The German owned Kramski Stamping and Moulding Private Limited (KSMPL) based in Pallikonda has, for the first time, been awarded the Star Performer Award for their outstanding export performance for the year 2012-13 from the Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) under the ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Kramski manufactures high precision miniaturized stampings and plastic injection moldings (such as insert and outsert moldings, Reel-to-Reel moldings and Robot integrated Moldings) that are exported to Japan, Korea, Germany, China, Turkey and Brazil besides catering to the domestic market.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by V. NarayanaMurthy / January 08th, 2015
After 37 years, the 1976-78 batch of Class 11 students of Suburban School in Ramnagar met in the city to spend an evening together. Now in their fifties, these men and women enjoyed catching up with each other, recollecting their school days while sharing a scrumptious meal.
Amidst some teasing and taunting, they danced to musical numbers that were popular in the 70s. To spice up the event, there was a ‘power-lifting’ competition where the men were asked to carry their wives.
While there was only prize on offer for the man carrying his wife in the air for the longest time, the jury was forced to give away three as there were three men who refused to let go of their wivesss.
‘This was the first time all of us are meeting after 37 years,” said V Natarajan, professor and head, Department of Mass Communication, Periyar University. Out of the 88 students in the class, 35 had managed to participate in the reunion. Some of them had come from as far as Simla and one even from Indonesia.
superintending engineer, Tangedco, Coimbatore metro circle, responded with, “You not only dress like a politician but you speak like one too”. tnn
There was also some mittai, pori urundai, kalkona and other eatables that used to be sold near the school, at the event, bringing back memories of the good old days.
Kuttram Kadithal, a yet to be released movie, won the Best Tamil film award at 12th Chennai International film festival, which concluded on Thursday evening. This film was premiered on the last day of the festival.
Almost 170 films were screened over eight days in various city theatres. Director P. Vasu, one of the jury members, said Kutram Kadithal was one of the best films at the festival.
“It is a film made by mostly newcomers. The film has a soul and so much depth. I am sure it will do well,” he said.
The film’s director, Bramma, said the award was possible because of the support they received from every section of society. “Even until a few days ago, we did not know anything about the world of movies. We have come a long way because the medium has become so accessible,” said Bramma.
A number of other awards were also presented at the function. Filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj, whoseJigarthanda did not make it to the competition section, won the Amitabh Bachchan Youth Icon award.
Filmmaker and actor R. Partheban won the Special Jury Award for his experimental film, Kadhai, Thiraikadhai, Vasanam Iyakkam while Halitha Shameem won Special Jury Mention award for her film,Poovarasam Peepi. She is also the first woman to win the award.
Sadhuranga Vettai, which starred Natraj in the lead, won the second best feature in Tamil film competitive section.
The film is about how superstitions are being used by fraudsters to cheat the devout of money and valuables.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Udhav Naig / Chennai – December 26th, 2014
For a change, the words cinema and overdose are in the same sentence but have nothing to do with a suicidal actor. In what may perhaps be seen as a massive haemorrhage of Tamil film releases this year, 215 films hit the screens — the first time in the history of Tamil cinema that it has breached the double century mark. And according to Film News Anandan, the veteran who aggregates Kollywood releases every year, it’s all due to, “bad sense, family pressure and politics”.
It’s also 35 per cent more than the number of films that released the previous year (164). If you’re wondering when most of these movies hit theatres and who acted in them, here’s the answer: “Everyone in these movies is a newcomer. The father of the hero is usually the producer and he’s usually a man who knows the film won’t do well. So he’ll simply release the film in two suburban theatres running two shows and pay them off,” said a member of Tamil Nadu Film Director’s Association.
A director-producer himself, he related how he had held off release of one of his star-cast films for 3 months because he wanted a solo release, but settled for the release of two smaller films. “What Aascar Ravichandran is going through with Ai is a prime example. The movie should have released on Diwali, but he wants a safe date so that it will see a good run,” he said.
If this wasn’t bad enough, 144 films were censored in 2014, but are yet to release because of lack of enough screens.
If that wasn’t bad enough, the numbers could have been a lot higher, if not for the restraint of a few – apparently 144 films were censored through 2014, but are yet to release because there just aren’t enough screens out there.
