Look up rana or Rana in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Rana may refer to:

In education:

• Rana Institute of Higher Education, Afghanistan

In entertainment and sports:

• Rana (film), forthcoming Indian film
• Moon (Middle-earth), the moon Rána in Tolkien's Middle-earth
• Rana Daggubati, Indian film actor
• Rana, Pin (professional wrestling)#Rana

In places:

• Rana, Norway
• Rana, Burkina Faso

In science:

• Rana (genus), a genus of frogs
• Rana, traditional name for the star Delta Eridani

In sociology:

• Rana (clan), a family (clan) among Rajputs/Khatris in South Asia
• Rana (title), a variation on Raja, a South Asian (Hindi and other languages) princely title of royalty
• Rana dynasty, an influential family in Nepal since the 19th century
• The medieval principality of Rana of the Rani (Slavic tribe) based on the isle of Rügen
• In all Slavic languages, rana means wound or injury

See also[link]

• Raná (disambiguation)

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Van Cliburn, Jr.

Harvey Lavan "Van" Cliburn, Jr. (born July 12, 1934), is an American pianist who achieved worldwide recognition in 1958 at the age of twenty-three, when he won the first quadrennial International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow, at the height of the Cold War.

Career[link]

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Van Cliburn was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, and began taking piano lessons at the age of three from his mother, the former Rildia Bee O'Bryan, who herself had been instructed by Arthur Friedheim,^[1] a pupil of Franz Liszt. At six years old, Cliburn moved with his family to Kilgore, Texas, and at twelve he won a statewide piano competition which enabled him to debut with the Houston Symphony Orchestra. He entered the Juilliard School at the age of seventeen, and studied under Rosina Lhévinne, who trained him in the tradition of the great Russian romantics. At twenty, Cliburn won the Leventritt Award, and made his Carnegie Hall debut.

It was his recognition in Moscow that propelled Cliburn to international fame. The first International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1958 was an event designed to demonstrate Soviet cultural superiority during the Cold War, on the heels of their technological victory with the Sputnik launch in October 1957. Cliburn's performance at the competition finale of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 earned him a standing ovation lasting eight minutes. When it was time to announce a winner, the judges were obliged to ask permission of the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev to give first prize to an American. "Is he the best?" Khrushchev asked. "Then give him the prize!" Cliburn returned home to a ticker-tape parade in New York City, the only time the honor has been accorded a classical musician. His cover story in Time proclaimed him "The Texan Who Conquered Russia."

Upon returning to the United States, Cliburn appeared in a Carnegie Hall concert with the Symphony of the Air, conducted by Kirill Kondrashin, who had led the Moscow Philharmonic in the prize-winning performances in Moscow. The performance of the Rachmaninoff 3rd Piano Concerto at this concert was subsequently released by RCA Victor on both LP and CD. Cliburn was also invited by Steve Allen to play a solo during Allen's prime time NBC television program on April 14, 1958.^[2]

RCA Victor signed him to an exclusive contract, and his subsequent recording of the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 became the first classical album to go platinum.^[3] It was the best-selling classical album in the world for more than a decade, eventually going triple-platinum. Cliburn won the 1958 Grammy Award for Best Classical Performance for this recording. In 2004, this recording was re-mastered from the original studio analogue tapes, and released in the highest quality ever on high-resolution Super Audio CD.

Other famous concerti Cliburn has recorded include the Schumann Piano Concerto in A minor, Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor, Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2, Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 and No. 5 "Emperor", and the Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3.

In 1958, during a dinner hosted by the National Guild of Piano Teachers, President and Founder Dr. Irl Allison announced a cash prize of $10,000 to be used for a piano competition named in Van Cliburn’s honor. Under the leadership of Grace Ward Lankford and with the dedicated efforts of local music teachers and volunteers, the First Van Cliburn International Piano Competition was held September 24-October 7, 1962 at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. The quadrennial competition is hosted by the Van Cliburn Foundation and its prestige now rivals that of the Tchaikovsky Competition.^{[citation needed]} Van Cliburn continues to serve as Director Emeritus for the Van Cliburn Foundation, host of the competition and other programs honoring Cliburn’s legacy.

