Hyderabad: The head priest of Chilkur Balaji Temple, CS Rangarajan and the temple staff joined the blood donation drive conducted at Masjid-E-Muhammed Hussain at Rajendranagar, Hyderabad on Milad-Un-Nabi on Monday, September 16. The gesture was appreciated for spreading feelings of communal harmony and fraternity across religions, by the individuals who took part in the event, which was held for mobilizing blood for children suffering from cancer.

The event was organised by Helping Hands Foundation, a Hyderabad-based NGO led by Mujtaba Hasan Askari. The NGO has been working with MNJ Cancer Hospital in Lakdikapul, to help children suffering from Acute Leukemia or blood cancer.

MNJ Cancer Hospital, named after Nawab Mehdi Nawaz Jung, conducts 2500 major and 4000 minor surgeries in a year. The hospital requires nearly 100 units of blood every day to cater for its patients. In efforts to help this situation, the NGO was aiming to raise 200 units of blood from the drive.

The temple head priest commended the efforts of the Helping Hands Foundation over the years. Joining the blood donation drive in the masjid, he appreciated the efforts of his Muslim brothers and said their blood donation would go a long way in saving lives.

Mujtaba Hasan Askari and CS Rangarajan, both engineering batchmates from Osmania University, shared their moments of friendship and fond memories when they met during the blood donation drive.

He also said that he is truly inspired to see Hindus, at the time of their festivity of Vinayak Chathurthi in the city, joining in large numbers to the noble event.

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Hyderabad: A 23-year-old nursing student reportedly died by suicide in a hotel on Monday, September 16 under Gachibowli police limits.

The student, who hails from Jadcherla, had arrived in Hyderabad with three friends on Sunday to visit the city during the Ganesh festival. After dinner that night, she complained of a headache and decided to stay back at the hotel while her friends went out.

According to reports, when her friends returned around 3 am, they received no response after knocking on the door. Concerned, they alerted hotel staff who used a master key to enter the room. Tragically, they found the victim hanging from the ceiling fan.

Speaking to Siasat.com, an official from Gachibowli police station stated that, “We suspect signs of struggle as the room was discovered in a disorganised state.”

The official further added that “Bloodstains and scattered medicine bottles were found in the room, leading them to register the case as a suspicious death.”

Further investigation is ongoing.

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Hyderabad: Transport and BC welfare minister Ponnam Prabhakar announced that all arrangements for the Ganesh immersion in Hyderabad have been completed with full coordination among various departments. He revealed that 360 cranes have been deployed across the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) area, including 135 cranes specifically positioned around Tank Bund. These preparations aim to ensure a smooth and efficient immersion process.

On September 16, minister Ponnam visited Khairatabad Ganesh and performed a special pooja, after which he spoke to the media. He emphasized that the government has provided free electricity for Ganesh mandapas for the first time in the state’s history and assured that officials would cooperate with devotees in case any problems arise. Additionally, rescue teams have been stationed to ensure the safety of all participants during the immersion process.

GHMC Mayor Gadwala Vijayalakshmi also visited Khairatabad Ganesh, participated in the puja, and briefed the media. She highlighted that special “baby ponds” have been set up across the GHMC area to make the immersion process smoother.

The mayor noted that these preparations had been underway for the past 15 days to ensure a peaceful and organized event. Both the minister and mayor appealed to devotees to cooperate and contribute to the peaceful completion of the festivities.

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Hyderabad: Soon after the Congress-run state government unveiled former late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s statue at the secretariat on Monday, the main opposition party Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), on Monday, September 16, announced a statewide protest on Tuesday.

The party’s working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) condemned the act and termed it as an insult to Telangana Talli. He called upon all BRS party workers to perform paal abhishekam (milk offering) to all statues of Telangana Talli across the state on Tuesday.

KTR has ‘advised’ chief minister Revanth Reddy to rectify his ‘mistake’ warning him that the people of Telangana will teach his party a lesson in the next Assembly elections.

He further said that BRS has no problem in unveiling the former prime minister’s statue but opposed its placement at the location previously reserved for Telangana Talli. He said that once BRS comes to power, they will relocate the statue at Gandhi Bhavan with full honors.

KTR expressed anguish that the Telangana chief minister chose to prioritize the approval of his Delhi bosses instead of the sentiments of the people of Telangana.

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Hyderabad: State civil supplies minister Uttam Kumar Reddy announced on Monday, September 16, that ration cards and health cards will soon be provided to eligible families living below the poverty line (BPL) in Telangana. Applications for these cards will be accepted starting in October.

