Monthly Archives: November 2014

Social scientist Pandian dead

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Leaders

He was one of the finest authorities on the Dravidian Movement

M.S.S. Pandian, an eminent social scientist who wrote extensively on the Dravidian Movement, south Indian politics, cinema, caste, identity and several other socially relevant issues, passed away after a sudden heart attack here on Monday.

Prof. Pandian, 53, was moved from his residence at the Jawaharlal Nehru University to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences where he was declared dead. He is survived by wife and daughter.

He was serving in the School of Social Sciences’ Centre for Historical Studies and his sudden death has put the entire department in shock.

“He was a very good guide and although I was not his direct student, he helped me a lot whenever I asked him to,” said Ambedkar, a student at the SSS.

Academics from other universities who admired his work also mourned his loss. “He was one of the finest authorities on the Dravidian Movement and his book on it was considered radical when it was first published. His writings on the history of contemporary South Indian politics, caste and identity, also gave a boost to Subaltern Studies, which mostly had North Indian and Bengal subjects,” said Prabhu Mohapatra, who is an Associate Professor in Delhi University’s History Department and also one of Prof. Pandian’s oldest friends.

He added that Prof. Pandian’s book, “The Image Trap – M G Ramachandran in Films and Politics,” on the Tamilian superstar and his tryst with politics is also considered one of leading authorities on this subject.

Prof. Pandian was earlier an Associate Professor in the Madras Institute of Development Studies, Chennai.

His publications in the best reputed academic publications were many and his research interests were Nationalism, Caste, Tamil cinema and Popular Culture, among others. He completed his Ph.D in Madras University in 1987.

Prof. Pandian has been writing for national newspapers and the ‘Economic and Political Weekly’ for several years and known for his incisive articles on Tamil Nadu and Dravidian politics in particular.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National / by S.N. Vijetha / New Delhi – November 11th, 2014

Thematic prehistoric park to come up in Poondi soon

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All
Student sculptors are making life-sized fibre structures of extinct animals using clay and fibre — Photo: Special Arrangement
Student sculptors are making life-sized fibre structures of extinct animals using clay and fibre — Photo: Special Arrangement

A group of student-sculptors and staff of Government Fine Arts College, Kumbakonam, are busy giving final touches to life-sized fibre structures of extinct animals, including mammoths, bison, wild cat and nilgai, that roamed Chennai city and its outskirts, about one lakh years ago.

They are working towards setting up a thematic prehistoric park on a protected site in Poondi, next month.

“Making such life-size objects is a challenge. As students, it’s great learning for us,” said J. Gunasekar, a first-year student in the department of sculpture.

Except a four-legged dinosaur, which will be 12 feet tall, the rest of the models of extinct animals will be around six feet in height.

An interesting feature of the park will be a realistic scene of a group of five prehistoric men trying to hunt down a bison with flakes and other stone tools, which can be seen even now.

“Like extinct animals, the hunting sequence is also based on findings and evidence of prehistoric man found in the region by archaeologists over the years. Most of the raw materials, like fibre, have been sourced from Coimbatore and Puducherry,” said B.R. Ravi, senior lecturer at the college’s department of paintings. Funded by the Department of Arts and Culture, the park will be set up at a cost of Rs. 15 lakh. Initially, the models will be made of clay and later with fibre to give definite shape and durability.

“On an average, it takes at least five days to complete a clay model, and up to a fortnight to do fibre models. The project will be completed next month,” said N. Manohar, principal of the college.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by P. Madhavan / Chennai – November 09th, 2014

A daughter’s tribute to her mother

Arts, Culture & Entertainment
Giving kids a chance: Jayashree Kannan also conducts classes in bhajans and slokas and tell moral stories from mythologies. Photo: K.V. Srinivasan / The Hindu
Giving kids a chance: Jayashree Kannan also conducts classes in bhajans and slokas and tell moral stories from mythologies. Photo: K.V. Srinivasan / The Hindu

Coimbatore-based Children’s World Academy to function from Adyar. It will provide stage opportunities to students for free

Wanting to revive her mother’s initiative, Jayashree Kannan, a resident of Kasturba Nagar in Adyar will be inaugurating Children’s World Academy on November 16. The organisation was founded by her late mother Saradha Natarajan at Coimbatore in 1979 to commemorate the International Year of Children declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. “My mother was an accomplished Carnatic vocalist and she always felt that budding talents should be given opportunities to perform on stage and Indian forms of art should be preserved,” says Jayashree Kannan.