“It’s a very unhealthy trend that so many films are releasing for the sake of it. No one can make a profit,” Keyar, one of the erstwhile movers and shakers of TPFC, told Express. Profitability may be the prime goal. But it’s fast becoming a fickle mistress when even mega budget films like Kochadaiiyaan and Kaththi could not enjoy solo releases – like the days of yore. “Big films lose a little money, but small films lose a lot of money. There are two producers who released their films running just the noon show in a theatre in Alandur, just so that they can contest union elections. Who will regulate things like that?” wondered Anandan.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Daniel Thimmayya / December 30th, 2014
While communal tension flaring up in many parts of the country, believers in city came together to build a shrine where all faiths can coexist peacefully. An inter-faith shrine modeled as the famous LOTUS temple in USA was inaugurated in Chettipalayam on Monday. Opening of the shrine that spread in 2.5 acre was to mark the birth centenary of Swami Satchidananda Maharaj, the founder of integral yoga. This is the first such worshiping place to be opened in the city.
The first LOTUS temple, called the Light of Truth Universal Shrine, was inaugurated in Yogaville in USA 1986 under the leadership of Swami Satchidananda as a place for worship for believers from different faiths. “Swami Satchidananda was a visionary and he realised the need for interfaith movement more than 50 year ago,” said D R Karthikeyan, former CBI director and chairman of the Swami Satchidananda Centenary Celebrations Committee. “There is need for more such movements today than ever before as thousands have been killed in the name of religion and god in different parts of the world,” he said.
The altars for Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Jainism, Taoism, Buddhism and Sikhism were opened on the occasion by governor K Rossaiah. “The Jewish community in the country has dwindled to a handful,” said Keith Hallegua, a member of Jewish community in Jew Town in Kochi.
“This altar is a reflection of the story and existence of the synagogue in Fort Kochi which was built on a land donated by the Kochi Maharaja. It has a Hindu temple located right next to it,” said Hallegua.
A separate meditation hall for people of all faiths was inaugurated by Mataji Sharadendra Giri from Uttarkashi. AIADMK MLA S P Velumani, minister of municipal administration, rural development and law, mayor P Rajkumar also attended the function.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / TNN / December 23rd, 2014
Bringing the community closer is what Solai Adaikalavan’s website on the Nagarathars is hoping to do. Savitha Gautam.
They are known for their sharp business acumen and clan loyalty. For over 150 years, the Nagarathars (better known as Chettiars) of Tamil Nadu have made an amazing contribution to the world of trade and commerce. Often hailed as the pioneers of organised banking in the country and credited with introducing of double-entry bookkeeping (debit and credit), this small community was, and continues to be, a close-knit one.
The rise of the Nagarathars began in the early 1900s when men armed with just courage and determination followed jungle trails in South and Southeast Asia to set up businesses in these virgin areas. Today, their business philosophy is visible across the globe.
But, over the past few decades, the community seems to be slowly losing its stranglehold over the entrepreneurial world. Some attribute it to traumatic post-Independence experiences, while others feel this is due to today’s general economic environment. Whatever the reason, many youngsters are now opting for safe jobs (especially IT) or similar safe-agency businesses. According to statistics, over 80 per cent of today’s Chettiar graduates, both men and women, are employed in the IT industry.
This set Solai Adaikalavan thinking. The Chennai-born Sydney-based second-generation Chettiar spoke to several people from her community. “I felt there was a shift in the attitudes of young Chettiar men and women towards their history.” In 2013, an International Business Conference of Nagarathars, a first-of-its-kind event, was organised by the Nagarathar Association, Singapore. “That was when an idea about setting up a website germinated,” says Adaikalavan.
With help from family and friends, she launched www.nagaratharbusinessgroup.com on November 23, 2013, in Singapore. “There’s a multi-pronged approach to the way the site is designed. Using technology, the site hopes to rope in able, experienced elders who can guide the young entrepreneurs on various biz mantras. Besides, the digital communication platform will serve as link to the Nagarathar groups, speaking their language and transcending geographical boundaries.”
Armed with a Masters in IT, Adaikalavan envisaged a one-of-its-kind online initiative that would have a two-pronged approach in bringing the community closer — communicate and be a catalyst in bringing back the glory Chettiars enjoyed as entrepreneurs.
How different is this site compared to other community sites? “It has a specific purpose. Members can get advice from people within the community, advertise their business, upload articles or voice their thoughts. There’s a heritage link aimed at educating Gen Next about our culture and tradition.” And the target visitor? “It is for both people already in business willing to share their expertise and those passionate about business but in need of some guidance.”
The website now has about 300 members. “The community is rather conservative,” says Solai. “So people register but seem reluctant to use the site.”
Bringing the community together.Photo: special arrangement
The website, designed by her friend Arathi Lawrence, has many interesting features to look out for. To mention a few:
Mentor forum: Here, experienced and knowledgeable elders of the community can guide a greenhorn in the nitty-gritty of business management.
