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Winner of 1kg gold to help fund wedding, educate poor children

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Dubai:

Indian expatriate Jayaprakash Balureddy knows exactly what to do with the one kilogramme gold in his hand — help prepare for his wedding and help educate children in his hometown.

Balureddy, 30, from Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu, bagged the first 1kg gold prize (roughly worth Dh146,000) on Thursday from the Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group (DGJG) for this year’s Dubai Shopping Festival.

“This is definitely a big help for me. This is like receiving my three years’ worth of salary at one time only. That’s why I want to help,” Balureddy, an air conditioner technician, told Gulf News.

Balureddy said he plans on selling the gold bar so he could put the money to good use.

“I want to use a portion of the money to help my family and also for my wedding on February 10. I will use some of it to pay off my loan here,” Balureddy, the sole breadwinner of his family, said.

Balureddy said he will use the rest of the money, roughly Dh50,000, to help send underprivileged children to school in his village.

“I know how they feel. I myself had difficulty getting an education because we had no money when I was growing up. So I want to help.”

Balureddy was buying gold ornaments on Thursday for his wedding when he was given a raffle coupon. The Indian resident said he was clueless about the raffle and was surprised when raffle organisers called him.

“I didn’t believe it at first when they called me because I had just bought the gold an hour before that. I asked myself, ‘How can this happen?” he added.

Sunny Chittilappilly, DGJG chairman, described Balureddy as an extremely lucky man. And this, he said, was what they had meant by doubling the chances for everyone to win at the gold raffle.

“We lowered the minimum spend to Dh500 and gave two raffle coupons to give everyone more chances of winning,” Chittilappilly said.

Apart from the 1kg gold given away daily, the group is also giving away a diamond solitaire ring every day for 32 days.

source: http://www.gulfnews.com / Gulf News / Home> Gulf> UAE> Leisure / by Janice Ponce de Leon, Staff Reporter – Gulf News / January 04th, 2014

New Bus Stand in Theni Named After Pennycuick

Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has inaugurated the new bus terminus  at Theni-Allinagaram municipality named after Colonel John Pennycuick, the British engineer who constructed the Mullaiperiyar dam, the life-line of many southern districts.

While inaugurating the memorial for Pennycuick on January 15 at the Lower Camp in Theni district, the Chief Minister had announced that the new bus terminus would be named after the late British engineer.

The Chief Minister inaugurated this terminus through video conferencing facility at her Kodanadu camp office on December 30. The terminus has been constructed in an area of 7.35 acres at a cost of Rs 15.25 crore. As many as 59 buses can be parked in this terminus which has all the basic amenities including police control room, information officer, reception and driver’s rest room.,

Drinking water projects and underground drainage facilities established at a cost of Rs 64.47 crore in Tiruvannamalai, Kanchipuram and Kuttalam in Nagapattinam district, besides another six  districts were also inaugurated by the Chief Minister.

Apart from these, she also inaugurated new buildings in various districts.  In all, the Chief Minister has inaugurated and laid foundation for new projects worth Rs 118.2 crore.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Express News Service – Chennai / January 03rd, 2014

Celebrations commences at Sethupathi School in Madurai

Education, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All

Madurai :

Scholars, alumni and students gathered in large numbers to celebrate yet another milestone in the illustrious history of Sethupathi Higher Secondary School here. One of the oldest schools in the city, the two-day annual day celebration to commemorate its 125th anniversary was launched in its premises on Friday.

Although the school has produced freedom fighters, scholars, exceptional thinkers and speakers, the school is best known as the school where Subramanya Bharathi taught. The poet and renaissance personality had a stint as teacher here in 1904. The function on Saturday is expected to witness a large number of scholars and representatives of local administration.

Sethupathi School was started by Venkatarama Iyengar, who was then running a town primary school in the same area. Baskara Sethupathi, the then ruler of Ramnad, had supported establishing the school by donating his guest house. Bharathi worked in the school for a salary of Rs 17 a month in 1904. The school has received a coat of paint and have underwent repairs to sport a new look on its 125th b’day.

The function on Friday involved all the stake holders and was organised by the Madura College Board. Addressing the gathering, G Manivannan, one of the directors of Madurai College Board, said many schools in Madurai have been producing many top students. But most of these students are from well-off families.

