Category Archives: Records, All

Icons of Coimbatore award presented

Business & Economy, Leaders, Records, All

Rathinam Group of Institutions, with The Hindu as media partner, presented the Icons of Coimbatore award here on Monday. A release from the Rathinam Group said Bishar Al Shaar, Deputy Ambassador, and Salam Socar, Cultural and Media Attache, Embassy, Syrian Arab Republic, presented the awards in the presence of Madhan A. Senthil, Chairman of the Rathinam Group of Institutions.

Mr. Senthil said his group has been identifying persons for the award since 2013. Mr. Shaar said Syrian students were keen on pursuing their higher education in India because of the hospitable nature of the people and the culture. At present, there were 400 students in various Indian institutions. He also said that Syria looked forward to rebuilding the country with Indian support.

The recipients of the award were Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev of Isha Foundation, Manickam Athappa Gounder, Chairman, MAK Group of Companies, Jaya Mahesh, Founder, Jaya Mahesh Body Sculpting Therapy, Vignesh Prabhu, Illusionist, R. Manikandan, coordinator, Kovai Kulangal Pathugappu Amaipu, Manimekalai Mohan, Founder, SSVM Institutions, Nanjil Nadan, Tamil writer, A. Rajkumar, Chairman and Director, Clinical Operations, GKNM Hospital, Rajesh Govindarajulu, jeweller and columnist, R. Sathy, Headmistress, Panchayat Union Primary School, Madukkarai, K. Priyanka, chess champion, A. Kanniyappan, Para Olympian, Balaji, radio jockey, R. Raveendran, Secretary, Residents Awareness Association of Coimbatore, and S. Vengojayaprasad, Diabetologist and Consultant Physician, Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.

R. Manickam, Chief Executive Officer, Rathinam Group of Institutions, presided over the function.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Coimbatore / by Special Correspondent / Coimbatore – February 26th, 2019

We never expected an Oscar: Muruganantham

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All, World Opinion
Inspiring people: Arunachalam Muruganantham in Coimbatore on Monday.
Inspiring people: Arunachalam Muruganantham in Coimbatore on Monday.

Arunachalam Muruganantham, a 56-year-old social entrepreneur in Coimbatore, had his handset ringing with congratulatory calls and messages on Monday morning. Period. End of Sentence, a documentary that reflects his work, had won an Oscar in the Best Short Documentary category.

“I am very happy. We never expected an Oscar. The subject (menstrual hygiene) has reached a global audience. Not just in India, but, women in Kenya, Uganda, or Bangladesh can learn about menstrual hygiene through the documentary,” he says.

Pad Man, the Akshay Kumar-starrer inspired by the life of Mr. Muruganantham had created a huge impact in India. The Oscar for Period. End of Sentence will take the subject to more people in different countries, he adds. “I have received several calls from women who have seen the movie and not only started using the napkins but are educating other women too. That is the real award.”

After nearly seven years of research, Mr. Muruganantham started manufacturing machines in 2004 to produce affordable sanitary napkins. The machines are set up mainly in rural areas where women make the napkins and sell them. “I have installed 5,300 machines in India. More than one lakh women are employed and they produce 1,500 different brands of sanitary pads,” he says.

The aim is to achieve 100% use of sanitary napkins among women and provide self-employment opportunities to 10 lakh women. He has also enabled installation of the machines in 24 countries, including six machines in Pakistan and 10 in Bangladesh. He has trained a group of women in Afghanistan. One machine will be commissioned in Chennai on March 8 this year to be operated by 20 hearing and speech impaired women.

According to him, the challenge is not in installing the machinery but in breaking the taboo against use of sanitary napkins. “Several communities have beliefs against use of the pads. Such beliefs exist in many other countries too.” “The Government should include menstrual hygiene in the curriculum,” he says. The Delhi government plans to incorporate a summary of important events in his life in the school curriculum.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Coimbatore / by M. Soundariya Preetha / Coimbatore – February 25th, 2019

Women entrepreneurs awarded by FICCI FLO

Business & Economy, Leaders, Records, All

It was a celebration of women, their strengths and achievements at the Hyatt Regency, at the Women Achievers Awards organised by FICCI FLO.

