Category Archives: Education

Bittersweet symphony

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education

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Nrithya Andrews | Albin Mathew/Express

It’s not every day that you find out that your class teacher is a pop goddess. And when you do chance across a Youtube video of your professor singing an MJ tune, well let’s just say the word gets around. So a week after singer-songwriter Nrithya Andrews joined the Journalism department of MOP Vaishnav College for Women, her students told her that she could take lessons on one condition — she had to sing them a song first.

“It was crazy,” laughs the 24-year-old who has been teaching for almost a year now. “Suddenly, every class I walked into demanded that I sing a couple of lines before I started teaching!” And when the girls found out that she was releasing her debut album, Bittersweet on March 11, the fun went up a notch. “I was going to do a promo for the album at college,” Nrithya relates, adding that for her stage avatar, her regular crisp professor sari was swapped for a formal shirt and jeans. She laughs, “The student who was supposed to introduce me on stage comes up to me and asks — ‘Should I say Nrithya…or Nrithya ma’am?’”

Incidentally, ‘Nrithya ma’am’ has already stepped into Kollywood as well, having sung for music directors like Yuvan Shankar Raja and G V Prakash. Some of her popular Tamil releases include Eapadiyo Matikitein (Siva Manasula Shakthi) and Will You Be There (Thandavam). Her first claim to fame was her Tamil rock outfit, ‘Shrishti’ that was selected as one of the winners of Ohlalaala by A R Rahman.

Although none of her songs on this album have been inspired by the classroom, Nrithya does tell us that all her compositions are based on experience; like her already popular romantic love ballad Boba, that made its way on to the airwaves of an English radio station in the city. “Oh those lyrics were actually sparked by a crush I had when I was 18,” she shares with a mild blush. Incidentally the then programming head of the channel, Geoffrey Thomas was so impressed with it that he went on to push her to make the album long after her internship stint with the company was complete. “And now he’s producing the album as well,” the singer can’t sound happier.

With so much going on for her, one has to wonder what brought on the album title Bittersweet? Apparently, the name is a testament to the constant extremes life throws at her. “The past year has been like a Hannah Montana life for me,” the dusky songstress admits. “In the day, I have 200 students to be responsible for, so I’ve got to be be be polite, I can’t swear…And then once I’m out of my sari, I go back to being me.”

(Nrithya Andrews’ album Bittersweet will be launched at the Sivagami Petachi Auditorium, Mylapore on March 11 at 7.30 pm)

source: http://www.newindiaexpress.com / Home> Cities> Chennai / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Sonali Shenoy, ENS – Chennai / March 07th, 2013

Seminar held on ergonomics in interiors

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education

The Interior Design and Décor Department of Sri Kanyaka Parameswari Arts and Science College, Parrys, organised an international seminar on ‘Current Scenario of Ergonomics in Interiors.’ The seminar was inaugurated by Rani Vedamuthu, Dean, School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University.

The souvenir of the seminar was released by Oliver Finn, Photographic Argentique and Art Matics, The Liege Academy of Fine Arts, Belgium, and the first copy was received by Pabbisetty Sreeramulu. The technical sessions were chaired by Chitra Prakash, Professor, Department of Resource Management, Avinashilingam University for Women, Coimbatore; K. Kanjana, Professor and Head, Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore; K.S. Pushpa, Professor and Head, Department of Home Science, Gandhigram Rural Institute, Dindigul; and Kavitha Prasad, Design Associate, Architectural Management Services, Chennai. Alphanso Arul Doss gave the valedictory address and distributed certificates to the participants.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / March 02nd, 2013

Tamil scholar from France gets award

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Records, All, World Opinion

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Professor Gros receiving the Kural Peedam award in Puducherry on Friday| G Pattabiraman

In recognition of the untiring and eminent services rendered to Tamil language, eighty-year-old Professor Francois Gros was handed over the Indian President’s Kural Peedam award for the year 2008-2009 for Classical Tamil studies at a function organised at the French institute in Puducherry on Friday.

The award carrying a citation and `5 lakh, was handed over to Gros by Gnanamoorthy, director-in-charge of the Central Institute of Classical Tamil, Chennai, in presence of the Consul General of France in Puducherry, Pierre Fournier.