However, Sethupathi Higher Secondary School has been transforming sons of auto rickshaw drivers, load men and other members of the working class into good class students. “The school was started basically to support the education of the students from unprivileged section. We have been producing centum in subjects including science, social science and mathematics,” he said.

Addressing the gathering, V V Rajan Chellappa, mayor, Madurai Corporation, said the school has the reputation for having produced a vast number of scholars. Lauding the school for its service to the society, he said the school has done so much to the society. The school has been the destination for a large number of underprivileged children from the surrounding areas.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai> Large number / by V Devanathan, TNN / January 04th, 2014

Ropes ready for cattle, courtesy Andrews

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, Sports

Trichy :

Sitting in a small room belonging to the  Tamil Nadu Veera Vilayattu Jallikattu Padukappu Nala Sangam at Milaguparai, S Andrews has been knitting colorful ropes day and night. They will be used around cattle during Maatu Pongal celebration as well as for jallikattu events commencing in a few days with Pongal.

Every cattle owner in the state decks up his animals with all the fancy items for the occasion. Andrews knows the demand for fancy ropes and is in the knitting business for a decade. The rope, which is an essential item, is tied in a peculiar fashion around the cattle is called the “manda kayir”. “Pidi Kayir” is necessary to control the bull.

With the jallikattu season on, Andrews has been constantly knitting the nylon ropes day and night. The orders come much ahead of the traditional festival season. His clients are from across the state and are mostly bull-owners letting their bulls in for jallikattu. “The rope will be passed through the nostrils of the animal and then taken around their forehead and neck. Bells and fancy fur balls are tied to the rope,” Andrews explained.

When a bull enters the jallikattu arena, the rope is cut near the nose. A special knife, which is attached to a stick, is used for cutting so that the bull is not hurt. The nylon ropes are sometimes brought by the clients or Andrews has to travel to Coimbatore or Madurai to purchase them. A rope costs Rs 6,000.

Andrews quit his job at the head post office to concentrate on rope-making. “I learnt the art from one R Subramananian, a resident of Pudukkottai. After his demise in 2000 I took over the work and found it interesting,” said Andrews knitting a head rope.

Demand for Andrews’ skill grew only when he was spotted by Ondiraju S, state secretary of the Tamil Nadu Veera Vilayattu Jallikattu Padukappu Nala Sangam. “Previously Andrews’ services were required only ahead of Pongal. However, in recent years he is constantly knitting for more than seven months in a year,” Ondiraju said.

For the current jallikattu season Andrews has so far knitted at least 25 sets.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Trichy> Cattle / by Harish Murali, TNN / January 13th, 2014

Tiruchi GH Doctors successfully operate on parasitic twins

Records, All, Science & Technologies

The fifth child of a Manapparai couple — Mamundi and Jaya — the baby was born in a private hospital and admitted to the Tiruchi GH on December 26 for surgery.

Doctors at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital successfully operated on the five-day-old pair of parasitic twins on Monday, removing a pair of arms, legs and other organs. After the operation, the baby was put on the ventilator at the intensive medical care unit of the hospital. The fifth child of a Manapparai couple — Mamundi and Jaya — the baby was born in a private hospital and admitted to the Tiruchi GH on December 26 for surgery.

Prior to conducting the operation, doctors conducted intensive investigation on the baby monitoring the oxygen level, pulse and blood pressure. A team of doctors consisting of paediatric surgeons and a couple of anaesthetists conducted the operation, lasting over three hours, and successfully removed the organs, said Dr. Bhaskar, a paediatric surgeon, who headed the medical team.

General anaesthesia was given to the baby born with extra arms and legs attached to the chest wall with the intestine and spleen projected outside the abdomen. Terming it as a rare case, Dr. Bhaskar said the surgery was complicated. A silo technic procedure was adopted to restrict the intestine and spleen into the abdominal cavity, Dr. Bhaskar said adding that this was the first time that the Tiruchi GH had carried out such a complex surgery on a newborn.

