In the nation-wide hustle and bustle over the prime minister’s birthday celebrations were drowned the subdued tributes paid to Tamil Nadu’s political icon on Wednesday, marking his 135th birth anniversary. Though Narendra Modi shares his birthday with that of Periyar E V Ramasamy, who died in 1973, the two leaders are from different historic eras and of diverse political thoughts. But like Modi, Ramasamy, too, was either hated or adored. Though the portrait of the man in flowing white beard is still a fixture in every regional party’s marquee in the state, the modern generation remembers Periyar only as a pioneering champion of OBC rights, an ardent atheist and a Brahmin baiter — all of which he indeed was.
But beyond his shrill political slogans, he propagated progressive ideas that were ahead of his times. If he fought for OBC reservation, which has become a reality in India now, he also advocated 50 per cent reservation of jobs in offices for women in the 1930s. He suggested that as a means to prevent couple from longing for a son and in that pretext not going in for birth control even after having two daughters. But his advocacy of birth control, way back in 1930, was not to address the national problem of population explosion but to enable women make a free and independent choice on having a child or not.
He advised couples not to have children in the first five years of marriage. He saw marriage as an institution that enslaved women and wanted its abolition but was not averse to a man and a woman falling in love and sharing a life. If modern day feminists find the depiction of women in media as unacceptable, Periyar attacked Tamil literature for describing women’s physical features and not their intellectual abilities way back in 1946. Perhaps it was only appropriate that the title ‘Periyar’ was conferred on him by a congregation of women.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Editorials / by The New Indian Express / September 18th, 2014
The first ever intra departmental debating competition conducted by the Forum for Information Technology, Department of Computer Science at Loyola College proved to be a resounding success.
The competition was initiated with a small briefing about the rules and regulations to be followed during the debate, to the participants.
With topics such as ‘Has technology given more harm than use?’, ‘Are cameras a boon in public places or an invasion of privacy?’ and ‘Are social media and international communication mediums becoming a reason for international warfare?’, the competition provided a perfect platform for the students to put forth their views.
The debating rounds were adjudicated by the faculty of the English department of Loyola College. This was followed by the welcoming of the chief adjudicators for the finals. The adjudicators for the finals were Dr K S Antony Samy, coordinator, WEPRO, Loyola College, and Archana Ram, Director, Smart Training Resources Pvt Ltd. The winning team comprised Adithya of I BSc, Varun, II BCA, Lloyd, I BSc and Md Jaffer, II BCA .
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express News Service / September 10th, 2014
MAN OF THE MOMENT: What’s important is that you have to be passionate about what you are doing, says Arnold Schwarzenegger. Photo: Pei Ting Wong
How Arnold Schwarzenegger kept Chennai in his grip during a day-long visit
He met the bigwigs of the Indian film industry. He met the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu as well. But it was India’s movie fans who blew Hollywood ‘Terminator’ Arnold Schwarzenegger’s mind. The actor, in Chennai for the audio launch of Tamil film I, said, “It’s the fans who make movies run. I’ve been to India many times but this is my first visit to Chennai. I’ve always wanted to come for the red carpet, and finally, I am here for it.”
But that was late on Monday evening at the Nehru Stadium. Schwarzenegger’s day out in Chennai started in the wee hours of Monday, when he arrived at the airport, only to be whisked away to The Leela Palace, where he was put up at the Chairman Suite.
The Hollywood superstar, it seems, was very impressed with the view of the city and the sea from his table at the Spectra restaurant at the hotel.
Apart from the sea, the actor was interested in learning more about the artefacts such as the silver elephants, crystal maharaja chair and the bronze items in his suite.
His elaborate breakfast included scrambled eggs, cereals… and namma dosa, which the actor seemed to enjoy. He specially enquired about the batter.
If the food impressed him a lot, so did the films. “India makes so many films. The number of films made here is far more than what Americans make,” he explained. Is he interested in starring in a film here? “I’d love to work in an Indian movie soon.”
The actor reiterated that point when, at the audio launch, he said on the dais, “I came all the way from Hollywood looking for a job in India. I want to act in your movies. I want to do your next movie, Shankar (director).”
It’s not just movies but his work as governor of California, that made him popular. And, Schwarzenegger is still very passionate about working on that front.
“Having run the fitness crusade for the longest time, this is my new challenge to build sustainable and green governments across the U.S., India and China — the three biggest polluters of the world,” he stated.
