AR Rahman’s music is remembered throughout the world for its charm and variety, but now, even his name will be remembered as a road’s name. A street in Markham, Ontario, Canada is named after him. It will be called ‘Allah-Rakha Rahman st’.
AR Rahman, who is also known as the Mozart of Madras, has been honoured for his contribution to the world of music and arts.
He is one of the few Indians to have won two Grammy awards and two Academy Awards, yet he retains the humility of a common man.
A street in Canada is named after AR Rahman. He has been honoured for his contribution to the world of music.
The music maestro made history when he became the first Indian to win two Oscars in a year, 2009, for Danny Boyle’s ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, the rags-to-riches story of a Mumbai slum-dweller. Rahman had also bagged two awards at the 52nd Annual Grammy for his song ‘Jai ho’ from the same film.
source: http://www.ibnlive.in.com / IBN Live.com / Home / November 06th, 2013
An IIT-M alumnus professor, Ravi Kumar, 61, has been appointed the dean of the Nanyang Business School (NBS) in Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
Ravi Kumar comes from the University of Southern California’s Marshall Business School, where he held several key leadership positions, including that of Vice-Dean for international programmes and Vice-Dean for graduate programmes. The university in its press release on Tuesday described Kumar as ‘an academic heavyweight with a good blend of east-west experience’.
The release quoted Kumar, “NTU has an ambitious leadership that has been consistently building its brand worldwide. As one of the pillars of the university, the Nanyang Business School has a great reputation for thought leadership.”
His appointment came after a comprehensive review of international candidates by a six-member search committee, led by Insead professor Gabriel Hawawini for two years.
Previously, Kumar served as the Dean of the College of Business at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. He introduced reforms that saw the Korean college break into the top 100 of the Financial Times global MBA rankings.
On his East-West experience, Kumar said, “Maybe it has to do with the Confucian tradition or Asian thinking; Korean students thirst for learning, work very hard to succeed in being educated and really prize education, and their professors. But they are also less likely to question their professors’ ideas or come up with alternative viewpoints. The non-Asian students in the US, however, have that native irreverence and vitality, so they are very happy to question anything and everything the professors say!”
Prof Kumar, the ardent champion of business education feels most proud when some of his former students have become successful executives of commercial and non-profit companies. “As an educator, nothing matters more than helping your students to realise their potential and know they have made it good,” he said.
A table tennis champion and player for the IIT-M in his young days, Kumar received his Bachelor of Technology degree in Mechanical Engineering from the institute in 1974. He holds a Master of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Texas, and a Doctorate of Philosophy from the Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences Department at North western University.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> News> Current Affairs / DC / June 19th, 2013
Bharat Joshi is the new British Deputy High Commissioner in Chennai.
He succeeds Mike Nithavrianakis who had served here for four very active years. Joshi will have a challenging task ahead as a major part of his Chennai portfolio is focused on enhancing the trade and investment partnership between the UK and the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.
Born in Croydon, UK, in 1969, Joshi joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 1995 and has had diplomatic postings in Gambia, Dhaka and Qatar. He was most recently British High Commissioner to Cameroon and non-resident Ambassador to Gabon, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and Central African Republic.
A specialist in crisis management, he had been deployed to the scenes of major incidents involving British nationals including after the bombing of the British consulate general at Istanbul in 2003.
He has spent much time in dealing with critical diplomatic issues, including promoting trade and human rights, besides climate change and UN policy issues.
Joshi said he is hugely excited “returning to my country of origin at a time when the UK’s relations with India are growing at a faster pace than ever before — evidenced by growing trade, the opening of new UK offices across India and regular high-level visits in both directions — is a dream come true.”
He said he was “looking forward to getting to know this part of the country and its people over the next few years.” Joshi is married to Bhakti for 17 years and they have two daughters. Cricket, badminton, history, reading and travelling are among his prime interests.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> News> Current Affairs / by DC / November 06th, 2013
Viswanathan Anand winning the World Junior Chess Championship and subsequently earning the GM title is an important landmark not just for Anand but for Indian chess too as it set up a chess revolution in India. AP file photo
Great sportsmen have a unique way of achieving milestones with an effortless ease which others from the same breed shudder to think of. What sets them apart is the fact that they are ambitious, think ahead of the times and venture into areas that none from their ilk could ever dream of.
Viswanathan Anand winning the World Junior Chess Championship and subsequently earning the GM title is an important landmark not just for Anand but for Indian chess too as it set up a chess revolution in India. Anand’s feat was similar to legendary Lala Amarnath’s achievement of scoring India’s first Test century.
