Renowned yoga and spiritual guru was in Hyderabad to create awareness about his latest mission, ‘Save Soil.’ The Gachibowli stadium was filled to the brim to meet Sadhguru, who has been touring on his bike across countries and continents. During the massive congregation, he spoke on the need for the conservation of Soil.Save Soil is a global initiative launched by Sadhguru to address the soil crisis by bringing together people of the world for soil health. In the process, he has been meeting heads of various nations to institute national policies and action to increase the organic content in cultivable Soil.During his talk, Sadhguru shared that for Soil to be called Soil, it has to have at least 3% organic content, as per United Nations. He was concerned that in most countries, the percentage was really sad. While northern Europe had the highest percentage with 1.48% organic content, India had a mere 0.68%, he said.Wednesday was his 94th-day solo motorcycle journey for the Save Soil event, and he has already covered 562 events and 26,000 km. Present at the event were actress Samantha, agricultural minister Singireddy Niranjan Reddy and sports minister V Srinivas Goud. There were rich cultural performances to mark the occasion.Sadhguru spoke elaborately about the damage that lack of good Soil will cause to human beings. He said if the situation continues, the land will become unusable. He said food shortages would become a norm, and people would perish within days. He also warned that Soil had millions of microorganisms, and life is created as it grows. We need to consider Soil as our mother and not a mere resource, he said. However, he had a word of hope and added that if humans could work towards it, the situation could be reversed in 10-15 years.

Sadhguru Rides Into City For ‘Save Soil’ Mission

Development of infrastructure can become a pain as the people of Hyderabad are experiencing it during the monsoons. The newly constructed flyovers in the city have become pain points even as the monsoon season has begun in Hyderabad. The roads under them are seeing heavy waterlogging, and this has led to severe problems for the commuters.The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has been ignoring ten major roads where flyovers have been opened recently. On Wednesday, southern parts of Hyderabad recorded 54.3 mm rainfall, which was the first heavy rainfall of the monsoon season.The roads that were connecting major junctions to multiple areas and see a large number of commuters had become major spots for waterlogging. On the other hand, the government claims that it has spent around Rs 671.19 crore under the Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP) for developing urban infrastructure and providing hassle-free connectivity to commuters.Though the government also claimed that it has now put a stormwater system in place, it looks like it is a big failure going by the hardships people faced with just one shower. There are also complaints that while the government is going about completing projects, it is not taking into consideration the impact of climate change which is causing heavy rains in the city.The areas where there was heavy water-logging included Rajendranagar, Rambagh Colony located under the PVNR Expressway, Attapur, Chandrayanagutta, Zoo Park, and Kanchanbagh, where a flyover is being constructed.

Monsoon Menace: Major Waterlogging at Roads Under Flyovers

Check out the many flavors of tea in this newly opened cafe in SR Nagar. Popular anchor Suma Kanakala opened the restaurant and was quite pleased to see the variety on offer. The Pepper Tea cafe, as it’s called, has been opened by Neoma Foods, which is a well-known name in the food industry.The cafe offers many traditional teas, but their specialty happens to be bellam pepper tea or jaggery pepper tea. The cafe’s menu is a blend of varieties of beverages, hot and cold. It also has a good spread of food and finger snacks.The ambiance too is inviting and relaxing that can celebrate tea, food, and leisure. There was a time when tea and coffee were the luxuries that the Nizams enjoyed. Today, the Irani cafes have made chai accessible to all. The city has also developed coffee culture. Goes without saying, the chai-coffee culture has led to the opening of many new, upscale cafes in the city.The cafe has been started by Lakshmi Chaparala and Ramakrishna Raju, who intend to open another 200 cafes in the next couple of years across various metros and cities. The duo did a lot of food trials before deciding on the menu and customizing it to the requirements of various age groups.While here, you can order special teas, quick bites, sandwiches with awesome fillings, soft yet crunchy burgers, and shakes to grab and go. Pepper Tree has curated a menu that can be served fast with less waiting time.

Pepper Tea Cafe is Latest Entrant into Comfy Tea-coffee Spaces

Malla Reddy Narayana Hospitals, Suraram, Jeedimetla, has launched a Cancer Screening program in association with IIT-H (IIT Hyderabad). The program was initiated by Haragopal, Director of Finance, MRNH, and Prof B S Murty, Director, IITH, on Wednesday with the screening of more than 100 Contract Workers at the IIT campus by the hospital's team at Primary Health Centre, IITH.A huge Eicher bus has been allotted with all screening equipment to conduct the Cancer screening drive. The Cancer screening coach is operated and managed by the MRNH Team and supported by the Rotary Club of Ameerpet.The bus has facilities like Doctor Consulting Room, Colposcopy, Mammography, X-ray, and reporting room. It is also equipped with a television to display the preventive videos and has a separate inbuilt washroom. Malla Reddy Narayana Hospitals has developed a well-trained and exclusive team to drive the Cancer Screening program on Wheels.Prof B S Murty thanked Haragopal, Director of Finance, Malla Reddy Narayana Hospitals, and Dr. Bhadra Reddy, Chairman, and said, "Through this collaboration with Malla Reddy Narayana Hospitals, we would like to take the Cancer Screening to the remote villages as well.