The announcement came during the 4th meeting of the ministerial sub-committee on the issuance of ration and health cards at Erramanzil Jalasoudha.

Reddy confirmed that the Congress-led government is committed to providing essential goods through ration cards and ensuring healthcare support via health cards for eligible families. He outlined that the process for issuing new cards, including discussions on current regulations and procedures, will be finalized by the end of this month.

Currently, there are 89.96 lakh ration cards in use, benefiting approximately 2.81 crore people across the state. The minister assured that every eligible family will receive ration and health cards, as promised by the Congress party.

State revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy added that eligibility for white ration cards will be determined by next month.

He emphasized that the distribution process will be transparent, and smart cards will be introduced for both ration and health services.

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Hyderabad: The State Task Force of Prohibition and Excise department arrested a couple who were selling ganja at Dhoolpet on Monday, September 16. The sleuths seized 2.165 kilograms of ganja from them.

Acting on a tip off, the sleuths kept a watch at Lower Dhoolpet and caught Mahender Singh and his wife Sunita Bai, who were allegedly purchasing ganja and selling it to customers.

Three others Durgesh Singh, Anguri Bai and Papalal Singh, who are also involved in the case are absconding.

The arrest was made following inputs gathered against ganja peddlers as part of ‘Operation Dhoolpet’ by the Prohibition and Excise Department Telangana under the supervision of Excise Superintendent, N Anji Reddy.

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Hyderabad: The Khairatabad Ganesh has earned of Rs. 1.10 crore in revenue during the 10-day festival this year.

According to the organizers of the Khairatabad Ganesh Committee, the total collection of ‘hundi’ (donations) made by the visitors during the last ten days amounted to Rs. 70 lakh.

For the first time, the organizers had counted the total collection of money received at the pandal under closed circuit cameras and announced that Rs. 70 lakh donations were received from the people. Another Rs. 40 lakh was generated through hoardings and advertisement through other forms.

The practice of installing Ganesh at the spot started in 1954, when freedom fighter Shankaraiah first set up a small pandal, with a tiny one feet in height idol to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi. As years passed the height of the idol also kept going up by a foot every year and in 2014, the idol was 60 feet tall. This year, the height is around 70 feet.

The Khairatabad Ganesh assumes a different avatar every year and its laddu prasadam is much sought-after by lakhs of devotees thronging the pandal.

Chennai based veteran sculptor Chinnaswamy Rajendran, with 30 years of experience in idols made the Khairatabad Ganesh idol with the help of 150 artisans.

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Hyderabad: Questioning why the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government did not install the Telangana Thalli statue when it was in power, chief minister Revanth Reddy said that it will be installed by December 9 this year.

Speaking during the installation of former Congress Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s statue at the state Secretariat on Monday, Revanth Reddy praised the former leader who he said realised the ‘village swaraj’ that Mahatma Gandhi had dreamed of.

CM Revanth unveiled the statue of Rajiv Gandhi in front of the Secretariat with state ministers, MPs, MLAs, MLCs, government advisors, Congress Party state in-charge Deepadas Munshi, Telangana PCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud and other leaders.

The chief minister said that Rajiv Gandhi assumed the post of Prime Minister only for the people of the country and that through the 72nd and 73rd constitutional amendments, funds were allocated directly to the villages because of him.

“The IT sector was introduced to the country,” said Revanth Reddy. He added that it was his responsibility to inform the people about the meaning of sacrifice. The chief minister also recalled that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was hailed as the leader for sacrificing billions of rupees of wealth for the country, and that he went to the jail for freedom who kept the country united after independence.

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Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh’s ruling coalition partner Jana Sena has decided to keep choreographer Shaik Jani Basha, popularly known as Jani Master, away from party activities, hours after he was booked for sexually assaulting a woman.

The Jana Sena, led by Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and actor Pawan Kalyan, took the decision on Monday after a case was registered against Jani Master in Hyderabad.

V. Ajay Kumar, head, Conflict Management, Jana Sena, said in a statement that the decision will come into effect immediately.

The Raidurgam police of Cyberabad booked a zero FIR against Jani Master on allegations of sexually assaulting a woman, who is also a choreographer.

Subsequently, the FIR was transferred to Narsingi Police Station, which registered a case and took up an investigation. Jani Master has been booked for rape and criminal intimidation.

The woman, aged 21, alleged in her complaint that Jani Master sexually assaulted her multiple times. She came in contact with the choreographer in 2017 and she became an assistant to him in 2019.

