Sounthirarajan said the Indian government granted him a patent in November 2018 for his Super Sonic Hydrogen IC Engine.
Coimbatore-based mechanical engineer Sounthirajan Kumarasamy with his special eco-friendly engine. (Photo | EPS)
Coimbatore :
An engine that runs on distilled water and even rain water? Stuff of dreams, you say.
No, insists a city-based mechanical engineer. Sounthirarajan Kumarasamy claims his engine will break down water and be propelled by hydrogen. And emissions, how about oxygen for a change!
His prototype, he claims, can be used in all vehicles from two-wheelers to trucks.
source: http://www.youtube.com
Sounthirarajan says the Indian government granted him a patent in November 2018 for his Super Sonic Hydrogen IC Engine, which he says he will debut in Japan.
The class XI dropout from Kangayam in Tirupur did the research for his project at the District Central Library in Coimbatore. “During the initial years, I used my old defunct jeep to learn about the hardware,” said Sounthirarajan, who hails from a farming community.
The Indian government granted Sounthirarajan a patent in November 2018 for his Super Sonic Hydrogen IC Engine
“Utilising the thermal losses in the engine, hydrogen could be burned that helps vehicle run. I have currently designed the engine with the capacity of 100cc, which could emit oxygen while it’s running. All the tests were successful,” he told Express.
Sounthirarajan established his company in 2010 and says he has opened a branch in Tokyo a few months ago. He also runs an incubator cell at the PSG-Science and Technology Entrepreneurial Park (PSG-STEP), Coimbatore. He has been ‘working on designing this machine’ for the past ten years.
He said, “With my invention, you can run your vehicle for 200 km with just 10 litres of distilled water. We had even tried running the engine with rainwater and it bore fruit.”
Sounthirarajan now plans to organise an international summit in Kyoto soon to showcase his work to potential buyers from across the world.
He says that his machine could be sold for Rs 1.5 lakh for a four-wheeler. If it’s a two-wheeler, then he says the price will be around Rs 65,000.
His colleagues Prakash, Sathish, and Chandrasekar assisted him.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Express News Service / May 11th, 2019
For the last two decades, in the 973 columns he wrote for Madras Miscellany, S Muthiah charted the course of people’s lives, the unexpected twists and turns, their triumphs and tribulations. A tribute to the man who loved to put the story back into history
Those of us who had the privilege of working closely with S Muthiah, the chronicler of Madras (he did not like the term historian), knew that Thursdays were sacred. He could not be disturbed that day as that was when he wrote his Madras Miscellany column to be published 12 days hence in the Monday edition of MetroPlus. The Chief, as I always referred to him, would make an elaborate production of it. He would first go to his library on the second floor and collect whatever reference material he wanted.
Having come down to the dining table, he would switch on the ultra-powerful table lamp and write whatever he wanted to in longhand. V Srinivasan and D Pushpa, his two faithful assistants, would then type this in, after which it underwent a few iterations. Towards the afternoon, G Shankar of Pace Systems (now Mot Juste Communications) would come in, collect the pictures to be scanned and go back to office to the needful. By evening everything would be in place, including the commentary on letters and additional points received from the vast and ever-growing readership; these falling under a section titled When The Postman Knocked. The correspondence was vast and varied. Branches of families reunited, people discovered ancestors. Several British families wrote in asking for help in tracing graves, houses and other markers.
Come Monday, when the column was published, the article would be carefully cut out, pasted on a sheet of paper, neatly dated and filed. Not for him the saving of soft copies. Yes, the Chief experienced great joy in putting Madras Miscellany together, as he did with all his work. By the time the column completed a decade in 2009, he noted with pride that 514 instalments had been published. He also added that the number would have been 520 but The Hindu did not bring out its paper on six Mondays owing to some holiday or the other. By the time he passed away, Madras Miscellany had appeared a record 973 times. It was his dearest wish that he touch 1,000 but fate willed otherwise.
To have kept the column going without a break spoke volumes about Muthiah’s work ethic and discipline. When he travelled abroad, he calculated the number of Mondays he would be away and wrote all the instalments before he left. Not for him the present practice of researching on the Internet and sending articles on the fly. Even the death of his wife did not occasion a break. The column that appeared immediately after her passing had an opening sentence addressed to her, stating that she would have wanted him to continue. And that was the truth.
