Category Archives: Leaders

‘Feel honoured to be selected’

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

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Gastroenterologist T.S. Chandrasekar, the founding chairman of MedIndia Hospital, said he felt honoured to be chosen for the award for his medico-social work in the field of gastroenterology.

Dr. Chandrasekar, who has several firsts to his credit including the Braille chart on hygiene that he created last year, is also the founder of the MedIndia Charitable Trust. A graduate of Madurai Medical College, Dr. Chandrasekar also founded the department of medical gastroenterology at Coimbatore Medical College.

His hospital is affiliated to the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University to offer post-doctoral fellowship programme in advanced GI endoscopy.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Tamil Nadu / by Special Correspondent / January 26th, 2016

I wasn’t aware my name was nominated in the achiever’s list: Shima Sendhil

Amazing Feats, Education, Leaders, Records, All

She hails from a family of educationists and is married to one. So, it was only natural that Shima Sendhil, who spent more than a decade in the US, came back to the country to help with the family run educational institution.

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The director of Rathinam Educational Institutions tells us, “I hail from a remote village in Ernakulam, Kerala and my father was a headmaster of a school there. We moved to the US, when I was just 15 years old. After completing my studies in the University of Florida, I worked for a private concern as a programmer for five years. I moved to Coimbatore to take over the family business after the stint. When my husband heard the news about the award, he was quite excited. He asked me to consider this achievement as a motivation to take up many more programmes for the benefit of students.”

Shima has been voted as one of the #100Women Achievers of India in the category of education by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. “I wasn’t even aware of the fact that my name was nominated in the list. It was only when the Ministry asked for my profile that I believed the news was true. A lot of credit goes to my husband for being a pillar of support.”

When it comes to education, Shima ensures that she doesn’t leave any stone unturned as far as benefiting her students are concerned. “We have associated with many corporate companies to provide skill-based training to our students, through their CSR activities. The activities include training in electrical work, plumbing, IT and even costume designing. The idea is to make our students more employable.”

Shima says that her five-year-stint in the US has helped her pick many tricks of the trade and implement them back home in Coimbatore. “For instance, we have upgraded many technical aspects in the college and have also begun providing smart classes for students.” This apart, Shima has also taken steps to provide scholarships to underprivileged students. “We have also been undertaking tree plantation drives, helmet awareness campaigns and providing support to the needy in the times of crises, like the Nepal earthquake and Chennai deluge. We are now envisioning a waste-free campus in 2016 by which we intend to reuse plastics and covert food waste into gas & thus, use negligible resources from outside. This apart, we have a plethora of new activities in the pipeline, focusing on women.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Coimbatore / P . Sangeetha, TNN / January 17th, 2016

I never expected to win this award: Latha Sundaram

Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All

When Latha Sundaram got a letter from the consultants of the Women Achievers Award project by the Ministry of Women & Child Development in the fag end of 2015, she chose to keep it under wraps. Latha won the award for her contribution to “Access to justice and protection of women and their rights” in the #100 women contest to recognize women who are the pride of the nation.

LathaSundaramCF23jan2016“Frankly speaking, I never expected to win this award. So, I waited until I got the official confirmation from the Union Ministry. Once the list was up, everyone from the Railway fraternity, including the Railway minister Suresh Prabhu congratulated me.” Interestingly, Latha is the first railway employee to win the award.

53-year-old Latha has been an employee of the Indian Railways for the last 33 years and has undertaken many cleanliness programmes through her charitable trust, Aram Foundation (she has been with the foundation for over four years and is the managing trustee of the same). “As the managing trustee of the foundation and an employee of the Railways, we have been cleaning the Coimbatore Railway station periodically. We have been getting many volunteers from colleges and we are planning to devise a mechanism, through which the cleaning process can be done in a systematic manner. We have also been painting the walls of all stations across Salem division.”

