Vizag Features

November 2006
24th November, 2006

DAY AT SEA FOR MEDIA PERSONS AND SCHOOL CHILDREN
DAY AT SEA
INS RANA
DAY AT SEA
Search & Rescue

As part of Navy Week activities, the Eastern Naval Command organised a day at sea on board Naval Ships on 22.11.06 for 58 journalists (including our VizagcityOnline.com correspondent) and 600 school children to demonstrate their operational prowess. The five ships that participated in the exercise were INS Rana, Ranjit, Jyoti, Kirch and Kulish.

A spokesman for INS Rana, a guided missile destroyer of the Rajput Class, on which our correspondent sailed explained that the Eastern Fleet which came into being in June 1971 is a composite force made up of ships with different roles which gives it a multi-dimensional capability.

He also explained that the INS Rana was fitted with an array of weapons and sensors fitted fro multi-dimensional combat operations including nuclear, chemical and biological warfare at sea. 

Among the demonstrations held were: Sonar Dunking by Chetak helicopters, Close-range anti-aircraft firing and Replenishment at Sea involving transfer of men and material by jackstay.

The men in white must have inspired the children on board to consider a career with the Indian Navy.
DAY AT SEA DAY AT SEA DAY AT SEA
Competition Prize Winners INS Kirch
 

02nd November, 2006
REMEMBERING S. ALWAR DAS ON HIS 
76TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY
Mr. Alwardas
The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones. For this reason, the younger generation of Vizag may also not know that S. Alwar Das was a common name in Vizag not too long ago and the reason why he is thought of with reverence and fondness by Vizagites.
Sri Sunkari Alwar Das was born on 31st October, 1930 in Visakhaptnam to Sri Srinivasa Rao Naidu and Smt. Alivelu Manga Thayaramma.  He had his primary school education in Narasipatnam, Srikakulam, Ichapuram, Parvathipuram and Anakapalli and senior school education  in Visakhapatnam.  He later did his post-graduation in Economics from Andhra University, Visakhaptnam and obtained an L.L.B. from Delhi University. 

He took keen interest in public affairs at an early age, working as a party member in the student Congress and participated in the Quit India Movement. After independence he was in the thick of the struggle for a separate Andhra State in the early 50's and also pressed for the setting-up of a steel plant at Visakhapatnam. 

Among the offices he held were: Municipal Councilor of Visakhapatnam for 2 terms and Vice-chairman during the 2nd term. In 1978 he was elected as a member of Legislative assembly of Andhra Pradesh and was elevated as a minister for Municipal Administration, Urban Development and Education. It was during his tenure as Municipal Councilor, M.L.A., and Minister that he laid firm foundations for the present prosperity of Visakhapatnam City and the region.

When slums were predominant in Vizag and everybody advocated their removal, he took up slum improvement schemes in 1965 and established the Urban Community Development Department in Visakhapatnam city and later, as Minister of Municipal Administration and Urban Development, took up slum improvement schemes all over Andhra Pradesh.

A firm believer in the enlightening power of education, he personally established three educational societies - (1) Sri Venkateswara Vidya Peeth, Visakhapatnam in 1978, (2) Sri Srinivasa Vidya Parishad, Visakhapatnam in 1980 and (3) Sri Balaji Vidya Parishad, Visakhapatnam in 1990, which now have 21 institutions offering courses from the L.K.G. to Post-Graduation and research in various fields. 

Apart from politics, but still in the field of social service, he was an active member in many social organisations such as Lions, Rotary, Y'smen. He was the founder president of Walkers International, a health-oriented organisation which now has over 200 clubs in India and abroad. 

Probably what Sri Alwar Das will be best remembered for is that even though he occupied high positions of power such as Minister for Urban Development, he remained a clean public figure and set an example of impeccable probity in public life.
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