If there was someone even more passionate about Madras Miscellany than he was, it was Valliammal Muthiah. And he paid her a handsome tribute in an interview — ‘Fortunately, I have a young and energetic wife… who manages the home as well as the finances. She makes sure I don’t have to worry about anything other than my work.’ Sadly, she passed away in 2013 and life became tougher for him.
There was however no stopping Miscellany. Who would have thought that the column, first suggested by Nirmala Lakshman to Muthiah when MetroPlus was born in 1999, would grow to have a life and identity of its own? He had wanted it to be called Madrasiana but Nirmala convinced him that Madras Miscellanysounded better. It was a unique tribute to a great city. It will be missed.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Sriram V / April 22nd, 2019
Social entrepreneur from Coimbatore Arunachalam Muruganantham has joined some of the global leaders in the list of World’s 50 Greatest Leaders 2019 by Fortune Magazine. He is ranked 45th in the list released recently.
Period. End of Sentence, a documentary that reflects his work, had won an Oscar in the Best Short Documentary category this year.
Mr. Muruganantham told The Hindu that the recognition should be an inspiration to youngsters to think of social issues, address those as a business model, and become job providers. “There are a very few people as social entrepreneurs. I have created self-employment opportunities for 1.25 lakh women in the country through my machines. And these are all semi-skilled job,” he said. Only by creating more job providers can India become a developed nation.
He recollects his addresses at several leading institutions even in the United States he urged youngsters not to aspire for listings based on wealth but to create jobs.
“They (Fortune magazine) had followed my work. We installed six machinery in Sri Lanka to be operated by war widows. It had a huge reach globally. The listing is a recognition to Coimbatore and the country. My responsibility has increased, especially when I address youngsters. They should not look for profits in business but have a social connect,” he said.
Mr. Muruganantham is currently working on taking projects to Pakistan and Afghanistan and in India, his focus is on the north eastern States. “Women in these States need to be empowered. We have installed a dozen units in these States. My focus is on Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh,” he said.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Coimbatore / by Special Correspondent / Coimbatore – April 21st, 2019
Pugalarasan hopes to have a small research vessel someday to study endangered marine life.
T.A Pugalarasan
On a chilly December morning in 2002, T.A Pugalarasan was walking on the beach in his fishing village Periya Neelankarai when he spotted a stranded sea turtle. He instinctively decided to save the turtle and swam 200 metres beyond the waves to release it back in the ocean. “I had seen several dead sea turtles on the shore. But that was the first time I helped a stranded turtle,” says Pugalarasan.
Like many youngsters in his village, Pugalarasan was initially indifferent to marine life and its conservation. There was even a time when he and his friends used to play with turtle eggs. Life took a different turn for him when he met conservationist Dr. Supraja Dharini, founder of the Tree Foundation.
“My entire perspective about the ocean and its life forms changed after I met Dr. Supraja. When I was younger, I did not know about sea turtles. So I would dig out their eggs and use them as balls to play cricket. They have a very soft shell, unlike other eggs, and so bounce off the ground. I still remember when I met her for the first time, I asked several questions like why we should put turtles back into the sea and why they should be protected,” adds Pugalarasan.
Pugalarasan received the prestigious Ocean award from the Boat International in 2017. ( Photo | Sunish P Surendran)
After interacting with Dr. Supraja, Pugalarasan realised that protecting sea turtles is like protecting the wealth of the ocean. Today Pugal is part of the Sea Turtle Protection Force (STPF) which comprises over 165 fishermen living along the Coromandel Coast. STPF is an initiative started by the Tree Foundation under the aegis of Dr. Supraja.
Over the years, Pugal and his STPF member have created a sea change in the attitudes of the local community towards the turtles. “We conduct many awareness programmes on endangered marine species in fishing villages, schools and colleges using dance, drama and documentaries,” says Pugal.
“In some fishing communities, the fishermen eat sea turtles. We have built a strong network of informers to save the turtles. We work jointly with the Marine Police, Fisheries Department staff and the Forest Guard,” he says. There was an instance when two turtles were going to be killed for a wedding dinner. On receiving an alert, Pugalarasan along with the Marine Police conducted a rescue operation and saved the turtles. Later they were released into the ocean.
But today things have changed and thanks to the strong network, whenever a turtle, dolphin or whale is stranded, fishermen inform Pugal or the Tree Foundation office. “Whenever I get a call from the fishermen about a stranded turtle or dolphin, I immediately drive to the place in our ambulance with the stranding kit. I give first aid to the injured turtle and bring it to the rescue and rehabilitation centre,” adds Pugal.