The complainant said that Jani Master sexually assaulted her multiple times during their shoots in different cities, including Chennai, Mumbai and Hyderabad. The victim alleged that he sexually assaulted her once when they had gone to Mumbai. He had allegedly that he raped her in a shooting vehicle and threatened her against revealing this to anyone.

She also claimed that he assaulted her at her residence in Narsingi several times.

The woman also told police that she faced a threat to her life from the choreographer. She said on August 28 she found a suspicious parcel in front of her residence and “this is your last shooting” was written on it. She said the accused had threatened to make sure that she did not get any work opportunities.

In 2019, Jani Master was sentenced to six months in jail by a local court in Medchal in a case relating to a brawl at a college in 2015. He was booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) related to assault on a woman, causing hurt, and criminal intimidation. However, the Medchal court quashed the assault charge and sentenced him to six months under the remaining sections.

In June, Satish, a dancer, had filed a complaint against Jani Master with the Raidurgam police station. Satish accused Jani of harassment, claiming that the choreographer was preventing him from securing work in film shoots. However, the choreographer refuted these allegations. In January this year, Jani Master had joined Jana Sena in the presence of Pawan Kalyan.

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Hyderabad: The government of Telangana and the Centre are set to celebrate September 17, the anniversary of erstwhile Hyderabad State’s merger with the Indian Union, with contrasting nomenclatures.

The decision of the Congress government in the state to celebrate September 17 as ‘Praja Palana Dinotsvam’ or people’s governance day has sparked criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which will be celebrating ‘Hyderabad Liberation Day’.

For a third consecutive year, Hyderabad will witness two separate programmes by the state and the Central governments to mark the day.

While the Centre will celebrate Hyderabad Liberation Day with a parade by the central armed police forces and a cultural programme at Parade Ground, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy will hoist the national flag at the main official ceremony at Public Gardens to mark ‘Praja Palana Dinotsvam’.

While the earlier government of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) celebrated September 17 as ‘National Integration Day’ in 2022 and 2023, the Congress party, which came to power late last year, decided to celebrate the occasion as ‘Praja Palana Dinotsvam’.

For the last two years, Union Home Minister Amit Shah was the chief guest at ‘Hyderabad Liberation Day’ programme at Parade Ground. This time Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy and Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar will attend the event.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has invited Amit Shah to attend ‘Praja Palana Dinotsavam’ as a special guest to celebrate the anniversary of the ‘arrival and heralding of democracy on Hyderabad soil’.

He also invited Union Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and G. Kishan Reddy, and Minister of State Bandi Sanjay Kumar for the event.

The BJP leaders, however, rejected Revanth Reddy’s invitation. Kishan Reddy, who is also the state BJP president, wrote that he “cannot be part of an insincere ritual that blatantly attempts to erase the truth from the people”.

“The state government’s intent seems to be to deflect the people’s attention from the core aspects of the struggle, which is evident in the very name given to the day. To describe the liberation of Hyderabad as just another transition of power from a monarchy to a democracy not only subverts the heroic struggle but also propagates further the politics of appeasement,” he said

The Union Minister asserted that there was a long struggle to liberate this region from the brutalities of the Nizam and his private army of Razakars. He said many people laid down their lives in the process, and thousands withstood unfathomable violence.

Bandi Sanjay described ‘Praja Palana Dinotsavam’ as yet another sign of Congress party’s “double standards” on the Hyderabad Liberation Day.

“The Congress government is calling it ‘Praja Palana Dinotsvam’. Does it mean there was no people’s governance in the previous regimes of the party?,” he asked.

Bandi Sanjay said he would attend the Telangana government’s programme if it changes the name ‘Praja Palana Dinotsvam’ to ‘Hyderabad Liberation Day’.

In March this year, the BJP-led government at the Centre decided to celebrate September 17 as Hyderabad Liberation Day. It issued a gazette notification which mentions that Hyderabad did not get independence for 13 months of the Independence of India on 15th August 1947 and was under Nizam’s rule.

The BJP has long been demanding an official celebration of September 17 as Hyderabad Liberation Day. Earlier in united Andhra Pradesh and later in Telangana, the party used to organise protests demanding the government to officially organise the celebrations.

Successive governments, however, avoided official celebrations in view of the objections from Muslim organizations which claimed that a massacre took place in the name of ‘Police Action’ as ‘Operation Polo’ was popularly known.

AIMIM and other parties strongly opposed celebrations also on the ground that the entire India has one Independence Day.

In 2022, the Union Ministry of Culture started organising the celebrations in Hyderabad on September 17. Union Home Minister Amit Shah hoisted the national flag and reviewed the parade by contingents of paramilitary forces in Hyderabad both in 2022 and 2023.