Though he was in the city just for a day, the superstar did not miss his fitness regime. His morning schedule included a 45-minute intense workout at the gym, during which he did some resistance training, chest and shoulder press. That was followed by an hour-long spa treatment, where he opted for the signature 60-minute deep muscle massage.
Apart from being known as an actor and a politician, Schwarzenegger is a big name in bodybuilding circles, having inspired several people across the world to take it up.
When asked about his journey, he said, “Many start and end their lives with one job, but I was fortunate to be successful in my bodybuilding career, which led me to becoming a leading actor. Then, the chance came for me to be the governor of California for seven years. It was a good run. What’s important is that you have to be passionate about what you are doing.”
(With inputs from Pei Ting Wong)
Arnie unplugged
* I’d love to act in an Indian film soon. I want to act in your movies. Make a movie with me, maybe Conan…
* Aascar Ravichandran has been promoting my films in India. I thank him for that. Shankar is a creative director and comes up with stunning imagery that will be successful.
* Movies are international; they speak to the whole world.
* I eat foods that keep me lean. I had grilled fish for lunch in Chennai — nice and high on protein.
* I already speak Spanish, German, and English. So, I guess I won’t be speaking Tamil anytime soon.
His food loves
* Black coffee and croissants were among the first things the actor ordered.
* Arnold tried out the plain dosa for breakfast and loved it.
* For dinner, he experimented with some tandoor tiger prawns and also indulged in garlic naan and malai kulfi.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Srinivasa Ramanujam / Chennai – September 16th, 2014
CREATIVE TALENT: These women are the agents of change in the drought-prone hamlet in Sivaganga district. Photo: G. Moorthy / The Hindu
The women of Nedumaram Village strike an example of self-sustenance by making beautiful art pieces out of palm leaves for a living
On a scorching Sunday afternoon, a group of women from Nedumaram village huddle inside the Government complex. They assemble to make artefacts out of palm leaves. It is a joy to watch their fingers move in synchronisation through the bunch of thin palm leaf strands. And in no time the strands get perfectly entwined and interwoven into various shapes. They take a break and beam at each other’s creativity. Soon the silence is replaced by banter and giggles. Their master Tamilarasi appears strict and instructs them to concentrate on their work. The ladies return to the strands of palm leaves in their hands. Like this they spend hours making beautiful baskets, trays, fashionable beer-bottle holders, doom sets, chocolate boxes and puja plates.
These women are the agents of change in the drought-prone hamlet in Sivaganga district. The turning point came when an NGO in collaboration with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) conducted art classes for them three decades ago.
CREATIVE TALENT: Colourful artefacts made out of palm-leaf. Photo: G. Moorthy
“I was 10 years old then and six of us attended the course for six months. A foreigner lady came from Kanyakumari to teach us palm-leaf art,” recalls 40-year-old Tamilarasi. She now teaches the art to the entire village. “We were taught only the basic baskets,” she says, “We have invented so many other products now.”
What started with a small group has evolved into a women’s self-sustenance movement in Nedumaram. Today, there are 100-odd women, a mix of young mothers, older women and school-dropouts all from poor families and with a sorrowful saga to narrate. Their lives are much in contrast to the colourful wares they make. Most of them own small lands but curse the rain gods for pushing them to poverty. Some complain of their abusive alcoholic husbands, some worry about the future of their kids. If there is anything that gives them moments of happiness and helps them to earn, it is the palm leaf work.
“We work from home and on an average earn around Rs.100 to 120 per day,” says Karpagavalli, who lost her husband two decades ago. “I was wondering how I would bring up my two children. This work provided me a stable livelihood.”
Says Anandhi, who has been doing palm-leaf art for 20 years: “Only if it rains, we go for agriculture work. Otherwise we are engaged in palm-leaf work round the year. We earn more than a daily wager and each of us maintains a savings account in banks. We feel empowered.”
“Making these art pieces gives peace of mind and we feel happy about being able to make such beautiful things,” says Meena who along with Tamilarasi has showcased the palm wares at expos across the country.
“Three years ago, we took part in the National crafts expo at Delhi and we did business worth Rs.6000 on the first day itself. We made the art pieces during the two-day train journey.”
The women source the bundles of dried palm leaves from Ramanathapuram. One leaf weighing about a kilogram costs Rs.20. The leaves are laid out in the sun to dry for two days, after which they are cut to required measurements.