Once the turtle is brought to the centre, it is inspected and the treatment is started. Pugalarasan himself has helped in the rehabilitation of more than 40 turtles.
“I have seen Pugal when he was in his early 20s. Since then he has been part of Tree Foundation’s ‘Save the turtles’ mission. He has also helped Tree Foundation expand its conservation to other states. Apart from the turtle conservation initiatives, he along with his STPF members carry out several clean-up programmes along the beaches to make people understand the problems of pollution,” says Dr. Supraja.
Pugalarasan received the prestigious Ocean award from the Boat International in 2017 for pursuing sustainable ways of fishing, protecting sea turtles and educating people about endangered marine species.
He hopes to have a small research vessel someday to study endangered marine life. “I want to share everything I learn about the ocean and marine life. I want people to understand that we must take care of the ocean and its rich marine life. People should also refrain from polluting the ocean with plastic, chemical waste and other trash,” adds Pugalarasan.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Nandalal / Online Desk / March 27th, 2019
Known for her responsiveness, late Dr Udaya Mahadevan was a rare package who excelled at everything.
Dr Udaya Mahadevan is a foundng member of Jeevodaya – first hospice for cancer care in South in 1992.
Chennai :
Dr Udaya Mahadevan was like a banyan tree, who provided shade on a sunny day, and home for all kinds of species to nurture and grow.The retired professor Emeritus of the Department of Social Work at Loyola College passed away on March 16 this year. An educator, practitioner, and researcher — she was a rare package who excelled at everything.
“She was a great teacher and has been a friend and mentor to many people who call themselves social workers today,” said TNM Deepak, president of December 3 Movement, a disability rights group. “She was a strong activist and a gender-sensitive social worker. She exemplified what a social worker should be like and her life is one that should be celebrated,” he shared.
She was from the 1973-1975 batch at Stella Maris College and completed her postgraduate degree in Social Work in the academic year 1974-1975. Subsequently, she received her Doctoral degree at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) Bengaluru, which was supported by the Faculty Development Programme, a fellowship offered to teachers by the University Grants Commission.
Udaya joined Loyola College Chennai as a faculty member of the Department of Social Work in 1977. During her tenure, she served as faculty coordinator of the Centre for Women Studies and the Centre for Social Inclusion and Dalit Studies.
To Udaya, social work was more than just ‘work.’ It was what she lived and breathed for. Her passion to enrich people’s lives, the drive to make society better, compassion for anyone in need, and iron will drove her to go to great lengths to be the force that she was. “At her core, it was her responsiveness that defined her,” said Vandana Gopikumar, one of the founders of The Banyan.
“She was non judgmental, an advocate for commemorating all family occasions by donating to NGOs eschewing rituals, an active blood donor from her college days, passionately involved in the rehabilitation of the handicapped, funding of fees/books etc. to the marginalised sections and a mentor for most city-based NGOs. Despite being terminally ill, she never fussed and went about her business calmly. We, of her circle, can only recall the haunting lines of Andy Williams ‘we had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun,’” said VM Prakash, brother of Dr Udaya.
A recipient of several prestigious awards, Udaya gained due recognition even as a young teacher. She won an award from the Indian Society of Psychiatric Social Work for her paper on Community Mental Health presented at the National Conference at Bengaluru. The Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) rightly recognised her as an Eminent Social Scientist as part of their Collegium comprising 250 social scientists in the country for 2016- 2017. “Her contribution is immeasurable. The service sector today is deteriorating. But, she was the gold standard in social work. She would serve those in need without ever looking at their background. I have seen her carrying people, waiting for hours till someone arrived to help a homeless person,” said Aspy Joyson, founder of Aruwe.
As a keen researcher, she contributed to the frontiers of Social Action Research. In this connection, she has been awarded the Dr Yedanapalli Research Award, the Dr TN Ananthakrishnan Commemoration Award and the Loyola College Research fellowship award. As a practitioner, she supported several NGOs, particularly Jeevodaya.
Hospice for cancer patients, she was active in enhancing the teaching and practice of professional social work at several social work teaching institutions. “Her academic achievements are well-known but what many don’t know is that she was a very good singer and was a delightful narrator of stories. She was humourous and witty while also being very knowledgeable. Her funeral was attended by so many people. It just goes to show that she truly touched so many lives,” shares Prakash.