In the meantime, Latha’s trust also provides many counselling services for children in corporation schools. “These children do not get personal attention and that is what we are trying to focusing upon. We have been conducting self-defense training, cleanliness & traffic awareness programmes, pre-marital counselling and smart class guidance to these children. This apart, we have been providing counselling to prisoners as well, where the primary focus is upon women and children. We are planning to take these programmes to Tiruppur and Erore as well in a phased manner.”

Though Latha says that she finds it tough to manage her time between social service, Railways and her family, she has absolutely no qualms about it. “There are two things I strongly believe in- to give back to the society as much as possible & never come up with an excuse when it comes to social service. I have always believed that women are extremely crucial to the well-being of the society and for a society to flourish, women have to be empowered. I grew up in a family of teachers and I have seen my parents facing many a hardship to transform their students into good individuals. I intend to follow the same. I am also extremely grateful to my trust and every volunteer who have provided yeoman service to the women and children.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> Coimbatore / by P. Sangeetha, TNN / January 17th, 2016

Educationist’s role in integrating culture and education hailed

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Leaders, Records, All
Mrs. Y.G .Parthasarathy (centre) receives the award from Padma Subrahmanyam. Also seen are K. Shivakumar (left) and Mohan Rajan (right) of PSBB Alumni Association and Ravi Venkatraman (second from right), President, Rotary Club of Madras T. Nagar —Photo: S. R. Raghunathan
Mrs. Y.G .Parthasarathy (centre) receives the award from Padma Subrahmanyam. Also seen are K. Shivakumar (left) and Mohan Rajan (right) of PSBB Alumni Association and Ravi Venkatraman (second from right), President, Rotary Club of Madras T. Nagar —Photo: S. R. Raghunathan

Mrs. Y.G. Parthasarathy was conferred the ‘Living Legend’ award on Sunday

Mrs. Y.G. Parthasarathy, dean and director of PSBB Group of Schools, was conferred the ‘Living Legend’ award here on Sunday by PSBB Alumni Association and Rotary Club of Madras T. Nagar.

Speaking on the occasion, she said many students of the school have attained great heights now. But what was more important was that art and culture have become part of teaching and children have taken to music and dance very well, she said.

“My mother always told me ‘be true to what you do and children will always be grateful to you’,” she said.

Dancer Padma Subrahmanyam, who felicitated Mrs. Y.G. Parthasarathy, recollected her decades-long association with the family.

She noted that Mrs. Y.G. Parthasarathy was the first person to combine education with culture and that is one of her greatest contributions to society.

“I still remember how she completed her doctorate in Vaishnavism at the age of 75. Her husband was in the hospital and she was sitting beside him and writing her thesis to be submitted. She is a very strong woman,” she said.

K. Shivakumar and Mohan Rajan of PSBB Alumni Association were among those who spoke at the function.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Staff Reporter  / Chennai – January 18th, 2016

Tamil Nadu lawyer is chairman of Bar Council of India

Leaders, Records, All

Chennai :

Tamil Nadu lawyer S Prabakaran was on Sunday elected chairman of Bar Council of India (BCI). He suc ceeds Manan Kumar Mishra of Bihar in the highest office for practising advocates.

 BCI is the apex statutory body with power to regulate le gal education and control practice of law. Elected as member of Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in 2011 with second highest number of votes among its members, Prabakaran was then chosen by the state council as its representative to BCI, Delhi.

In 2012, BCI nominated him as chairman of its disciplinary committee and a year later as co-chairman of BCI.

Prabakaran is a three-time president of Madras High Court Advocates Association and also president of Tamil Nadu Advocates Association.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Chennai / TNN / January 11th, 2016

Pages from History : Musings on Saint Manikkavachakar

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Leaders

by Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy, former Head, Department of Ancient History & Arachaeology, University of Mysore

Near Madurai is a place called Thiruvadhavoor. A pious Brahmin by name Shambhupadasritar was living there with his wife Shivajnanavati. Unfortunately their exact dates are not known. A wide bracket of 3rd to 9th centuries is given to this Saint. A boy was born to them and we do not know the name given to him by his parents. Actually Manikkavachakar is a name meaning whose utterances were like manikya or ruby by which he became famous. By sixteen years, he mastered all aspects of traditional education and was ready to take up the hereditary Ministership under the Pandya king. But the young man was interested in divine things. Anyway he became the Minister and a famous administrator too. He was a great devotee of Lord Shiva and was always meditating upon him.

