EIR 21 over the Saidapet railway bridge across the Adyar river on Thursday. (Albin Mathew/EPS)
The 158-year old chugging beauty, EIR 21, was the pride of the Railways ever since it was restored at Perumbur Loco Works and put on tracks in 2010. But, on its 6th dream run, the world’s oldest working steam loco gave passengers and officials tense moments as it came to a halt near Chetpet station, shortly after it was flagged off from Egmore.
Much to the dismay of travellers and officials, the train refused to budge for over half an hour. “There was a leak in a steam pipe joint that brought the train to a stop. Since it is a very old train, such issues are expected,“ said one of the senior staff. The water level in the boiler had reportedly gone down, preventing the production of steam, said a staff of the Perumbur Loco Works.
Finally, much to the relief of Railway officials, the train revived. “Senior officials announced an award of Rs 30,000 for the engineers and technicians who revived the train,” said the staff.
The Railway denied allegations that the train had been pulled by a diesel train after it broke down in Chetpet.“The diesel train is always kept as a stand-by in case of an emergency. But today, the train was revived immediately and the journey continued,” said a Railway spokesperson.
The train, built in 1855, was brought to India from Leeds, UK, where it was built. According to Railway archives, the train was used by the East India Company to transport troops from Howrah to Raniganj to quell the 1857 freedom struggle. After serving for over over 55 years; it was withdrawn from service in 1909. For over a hundred years, it lay at the Jamalpur workshops and Howrah station as an exhibit, where it was exposed to the elements. The damaged and corroded engine reached Perumbur Loco Works, where it was finally restored and put back on tracks.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express News Service – Chennai / August 16th, 2013
What’s common between Robert Fellowes Chisholm and Henry Irwin? Well, these are leading British architects who are majorly responsible for planning out some of the best buildings in the city that have stood the test of time. On Independence Day, we take a look at five such beauties…
(Celebrating Chennai landmarks…)
Presidency College
That it is expedient that a Central Collegiate Institution or University should be established at Madras – this was part of the proposals passed, which later led to the establishment of this college. This landmark building, which houses one of the oldest government arts colleges in the country, was completed in 1870.
Victoria Public Hall
Built to commemorate the golden jubilee of Queen Victoria, it came about as a result of generous contributions of many prominent citizens of the city. The reason? They all wanted a hall to hold public events. Plays by the stalwarts of Tamil theatre, including Pammal Sambanda Mudaliar, have been staged at this prestigious venue that has also witnessed talks by leading national personalities like Swami Vivekananda.
Senate House
Visitors to the University of Madras cannot help but marvel at this piece of art, built during the British colonial period. Robert Chisholm, considered to be the pioneer of the Indo-Saracenic architecture, is said to have been instrumental in designing this opposite the world-famous Marina Beach around 1873.
Museum theatre
If you’re a lover of plays, then chances are that you would have definitely been to this place. The Museum Theatre is a well-known landmark in the city even today for holding plays and performances. It was built in the 19th century in a semi-circular structure for stage, primarily for the British to stage plays for the elite in the city. The theatre is located in the museum campus, where, around 1854, tiger and lion cubs were kept for visitors to see!
Central Station
Built on a combination of Gothic and Romanesque styles, this grand building – which greets everybody who arrives by train to the city – was initially said to be built with four platforms and then redesigned. The station, and the clock tower, are regular features even in Tamil movies, to mark the arrival of someone to Madras.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Life & Style> Travel> Presidency College / by Srinivas Ramanujam, TNN / August 15th, 2013
Supply chain solutions provider TVS Logistics Services Ltd (LSL) has bagged the spare parts warehousing contract from CK Birla Group firm Hindustan Motors for managing its warehousing activities.
(TVS Logistics bags HM spare…)
“TVS Logistics will be responsible for managing the end-to-end warehousing solutions in parts distribution centre for Hindustan Motors Ltd at its Tiruvallur plant near Chennai”, city-based TVS Logistics said in a statement.
TVS Logistics would provide Hindustan Motors with the expertise and project management capabilities, in order to improve warehousing activities, focus on optimising inventory, reduction of lead times in order execution and improving stock accuracy.
TVS LSL would be responsible for implementing the technological solutions that would be required to support the complete end-to-end supply chain ensuring maximum flexibility and real time visibility of inventory, it said.
“We are glad to have the services of TVS Logistics for our warehousing solutions and for distributing spare parts and tools across the nation for our key products”, Hindustan Motors, Chief Operating Officer , P Vijayan said.
