Human Resource and Development and Minister of Communication and Information Technology and Salman Khursheed, Union Minister of Water Resources and Minister of Minority Affairs. The five nominees of the civil society are Anna Hazare, N. Santosh Hegde, Shanti Bhushan Senior Advocate, Prashant Bhushan, Advocate and Arvind Kejriwal.[74][75]
On the morning of 9 April 2011 Hazare ended his 98-hour hunger strike. He addressed the people and set a deadline of 15 August 2011 to pass the Lokpal Bill in the Indian Parliament.
"Real fight begins now. We have a lot of struggle ahead of us in drafting the new legislation, We have shown the world in just five days that we are united for the cause of the nation. The youth power in this movement is a sign of hope."
Anna Hazare said that if the bill does not pass he will call for a mass nation-wide agitation.[76][77] He called his movement as "second struggle for independence" and he will continue the fight.[78]
Differences with the government on draft bill
Anna Hazare's hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
During the meeting of the joint drafting committee on 30 May 2011, the Union government members opposed the inclusion of the prime minister, higher judiciary and the acts of the MPs under the purview of the Lokpal in the draft bill.[79] On 31 May 2011, Pranab Mukherjee, chairman of the joint drafting committee sent a letter to the chief ministers of all states and the leaders of the political parties seeking their opinion on six contentious issues in the proposed Lokpal Bill, including whether to bring the prime minister and judges of Supreme Court and High Courts under the purview of the proposed law.[80] But the civil society members of the drafting committee considered that keeping the prime minister and judges of Supreme Court and High Courts out of the purview of the Lokpal would be a violation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.[81]
Anna Hazare and other civil society members decided to boycott the meeting of the joint Lokpal Bill drafting committee scheduled on 6 June 2011 in protest against the forcible eviction of Swami Ramdev and his followers by the Delhi Police from Ramlila Maidan on 5 June 2011, while they were on hunger strike against the issues of black money and corruption and doubting seriousness of the government in taking measures to eradicate corruption.[82]
On 6 June 2011, the members of the civil society of the joint Lokpal bill drafting committee in New Delhi sent a letter to Pranab Mukherjee, the chairman of the committee, explaining reasons for their absence at the meeting and also asked government to make its stand public on the contentious issues related to the proposed draft legislation. They also decided that the future meetings will be attended only if they were telecast live.[83] On 8 June 2011 at Rajghat, describing his movement as the second freedom struggle, Anna criticised the Government for trying to discredit the joint Lokpal Bill drafting committee and threatened to go on indefinite fast again from 16 August 2011 if the Lokpal Bill is not passed by then. He also criticised the Government for putting hurdles in the drafting of a strong Lokpal Bill and its attempts to malign the civil society members of the joint Lokpal panel.[84][85][86]
Indefinite fast
India Against Corruption campaign in Whitefield, Bangalore.
On 28 July 2011 the union cabinet on approved a draft of the Lokpal Bill, which keeps the Prime Minister, judiciary and lower bureaucracy out of the ambit of the proposed corruption ombudsman Lokpal. Hazare rejected the government version by describing it as “cruel joke’’ and wrote a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and told him his decision to go on an indefinite fast from 16 August 2011 at Jantar Mantar if the government introduced its own version of the bill in Parliament without taking suggestions from civil society members.[87][88]
Why are you (government) sending the wrong draft? We have faith in Parliament. But first send the right draft, our agitation is against government, not Parliament. The government has overlooked many points. How will it fight corruption by excluding government employees, CBI and prime minister from the Lokpal's purview? We were told that both the drafts would be sent to the Cabinet. But only the government's draft was sent. This is a deceitful government. They are lying. How will they run the country? Now I have no trust in this government. If it is really serious about fighting corruption, why is it not bringing government employees and CBI under Lokpal?[89]
Within twenty four hours of cabinet's endorsement of a weak Lokpal Bill, over ten thousand peoples from across the country sent faxes directly to the government demanding a bill with stronger provisions.[90] The Mumbai Taxi Men’s Union, comprises over 30,000 taxi drivers have extended their full support to Hazare’s fast by keeping all taxis off the roads on 16 August 2011.[91] Lawyers of Allahabad High Court described Lokpal Bill proposed by the government as against the interest of the country and pledged their support to Hazare by hunger strike at Allahabad on 16 August 2011.[92] On 30 July 2011 Vishwa Hindu Parishad supported Hazare's indefinite fast by saying movement for an effective anti-corruption ombudsman needs the backing of people.[93]
On 1 August, Public interest litigation was filed in the Supreme Court of India by Hemant Patil, a Maharashtra-based social worker and businessman, to restrain Hazare from going on his proposed indefinite fast. The petitioner demanded to prohibit the fast alleging that Hazare's demands are unconstitutional and amount to interference in legislative process.[94]
Arrest and aftermath
Wikinews has related news: Anna Hazare to resume "fast-unto-death" hunger strike from August 16, 2011.
On 16 August 2011, Hazare was arrested four hours before the planned indefinite hunger strike.[95] Rajan Bhagat, spokesman for Delhi Police, said police arrested Hazare under a legal provision that bans public gatherings and protests at the park in Delhi where he was planning to begin his hunger strike. Police took that action after Hazare refused to meet the conditions put forward by police for allowing the protest.[96] The conditions included restricting the length of the fast to three days and the number of protesters at the site to 5,000. Later in the afternoon, Anna was produced before a magistrate who offered him bail but Anna Hazare refused to provide the bail bond. The magistrate sent him judicial custody for seven days and he was taken to Tihar jail.[97] After announcements by Prashant Bhushan, local television, and social media sites (including Facebook), a march of thousands in support of Hazare began from the India Gate to Jantar Mantar.[98]
Along with Hazare, other key members of the India Against Corruption movement including Arvind Kejriwal, Shanti Bhushan, Kiran Bedi and Manish Sisodia were also detained from different locations. It was reported that about 1,300 supporters were detained in Delhi.[99] Media also reported that the arrest sparked off protests with people courting arrests in different parts of the country. The opposition parties in the country came out against the arrest, likening the government action to the emergency imposed in the country in 1975. Both the houses of Parliament were adjourned over the issue.[100]
Eventually, after being kept in judicial detention for just four hours, he was released unconditionally without any bail bond by the magistrate on a request by the police, but Hazare refused to leave Tihar Jail.[101] He demanded an unconditional permission from the police to observe a fast at Ramlila Maidan (Ground) in support of the Jan Lokpal bill and refused to leave the jail.[102] Hazare continued his fast inside the jail and refused to leave the jail though the jail authorities had technically released him.[103]
After his arrest, Anna Hazare received support from people across the country. There were reports of "nearly 570 demonstrations and protests by Anna supporters across the country" against the government's imprisonment of Hazare and others.[64][104] Due to the nationwide protests of millions,[105] the government agreed to allow him to begin a public hunger strike of fifteen days.[106] After talks with public authorities, Hazare decided to hold his protest at Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi.[107] On 20 August 2011 Hazare "left the Tihar Jail for the Ramlila Grounds".[108] Hazare promised reporters "he would fight to the 'last breath' until the government gets his team's Jan Lokpal Bill passed in this session of Parliament, which ends on 8 September."[64]
Fast at Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi
Anna Hazare on fast unto death protest.
On 20 August 2011 thousands came to the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi[109] to show their support for Hazare, while "his advisers made televison appearances to rally public support and defend themselves against criticism that their protest campaign and refusal to compromise is undermining India's parliamentary process."[110] The National Campaign for People’s Right to Information (NCPRI) condemned Hazare's deadline for passing the bill as undermining democracy, which operates by "holding wide-ranging consultations and discussions, allowing for dissent and evolving a consensus. ...He [Hazare] has the right to protest and dissent. But nobody can claim it as an absolute right and deny the right of dissent to others."[111] The Congress party confirmed that Maharashtra Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Umesh Chandra Sarangi (who has a history of mediating between Hazare and government officials) was meeting with the social activist again "to find points of consensus and defuse the situation".[112] On 21 August 2011 "tens of thousands" came to Ramlila Maidan to support Hazare as he sat on an elevated platform.[113] It was reported that Hazare at that point had "lost more than seven pounds since beginning his fast", despite this he stated "'I will not withdraw my hunger strike until the Jan Lokpal bill is passed in the Parliament. I can die but I will not bend.'"[113] Hazare ended his fast on 28 August 2011, after the Indian Government had passed the resolution for the Lokpal Bill unanimously,
He was admitted to Medanta Medicity, Gurgaon for post-fast care.[114] He had lost 7.5 kg[114] and was very dehydrated after the 288 hour long fast.[115]
I Am Anna Chant
Within a few days of Anna Hazare's first fast demanding a strong Lokpal (on 5 April 2011), supporters across various cities of India started a campaign known as "I Am Anna Hazare", which is similar to the "We Are All Khaled Said" campaign well known in the Egyptian uprising.[116] At during Anna Hazare's second fast, the topi, the cap which Anna Hazare became synonymous with, became almost a fashion statement.[117] Sales of the topis hit an all time high.[118] Kiran Bedi declared that the "I am Anna" topi should be used as a deterrence method whenever someone asked for a bribe. She went to say that the topi should be always kept in one's bag and whenever anybody ask for a bribe, the topi should be shown to them.[119]
Fast on MMRDA ground
On 27 December 2011, Hazare began a 3 day hunger strike at MMRDA grounds, Bandra Kurla Complex in demand to a stronger version of the Lokpal bill than the is in debate in the Parliament of India.[120]
Before reaching the venue, Anna payed his tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Juhu Beach. On his way in a rally, which was joined by several thousand people,[120] he took two-and-half hours to reach the ground, passing through Santacruz, Tulip Star Hotel, Mithibai College, SV Road, Vile Parle, Khar and Bandra Highway.[121]
Reiterating Anna Hazare's position, a PIL filed against the fast was turned down by the Karnataka High Court. Anna Hazare's fast last only two days in place of three days because of his ill-health. However, his critics believe that since response to his three days fast was poor because of which he had to call off his fast.[122]
Electoral reform movement
In 2011, Anna Hazare demanded an amendment to the electoral law to incorporate the option of None of the above in the electronic voting machines during the Indian elections.[123][124] The "None of the above (NOTA)" is a ballot option that allows an electorate to indicate disapproval of all of the candidates in an electoral system, in case of non-availability of any candidate of his choice, as his Right to Reject. Soon, the Chief Election Commissioner of India Shahabuddin Yaqoob Quraishi supported Hazare's demand for the electoral reforms.[125]
Protest against atrocities against Swami Ramdev and his supporters
On 8 June 2011, Anna Hazare and thousands of his supporters observed fast from 10 am to 6 pm at Rajghat to protest against the midnight crackdown of 5 June 2011 by the Delhi Police on Swami Ramdev’s fast at Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi. The fast was initially planned to be held at Jantar Mantar, but the venue was shifted after the denial of permission by the Delhi police.[84][126] Anna Hazare held the Prime Minister of India responsible for the atrocities[127] and termed the police action as a blot on humanity and an attempt to stifle democracy.[84] According to one of the Anna's young supporters, the large presence of youths in the protest was due to their support to his use of nonviolence means of protest similar to Gandhi.[128]
Controversies and criticism
RSS Agent
Anna Hazare has often being criticized for being an agent of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh a right-wing Hindu body in India.[129] United Progressive Alliance,the present ruling government in India has seldom charged Hazare with it. According to Digvijay Singh a senior leader of the Indian National Congress the entire crusade of 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement is a process being planned by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in which Plan-A was Baba Ramdev while Plan-B was Anna Hazare. Their basic job was to disturb the national security of the country[130]. Further Digvijay Singh had charged Anna Hazare for having links with late Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Nanaji Deshmukh[131] with whom he worked as a secretary.[132] However Anna has declined for having any such associations.