“The Ramanathapuram palm leaves are the best. Once dried, they turn white in colour and hard in texture,” Tamilarasi explains the process of palm art. The dried leaves are cut into strands varying in thickness and length using a small machine. Colour powders dissolved in boiling water are used for colouring the strands. “We can make any required colour by mixing the common five colours – red, yellow, blue, green and black,” says Tamilarasi.
The women find the method of weaving also simple. They use the single knot technique, which is repeated in different permutations and combinations to get the circular, square and rectangular shapes. Sometimes, the thick palm strands are used as the base for weaving with the thinner strands on them.
Palm leaf art made in Nedumaram reaches customers across the globe. The Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan is one of the major buyers. They also get orders from Hotels and resorts from nearby Kanadukathan and Karaikudi, or from big cities like Chennai and Bangalore and many foreign tourists. A chunk of the orders come through South Indian Producers Association, in which the group has been enrolled.
“Since the products are eco-friendly, even organic shops place orders. There are some export agencies that buy artefacts from the women of Nedumaram,” says Michael, Joint Director of Tirupattur Rural Uplift Project Association, an NGO functioning in Sirukoodalpatti village, which helps the women in pricing and marketing their wares. “We educate the women on how to price the products taking into account the raw-material cost, transportation and labour cost.”
“We have scripted a successful story so far. But now there is a shortfall in the supply of palm leaves caused by failure of rains and rampant felling of palm trees in Ramanathapuram district,” points out Tamilarasi. As a result, the price has gone up. “We only hope the remaining palm trees are protected and a lot more get planted,” she says.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by A. Shrikumar / Madurai – September 17th, 2014
MASTER OF KEYS Venkateswara Rao at Max Mueller Bhavan with the first piano he tuned for Handel Manuel. Photo: R. Ragu / The Hindu
Meet S. Venkateswara Rao, Chennai’s famed piano tuner, who has given the instrument its voice for over 50 years
It’s not easy to tell exactly how old he is, because he still bustles about like he’s in his 20s, lifting piano stools, attempting to move grand pianos by himself and juggling back-to-back piano tuning appointments every day. He’s not sure how old he is either, owing to a flood that washed his birth certificate away.
S. Venkateswara Rao, a piano tuner for over 50 years, says, “I don’t celebrate my birthday, I only celebrate music.” Active and agile, he is keen to talk about himself and the glamorous cine world that surrounds him. He states dates and incidents with accuracy and yet, struggles to remember the name of people who walk up to greet him. “I’m surprised at how much trouble comes at this age,” he says, laughing.
He was born in Rajamundhry. His father died when he was five and his mother fell prey to tuberculosis by the time he turned 12. His uncle, who brought him up, was a harmonist for street theatre, which kept him in the art circle during his childhood. At 14, he was taken in by Ratna Varma in Machilipatnam, whose shop he worked and often slept in, learning to tune and make instruments. In two years, he’d mastered the art of making and repairing many string instruments like veenas, violins and harmoniums.
He moved to Madras when we was 16, at a time when trams still traversed the streets. He worked in many musical shops in the city, where he learned the technical aspects of making and tuning bigger, professional instruments.
Four years on, he got the opportunity to be a piano repairing technical assistant at Musee Musical, for a monthly salary of Rs. 60. He still works there today, as a freelance tuner, making about Rs. 1,000 for two hours of work.
To learn international tuning, he started training under Master Dhanraj, even before Ilaiyaraaja could learn from the famous music teacher. “I’m Ilaiyaraaja’s senior,” he says, smiling proudly.
Rao says there are about 3-4 other tuners in the city who he has heard about, but never met, making him quite a rarity. “You know the pianos Rajnikanth and Sri Devi play on screen? I’ve tuned those,” he says proudly, yet matter-of-factly. He emphasises that he hasn’t missed a single Ilaiyaraaja composition; he’s always the piano tuner on the job.
In 1967, Rao joined Max Mueller Bhavan and the first ever piano he tuned, was for the legendary Handel Manuel.
He has tuned for the programmes of many big names since then, including musicians Roman Rudnytsky, Billy Taylor and Chico Freeman; music directors A.R. Rahman, Yuvan Shankar Raja, and Harris Jeyaraj; and singers Unni Krishnan, Srinivas and Karthik.
