Billionaire investor Ram Shriram is on a hush-hush trip to his hometown Chennai, where he delivered a lecture at the Indian Institute of Technology on Monday that was completely out of bounds for the media.
The founder of SherpaloVentures and one of the earliest investors in search giant Google spoke on “What Drives Innovation at Stanford and in Silicon Valley” at a closed-door event at the 620-acre campus that was open only to the faculty and students as well as a few special invitees.
source: http://www.articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com / The Economic Times / Home> News> News By Industry> Services> Silicon Valley / ET Bureau / March 05th, 2014
A consultant-nephrologist attached to the Sri Narayani Hospital and Research Centre here has received a medal from the President of India Pranab Mukherjee at a function held recently in Delhi.
According to Dr K Venkatraman, the consultant- nephrologist and transplant physician, the award was conferred on him for topping the DM (Nephrology) course at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGMER) of the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi affiliated to the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi. Pranab Mukherjee, who was the chief guest during the Founder’s Day celebrations at the institute, awarded the medal to Venkatraman for his performance in the three-year DM super specialty course where he studied before joining the Narayani Hospital here.
Thirtytwo-year-old Venkatraman, a native of Vellore, studied MBBS in Stanley Medical College, Chennai; was MD in Tanjavur Medical College before joining the PGMER.
He is heading the Nephrology Department in Narayani Hospital which is the second private hospital in the city to have a full-fledged kidney care and dialysis facility, other than the CMC Hospital.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Express News Service – Vellore / March 04th, 2014
HRD minister MM Pallam Raju on Friday launched the Massive Open Online Courses of IIT-Madras that comprises distance education courses for a large number of participants through internet, video, text material, problem sets and will also provide an interactive platform for students and teachers.
Over four million engineering students can look forward to quality online distance education material rolled out by IITs in association with partners such as Nasscom and Google.
The “unique” part of the entire initiative is that students can get the chance to learn from the best professors. It’s aim is to provide IT industry-ready and job-ready courses to the students and emphasis has been given on foundation skills in IT and engineering proficiency programme, professors associated with the programme said, addding over four million students would be benefitted from it. One has to visit onlinecourses.nptel.ac.in and sign up for the programme that are of 10 weeks duration and the first offering has been prepared by IIT Madras.
“I hope that the expansion of the programme does not lead to deterioration of the quality of the content,” Raju said. Online courses will begin on March 3.
IIT Bombay has also entered into an agreement with Edx and will be launching the first MOOCs course in July this year. The online courses will be followed by an in-person protracted exam that will be held on the lines of GATE in various centres across the country. The scorecard from the certification exam and a course completion certificate will be issued to all the successful candidates.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Education> News / TNN / March 01dt, 2014
Two students of Vellore Institute of Technology ( VIT) University have developed a traffic management system, which functions automatically without manual intervention.
The system christened ‘VIT subway project’, which was installed on the campus in October last year, has been successfully functioning since then. The highlight of the system is that it distinguishes metal objects and people and even differentiates different types of vehicles.
Electronics and communication students Achintaya Kumar and Raghav Gupta used magnetic technology to develop the system under the guidance of an assistant professor in the school of electronics engineering, J Kathirvelan.
“Magnetic technology has not been used widely for vehicle identification. We used magnetic technology as we were particular to identify the vehicles and its movements. The system can identify and record any number of vehicles and we can retrieve information on the vehicles and its movement as and when required,” said Achintaya Kumar.
The students decided to embark on a project after witnessing frequent traffic snarls at a subway on the campus premises. The almost 100-metre long subway is just 3.5-metre wide and only one vehicle could pass through. Moreover, the subway has a blind curve making it difficult for traffic management. Presently, two security guards posted on both sides regulate traffic. But it has remained a Herculean task to streamline traffic.
“A railway track divides the academic zone and hostel zone on the campus. Traffic congestion at the narrow subway during peak hours posed several problems. So we decided to devise a manual-free method to streamline traffic and ease the congestion,” said Kathirvelan.
The system has boom barriers at both ends to prevent the people violating traffic rules. The barrier will lift only when the route is clear. The students developed exclusive software and used advanced equipment like programmable logic controller for overall integration and effective functioning of the system. They plan to seek a patent for their technology.
The students preferred to develop a controller based on their requirement that will work at high voltage (24 volts) when compared to controllers (five volts) generally used in traffic management.
“The system is not only simple but user-friendly and cost effective. It not only helps in reducing traffic congestion and control traffic movement ensuring safety of the people,” said Kathirvelan.