“In Coimbatore, my mother used to organise nearly five to six concerts in a year and conduct music, dance and drawing competitions on Children’s Day.” She had released a book titled Sangeetha Baala Paadam in Tamil, for children, which dealt with lessons in Carnatic music. “After her demise in 2010, the forum became inactive. Now, I want to take forward my mother’s organisation in Chennai and cherish her passion for art and her interest in teaching,” says Jayashree Kannan.

Like her mother, Jayashree Kannan will be organising classical music and dance concerts. Competitions, lecture-cum-workshops on Indian forms of art will be conducted as well.

“Participants need not pay fee in any form but they will be screened and given an opportunity,” she adds. The Kasturba Nagar Residents Association has promised to offer its support to the initiative by providing its community hall. The inauguration is on November 16 at the community hall in Kasturba Nagar Residents Association, No: 5, Third Cross Road, Adyar. To know about the procedure of participation and other details mail to jsriknan@gmail.com vckannan@yahoo.com or cwaoffinearts@gmail.com. Jayashree Kannan can be contacted at 98418 16134.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> DownTown / L. Kanthimathi / November 08th, 2014

Aachi’s Lab a Boon to Operators

Business & Economy, Science & Technologies

AachiCF08nov2014

Chennai :

Aachi group launched a state-of-the-art comercial food testing labaratory, Scientific Food Testing Services (STFS), recently.

The laboratory, which is located in Anna Nagar is a boon to all manufacturers and operators in Tamil Nadu and nearby towns, said a press release.

STFS was inaugurated by Dr K Alagusundaram, Deputy Director General, Indian Council for Agricultureal Research (ICAR).

He also released the first copy of information handbook and brochure of Scientific Food Testing Services. The vote of thanks was delivered by Abishek Abraham, executive director, Aachi group.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express News Service / November 08th, 2014

Scientists come together to bring about changes in villages through renewable energy

Green Initiatives/ Environment, Nature, Science & Technologies

Coimbatore :

Thalinji, a small village near Tirupur where electricity is being generated using biomass, is a model for mitigating climate change using renewable resources.

“Four years ago, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) set up a 100 cubic metre biomass plant to generate electricity for 120 houses and 28 streetlights in association with an NGO named non-conventional energy and rural development society,” said S Kamaraj, head of bioenergy department.

The village generates 12 units of power every hour using the biomass plant which is maintained by SAG Federation and women self-help groups. There are seven solar-powered street lights as well.

Eleven scientists from across the country have come together to bring about a change in Indian villages and to give them facilities without disturbing the ecosystem or affecting the climate.

They will participate in the 21 days winter school organised by Agricultural Engineering College and Research Institute in the city and learn methods of using renewable energy to mitigate climate change.

“In Gujarat, there is abundant availability of biomass, so I am looking to learn the various methods of using it as an energy source and implement the most viable one in our state by education the students and researchers there,” said Modi Vijayesh Mahendrabhai, assistant professor, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Gujarat.

A participant from Raipur is looking forward to learn the latest technologies and replicate them in tribal villages in Vellore district.

“We are working on a project on using wasteland and waste water to create an algae and extract bio-fuel from it. This winter school will definitely give us more insight to our project,” said S Joshua Davidson, assistant professer, KVK, Vrinjipuram, Vellore.

With India generously being endowed with renewable resources, there exists a potential of the order of 80,000 MW, according to Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

“At present the total renewable energy based power generation in India is 28,000 MW out of the total 2,30,000 MW which works out to be 12.7% only,” said K Alagusundaram, Deputy Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

With concerns for environmental protection and climate change increasing, the importance of renewables for power generation is attracting greater attention, he added.

TNAU vice chancellor K Ramasamy said that that biomass availability in the state should be identified and a data bank should be created.

“Energy plantations and bio mass processing industries should be promoted to promote energy efficient technologies for biomass based power generation,” he added.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / by Komal Gautham, TNN / November 07th, 2014

Former IAS officer V. Sundaram passes away

Business & Economy, Leaders, Records, All

V. Sundaram, former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer who became prominent after his controversial stand on the coal import issue in the early 1990s, died at his residence in Chennai in the early hours of Friday after a brief illness.