“With their high level of expertise at the automobile logistics sector, we are confident that TVS LSL will add value to our business.”, he added.
TVS Logistics’ end-to-end solutions would ensure uninterrupted availability of spare parts across the country for Hindustan Motors products including — premium sedans Lancer, Cedia, SUVs Montero, Pajero, Outlander, luxury sedan Lancer Evolution, the statement said.
“Warehouse management solutions is one of the many specialised services that are being offered by TVS Logistics and we are delighted to offer this service expertise to Hindustan Motors”, TVS Logistics Services, CEO-India, R Shankar said.
The outsourcing of warehousing activity would allow Hindustan Motors to focus on service quality, product management, reduction in lead time of order execution,the statement added.
source: http://www.articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com / The Economic Times / Home> Shipping-Transport> Collections> Spare Parts / by PTI / August 12th, 2013
WCC students being trained by American faculties as a part of the transfer program
Building on the transfer program that they started with the Concordia College, New York, last year, the Women’s Christian College has now launched a teaching initiative with academicians from the US at the helm.
Six faculty members of the Concordia College along with the president, Viji George are now handling a series of one-week courses for over 350 of their undergraduate students at the WCC campus in Nungambakkam. The courses carry one credit (under the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS)) and offer Business, Psychology, Special Education, Life Sciences and Humanities as options.
WCC began the transfer program last year with the reputed American institution, which encouraged a mutual sharing of students, resources and knowledge between the two.
This year, the professors from Concordia are here to further their academic relations and hone their teaching expertise with a new set of students. Jim Burkee, associate professor of History and Economics said, “This is a unique opportunity for me as an American faculty member to share my passion for my discipline (entrepreneurship) with the students of WCC. I will walk away from this experience immensely enriched.”
Ridling Margaret Waller, principal of WCC, said that collaborations of this nature reflected the functional and meaningful ways of sharing expertise across institutions, thus providing a pathway for exchange of ideas between people.
source : http://www.newindianexpress.com / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express News Service – Chennai / August 15th, 2013
Gautam Gambhir takes a walk down the pitch of the cricket ground that he inaugurated in Theni, Dindigul in Tamil Nadu. (DC Photograph)
Gautam Gambhir is no ordinary member of the pack of IPL millionaires. He has a mind of his own and he does not mind speaking it. Spending a day with him in Chennai-Madurai on his visit to a couple of schools was a revelation.
Maybe, all of NextGen of the cricket world may not be as bright as Gambhir but it’s clear they may be different from their uncertain prede cessors of the previous millennium when the selection axe and financial uncertainty seemed to affect their outlook and confidence.
A difficult question came up in an interaction with school children in Tiruvallur, near Chennai. What did Gambhir think of the situation on the border? Ten times out of ten cricketers would have ducked the question with the same instinct with which they let bouncers go.
But Gambhir was bold enough to say “What happened is sad. Jawans can’t be killed on their own soil. Imagine the kind of motivation soldiers would need to be posted on the border“
And how should India act?
“Stop talking to Pakistan. The time has come to take some very tough decisions.“ He said it with the decisiveness in the manner of confident youth. But then Gambhir may also be considered an exception in the crowd of toiling cricketers. Long before he first wore the India blue and much before IPL transformed the lot of players, Gambhir was a rich kid, his dad being a prosperous businessman. His background and his awareness shows in the variety of subjects he is willing to discuss.
Gambhir sprang the name of Shaheed Bhagat Singh when asked whether he had a hero. No, he had no cricketing icons he looked up to when young, just the revolutionary Bhagat Singh who fought the British. The spontaneous answer in many Indian cricketers to the question of who his favourite ODI player was would probably be Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Not for Gambhir who rates Shane Watson of Australia and Rajasthan Royals as the best ‘instant’ cricketer.
But then the background to that could be the tensions between India’s most successful skipper and the opener that went public soon after the World Cup win.
While Dhoni soaked in the praise for his up-the-order aggression that settled the match, the top scorer of the innings felt team work had done the trick. “A captain is only as good as his team,“ Gambhir stressed when probed.
Not the type to curry favour in order to make comebacks, the Delhi lad who lives in the neighbourhood of the Gangaram Hospital, is convinced Test selection will come when the time is right, which will be very soon is his guess.
A lover of the Delhi Metro rail, Gambhir spoke of how much the infra transportation project had done to ease the lives of Delhiites. “How much the Metro means to life in the capital will be known if they so much as shut it for a day,“ Gambhir says.
