Category Archives: Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

Wedded to self-respect for over 70 years

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All
Sampoornam in her house at Tiruvanaikoil in Tiruchi.
Sampoornam in her house at Tiruvanaikoil in Tiruchi.

Staying alone in a tiled house at Tiruvanaikoil, 92-year-old Sampoornam had a VIP visitor calling her recently.

Confined to her cot in a dingy room, the nonagenarian was elated when she learnt that the visitor was Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) treasurer M.K. Stalin. The grand-old woman was someone so special for Mr. Stalin that he took time off to interact with Ms. Sampoornam whose “self-respect” marriage (Seerthirutha Kalyanam) over 60 years ago in Tiruchi set off a renaissance in those days.

It was in October 1941 that the late DMK founder, Annadurai, conducted the first “self-respect” marriage between Rama. Chinnaiah and Sampoornam. The wedding held in the Tamil month ‘Purattasi’ was a simple event in a small shed with 50 members attending it. “I was 19 years old then and my husband was aged 34,’’ recalls Ms. Sampoornam.

Nevertheless, it was a special occasion as the late Tamil scholar and social activist, K.A.P. Viswanatham and lawyer T.P. Vedachalam also took part, she says with her memory afresh.

Getting emotional, she says it was an exceptional moment as Annadurai had conducted the first “self-respect” marriage then. “An order was placed for just two rose garlands and 50 rose flowers”. Born in a family of five siblings, Ms. Sampoornam says her elder sister prepared lunch for the invitees with five ‘padis’ (a ‘padi’ means one-and-half kg) of rice at the wedding.

As someone who had sung at DMK meetings and at Karanthai Tamil Sangam, Ms. Sampoornam says it was her elder brother Simon Ramasamy who was instrumental in her “self-respect” marriage.

Having worked as a teacher for several years in Tiruchi, she says her elder sister Porselvi Ilamurugu was closely associated with the family of DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi.

Ms. Sampoornam had met Kalaignar only at meetings and was inspired by his speeches and more so his pronunciation, says the nonagenarian whose husband died in a road accident several years ago. The aged woman, whose sons live in Tiruchi and Madurai, is now being look after by a caretaker.

The interaction with Mr. Stalin who took time to meet Sampoornam while campaigning for the Srirangam Assembly by-poll, lasted a few minutes. Yet, it was a stirring moment for both.

“He offered me a ponnadai and asked me to take care of my health. I asked him to care of Dayalu Ammal and inquired about Kalaignar and wished him many years of good health”, says Ms. Sampoornam.

It was in October 1941 that Annadurai conducted the first “self-respect” marriage between Rama. Chinnaiah and Sampoornam

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Tiruchirapalli / by R Rajaram / Tiruchi – February 21st, 2015

In a city on the move, destitute find an angel of mercy

Amazing Feats, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

Chennai :

Should you chance upon a 50-something, bespectacled man giving a haircut or a bath to a destitute person in the city, stop by and ask him how you can help, if you can buy a bottle of water or medicine, or some food for the less fortunate individual he is caring for.

Siddique Ali, a resident of Sidco Nagar, owns a small shop and sells and repairs bags. He also delivers cooking gas cylinders to commercial establishments. He has a family to look after, a wife and an 18-year-old daughter, though his two sons now have jobs of their own. But he also does what he can to make the lives of society’s outcasts a little less miserable.

With medicines, soap and towels, a set of clothes, bottles of water, biscuits and food, Ali goes around the city on his two-wheeler to help people who have been abandoned by their families, the orphans and beggars and the other abject people whose presence others usually refuse to acknowledge.

Ali, who steadfastly refused to give an interview to this correspondent for three days because he did not want any publicity, says most barbers will not give homeless people a haircut even if they had the money for one. “Restaurants will turn them away even if they can pay for food,” he says.

“I wanted to do so much for my father but, when he passed away a decade ago, I decided to do something for the needy,” he says. “When I someone in tattered clothes, I stop and ask them if they will change their clothes if I gave them a new set and Rs 10. Most agree,” Ali says, recalling how one homeless man slapped him because he suspected that he was trying to steal his money.