Accusing the BJP of giving communal colour to the issue, then Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao decided to celebrate September 17 as National Integration Day. AIMIM also changed its strategy and celebrated it as National Integration Day.

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Hyderabad: Telangana deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu announced that Telangana is aiming to generate 40,000 MW of green energy by 2035.

Speaking at the 4th World Green Power Investors’ Conference and Exhibition, he emphasized that the state has significant plans to enhance green energy production, positioning itself as an attractive destination for investors.

Vikramarka, who also holds the Energy portfolio. highlighted the state’s initiatives, which include advancing the development of an upcoming Artificial Intelligence city and revitalizing the Musi riverfront project.

Additionally, there are plans to connect the Regional Ring Road (RRR) with key industrial corridors to further support these developments, he informed.

“These facilities will create opportunities for enhancing green power production. Telangana boasts a proactive government, abundant resources, skilled labour, and business-friendly institutions like TS-IPASS, which offer excellent prospects for companies in the green power sector,” he stated.

Bhatti emphasized the government’s dedication to boosting the installed capacity for renewable energy generation. In today’s fast-evolving world, he noted that renewable energy is essential for strengthening the economy and fostering social prosperity.

The deputy chief minister stated that India has set a goal to generate 500 gigawatts of green energy, and the Telangana government aims to contribute positively through its vibrant economy and growing industries, including IT and pharmaceuticals.

He noted that Telangana ranks among the top eight states in India for its strong wind resources, with an estimated wind capacity of around 54 gigawatts at a height of 150 meters.

The state is currently working on finalizing a comprehensive Green Power Energy Policy to encourage the development of sustainable and reliable green energy projects, he added.

Bhatti encouraged investors and innovators from various sectors to collaborate with Telangana in realizing the objectives of the Green Power Mission initiated by the state.

He stated, “Let’s work together to create a sustainable future through green energy, benefiting not just Telangana but also the entire nation and humanity.”

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Hyderabad: A woman’s plans for a wedding anniversary celebration turned tragic when her husband took his own life, reportedly due to harassment from loan recovery agents over a small online loan of Rs 2000.

Sampath (name changed), who lived in Petbasheerabad, borrowed the amount ten days prior to his death, with a repayment period of one week.

When he couldn’t repay the loan, his wife received a notification about the overdue payment, which she initially disregarded.

However, she was later horrified to receive a morphed nude image of herself via WhatsApp.

The accused obtained her photo because Sampath had shared it during the loan application process. “After receiving the altered image, she attempted to reach out to the sender, but received no reply.

The same picture was also sent to Sampath,” an investigator said, as per a report by the TOI.

Following this, she received a threatening phone call demanding repayment of the loan or else she would face further defamation.

The initial message originated from a number with the international code +92 (Pakistan), which police believe may have been spoofed.

While the woman visited her parents’ home, Sampath remained at their residence. Despite the distressing situation, the couple maintained contact but did not file a formal complaint.

Sampath called to inform his wife that he would join her at her parents’ house for their anniversary celebration, but the following day, he tragically took his own life.

After his death, his family filed a complaint, attributing his suicide to the alleged harassment from loan recovery agents.

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Hyderabad: A city-based hospital successfully treated a three-month-old baby who accidentally ingested an open safety pin.

The parents rushed the child to Ankura Hospital where upon examination by Dr. Parijat Ram Tripathi, a Consultant Pediatric Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist, a radiographic scan revealed that the safety pin had penetrated the infant’s stomach lining, creating a critical situation that necessitated immediate medical intervention.

Within 30 minutes of the infant’s arrival, Dr. Tripathi and his team conducted a crucial endoscopic procedure to remove a 2cm safety pin that was dangerously lodged in the stomach lining.

This minimally invasive technique not only reduced the necessity for open surgery but also lowered the risks associated with more invasive methods, such as infections and prolonged recovery times, a press release informed.

After the procedure, the infant was monitored for 24 hours to ensure there were no complications. Signs of recovery were positive, with normal feeding patterns, no fever, and no indications of infection.

Following this observation period, the infant was discharged in stable condition, bringing relief to the concerned parents.

Dr. Tripathi emphasized the importance of timely action to prevent severe complications and urged parents to seek immediate medical help if their children ingest hazardous objects.

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Hyderabad: Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K T Rama Rao (KTR) to share the stage at a memorial meeting honouring the late Sitaram Yechury, former General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) who recently passed away due to ill health.

The event is scheduled for September 21 at the Sundarayya Vignana Kendram in Baglingampally, Hyderabad, starting at 11 AM.