Views on Narendra Modi
In a press conference in April 2011, Anna Hazare praised Narendra Modi, the chief minister of Gujarat for his efforts on rural development along with Nitish Kumar, chief minister of Bihar, saying that the same should be emulated by the chief ministers of all states.[133] Subsequently, Modi wrote an open letter to him, hailing him as a Gandhian and anti-corruption activist[134] while Digvijay Singh, the General Secretary of the Congress party, criticised him for his comment.[135] In May 2011, Hazare, during his visit to Gujarat, changed his view and criticised Modi for rampant corruption by Government officials in Gujarat. He urged Modi to appoint a Lokayukta in Gujarat. He also commented that the media had projected an incorrect image of Vibrant Gujarat, very different from the prevalent situation.[136]
Fraud during fasts
A cardiologist from Pune, Abhijit Vaidya – founder of Arogya Sena, a non-governmental agency active in public health, disaster management and social campaigns – claimed that he was informed by the close associates of Anna Hazare during a fast in Ralegan-Siddhi, that he was given glucose and electrolyte solutions during a fast. Hazare and his associates refused to comment on the allegation.[137]
Accusations of corruption
The government of the state of Maharashtra instituted a Commission of Inquiry under Justice PB Sawant in September 2003 to enquire into allegations of corruption against several people, including four ministers in the state as well as the "Hind Swaraj Trust" headed by Hazare. The Commission submitted its report on 22 February 2005 in which it indicted the Hind Swaraj Trust for corrupt practice of spending Rs. 2.20 lakhs of its funds on the birthday celebrations of Hazare.[138] Two days ahead of Hazare's proposed indefinite fast on 16 August 2011, the ruling party of India, the Indian National Congress, launched an attack on him alleging that "the moral core of Hazare has been ripped apart" by the Justice P B Sawant Commission.[139]
In response to this allegaton, Hazare's lawyer Milind Pawar, claimed that the commission had remarked about "irregularities" in the accounts, but had not held him guilty of any "corrupt" practices. Pawar said that on 16 June 1998, a celebration was organised to facilitate Hazare on winning an award from a US based NGO and it coincided with his 61st birthday. The trust spent Rs 2.18 lakh for the function. Abhay Phirodia, a Pune-based industrialist, who took the initiative to organise this function donated an amount of Rs 2,48,950 to the trust by cheque soon after the function.[140]
Hazare himself responded to the allegation by daring the government to file a First Information Report (FIR) against him to prove the charges.[141]
Accusation of being anti-democratic and anti-dalit
An article written in The Telegraph (Kolkata) by writer and historian Ramchandra Guha state that that environmental journalist Mukul Sharma found that that Anna Hazare forced the Dalit families in Ralegan Siddhi to adopt a vegetarian diet, and that those who violated the decree were tied to a post and flogged.[142] Mukul Sharma also found that no panchayat elections have been held in the village for the past two decades, and that no campaigning was allowed during state and national elections, upon the instructions of Anna Hazare.[142]
Dalit columnists like Chandrabhan Prasad have opined that the movement initiated by Anna Hazare against corruption and for the Jan Lokpal bill is taking us to a situation of rejecting representative democracy and also alleged that this movement is an upper-caste uprising against India's political democracy. He also claimed that the centralisation such huge powers in Lokapal, which is a non-elected entity will lead the democratic setup to a very dangerous situation.
Dalit activist Kancha Ilaiah also commented in a similar fashion, that "The Anna movement is an anti-social justice, manuvadi movement. The Dalits, tribals, OBCs and minorities have nothing to do with it. We oppose it."[143] Another activist Anoop Kheri claimed that "The language, symbols used by the movement clearly reflects its upper caste Hindu nature, a very rightwing Hindu patriotism is being used to get the entire country against corruption. And as a dalit, I have a problem with it."[143]
There was also an allegation that an RTI activist was denied permission to protest by having a fast-unto-death at Ralegan Siddhi, the grama sabha stating that the reason was that only Anna Hazare can hold such fasts in his village.[144]
During his protest against corruption, another activist, Udit Raj, who was denied permission to protest against Anna Hazare, warned that succumbing to Hazare's demands, which he claimed were against the parliamentary processes will set a dangerous trend rendering the backward classes more vulnerable, as such mass mobilisations coercing the government with a "set of solutions" against constitutional processes could also be used against affirmative action, and is a threat to democracy.[145] Later, it came to light that poor dalits had been paid money of up to INR200 each, exploiting their desperation. The participants said that they were asked to shout slogans against Anna, although the organizers have denied it. Some protesters said that they had been told that it was a pro-Anna protest, but feel cheated after realising that it was against Anna hazare.[146]
Accusation of being nonsecular
On 22 August 2011 writer-actor Arundhati Roy accused Hazare in a newspaper article of being nonsecular. She questioned his secular credentials pointing out Hazare's "support for Raj Thackeray's Marathi Manoos xenophobia and (has praised) the 'development model' of Gujarat's CM who oversaw the 2002 pogrom against Muslims". The website of the newspaper published many responses to her article and these were mostly critical of her views.[147] Activist Medha Patkar also strongly criticised Roy, saying that her views were misplaced.[148]
Hazare has in the past stood in firm opposition to the Shiv Sena and BJP governments in Maharashtra. Activist and writer Asghar Ali Engineer in an EPW article on Communalism and Communal Violence reported,[149]
The Shiv Sena is also facing serious problems from the social activist Anna Hazare who has accused its ministers of corruption and demanded their resignation. The SS-BJP government is facing serious corruption charges and is greatly worried. The Anna Hazare movement began in late November when he went on fast against the corrupt practices of the Shiv Sena ministers. The BJP initially supported the Hazare movement and now its deputy chief minister Gopinath Munde is also under a cloud. Initially the Hazare movement had created a rift between the Shiv Sena and the BJP but with Gopinath Munde himself under a cloud, both may close ranks. The Anna Hazare movement has certainly posed a great challenge for the saffron government at the end of 1996.
Hazare was accused of working for RSS and BJP's behest, and against Muslims by cleric Bukhari of the Jama Masjid. Bhukhari was subsequently criticised for being a Royal Imam and the communal comments being his personal views which did not represent the view of ordinary Muslims.[150]
Anna supports violence selectively
Hazare, who imitates Gandhi in dressing, acknowledged his belief in violence after his infamous remark "just one slap" in which the victim of violence was Sharad Pawar, a rival in maharashtra in terms of popularity. [151]
Conspiracy to murder Hazare
Anna Hazare has exposed large corruption in co-operative sugar factories of Maharashtra. One of the sugar factories which Anna exposed corruption of is controlled by Dr.Padamsinh Bajirao Patil, a member of Parliament of 15th Lok Sabha and higher-ranking Leader of Nationalist Congress Party from Osmanabad, and also a prime accused and conspirator in the 2006 murder case of Indian National Congress leader Pawanraje Nimabalkar.[152][153]
The conspiracy to kill Hazare was exposed when Parasmal Jain, an accused in the Nimbalkar murder case, in his written confession before a magistrate said that Padamsinh Bajirao Patil had paid a sum of INR3,000,000 (US$57,000) to murder Nimbalkar, and also offered him supari (contract killing sum) to kill Anna Hazare.[154][155] After this written confession, Anna appealed to the state government of Maharashtra to lodge a separate First Information Report ( FIR ) against Padamsinh Bajirao Patil for conspiring to murder him but the government did not take any action in this regard. Anna Hazare decided to lodge a complaint himself and on 26 September 2009, he lodged complaint at Parner police station of Ahmednagar District in Maharashtra against the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Padamsinha Patil for conspiring to eliminate him.[156] Padamsinh Patil approached the High Court seeking anticipatory bail but on 14 October 2009, the Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court rejected the anticipatory bail application of Padamsinh Patil in connection with a complaint filed by Anna after observing that there is a prima facie evidence against him.[157][158]
Padmasinh Patil appealed for an anticipatory bail in Supreme Court of India which the court rejected on 6 November 2009.[159] On 11 November 2009 Padmasinh Patil surrendered before the sessions court in Latur as per a directive of the Supreme Court and was sent to judicial remand for 14 days.[160] On 16 December 2009 Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court granted bail to him.[161] As of 16 August 2011, the verdict is pending.
As of December 2011, Anna Hazare has got Z+ security. [162]
Honours, awards and international recognition
This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2011)
Year Award Awarding organization
2011 NDTV Indian of the Year with Arvind Kejriwal[163] NDTV
2008 Jit Gill Memorial Award World Bank
2005 Honorary Doctorate Gandhigram Rural University
2003 Integrity Award Transparency International
1998 CARE International Award CARE (relief agency)
1997 Mahaveer Award
1996 Shiromani Award
1992 Padma Bhushan President of India
1990 Padma Shri President of India
1989 Krishi Bhushana Award Government of Maharashtra
1986 Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra Award Government of India
Personal life
Anna Hazare is unmarried. He has lived in a small room attached to the Sant Yadavbaba temple in Ralegan Siddhi since 1975. On 16 April 2011, he declared his bank balance of INR67,183 (US$1,280) and INR1,500 (US$30) as money in hand.[164] He owns 0.07 hectares of family land in Ralegan Siddhi, which is being used by his brothers. Two other pieces of land donated to him by the Indian Army and by a villager have been donated by him for village use.[165] His only income is a pension he receives from the Indian Army.[citation needed]
Writings
Hazare, Anna; Ganesh Pangare, Vasudha Lokur (1996). Adarsh Gaon Yojana: government participitation in a peoples program : ideal village project of the Government of Maharashtra. Hind Swaraj Trust. p. 95. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
Hazare, Anna. My Village – My Sacred Land. New Delhi: CAPART.
Hazare, Anna (1997). Ralegaon Siddhi: a veritable transformation. Translated by B.S. Pendse. Ralegan Siddhi Pariwar Prakashan,. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
Hazare, Anna (2007) (in Marathi). वाट ही संघर्षाची. Pune: Signet Publications.
Anna Hazare: The Face of Indias Fight Against Corruption. Pentagon Press. 2011. p. 124. ISBN 9788182745452. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Wright Brothers History First Airplane Flight
1903 would become a year for the history books. That year the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur Wright, would fly the first powered, controlled, heavier-than-air airplane at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on December 17, 1903. 1
Most people don't know that it was not in 1903, but in the 1800s, that the Wright brothers, working with kites, had worked out the key issue for flight: control.
While other aviators searched in vain for "inherent stability," Orville and Wilbur created a method for the pilot to control the airplane. The real breakthrough was their ingenious invention of "wing-warping." If the pilot wanted to bank a turn to the left, the wings could be warped to provide more lift on the wings on the right side of the biplane. The brothers worked out a system for 3-axis control that is still used today on fixed-wing aircraft: left and right like a car or boat (a rudder), up and down (the 1903 Wright "Flyer" had its elevator in the front), and banking a turn as birds do (or like leaning to one side while riding a bicycle). Working with kites in 1899, the brothers figured out and tested their systems for 3-axis control, and in the next two years did experiments with gliders at Kitty Hawk, and then with their wind tunnel, to find the proper lift. They found that the formula for lift - namely the "Smeaton coefficient" that everybody had been using for over 100 years - was wrong. By the time they built their 1902 glider, they had worked out all the problems and they knew it would fly. The 1902 glider was actually the first fully controlled heavier-than-air craft, and some historians believe it was the main invention - essentially the invention of the airplane - and more important than the 1903 biplane. So it was on March 23, 1903 - nine months before the famous first airplane flight of December 1903 - that Orville and Wilbur Wright filed a patent application for a "Flying Machine." The patent was awarded May 22, 1906. That's when the aviation world started to copy the Wright's designs, and from that point remarkable progress was made in the development of powered flight.
The next step from the 1902 glider was powered flight. Like everything else the Wright brothers did up to this point, they applied a scientific method: break bigger problems down into smaller ones, study as much as possible what people have discovered before, understand the principles and the theory behind the particular problem you're trying to solve, and do some experiments to work out the particulars. For powered flight the main problem was understanding how propellers work. This was harder than it seems, as no one really understood that a propeller was nothing more than a wing that rotates on its axis, and lifts the plane forward. So, the Wrights turned to the ship-building literature and discovered that empirical principles were used, but there was no theory of propulsion. They then reasoned out the basic mental model of the propeller as a moveable wing. This allowed them to test propeller shapes in their wind tunnel, discovering an efficient shape. For their 1903 plane, they needed all the efficiency they could get.