“When I clean, bathe and shave the needy, poor and destitute and cut their hair and change their clothes, there are times when they cry in joy,” he says. “That is the most wonderful moment for me. What greater blessing can a man want?”

Everyone can do small things to make the world a better place, Ali says. “Place water on the terrace for thirsty birds to drink. Don’t throw away rotten tomatoes… Squirrels love them. Keep them on a compound wall and they’ll find them.”

Sometimes people stop and offer him money. “I don’t accept money. Depending on the condition of the person I am helping, I ask them to buy medicine, water or some curd rice,” Ali says.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / by Daniel George, TNN / February 20th, 2015

Christ King Girls’ School Has a Triple Celebration!

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

ChristSchoolCF21feb2015

Chennai :

Christ King Girls’ Higher Secondary School, East Tambaram, celebrated Republic Day and Annual Day, and held the felicitation ceremony for the non-teaching retiring staff on January 26.

The tricolour was hoisted by chief guest Dr Pratiba Nalini, an alumnus of the school. There was a march past by students of the school’s voluntary units (National Service Scheme, guides, junior Red Cross and National Green Corps). Cultural programmes included Parai aattam, an ancient form of folk art where dancers perform while beating a drum. Prizes were awarded to toppers in academics and sports.

The special guest was Beno Zaphine, who passed the Indian Administrative Services exam though she was visually challenged.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Education> Student / by Express News Service / February 20th, 2015

Sri Narayani Hosp Bags AHPI Award for Community Engagement Initiative

Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All, Science & Technologies

Vellore :

Sri Narayani Hospital and Research Centre run by the Sri Narayani Peedam has received an award for community engagement for 2014 from the Association of Healthcare Providers India (AHPI), an apex national body of hospitals.

According to Dr N Balaji, director of the hospital and trustee of the Sri Sakthi Amma Healthcare Trust, the award will be presented to the hospital by the union health minister at the Global Healthcare convention being organized by AHPI in Hyderabad on Feb 23, 2015. The AHPI director general, Dr Giridhar Gyani (former secretary general of Quality Council of India), has over ten thousand members.

The 250-bedded multi-specialty charity hospital conducted 128 outreach programmes in 2014 that benefited 23,062 people who would otherwise not have had access to timely medical help, Balaji said. The awareness and screening programmes conceived and implemented by the hospital has helped in the prevention of many diseases with early detection leading to timely intervention and cure, he added. The hospital focuses on the needy people of Vellore and Tiruvannamalai districts besides the neighbouring Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.

As part of the Sri Sakthi Amma Student Welfare programme, the hospital conducted health checkup programmes for the students, he added. The coveted recognition from the AHPI would further strengthen the resolve and dedication of the staff of this health care institution in working more for the welfare of the community, he further noted.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Express News Service / February 15th, 2015

School alumni offer value classes to juniors from poor backgrounds

Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

Madurai :

The alumni of a government-aided school here, who are now working in various fields, have taken upon themselves the task of helping junior students who come from very poor backgrounds achieve heights in life through motivational and skill-building sessions.

The former students of APT Durairaj Higher Secondary School in Mela Anupanadi have formed an old students association called ‘Kash’, short for ‘knowledge, attitude, skill and honesty’. P Pandiarajan, the founder of the association, who works in the Ma Foi foundation in Virudhunagar, remembers that they enjoyed studying in the school.

“But when we went for interviews, we were looked down upon when we gave the name of school and we wanted to change this attitude,” he said.

Most of the students who come to this school come from Keeraithurai, an area notorious for its criminal activities. Their background and economic conditions made them difficult students, he said. “It is difficult to motivate them to make achievements, because they move around with a lot of school dropouts in their homes. We want them to become good citizens and do well in their lives, so we are doing our best,” he said.

About 150 former students, who had passed out from the school since 1985, are part of the association. “We tell our juniors that they can achieve anything if they have knowledge, attitude, skill and honesty (kash),” said Pandiarajan.

P Swaminathan, former student and a medical representative by profession, strives to motive the present-day students whenever possible. “From this year onwards, we will do it in a more organized manner. Earlier, we used to encourage them by gifting books and paying their fees, if their performance in studies was good,” he said.