One day, King asked this Minister to go to the Sea Port and buy horses. Minister started with some followers after worshipping Shiva (Chokkanatha) at Madurai. He reached the sea port Tirupperunthurai and spent all the money in feeding the Shiva-devotees and on temples. This was conveyed to the king who became furious at Manikkavachakar and ordered him to come back with horses or with money. Manikkavachakar prayed to Lord Shiva and requested him to show the way. God also asked him to go back to his king and tell him that the horses would arrive on the appointed day (avanimulam). He also gave a rare ruby as a present to the king.

Manikkavachakar went back to Madurai and told the king that the horses would arrive on the appointed day. The king waited but there was no sign of any horse; the spies of the king also brought the news that no horses were seen anywhere on the way. The king got angry and put him in the prison. Manikkavachakar prayed to Lord Shiva and God came in the form of the leader of the horse trader. The Saint mentioned this to him. But the king’s ego did not permit him to respect him. However, he received all the horses; gave a silk scarf to the dealer who received it with his whip. The king got offended by this but he was helpless and went back to the Palace.

Next morning a miracle happened. The horses which the king had purchased by paying huge amounts of money had turned into jackals. They ran out of the stables and entered into the streets, houses, temples, Palace and created great chaos. The whole town of Madurai became chaotic. The king thought that it was due to the negligence of the Minister who did not take enough precautions in this regard. Hence, he ordered the arrest of the Minister Manikkavachakar and torture him till he returned all the money.

Again a miracle happened. The level of the Vaigai River rose and inundated the whole town. The king realised that this is nothing but a punishment by the almighty for this folly. He went to the prison and released Manikkavachakar. Immediately, the flood waters began to recede and everybody was very happy at this. But the embankment had breached and it had to be rebuilt. The king ordered all the able-bodied men and women to go for this work and do the repairs without any wages. Each was allotted a part of the embankment. Many old people could not take up this work as they were helpless. There was an elderly woman by name Vanti who was eking out a living by selling eatables to the travellers. She was very old and could not do the manual hard work of repairing the embankment. So she thought of hiring men to do her part of the work on a fixed remuneration. But none came forward to work on her terms.

Being a great devotee of Lord Shiva, she appealed to him for help. Shiva took pity on her and came in the guise of a young labourer and began work. The king who came for inspection saw this young man was not working satisfactorily and beat him with a stick. With this, the basket full of earth fell on the embankment. And to the surprise of the king and others present there, the embankment work was complete in all respects. The woman Vanti was called to heaven and the young labourer vanished in the thin air. A divine voice admonished the king. The king realised his mistake. Immediately he went to the place where Manikkavachakar was meditating and requested him to come back and take up Ministership. But the Saint refused to accept the offer because the divine will had asked him to proceed to Chidambaram, the place of Nataraja aspect of Shiva.

On his way, he visited many Shiva temples at Tirukalukundram and others and finally reached Thiruvannamalai. He was inspired by devotees and composed Tiruvembavai and sang it in praise of the Lord. At Tirukalukundram he had another vision of the Lord.

At Chidambaram, he fell into a trance and sang several hymns in praise of Shiva. These songs contain three representations of Shiva namely; a form as in Nataraja, with and without form as in Linga and finally without form as in Akasha. The last is the Chidambara Rahasya (the secret of Chidambaram). The phrase Chidambara Rahasya is amongst us even today and it means that the form of the Lord cannot be known or understood. But Manikkavachakar understood that secret because he was a devoted soul. He lived in the outskirts of the town and practised meditation on Shiva. He used to go to the temple to see the image of Lord Shiva. Many hymns of Tiruvachakam were composed here.