To drive a propeller, you need a powerplant. The Wrights wanted a lightweight gasoline engine that would provide the necessary oomph. They tried to buy an engine, but no one was willing to build one to their specs. So, with the able assistance of Charles Taylor, they built their own. It was a state-of-the-art four-cylinder model. Taylor hand-tooled the crankshaft on the Wright shop lathe. Its power-to-weight ratio was better than anything around. Even still, in the words of Charles Taylor, "It weren't much of an engine." There was no carburator. The raw gas was just dumped into the cylinders. It was air-cooled, without even the benefit of fins. To control the engine speed, the spark could be advanced or retarded. It had the horsepower - barely - to drag the 1903 machine into the dense December ocean air. As the engine broke in the next year, it began to produce more horsepower, and better flights.
[picture of Orville Wright's famous first airplane flight, 1903]
Kitty Hawk, NC (North Carolina), December 17, 1903.
Orville Wright's famous first airplane flight.
See a bigger picture, or a huge high-resolution (300 dpi letter/A4) photo (8 MB gif).
On Monday, December 14, 1903, when both the Wright flyer and the wind were ready, the brothers decided that Wilbur would take the first turn as pilot for the historic flight. Some readers might suppose that this was because Wilbur was older, or because he had taken the early lead in the project (though later there was an equalization), or perhaps because of some difference in piloting skills. It was none of these. It was decided by flipping a coin. They and the ground crew (5 lifeguards from the beach) had lugged the plane weighing six hundred pounds 1/4 mile to the big hill, laid out the 60-foot monorail, and were ready to go. After an initial problem getting it unhooked because of the slope (and the force from the propellers), the plane accelerated down the track so fast that Orville, running alongside to steady the wing by holding on to an upright, couldn't keep up. Wilbur turned the sensitive rudder up too sharply, the flying machine nosed up, slowed, came down in that position, and the left wing hit the sandy hillside and swung the plane around, breaking several parts. Although they didn't consider this a real flight, they now knew it would work.
Two days later, repairs had been completed, but the wind wasn't right. The following day, Thursday, December 17, 1903, would be the historic day. They realized it would be better to lay the track on flat ground. That and the strong (22-27 m.p.h.) winds meant that Orville (whose turn it was to pilot) was riding the plane along the track, at a speed that allowed Wilbur to keep up easily, steadying the right wing as Orville had done 3 days earlier. Just after the Wright flyer lifted off the monorail, the famous picture was taken, possibly the most reproduced photograph ever, which Orville had set up (having asked one of the men simply to squeeze the shutter bulb after takeoff). The flight wasn't much - 12 seconds, 120 feet. But it was the first controlled, sustained flight in a heavier-than-air craft, one of the great moments of the century.
The brothers flew 3 more times that day, covering more distance as they got used to the way the large front "rudder" (the elevator) responded in flight. Orville's second flight was 200 feet, and Wilbur's before it nearly as long. But the final flight of the day carried Wilbur 852 feet in 59 seconds.
Most people don't know that it was not in 1903, but in the 1800s, that the Wright brothers, working with kites, had worked out the key issue for flight: control.
While other aviators searched in vain for "inherent stability," Orville and Wilbur created a method for the pilot to control the airplane. The real breakthrough was their ingenious invention of "wing-warping." If the pilot wanted to bank a turn to the left, the wings could be warped to provide more lift on the wings on the right side of the biplane. The brothers worked out a system for 3-axis control that is still used today on fixed-wing aircraft: left and right like a car or boat (a rudder), up and down (the 1903 Wright "Flyer" had its elevator in the front), and banking a turn as birds do (or like leaning to one side while riding a bicycle). Working with kites in 1899, the brothers figured out and tested their systems for 3-axis control, and in the next two years did experiments with gliders at Kitty Hawk, and then with their wind tunnel, to find the proper lift. They found that the formula for lift - namely the "Smeaton coefficient" that everybody had been using for over 100 years - was wrong. By the time they built their 1902 glider, they had worked out all the problems and they knew it would fly. The 1902 glider was actually the first fully controlled heavier-than-air craft, and some historians believe it was the main invention - essentially the invention of the airplane - and more important than the 1903 biplane. So it was on March 23, 1903 - nine months before the famous first airplane flight of December 1903 - that Orville and Wilbur Wright filed a patent application for a "Flying Machine." The patent was awarded May 22, 1906. That's when the aviation world started to copy the Wright's designs, and from that point remarkable progress was made in the development of powered flight.
The next step from the 1902 glider was powered flight. Like everything else the Wright brothers did up to this point, they applied a scientific method: break bigger problems down into smaller ones, study as much as possible what people have discovered before, understand the principles and the theory behind the particular problem you're trying to solve, and do some experiments to work out the particulars. For powered flight the main problem was understanding how propellers work. This was harder than it seems, as no one really understood that a propeller was nothing more than a wing that rotates on its axis, and lifts the plane forward. So, the Wrights turned to the ship-building literature and discovered that empirical principles were used, but there was no theory of propulsion. They then reasoned out the basic mental model of the propeller as a moveable wing. This allowed them to test propeller shapes in their wind tunnel, discovering an efficient shape. For their 1903 plane, they needed all the efficiency they could get.
To drive a propeller, you need a powerplant. The Wrights wanted a lightweight gasoline engine that would provide the necessary oomph. They tried to buy an engine, but no one was willing to build one to their specs. So, with the able assistance of Charles Taylor, they built their own. It was a state-of-the-art four-cylinder model. Taylor hand-tooled the crankshaft on the Wright shop lathe. Its power-to-weight ratio was better than anything around. Even still, in the words of Charles Taylor, "It weren't much of an engine." There was no carburator. The raw gas was just dumped into the cylinders. It was air-cooled, without even the benefit of fins. To control the engine speed, the spark could be advanced or retarded. It had the horsepower - barely - to drag the 1903 machine into the dense December ocean air. As the engine broke in the next year, it began to produce more horsepower, and better flights.
[picture of Orville Wright's famous first airplane flight, 1903]
Kitty Hawk, NC (North Carolina), December 17, 1903.
Orville Wright's famous first airplane flight.
See a bigger picture, or a huge high-resolution (300 dpi letter/A4) photo (8 MB gif).
On Monday, December 14, 1903, when both the Wright flyer and the wind were ready, the brothers decided that Wilbur would take the first turn as pilot for the historic flight. Some readers might suppose that this was because Wilbur was older, or because he had taken the early lead in the project (though later there was an equalization), or perhaps because of some difference in piloting skills. It was none of these. It was decided by flipping a coin. They and the ground crew (5 lifeguards from the beach) had lugged the plane weighing six hundred pounds 1/4 mile to the big hill, laid out the 60-foot monorail, and were ready to go. After an initial problem getting it unhooked because of the slope (and the force from the propellers), the plane accelerated down the track so fast that Orville, running alongside to steady the wing by holding on to an upright, couldn't keep up. Wilbur turned the sensitive rudder up too sharply, the flying machine nosed up, slowed, came down in that position, and the left wing hit the sandy hillside and swung the plane around, breaking several parts. Although they didn't consider this a real flight, they now knew it would work.
Two days later, repairs had been completed, but the wind wasn't right. The following day, Thursday, December 17, 1903, would be the historic day. They realized it would be better to lay the track on flat ground. That and the strong (22-27 m.p.h.) winds meant that Orville (whose turn it was to pilot) was riding the plane along the track, at a speed that allowed Wilbur to keep up easily, steadying the right wing as Orville had done 3 days earlier. Just after the Wright flyer lifted off the monorail, the famous picture was taken, possibly the most reproduced photograph ever, which Orville had set up (having asked one of the men simply to squeeze the shutter bulb after takeoff). The flight wasn't much - 12 seconds, 120 feet. But it was the first controlled, sustained flight in a heavier-than-air craft, one of the great moments of the century.
The brothers flew 3 more times that day, covering more distance as they got used to the way the large front "rudder" (the elevator) responded in flight. Orville's second flight was 200 feet, and Wilbur's before it nearly as long. But the final flight of the day carried Wilbur 852 feet in 59 seconds.
Hyderabad, India
Hyderabad (Telugu: హైదరాబాద్, Urdu: حیدرآباد, pronounced [ˈhaiːd̪arɑːbɑːd̪]), is the capital of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It also goes by its sobriquet City of Pearls.[1] It is the largest city in Andhra Pradesh and the sixth largest city in India with a population of 3.63 million.[2] Hyderabad was founded by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah in 1591 on the banks of Musi. Today the city covers an area of approximately 650 km².[3] The city has been classified as an A-1 city in terms of development priorities, due to its size, population and impact.[4] The twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad come under the ambit of a single municipal unit, The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.
Hyderabad has developed into one of the major hubs for the information technology industry in India which has earned it the additional sobriquet "Cyberabad".[1] In addition to the IT industry, various biotechnology and pharmaceutics companies have set up their operations in Hyderabad. The city houses the most costly residential real estate in Andhra Pradesh in the posh Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills. The city is home to the Telugu Film Industry, the second-largest in India, known popularly as Tollywood. Residents of Hyderabad are generally called Hyderabadis. Located at the crossroads of North & South India, Hyderabad has developed a unique culture, reflected in its language & architecture.[5]
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Etymology
* 2 History
* 3 Geography
o 3.1 Climate
* 4 Demographics
* 5 Administration
* 6 Economy
o 6.1 Information technology industry
* 7 Transport
o 7.1 Roads
+ 7.1.1 Local transport
o 7.2 Rail
o 7.3 Air
* 8 Culture
o 8.1 Cuisine
* 9 Education and research
o 9.1 Research institutions
* 10 Media
* 11 Sports
* 12 Sister cities
* 13 See also
* 14 References
* 15 External links
[edit] Etymology
Theories explaining the origins and etymology behind Hyderabad's name differ. A popular theory suggests that after founding the city, Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah fell in love with and married a local nautch girl known as Bhagmathi or Bhagyavathi, and named the city Bhagyanagaram. Upon her conversion to Islam, she was given the title Hyder Mahal and thus the city was named Hyderabad, which is a two worded Urdu phrase, Hyder-A'bad, meaning 'Long live Hyder'. As per other legends, the city may be named after the son in law of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, Ali Ibn Abi Talib, whose other name was Hyder.[6][7]
[edit] History
Main article: History of Hyderabad (India)
Although Hyderabad was founded less than 500 years ago, archaeologists have unearthed Iron Age sites near the city that could date back to 500 BC.[8] Approximately over 1000 years ago this region was ruled by Kakatiyas. Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, a ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty (the ruling family of the Golconda, previously a feudatory of Bahmani sultanate that declared independence in 1512) founded the city of Hyderabad on the banks of the Musi River in 1591[9] to relieve a water shortage the dynasty had experienced at its old headquarters at Golconda.[10] He also ordered the construction of the Charminar.[11]
The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb captured Hyderabad in 1687[12] and, during this short Mughal rule, Mughal-appointed governors of the city soon gained autonomy. In 1724, Asaf Jah I, who was granted the title Nizam-ul-Mulk ("Governor of the country") by the Mughal emperor, defeated a rival official to establish control over Hyderabad.[12][13] Thus began the Asaf Jahi dynasty that ruled Hyderabad until a year after India's independence from Britain. Asaf Jah's successors ruled as the Nizams of Hyderabad. The rule of the seven Nizams saw the growth of Hyderabad both culturally and economically. Hyderabad became the formal capital of the kingdom and Golkonda was almost abandoned. Huge reservoirs, like the Nizam Sagar, Tungabhadra, Osman Sagar, and Himayat Sagar, were built. Survey work on Nagarjuna Sagar had also begun during this time; the actual work was completed by the Government of India in 1969. The wealth and grandeur of the Nizams is demonstrated by the fabled Jewels of The Nizams, which is a tourist attraction. The state was the richest and the largest among the princely states of India. The land area of the state was 90,543 mi²; its population in 1901 was 50,073,759. It enjoyed an estimated revenue of £90,029,000.[14]
The Chowmahalla Palace was the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty and was the official residence of the Nizam.