At a motivation session held on Tuesday, Vignesh Manikandan,17, expressed his aim to become a sub inspector and also work to bring the alcohol menace in the state under control. “I see alcohol as the reason for all the crimes around me, and would like to live in an environment which is free of it,” he said. His friends Karthik Kumar and Muthukumar also talked about their future plans.

Pandiarajan said that they tried to give value-addition classes to the students of Class 8, skill training to those in Class 9 and hold discussions on job opportunities with the students who are preparing to sit for the public examinations. Old students Gurunathan and Shanmuvavel, who dropped out after the SSLC and are now working in shops, never miss an opportunity to talk to the students about the benefits of higher education, especially completing the Plus Two examinations with good results.

Assistant headmaster S Gowthaman said that they usually dealt with problematic children who came from below poverty line families and troubled families, but the sessions organized by the alumni students was showing a lot of development. “It is encouraging to see some of the students listen to the motivators with enthusiasm and also respond, something they never do in class. I am happy that our old students are showing the way to their juniors in this manner,” he added.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai / TNN / February 04th, 2015

A son’s gift to his father

Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Science & Technologies
The team from MCC School that took part in the competition. (Extreme left) Sendil Madhavan. Photo : Special Arrangement
The team from MCC School that took part in the competition. (Extreme left) Sendil Madhavan. Photo : Special Arrangement

Class XI student’s design makes welder’s job easier. It wins prize at the innovation category in SYMA Child Fest.

It is a son’s gift to his father who has been toiling for years as a welder. B. Sendil Madhavan, a class XI student of MCC Higher Secondary School, Chetpet, has designed a device that takes the help of a robot to check the quality of welding. His creation recently won him the first prize in the innovative thinking category at ‘Child Fest 2015’ organised by Srinivas Young Men’s Association (SYMA).

“For the last three years, I have been visiting my father’s factory at Korattur every Sunday. I have seen him put in long hours at work to ensure the welding work is neatly executed, which includes absence of cracks. Sometimes, he would get scolded by his boss as the welding work would not come out fine. That would hurt me,” says Sendil.

As must be obvious to you now, Sendil wanted to create a device that would make for better welding and the idea of ‘Weld Inspector Robot’.

His first design, version 1.1, lacked proper circuitry, wiring and light. His second version took care of these problems. The third version of the device was waterproof and oil-proof. It had upgraded lights and a cover was attached to the camera. It was however the fourth version that won him the prize — its features included radio frequency receiver and lights. To be used in industries, the product has to however undergo more upgrades.

“I hope to incorporate laser technology in my next version – as I am not trained in the application of laser technology, I am looking for help to be able to do this,” says Sendil, who calls himself an average student who loves to get his hands dirty.

He was inspired to take up robotic technology after attending a workshop by Jay Robotics Club at school.

“They taught us the basics. I learnt the rest by experimenting on my own,” says Sendil who wants to pursue mechatronics.

His father helped him join the parts. The rest of the work he carried out on Autocad. He spent nearly Rs. 27,000 for the design: he raised the amount with the help of relatives.

Sendil has taken the device to his father’s factory and is optimistic that they will introduce his design.

“They have asked me to upgrade it further and I am hopeful of completing it,” says the resident of Mehta Nagar.

Sendil can be reached at 98840 57558.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Downtown / by Liffy Thomas / Chennai – January 31st, 2015

The old serve the young

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Resources of Free Materials
V. Chandrasekar, a key member of the Forum, is assisted by his wife Vijayalakshmi in sorting out the books meant for distribution. Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam / The Hindu
V. Chandrasekar, a key member of the Forum, is assisted by his wife Vijayalakshmi in sorting out the books meant for distribution. Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam / The Hindu

In a role reversal, a few seniors in Besant Nagar are caring for youngsters.

We tend to picture senior citizens as helpless and leaning heavily on others. And therefore, we are surprised when we see them serve people considerably younger than themselves.

And I should admit I was more than surprised to discover such a group of seniors in Besant Nagar.

Senior Citizens Group of Besant Nagar, founded in 2012, collects and distributes books to college students. Chandrasekhar, honorary president of the forum, says, “We sent a press release about our initiative to neighbourhood tabloids and made a few calls — that’s all it took to get started. Many came forward to donate their books. Many students from families with low incomes came to receive these free books.”