CPI(M) state secretary Tammineni Veerabhadram confirmed the news further informing that other notable attendees will include B V Raghavulu, a member of the CPI(M) Polit Bureau, and K Narayana, the state secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI).

Yechury’s demise

Yechury passed away on September 12 after a prolonged battle with a severe lung infection. He was 72 years old and had been a significant figure in Indian politics for decades, known for his commitment to Marxist ideology and his role in coalition-building among leftist parties.

Yechury is survived by his wife Seema Chishti, an editor with news portal The Wire and three children — two sons and a daughter. One of his sons Ashish Yechury passed away due to Covid in 2021. He was earlier married to Indrani Mazumdar.

Condolences from across the political spectrum poured in, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembering the comrade as a “leading light of the Left” and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi calling him “a protector of the idea of India”.

Called ‘Sita’ by his friends, Yechury, the fifth general secretary of the CPI-M who took over the reins of the party in 2015 from party hardliner Prakash Karat when Left fortunes were on the decline, was also hailed as an effective parliamentarian, a pillar of the party and an “unrepentant Marxist” with a pragmatic streak.

A soft spoken and popular leader who had friends across the political spectrum, Yechury was also a Rajya Sabha MP for 12 years from 2005.

Key man behind INDIA alliance

Yechury’s family has donated his body to AIIMS for teaching and research purposes, the hospital said in a statement.

A polyglot and prolific writer, Yechury was known for his skills at alliance building and was also one of the main building forces of the INDIA bloc, the opposition’s alliance against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

In one of his last video messages, Yechury had paid tributes to former West Bengal chief minister and CPI-M veteran Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. In a video message recorded from the hospital on August 22, he had said it was his loss that he was not able to physically attend this memorial meeting and pay homage to him.

“It’s most unfortunate that I had to connect from AIIMS to convey my feelings, emotions & revolutionary Lal Salaam to Buddho da,” he had said.

Yechury thrived on the challenges of coalition politics and in this way, he was more akin to his mentor, the late party leader Harkishan Singh Surjeet.

While Surjeet was a key player in the coalition era during the National Front government of VP Singh – formed in 1989 – and the United Front government of 1996-97, both supported from outside by the CPI-M, Yechury was the go to man during the UPA rule when Manmohan Singh was the prime minister, especially during its first five-year term from 2004.

Yechury, who was born in Chennai and studied at Delhi’s St Stephen’s College and Jawaharlal Nehru University, was a trusted ally of Sonia Gandhi, who was the United Progressive Alliance chairperson.

He was the first non-Congress leader Gandhi called after she met then-president APJ Abdul Kalam in 2004 when she turned down the post of prime minister and rallied behind Singh.

Earlier, Yechury worked with Congress leader P Chidambaram to draft the common minimum programme for the United Front government in 1996-97.

It was an equation that survived the shock withdrawal of support by the Left to the UPA in 2008 over the Indo-US nuclear deal.

Yechury later said the Left should not have withdrawn support on the nuclear deal but should have pulled out on issues like price rise as the people could not be mobilised on the nuke issue in the 2009 general elections.

His rise in the party was swift. In 1985, he was elected to the Central Committee of the CPI-M and to the Politburo in 1992 at the age of 40 and then party chief in 2015. He was one of the youngest members of the Politburo.

Born in a Telugu-speaking family in Chennai on August 12, 1952, Yechury’s father Sarveswara Somayajula Yechury was an engineer in the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation. His mother Kalpakam Yechury was a government officer.

(With excerpts from PTI)

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New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday greeted the people of erstwhile Hyderabad region on the Hyderabad Liberation Day saying their fight will always be cited as a glorious manifestation of patriotism, where people led an uprising against the tyrant Nizam to be united with India.

On September 17, 1948, the then Hyderabad state, which was under the rule of Nizam, was annexed into the Union of India following military action, initiated by the then Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

“On #HyderabadLiberationDay, I extend my greetings to the people of the erstwhile Hyderabad region, comprising Telangana, Karnataka, and Marathwada. The Hyderabad Mukti Sangram will always be cited as a glorious manifestation of patriotism, where people led an uprising against the tyrant Nizam and endured immense pains to unite with India. My solemn homage to the martyrs of the movement,” he wrote on ‘X’.

In another post in Marathi, Shah also extended his greetings to the people of Maharashtra’s Marathwada region on the occasion of Marathwada Liberation Day.

“Today we commemorate the struggle of the people of Marathwada who fought unitedly, overcoming the atrocities of the Nizams and Razakars. Salute to all the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the unity of the nation!” he said.