He was 72. He is survived by three daughters.

A native of Tiruchi, Mr. Sundaram was a post-graduate in economics from the Delhi University. He briefly worked in the University before joining the IAS in 1965 at the age of 23 years.

He served as Collector of the undivided Tirunelveli in the mid-1970s and subsequently, became the first Chairman of the Tuticorin Port Trust.

source: http: thehindu.com  / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Special Correspondent / Chennai – November 07th, 2014

Chennai lab to help set up Botswana leather park

Business & Economy, Science & Technologies, World Opinion

Chennai :

Several African countries have been taking advantage of India’s expertise in the leather sector and the latest to join the bandwagon is Botswana. Scientists from Chennai-based Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), who have already been offering expertise to the governments of Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia, will now help establish a leather park in the land-locked country in southern Africa.

A survey will be conducted and a feasibility report submitted. CLRI bagged the project based on a proposal sent to the government of Botswana three months ago.

“It is a $30,000 project. The park the Botswana government will be setting up would be a full-fledged industrial complex. It will be similar to the one we have in Kolkata but in terms of size, it will be smaller than the one we have here,” said Dr B Chandrasekaran, chief scientist, Centre for Human and Organisational Resources Development, CLRI.

He said a team of experts from the CLRI would conduct a large-scale survey in the African country and a feasibility report would be submitted to its government in three months time. “It is basically taking stock of the situation. The survey will include the animal and human population, meat-eating habits, raw material use, import and export of hides (animal skin), machinery, manpower and status of industries. The report will also suggest suitable location and all that is needed to set up an integrated park,” said Chandrasekaran.

CLRI has already been providing advice to other African countries, including Ethiopia, where they have been working on an 24.4 crore project to develop a leather Institute. They have also offered expertise in developing academic curriculum and investments in the field in Egypt and Sudan.

“Manpower in India and China is no more cheaper and manufacturers are looking to Africa as the next hub. That is the case in any sector. In Botswana, too, we can, in the future, play a role in establishing institutions for manpower development for the park,” Chandrasekaran said and added that offering expertise would also help in expanding India’s commercial relations.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / by U. Tenonmayam, TNN / November 04th, 2014

Weavers in the lurch as cane furniture becomes a relic

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy
K. Nandakumar says the only requests for repairing wire seats come from offices. Photo: M. Srinath / The HIndu
K. Nandakumar says the only requests for repairing wire seats come from offices. Photo: M. Srinath / The HIndu

Chairs with wire seats, which were once seen in every household, are used only in a few offices now

Until a decade ago, weavers who deftly stretched and twisted cane fibre with nimble fingers to make a chair seat in a few hours, were a common sight. But, not anymore.

The art of making such seats is slowly dying out as people prefer to purchase new chairs instead of getting them repaired. This has forced many weavers to look to other professions. An example is 36-year-old visually challenged K. Nandakumar, who now sells books and plastic utensils on trains to support his family.

The services of weavers like him are in demand only in a few government offices where cane chairs are still in use. “Earlier, I used to be called to households too. Today, I get to work only at places such as the Egmore Court and Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board offices,” he says.

Such furniture was very popular in the 1970s. “People now prefer metal and wood as they are easy to maintain. But, cane and wire seats are comfortable and do not generate heat,” he says.

Nandakumar did a one-year course in chair weaving in Uttar Pradesh in 1997. “It takes nearly five hours to weave a chair and I get Rs. 250 to Rs. 300 for a seat. It is difficult to work on more than two seats per day,” he explains.

R. Sekar, head clerk at Egmore Court, who has called Nandakumar to repair chairs for the complex, says weavers are rarely seen these days. “It is especially hard to find someone who does it with finesse,” he adds.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Vivek Narayan / Chennai – November 05th, 2014

Injury to Revival, the Joshna Way

Records, All, Sports
Squash stars Dipika Pallikal (centre) and Joshna Chinappa (left) being felicitated by the federation in Chennai on Friday | P JAWAHAR
Squash stars Dipika Pallikal (centre) and Joshna Chinappa (left) being felicitated by the federation in Chennai on Friday | P JAWAHAR

Chennai :

Injuries are not always career stalling, though it’s an aberration than rule. While many eventually concede to the overwhelming reality that their career would never be revived, some just pick themselves and return recalibrated.