Prof Gros, a researcher at the French Institute of  Pondicherry (IFP) was earlier presented the award in absentia by the President Pranab Mukherjee on December 21, 2012, at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi, which he could not attend owing to health reasons.

Later, addressing the gathering Professor Gros said that classical Tamil needed to be kept alive in modern age to understand tradition, culture and value.

The function was attended by French Institute director,  Dr Pierre Grard and staff.

Gros was closely associated with the activities of the French Institute (l’Institut Français) of Pondicherry over a long period of time in Tamil classical literature.

He was involved in the translation of ‘Paripatal’, a text of ancient corpus called Sangam, (Prix Saintour 1969 of l’Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres) and Livre de l’Amour de Tiruvalluvar (1992), and Tamil Saiva devotion in its various aspects.

He also studied and translated poetry and iconography of Karaikkalammaiyar, Tevaram (1984, edition under the patronage of UNESCO), Periya Puranam (2001), fundamental text of medieval literature, and the works of Arunagirinatar (1980), lyrical expression of a bilingual regional culture, Tamil and Sanskrit.

He was deeply interested in integrating archaeology and study of monuments with history, through epigraphy and environment. In the year 1970, he produced a monograph on Uttaramerur.

In the year 1980, he launched a multidisciplinary project on Tiruvannamalai mobilising the resources of Pondicherry and his associates for fifteen years, and later in 1985 he launched a project on the Kaveri valley.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Express News Service – Puducherry / March 02nd, 2013

MCC observes World Mother Tongue Day

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education

Dignitaries at the event

International Mother Tongue Day was observed by the ‘Tamil Peravai’ of the Madras Christian College, here on Thursday.

Every year,  February 21 is being observed as ‘International Day of Mother Tongue’ since  2000.

The day is observed every year to promote and create awareness on linguistics, cultural diversity and multilingualism. MCC, which has students from all the 28 States of the country and 17 countries in the world, observed the day for the first time on its campus.

The function was organised by the Department of Tamil, under its Tamil Peravai.

Various literary personalities such as writer Lena Tamilvanan, poet Alandur Mohanarangan and Ravindranathan of Kannadasan Ilakkiya Mandram, Paris, were present as chief guest in the occasion.

In his address, Lena Tamilvanan said, “Even Tamils in Tamil Nadu are reluctant and unable to speak in their mother tongue. But Tamils displaced and living as migrants in other countries like France, Mauritius, South Africa study Tamil and teach the Tamil language to their children through transliteration”.

Ravindranathan said, “Since Sri Lankan Tamils were displaced in other countries like France during the ethnic war in the island nation, many of them had abandoned their mother tongue. But to save our mother tongue Tamil, we started a radio, through which we spread Tamil literature such as Thirukkural, Tholkappiyam, among others.”

Alandur Mohanarangan recited a poem lauding Tamil language. During the event, students from other States and countries spoke about their mother tongue, in transliterated Tamil.

Principal R W Alexander Jesudasan and Moses Michael Faraday, Head, Department of Tamil, were also present.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express News Services- Chennai / February 23rd, 2013

Doctors raise funds to treat children with cancer

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Science & Technologies

Chennai :

The job of Dr. Julius Scott , a paediatric haemato-oncologist, is to diagnose and treat cancer in children. But he says that is just not enough. He also raises funds for poor children who can’t afford treatment.

On Monday, at a function organized by Sri Ramachandra University as part of  International Day for Childhood Cancer Awareness , he said his department has been engaged in raising funds for several poor patients with volunteers from within and outside university. “It has become inevitable. The dropout rates are extremely high because parents can’t afford treatment. At our hospital we are encouraging medical students to raise funds. This increases awareness among medicos and also increases cure rate,” said Dr Scott.

Most cancer experts and hospitals across the city are actively raising funds for cancer treatment for poor children. At Ramachandra hospital, students run Med Hope, which funds treatment for children. Other non-governmental organizations such as Jev Daya Foundation provide salaries for nursing staff and Can Kids Kidscan provides free medicines.

