Sunday, July 19, 2009

PICTURES OF THE ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS

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Here’s sharing a couple of pictures of my domicile, the peerless Andaman & Nicobar Islands, with you all… How can one stay away from such a locale? Lets’ join hands in preserving them… Enjoy, mull over and post your comments


 


 


 



Friday, July 10, 2009

Celebrity Resort Threatens Aboriginal Tribes in Andaman Islands

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Breaking News…



A luxury resort threatens survival of the Jarawa tribe


 A luxury resort being built on the Andaman Islands in India is threatening the survival of the Jarawa Tribe, who number just 320 and have only had contact with outsiders since 1998.

Government authorities on the Andaman & Nicobar Islands want to stop the hotel, and are appealing against a Calcutta High Court ruling allowing it to go ahead.

An Indian travel company, Barefoot has started building a resort barely 500 meters from the Jarawa reserve, established by the Indian government to protect the aboriginal tribe. The hotel is an offshoot of an existing Barefoot resort in the Andamans at Havelock Island, whose guests have allegedly included Oscar-winning Hollywood actress, Kate Winslet.

Survival International campaigner Sophie Grig, who visited the Andamans last year, says, ‘The resort is next to a path the Jarawa use regularly as they hunt and gather in the forest. There is no way Barefoot could avoid putting at serious risk the lives of these extremely vulnerable people, whose existence is already threatened by poachers from the neighboring countries invading their land and by the road that cuts through their forest.

‘One has to wonder why Barefoot is building a hotel so close to the Jarawas, if it is not to allow tourists the opportunity to intrude into their lives. It will also bring an influx of workers and settlers to the area, increasing the considerable pressure on the Jarawas and their land. And it will risk exposing them to diseases to which they have no immunity, and to alcohol, which has ravaged other tribes on the Andamans and elsewhere.’

Ironically, Barefoot claims that ‘sustainable and socially responsible tourism development’ is core to its philosophy.

Survival’s report ‘Progress Can Kill’ details the devastating effects of imposing contact on isolated tribal peoples.


 News Courtesy: Survival International, London (UK)


Monday, July 6, 2009

National Level Singer Emerges from Andamans

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Avinash, one of the most talented young musicians of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and son of my dear friend Mr. D Appa Rao, a student of Music in Vanarasi, UP, have once again won laurels for these islands by achieving highest marks in his Master of Music (M. Mus) Degree Course from Mahatma Gandhi Kashi University of Vanarasi. Avinash has also bagged the Gold Medal from the MGK University for this achievement.

Earlier, Avinash had made the Andaman and Nicobar Islands proud by managing to break inside the preliminary rounds of Zee TV’s "Sa Re Ga Ma Pa" and Sony TV’s "Indian Idol". Avinash, winner of National Child Award and LG’s Commendation Certificate in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, has achieved various other milestones in Mainland India in the recent past."

As informed on 19th January 2008 by his father, Mr. D Appa Rao, Avinash Participated as a singer, musician, composer and actor also representing Varanasi in the “Akanksha” National theatre festival in Rai Umanath Bali Auditorium, Lucknow. He also participated in Durga Mahotsava as a singer and Musician organized by Durga Mahotsava Samiti (BHU) on 8th October 2008. He had participated in nearly all the events representing BHU (Benarus Hindu University) and stood 1st in the East Zonal competitions of the National youth festival held in Ranchi, organized from 2nd to 7th Dec. 2008.

Kumar Avinash also participated and secured gold for BHU again winning against 60 participating Universities in the final rounds of the National youth festival (finals) held in – Midnapur (West Bengal) from 19th to 24th Jan 2009. In the National Youth Festival, he participated as both singer and accompanist and was acknowledged as the backbone of BHU by the Dean of students in the felicitation party by V.C (BHU).

He was also awarded gold medal for participating as a singer, musician and actor in the Akansha National theatre festival on 9th June 2009, held at Rai Umanath Bali Auditorium, Lucknow.

3 CHEERS TO AVINASH'S UNIQUE SUCCESS !!!