Governor of Tamil Nadu Banwarilal Purohit was present  Nakshatra Krishnamoorthy
Governor of Tamil Nadu Banwarilal Purohit was present  Nakshatra Krishnamoorthy

Chennai :

It was a celebration of women, their strengths and achievements at the Hyatt Regency, at the Women Achievers Awards organised by FICCI FLO. The chief guest of the event was Governor of Tamil Nadu Banwarilal Purohit, and the special guest was Suhasini Maniratnam. They were welcomed by chairperson Anupama Shivaraman.

The theme of the awards this year was Shakti, to honour the strength and patience of women. More than 30 entrepreneurs were present along with their friends and families. “Women have come a long way, by getting recognised in various fields and sectors. In the past, success was affiliated with men alone. Now, this has changed and will balance out in the future,” said Suhasini.

After a three-member jury analysed the participant’s contribution in various fields and sectors, seven were listed as winners. The award for the outstanding women category was given to Sangeeta Sumesh, a high-performance coach, ED & CFO, author, and global professional speaker, and Dr RA Karthika, research scholar and associate professor.

The award for outstanding social entrepreneur was given to Srimati Kesan, CEO, Space Kidz India. The outstanding upcoming entrepreneur award was given to Sruti Harisubramaniam, founder of Goli Soda. The outstanding NGO award was given to Anew.

The outstanding women entrepreneur award was given to Kaveri Lalchand, owner of the Kaveri Cloth line.

“The award should be named ‘Achievers Award’, omitting women, because we have reached a point where women are as strong and empowered as men and it’s time to move beyond comparing platforms,” said Kaveri.

The Governor, while stating how proud he was to witness events where women inspire each other, asked the entrepreneurs to reach out to poorer sections of the society. The event ended with a Kuchipudi and Kathak performance, conceptualised by Jigyasa Giri and performed by S Uma Murali and her team.

Saluting strong women
The theme of the awards this year was Shakti, to honour the strength and patience of women. A three-member jury judged the participants.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Rinreichui Kashung / Express News Service / February 27th, 2019

Chennai’s Senate House opens its doors to the public

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinion

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The beauty of its Moorish-themed walls and exquisite high ceiling is no longer hidden behind shuttered windows — Senate House is one of the venues of Chennai Photo Biennale

It stands at the site of what was once the Nawab of Arcot’s artillery park. From its shady boulevard guns were fired to greet visitors. Today, Senate House stands a silent sentinel gazing at the Marina as students mill about its grounds, pigeons roost in its eaves and visitors throng the Chennai Photo Biennale’s exhibition held in its ornate halls.

Shuchi Kapoor, founding member, CPB, who was also instrumental in getting permission for venues, says, “We had heard about how beautiful Senate Hall was and how it would lend itself to the Biennale. We started work on getting permissions to host exhibitions in 2017 and through The Hindu, Goethe Institut and the Head of the Department of Journalism were able to access the office of the Vice Chancellor. It took us a year to get the permission. It had been renovated recently but hadn’t been used. Despite low maintenance it was impressive when opened up and we knew it would make for a perfect venue. We hope this will push our ‘adopt a venue’ programme, going forward, that will involve corporates lending support to upkeep these lovely spaces.”

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Senate House was completed in 1879. The library and teaching departments were built in similar style to lend it continuity. The fragile beauty of Senate House was the result of the genius of Robert Fellowes Chisholm who as a young engineer at 21 won a contest and was chosen to design Presidency College and a building to house the offices of the University. Chisholm is also credited with designing the Lakshmi Vilas Palace and the Museum in Baroda, Lawrence school in Ooty and the Rangoon Cathedral. In a way, he changed the skyline of Madras and by the end of his tenure in India in 1902 was considered the master of Indo-Saracenic architecture .

The main door of Senate House faces the Centenary buildings and opens to the Great Hall (150 feet long, 60 feet wide and 50 feet high from boarded floor to ornate, canvas ceiling). It was here that convocations were once held, here that students in robes and academic caps celebrated in jubilation before the University expanded and convocations were held at the Centenary auditorium across the road. When the first Assembly was constituted in 1937, it was here that it met.