The condition of the baby was stable, he said, adding that the infant was being constantly monitored.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Tiruchirapalli / by A. Rajaram / Tiruchi – December 31st, 2013

‘Give autonomy to Raise edu Quality’

Education, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Records, All

In order to promote quality of education, educational institutions must be accorded autonomy, opined VIT University chancellor G Viswanathan.

While speaking at a function on Saturday organised by associations, NGOs and institutions to commemorate his 75th birthday celebrations, Viswanathan recalled that had he not met former chief minister of TN Annadurai, he would have ended up as an advocate and not an educationist.

He said the educational institutions across the country were not being given adequate support by the government and wherever these institutions enjoyed freedom and autonomy, they were able to provide quality education. Quality education must be the goal for both the State and Centre, he added.

Viswanathan also stressed on the importance of providing good tree cover to Vellore, which, in the next ten years would change the climate  of the city. He also offered to donate `50 lakh to renovate the Sangeetha Sabha building in the old bus stand area. Former union minister S R Balasubramaniam, termed Viswanathan as an open-minded person, who was a friend of all parties. The VIT University, founded by Viswanathan had become an additional landmark of the historical city of Vellore, he added. The organisers of the event conferred the ‘Kalviko’ award  on Viswanathan. The diamond jubilee souvenir was released by the former vice-chancellor of  Anna University A Kalanidhi, on the occasion.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Express News Service – Vellore / December 30th, 2013

75 years old and still washing strong

Business & Economy, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, Science & Technologies
The unit is put to heavy use between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. every day. The hospital also has a modern laundry unit. / Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam / The Hindu
The unit is put to heavy use between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. every day. The hospital also has a modern laundry unit. / Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam / The Hindu

A British-era steam laundry unit at Govt. Stanley Hospital washes 100 pieces of linen at a time

Huge and nothing like modern-day washing machines — the steam laundry machines at Government Stanley Medical College Hospital have been in use for washing linen for close to 75 years.

The steam laundry unit consists of five washing machines, four hydro extractors to squeeze washed clothes, a four-roller ironing machine, a drying chamber and two boilers. “The hospital is 222 years old. These machines were manufactured in Britain and installed here before independence. Plenty of effort goes into maintaining the units,” said hospital dean, S. Geethalakshmi.

Hospital officials said they have to forge spare parts just to maintain the machines.

The unit is put to heavy use between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. every day. According to B. Jagadeesan, junior engineer in the steam laundry department of the hospital, each washing machine has a 100-kg capacity and can wash 100 pieces of clothing at a time.

“The washing machines carry a seal indicating they were made in Nottingham, England. They work on a reverse gearbox mechanism with a clutch,” he said.

Once the linens are washed, they are shifted to the hydro extractors and then to the drying chamber which has a steam pressure blower, and finally, to the ironing machine.

“Two boilers — one made in England and another in India — produce steam and provide supply to the machines through pipelines,” Mr. Jagadeesan said.

Only recently, the hospital installed a modern laundry unit, which consists of two washing machines, two hydro extractors and two drying chambers, to handle its increased bed strength and facilities.

Linen from the operation theatres located in the surgical block will be washed in the new laundry unit, while linen from other buildings will be washed in the old unit, Mr. Jagadeesan said.

“The new laundry unit has made the process of washing linen quicker. Now, the load is being shared between the old and new units,” the dean said.

The hospital’s bulk sterilisation machine, which can sterilise 100 instruments at a time, too belongs to the pre-independence era.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Serena Jospehine M / Chennai – January 09th, 2014

Coimbatore’s botanical gardens to get seed vending machine

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Records, All

Coimbatore :

The Coimbatore Botanical Gardens is set to emerge as the first to have a ‘seed vending machine’ in the State.

The machine will dispense vegetable and flower seeds in affordable packets of 10 gm to 100 gm each (depending upon the price), priced at Rs 10 a packet, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Vice-Chancellor K. Ramasamy said.

The university has invested Rs 2.4 lakh on this machine.

Ramasamy said the university’s labelled seeds would be packaged and placed in the vending machine. The effort is aimed at encouraging kitchen and roof-top gardens.

The seed requirement for such potted plants is relatively less, and those looking for seeds invariably buy such packets at agri expos. The vending machine will enable garden lovers to source in quantities suited to their needs.