Cancer Screening Now on Wheels in Hyderabad

Sustainable, natural, earthy... probably the buzzwords during the pandemic times for most Hyderabadis. Already, the city was on the brink of an evolution of sorts, with people opting for all things natural, clean, and nutritious. And in the process, the people of Hyderabad have gone back in time and are enjoying food stored or cooked in earthen pots and pans. And it’s not just picking up from roadside potters; many Hyderabadis are now proud owners of artisanal pottery.Artisinal pottery comes in myriad colors and textures and takes some technique to become something that is both eye-catching and functional. While a terracotta pot is fired up to 800 degrees centigrade, the pit is dug using firewood and baked. But ceramic pottery is more durable and can be permanently glazed in various colors and hues. It also requires special raw materials and glazers. But, of course, the whole effort is worth it and is surely on the pricey side of normal earthenware.Carmel Hessing of @claysutra on Instagram is the founder of Claysutra and is an instructor. She has a course for beginners, intermediate and advanced levels. She holds workshops at her Padmarao Nagar Studio in Secunderabad every Sunday.Then there is Manpreeth Singh Nishter, founder of MSN Studio in Kokapet. Incidentally, he found his calling 14 years back and specializes in tableware. His art is inspired by nature – animals, flowers, leaves, etc. He says pottery is gratifying as he gets to make something out of nothing. Manpreeth also feels the city has evolved in terms of its choices. He says the studios in Hyderabad are definitely on par with Bengaluru, though they are still far from Delhi and Mumbai.

Studio Pottery The Next Big Hobby For Hyderabadis

Arun Sreyas and Gautam Maheswaran are founders of RACEnergy, a Hyderabad-based start-up creating waves in the battery swapping electric infra ecosystem. It is known that the government of India is pushing forth the idea of replacing fossil fuel vehicles with electric vehicles. The union minister for road transport and highways, Nitish Gadkari, had said that 80% of two-wheelers and 30% of private vehicles will be electric by 2030.In a country that is price sensitive to the extent that many do not buy automatic cars as they are a lakh or two more expensive than regular cars, battery swapping would be an ideal solution, say the founders of RACEnergy. Seeing the future and how things are shaping up, the duo, in partnership with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), recently inaugurated its first battery swapping station at HITEC City in January. In addition, three battery swap stations are being set up at various HPCL outlets at prime locations in the city in January.While the usual electric vehicles take time to get charged – one hour is the norm – battery swapping helps the vehicle owner to simply drive into a swap station and replace the battery with a new battery which is time-saving. It’s a matter of two minutes, says Arun Sreyas.RACEnergy is also providing retrofit kits that convert existing ICE autorickshaws into electric vehicles that will be compatible with the swapping network. By combining both technologies, the new-age firm can provide a similar experience of refueling ICE or internal combustion engine vehicles, but at 50% of the operating cost and with minimal upfront charges.The company intends to build a network of 500 battery swap stations across India by mid-2023, and 100 will be in Hyderabad. Arun Sreyas feels that autorickshaws and cabs will be key to the success of the battery swapping market as time and cost of the product is key here.RACEnergy has raised a seed+ round of $1.3 million led by Micello Fund and growX ventures, along with investments from Huddle, Prophetic Ventures, and BITSian Angels, among others.

All Set To RACE Into The Market of EV Battery Swapping

Hyderabad is today one of the top gastronomic destinations, and it has everything from dum biryanis to pot biryanis to shawarmas to chat to faloodas to sweets that are truly Hyderabadi. But there are some restaurants that survive the limitations of time and continue to entice their customers with their simple yet no-nonsense food, which has been served for years.All you need to do is head to the old city and have chai and Osmania biscuits, and most of these cafes are probably older than you. And a visit to the old city is not complete without having a cup of Irani chai at Nimrah Cafe. The place was started by Aboob Bin Aslam al Katheri in 1993. And beside it stands Farasha Cafe which has delectable food.That is not all. Hyderabad has some vintage restaurants that make it a foodies paradise.Famous ice cream (1951)The place is completely full during the evenings when you have large crowds coming over to taste and enjoy hand-made ice creams from fresh fruit. In 1951, Mohammed Haleem set up Famous Ice Cream at MJ Market, and in no time, it caught the attention of the locals. If you want some asli ice cream, head here.Gokul ChatThis is a huge favorite for chat lovers, and no trip to Koti is complete without eating at Gokul’s. Premchand Vijayavarg started it, and his family still runs it since the ’70s. It opens at 8.30 am and goes on till 11 pm. But if you want to avoid a mad rush, then go there before 5 pm.Subhan BakerySubhan was established as a home-based business in the 1940s. It has been 74 years, and the bakery is still popular for its puffs, cakes, and rolls. During Muharram, it sells dum ke roat and nut cookies. It is said that Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru would insist on having bread for breakfast from this bakery during his visits to Hyderabad.HameediHameedi is considered to be the first sweet shop in the city that serves a variety of confectionaries and desserts. It is said Nizam too tasted sweets from this place. The place is known for Jouzi halwa, Saffron ashrafi, badam ki jali, motichur ke ladoo, chandi ke ashrafi, puran poli, pure ghee balusha, khowa puri, and Halwa Sohan Tikki. The place was established in 1913.Hotel ShadabThe restaurant opened in 1953 and offers Mughlai-Persian food, and whether you love biryani or chai, it is a must-visit in the old city. You will get to taste Asli Hyderabadi biryani here.