A devoted social work educator, an ardent field practitioner, and a keen social researcher she has quietly and steadily contributed to the progress of social work education and societal development. Much like a banyan tree, which is considered to be a symbol of immortality, Dr Udaya too will live on through the numerous lives she has touched.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Dia Rekhi / Express News Service / March 26th, 2019
Sudha Raghunathan, Joshna Chinappa and Trisha among those honoured
Women’s health influences family, society and the nation and it is high time women’s issues are addressed, Sharadha Menon, founder of Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF), said in Chennai on Friday.
Ms. Menon was given The Hindu Lifetime Achievement Award at The HinduWorld of Women 2019 Awards that recognise women who have excelled in various fields.
Preethi Srinivasan, founder, Soulfree, who became paralysed below the neck after a freak accident received the The Hindu Inspiration Award. She spoke of the numerous challenges she faced.
Other awards
Among the other awards given were: The Hindu Business Leadership Award to Vanitha Mohan, chairperson of Pricol; The Hindu Torchbearer Award recognising excellence in education to Vasudha Prakash, founder and director, V-Excel Educational Trust; The Hindu Heritage Award recognising excellence in Art and Culture to Sudha Raghunathan, carnatic vocalist; The Hindu Excellence in Agriculture and Rural Development Award to Jaya Arunachalam president of Working Women’s Forum (India); The Hindu Excellence in Healthcare Award to Prithika Chari, senior consultant neurologist; The Hindu Entrepreneur Award to Hemalatha Annamalai, founder and CEO at Ampere Vehicles Pvt Ltd; The Hindu Contribution to Society Award to Vidya Reddy, co-founder Tulir; The Hindu Flying Colours Award recognising excellence in sports, adventure to Joshna Chinappa, squash player; and The Hindu Dazzler Award recognising excellence in entertainment to actor Trisha Krishnan. S. Sundaresan, business head advertisement, The Hindu also spoke during the occasion.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Staff Reporter / Chennai – March 23rd, 2019
The Nari Shakti Puraskar, which is the highest civilian honour for women in India, was given at a special ceremony in New Delhi on March 8 to 44 women as well as institutions.
They were recognised for their relentless service towards the cause of women empowerment and social welfare.
Sujatha Mohan
Sujatha Mohan, executive medical director of the Rajan Eye Care Hospital was recognised for her efforts in raising awareness about the importance of eye donations as well as several projects she has initiated to ensure that quality eye care is accessible to all sections of society.
Mini Vasudevan
Mini Vasudevan, co-founder of Humane Animal Society from Coimbatore was honoured for her involvement in animal welfare as well as sensitising the public to it.
Award for dept.
Among the institutions, the Social Welfare and Nutritious Meal Programme Department of the Tamil Nadu government was recognised for performing well with regard to the implementation of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) campaign.
The campaign is a flagship programme of the Central government to address declining child sex ratio in the country.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Staff Reporter / Chennai – March 12th, 2019
“Men may come and Men may go, but I will go on forever”,Dr V. Shanta said.
Padma Vibhushan Dr V. Shanta
Chennai :
Padma Vibhushan Dr V. Shanta, chairperson, Cancer Institute (WIA), Adyar was felicitated and honoured by the Madras Chamber of Commerce & Industry and WITT during an healthcare seminar, “Healthcare: Today & Tomorrow- Creating a Sustainable Enterprise with Medical Leadership” organised here . Dr V. Shanta in her special address detailed her six-decade journey with Cancer Institute (WIA). She spoke about the challenges and the struggles faced and highlighted on the achievements and requested to give a “Status” to the Cancer Institution that it deserves, on par with other Government Institutions and concluded her address with a clear statement defining her – “Men may come and Men may go, but I will go on forever”.
Mr. Ramkumar Ramamoorthy, president, The Madras Chamber of Commerce & Industry, while delivering the presidential address stated, “While it’s good to look at revenue and employment numbers, it’s equally important to put ‘CARE’ back into Healthcare, and ensure quality, accessibility, availability and affordability of healthcare. And we have a long way to go to be happy with the impact numbers”. He concluded his address by stating “With technology playing an unbelievably important role, I believe Tamil Nadu has a once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity to become the healthcare (or Health Tech) capital of the country and perhaps of the world”.