The people of the region fought valiantly against the atrocities of the ‘Razakars’ to merge the region into Union of India.

The ‘Razakars’, a private militia, had committed atrocities and defended the erstwhile Nizam rule in Hyderabad. When India gained independence, the Razakars called for Hyderabad state to either join Pakistan or to become a Muslim dominion while resisting its merger with the Union of India.

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Hyderabad: A Ganesh laddu was auctioned for Rs 1.87 crore on Monday, September 16 at Bandlaguda Jagir.

This marks an increase of Rs 61 lakh from previous year’s price, where the laddu was auctioned for Rs 1.26 crore. The buyer’s name has not been released by the organisers of the festival.

The Keerthi Richmond Villas laddu has become the most expensive in Telangana’s Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations for a few years now. In 2022, the laddu was auctioned at Rs 60 lakh.

Meanwhile, the attention will now be on the Balapur Ganesh laddu auction, which will take place at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, September 17.

Last year, the Balapur laddu fetched Rs 27 lakh and was purchased by Dasari Dayanand Reddy, a resident of Turkyayamjal village. The auction is a major highlight of Ganesh Chaturthi, with expectations running high for this year’s sale.

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Hyderabad: Hyderabad’s most popular Balapur Ganesh laddu was auctioned for Rs 30 lakh and one thousand.

During the auction, which began on Tuesday morning, BJP leader from Balapur Kolan Shankar Reddy won the bid.

The auction is held every year on the final day of the Ganesh idol immersion.

Last year, the laddu was auctioned for Rs 27 lakh and was bought by Dasari Dayanand Reddy.

In 1994, the laddu was auctioned for Rs 450. Over the years, the auction amount has steadily increased, crossing Rs 30 lakh this year.

History of Hyderabad’s Balapur Ganesh laddu auction

The auction of the Ganesh laddu dates back to 1994, when a local farmer, Kolan Mohan Reddy, purchased it for Rs 450.

Interestingly, the same family has participated in many auctions and has successfully won on multiple occasions.

The money collected from the auction is used for various developmental activities in the villages.

Following is the list of successful bidders in Hyderabad’s Balapur Ganesh laddu auction from 1994 to 2024

Traffic advisory

Meanwhile, Hyderabad police have announced the routes for the Ganesh immersion procession and issued a traffic advisory for the processions on Tuesday, September 17.

The advisory, aimed at ensuring smooth traffic flow and maintaining public safety and order, will be in effect from Tuesday morning until Wednesday afternoon.

The police have requested citizens and devotees to follow the “Route Map,” which outlines the main procession, tributary processions, exit routes, and parking areas. Informative signage will be displayed at various locations to assist the public.

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Hyderabad: Hyderabad’s tallest Ganesh idol began its journey for immersion in Hussain Sagar Lake early on Tuesday amid tight security.

The 70-foot tall idol was being carried on a special Tusker vehicle to the lake, which is the focal point of the annual immersion procession.

Saptamukha Mahaganapati Shobayatra began from Khairatabad early morning after the final puja and the idol is likely to be immersed by afternoon.

Popular as Khairatabad Ganesh, it is considered one of the tallest Ganesh idols in the country.

The eco-friendly idol was placed on a Tusker vehicle with the help of a huge crane. A large number of devotees participated in the Shobayatra amid a festive atmosphere.

The Khairatabad Ganesh Utsav Committee in coordination with the police and other departments made elaborate arrangements for smooth shifting of the idol for immersion.

After the last puja around midnight, the workers started moving the idol from the platform to the Tusker vehicle. It took nearly six hours to shift the idol and install it on the specially designed vehicle.

Hundreds of people were participating in the procession, which will cover a distance of about two kilometres to reach NTR Marg via Telephone Bhavan and Secretariat.

Authorities have made special arrangements for the immersion of Khairatabad Ganesh by installing a heavy crane.

As the transport and immersion of Khairatabad Ganesh is a huge task for all — the police, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and other departments that make special efforts.

Thousands of devotees performed puja at Khairatabad Ganesh for 10 days. According to organisers, on Sunday (September 15) alone, about 3 lakh devotees had darshan.

Khairatabad Ganesh has a history of nearly 70 years. The organisers had installed a one-foot idol for the first time in 1954 and since then, the height has been increasing by one foot every year.

Due to COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the organisers had installed a one-foot idol though they were planning a 66-foot idol.

Khairatabad Ganesh is a major attraction of annual celebrations in the city. The State Governor, Chief Minister, ministers and other VIPs perform puja at this idol.