Cancer affects about 60,000 children in India every year. Treatment costs between Rs1.5 lakh and Rs 6 lakh, depending on the type of cancer. A study by Kanchi Kamakoti Childs Trust Hospital showed that of 762 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia admitted to a tertiary care hospital, nearly 30% of patients refused treatment and 15% abandoned treatment. Across the country, dropout rates range from 17% to 62%, said senior surgeon Dr Priya Ramachandran, who also raises funds for children with cancer. Her hospital runs two sponsored programmes for children with cancer. In a poster presentations made at an international oncology conference, the hospital showed that the survival rate was 80.8% for children who had completed treatment. As per statistics, the five-year survival rate in Chennai for paediatric malignancy is only 40.

Doctors say the funds are hardly enough. “There are times when I have funds just for one child so I have to pick the one who has a higher chance of survival. But if we continue to raise funds, we are less likely to do this,” said Ramachandran.

There has also been a steep increase in the number of children diagnosed with cancers, particularly leukemia and lymphoma. For instance, the incidence of cancer in the 0-4 age group is 14/100,000 boys and 8-9/100,000 girls, according to the Madras Metropolitan Tumour registry at the Adyar Cancer Institute in Chennai. “A part of the increase may be explained by better detection and reporting,” said R Swaminathan, who co-ordinates the registry.

Doctors say they don’t know the reasons for the increase, but agree that their roles have expanded when it comes to childhood cancer treatment. “No doctor allows a child whose cancer has a potential cure to abandon treatment. We knock on several doors for funds. From government health insurance to philanthropists and corporate, everyone is asked to contribute,” said Ramachandran.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Chennai / by Pushpa Narayan, TNN / February 19th, 2013

Dance, plays mark school celebration

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education

At Chettinad Vidyashram: Dignitaries on the occasion of Annual Day celebration.  / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu

Chettinad Vidyashram celebrated its 27th Annual Day recently. The chief guest for the event, Santhosh Babu, Commissioner of Horticulture and Plantation Crops and Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Horticulture Development Agency, presented prizes to the students who excelled in various fields.

Meena Muthiah, Kumararani of Chettinad, and secretary and correspondent of the school presided over the programme. The annual report was presented by S. Amudha Lakshmi, principal.

On the occasion, tributes were paid to renowned Carnatic vocalist late Dr. M.S. Subbulakshmi. Cultural shows such as folk dance, dance drama, plays in English and Tamil, and others.

Another major feature of the event was ‘Namma Chennai’ which presented a glimpse of the rich heritage of Chennai.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Chennai> DownTown / Chennai, February 17th, 2013

PSG College of Technology is champion

Education, Sports

PSG College of Technology got the better of host Kalaivani College of Technology 4-3, via tie-breaker, to emerge the champion in the second Kalaivani Trophy inter-engineering football tournament here on Wednesday.

Park College of Engineering and Technology blanked Kalaivani College of Technology ‘B’ 2-0 for the third place.

The results:

Final: PSG Tech bt Kalaivani CT 4-3 (via tie-breaker).

Third place: Park CET bt Kalaivani CT ‘B’ 2-0.

Semifinals: PSG Tech bt Kalaivani CT ‘B’ 3-0; Kalaivani CT ‘A’ bt Park College CET 5-4 (via tie-breaker).

Sathyamurthy sizzles

M. Sathyamurthy scored an unbeaten 106 as Tigers ‘B’ coasted to a convincing seven-wicket win over Rock Cricket Club in the TNCA-SDCA first division league at the Government Engineering College ‘A’ grounds recently.

The scores:

First div.: Salem Kings CC 193 in 40 overs (V. Prakash 44, Gururagavendar 31, P. Ravichandran four for 20) bt Writer Ramasamy Memorial CC 145 in 40 overs (K. Ashraf Khan 42, T. Natraj four for 19, S.D. Karthikeyan three for 32).

Rock CC 203 for eight in 35 overs (J. Manikandan 78, Suresh 58, Satish Kumar three for 30) lost to Tigers ‘B’ 205 for three in 31.3 overs (M. Sathyamurthy 106 not out, Sathish Kumar 55).

Second div.: Muthusamy Memorial CC 166 in 45 overs (Narayanamoorthy 30, T. Sakthivel four for 29, K. Anandh three for 16) bt Salvo CC 135 in 45 overs (Govindaraj 32, Boopathi three for 17).

Third div.: S.K. Murugan CC 252 in 45 overs (Kondiswaran 113, Arivazhagan 43, Kathiravan three for 35) bt Lucky Star CC 146 in 45 overs (J. Kathiravan 36, Dinesh Kumar 41, Prasahthu four for 10, Moulidharan three for 20); Parks XI w/o Montfort School.