“The stations offer protection, from the heat in summer and the cold in winter, so too the travel in the coaches. Going by DTC bus in any part of the year is uncomfortable. They should have a Metro in every city,“ he says with that idealism of the young who can recognsie what represents the common good. By that token, Bengaluru is not a favourite of Gambhir although he visited the city a lot in his early career days when he trained at the NCA.
“Today the traffic doesn’t move. You are stuck inside a car for hours. The Metro project is slow. Imagine the impact on city life if anyone going out can connect by Metro. There would be far less motorcycles and cars on the roads. Again, the problem in India is demand outstrips supply even before the infra can be put up. We have to plan for the cities because that is where most of India will live,“ he says with a logic that cannot be questioned.
He was unfazed by a manic day which began with a crawl in morning traffic to Shree Niketan School in Thiruvallur and then weaving in and out of the traffic to make it to the airport on time for a just after noon flight to Madurai. A positively paranoia-inducing drive to Natham for a visit to the NPR Group of Institutions and back just in time to make the flight to Chennai and on to Delhi would have told on anyone. Not on the doughty opener for whom it was all a day’s social service to inspire the youth of today to dream big for tomorrow.
While frequent conversations on the mobile may have thrown light on how much of a family man he is, queries every few minutes to know the score in the Ashes Test were privy to his passion for cricket.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle /Home> Sports> Cricket / DC / by R Mohan / August 15th, 2013
PSG Polytechnic College, and PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, signs MoU with Ugam Solutions to create a Retail and Analytics Elective.
Ugam Solutions has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with PSG Polytechnic College and PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, to expand their student training opportunities by creating a new industry elective for retail and analytics. The college will work closely with Ugam Solutions to develop a business-based elective that will prepare students for specific and highly marketable skills within the retail and analytics fields.
(Left to right)Dr Rudramoorthy Principal, PSG Polytechnic college and Mr Sunil Mirani, CEO Ugam Solutions exchanging the MOU
The MoU was signed by Dr. R. Rudhramoorthy, Principal of PSG College of Technology and Polytechnic College, and Mr. Sunil Mirani, CEO Ugam Solutions, at the college on Monday 12th August 2013. Dr. R. Rudhramoorthy presided over the signing ceremony. Other dignitaries attending included Ms. S. Sharmila, Head of Department – Information Technology, and Mr. Dharmesh Mistry, Chief Talent Officer, Ugam Solutions.
Commenting on this new academic offering, Mr. Sunil Mirani said, “While students today come well equipped with the technical skills, the application of the same in the business context is missing. With this new elective, Ugam will impart the practical understanding of the application of analytics and technology in the world of retail, thereby making students more employable”, Dr. R. Rudhramoorthy added, “Bridging the gap between academics and industry is one of the major trends of PSG polytechnic college. This MoU targets the final year students to fulfill the expectations of the industry and make them industry ready.”
source: http://www.itnewsonline.com / IT News Online / Home / by Business Wire India / August 14th, 2013
Anuj Sharma, COO of Sarvajal, a firm that sells water, was in town to receive the Force Park Shared Value Award from the Park Group of Institutions on Wednesday. His firm purifies ground water and sells it through water ATMs.
“Pure water can easily be made available at a lower cost,” said Anuj. He had started the project 4 years ago in his home town of Alwar in Rajasthan. His water is now available in a few states as of now. The purified water is supplied through tanks from where people can collect it using their ATMs. “A litre of water will cost a maximum of 50 paise. The ATM which is similar to those used to withdraw money from banks can be recharged using cards. They will show the quality of water apart from the balance available.
“We target places where there are ground water sources, but lack quality water distribution. There should be a minimum of 1,000 households in the area,” he said. ‘Water ATM’ was a concept they developed to monitor the distribution of the water and check its quality.
“Around 50 percent of diseases are water borne diseases. At the same time, most water purifiers are either inefficient or costly. Thus, I came up with this idea,” he said. Responding to charges of commercialisation of water resources, he says they make sure their business model is affordable to all.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore> Water Resources / TNN / August 08th, 2013
PASSIONATE V.Nagarajan / Photo:S.James / The Hindu
V. Nagarajan upholds the tradition of Tanjore paintings with a creative zeal
Inside V.Nagarajan’s house, you feel gods and goddesses have descended in glittering gold attire. The hall is cramped with a variety of 3D and 2D Tanjore paintings of Buddha, Balaji, sequence of paramapadam, Ramar pattabhisekams, 63-Nayanmars, Tirupati Brahmotsavam and many more. But the one which instantly grabs the eyeball is Lord Krishna, who overshadows the rest.