Every year the organisers install the statue with a new theme and new avatar. This year the theme was selected as ‘Saptamukha Mahaganapati’.

Chinnaswamy Rajendran, a Chennai-based sculptor, led a 150-member strong team of artisans in crafting the idol.

The idol measures 28 feet in width and is made of 35,000 kg of clay with 25 tonnes of iron and other materials.

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Hyderabad: Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday, September 17, said he began the cultural renaissance of Telangana after coming to power.

“As your child who knows the heartbeat of Telangana… I began the cultural renaissance when I came to power,” he said, addressing the ‘Praja Palana dinotsavam‘ event held at Public Gardens at Nampally.

He remarked that the song “Jaya Jayahe Telangana Janani Jayaketanam” written by Andesri, who voiced the aspirations of Telangana during the movement, was announced as the official song of our state and initiated the cultural revival of Telangana and that the abbreviation of Telangana has been changed to TG from TS.

“September 17 is a significant day for Telangana on this day, citizens of Telangana defeated the Nizam and established the people’s rule and hence it is being celebrated as Praja Palana Dinotsavam,” Reddy added.

“In the last 10 years Telangana fell short on many counts and now since the Congress came to power there is stability in the state,” the chief minister claimed.

Attacking the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government, Reddy said, “The previous government thought that Telangana culture is represented by their family and Telangana means them and that the state is delusional that it depends on their benevolence.”

The chief minister further claimed that the BRS had no intention of understanding the character and sentiment of the people. He went on to say that the previous government ignored the fact that Telangana has a history of overthrowing Nizam.

“In the Secretariat, the administrative centre of Telangana, we recently performed Bhumi Pooja for the statue of Telangana Thalli. On December 9, we are going to celebrate the unveiling of our mother’s idol with grandeur,” he added.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion of Praja Palana Dinotsavam, Revanth said,”In order to honour state icons, the Telangana government has named a film award after Gaddar. Similarly, the women’s university at Kothi has been renamed after Chakali Ailamma.”

The chief minister said that he would go to Delhi when required for the betterment of the state and further stressed that seeking help from the Centre shouldn’t be seen as a “weakness.”

“The government is focusing on youth development through Skill University and keeping a check on drugs through TGNAB,” he added.

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Hyderabad: Ganesh immersion procession began in Hyderabad amid tight security by police and elaborate arrangements by civic authorities.

More than 25,000 police personnel have been deployed for the smooth and peaceful conduct of the annual festival.

Immersion in Hussain Sagar Lake

Thousands of idols will be immersed in Hussain Sagar Lake in the heart of the city and dozens of lakes and artificial ponds.

After declaring a ban on immersion in Hussain Sagar from the Tank Bund side, the authorities lifted the same after Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi gave an ultimatum to the state government and its leaders even removed barricades erected to stop immersion.

Authorities have arranged 12 cranes on a three-kilometre stretch of Tank Bund for the immersion. Earlier, the police had placed banners declaring that immersion is not allowed on Tank Bund as per the High Court orders.

Ganesh immersion procession routes in Hyderabad

The main procession enters Hyderabad Commissionerate jurisdiction from Balapur at Katta Maisamma Temple on Gurram Cheruvu Tank and passes through Keshavagiri – Chandrayangutta Flyover – Left Turn – MBNR X Road – Falaknuma Railway Over Bridge – Aliabad – Nagulchinta – Charminar – Madina – Afzalgunj – SA Bazar – MJ Market – Abids X Road – Basheer Bagh – Liberty Junction – Ambedkar Statue towards NTR Marg and PVNR Marg (Necklace Road).

The procession from Secunderabad passes through Sangeeth Theatre – Patny – Paradise Junction – MG Road – Ranigunj – Karbala Maidan – Sonabai Mosque – Tank Bund and reaches NTR Marg and PVNR Marg (Necklace Road). The idols coming from Chilkalguda X Roads take the route of Gandhi Hospital – RTC X Road – Narayanaguda Flyover – Narayanaguda Y Junction – Himayath Nagar and join the main procession at Liberty Junction.

The procession from East Zone and Uppal areas passes through Ramanthapur – Sree Ramana Junction – 6 No. Junction – Tilak Nagar – Shivam Road – NCC of OU – Vidya Nagar T Junction – Hindi Mahavidyalaya X Roads – Fever Hospital – TY Mandali – Barkatpura X Roads – YMCA and reaches Narayanaguda X Road, joining the procession from RTC X Roads. The idols coming from Dilsukhnagar join the procession from IS Sadan – Saidabad – Chanchalguda at Nalgonda X Roads, while the larger idols proceed towards Amberpet via Moosarambagh. The idols from Tarnaka proceed towards Osmania University Distance Education Road, Adikmet, and join the procession at Fever Hospital via Vidyanagar.