There is another interesting story in this connection. The Buddhists from Ceylon came there and dragged him to a debate mainly to defeat him. But Manikkavachakar became victorious and all the Ceylonese monks became dumb. At the prayer of Manikkavachakar, the Ceylonese Princess was cured of her dumbness and the king of Ceylon embraced Shaivism. He became a disciple of Manikkavachakar.

Another miracle happened at this time. A Brahmin came to his abode and asked him to recite all his songs and he would be his scribe. At the end he wrote that this was recited by Manikkavachakar and copied by Ambalavan (Shiva of Chidambaram). This news spread far and wide and people began to assemble there to see the script. Manikkavachakar showed them that Lord Shiva of Chidambaram was his scribe; Not only he is my scribe, he is also the meaning and aim of my songs. Finally, he disappeared from this world.

But his works have made him immortal. His Tiruvachakam consists of 656 verses; Thirukovayar has 400 verses. Both these works contain the secrets of divinity and how to reach that stage of divinity. He sang in praise of Shiva and brought a revolution. Perhaps he is the one who gave the assurance that everyone can see divine by his good deeds without going into the rigour of orthodoxy. God himself will embrace such people. This is a great assurance indeed! That is why he was called Manikkavachakar, meaning his utterances were like precious rubies. Now, we have rubies in plenty but no Manikkavachakars!

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Sunday – January 10th, 2015

Documenting writer who propagated Bharati’s works

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, All
Bharati's wife Chellamma (sitting third from left) and Thiruloga Seetharam (standing second from right).
Bharati’s wife Chellamma (sitting third from left) and Thiruloga Seetharam (standing second from right).

It offers glimpses of a school dropout who inspired a generation of writers.

Former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai, once described Thiruloga Seetharam as a poet, editor and Bharati scholar and another Athisaya Manithar of Akkirakaram (wonder man of Agraharam) . The DMK founder had earlier given the title to freedom fighter and writer Va. Ramasamy.

Now, a documentary on Seetharam explains how he used music as a form to propagate the songs of Subramania Bharati.

The documentary, Thiruloga Seetharam Enkira Aalumai , by writer Ravi Subramaniam offers glimpses into a life of a school dropout who later inspired a generation of writers. Seetharam would mono act the entire Panchali Sabatham.

Even though Va. Ramasamy, communist leader P. Jeevanandam, Thiruloga Seetharam and Jayakanthan popularised the songs of Bharati, Seetharam declared himself the adopted son of Bharati’s widow Chellamma.

“When he learnt Chellamma was not well, he immediately left his family to take care of her. He served her for three months. Lying on his lap, she breathed her last,” said T.N. Ramachandaran, a disciple of Seetharam and an expert on Sekkizhar, the author of Periyapuranam.

Seetharam was forced to work as a purohit to earn a livelihood after the death of his father.

He learnt Tamil and poetry from Andhakakavi Ramasamy Padayachi, a visually challenged scholar in Thondamanthurai in Tiruchi.

He had to read out literary works to his teacher and in the process learnt by heart thousands of poems.

As the editor of the literary magazine Sivaji, he encouraged young writers and Sujatha’s first short story appeared in the magazine.

Late Tamil writer T. Janakiraman once said three writers — Ku.Pa. Rajagopalan, Na. Pitchamurthy and Seetharam — whose mother tongue was Telugu made immense contribution to the development of modern Tamil literature. He also translated into Tamil, Nobel laureate Hermann Hesse’s Siddartha.

Though a nationalist, he maintained a close relationship with Bharathidasan and even mobilised funds to provide financial assistance.

He would render Bharathidasan’s Kudumba Vilakku set to music.

“I am yet to come across a person who could excel in poetry reading,” said writer Ashokamitran, who had attended Seetharam’s poetry reading sessions.

He always faced a financial crisis.