Installed in October last year the system has been functioning successfully without any breakdown.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / by Bosco Dominique, TNN / February 28th, 2014
Santikar Young (right), Designated Adjudicator, South Asia Elite World Records, handing over the ‘Elite World Records’ certificate to S. Annadurai (second left), principal, Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology, and L. Sivakumar (left), vice-principal, for the record the college set in making the maximum number of handmade pollution masks within a given time./ Photo: S. Siva Saravanan / The Hindu
The students created 2,493 handmade pollution masks in 30 minutes
Students of the Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology have created a record for making 2,493 handmade pollution masks in 30 minutes, says a release from the college. Elite World Records has recognised the feat and issued a certificate.
Attempt
The release said that the students made the attempt as part of the Entrepreneurship Week 2014 celebrations, which the National Entrepreneurship Network promoted. Santikar Young, Designated Adjudicator, South Asia, Elite World Records, was present to judge the attempt.
The students created 2,493 masks between 11 a.m. to 11.30 a.m.
The release quoting S. Malarvizhi, Chairperson and Managing Trustee, said that the objective was creation of awareness in the people that pollution prevention masks could be easily made.
The college principal and the vice-principal received the record certificate from the designated adjudicator, the release added .
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Coimbatore / by Staff Reporter / Coimbatore – March 04th, 2014
Women who underwent the training on ‘Value Addition in Fresh and Dry Flowers for Commercial Venture’ showcasing their products at the end of the course at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in Coimbatore./ Photo: Special Arrangement / The Hindu
Another batch of women successfully completed a training on ‘Value Addition in Fresh and Dry Flowers for Commercial Venture’ at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University recently.
As many as 30 women underwent the 25-day free training, held under the aegis of the Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises of Government of Tamil Nadu.
The Department of Floriculture and Landscaping of the university organised the training, which included theory and practical sessions, and also sessions on managerial skills, marketing, financial management, preparation of project reports and so on.
Apart from homemakers, professionals who were looking for a change in job profile attended the training. They were taught many products such as making pencil stands, photo frames, greeting cards, flower vase, potpourri, wall hangers, bouquets, fresh flower and bamboo arrangements, etc.
A training manual, ‘Commercial Production of Seeds and Planting Materials of Flowers and Ornamental Crops’ was released and given to all the participants.
Participants, displayed the value added products they had made during the training and the best three makers from among them – M. Kanjana, R. Nirubha, and N. Mahalakshmi, were given the first, second and third prizes respectively.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Coimbatore / by Staff Reporter / Coimbatore – February 26th, 2014
Sholai School principal and founder Brian Jenkins. (Photo / K K Sundar)
The sun set on the Empire in India decades ago, but its shining in the Palni hills near Kodaikanal. In Tamil Nadu’s very own Hogwarts, Sholai School with its founder Brian Jenkins,68, playing Dumbledore, a magical realm of green, rolling hills, continues to generate its own power and water by harnessing the energy of Nature. The school practices organic farming and grows pepper, coffee and seasonal fruits and vegetables. It also runs its own dairy, and not just produces its own organic milk and cheese but even exports home-grown coffee to Germany.
Students here are taught swimming, yoga, bird watching, horse riding, trekking and outdoor and indoor games. In the past, they have also built check dams and a bridge across a small river that runs through the campus.
Sholai School with its other divisions collectively called CLOAAT (Centre for Learning, Organic Agriculture and Appropriate Technology), is one of its kind in all of India.
It was founded in 1991 by Brian Jenkins (68), a British social anthropologist, thinker and teacher. Jenkins first came to India in 1969 to study Buddhist meditation at Bodhgaya. By then, he became familiar with Jiddu Krishnamurthy’s teachings, and later the man himself as he began teaching at Krishnamurthy’s Brockwood Park School in the UK. After 14 years in Brockwood, Jenkins decided to do something on his own. Krishnamurthy advised him to not be “a blueprint”.
With the small inheritance left to him by his grandmother, Jenkins began looking for a place in India and in 1989 found this scenic 100-acre area, 18 km from Kodaikanal.
“I did not have a master plan as people normally do; first we built a small building with a kitchen and a toilet. Then when we felt the need for another, so we built one more and so on,” says Jenkins. Today, the sprawling school complex includes a dining hall, a kitchen, the classroom block, a boys’ hostel, girls’ hostel, a library, and so on. There’s also a swimming pool and a badminton court with an auditorium in the pipeline.
From xenophobic to swindling locals, Jenkins had to deal with a lot before things settled down. “In the beginning, there was one teacher —me and my two children, my first students. Later a boy from Ladakh and another from the Gulf joined us,” he recalls. This is a far cry from the 51 students that the school has today, with a student-teacher ratio of 4:1.
Unlike conventional schools, students here are not grouped by age or class (entry level is 8 years and goes up to 19 years) but rather according to their academic abilities and liking.
“They have the choice of moving up or down the order,” says a teacher here. There is an interesting mix of students here with half being underprivileged local kids who receive 100 per cent scholarships.