Business Directory: A detailed list of all the members and their business interests, so that members can make enquiries or get other information.
Nagarathar Heritage: This section is an archive of contributions made by the members. It highlights the cultural ethos of the Nagarathars and its uniqueness to a younger generation.
Chat: Members can have online chats and establish contact.
Mobile App: Soon-to-be-launched app will help the tech-savvy keep in touch on the go.
Will it serve the purpose? Only time will tell.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Magazine / by Savitha Gautam / December 27th, 2014
Walking through the grand portals of the Madras Club to relive its history
The mention of Madras Club will evoke pictures of the magnificent Moubray’s cupola after which it is named, its grand columns and chandeliered interiors, excellent cuisine and the sound of music and dances that has wafted across the Adyar River for nearly two centuries. But waiting for my appointment, I wander towards the great banyan tree in front, recalling a story in Col. Love’s history of the Club (1832-1900). Describing the banyan opposite his bedroom a “standing nuisance”, a sleep-deprived resident of the Club wrote in the complaints book that the “infernal tree” was home to half the crows of Madras, and when the fruit ripened, had the other half joining them in chorus. Screeching flying-foxes that let out war-cries and chirping small birds added to the overall racket, he recorded bitterly, and left the premises in haste in spite of the appointment of “an intimidator/crowman” to shoo the birds away.
Madras Club
That is only one of the many vignettes that swirl through the grand portals of the “Ace of Clubs”. The second oldest surviving club in India after Calcutta’s Bengal Club, it has grown in three homes including the present one. The Club met for the first time in 1832 with Chief Justice Sir Robert Comyn in the Chair and facilitated the purchase of a Club House before the opening date of 15/05/1832. Sir Henry Chamier, the Chief Secretary, was its first president. When a swelling membership necessitated larger space, a four-acre property was bought in 1852 and a five-acre one was leased from Col. Patullo in 1898. Thanks to its illustrious presidents and members, by its golden jubilee year, the Club’s stature rose to be considered equal to that of the legendary Melbourne Club, Australia. The Club became famous for the grand balls it hosted in honour of British royalty.
After it moved into its second home at Branson Bagh opposite Church Park School, its shaky financial position necessitated increase in subscription, and to reduce the burden of members who were also members of the Adyar Club (1890), after a seven-year discussion, Madras Club merged with Adyar Club in 1963 and stands surrounded by Mowbrays Garden, comprising 12.7 acres. The Cupola, built by George Mowbrays, a businessman-turned-Sheriff/Mayor of Madras, dates before 1792. It is now a business-cum-family club with a parking area for 150 cars, 14 residential rooms, the oldest private library in the city, two restaurants, a bakery, five tennis courts, swimming pool (being cleaned by a robot now), gym, a jogging track — all located on the Adyar River.
Madras Club
“You’ll find this club culture in British colonies alone,” says a senior member of the Club, as we sip tea at the popular poolside café. “All the prominent clubs in Chennai are modelled on British clubs. British officers, Indian officers and clerks followed hierarchy strictly in office, but socialised informally at their club.” Catering is very formal in the main dining area where there is a dress-code (“jacket is mandatory”), but for a spot of informality along with grilled sandwiches, walk into the poolside hall.
Sharing stories of his 20-year association with the Club, he asks, “Did you know the “mulligatawny soup” had its origin here?” referring to the anglicised version of milagu thanni. “We met Prince Charles here,” says his wife. “And later in the evening he saw me at the Rajaji Hall and remarked: You are wearing a different sari!”
We walk up the original steps to the grand vestibule and after a brief look at the crest featuring St. George and the motto Concordia Vires, step into the lounge to admire the octagon (the underside of the cupola) with stars painted on it. We walk through the ancient bar, the century-old ballroom now decorated for Christmas. Spread everywhere are pieces of graceful furniture. The Club is a place to relax, recuperate and meet people, says the senior member. Name any corporate honcho/captain of industry/ diplomat; you’ll bump into him/her at the playground, cafe or bar. “The Madras Club has a village atmosphere that has stood the test of time. People take refuge here from the chaos outside. It is the tranquillity that members seek.” The Club is still an exclusive organisation, but the informality outside has found inevitable reflection in the running of the grand old place. It has also acquired a health aspect to its social ambience, another nod to the changing clime.
Historian S. Muthiah concludes in his book on the Club with these words: “And that’s what makes the Club, not its bricks and mortar and trees, but a membership that recognises that it is a privilege to belong to the institution… and is committed to keeping it ‘The Ace of Clubs’.”