Cliburn returned to the Soviet Union on several occasions. His performances were usually recorded and even televised. A videotape of his 1962 performance of the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 with Kirill Kondrashin and the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra documents that Premier Khrushchev was in the audience, joining in the enthusiastic applause.^[4] A 1972 concert performance of the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 with Kondrashin and the Moscow orchestra, as well as a studio recording of Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, were later issued on CD by RCA Victor.^[5]

On May 26, 1972, Cliburn gave a concert at Spaso House, the residence of the United States Ambassador to Russia, for an audience which included President Richard M. Nixon, Secretary of State William P. Rogers, and Soviet government officials.

Cliburn performed and recorded through the 1970s, but in 1978, after the deaths of his father and manager, began a hiatus from public life. In 1987, he was invited to perform at the White House for President Ronald Reagan and Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev, and afterward was invited to open the 100th anniversary season of Carnegie Hall. In 1994, Cliburn made a guest appearance in the cartoon Iron Man, playing himself in the episode "Silence My Companion, Death My Destination". Now in his late seventies, he still gives a limited number of performances each year to critical and popular acclaim. Cliburn appeared as a Pennington Great Performers series artist with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra in 2006. He has played for royalty and heads of state from dozens of countries, and for every U.S. President from Dwight D. Eisenhower to Barack Obama.^[6]

He begins every concert with The Star-Spangled Banner.

Honors[link]

Van Cliburn Way in the Fort Worth Cultural District

Cliburn received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2001. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2003 by President George W. Bush, and, in October 2004, the Russian Order of Friendship, the highest civilian awards of the two countries. He was also awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award the same year and played at a surprise 50th birthday party for United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. He was a member of the Alpha Chi Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and was awarded the fraternity's Charles E. Lutton Man of Music Award in 1962. He was presented a 2010 National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama.^[6]

Personal life[link]

In 1998, Cliburn was named in a lawsuit by his alleged domestic partner of seventeen years, mortician Thomas Zaremba.^[7] In the suit, Zaremba claimed entitlement to a portion of Cliburn's income and assets and went on to charge that he might have been exposed to HIV, claiming emotional distress. Each claim was subsequently dismissed by an appellate court, holding that palimony suits are not permitted in the state of Texas unless the relationship is based on a written agreement.

Cliburn is known as a night owl. He often practices until 4:30 or 5 a.m., waking around 1:30 p.m.^[8] "You feel like you're alone and the world's asleep, and it's very inspiring."^[9]

Cliburn, a Baptist, attends church every week.^[10]

References[link]

External links[link]

• The Van Cliburn Foundation
• Van Cliburn 1958 Time magazine, cover image
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Van Cliburn collected news and commentary at The New York Times
• Van Cliburn at the Internet Movie Database
• Works by or about Van Cliburn in libraries (WorldCat catalog)

Nandini Reddy (Telugu: నందిని రెడ్డి) (born 4 March) is an Indian film director.^[1] She debuted with a Telugu language film, Ala Modalaindi.^[2]

Early life[link]

Nandini Reddy was born in Hyderabad. Her father Bharath. V. Reddy was a well known chartered accountant settled in Bangalore. The family hailed from Chittoor district and her mother Roopa Reddy is from the Pingle family hailing from Warangal district. Nandini has a younger brother Uttam Reddy who runs a successful restaurant chain in Hyderabad, Rayalaseema Ruchulu. She did her schooling from St. Ann's High School, Secunderabad, graduation at Women's College, Koti and her post graduation in international politics from J.N.U New Delhi. She was active in dramatics, elocution and cricket throughout her school and college years. A self confessed foodie, she enjoys watching food and travel shows and sitcoms on tv, her favorite being friends. Old Hindi and Telugu film songs are another of her passions. She has also worked as a radio jockey for Worldspace, radio spandana which combined her passion for music and cinema. She is also one of the judge in a Telugu talent show "ADHURS"

Career[link]

I got myself introduced to Gangaraju Gunnam through a common friend. I worked for his movie ‘Little Soldiers’ in the direction department.