Vintage is What Explains The Popularity of These Hyderabadi Eateries

By profession, she is a doctor. However, for Dr. Sofiya Sujad, life happens when there is a party or event that she carefully curates and organizes. As surprising as it may sound, Dr. Sujad enjoys her chosen vocation-turned-profession of hosting events.She says the colors, the glamour, and the vibrancy of events soothe her, and she thoroughly enjoys all the nitty-gritty of creating beautiful things for beautiful people. Though she completed her medicine, Sofiya could not come to terms with all the trauma associated with her profession, so much so that she chose a different path altogether.She says she was probably chosen to heal. But Sofiya is quick to add she always has a sense of fear and insecurity tucked away under her super cool oeuvre. That could be because she comes from a family of entrepreneurs, and she happens to be the great-granddaughter of Vazir Sultan, founder of VST Industries/ Charminar Cigarette Factory, the first tobacco factory in India.“Be it through my work or my art or my events, everything directs me to the beating core of a heartfelt purpose. So, I stitch these experiences and avenues together in the patchwork quilt of life,” says Sofiya.Sofiya feels her life was too colorful to deal with the grey of trauma. Her company and its activities have been a physical manifestation of all these internal experiences, she says.

A Doctor With a Legacy Now Creating Enchanting Experiences

Sampath Kumar happens to be an entrepreneur from the city. He is known to run Colours Beauty Salon in Rd No 5, Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad. But there is another side to him that very few people know. He happens to be a blood donor. Yes, a donor who donates blood at regular intervals and is extremely satisfied with his commitment for the past 23 years.In the last two decades, he has donated blood 1000 times, and like many donors, he got on the path after hearing about a man dying because he did not get blood on time. Since then, Sampath has made it his mission to do whatever he can to bridge the gap between blood requirement and availability.He is O+ve and has saved 472 lives so far. He has also donated plasma 24 times since the pandemic broke. Sampath has also been donating platelets every 15 days to cancer patients. He regularly donates blood at Chiranjeevi Blood Bank and various private and government hospitals, shares Sampath.He says one must donate blood regularly as there is a shortage of blood in Hyderabad. Sampath says donating blood also keeps one stay active and fresh as new blood cells keep generating. He insists that there are no side effects of donating one’s blood. He points out that he has been doing it for 23 years and is fit and hale. Sampath sleeps for a good seven hours a day and says he is good to go.Also, ever since he started donating blood, he quit his habit of excessive smoking and drinking. To conclude, he says the feeling of the blood being used for a good cause gives immense satisfaction.

A ‘Blood-Written’ Success Story of 23 Years

A woman advocate from Secunderabad lost Rs 55 lakh to crypto fraudsters who lured her with huge profits in cryptocurrency trading.The victim had found that a woman named Ammie added her to a WhatsApp group a month ago where continuous updates about crypto business were posted. After following the updates in the group for a few days, one day, she received a call from Ammie, who briefed her about the bitcoin business and its profits. The victim was then introduced to Jack, who explained about the bitcoin trading and asked her to download an app on her phone. She was told to pay 20% of profits as commission, and she agreed.According to the police, the victim downloaded the app and started making small investments in bitcoin trading. Initially, she made profits and was lured by more profits; she invested over Rs 55 lakh and later got duped.In another case, a man residing in Basheerbagh lost Rs 10 lakh to cryptocurrency fraudsters. He had received a message with a link to a website on his WhatsApp number. The police said that the victim clicked on the link and got introduced to some persons who duped him for Rs 10 lakh on the pretext of helping him make profits.Two cyber fraud cases were booked, and investigations are on.

Woman Advocate Falls Prey To Crypto Fraud, Loses 55 Lakhs

Food lovers look for variety, and of late, the restaurant owners in Hyderabad are getting quite experimental. And it’s not just high-end restaurants; budget hotels too are coming up with various techniques to attract customers. For starters, there are catchy names like Baahubali Haleem, Shadi ka Table, and Naidu gari Kunda Biryani. Naidu gari Kunda Biryani is a chain of restaurants in Telugu states that are now serving Baahubali Thali.Well, the interesting bit here is that it is more of a challenge to the foodies. If one can finish the entire thali all by themselves within 30 minutes, they will win Rs 1 lakh. As for the thali contains 30 veg and non-vegetarian dishes like chicken biryani, prawns curry, and Schezwan noodles and includes salad, raita, and drinks. The thali costs Rs 1800 and is sufficient for three to four people.The challenge can be taken up any day except on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday when the business is very busy. Food apart, the newly inaugurated restaurant has a homely ambiance, and most of the dishes are served in earthenware.