He continues to tune pianos for many in the city, even as he divides his time between tuning appointments for The Music Academy, Taj hotels, The Leela Palace, Chennai, the programme VijaySuper Singers, weddings, receptions and just about any stage with a piano that requires his attention. Typically, he tunes around 15-20 pianos a month.
For the hour-and-a-half he takes to tune a piano, everything is in his control. He tunes in accordance with Bach’s technique and that has been a constant since the day he started. “Till the world ends, the technique will be the same,” he states. Everything else, however, changes.
When his wife of 50 years fell ill, it was a struggle for him and his family of five children. She suffered from diabetes for years and he spent lakhs for the treatment. And then, she died suddenly of a heart attack. “I’m alright,” he says when asked how he came to terms with her death. “Life is as it is. I give full attention only to music; nothing else matters.”
His love for music and his work takes up every inch of his life, including the time he could spend with his seven-year-old grandson. “Fine tuning isn’t possible if you have avocations,” he states plainly.
Rao does not pause to rest because the happiness he derives from work, he gets from nothing else. Yet, his work is done well before the curtain goes up.
While a guitarist plays with six strings on stage, he works with the 220 strings of a piano backstage, knowing them like the back of his hand. “This is a special technique. One town has one man,” says Rao, who for the longest time, has been tuning for this city.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Raveena Joseph / Chennai – September 15th, 2014
Veteran Dravidian leader and former Chief Minister C N Annadurai was remembered in the state on the occasion of his 106th birth anniversary.
DMK President M Karunanidhi, accompanied by senior leaders including M K Stalin, paid floral tributes to the portrait of Annadurai, fondly addressed as Anna by his followers.
AIADMK leaders also paid tributes to the leader under party’s Presidium Chairman E Madhusudhanan.
MDMK leader Vaiko and DMDK founder Vijayakanth also paid floral tributes to Annadurai. In Delhi, Principal Resident Commissioner of Tamil Nadu House, Jasbir Singh Bajaj, garlanded a statue of Anna.
Annadurai, founder of DMK, ushered in the first non-Congress government in Tamil Nadu. His party had unseated the Congress government in 1967 and he became the Chief Minister.
A veteran Dravidian leader, he is respected across party lines.
source: http://www.outlookindia.com / Outlook / Home> News> Chennai / September 15th, 2014
GREEN REMEDIES:Her Atri Herbal Nursery has 15 plant varieties. She also has ready-made garden kits for people.Photo: R. Ravindran / The Hindu
Subashree has proved a home garden is all it takes to have good health, good looks and a good life, says K. SARUMATHI
You have cold, she has the cure. You want to look good, she has the beauty solutions. You want to go green, she has the expertise to show you how.
If Subashree Vijay of Alwarthirunagar has a ready answer for any problem, it is because of her garden, pesticide-free and organic.
Subashree’s love for gardening knows no bounds, a fact illustrated by how she has let creepers cover the four walls of her house, on the outside. The backyard, terrace and every other available space has been utilised for growing plants. She cares for these plants as if they were her children. She offers others all her expertise on growing a home garden.
“I have always had an interest in gardening. It however took me a long time to get into it full-time. Now, every vegetable we cook is home-grown, pesticide-free and completely organic. Even my beauty products are all natural and made by me, at home,” says Subashree, who takes a particular interest in nurturing medicinal plants.
In her terrace are various herbs that can cure aliments. There are also vegetables such as lady’s finger, varieties of gourd, tomato, brinjal, beans, four types of chillies, 12 varieties of spinach and numerous flowering plants.
The organic fertiliser used in the garden is made at home, mixing buttermilk and coconut milk.
“I ferment and then sprinkle it on the plants. It is growth booster and results can be seen in a week. It is also safe to handle. Also, all garden wastes are swept and put into the pots to be turned into manure,” says Subashree, who also supplies liquid fertilizer to organic stores along with soil mixture and grow bags.
Her Atri Herbal nursery has 15 plant varieties, which have some use in the kitchen, are easy to grow and multiply. She also has ready-made garden kits for people, where she grows the plants and then gives them away. She also makes face packs and hair oil from the plants in her house and sells them under the banner of Atri Health Products.