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Light from the evening sun filters through the arcaded verandahs supported by stone capitals with Indian figurines. The red hand-pressed brick is firm to the touch and cool despite the searing heat. Broomhall’s tiles cover the roofs from where pigeons fly out to wheel over the Bay and back. Windows — shuttered, vertical and circular — covered in stained glass and woodwork lend it the solemn air of a cathedral. Mooresque colours dominate the walls and lecture halls on the floor above are accessed through grand stairways. The minarets and porches lend it a fabled feel. From the star-embossed stone porches one can see the almost-forgotten statue of Queen Victoria seated shrouded under a canopy of wild bushes. Gazing at the sea and the cars parked in front of it with its back to Senate House is the statue of S Subramania Aiyar, first Indian Vice Chancellor.

On the day I visit, work is in progress for the Biennale. The clickety-clack of a typewriter from the Publications office on the ground floor echoes through the hall. Workers erect installations and artists are at work. Dust dances in the sunbeams that light up the floor and lends Senate Hall a touch of fast-fading old world grace. Go before its doors close and its beauty blushes unseen.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Society> History & Culture / by Deepa Alexander / February 26th, 2019

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University’s mobile app wins 1.25 lakh USD prize

Education, Records, All, Science & Technologies, World Opinion

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University’s learning app, has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Barbara Bush Foundation’s Adult Literacy XPRIZE competition.

Chennai :

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University’s learning app, has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Barbara Bush Foundation’s Adult Literacy XPRIZE competition. It has been awarded 1.25 lakh USD for winning the first round of the competition, said a press release.

Amrita is one of the four teams which demonstrated significant improvement in language skills in both, Native Speakers (NS) and English as a Second Language (ESL) learners during a 12-month test period. The competition will now move on to the next phase – the Communities Challenge – wherein the final four apps will be scaled up to enrol one million users across the US.

The Amrita Learning App was developed by an 18-member team from the university’s Center for Research in Advanced Technologies for Education. The app is available for free on the Google Play Store.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express News Service / February 24th, 2019

Chennai college honours under-35 female achievers

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Education, Leaders, Records, All

The second edition of Yuva Sammaan Awards was held on Saturday evening with pomp and show at the MOP Vaishnav College for Women.

The awardees were given a citation and `1 lakh each  D Sampathkumar
The awardees were given a citation and `1 lakh each  D Sampathkumar

Chennai :

The second edition of Yuva Sammaan Awards was held on Saturday evening with pomp and show at the MOP Vaishnav College for Women. The Awards were initiated last year by the college to recognise and appreciate female achievers under the age of 35 in the fields of performing arts, sports and entrepreneurship. The awardees were given a citation and Rs 1 lakh each.

College principal, Lalitha Balakrishnan delivered the welcome address. Kumaravel, founder of Naturals Salons; Rohini Rao, a competitive sailor, and Priyadarsini Govind, a classical dancer, were the chief guests. “I have not only empowered women, but I have been benefitted because of it. I believe that the ability to think differently is the essence of good entrepreneurship. I want all of you to look at every problem as an opportunity to provide a solution,” said Kumaravel.

The jury comprised Ranjini Manian, CEO of Global Adjustments; S Venkatraman, senior consultant in the education sector of UNESCO; S Vaishya Subramaniam, writer; and Thangam Meghanathan, chairperson of the Rajalakshmi Education Trust. Thirty-five nominations were received by the college. Sruti Harihara Subramaniam, director of ‘Harmony with AR Rahman’, founder of Goli Soda and MOP alumna, won the award in the Entrepreneurship category. The other nominees in this category were Varthika Neethi Mohan of Farm@Home; Barkha V Mehta, specialising in advertising and marketing; Mathanghi Kumar, chef and partner at the Summerhouse Eatery; Savitha Chandrasekaran, specialising in robotics and product development; and Prasitha Sridhar, founder of Shopzters.

In the sports category, squash player Deepika Pallikal Karthik bagged the award. She is the first Indian to break into the top 10 in the PSA Women’s ranking. The other nominees in this category were Anitha P, basketball player and gold medalist; K Shamini, table tennis player; Sai Samhitha, tennis player; and MD Thirushkamini, cricketer.