Once when Bharati’s daughter Thangamma Bharati asked him whether the situation had improved, Seetharam said, “Of course. Once I struggled for five rupees and ten rupees and now I am struggling for fifty and hundred,’” he quipped.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> City> Chennai / by B. Kolappan / Chennai – January 01st, 2015

NOBORU KARASHIMA (1933-2015) Tamil scholar who inspired a generation

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinion
Professor Noboru Karashima was instrumental in setting up the International Association of Tamil Research.
Professor Noboru Karashima was instrumental in setting up the International Association of Tamil Research.

Noboru Karashima, the distinguished scholar and historian of South Asia, whose body of research has rewritten the economic and social history of medieval South India, died in Tokyo on Thursday. He was 82. At the time of his death, Professor Karashima was Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo and Taisho University.

Professor Karashima was the recipient of the Padma Shri in 2013 for his contributions in building India-Japan ties. As he could not travel to New Delhi to receive the award, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in a gesture of recognition and respect, personally presented the award to him in Japan.

From his first study — a small but ground-breaking essay that he published almost 55 years ago on land control in the two Cauvery delta villages of Allur and Isanamangalam, based on the study of Chola inscriptions — Professor Karashima had to delve deeper into understanding land relations and social relationships in medieval Tamil Nadu. His seminal contribution to South Indian history was his use of statistical techniques to distil information from a mass of inscriptions, thereby lending his interpretations and conclusions a more sound and reliable base. His last major book is A Concise History of South India, published last year.

Professor Karashima was instrumental in setting up the International Association of Tamil Research, and had been its president from 1989 to 2010. He was the principal organiser of the 8th World Tamil Conference in Thanjavur in 1995, although he dissociated himself from its 9th edition on the ground that the conference had been hijacked by the political establishment. He had been the president of the Japan Association for South Asian Studies from 1996 to 2000, helping to build it into a vibrant and scholarly organisation it currently is.

In Japan, Professor Karashima was a popular figure on television where he commented on South Asian culture, including Indian cuisine.

A steadfast friend and admirer of India in general, and Tamil Nadu in particular, Professor Karashima has exercised a strong intellectual influence on a generation of Tamil scholars, both in Japan and India.

He is survived by his wife, Takako Karashima, who is the author of a popular book on India that has run into several editions, three sons and three grandchildren.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National / by Parvthi Menon / November 27th, 2015

Former Tamil Nadu MLA Ponnammal dies aged 82

Leaders
Former Tamil Nadu MLA A S Ponnammal
Former Tamil Nadu MLA A S Ponnammal

Madurai  :

Veteran Congress leader and seven-time member of the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly A S Ponnammal died of cancer on Tuesday. She was 82.

She was undergoing treatment at Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH).

Ponnammal was first elected to the assembly on Congress ticket from Sholavandhan constituency in 1957. She represented the constituency for two terms till 1967.

She was elected to the assembly as an independent candidate from the same constituency in 1980.

In 1984, she won from Palani on Congress ticket. Later she won on Congress ticket from Nilakottai (in 1989 and 1991). In 1996, she contested the elections on Tamil Manila Congress ticket and won.

After her health condition deteriorated, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi called her up and enquired about her health. He offered to shift her to another hospital, but Ponnammal told him that she was offered the best care at GRH.

Ponnammal is survived by three daughters and a son.

The final rites would be held at Alaganpatti in Nilakottai where she was born and lived most of her life, relatives said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Chennai / by J. Arockiaraj, TNN / November 24th, 2015

Human rights activist Ossie Fernandes dead

Leaders

Chennai :

Human rights activist Ossie Fernandes died at a hospital in Chennai on Tuesday after a brief illness. He was 58.

Fernandes was director of the Chennai-based Human Rights Advocacy and Research Foundation, an NGO working for child rights protection, custodial justice, women’s rights, rights of fishermen and decentralised governance.

According to his colleague Indra, Fernandes was admitted to Apollo Hospitals on Saturday after a boil on his leg got infected.

“The infection spread to other parts of his body. Doctors amputated his leg on Monday evening, but were unable to save him,” she said.

The funeral will be held on Wednesday.

Fernandes is survived by his wife, Halcyon, and son, Carl.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Chennai / by Meera Vankipuram, TNN / November 03rd, 2015