There wouldn’t be a better example in Indian sport than Sachin Tendulkar, who in his career that spanned a remarkable quarter century defied intermittent spells of career-threatening injuries. Joshna Chinappa is no Tendulkar, whichever sporting yardstick you measure them with, but like the master she has turned a career-threatening injury into a springboard to rediscovering herself.

It was in mid 2012 that she sprained her ankle midway through a match. She was stretchered off, and the doctors confirmed her worst nightmare that she wouldn’t be able to play the game she had given her heart, body and soul. An anterior cruciate ligament seemed to have laid her path out of the game.

The World No 21 returned to India heartbroken. “A lot of doctors, even in the US, told me that I won’t be able to play squash again. I couldn’t even think of it. All my dreams, aspiration and hopes seemed over. I didn’t know quite what to do and I used to cry a lot every day. It was the toughest phase of my life,” she said.

But misery, sometimes, has the strange power to embolden you, and Joshna decided to fire-fight the cruel destiny. “I was 26 and I knew it was now or never. If I don’t recover now, I may never play squash again. I didn’t want to regret later in life. So I decided to give one last shot. The knee was operated and the rehabilitation began,” she recounted.

Suddenly, life, despite the screeching pain on her ankle, turned more pleasant. And a chance meeting with former national champion Ritwik Bhattacharya turned her life around. “I was doing my rehab in Mumbai when I bumped into Ritwik and his wife. I told them about my situation. They infused the belief that I could come back stronger. To convince me, they had to counsel, cajole and event taunt me.”

Gradually, life limped back to normalcy. “It took me almost 10 months to get back on to the court. But I didn’t hurry my return. It was like starting the career all over again and gradually my movements became more fluent. The confidence was back. But in the first six months, I kept losing. But I was just happy to be back on the court,” she reflected.

In hindsight, the injury proved career-defining. “Now I feel it’s the best thing to have happened to me. Maybe, it gave me a much-needed break. It made me value my life and career all the more,” she said.

Maybe, it’s this newfound positivity that has revitalised her game. Subsequently, she went on to script history with Dipika Pallikal in the Commonwealth Games, besides the team silver in Asian Games and achieving her career-high ranking of 19 in April.

Joshna’s story can motivate injury-plagued athletes, but it comes with a statutory warning: only for those strong in mind.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Sport / by Sandeep G. / November 01st, 2014

‘Friends, we are looking for you’

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Records, All
One for the album: A group photo of one section of the 1965 SSLC batch. / by Special Arrangement
One for the album: A group photo of one section of the 1965 SSLC batch. / by Special Arrangement

Students of the 1965 batch of P.S. High School are scouring the city for their old buddies.

The 1965 SSLC batch of P.S. High School, Mylapore, has understood the spirit of reunions, which is about honouring old ties. A small group of these old students are leaving no stone unturned in finding out the whereabouts of the rest of their friends from the batch.

This group, which is on the job, has the contact details of only 40. Not a happy number, considering the batch had eight sections with 250 students. As the reunion is scheduled for January, 2015, they don’t have much time left to trace the rest of them.

“Target setting is the order of the day and each of us has to locate four to five classmates,” says M.S. Sundararajan, former chairman and managing director of Indian Bank, who is the president of the old students committee.

Some of the batch mates at a recent get-together. / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu
Some of the batch mates at a recent get-together. / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu

The goal is to locate 100 to 150 classmates before the reunion, planned to be coducted on the school founder’s day. Currently, the majority of the 40 identified batchmates are from ‘B’ section and the committee is looking for at least two people from the other sections who can help with the contacts of the others.

Sundararajan, a resident of Ambujammal Street at Alwarpet, says he is excited at the idea of the entire batch meeting after 50 years. He vividly remembers Sivaraman Street, where a few of his classmates used to come from. He plans to revisit the area in search of his friends.

K. Muralidharan, who created the pages on social networking sites to connect with the old friends, has little hope of locating people through Facebook or Twitter. “It looks like not many of my batchmates are tech-savvy. I have therefore decided to go to various streets,” he says.

Recently, he went to Luz Street and tried to get details of a few from a stationery store. “Some even shy away from attending the reunion for various reasons,” he said.

Not many of the teachers who taught the batch are alive, so the reunion will be a success only if a good number of old students turn up.

A souvenir has been planned for the occasion. To get in touch with the group, call Muralidharan at 98840 27239 or email jhamuna@gmail.com