PASSIONATE V.Nagarajan ./ Photo:S.James / The Hindu
A glance at the work and you know why the artist has been handpicked by the Handicrafts Marketing and Service Extension Centre and Export Promotion Council of India as the craft ambassador of Indian tradition of South India that also made him travel to the United Kingdom last autumn.
PASSIONATE V.Nagarajan / / Photo:S.James / The Hindu
A resident of Karaikudi, the small town fuels his passion. He takes the cue for intricate designs, motifs and hues from the artistically designed bungalows here.
“World’s first language is art,” says Nagarajan, “Man scribbled and exchanged his ideas and thoughts.”
Nagarajan cannot be dismissed off as a Tanjore painting artist. His works are underlined with unconventional visuals but rooted to culture and tradition in theme and context. He breathes paints. He lives with every painting he writes. “Painting is in my blood,” he says, “from my great grand father’s generation.”
His great grandparents were palace painters at the Palace of Vijayanagara Empire. When the empire collapsed, the community of painters migrated down South identifying themselves as Rajus.
Nagarajan, one of the descendants of Rajus, is widely acclaimed as Tanjore painting artist of the last two decades. Though he learnt the art from his father and guru Venkatachalam Raju at the age of 13, Nagarajan went to complete a diploma course in Mechanical engineering. It was later that he decided to follow his heart and family tradition of writing and selling of Tanjore paintings.
“I am the fourth generation member writing Tanjore paintings and earning a living out of it,” he says.
Delving into the past, he says, “When the migrants came down, a few settled at Mysore and developed the Mysore School of Art. Those who settled in the Thanjavur belt during Maharaja Serfoji’s period, evolved the Tanjore paintings.”
In his opinion, Tanjore painting is unique in various aspects. “It has both art and material values. We use pure gold foil and semi-precious stones that embellishes the product.”
Nagarajan’s grey cells are at constant war to breed new ideas and innovations in the age-old art. Though Hindu images dominate the Tanjore paintings, Nagarajan tried his hand at painting Buddha in Tanjore style modelling on a Buddha statue found in Thailand.
“My aim,” he says, “is not to create a painting as a mere decorative wall hanging, it is a piece of art. “The Buddha statue is an exclusive work of art as it comes with an intricately carved and colourfully decorated door that gives us an impression of entering into a temple.
Nagarajan is credited with the design sequence of paramapadam, Ramar Pattabhisekam in 3D format aligning to the tradition of Tanjore painting. With the inclusion of more creative concepts, they have become paintings of high quality. “The market is flooded with Tanjore paintings. I need to stand out,” he asserts.
Winner of the State and the national merit certificate, Nagarajan says that he is not ready to deviate from the tradition of Tanjore paintings. But, he regularly introduces new subjects. He has made Lord Buddha, Jesus Christ and Thirukostiyur temple settings. He is also recording Ramayana concepts, temple structures and Chettinad culture in Tanjore paintings.
Though people have started using golden paper for paintings, Nagarajan continues to use only pure gold foils and semi precious stones for his paintings.
Real 22 carat gold foil is used which remains intact for years and gives a glowing appearance in the dark, he informs. Traditionally, diamonds and rubies were used. They are now replaced with semi-precious stones or glass stones. Similarly, vegetable dyes have been replaced by chemical paints but Nagarajan adheres to the old and original method.
Though art is a form that thrives on human imagination and creativity, Nagarajan closely studies archaeology and history to learn about a particular age and tradition. “This helps me to understand the colour concept of that age. I use the colours accordingly to create an art that is true to the facts and traditions of that period.”
He explains how in Tanjore paintings, the main subject gains prominence. For instance, the sitting Krishna is unassumingly big than the other standing figures. Similarly, size of the baby Krishna is bigger than that of his mother. In Ramar Pattabhishekam, Hanuman and cavalry appear tiny.
Nagarajan mostly sells his paintings to hospitals, jewellery shops, individuals and commercial establishments. His paintings serve a twin purpose. They make good decoration articles and are also a good alternative to idols of worship that warrant high maintenance. He also accepts orders for custom-made paintings.
“Though affordability factor of such paintings rides high, but we should not lose the tradition either,” he says.