After Little Soldiers got released, cinematographer Rasool Ellore introduced me to Krishna Vamsi. But Krishna Vamsi refused to take me in his team. I sat idle for a year and got an offer to work for a film titled ‘Santhi Santhi Santhi’ in Kannada. Actress Ramya Krishna was my friend and she was dating Krishna Vamsi at that time. She forced Krishna Vamsi to take me in his next project Chandralekha. Krishna Vamsi was a big task master and it was tough to work with him. It was so tough that I broke down one day. Then Krishna Vamsi told me that I had the potential and whatever he has put me through is to make me more stronger for the tough job of direction. I had become an integral part of Krishna Vamsi’s team from Chandralekha to Shakti (Hindi remake of Anthahpuram)^[3]. It was during the shoot of Shakti, Krishna Vamsi has suggested that I should start looking at directing films independently. At that time, Karishma Kapoor was contemplating on doing the desi version of ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’ and she asked me if I can write the script. I penned the script and she okayed it. She roped in Sonali Bendre to do another viral role. That is when we learnt that Yashraj Films was coming up with a remake of the same titled ‘Meri Yaar Ki Shaadi’. We had to drop that project. Shakti film was bombed at the box office and it didn’t help me to continue my association with Karishma further.

Krishna Vamsi sent me to D Suresh Babu and I have worked for Suresh Productions for three years. I was supposed to direct a movie for Suresh Productions and things didn’t materialise for various reasons^[4].

Ala Modalaindi[link]

It started with the idea of two people (belonging to opposite sex) meeting in a crisis situation. It will be more interesting than a boy meeting a girl in a regular way. I was in Chennai at that time and discussing with Anjana Ali Khan (director of Tamil film Veppam). The basic seed of the story came out of that conversation. I gave a 10-minute narration to Nani and he said that its awesome. We wanted to title the movie as ‘Prema Thokka Tholu’. I am basically a lazy writer. Hence, Anjana threatened me by putting a deadline of 10 days to complete the script^[5]. I wanted the scenes, characters and characterizations come out of the experiences from my life and the from the people I have observed. To stay in that zone/space, I repeatedly watched Friends, When Harry Met Sally and A Lot Like Love during that period. I wrote a 60-scenes order on a pair of yellow papers. I write very little on paper for a scene (a couple of lines for a scene as most of the content is there in my head). I don’t want to slow down my mind while writing as our mind works faster than our hand^[6].

Filmography[link]

Awards[link]

• Nandi Award for Best Debut Director (2010)^[7] for Ala Modalaindi

References[link]

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Rana Mubashir is a Pakistani television news journalist and talk show host who is known more notably for his current affairs show Rana Mubashir at Prime Time on News One. He specialises and focuses mostly on Pakistani politics and has interviewed a number of high profile personalities, both within and outside the country. A professional journalist with over 20 years experience, specialising in investigative reporting. Working as Consultant Current Affairs and then Director News.^[1]

Early life[link]

Rana Mubashir used to live in capital of Pakistan, Islamabad where he completed his early education and then joined Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad for his Masters Degree and completed M.Sc. Defence & Strategic Studies.

Career in Journalism[link]

Rana Mubashir is dynamite journalist with over 20 years experience, he started his career in journalism from Jang Group of Newspapers as Staff Reporter from 1990 to 2006. During his journalistic career he was always been interested in investigative reporting and penned down various investigative stories. Rana has also worked in PTV as consultant Current Affairs and Business Plus TV as Director News. Nowadays Rana is working as Director News in one of the leading Pakistani TV Channel News One^[2] as well as he is host two current affair programs "Rana Mubashir at Prime Time"^[3] and "Pakistan Chowk".^[4][5][6]

Facing Threats[link]

During his Career in Investigative Journalism he faced some hardships and struggled to highlighting social and human rights issue in Pakistan. Rana Mubashir faced manhandling problems during his journalistic duties, when he tried to highlight the patients issues in Government sector's Hospitals in Pakistan. In Rawalpindi Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Hospital's Doctors and the other hospital staff members manhandled senior journalist and Director News Rana Mubashir.^[7][8]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website

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