Before 1947, Hyderabad was under the suzerainty of the British Crown but was not part of British India. In 1947, at the time of the independence of British India and its Partition into the Union of India and the new state of Pakistan, the British abandoned their claim to suzerainty over the Princely states and left them to decide their own future. The Nizam, because of Islamic leanings, wished either to remain independent or to accede to Pakistan. However, for the Indian Union, this was unacceptable from a strategic perspective. The Nizam's efforts also triggered the largest agrarian armed rebellion in modern Indian history. To deter the Nizam, Indian union chose to implement an economic blockade, which forced the state of Hyderabad to sign a Standstill Agreement with it. Eventually the Indian Union used military force against the landlocked princely state of Hyderabad. This operation, termed Operation Polo, was successful and on 17 September 1948, the Nizam signed an Instrument of Accession to the Union of India.
Tomb of Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah in Hyderabad, India.
In 1955, Ambedkar was so impressed with amenities of Hyderabad that he argued to make Hyderabad a second capital of India. He said, "Hyderabad has all the amenities which Delhi has and it is a far better city than Delhi. It has all the grandeur which Delhi has. Buildings are going cheap and they are really beautiful buildings, far superior to those in Delhi. The only thing that is wanting is a Parliament House which the Government of India can easily build."[15]
On 1 November 1956, the states of India were reorganized on linguistic grounds. The territories of the State of Hyderabad were divided between newly created Andhra Pradesh, Mumbai state (later Maharashtra), and Karnataka. The Telugu speaking area of Hyderabad state, also known as Telangana, was merged with the Telugu speaking state of Andhra state to create Andhra Pradesh. Thus, Hyderabad became the capital city of the new state of Andhra Pradesh.[16]
Since liberalisation in the 1990s, Hyderabad has become one of the major hubs of the IT industry. The growth in the IT sector and opening of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport attracted activity in other economic sectors like real estate in the 2000s. However, the Global financial crisis of 2008–2009 has had a significant impact on construction activity.[14]
[edit] Geography
Main article: Geography of Hyderabad
Hussain Sagar built by Hazrat Hussain Shah Wali in 1562. The staue of Gautam Buddha in the middle of the lake was erected in 1992.
Situated on the Deccan Plateau, Hyderabad has an average elevation of about 536 metres above sea level (1,607 ft). Most of the area has a rocky terrain and some areas are hilly. Crops are commonly grown in the surrounding paddy fields.[17]
The original city of Hyderabad was founded on the banks of river Musi.[18] Now known as the historic Old City, home to the Charminar and Mecca Masjid, it lies on the southern bank of the river. The heart of the city saw a shift to the north of the river, with the construction of many government buildings and landmarks there, especially south of the Hussain Sagar lake. The rapid growth of the city, along with the merging of Hyderabad, 12 municipal circles and the Cantonment has resulted in a large, united and populous area. Still so many villages near by are getting a facelift to merge in the twin cities in the near future.[19]
[edit] Climate
Hyderabad has a tropical wet and dry climate that borders on a semi-arid climate, with hot summers from late February to early June, the monsoon season from late June to early October and a pleasant winter from late October to early February. In the evenings and mornings, the climate is generally cooler because of the city's good elevation. Hyderabad gets about 32 inches (about 810 mm) of rain every year, almost all of it concentrated in the monsoon months. The highest maximum (day) temperature ever recorded was 45.5 °C (113.9 °F) on 2 June 1966, while the lowest minimum (night) recorded temperature was 6.1 °C (43 °F) on 8 January 1946.[20]
[hide]Climate data for Hyderabad India(1951–1980)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 28.6
(83.5) 31.8
(89.2) 35.2
(95.4) 37.6
(99.7) 38.8
(101.8) 34.4
(93.9) 30.5
(86.9) 29.6
(85.3) 30.1
(86.2) 30.4
(86.7) 28.8
(83.8) 27.8
(82) 32.0
(89.6)
Average low °C (°F) 14.7
(58.5) 17.0
(62.6) 20.3
(68.5) 24.1
(75.4) 26.0
(78.8) 23.9
(75) 22.5
(72.5) 22.0
(71.6) 21.7
(71.1) 20.0
(68) 16.4
(61.5) 14.1
(57.4) 20.2
(68.4)
Precipitation mm (inches) 3.2
(0.126) 5.2
(0.205) 12.0
(0.472) 21.0
(0.827) 37.3
(1.469) 96.1
(3.783) 163.9
(6.453) 171.1
(6.736) 185.5
(7.303) 90.9
(3.579) 16.2
(0.638) 6.1
(0.24) 812.5
(31.988)
Source: [21]
[edit] Demographics
Birla Mandir is a Hindu temple built entirely from white marble.
[show]Hyderabad Population
Census Pop. %±
1971 1,796,000
—
1981 2,546,000 41.8%
1991 3,059,262 20.2%
2001 3,637,483 18.9%
Est. 2009 4,025,335 [22] 10.7%
World Gazetteer[23]
The city's population in 2001 was 3.6 million and it has reached over 4.0 million[22] by 2009 making it among the most populated cities in India, while the population of the metropolitan area was estimated above 6.3 million.[24] Hyderabad is a cosmopolitan city, whose residents are adherents to a wide range of religions, predominately Islam (40%) and Hinduism, but also others, including Christianity, and Sikhism. There are many iconic temples, mosques, and churches situated in the city. Hyderabad's Muslim community is the largest in Andhra Pradesh. (see also: Hyderabadi Muslims).[25] Muslims have substantial presence across the city and are predominant in and around Old City. Churches are located across the city and the popular ones are in Abids and Secunderabad areas.[26]
Telugu and Urdu are the principal languages spoken in the city, while English, Hindi & Marathi are also widely spoken. Urdu spoken here has influences of Turkish, Persian, Hindi and Telugu, giving rise to a dialect sometimes called Hyderabadi Urdu or Deccani. The official language, Telugu, varies a little across the state but the core language remains the same.[19]
[edit] Administration
Main articles: Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority
AP High Court at Hyderabad, the supreme judicial body of the State of Andhra Pradesh
The city is administered by Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) which came into existence in 2007 after merging 12 municipalities with the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH).[27] The titular head of GHMC is the Mayor of Hyderabad who has few executive powers. In the past, the mayor was earlier chosen by the legislative body of the municipal corporations. The state government modified the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act, 1955, to stipulate that the mayoral election be held directly and simultaneously with the corporation elections. The real executive power of the corporation is vested in the Municipal Commissioner, an IAS officer appointed by the Andhra Pradesh state government.
The GHMC is in charge of the civic needs and the infrastructure of the city. Hyderabad is divided into 150 municipal wards, each overseen by a corporator. The corporators of the administration are elected through popular vote, and almost all the political parties field candidates. The twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad are spread over three districts, Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy and Medak. The District collectors also oversees the elections held in the city.[28]
Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly in Hyderabad
Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), is the urban planning agency of Hyderabad, India. It was formed in 2008 by expanding the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority. It contains the entire area of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and its suburbs. The enlarged jurisdiction of HUDA now extends to 54 Mandals located in five districts with a total area of nearly 6300 km².
Hyderabad voters send 24 members to the Legislative Assembly, whose constituencies come under 5 Lok Sabha segments. The new Assembly segments and their respective parliamentary constituencies(PC) are: Malkajgiri, Kukatpally, Uppal, Lal Bahadur Nagar (LB Nagar), Secunderabad Cantonment, Quthbullapur under Malkajgiri PC; Musheerabad, Amberpet, Khairatabad, Jubilee Hills, Sanathnagar, Nampally, Secunderabad under Secunderabad PC; Malakpet, Karwan, Goshamahal, Yakutpura, Charminar, Chandrayanagutta, Bahadurpura under Hyderabad PC; Maheswaram, Rajendranagar, Serilingampally under Chevella PC and Patancheru under Medak PC.
The city is divided by the state police into Hyderabad Police and Cyberabad Police which come under the state Home Ministry and are headed by Police Commissioners, who are IPS officers. Basheerbagh houses important government offices such as the Police Commissioner's office, Police Control room, Income tax Commissioner's office, Central Excise and customs office, Central Reservation office etc. The city is divided into five police zones, each headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police. The Traffic Police is a semi-autonomous body under the Hyderabad and Cyberabad commissionerates.[29]
Hyderabad is the seat of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, and also has two lower courts – the Small Causes Court for civil matters and the Sessions Court for criminal cases. The High Court and Legislature are heritage buildings built by Nizam.
[edit] Economy
Main page: Industries in Hyderabad, India
See also: Companies based in Hyderabad, India
Somajiguda, one of the areas in the city where urbanization is on the rise.
Punjagutta twin flyovers at Punjagutta circle.
Hyderabad is the financial, economic and political capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh. The city is the largest contributor to the state's gross domestic product, state tax and excise revenues. Hyderabad ranks 93rd (as of 2008) in the List of richest cities in the world by GDP (PPP) with US$60 bn and sixth in India. In terms of GDP per capita (PPP), Hyderabad ranks 4th in India with US$6,428. The workforce participation is about 29.55%[citation needed]. Starting in the 1990s, the economic pattern of the city has changed from being a primarily service city to being one with a more diversified spectrum, including trade, transport, commerce, storage, communication etc. Service industry is the major contributor, with urban workforce constituting 90% of the total workforce.[30] Hyderabad was ranked the 2nd best Indian city for doing business in 2009.[31]
Hyderabad is known as the city of pearls, lakes and, lately, for its IT companies. The bangles market known as Laad Bazaar is situated near Charminar. Products such as silverware, saris, Nirmal and Kalamkari paintings and artifacts, unique Bidri handcrafted items, lacquer bangles studded with stones,silk ware, cotton ware and handloom-based clothing materials are made and traded through the city for centuries.
Hyderabad is a major centre for pharmaceuticals with companies such as Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Matrix Laboratories, Hetero Drugs Limited, Divis Labs, Aurobindo Pharma Limited, Lee Pharma and Vimta Labs being housed in the city. Initiatives such as Genome Valley, Fab City and the Nano Technology park are expected to create extensive infrastructure in bio-technology.[32]
A store at Laad Bazaar selling bangles and jewellery. The Laadbazar and the Charminar market area are famous for pearls.
Like many Indian cities, Hyderabad has witnessed a high growth in the real estate business,[33] thanks to an information-technology-driven boom in the 1990s[34] and the retail industry growth over the last few years which have spurred hectic commercial activity. A number of mega malls have come up or are being built in the city.[35] Real estate demand in the suburban and rural areas surrounding Hyderabad has gone up exponentially leading to a rapid increase in prices over the past few years.[36] Jubilee Hills, Banjara Hills and Himayath Nagar areas are considered the posh residential areas of Hyderabad.
The retail industry in Hyderabad is on the rise. Many international and national brands have set up retail chains here. The city has multiple Central Business Districts (CBDs) spread across the city. There are many major business/commercial districts from the older Charminar area to newer Kothaguda. For the advancement of infrastructure in the city, the government is building a skyscraper business district at Manchirevula, near Rajendranagar with a 450 m supertall structure APIIC Tower at its centre. Also, the Lanco Hills near Gachibowli presents the tallest structure in India for residential and commercial purposes.
The largest employers in Hyderabad are the Andhra Pradesh Government and the Government of India with 113,098[37] and 85,155[38] employees respectively.
[edit] Information technology industry
Hyderabad has established itself as the leading destination for IT and IT-enabled services, pharmaceuticals call centres and entertainment industries. Many computer software companies, software consulting firms, business process outsourcing (BPO) firms, dealing with IT and other technological services firms have established their offices and facilities in the city since the 1990s.
Microsoft R&D Campus in Gachibowli, Hyderabad.
The development of a township with related technological infrastructure called HITEC City prompted several IT and ITES companies to set up operations in the city. An aggressive promotion of growth in this area has led civic boosters to call the city Cyberabad.[39] There have been extensive investments in digital infrastructure within the city promoting the setting up of several campuses by a vast array of companies within the city. This list includes several multinational corporations having established their development centres in the city. Major areas where such campuses have been set up are Madhapur, Kondapur, Gachibowli and Uppal.