Around 2,000 books on various subjects were collected in a week. Each student was allowed to take a single book.

Similarly, during the last monsoon, we collected and distributed blankets to pavement dwellers in Besant Nagar. “It is not possible to go far away and distribute the blankets. So we restricted ourselves to Besant Nagar. Seven young volunteers helped us in the distribution of blankets, ,” says Chandrasekhar

“Most of the forum members are pensioners and we set aside a part of our pension for this work,” says Chandrasekhar.

This Forum for seniors encourages similar initiatives in other neighbourhoods. Chandrasekhar says, “Someone from Tambaram called to say he wanted to donate the books of his children. I asked him to distribute the books to deserving students in Tambaram. The idea is to serve the poor wherever they are found. Our forum is not registered and does not have a bank account. We accept assistance only in kind.”

The Forum’s next plan is to collect and distribute walking sticks.

“It also has plans to offer training in spoken English, group discussion and attending interviews for students from economically weak sections. Also, career counselling sessions will be organised,” he adds.

The sessions will be conducted by V. Chandrasekhar, an MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur and a retired professor from Anna University and his wife C. Vijayalakshmi, an English teacher. V. Chandrasekhar is now a visiting professor at Anna University.

Those keen on assisting the forum may call V. Chandrasekhar at 9884224480 or write to profvc@gmail.com

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Downtown / by L. Kanthimathi  / Chennai – January 31st, 2015

HIDDEN HISTORIES – The life of Kovai Subri

Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All
He impressed the Mahatma with his stentorian voice. Gandhiji affectionately referred to him as his ‘loud speaker’!
He impressed the Mahatma with his stentorian voice. Gandhiji affectionately referred to him as his ‘loud speaker’!

Subri was closely associated with the freedom movement and along with his wife Kamala courted arrest several times

V. R. Krishna Iyer, a leading advocate in Coimbatore and his devout wife Parvathi named their fifth child Subramaniam, after the deity at Chennimalai. The young boy grew up to be better known as Kovai Subri. Subri was drawn to the ideals of Gandhiji and he quit college in order to join the freedom movement.

In 1921, the town Congress committee was born and textile pioneer G. Kuppuswamy Naidu officiated as the President and Subri (1898 – 1993) became its Secretary.

Freedom fighter C. P. Subbiah (1895 – 1967) also joined them and remained a lifelong friend of Subri.

Subri was imprisoned when he joined the flag Satyagraha at Nagpur under Sardar Vallabhai Patel in 1923 and he spent a year in prison. He was imprisoned on five other occasions and cumulatively spent more than five years of his life in prison.

It was during his years in prison that Subri composed songs which were later compiled into a book called Desiya Geethangal. He composed Muruga Ganam which consisted of 426 songs classified into 12 volumes.

He started a khadi centre at Padiyur near Uthukuli and Gandhiji has praised Subri for his stellar role in the freedom movement in the pages of Young India.

When Gandhiji toured in Coimbatore and Nilgiris district Subri was his translator and he impressed the Mahatma with his stentorian voice. Gandhiji affectionately referred to him as his ‘loud speaker!

Subri was the Municipal Chairman between 1938 and 1942. It was due to his efforts that Gandhi Park came into being. He was an MLA who represented the Coimbatore City Constituency between 1947 and 1952.

He married Kamala (1911 – 1993), the young daughter of A. Naatesa Iyer who was an advocate-cum teacher from Pollachi. Subri warned Kamala about the risks involved in marrying a freedom fighter, but they nevertheless got married on the 14 November 1926. Kamala also courted imprisonment in front of the Municipal office for participating in the Salt Satyagraha of 1930 along with their six month old daughter. She was imprisoned again for participating in the Satyagraha in 1932 along with her colleagues Padmavathy Asher (Tirupur), Ambujam Raghavachari, Muthulakshmi (Satyamangalam), Govindammal Ayyamuthu and Kamala Krishnaswamy.