“The purpose of art, culture and tradition is to delight people. Anything made with hand is important, beautiful and costly,” he says. According to him, people go for Tanjore paintings despite the cost because after a period of time these add the antique value to them.”
In response to reader’s queries, Dr Nagarajan can be contacted
@ 9443338138
or 36-A, Kothar Street, Kottaiyur, Karaikudi — 630106
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Friday Review> Art / by S. S. Kavitha / Madurai – August 08th, 2013
A group of seven fashion designing students from Madurai have made the city proud by showcaseding their women’s wear collection at Vibes 360 Degrees , a fashion show that happened in Chennai last week.
Last Saturday seven girls from Madurai made a mark with their prêt line at a national level fashion show held in Chennai. The eighth edition of Vibes 360 Degrees showcased over 500 ensembles designed by 100 fashion students from all over the country. Among them were 36 designer dresses from Madurai that stormed the ramp.
Fashion collection by Madurai students
Every set of garments was theme-based and the girls also created the ramp-music and mood-story.
“It was heartening to see students from smaller towns taking part in the event. The collection from Madurai was received with much applause,” beams Thangarajeshwari, Head of Madurai Centre, Dream Zone School of Creative Studies. The girls completed their Master Diploma course in fashion designing here and were part of the annual design contest of Dream Zone (CADD Centre).
Fashion collection by Madurai students
Flower-power
Theme: Dominance
Inspiration: The shapes and colours of flowers
Collection: With frills, tucks, pleats and emphasis work, the six party gowns under ‘Dominance’ are simple bold and beautiful. A riot of floral motifs, circular ruffles and shapes inspired from the petals and sepals of flowers is noticeable in every ensemble and it’s that typical girly short gown that a woman would prefer for parties.
Colour palette: Bright shades of blue, orange, red and pink with a minimal tinge of black
Fabrics: All the six garments have bits of lycra with velvet for that glossy touch and a major portion of chiffon and tissue to complement compliment the party appearance.
Designer’s take: “I am a party lover basically and that’s where my idea came from. I have kept the length of all the dresses short so that they can be worn in place of hot pants and are perfect for party dancing,” says Reena. “It took me two months to complete the entire collection. Fabrics were sourced from Chennai and Bangalore.” “I want to open a boutique and launch a label,” she adds.
Ethnic chic
Theme: Contrast
Inspiration: The sepia-toned rural landscape and colourful people of Rajasthan
Collection: How about a Cocktail dress with Rajasthani kamarbandh and tukdi work? That’s what the line is about – contemporary and yet traditional – toeing the theme ‘Contrast’. Every garment under the collection has some Rajasthani touch. Belts resembling Kamarbandhs and waist coats designed like cholis make the entire set quirky.
Colour palette: Sky-tones, hues of nature and earth-tones – blue, green, ochre and red
Fabrics: Nets, crochet, lycra, velvet and everything flashy and shiny form the body of all the dresses while hints of cotton patch work and silver piping give the Rajasthani feel.
Designer’s take: Deshna and Gitanjali say they share a common sensibility and taste and they want to launch a label in Madurai. “I believe in innovation,” says Deshna, showing a short skirt made of handmade paper and a crochet waistcoat. “Fashion doesn’t just mean expensive clothes. I want to make fashion that’s affordable.” Gitanjali says, “We both think a bit ‘Hatke’ and we have tried to incorporate some funky element in all our garments.
Shade-play
Theme: Colour gradation
Inspiration: The shades of sky and the hues of rainbow
Collection: Here’s an exclusive set of garments meant for just shopping! Pockets, pouches and buttons and zips would help you keep cash, cards, that lip-gloss, and eye-liner and everything that you may need while shopping. Every garment is a one-piece monochrome with movement designs done in light and dark shades of the same colour.
Colour palette: Baby pink, sky blue, pista green and rainbow colours
Fabrics: Every ensemble is made of Satin, sateen, rexin and velvet. The aim is to add sheen to your shopping. Bows, buttons and Velcro is also used in many places.
Designer’s take: “I have added a utility value to all my garments apart from the aesthetics and look aspect of it. Women’s dresses hardly have pockets and pouches and this was purely an experiment,” says Priyanka Hiran. “Shopping need not be always done with a bag. Small and impulsive shopping is what my dresses are meant for.” She adds, “I aim to become an ace women’s wear designer someday.”