Charumathi Raghuraman, carnatic music violinist, won the award in the performing arts category. In her acceptance speech, she thanked her family ‘for being a support system’. Carnatic vocalist and playback singer Saindhavi Prakash, Bharatanatyam dancer Vaidhevi Harish, and playback singer S Mahasri were the other nominees. Three MOP alumni — Janani Hamsini, carnatic singer; Kavyalakshmi Muralidaran, dancer, and Sudha RS Iyer, violinist/vocalist, — were also nominated.
Super Singer Junior 3 finalist Anu AP performed two songs, The band ‘One Note Stand’ rendered a mash-up of AR Rahman songs.

Performances by students
As part of the event, MOP students performed garba, a contemporary dance performance to the remix of the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack, and a thillana.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express News Service / February 25th, 2019

“Winning a medal for the country is a dream”: P Indhu

Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

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P Indhu is flush from the victory of her team against Sri Lanka in the recently held National throwball tournament

“I cannot express my joy in words. Winning a medal for the country is a dream,” says P Indhu. She was a part of the National throwball team that defeated Sri Lanka in the Indo-Sri Lankan Series (score 5-0) held at Bengaluru recently. She is a final year student of B.A Sociology from PSG College of Arts and Science in the city.

Indhu was interested in sports from a young age. “I started playing volley ball and kho-kho from class I. I joined the throwball team in class VIII.” She was soon selected by the School Games Federation of India (SGFL) to represent the state. “I was a part of the Open State National Throwball competition in 2011, 2014, 2016 and 2018. The one in 2018 happened at Panipat and I was chosen for the Indo-Sri Lankan series based on my performance in it. I was in college when my mentor, S Mani called me to inform about the selection. I couldn’t believe it initially. I was representing India for the first time.”

The 19 year old says that she practises everyday to keep fit. “I am trained by A Prabhu, coach for the Tamil Nadu throwball team. I run for two hours early in the mornings and play the game at Decathlon in the evenings. Before the Indo-Srilankan Series, I attended a 20-day residential camp in Bengaluru. The training was intense. I was coached by Mohammad Aquib, the national throwball team coach. My team mates were from other states and I have played against them in the state matches. It was fun to get to know them and to learn from them.”

She was a part of all the five games in the series. “The competition was tough. They were also a strong team. I am now preparing for the upcoming South Asian Throwball Series.”

Indhu says that though throwball is a popular sport, it is not recognised in most of the colleges and universities in the state. “I do not know the reason. My college does not have a throwball team. I play with students from other colleges interested in this game during my practice sessions. If more educational institutions support the sport, I am sure there will be more players taking up throwball seriously.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sports> Other Sports / by Susan Joe Philip / February 19th, 2019

3D printing tech helps reconstruct woman’s jaw

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technologies, World Opinion

With the help of 3D printing technology, doctors reconstructed the jaw of a 20-year-old woman from Sudan at a private hospital in the city recently.

The patient, who preferred anonymity, approached Gleneagles Global Health City with a contour deformity of the lower jaw. She had undergone surgery to remove a benign tumour of the jaw a few months ago in Sudan.

A segment of the lower jaw bone was removed and the gap was bridged with the plate which caused major contour deformity in the due course and she could not close her mouth. She had difficulty in swallowing and her major concern was the face deformity and the absence of teeth on that side. The team of doctors, headed by S. Selva Seetha Raman, senior consultant plastic surgeon, Gleneagles Global Health City, planned for the reconstruction of the jaw bone.

The doctors with the help of 3D printing technology and CT scan image created a 3D mirror image of the opposite side to reconstruct an entire jaw bone model.

Fifty years on, aircraft wreck found

Green Initiatives/ Environment, Records, All, World Opinion

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Seahawk jet sank in 1964 off the Neelankarai coast in south Chennai

A team of scuba divers has stumbled upon the wreckage of a single-seater aircraft that sank in the 1960s off the Neelankarai coast in south Chennai.

Residents of the fishing hamlet recalled that they had rescued the pilot, who was pulled out by two men who caught his long tresses on that day.