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Friday Review> History & Culture / by Geeta Padmanabhan / December 23rd, 2014
James Maynard receiving the 2014 SASTRA-Ramanujan award at a function held in Kumbakonam on Sunday | express
Kumbakonam :
The 2014 SASTRA-Ramanujan Prize was awarded to James Maynard of Oxford University, England, and the University of Montreal, Canada, at a function held in Sastra Ramanujan Centre here on Sunday.
Mangalam Srinivasan, Special Advisor, Kennedy school of Government in Harvard University and fellow of Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CFTA), Harvard University, presented the prestigious award to the 27-year-old Maynard.
Professor Krishnaswami Alladi of Univeristy of Florida and Chairman of the award committee read the citation for the award. He said James Maynard is being awarded the 2014 Sastra Ramanujan Prize for his revolutionary contributions to prime number theory, for making strongest advances thus far on various long standing problems of primes and for the ingenious techniques he has introduced which influence future research in the field.
The citation also pointed out James Maynard, who received his Doctorate in Philosophy from Oxford University in 2013, has been a Post-doctoral fellow at the University of Montreal, Canada. Prof.Krishnaswami Alladi while reading the citation, recalled the genesis of this Award in 2005.
S Vaidhaysubramaniam, Dean, Planning and Development of Sastra was also present during the occasion.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / December 22nd, 2014
Tamil writer Poomani has won this year’s Sahitya Akademi award for his historical novel ‘Agnaadi’. The novel has been called “a landmark work” and covers a period of more than 170 years from the beginning of the 19th century, revolving mainly around the lives and fortunes of several families in villages in Virudhunagar district.
The 1,200-page novel looks at caste conflicts in the region over the past two centuries. It has also won the inaugural Gitanjali literary prize.
While last year’s award winner, Joe D’Cruz’s novel ‘Aazhi Soozh Ulagu’ (Ocean-Ringed Earth), was based on imagination and creative writing, Poomani’s book is a research-based story – similar to Su Venkatesan’s ‘Kaval Kottam’ that is a saga of the kallar community. Poomani, though born in a dalit-pallar family, has written about families belonging to various communities including nadars whose socio-economic and cultural advancement in the 100 years, giving rise to a prosperous business class in Virudhunagar, is a remarkable story in modern Tamil society.
Pooliththurai Manickavasagam, aka Poomani, collected information on events and developments during the colonial period using archival sources in the region. In addition, the author also collected source materials from National Archives and the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library in New Delhi, National Library in Kolkata, and the India Office Library in London.
“Poomani is an acclaimed author and is famous for his writings on dalits. He deserves to receive the award,” said writer S Ramakrishnan.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / TNN / December 20th, 2014
Vice Admiral R K Pattanaik, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, inspecting the cadets during the 83rd Helicopter Conversion Course, held at Naval Air Station, INS Rajali at Arakkonam on Saturday | express
Vellore :
Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral R K Pattanaik, AVSM, YSM, awarded ‘wings’ to 10 pilots – eight naval and two coast guard pilots at the passing-out parade held at the 83rd Helicopter Conversion Course at Naval Air Station (NAS), INS Rajali, in Arakkonam on Saturday.
Vice Admiral Pattanaik also awarded ‘The Governor of Kerala Rolling Trophy’, for the best all-round trainee pilot and a book prize, for standing first in ground subjects to Himanshu Kukreja and awarded ‘The Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command Rolling Trophy’ for the trainee pilot standing first in order of merit in flying, to Praffur Kishor Itape.
Speaking on the occasion, Pattanaik congratulated the trainee pilots, and wished them success in their future endeavours. “You (trainee pilots) have faced and overcome many difficulties during the trainee period to gain success. But, this is not the end but is instead the beginning of your career. The real problems are waiting for you, outside the base.”
The pilots underwent rigorous training for 22 weeks in flying and aviation subjects at the Helicopter Training School (HTS) INAS 561 located in the NAS at Arakkonam. The HTS commanded by Paul Mathew has graduated 616 pilots for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard till date.
The squadron was awarded the ‘Best Training Squadron’ trophy for the year 2013-14. The school was also recently awarded ISO 9001:2008 certification and has also been adjudged ‘The Best Naval Air Squadron’ for the year 2012-13 among all the naval air squadrons of the Navy. The squadron is 43 years old and was initially established at INS Garuda, Kochi and later in June 1992 was re-based in INS Rajali in Arakkonam.
Graduating pilots will be joining operational flights in Mumbai, Port Blair, Goa, Kochi, Visakhapatnam, Daman and Chennai.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / December 22nd, 2014