Fashion collection by Madurai students
Zig-zag zing
Theme: Asymmetry
Inspiration: Geometrical polygons and innovative shapes
Collection: Layers, tucks, darts and frills are the highlights of ‘Asymmetry’. It’s a peppy set of clothes with one-shoulder, zig-zag patterns and an unbalanced usage of colour. Some are printed, dotted and striped while others are plain with patchwork, stone work and other surface embellishments.
Colour palette: Peach, green, blue, yellow, red and white
Fabrics: Layers of crush, frills of net, straps of velvet and glazed synthetic cotton blend are used
Designer’s take: “I care about innovation than practicality. My collection is only meant for ramp shows. They cannot be worn everyday or even for occasions, though trendsetters can do so,” asserts Pooja. “I want to become a celebrity stylist so that I can design garment for Bollywood stars. And that’s why all my clothes are funky and high-funda.”
Glassy-glossy
Theme: Transparent
Inspiration: The delicate shapes and feel of wine glasses
Collection: Simple, elegant and transparent is the mantra of this women’s party wear collection. From bustline to waistline, every garment has a see through material so that you can flaunt off your assets! Balloon skirts, puffed sleeves and skin-hugging tops make the clothes standout. Solid plain blocks of colours with no prints and patterns complimented with a little skin-show add that dramatic effect!
Colour palette: Red, black, white, gold, pink and yellow
Fabrics: Gauze, net and rustle tissue form the see-through parts while shimmering raw silk, crush chiffon and crepe dominate the body of all dresses.
Designer’s take: “Transparent portions in a dress give visual relief to the eye. Moreover, it’s a subtle way of adding glamour,” says Payal. “I have designed the clothes keeping in mind a high profile party-going fun-loving girl. My future plan is to open a designer store in big cities.”
Fashion collection by Madurai students
Texture-mixture
Theme: Crush
Inspiration: Textures of nature – parched earth, leaf veins, water ripples and tree barks
Collection: One unique aspect of the ‘Crush’ collection is the usage of fabric textures. Earthy colours and free-flowing silhouettes make the ensembles long, layered and elaborate, but they are all wrap-around types that can be effortlessly fastened with a lace, belt or buckle. The longish gowns are versatile and can be worn for office and parties!
Colour palette: Brown, turquoise, golden yellow, green and blue
Fabrics: Ribbons, bows, tassels and frills are seen in crepe and crushed organza while the base is made of cotton, muslin and raw silk.
Designer’s take: “I have worked on the easy-to-wear (wrap) concept. My collection can be draped and gives a desi Indian feel when worn,” says Neha Jain. “I have also used Indian elements like the glass bangles and thread-ball-pompoms. In times when people are crazy about western outfits, I thought this would be a head-turner.”
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Fashion / by A. Shrikumar / Madurai – July 18th, 2013
Noted Tamil filmmaker, writer and actor R. Manivannan died at his Ramavaram residence in Chennai on Saturday following a massive heart attack. He was 59. Having played character roles in more than 400 Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films, he made his directorial debut with Gopurangal Saivadhillai. His last and 50th directorial venture was Nagaraja Cholan MA MLA , a sequel to his 1994 blockbuster Amaidhipadai.
It all began for him when as a student in Sulur, Coimbatore district, he sent a 100-page fan mail to director Bharathyraja. And soon he found himself working as an assistant with him. Bharathyraja later introduced him as an actor in his film Kodi Parakkudhu and his popularity grew in both comic and negative roles.
Some of his best films as an actor include Mudhalvan, Sangamam and Ullathai Allitha, Amaidhipadai, and Avvai Shanmugi. He also turned writer with films like Tick Tick Tick, Agaya Gangai and Kadhal Ovium. And teaming up with his best friend Sathyaraj, he directed him in 25 films.
The combo worked wonders at the box office. His protégés include Vikraman, R. K. Selvamani, Sunder C, Seemaan, K. Selvabharathi, Radhabharathi and E.Ramadas who have now made a mark as independent directors in Tamil cinema themselves.
Always keen on making a film on the problems of Sri Lankan Tamils, he was a member of the “Naam Tamizhar” (We Tamils) group and in fact he supported the Sri Lankan Tamil cause so much that he said recently, “When I die, I want my body to be handed over to (Tamil director) Seeman and my funeral must take place under his guidance.”
Manivannan is survived by wife Sengamalam, son Raghuvannan and daughter Jothi.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> News> Current Affairs / DC / by Anupama Subramanian / June 16th, 2013