CA R&D Campus in Gachibowli, Hyderabad.
Several Fortune 500 corporations, mostly related to IT or BPO services industry. Microsoft (with its largest R&D campus outside the US), Oracle Corporation etc. have setup operations in Hyderabad. For a more comprehensive list of IT companies in Hyderabad, refer to Software industry in Andhra Pradesh.
[edit] Transport
Main article: Transport in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation, which runs the world's largest fleet of buses,[40] connects Hyderabad with neighboring cities and states.
[edit] Roads
Hyderabad is connected to the rest of the country by National Highways—NH-7, NH-9 and NH-202. Hyderabad is also well connected to the remaining parts of the state. Like other cities, Hyderabad suffers from traffic congestion. Completion of the Inner Ring Road and construction of the Outer Ring Road encircling Hyderabad city is also underway and is touted to make travel in the city easier. Many flyovers and underpasses are also being constructed to ease traffic congestion in the city.[41]
[edit] Local transport
The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation[42] runs a fleet of 19,000 buses, the largest in the world.[40] Hyderabad has the third largest bus station facility in Asia, with 72 platforms for 89 buses to load passengers at a time. Officially named as the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station, it is locally known as the Imlibun Bus Station, Jubilee Bus Station at Secunderabad runs buses to various parts of the state and to some parts of South India.
The yellow colored Auto Rickshaw usually referred to as an auto, is the most widely used transport service and has flag down minimum fare of Rs 12 for first 1.5 km and then Rs 7 per km. Radio Taxis and cabs by private players have provided an easy travel in the city.[41]
[edit] Rail
The Secunderabad Railway Station is one of the busiest railway stations in India.
Railways were first introduced in the city in the year 1869 with the commencement of Secunderabad–Wadi line of Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway. Secunderabad Railway Station is the headquarters of the South Central Railway zone of the Indian Railways and is the largest railway station serving Hyderabad. The other major railway stations serving the city are Hyderabad Deccan Station (Nampally), Kachiguda Railway Station and Begumpet Railway Station. These stations provide connectivity within the city and the rest of the country.
Hyderabad has a light rail transportation system known as the MultiModal Transport System (MMTS) which offers connectivity between rail and road transport for the facility of the commuters. MMTS provides connectivity to quite a few parts of the city, and is not much suitable for exploring the city. MMTS is now geared up for a big leap with the Phase 2 of the project getting the official nod. The SCR plans to incorporate more rakes and hence more services in the next few months to augment the services to areas beyond the city limits. Hyderabad Metro is the proposed rapid transit for the city. The deadline of the bidding process has been delayed consistently.
[edit] Air
The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad has a passenger terminal capacity of 40 mn per annum.
There has been an unprecedented increase in the number of passengers leading to increased air traffic[43][44] The Airport at Begumpet was unable to cope up with the situation and was shut down on 2008-03-22.[45] The new Rajiv Gandhi International Airport was opened in March 2008 by Sonia Gandhi at Shamshabad, southwest of the city[46] The airport has the longest runway in India[47] and caters to the high passenger and cargo volumes it experiences. It is a hub for Jet Lite, SpiceJet and IndiGo. On 16 February 2010, Hyderabad International Airport was ranked fifth Best Airports Globally by Airports Council International. The airport has been named as the number one airport in 5-15 million passenger category by the Airport Council International in a worldwide conducted survey. 29 October 2009, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL), has bagged the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation’s (CAPA) newly instituted award in the category, “Best Airport Environmental Performance of the Year”. Hyderabad international airport has been named amongst the world's top five in the annual Airport Service Quality (ASQ) passenger survey along with the ones at Seoul, Singapore, Hong Kong and Beijing. The airport is the largest in terms of area and will provide world-class facilities among all airports in India. It is said to There are flights to many destinations, both domestic and international from this airport.[48]
The PV Narasimha Rao Expressway was constructed at an elevated level from Mehdipatnam to Rajendranagar along with an underpass and trumpet interchange for providing dedicated high speed travel to the airport. It is the longest flyover in India.[49] There are three wide roads leading to the new airport from the city and modern taxis and buses can shuttle passengers between the city and the airport. The Nehru Outer Ring Road serves as an expressway between Gachibowli and Shamshabad. The other airports located here are Dundigul Air Force Academy, Nadirgul Airport and Hakimpet Airport.
[edit] Culture
See also: Muslim culture of Hyderabad
Charminar
Historically, Hyderabad has been the city where distinct cultural and linguistic traditions of North India and South India meet. Hyderabadis, as residents of the city are known, have developed a distinctive culture which is a mixture of Hindu and Muslim traditions. A typical Hyderabadi could be either a Telugu or a Urdu-speaking person that has decided to make Hyderabad his/her home.[50]
Women of all cultures and faiths in Hyderabad typically wear either the traditional Indian dress, the sari, or, increasingly, the Salwar kameez especially among the younger population. The traditional Hyderabadi garb for females are the Khara Dupatta, the Salwar kameez and the Burqa (religious). For males the traditional garb is the Sherwani.[51] This is one of the more visible cultural attributes of Hyderabad.[52]
Hyderabadi Biryani
One of Hyderabad's public carnivals is the annual immersion of Lord Ganesh idols after the 10 day Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations on Ananta Chaturdashi (locally known as the Ganesh Nimajjanam). Bonalu is a vernacular festival that is celebrated with great fervour.The Muslims fast for 30 days during their holy month of Ramzan, observed in piety and charity,and celebrated at the end by Eid ul-Fitr, three days of festivities with greetings and joy by everyone. At Eid a traditional sweet is made known as Sheer Qorma. An annual procession takes place every 10th Muharram (1st month of Islamic calendar)by the Shia Muslims at Charminar where participants mourn through self-flagellation.
[edit] Cuisine
Main article: Hyderabadi cuisine
Hyderabadi cuisine is a blend of Traditional South Indian Mughal and Persian cuisine. Hyderabadi Biryani is an iconic dish of the region.[53] Other native preparations include Qubani ka meetha, Double ka meetha, Phirni, Nahari Kulche also known as paya and Haleem (a meat dish traditionally eaten during the holy month of Ramzan), Kaddu Ki Kheer (a sweet porridge made with sweet gourd), Sheer Qorma (a sweet liquid dish cooked with vermicelli and milk), Mirchi ka saalan, Bagaare baigan, Khatti dal, Khichdi and Khatta, Til ki chutney, baigan ki chutney, Til ka khatta, Aam ka achaar, Gosht ka achaar, Peosi (a sweet prepared with egg whites and milk), Shahi tukde, Kheema aaloo etc.[54][55]
Hyderabadi sweets are known for their ghee-based items. Famous sweet shops include the traditionally made. Pulla Reddy and Rami Reddy sweets are the two famous Pure Ghee Sweet Multi location chain in Hyderabad. Widely found on street-corners are Irani café's that offer Irani chai, Irani samosa and Osmania biscuit.
Italian, Mexican, Chinese and Continental cuisine are all popular in the city along with typical Andhra and other South Indian cuisine.[56] Pubs are also getting popular in Hyderabad.
[edit] Education and research
Main article: Education in Hyderabad, India
See also: List of institutions based in Hyderabad, India
Osmania University in Hyderabad
Schools in Hyderabad are affliated to either CBSE, AP State Board or ICSE. Schools are run by either state government, local governing bodies, private individuals, missionaries or other agencies. Children in Hyderabad schools have to study for ten years in schools, followed by two years in junior college before becoming eligible to enroll for graduation programme in a college. In schools the medium of instruction is either English, Telugu or Urdu
Colleges in Hyderabad are generally affliated to Osmania University. In addition to various colleges, the city is home to three central universities, two deemed universities, and six state universities. Osmania University, established in 1917, is the seventh oldest university in India and the third oldest in South India.[57] Indian School of Business an international business school ranked number 12 in global MBA rankings by the Financial Times of London in 2010[58] established by a group of Fortune 500 CEOs in collaboration with AP Government is also located in Hyderabad.
Colleges in Hyderabad offer graduation and post graduation and post graduation programmes in science, arts, commerce, law & medicine. College of Engineering – Osmania University,International Institute of Information Technology,Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani - Hyderabad Campus, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Indian Institute of Technology, etc. are some of the famous engineering colleges in Hyderabad. In addition to engineering colleges, various institutes know as polytechnics offer a three year course in engineering. However,this does not lead to complete graduation.
Gandhi Medical College and Osmania Medical College are the centres of medical education in Hyderabad. Admissions to professional colleges in Hyderbad is through EAMCET.
Colleges and universities in Hyderabad are run by either by state government, central government or private individuals or agencies.
Hyderabad Central University, Nalsar, NIPER, Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, English and Foreign Languages University, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, are some of the other universities located in Hyderabad.[59]
[edit] Research institutions
Hyderabad is the home to various research institutes such as Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), National Geophysical Research Institute(NGRI)(NGRI),National Institution of Nutrition(NIN),Central Food Technological Research Institute(CFTRI),National Mineral Development Corpation(NMDC), IRISET for railway signal engineering and ICRISAT. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) labs like ANURAG, DMRL, DRDL and DERL has research centres in Hyderabad to develop communication and radar systems and for the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). Nuclear energy sector has a large presence with three organisations under Department of Atomic Energy (India) including the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL).[41]
Hyderabad has been chosen to host the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM),[60] in August, 2010. It is expected that more than 4000 Mathematicians from all over world will be participating in this conference.
Hyderabad is also hosting the International World Wide Web (WWW) conference in the first-half of 2011.
[edit] Media
Main article: Media in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
Prasads IMAX Theatre houses the largest IMAX-3D in the world.[61]
Ravindra Bharathi, a well known center for arts and theatre in the city
Hyderabad is home to the second largest film industry in India by sheer number of films it produces, Telugu cinema, also known as Tollywood which produces approximately three hundred movies every year. Saradhi Studios, Annapurna Studios, Ramanaidu Studios, Ramakrishna Studios, Padmalaya Studios, Ramoji Film City (the largest Film Studio in India) are some of the notable film studios in the city. The first Hyderabad International Film Festival (HIFF) was organized in 2007 by the Hyderabad Film Club and Andhra Pradesh Film Directors Association.The largest IMAX 3D Theatre in Asia and has powerful projector in the world with 24 optical focus is Prasads IMAX along with 4D Simulator at Hyderabad, India. Inox, PVR Cinemas, Cine Planet, Cinemax, BIG Cinemas and Talkie Town are some other multiplexes in Hyderabad. In the near future 17 more multiplexes are coming up in the areas like Kukatpally, Kacheguda etc.[62]
Ravindra Bharati located at Saifabad, is an important and well known center for theatre and performing arts in the city. Many artists from around the world perform here regularly. Lalithakala Thoranam, Shilpakala Vedika are also similar centers for arts and theatre. State-of-the-art Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) or simply HITEX is the first of its kind in South Asia and is comparable to the world's best convention centers.[63]
The radio industry has expanded with a number of private and government owned FM channels being introduced. The FM radio channels that broadcast in the city include AIR Vividh Bharathi FM (102.8 MHz), AIR Rainbow FM (101.9 MHz), Radio Mirchi FM (98.3 MHz), Radio City FM (91.1 MHz), Big FM (92.7 MHz), Red FM (93.5 MHz) and AIR Gyan Vani FM (107.6 MHz). The downside of the radio services in Hyderabad is the fact that the Telugu language takes a major precedence in the transmission leaving only a minute chunk of airtime towards Hindi and other languages. The less said about sports broadcast the better.