The administration also steers clear of conditioning, a sentiment supported strongly by Jenkins and his mentor Jiddu Krishnamurthy. “In my school, children are learning not to be conditioned,” says Jenkins. That is why at Sholai mathematics is taught along with farming, science with carpentry and woodwork and games with masonry.
There is interplay of roles for teachers as well. Dhruv, a 24-year-old teacher from Bangalore teaches biology as well as milks cows on the dairy farm. The milk, like the coffee produced here, is sold with some being used to make cheese. Similarly, Bala, who teaches computers, and Josephine, who teaches developmental studies, are both involved in a government-funded GIS survey. In fact, Jenkins likes and encourages everybody to share their skills, encouraging practice rather than theory.
The school is powered by solar panels and generators powered by micro hydro energy. “We have some 70 solar panels. Our micro hydro is another contributor, our wind generator also gives us some power,” affirms Jenkins.
“For cooking, we burn wood and we also have a bio gas and a bio-mass, with the former being our biggest energy provider. We also have zero wastage,” says Jenkins.
Like no other
■ The school practices organic farming and grows pepper, coffee and seasonal fruits and vegetables.
■ It also runs its own dairy and not just produces its own organic milk and cheese but even exports home-grown coffee to Germany
■ Students here are taught swimming, yoga, bird watching, horse riding, trekking and outdoor and indoor games.
■ The school is powered by solar panels and generators powered by micro hydro energy
The Path finders
Mirambika, New Delhi
This New Delhi based experimental school run by Aurobindo Ashram is based on Sri Aurobindo and Mother’s principles.
Isha Home School, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
Founded in 2005 by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Isha Home School strives to incorporate his educational approach into its day-to-day working.
The Valley School, Thatguni, Karnataka
The Valley School is based on the teachings of the eminent philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti.
Vikasana, Bangalore, Karnataka
Vikasana is a rural centre for education inspired by David Horsburgh’s philosophy of learning. It provides free education to children of all ages from landless farmers of neighboring villages.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Magazine / by Suinita Raghu / March 02nd, 2014
A.J. Rufina Amreen of Cauvery College for Women bagged the first prize in the book review competition held at Urumu Dhanalakshmi College./ The Hindu
Chetan Bhagat ’s ‘Revolution 2020’ was reviewed
The intercollegiate book review competition organised by the GC Pattabiraman Book Club of Urumu Dhanalakshmi College here on Friday brought to the fore the fact that given an opportunity, students can do anything in style.
The 24 book-reviewers from 12 colleges reviewed Robin Sharma’s ‘The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari’, Chetan Bhagat ’s ‘Revolution 2020’, and Shiv Khera’s ‘You Can Win’.
It was evident that the students had closely read the texts and proved their mettle by enthusing the listeners to read the books , said Prof. R. Panchanadhan, Director, Talent Consultancy, chief guest-cum-judge. He congratulated the college for organising the event and gave away the prizes to winners.
A.J. Rufina Amreen of Cauvery College for Women secured the first place winning the cash award of Rs.1,000. The second prize of Rs.750 went to Josephin Shamini of St. Joseph’s College, and the third prize Rs.500 was bagged by A. Vinodhini of Cauvery College for Women.
Cauvery College for Women won the over-all team championship, followed by St. Joseph’s College, and Holy Cross College.
Just as the first two days of Deepwoods 2014 at Madras Christian College, powered by The Times of India, the third day was also packed with events. The final day of the fest witnessed contenders pouring in since morning — all prepped to put their best foot forward.
The cultural team had a busy day. While various college teams battled it out on the main stage to win the light music competition, new techniques and concepts were explored and brought to the fore through mime.
On the other hand, the literary and debating team hosted adzap,wordfuzz, sudoku and voice-over competitions. Meanwhile, a few others were seen bringing out their artistic best through face painting and clay modelling.
The last treat of the day came in the form of a professional light music show featuring Shakthisree Gopalan, Santhosh, Nikhil Mathew and Malavika.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Entertainment> Events> Chennai / TNN / February 18th, 2014
Rajesh Dalal, trustee of the Krishnamurti Foundation India, passed away in Pune on Monday. He was 61.
He is survived by his wife, a brother and two sisters.
A close associate of J. Krishnamurti, Mr. Dalal, who graduated from IIT Kanpur, abandoned a promising career to join the Rajghat Besant School, Varanasi, as a teacher in the mid-1970s. He later worked in the Rishi Valley School.
After Krishnamurti passed away in 1986, he helped develop ‘Vasanta Vihar’ in Chennai as a study centre. He also held the post of Director of the Rajghat Education Centre for some years, and was actively connected with all the other KFI schools and study centres.
He had a passion for JK’s teachings and helped many young people and newcomers delve deep into his philosophy.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / Chennai – February 26th, 2014