The processions coming from Tolichowki, Retibowli, and Mehdipatnam pass through Masab Tank – Ayodhya Junction – Nirankari Bhavan – Dwaraka Hotel Junction – Iqbal Minar and reach NTR Marg and PVNR Marg (Necklace Road). The idols from Erragadda pass through SR Nagar – Ameerpet – Panjagutta – Khairatabad and join the procession from Mehdipatnam at Nirankari Bhavan, then proceed to NTR Marg and PVNR Marg (Necklace Road). Idols from Tappachabutra and Asifnagar pass through Sitarambagh – Boiguda Kaman – Volga Hotel X Roads – Aghapura (Syndicate Bank) – Goshamahal Baradari – Alaska – Malakunta Junction and join the main procession at MJ Market.

Traffic curbs for Ganesh immersion processions in Hyderabad

Traffic curbs have been imposed within the limits of all three police commissionerates to ensure smooth conduct of the festivities.

No traffic other than idol-carrying vehicles will be allowed to move on the main procession route between 6 am on September 17 and 10 am on September 18. These traffic restrictions will be extended if the situation demands. The traffic restrictions on NTR Marg, PVNR Marg (Necklace Road), Tank Bund, and Khairatabad Flyover may extend from 6 am on September 17 to the evening of September 18.

Movement of vehicles other than those carrying Ganesh idols will be restricted and diverted at several points along the main procession route and at other points adjoining the tributary processions. The facility to cross from West to East or vice versa is available only at Basheerbagh Junction. Commuters are advised to use the Inner Ring Road and the Masab Tank – Punjagutta – Begumpet and Secunderabad route, or the Outer Ring Road, to avoid traffic diversion points. All side roads and lanes leading to the main procession route will be barricaded.

The main traffic diversion points are:

SOUTH EAST ZONE: Keshavagiri, Chandrayangutta X Road, MBNR X Road, Chanchalguda Jail X Roads, Moosarambagh, and Chaderghat Bridge.

SOUTH ZONE: Engine Bowli, Shamsheergunj, Nagul Chintha, Himmathpura, Hari Bowli, Asra Hospital, Moghalpura, Lakkad Kote, Panch Mohalla, Paris Cafe, Gulzar House, Mitti-Ka-Sher, Kali Kaman, Osman Bazaar, Sheran Hotel, Madina X Road, Nayapool, SJ Rotary, Arman Hotel, MJ Bridge, Darul Shifa X Roads, City College, Moosabowli, Murgi Chowk, and Moti Galli.

EAST ZONE: Shivaji Bridge, Afzalgunj, Putlibowli X Roads, Troop Bazar, Jambagh X Roads, and Koti Andhra Bank.

SOUTH WEST ZONE: MJ Bridge, Puranapul, Tope Khana Mosque, Feel Khana, Alaska Hotel Junction, Darussalam, Osmangunj, Sanker Bagh, Seena Hotel, and Ajantha Gate near Exhibition Grounds.

CENTRAL ZONE: Chapel Road Entry, Gadwal Centre at GPO, Shalimar Theatre, Gun Foundry, Skyline Road Entry, Bharath Scouts and Guides Junction in Domalguda, Kalanjali at Control Room, Chapel Road, AR Petrol Pump at KLK Building, Liberty Junction, Abkari Lane, Taj Island, MCH Office Y Junction, BRK Bhavan Junction near Telugu Thalli Junction, Iqbal Minar, Ravindra Bharathi, Dwaraka Hotel Junction, Khairatabad Junction, Children’s Park, Mariott Hotel Junction, Kawadiguda Junction, Musheerabad X Road, RTC X Road, Katta Maisamma Temple on Lower Tank Bund Road, and Indira Park Junction.

NORTH ZONE: Traffic will not be allowed to enter PVNR Marg (Necklace Road) and Upper Tank Bund from Karbala Maidan, Buddha Bhavan, Sailing Club, and Nallagutta Junction.

Traffic will be diverted at the following points from 6 am on September 17 to 10 am on September 18, or until the immersion is completed, at CTO Junction, YMCA Junction, Paradise X Roads, Patny X Roads, Bata X Roads, Adavaiah X Roads, and Ghasmandi X Roads.

Police would supervise the immersion in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits with 733 CCTV cameras.

More than one lakh idols were set up for worship this year and a majority of them would be immersed in water bodies on Tuesday.

With inputs from IANS

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