State-owned Doordarshan transmits two terrestrial television channels and one satellite television channel from Hyderabad. Some prominent private regional television channels broadcasting from Hyderabad are RAJ NEWS, HMTV, Zee 24 Gantalu, ABN, TV9, RK News TV, MAA TV, I-News, Andhrajyothy news, ETV, ATV, Gemini, Teja, Zee Telugu, ETV Urdu, ETV2, Sakshi TV, NTV, TV5, RTV, Bhakthi TV, Local TV.[64]
Hyderabad has three print media groups that publish several newspapers and magazines in Telugu, Urdu, and English. The major Telugu dailies include the Eenadu, Sakshi, Suryaa, Vaartha, Andhra Jyothi, Andhra Prabha, Andhra Bhoomi and Praja Shakti. The major English dailies are The Times of India, The Hindu, The Deccan Chronicle, Business Standard, The New Indian Express and The Economic Times. Hyderabad publishes more number of Urdu dailies than any other Indian city. The major Urdu dailies are The Siasat Daily, The Munsif Daily, Etemaad, Rehnuma-e-Deccan, Rozanama Rashtriya Sahara and The Daily Milapand the unique news weekly from our own hyderabad "Hyderabad Journal" also hails from the city
Hyderabad is covered by a large network of optical fibre cables. There are four fixed telephone line operators in the city: BSNL, Tata Indicom, Reliance and Airtel. There are fifteen mobile phone companies in which GSM players include Vodafone, Airtel, BSNL, Idea, Tata DoCoMo, Reliance, Virgin Mobile, T24, Aircel and Uninor ; CDMA services offered by BSNL, Virgin Mobile, Tata Indicom, MTS India and Reliance currently, with Spice Telecom soon to launch its services.
[edit] Sports
See also: List of stadiums in Hyderabad
Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket stadium
G.M.C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium
Cricket and Field hockey are the most popular sports in the city. Hyderabad Sultans won the inaugural Premier Hockey League championship in 2005. The city took pride in hosting National Games and Afro-Asian Games. The 4th Military World Games with participation from 110 countries was held in Hyderabad in October 2007. Hyderabad 10k Run is a marathon event conducted every year.
The earliest stadium built in the city is the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium. Formerly known as Fateh Maidan, it was, till recently, the city's only stadium that could conduct International cricket matches. The first cricket match played here was on 19 November 1955. The stadium is currently being used to conduct ICL matches. The new Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium at Uppal has a capacity of approximately 55,000 spectators and is being enhanced to have world class facilities. It houses an ultra-modern gymnasium along with a swimming pool. It has been recently accorded Test match status by the International Cricket Council.
Famous sports persons of International stature from Hyderabad include Ghulam Ahmed, M L Jaisimha, Mohammed Azharuddin, VVS Laxman, Venkatapathy Raju, Shivlal Yadav, Arshad Ayub, Noel David (Cricket), Syed Abdul Rahim,[65] Sania Mirza (Lawn Tennis), Pullela Gopichand, Jwala Gutta, Saina Nehwal, Chetan Anand (Badminton), Mukesh Kumar (Hockey).
Hyderabad's Deccan Chargers franchise in the Indian Premier League was bought by Deccan Chronicle for USD 107 million. Deccan Chargers won the title for the year 2009. The city also has an ICL team named Hyderabad Heroes.[26]
The city houses the Swarnandhra Pradesh Sports Complex, the G.M.C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium at Gachibowli for hockey and football and a sophisticated Velodrome for cycling at Osmania University. The city has state-of-the-art venues for gymnastics, archery and sepak takraw, shooting at Saroornagar Indoor Arena and University of Hyderabad respectively. The Aquatics Complex Stadium at Gachibowli, with a capacity of 3000 spectators hosts swimming, diving, water polo and synchronized events. Kotla Vijay Bhaskar Reddy Indoor Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium with a capacity of 2500 spectators and wooden flooring with temperature control. SAAP Tennis Complex has a central court that holds 5000 spectators and has seven courts with synthetic surface. Water games like rowing, yachting, kayaking and canoeing are conducted at Hussain Sagar lake. The city also has five Go-Karting tracks and a Paint Ball Field. There are venues for table-tennis, basketball, equestrianism, boxing, weight-lifting with world class facilities. Hyderabad is fast becoming the hub of motosports events in AP, the Andhra Pradesh motor sports club (APMSC) which was started way back in 1977, has been instrumental in organising popular events like the Deccan 1/4 Mile Drag, TSD Rallies, 4x4 Off road in the recent past which received participation from all corners of India.
The city is well known for Horse racing. The Hyderabad Race Club formerly known as the Nizam Race Club is located at Malakpet. The Hyderabad race club attracts jockeys from all over the country by conducting various derbys/events here. The Deccan derby, a popular annual event is a regular feature here. The winter races also were conducted here recently. Badminton events take place at the Kotla Vijay Bhaskar Stadium and also at Gachibowli stadiums, and also played by youth and veterans in locality parks.
Hyderabad has developed into one of the major hubs for the information technology industry in India which has earned it the additional sobriquet "Cyberabad".[1] In addition to the IT industry, various biotechnology and pharmaceutics companies have set up their operations in Hyderabad. The city houses the most costly residential real estate in Andhra Pradesh in the posh Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills. The city is home to the Telugu Film Industry, the second-largest in India, known popularly as Tollywood. Residents of Hyderabad are generally called Hyderabadis. Located at the crossroads of North & South India, Hyderabad has developed a unique culture, reflected in its language & architecture.[5]
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Etymology
* 2 History
* 3 Geography
o 3.1 Climate
* 4 Demographics
* 5 Administration
* 6 Economy
o 6.1 Information technology industry
* 7 Transport
o 7.1 Roads
+ 7.1.1 Local transport
o 7.2 Rail
o 7.3 Air
* 8 Culture
o 8.1 Cuisine
* 9 Education and research
o 9.1 Research institutions
* 10 Media
* 11 Sports
* 12 Sister cities
* 13 See also
* 14 References
* 15 External links
[edit] Etymology
Theories explaining the origins and etymology behind Hyderabad's name differ. A popular theory suggests that after founding the city, Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah fell in love with and married a local nautch girl known as Bhagmathi or Bhagyavathi, and named the city Bhagyanagaram. Upon her conversion to Islam, she was given the title Hyder Mahal and thus the city was named Hyderabad, which is a two worded Urdu phrase, Hyder-A'bad, meaning 'Long live Hyder'. As per other legends, the city may be named after the son in law of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, Ali Ibn Abi Talib, whose other name was Hyder.[6][7]
[edit] History
Main article: History of Hyderabad (India)
Although Hyderabad was founded less than 500 years ago, archaeologists have unearthed Iron Age sites near the city that could date back to 500 BC.[8] Approximately over 1000 years ago this region was ruled by Kakatiyas. Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, a ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty (the ruling family of the Golconda, previously a feudatory of Bahmani sultanate that declared independence in 1512) founded the city of Hyderabad on the banks of the Musi River in 1591[9] to relieve a water shortage the dynasty had experienced at its old headquarters at Golconda.[10] He also ordered the construction of the Charminar.[11]
The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb captured Hyderabad in 1687[12] and, during this short Mughal rule, Mughal-appointed governors of the city soon gained autonomy. In 1724, Asaf Jah I, who was granted the title Nizam-ul-Mulk ("Governor of the country") by the Mughal emperor, defeated a rival official to establish control over Hyderabad.[12][13] Thus began the Asaf Jahi dynasty that ruled Hyderabad until a year after India's independence from Britain. Asaf Jah's successors ruled as the Nizams of Hyderabad. The rule of the seven Nizams saw the growth of Hyderabad both culturally and economically. Hyderabad became the formal capital of the kingdom and Golkonda was almost abandoned. Huge reservoirs, like the Nizam Sagar, Tungabhadra, Osman Sagar, and Himayat Sagar, were built. Survey work on Nagarjuna Sagar had also begun during this time; the actual work was completed by the Government of India in 1969. The wealth and grandeur of the Nizams is demonstrated by the fabled Jewels of The Nizams, which is a tourist attraction. The state was the richest and the largest among the princely states of India. The land area of the state was 90,543 mi²; its population in 1901 was 50,073,759. It enjoyed an estimated revenue of £90,029,000.[14]
The Chowmahalla Palace was the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty and was the official residence of the Nizam.
Before 1947, Hyderabad was under the suzerainty of the British Crown but was not part of British India. In 1947, at the time of the independence of British India and its Partition into the Union of India and the new state of Pakistan, the British abandoned their claim to suzerainty over the Princely states and left them to decide their own future. The Nizam, because of Islamic leanings, wished either to remain independent or to accede to Pakistan. However, for the Indian Union, this was unacceptable from a strategic perspective. The Nizam's efforts also triggered the largest agrarian armed rebellion in modern Indian history. To deter the Nizam, Indian union chose to implement an economic blockade, which forced the state of Hyderabad to sign a Standstill Agreement with it. Eventually the Indian Union used military force against the landlocked princely state of Hyderabad. This operation, termed Operation Polo, was successful and on 17 September 1948, the Nizam signed an Instrument of Accession to the Union of India.
Tomb of Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah in Hyderabad, India.
In 1955, Ambedkar was so impressed with amenities of Hyderabad that he argued to make Hyderabad a second capital of India. He said, "Hyderabad has all the amenities which Delhi has and it is a far better city than Delhi. It has all the grandeur which Delhi has. Buildings are going cheap and they are really beautiful buildings, far superior to those in Delhi. The only thing that is wanting is a Parliament House which the Government of India can easily build."[15]
On 1 November 1956, the states of India were reorganized on linguistic grounds. The territories of the State of Hyderabad were divided between newly created Andhra Pradesh, Mumbai state (later Maharashtra), and Karnataka. The Telugu speaking area of Hyderabad state, also known as Telangana, was merged with the Telugu speaking state of Andhra state to create Andhra Pradesh. Thus, Hyderabad became the capital city of the new state of Andhra Pradesh.[16]
Since liberalisation in the 1990s, Hyderabad has become one of the major hubs of the IT industry. The growth in the IT sector and opening of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport attracted activity in other economic sectors like real estate in the 2000s. However, the Global financial crisis of 2008–2009 has had a significant impact on construction activity.[14]
[edit] Geography
Main article: Geography of Hyderabad
Hussain Sagar built by Hazrat Hussain Shah Wali in 1562. The staue of Gautam Buddha in the middle of the lake was erected in 1992.
Situated on the Deccan Plateau, Hyderabad has an average elevation of about 536 metres above sea level (1,607 ft). Most of the area has a rocky terrain and some areas are hilly. Crops are commonly grown in the surrounding paddy fields.[17]
The original city of Hyderabad was founded on the banks of river Musi.[18] Now known as the historic Old City, home to the Charminar and Mecca Masjid, it lies on the southern bank of the river. The heart of the city saw a shift to the north of the river, with the construction of many government buildings and landmarks there, especially south of the Hussain Sagar lake. The rapid growth of the city, along with the merging of Hyderabad, 12 municipal circles and the Cantonment has resulted in a large, united and populous area. Still so many villages near by are getting a facelift to merge in the twin cities in the near future.[19]
[edit] Climate
Hyderabad has a tropical wet and dry climate that borders on a semi-arid climate, with hot summers from late February to early June, the monsoon season from late June to early October and a pleasant winter from late October to early February. In the evenings and mornings, the climate is generally cooler because of the city's good elevation. Hyderabad gets about 32 inches (about 810 mm) of rain every year, almost all of it concentrated in the monsoon months. The highest maximum (day) temperature ever recorded was 45.5 °C (113.9 °F) on 2 June 1966, while the lowest minimum (night) recorded temperature was 6.1 °C (43 °F) on 8 January 1946.[20]
[hide]Climate data for Hyderabad India(1951–1980)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 28.6
(83.5) 31.8
(89.2) 35.2
(95.4) 37.6
(99.7) 38.8
(101.8) 34.4
(93.9) 30.5
(86.9) 29.6
(85.3) 30.1
(86.2) 30.4
(86.7) 28.8
(83.8) 27.8
(82) 32.0
(89.6)
Average low °C (°F) 14.7
(58.5) 17.0
(62.6) 20.3
(68.5) 24.1
(75.4) 26.0
(78.8) 23.9
(75) 22.5
(72.5) 22.0
(71.6) 21.7
(71.1) 20.0
(68) 16.4
(61.5) 14.1
(57.4) 20.2
(68.4)
Precipitation mm (inches) 3.2
(0.126) 5.2
(0.205) 12.0
(0.472) 21.0
(0.827) 37.3
(1.469) 96.1
(3.783) 163.9
(6.453) 171.1
(6.736) 185.5
(7.303) 90.9
(3.579) 16.2
(0.638) 6.1
(0.24) 812.5
(31.988)
Source: [21]
[edit] Demographics
Birla Mandir is a Hindu temple built entirely from white marble.