Seed packets would be placed in rows in 6 trays. The user can insert the Rs 10 note or coin, select the seed and collect the packet without waiting to be served, he added.

Depending on the response to this seed dispenser, the varsity plans to install more such machines in the coming days. “We have plans to install a seed dispenser for private seed producers as well. We are looking to create a small window for organic products too,” he added.

The vending machine will be formally inaugurated by State Agriculture Minister S. Damodaran on January 11.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / by L. N. Revathy    revathy.lakshminarasimhan@thehindu.co.in / Coimbatore – January 06th, 2014

23 state records broken at athletic meet in Coimbatore

Records, All, Sports

Coimbatore :

It was a double bonus for parents of twin sisters, both of whom won gold medals, at the state level Republic Day Athletic Meet in the city on Saturday.

While Vidhya won a gold medal in the under 17 400m category, her twin sister R Nithya won the Gold in the 100m hurdles, achieving a record breaking 14.8 seconds. The girls, students of the government girls higher secondary school in Erode were selected by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu when they were in class 7.

“The two of them had an interest in sports from childhood. But it was only after they joined the sports hostel that they began to excel,” said their father Ramraj who is a driver with a private firm. The two sisters who were perhaps the only twins at the meet have won medals in some of the national events in previous years too. Ramraj and his wife Meena say that they encourage their children as much as they can. Their coach R Kanmanidevi says that the two are dedicated athletes on whom they have high hopes.

“We expect record breaking performances at the national level from them. They have been able to display consistent performance,” she said.

About 23 state records were broken at the three-day meet which concluded on Sunday. S Mithra Varun, a class 11 student at the city based Mani Higher Secondary School who won a gold medal at the discus throw, broke the record made in 1982. A computer applications student he wants to take up sports as a career. “My dream is to win a Gold Medal in the Olympics,” he says.

P Gowtham from Thirunelveli who broke an existing record in Pole Vault with 3.65 metres too wants to take up sports as a career. “Earlier, I used to participate in the High Jump event. I took up pole vault after my coach advised me so,” he said. The meet concluded on Sunday afternoon. Most of the winners will leave for the National Sports Meet to be held in Ranchi in the coming days.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimb atore> Gold Medal / TNN / January 06th, 2014

New broad gauge bay inaugurated at Golden Rock workshop

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Records, All, Science & Technologies

Trichy:

The newly-converted broad gauge (BG) bay for undertaking both light schedule and heavy schedule attention of EMD locomotives, was declared open by the Trichy divisional railway manager (DRM) Manjula Rangarajan at the Golden Rock Workshop on Wednesday. The bay has been constructed with elevated platforms with a pit facility for attending to the bogie. The Railway Board has sanctioned Rs 14 crore for augmenting the infrastructure at the 42-year-old diesel loco shed that has bagged the annual rolling shield for best maintained shed five times in the last nine years. Manjula Rangarajan also commissioned the newly-installed reverse osmosis (RO) type water purifying plant for the benefit of 750 employees of this shed. The 250 litre per hour capacity RO plant happened to be a new year’s gift to the employees, she said. The workforce at the shed maintain 147 diesel locomotives (71 ALCO type, 53 EMD type high horse power locomotives and 23 DEMU power cars).

Since July 2011, the diesel loco shed at Golden Rock became the first in the country to maintain EMD type locomotives with 4500 horse power that are used extensive in both freight service and in express train service. “In order to home these new breed of locomotives, the Railway Board had sanctioned Rs 14 crore for augmenting the infrastructure and for the procurement of various tools, machineries required for maintenance,” she explained.

The DRM further said that the new bay had been specially constructed with elevated platforms for working alongside the locomotives and with a pit facility for attending to the bogie and under gear items with much ease. These bays would provide additional space required for increased holding of these locomotives, she added.

Earlier, under the leadership of the DRM, all the officers and division and engineers of diesel shed and faculty of Diesel Traction and Training Centre (DTTC) carried out mass tree plantation at the training centre. Only treated effluent water discharged with the effluent treatment plant would be used for watering these trees, she said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Trichy /TNN / January 03rd, 2014