“I was just 10 years old then and my father showed me the aircraft as we were returning home after fishing. I saw it from a distance and saw it sink into the water,” said Devadas Ganapathi, who is now 65. His son Chandru was one of the four divers who found the wreckage. The others were S.S.B. Aravind Tharunsri, master instructor, Professional Association of Diving Instructors in Australia, who led the diving expedition, and Thimoth and Arun.

A report in The Hindu on August 13, 1964, said that an aircraft mechanic of the Navy had taken the Seahawk jet fighter for a spin from the Meenambakkam airport at 7.15 a.m. without informing the control tower. After circling over the city, he returned to the airport but could not land and went for another round but later crashed into the sea.

Mr. Devadas said that the man was unconscious when he was dragged out of the water and, later when he regained consciousness, he gave ₹10 notes to four fishers who helped him.

Scuba diver Mr. Aravind said the wreckage found at a depth of 12 metres at a distance of 1.5 km was quite intact.

“One wing is under the sea bed and the other one tilted upwards at an angle. Fishermen kept telling us to help them with the object that cut their nets. And two days ago, we found this wreckage. We will not touch it since it is not allowed,” he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Deepa H. Ramakrishnan / Chennai – February 21st, 2019

Hark back in time

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Records, All

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The newly launched Moore Market in Velachery takes visitors on a trip to the past with its collection of books and antiques

A doorway made entirely of books welcomes you into the newly launched Moore Market, a bookstore/café/antiques marketplace at Grand Square in Velachery. As you step inside, there are rows and rows of books flanked by two cafés and coffee tables that invite you to sit down and spend a leisurely afternoon sipping some fine brews from Coorg and read a book.

But it’s the ceiling that truly captivates me. There are books of all kinds — paperbacks, hardbound and graphic novels — suspended from the ceiling, some even doubling up as lamps with naked bulbs speared through them.

The brainchild of Zarook Shah, owner of Grand Square, the store takes visitors back in time with its impressive collection of antiques. There are rows of records, coins, telephones, cameras, camel bone walking sticks, grandfather clocks, utensils, armchairs, radios and other knick-knacks to choose from. “I wanted to recreate the nostalgia of the iconic market that was once everyone’s favourite shopping destination in Madras,” says Zarook.

In fact, the launch of the space last weekend treated audiences to screenings of Laurel and Hardy, and Charlie Chaplin movies played on a vintage film reel projector. The launch also saw two book signings and an auction kept people on their toes. The auction began as low as ₹1 and the item that sold for the most amount was an ancient seal for ₹30,000. “Going forth, the auction will be a regular affair,” says Zarook, who is keen on keeping the memory of the iconic market alive.

As a child, Zarook would make it a point to make that weekly trip to Moore Market, behind Chennai Central, with his siblings and cousins. The halls and corridors of the imposing colonial structure would be buzzing with activity as hawkers and vendors would sell everything from books, clothes, antiques to even pets of all kinds. Behind the market was a lily pond and the zoo (which has now moved to Vandalur). And it was in this area that the annual Jumbo Circus would be held, another draw for Zarook.

“Moore Market was where we went for entertainment. There were no malls and cafés back then and we looked forward to our weekly trips to the market. I was an avid reader and books were my best friends. It was there that I found several page turners — Aesop’s Fables, Amar Chitra Katha, Hardy Boys and National Geographic,” he says. “But we would make it a point to ask our driver to park the car some distance away and walk to the market. Because, the vendors would quote different prices to those coming on foot and those coming by car,” he laughs.

In fact, Moore Market was the favourite shopping destination for most people in Madras till it burnt down in 1985. The fire that changed the face of Central Chennai, also led to a new complex for the vendors of the market, albeit without its colonial charm and flavour. “But it just isn’t the same any more,” says Zarook.

The jeweller-turned-businessman admits that he’d always dreamed of opening a bookstore with a café in it and when the opportunity finally presented itself, he decided to give his plans a twist by incorporating some history into it. While the antique collection will be changed every other week by Bidfe, whom Zarook has partnered with, the space will also host events to encourage upcoming artistes and entrepreneurs.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Life & Style / by Ranjani Rajendra / February 21st, 2019