[show]Hyderabad Population
Census Pop. %±
1971 1,796,000
—
1981 2,546,000 41.8%
1991 3,059,262 20.2%
2001 3,637,483 18.9%
Est. 2009 4,025,335 [22] 10.7%
World Gazetteer[23]
The city's population in 2001 was 3.6 million and it has reached over 4.0 million[22] by 2009 making it among the most populated cities in India, while the population of the metropolitan area was estimated above 6.3 million.[24] Hyderabad is a cosmopolitan city, whose residents are adherents to a wide range of religions, predominately Islam (40%) and Hinduism, but also others, including Christianity, and Sikhism. There are many iconic temples, mosques, and churches situated in the city. Hyderabad's Muslim community is the largest in Andhra Pradesh. (see also: Hyderabadi Muslims).[25] Muslims have substantial presence across the city and are predominant in and around Old City. Churches are located across the city and the popular ones are in Abids and Secunderabad areas.[26]
Telugu and Urdu are the principal languages spoken in the city, while English, Hindi & Marathi are also widely spoken. Urdu spoken here has influences of Turkish, Persian, Hindi and Telugu, giving rise to a dialect sometimes called Hyderabadi Urdu or Deccani. The official language, Telugu, varies a little across the state but the core language remains the same.[19]
[edit] Administration
Main articles: Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority
AP High Court at Hyderabad, the supreme judicial body of the State of Andhra Pradesh
The city is administered by Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) which came into existence in 2007 after merging 12 municipalities with the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH).[27] The titular head of GHMC is the Mayor of Hyderabad who has few executive powers. In the past, the mayor was earlier chosen by the legislative body of the municipal corporations. The state government modified the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act, 1955, to stipulate that the mayoral election be held directly and simultaneously with the corporation elections. The real executive power of the corporation is vested in the Municipal Commissioner, an IAS officer appointed by the Andhra Pradesh state government.
The GHMC is in charge of the civic needs and the infrastructure of the city. Hyderabad is divided into 150 municipal wards, each overseen by a corporator. The corporators of the administration are elected through popular vote, and almost all the political parties field candidates. The twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad are spread over three districts, Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy and Medak. The District collectors also oversees the elections held in the city.[28]
Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly in Hyderabad
Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), is the urban planning agency of Hyderabad, India. It was formed in 2008 by expanding the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority. It contains the entire area of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and its suburbs. The enlarged jurisdiction of HUDA now extends to 54 Mandals located in five districts with a total area of nearly 6300 km².
Hyderabad voters send 24 members to the Legislative Assembly, whose constituencies come under 5 Lok Sabha segments. The new Assembly segments and their respective parliamentary constituencies(PC) are: Malkajgiri, Kukatpally, Uppal, Lal Bahadur Nagar (LB Nagar), Secunderabad Cantonment, Quthbullapur under Malkajgiri PC; Musheerabad, Amberpet, Khairatabad, Jubilee Hills, Sanathnagar, Nampally, Secunderabad under Secunderabad PC; Malakpet, Karwan, Goshamahal, Yakutpura, Charminar, Chandrayanagutta, Bahadurpura under Hyderabad PC; Maheswaram, Rajendranagar, Serilingampally under Chevella PC and Patancheru under Medak PC.
The city is divided by the state police into Hyderabad Police and Cyberabad Police which come under the state Home Ministry and are headed by Police Commissioners, who are IPS officers. Basheerbagh houses important government offices such as the Police Commissioner's office, Police Control room, Income tax Commissioner's office, Central Excise and customs office, Central Reservation office etc. The city is divided into five police zones, each headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police. The Traffic Police is a semi-autonomous body under the Hyderabad and Cyberabad commissionerates.[29]
Hyderabad is the seat of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, and also has two lower courts – the Small Causes Court for civil matters and the Sessions Court for criminal cases. The High Court and Legislature are heritage buildings built by Nizam.
[edit] Economy
Main page: Industries in Hyderabad, India
See also: Companies based in Hyderabad, India
Somajiguda, one of the areas in the city where urbanization is on the rise.
Punjagutta twin flyovers at Punjagutta circle.
Hyderabad is the financial, economic and political capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh. The city is the largest contributor to the state's gross domestic product, state tax and excise revenues. Hyderabad ranks 93rd (as of 2008) in the List of richest cities in the world by GDP (PPP) with US$60 bn and sixth in India. In terms of GDP per capita (PPP), Hyderabad ranks 4th in India with US$6,428. The workforce participation is about 29.55%[citation needed]. Starting in the 1990s, the economic pattern of the city has changed from being a primarily service city to being one with a more diversified spectrum, including trade, transport, commerce, storage, communication etc. Service industry is the major contributor, with urban workforce constituting 90% of the total workforce.[30] Hyderabad was ranked the 2nd best Indian city for doing business in 2009.[31]
Hyderabad is known as the city of pearls, lakes and, lately, for its IT companies. The bangles market known as Laad Bazaar is situated near Charminar. Products such as silverware, saris, Nirmal and Kalamkari paintings and artifacts, unique Bidri handcrafted items, lacquer bangles studded with stones,silk ware, cotton ware and handloom-based clothing materials are made and traded through the city for centuries.
Hyderabad is a major centre for pharmaceuticals with companies such as Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Matrix Laboratories, Hetero Drugs Limited, Divis Labs, Aurobindo Pharma Limited, Lee Pharma and Vimta Labs being housed in the city. Initiatives such as Genome Valley, Fab City and the Nano Technology park are expected to create extensive infrastructure in bio-technology.[32]
A store at Laad Bazaar selling bangles and jewellery. The Laadbazar and the Charminar market area are famous for pearls.
Like many Indian cities, Hyderabad has witnessed a high growth in the real estate business,[33] thanks to an information-technology-driven boom in the 1990s[34] and the retail industry growth over the last few years which have spurred hectic commercial activity. A number of mega malls have come up or are being built in the city.[35] Real estate demand in the suburban and rural areas surrounding Hyderabad has gone up exponentially leading to a rapid increase in prices over the past few years.[36] Jubilee Hills, Banjara Hills and Himayath Nagar areas are considered the posh residential areas of Hyderabad.
The retail industry in Hyderabad is on the rise. Many international and national brands have set up retail chains here. The city has multiple Central Business Districts (CBDs) spread across the city. There are many major business/commercial districts from the older Charminar area to newer Kothaguda. For the advancement of infrastructure in the city, the government is building a skyscraper business district at Manchirevula, near Rajendranagar with a 450 m supertall structure APIIC Tower at its centre. Also, the Lanco Hills near Gachibowli presents the tallest structure in India for residential and commercial purposes.
The largest employers in Hyderabad are the Andhra Pradesh Government and the Government of India with 113,098[37] and 85,155[38] employees respectively.
[edit] Information technology industry
Hyderabad has established itself as the leading destination for IT and IT-enabled services, pharmaceuticals call centres and entertainment industries. Many computer software companies, software consulting firms, business process outsourcing (BPO) firms, dealing with IT and other technological services firms have established their offices and facilities in the city since the 1990s.
Microsoft R&D Campus in Gachibowli, Hyderabad.
The development of a township with related technological infrastructure called HITEC City prompted several IT and ITES companies to set up operations in the city. An aggressive promotion of growth in this area has led civic boosters to call the city Cyberabad.[39] There have been extensive investments in digital infrastructure within the city promoting the setting up of several campuses by a vast array of companies within the city. This list includes several multinational corporations having established their development centres in the city. Major areas where such campuses have been set up are Madhapur, Kondapur, Gachibowli and Uppal.
CA R&D Campus in Gachibowli, Hyderabad.
Several Fortune 500 corporations, mostly related to IT or BPO services industry. Microsoft (with its largest R&D campus outside the US), Oracle Corporation etc. have setup operations in Hyderabad. For a more comprehensive list of IT companies in Hyderabad, refer to Software industry in Andhra Pradesh.
[edit] Transport
Main article: Transport in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation, which runs the world's largest fleet of buses,[40] connects Hyderabad with neighboring cities and states.
[edit] Roads
Hyderabad is connected to the rest of the country by National Highways—NH-7, NH-9 and NH-202. Hyderabad is also well connected to the remaining parts of the state. Like other cities, Hyderabad suffers from traffic congestion. Completion of the Inner Ring Road and construction of the Outer Ring Road encircling Hyderabad city is also underway and is touted to make travel in the city easier. Many flyovers and underpasses are also being constructed to ease traffic congestion in the city.[41]
[edit] Local transport
The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation[42] runs a fleet of 19,000 buses, the largest in the world.[40] Hyderabad has the third largest bus station facility in Asia, with 72 platforms for 89 buses to load passengers at a time. Officially named as the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station, it is locally known as the Imlibun Bus Station, Jubilee Bus Station at Secunderabad runs buses to various parts of the state and to some parts of South India.
The yellow colored Auto Rickshaw usually referred to as an auto, is the most widely used transport service and has flag down minimum fare of Rs 12 for first 1.5 km and then Rs 7 per km. Radio Taxis and cabs by private players have provided an easy travel in the city.[41]
[edit] Rail
The Secunderabad Railway Station is one of the busiest railway stations in India.
Railways were first introduced in the city in the year 1869 with the commencement of Secunderabad–Wadi line of Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway. Secunderabad Railway Station is the headquarters of the South Central Railway zone of the Indian Railways and is the largest railway station serving Hyderabad. The other major railway stations serving the city are Hyderabad Deccan Station (Nampally), Kachiguda Railway Station and Begumpet Railway Station. These stations provide connectivity within the city and the rest of the country.
Hyderabad has a light rail transportation system known as the MultiModal Transport System (MMTS) which offers connectivity between rail and road transport for the facility of the commuters. MMTS provides connectivity to quite a few parts of the city, and is not much suitable for exploring the city. MMTS is now geared up for a big leap with the Phase 2 of the project getting the official nod. The SCR plans to incorporate more rakes and hence more services in the next few months to augment the services to areas beyond the city limits. Hyderabad Metro is the proposed rapid transit for the city. The deadline of the bidding process has been delayed consistently.
[edit] Air
The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad has a passenger terminal capacity of 40 mn per annum.
There has been an unprecedented increase in the number of passengers leading to increased air traffic[43][44] The Airport at Begumpet was unable to cope up with the situation and was shut down on 2008-03-22.[45] The new Rajiv Gandhi International Airport was opened in March 2008 by Sonia Gandhi at Shamshabad, southwest of the city[46] The airport has the longest runway in India[47] and caters to the high passenger and cargo volumes it experiences. It is a hub for Jet Lite, SpiceJet and IndiGo. On 16 February 2010, Hyderabad International Airport was ranked fifth Best Airports Globally by Airports Council International. The airport has been named as the number one airport in 5-15 million passenger category by the Airport Council International in a worldwide conducted survey. 29 October 2009, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL), has bagged the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation’s (CAPA) newly instituted award in the category, “Best Airport Environmental Performance of the Year”. Hyderabad international airport has been named amongst the world's top five in the annual Airport Service Quality (ASQ) passenger survey along with the ones at Seoul, Singapore, Hong Kong and Beijing. The airport is the largest in terms of area and will provide world-class facilities among all airports in India. It is said to There are flights to many destinations, both domestic and international from this airport.[48]
The PV Narasimha Rao Expressway was constructed at an elevated level from Mehdipatnam to Rajendranagar along with an underpass and trumpet interchange for providing dedicated high speed travel to the airport. It is the longest flyover in India.[49] There are three wide roads leading to the new airport from the city and modern taxis and buses can shuttle passengers between the city and the airport. The Nehru Outer Ring Road serves as an expressway between Gachibowli and Shamshabad. The other airports located here are Dundigul Air Force Academy, Nadirgul Airport and Hakimpet Airport.
