A R Rahman to receive Lakshminarayana International Award
Chennai (PTI): Music composer A R Rahman will be conferred with the Lakshminarayana International Award this year, the organisers of the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival have announced.
The award, instituted to honour artists for their contributions to the field of arts, will be presented to Rahman at a special ceremony on December 15, according to a press release.
The event will serve as the curtain raiser to the 35th edition of the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival and will be held at Rasika Ranjani Sabha here.
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Rahman, a two-time Academy Award winner and one of India’s most celebrated music composers, has been credited with transforming the soundscape of Indian cinema. With over 150 million records sold and more than 100 film soundtracks and albums to his name, his work spans landmark films such as "Roja", "Bombay", "Dil Se", "Taal", "Lagaan", "Slumdog Millionaire" and "127 Hours".
Trained in Western classical music at Trinity College, London, Rahman established the Panchathan Record Inn in Chennai, one of India’s most advanced recording studios. He made a historic debut with "Roja", which earned him the National Award — the first of seven, the highest number received by any Indian composer.
Rahman is also a recipient of the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan.
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Andhra CM conducts aerial survey of key projects in North Andhra
Visakhapatnam (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday undertook an aerial survey of key development projects in the North Andhra region to assess their progress.
After a review meeting with officials on the Visakhapatnam Economic Region (VER), he conducted an aerial survey of projects such as Bhogapuram Airport, IT, tourism and others in a chopper, said an official release.
The CM reviewed the IT hub and Global Capability Centre (GCC) project works near Kapuluppada, where the Visakhapatnam IT Special Economic Zone (SEZ) has been expanded, and other projects.
Naidu issued instructions to officials to ensure efficient road connectivity to the Bhogapuram international airport and to accelerate the development of the associated township.
He also sought details on the proposal for an aviation university as part of the education hub planned at Bhogapuram.
The CM also issued directives to officials on road and rail connectivity, including logistics support for IT, pharma, industrial clusters, ports, and airports within the Visakhapatnam Economic Region.
Comprising nine districts in total, the southern state aims to transform VER into a USD 135 billion economy by 2032.
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With a population of 1.65 crore people, 38,000 sq km of area, per capita income of USD 3,170 and a workforce of 70 lakh people, VER accounts for 23 percent population and 31 percent of the state’s total area, said an official press release.
The state plans to develop the region through seven growth drivers such as global ports, next generation IT, agriculture, tourism, healthcare hub, planned urban housing and best infrastructure.
Out of six ports, four are currently operational – Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram, Kakinada Deep Water and Kakinada Anchorage – while Kakinada Gateway and Mulapeta ports will be the new ones.
VER aims to construct seven new railway projects, nine road projects, 77-km long Metro rail connectivity project and set up 12 manufacturing units, among others.
Further, the government aims to construct 7.5 houses (welfare), facilitate 10,000 hotel rooms construction, set up 20 medical and IT skilling colleges, add 5,000 hospital beds, develop 50 million sq ft of office space, and earmark 50,000 acres for industries and other facilities.