Subri’s home at 91, Karuppa Gounder Street was always a beehive of activity. He was close to Rajaji, M. P. Sivagnanam, C. Subramaniam, Kalki, Sadasivam, S. N. R. Chinnaswamy Naidu, Kovai Khadar Ayyamuthu, Chinna Annamalai, Dr. C. Nanjapapa, T. A. Ramalingam Chettiar, T. S. Avinashilingam

Chettiar,T. Raghavachari, R. Venkataswamy Naidu and Rasikamani T. K. Chidambaranathan.

Post independence, when Rajaji took the lead to launch a new national party – The Swatantra Party, Subri joined the same.

G. K. Sundaram described Subri’s life as one of sacrifice, which he gave unstintingly to the nation. He said, “Such men are the salt of the earth”.

(Rajesh is passionate about his city and is always looking for ways of documenting its history)

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Hidden Histories / by Rajesh Goivindarajulu / January 30th, 2015

Rasipuram Remembers its Common Man

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

 

Activists of Rasipuram People’s Forum and residents paying tributes to R K Laxman on Tuesday | express
Activists of Rasipuram People’s Forum and residents paying tributes to R K Laxman on Tuesday | express

Namakkal :

Condoling the demise of R K Laxman, residents in his ancestral town, Rasipuram in Namakkal district, paid floral tributes to him on Tuesday.

Activists of the Rasipuram People’s Forum paid  homage to Rasipuram Krishnaswamy Laxman who passed away in Pune on Monday. They showered flowers on a portrait of the cartoonist at the old bus stand in Rasipuram.

Laxman’s grandfather had lived in Rasipuram and the cartoonist’s father moved to Chennai before shifting to Mysore.

“Rasipuram is the ancestral town of R K Laxman and his brother R K Narayan. Both had made the town proud by their works,” said Nalvinai Viswaraj, secretary of Rasipuram People’s Forum.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Express News Service / January 28th, 2015

Making history, with every step

Amazing Feats, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All
This was the second time Capt. Divya participated in the Republic Day parade after marching as an NCC cadet in 2008. Photo: K.V. Srinivasan / The Hindu
This was the second time Capt. Divya participated in the Republic Day parade after marching as an NCC cadet in 2008. Photo: K.V. Srinivasan / The Hindu

Chennaiite Capt. Divya Ajith Kumar led the widely-celebrated first all-woman Army contingent in the Republic Day parade

On a chilly winter Monday, amidst a light drizzle, history was made as an all-woman Army contingent marched on the stretch in Rajpath, New Delhi, during the Republic Day parade.

Seated in the audience, in gallery no. 14, was Binah Ajith Kumar. A resident of Madipakkam, her heart overflowed with pride as the women officers marched by. After all, the contingent was led by her daughter Capt. Divya Ajith Kumar.

“Her contingent was the first to march after the display of military firepower, machines and vehicles. When it was announced that the first ever all-woman Army contingent was marching by, everyone in the audience rose and applauded. When my daughter’s name was announced as contingent commander, I was overjoyed; it was the most memorable moment in my life,” Ms. Binah recalls.

Belonging to the Corps of Army Air Defence, Capt. Divya marched past the dignitaries and audience, flanked by two woman officers. They were followed by 144 serving woman officers from the Army and trainee lady cadets from OTA.

This is not the first time Capt. Divya is marching on the Rajpath stretch. She had also led the all-India contingent of National Cadet Corps’s senior division girls wing for the Republic Day parade in 2008, when she won the All India Best Girl Cadet and best parade commander awards. Capt. Divya was a student of Good Shepherd Convent and a B. Com graduate from Stella Maris College.

Her NCC officer from college, Dolly Thomas, remembers her as very focussed and hardworking. “She was very responsible and used to single-handedly take care of Cadostar, our annual inter-college NCC festival,” Prof. Thomas says.

Capt. Divya graduated from college in 2009, cleared the Combined Defence Services Examination and joined OTA the same year. She passed out in 2010, bagging the sword of honour – the first woman to receive it in the history of the academy, where she is now an instructor. She had earlier served in Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir.

“It was a terrific feeling and I got a lot of calls of appreciation. I want more young women, especially from Tamil Nadu, to join the army,” adds the 25-year-old, who, like any true Chennaiite, is a fan of the Marina Beach.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai> Society / by K Manikandan / January 28th, 2015