[edit] Culture
See also: Muslim culture of Hyderabad
Charminar
Historically, Hyderabad has been the city where distinct cultural and linguistic traditions of North India and South India meet. Hyderabadis, as residents of the city are known, have developed a distinctive culture which is a mixture of Hindu and Muslim traditions. A typical Hyderabadi could be either a Telugu or a Urdu-speaking person that has decided to make Hyderabad his/her home.[50]
Women of all cultures and faiths in Hyderabad typically wear either the traditional Indian dress, the sari, or, increasingly, the Salwar kameez especially among the younger population. The traditional Hyderabadi garb for females are the Khara Dupatta, the Salwar kameez and the Burqa (religious). For males the traditional garb is the Sherwani.[51] This is one of the more visible cultural attributes of Hyderabad.[52]
Hyderabadi Biryani
One of Hyderabad's public carnivals is the annual immersion of Lord Ganesh idols after the 10 day Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations on Ananta Chaturdashi (locally known as the Ganesh Nimajjanam). Bonalu is a vernacular festival that is celebrated with great fervour.The Muslims fast for 30 days during their holy month of Ramzan, observed in piety and charity,and celebrated at the end by Eid ul-Fitr, three days of festivities with greetings and joy by everyone. At Eid a traditional sweet is made known as Sheer Qorma. An annual procession takes place every 10th Muharram (1st month of Islamic calendar)by the Shia Muslims at Charminar where participants mourn through self-flagellation.
[edit] Cuisine
Main article: Hyderabadi cuisine
Hyderabadi cuisine is a blend of Traditional South Indian Mughal and Persian cuisine. Hyderabadi Biryani is an iconic dish of the region.[53] Other native preparations include Qubani ka meetha, Double ka meetha, Phirni, Nahari Kulche also known as paya and Haleem (a meat dish traditionally eaten during the holy month of Ramzan), Kaddu Ki Kheer (a sweet porridge made with sweet gourd), Sheer Qorma (a sweet liquid dish cooked with vermicelli and milk), Mirchi ka saalan, Bagaare baigan, Khatti dal, Khichdi and Khatta, Til ki chutney, baigan ki chutney, Til ka khatta, Aam ka achaar, Gosht ka achaar, Peosi (a sweet prepared with egg whites and milk), Shahi tukde, Kheema aaloo etc.[54][55]
Hyderabadi sweets are known for their ghee-based items. Famous sweet shops include the traditionally made. Pulla Reddy and Rami Reddy sweets are the two famous Pure Ghee Sweet Multi location chain in Hyderabad. Widely found on street-corners are Irani café's that offer Irani chai, Irani samosa and Osmania biscuit.
Italian, Mexican, Chinese and Continental cuisine are all popular in the city along with typical Andhra and other South Indian cuisine.[56] Pubs are also getting popular in Hyderabad.
[edit] Education and research
Main article: Education in Hyderabad, India
See also: List of institutions based in Hyderabad, India
Osmania University in Hyderabad
Schools in Hyderabad are affliated to either CBSE, AP State Board or ICSE. Schools are run by either state government, local governing bodies, private individuals, missionaries or other agencies. Children in Hyderabad schools have to study for ten years in schools, followed by two years in junior college before becoming eligible to enroll for graduation programme in a college. In schools the medium of instruction is either English, Telugu or Urdu
Colleges in Hyderabad are generally affliated to Osmania University. In addition to various colleges, the city is home to three central universities, two deemed universities, and six state universities. Osmania University, established in 1917, is the seventh oldest university in India and the third oldest in South India.[57] Indian School of Business an international business school ranked number 12 in global MBA rankings by the Financial Times of London in 2010[58] established by a group of Fortune 500 CEOs in collaboration with AP Government is also located in Hyderabad.
Colleges in Hyderabad offer graduation and post graduation and post graduation programmes in science, arts, commerce, law & medicine. College of Engineering – Osmania University,International Institute of Information Technology,Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani - Hyderabad Campus, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Indian Institute of Technology, etc. are some of the famous engineering colleges in Hyderabad. In addition to engineering colleges, various institutes know as polytechnics offer a three year course in engineering. However,this does not lead to complete graduation.
Gandhi Medical College and Osmania Medical College are the centres of medical education in Hyderabad. Admissions to professional colleges in Hyderbad is through EAMCET.
Colleges and universities in Hyderabad are run by either by state government, central government or private individuals or agencies.
Hyderabad Central University, Nalsar, NIPER, Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, English and Foreign Languages University, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, are some of the other universities located in Hyderabad.[59]
[edit] Research institutions
Hyderabad is the home to various research institutes such as Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), National Geophysical Research Institute(NGRI)(NGRI),National Institution of Nutrition(NIN),Central Food Technological Research Institute(CFTRI),National Mineral Development Corpation(NMDC), IRISET for railway signal engineering and ICRISAT. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) labs like ANURAG, DMRL, DRDL and DERL has research centres in Hyderabad to develop communication and radar systems and for the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). Nuclear energy sector has a large presence with three organisations under Department of Atomic Energy (India) including the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL).[41]
Hyderabad has been chosen to host the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM),[60] in August, 2010. It is expected that more than 4000 Mathematicians from all over world will be participating in this conference.
Hyderabad is also hosting the International World Wide Web (WWW) conference in the first-half of 2011.
[edit] Media
Main article: Media in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
Prasads IMAX Theatre houses the largest IMAX-3D in the world.[61]
Ravindra Bharathi, a well known center for arts and theatre in the city
Hyderabad is home to the second largest film industry in India by sheer number of films it produces, Telugu cinema, also known as Tollywood which produces approximately three hundred movies every year. Saradhi Studios, Annapurna Studios, Ramanaidu Studios, Ramakrishna Studios, Padmalaya Studios, Ramoji Film City (the largest Film Studio in India) are some of the notable film studios in the city. The first Hyderabad International Film Festival (HIFF) was organized in 2007 by the Hyderabad Film Club and Andhra Pradesh Film Directors Association.The largest IMAX 3D Theatre in Asia and has powerful projector in the world with 24 optical focus is Prasads IMAX along with 4D Simulator at Hyderabad, India. Inox, PVR Cinemas, Cine Planet, Cinemax, BIG Cinemas and Talkie Town are some other multiplexes in Hyderabad. In the near future 17 more multiplexes are coming up in the areas like Kukatpally, Kacheguda etc.[62]
Ravindra Bharati located at Saifabad, is an important and well known center for theatre and performing arts in the city. Many artists from around the world perform here regularly. Lalithakala Thoranam, Shilpakala Vedika are also similar centers for arts and theatre. State-of-the-art Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) or simply HITEX is the first of its kind in South Asia and is comparable to the world's best convention centers.[63]
The radio industry has expanded with a number of private and government owned FM channels being introduced. The FM radio channels that broadcast in the city include AIR Vividh Bharathi FM (102.8 MHz), AIR Rainbow FM (101.9 MHz), Radio Mirchi FM (98.3 MHz), Radio City FM (91.1 MHz), Big FM (92.7 MHz), Red FM (93.5 MHz) and AIR Gyan Vani FM (107.6 MHz). The downside of the radio services in Hyderabad is the fact that the Telugu language takes a major precedence in the transmission leaving only a minute chunk of airtime towards Hindi and other languages. The less said about sports broadcast the better.
State-owned Doordarshan transmits two terrestrial television channels and one satellite television channel from Hyderabad. Some prominent private regional television channels broadcasting from Hyderabad are RAJ NEWS, HMTV, Zee 24 Gantalu, ABN, TV9, RK News TV, MAA TV, I-News, Andhrajyothy news, ETV, ATV, Gemini, Teja, Zee Telugu, ETV Urdu, ETV2, Sakshi TV, NTV, TV5, RTV, Bhakthi TV, Local TV.[64]
Hyderabad has three print media groups that publish several newspapers and magazines in Telugu, Urdu, and English. The major Telugu dailies include the Eenadu, Sakshi, Suryaa, Vaartha, Andhra Jyothi, Andhra Prabha, Andhra Bhoomi and Praja Shakti. The major English dailies are The Times of India, The Hindu, The Deccan Chronicle, Business Standard, The New Indian Express and The Economic Times. Hyderabad publishes more number of Urdu dailies than any other Indian city. The major Urdu dailies are The Siasat Daily, The Munsif Daily, Etemaad, Rehnuma-e-Deccan, Rozanama Rashtriya Sahara and The Daily Milapand the unique news weekly from our own hyderabad "Hyderabad Journal" also hails from the city
Hyderabad is covered by a large network of optical fibre cables. There are four fixed telephone line operators in the city: BSNL, Tata Indicom, Reliance and Airtel. There are fifteen mobile phone companies in which GSM players include Vodafone, Airtel, BSNL, Idea, Tata DoCoMo, Reliance, Virgin Mobile, T24, Aircel and Uninor ; CDMA services offered by BSNL, Virgin Mobile, Tata Indicom, MTS India and Reliance currently, with Spice Telecom soon to launch its services.
[edit] Sports
See also: List of stadiums in Hyderabad
Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket stadium
G.M.C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium
Cricket and Field hockey are the most popular sports in the city. Hyderabad Sultans won the inaugural Premier Hockey League championship in 2005. The city took pride in hosting National Games and Afro-Asian Games. The 4th Military World Games with participation from 110 countries was held in Hyderabad in October 2007. Hyderabad 10k Run is a marathon event conducted every year.
The earliest stadium built in the city is the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium. Formerly known as Fateh Maidan, it was, till recently, the city's only stadium that could conduct International cricket matches. The first cricket match played here was on 19 November 1955. The stadium is currently being used to conduct ICL matches. The new Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium at Uppal has a capacity of approximately 55,000 spectators and is being enhanced to have world class facilities. It houses an ultra-modern gymnasium along with a swimming pool. It has been recently accorded Test match status by the International Cricket Council.
Famous sports persons of International stature from Hyderabad include Ghulam Ahmed, M L Jaisimha, Mohammed Azharuddin, VVS Laxman, Venkatapathy Raju, Shivlal Yadav, Arshad Ayub, Noel David (Cricket), Syed Abdul Rahim,[65] Sania Mirza (Lawn Tennis), Pullela Gopichand, Jwala Gutta, Saina Nehwal, Chetan Anand (Badminton), Mukesh Kumar (Hockey).
Hyderabad's Deccan Chargers franchise in the Indian Premier League was bought by Deccan Chronicle for USD 107 million. Deccan Chargers won the title for the year 2009. The city also has an ICL team named Hyderabad Heroes.[26]
The city houses the Swarnandhra Pradesh Sports Complex, the G.M.C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium at Gachibowli for hockey and football and a sophisticated Velodrome for cycling at Osmania University. The city has state-of-the-art venues for gymnastics, archery and sepak takraw, shooting at Saroornagar Indoor Arena and University of Hyderabad respectively. The Aquatics Complex Stadium at Gachibowli, with a capacity of 3000 spectators hosts swimming, diving, water polo and synchronized events. Kotla Vijay Bhaskar Reddy Indoor Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium with a capacity of 2500 spectators and wooden flooring with temperature control. SAAP Tennis Complex has a central court that holds 5000 spectators and has seven courts with synthetic surface. Water games like rowing, yachting, kayaking and canoeing are conducted at Hussain Sagar lake. The city also has five Go-Karting tracks and a Paint Ball Field. There are venues for table-tennis, basketball, equestrianism, boxing, weight-lifting with world class facilities. Hyderabad is fast becoming the hub of motosports events in AP, the Andhra Pradesh motor sports club (APMSC) which was started way back in 1977, has been instrumental in organising popular events like the Deccan 1/4 Mile Drag, TSD Rallies, 4x4 Off road in the recent past which received participation from all corners of India.
The city is well known for Horse racing. The Hyderabad Race Club formerly known as the Nizam Race Club is located at Malakpet. The Hyderabad race club attracts jockeys from all over the country by conducting various derbys/events here. The Deccan derby, a popular annual event is a regular feature here. The winter races also were conducted here recently. Badminton events take place at the Kotla Vijay Bhaskar Stadium and also at Gachibowli stadiums, and also played by youth and veterans in locality parks.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
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