The Keynote Speaker Padma Shri, Dr Sneh Bhargava, former director, AIIMS, New Delhi, addressed on “Where did we go wrong?” She elaborated on the current status of healthcare in the country in the context of 5Ms – Men, Machine, Money, Medicines and Management. She highlighted on the detrimental factors that are prevalent in the sector.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / by Deccan Chronicle / March 03rd, 2019
“Tamil Nadu is the 29th state I’m visiting. I’ve been driving through the country for around 183 days and have covered 41,000 km,” says Sangeetha Sridhar, rattling off numbers when asked about her journey.
An NRI from UAE, Ms. Sangeetha, who originally hails from Coimbatore, has been driving through the country in her modified Tata Hexa for her initiative – ‘Clean India Trail’.
“I wished to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE and the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and undertake this trip as a goodwill journey. Gandhiji always dreamt of a clean and safe India for women and I planned this trip systematically to show that this doesn’t have to be a faraway dream,” she says.
Ms. Sangeetha began her trip from Mumbai on August 12 and has been travelling solo since then, visiting over 290 cities. Her travels, she says, have taught her self-reliance and sustainability while allowing her to soak in different cultures and have engaging conversations with interesting people.
Sanitation audit
“Through this journey, I’ve been auditing the condition of sanitation facilities available and creating awareness about the Swachh Bharat Mission. I drive a vehicle that is made in India and only use products and technology that are home-grown,” she says. Her car is fitted with solar panels and the middle seat has been removed to ensure that she can sleep inside. “At night, I ensure that I find a safe place to park my vehicle – either inside the compound of a residential complex or a police station. I sleep inside the vehicle and use the public sanitation facilities available,” she says.
Ms. Sangeetha has also been engaging with nearly 59 signature industries across the States she has travelled through and has also visited various heritage sites. Collaborating with a start-up, she explains that all the information she collects are documented on an app in her phone. “For my audit of the sanitation facilities, the app provides me with a log and I also can record voice notes which will be location-tagged so that I can go back to them later,” she says.
With her website www.cleanindiatrail.com detailing her travels, Ms. Sangeetha says that the results of her audit will be handed over to the United Nations Sustainable Development Board and the Ministry of Tourism. “People everywhere have been extremely welcoming. For women who wish to travel and go on long solo road trips, it is extremely important to prepare physically and mentally. Plan your milestones clearly so that you know what it is that you want to see and it is imperative to study everything along your route,” she adds.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by S. Poorvaja / Chennai – March 02nd, 2019
Inspiring people: Arunachalam Muruganantham in Coimbatore on Monday.
Arunachalam Muruganantham, a 56-year-old social entrepreneur in Coimbatore, had his handset ringing with congratulatory calls and messages on Monday morning. Period. End of Sentence, a documentary that reflects his work, had won an Oscar in the Best Short Documentary category.
“I am very happy. We never expected an Oscar. The subject (menstrual hygiene) has reached a global audience. Not just in India, but, women in Kenya, Uganda, or Bangladesh can learn about menstrual hygiene through the documentary,” he says.
Pad Man, the Akshay Kumar-starrer inspired by the life of Mr. Muruganantham had created a huge impact in India. The Oscar for Period. End of Sentence will take the subject to more people in different countries, he adds. “I have received several calls from women who have seen the movie and not only started using the napkins but are educating other women too. That is the real award.”
After nearly seven years of research, Mr. Muruganantham started manufacturing machines in 2004 to produce affordable sanitary napkins. The machines are set up mainly in rural areas where women make the napkins and sell them. “I have installed 5,300 machines in India. More than one lakh women are employed and they produce 1,500 different brands of sanitary pads,” he says.
The aim is to achieve 100% use of sanitary napkins among women and provide self-employment opportunities to 10 lakh women. He has also enabled installation of the machines in 24 countries, including six machines in Pakistan and 10 in Bangladesh. He has trained a group of women in Afghanistan. One machine will be commissioned in Chennai on March 8 this year to be operated by 20 hearing and speech impaired women.
According to him, the challenge is not in installing the machinery but in breaking the taboo against use of sanitary napkins. “Several communities have beliefs against use of the pads. Such beliefs exist in many other countries too.” “The Government should include menstrual hygiene in the curriculum,” he says. The Delhi government plans to incorporate a summary of important events in his life in the school curriculum.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Coimbatore / by M. Soundariya Preetha / Coimbatore – February 25th, 2019