Her plans for the future include helping people set up their own terrace gardens. “They need extra care and regular maintenance. You need to have passion for growing plants to have a blooming garden,” she adds. Subashree can be contacted at 96771 01627.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Down Town / by K. Sarumathi / September 14th, 2014
The 143rd birth anniversary of freedom fighter V O Chidambaram Pillai, popularly known as VOC, was observed here on Friday.
Leaders of political parties and organizations garlanded VOC’s statue at Simmakkal. Those who garlanded the statue include Tamil Nadu co-operative minister and the AIADMK’s Madurai district secretary K Sellur Raju, Madurai South MLA R Annadurai (CPM), Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president B S Gnanadesikan, DMK leader Jayaraman and representatives of VOC Peravai and Hindu Ilaignar Peravai.
Hindu Ilaignar Peravai activists raised slogans asking people to support indigenous products and avoid foreign goods.
VOC was born in Tuticorin district on September 5, 1872. A disciple of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, he launched the first indigenous Indian shipping service between Tuticorin and Colombo. He died on November 18, 1936.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai / byL. Srinivasan, TNN / September 05th, 2014
The death of a close relative in a road accident has prompted a 13-year-old student in the Nilgiris to invent a device he claims can alert drowsy drivers and help avert accidents.
The ‘Eye Blink Infrared Sensor’, the result of a year’s efforts by M Gokul, provided the class 8 student of the municipal middle school at RK Puram in Ooty, a chance to participate in the state-level exhibition for INSPIRE Award conducted by the Union government’s department of science and technology, Tamil Nadu science and technology centre and Shivani College of Engineering and Technology, Trichy on Saturday.
The device is aimed at preventing accidents due to the drowsiness of the drivers of all vehicles, including two-wheelers. The infrared sensor is designed to sense the blinking of the eyelids. If the lids remain idle for a few seconds, the sensor will pass a signal through a pic micro controller to the vibrator under the driver’s seat. The activated vibrator will shake the seat, jolting the driver awake.
“It was the death of my uncle P Kumar, a government bus driver, which kindled my innovation to design a device to avoid accidents. He met with the accident as he slept while driving the bus. The accident forced me to think that no one should die due to the drowsiness of the driver,” Gokul told ToI. He said he had been working on the device after class hours.
The signal will also stop the engine and make the vehicle come to halt gradually. L Sundaram, the science teacher who supported Gokul in his project, said they were making efforts to test the device in vehicles with the government’s help. “It is not costly and can be used in all vehicles. We need support from the government to take it to the next level,” he said.
Gokul’s father A Mani, a tea agent, is proud of his younger son. “When he expressed his thoughts to invent a device, I wholeheartedly supported him.
His continuous efforts have helped him create such a device. I will encourage him to go on in his career,” said Mani, whose elder son also won a competition at the INSPIRE programme in Chennai.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Trichy / by Gokul Rajendran, TNN / September 07th, 2014
“I’m deeply moved to receive an honorary doctorate from such a distinguished school which has contributed so much to the world of music,” said Rahman.
In recognition of his two-decades-long musical legacy, the prestigious Berklee College of Music is all set to honour Oscar-winning composer A R Rahman with an honorary doctorate.
The honour will be conferred on Rahman, 47, best known globally for the original scores and songs in ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, ‘127 Hours’, ‘Elizabeth: The Golden Age’ and ‘Million Dollar Arm’, at an event at the Berklee College of Music on October 24, a media statement said.
“I’m deeply moved to receive an honorary doctorate from such a distinguished school which has contributed so much to the world of music,” said Rahman.
“I’m especially proud and honoured the college is graciously establishing a scholarship in my name for future generations of musicians to follow their dreams,” he added.
Berklee College of Music president Roger H Brown said, “A friend from India described A R Rahman to me as John Williams and Sting rolled into one – a leading film composer and a wildly popular, brilliant songwriter and performer.
“We welcome him to Berklee, where the college and our students look forward to paying our respects.”
At a concert celebrating his career on October 24, 2014 in Boston, students and faculty will perform songs paying tribute to his distinguished work with Rahman performing alongside them for select pieces.
In addition to the performance, Rahman will conduct a master class at the Berklee Performance Center, the college said in a statement.
In honour of Rahman’s new relationship with Berklee, the college will establish a scholarship in his name to help bring students from India to Berklee. All proceeds from the October 24 concert will go toward this scholarship fund, the statement said.
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Entertainment> Music / Press Trust of India, Washington / July 18th, 2014