Handball tournament

The seventh State-level inter-engineering handball tournament for the PSG Tech Trophy, organised by the PSG College of Technology, will be played at its courts from February 15 to 17.

Twenty two teams have confirmed participation.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> Sport / Coimbatore, February 15th, 2013

India’s SRM University to form diabetes drug firm

Business & Economy, Education, Science & Technologies

India’s SRM University will establish a pharmaceutical company named SRM Pharma to commercialize a new diabetes drug that has been developed by the University’s research faculty. The drug has already got US patent. 

Bangalore :

SRM University, which is located in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, will establish a pharmaceutical company named SRM Pharma to commercialize a new diabetes drug that has been developed by the university’s research faculty. 

The university has already received a US patent for the drug, which can be used for the treatment and management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The team of researchers include Mr Govind Prasad Dubey, Ms Aruna Agrawal, Ms Nirupama Dubey, Ms Shipra Dubey, and Ms Samamtsan Mercy Deborah. 

The vice chancellor of the university Mr M Ponnavaikko informed that the University would launch the drug in about six months and that it will be manufactured from in a unit in North India. 

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder that is primarily characterised by insulin resistance, relative insulin deficiency and hyperglycemia. It is rapidly increasing in the developed countries and there is also evidence that this pattern will be followed in much of the rest-of-the world in the coming years.

source: http://www.biospectrumasia.com / Home> Pharma> India / News /by BioSpectrum Bureau / February 14th, 2013 

First aid techniques

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

Over 100 final year students of MIET Polytechnic College participated in the day-long first aid training programme organised by the St. John Ambulance First Aid Training Centre at the college premises recently.

D. Ravindra Ganesan, secretary of St. John Ambulance, Tiruchi Centre, spoke on the importance of imparting first aid training to students. R. Subramanian imparted training on various first aid techniques.

M. Rajagopalan, principal, urged participants to create awareness of importance of first aid among rural masses. P. Dinesh Kumar, lecturer, ECE department and D. Mohamed Raffic, lecturer in English, spoke .

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> National> TamilNadu / by Special Correspondent / Tiruchi, February 12th, 2013

Expo on achievements of animal husbandry department

Education, Science & Technologies

R. Prabakaran, Vice Chancellor, TANUVAS, and T.Thiagarajan, DRO, looking at the exhibits displayed at the farmers’ festival at Naganallur panchayat . Photo: Special Arrangement / The Hindu

An exhibition highlighting the achievements of the animal husbandry department, and veterinary camp marked the day-long farmers’ festival held at the Naganallur village panchayat recently.

The festival was organised jointly by the TANUVAS (Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University), State Department of Animal Husbandry and Rotary Club of Namakkal Transport City. R. Prabakaran, Vice Chancellor, TANUVAS, was the chief guest and T. Thiagarajan, District Revenue Officer, inaugurated the exhibition.

State Department of Animal Husbandry through its stall explained the various government schemes like foot and mouth control programme, fodder development, free distribution of cattle, sheep and goat, insurance scheme etc.

The mobile van of the Animal Disease Intelligence Unit (ADIU), screened dung, blood smear, faeces and urine and milk samples of the cattle and dogs at the camp. Parasitology, Pathology, Microbiology, animal reproduction, surgery, agronomy, livestock production and management, preventive medicine, animal nutrition, communication cell, animal husbandry economics, animal husbandry extension, dairy science, meat science and poultry science, all departments of TANUVAS, had also put up stalls at the exhibition. Experts of the TANUVAS demonstrated the production of silage techniques, azola cultivation, milk and meat by products. The New India Assurance Company also participated in the camp and issued policies for the insured animals at the camp itself.

Dr. Prabakaran at the valediction gave away prizes to the best bullocks, cows, buffaloes and calves. A total of 402 animals were screened at the veterinary camp. S. Palanisamy, Assistant Director, Animal Husbandry, Musiri, Lalitha Sellamuthu, Chairman, Uppiliapuram union, N. Periasamy, veterinary assistant surgeon, Uppiliapuram, and Selvaraj, professor, TANUVAS, participated.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Tiruchirapalli / by Special Correspondent / Tiruchi, February 06th, 2013