“Anand winning the world junior crown was a remarkable feat. Being the first one to do so was all the more special,” said Manuel Aaron. Years of practice, dedication, sacrifice, travel helped Anand achieve something that was beyond the reach of youngsters at that time.
Although India had an IM in Manuel Aaron and several talented players, none could get near the GM norm. “There were quite a few talented players then like TS Ravi and others. Apart from his talent, what helped Anand was opportunities. Anand played many tournaments both within and outside Tamil Nadu. This exposure made him refine his game and his ability to learn (read from books) set him apart. The other players, however talented, could not go up the ladder due to paucity of exposure,” explained Aaron.
It is interesting to note that Anand in his World Junior match in 1987 defeated Simen Agdestein, who later became Magnus Carlsen’s first coach. Anand scored 9/13 to win the title and defeat Agdestein, the top seed in a crucial match in the middle of the tournament. Simen’s brother Espen Agdestein is now the manager of Carlsen. After that Anand won the Sakthi Finance International Grandmasters tournament and bagged the GM title.
GM RB Ramesh hails Anand’s feat of winning the GM title first and reckons it was an important landmark in Indian chess. “At that time we had only one IM in Manuel Aaron. No one could dream of becoming a GM and it looked like none would get there, for one needed money to go and play abroad. You have to play against and beat foreign players. Taking the cost in mind at that time, one thought becoming a GM was out of bounds,” said Ramesh.
“It is here that Anand like a torchbearer showed us the path and gave us the self belief that we (Indians) too could become GMs. His winning the World Junior title was special and the GM title later was like icing on the cake. It is because of Anand we have 34 GMs in India today. Hats off to Anand,” complimented Ramesh.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Sport / by Ashok Venugopal / ENS – Chennai / October 24th, 2013
Researchers detail new data in Proteobacteria. According to news reporting from Tamil Nadu, India, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “Nanosized materials have been an important subject in basic and applied sciences. A novel, low-cost, green and reproducible bacteria, Aeromonas hydrophila mediated biosynthesis of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) was reported.”
The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from C. Abdul Hakeem College, “The resulting nanoparticles were characterized by FTIR, XRD, AFM and FESEM with EDX. FTIR showed characteristic bands (1643 and 3430 cm(-1)) finds the role of carboxyl group OH stretching amine NH stretch in the formation of TiO2 NPs. The XRD spectrum confirmed that the synthesized TiO2 NPs were in the form of nanocrystals, as evidenced by the peaks at 2? values of 27.47°, 31.77°, 36.11°, 41.25°, 54.39°, 56.64° and 69.54° were identified as 110, 100, 101, 111, 211, 220 and 301 reflections, respectively. The crystallite sizes were calculated using Scherrer’s formula applied to the major intense peaks and found to be the size of 40.50 nm. The morphological characterization was analyzed by FESEM and the analysis showed the NPs smooth shaped, spherical and uneven. GC-MS analysis showed the main compounds found in A. hydrophila were uric acid (2.95%), glycyl-L-glutamic acid (6.90%), glycyl-L-proline (74.41%) and L-Leucyl-D-leucine (15.74%). The potential glycyl-L-proline could have played an important role as a capping agent. A possible mechanism for the biosynthesis of TiO2 NPs has been proposed.”
According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “The antibacterial activity of the synthesized TiO2 NPs was assessed by well diffusion method toward A. hydrophila, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes and Enterococcus faecalis and showed effective inhibitory activity against S. aureus (33 mm) and S. pyogenes (31 mm).”
For more information on this research see: Biological approach to synthesize TiO2 nanoparticles using Aeromonas hydrophila and its antibacterial activity. Spectrochimica Acta Part A, Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, 2013;107():82-9 (see also Proteobacteria ).
Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting C. Jayaseelan, Unit of Nano technology and Bioactive Natural Products, Post Graduate and Research Dept. of Zoology, C Abdul Hakeem College, Melvisharam, Vellore 632 509, Tamil Nadu, India. Additional authors for this research include A.A. Rahuman, S.M. Roopan, A.V. Kirthi, J. Venkatesan, S.K. Kim, M. Iyappan and C. Siva.
Keywords for this news article include: Asia, India, Tamil Nadu, Nanoparticle, Aeromonadaceae, Nanotechnology, Proteobacteria, Aeromonas hydrophila, Emerging Technologies, Gram Negative Bacteria.
source: http://www.hispanicbusiness.com / Hispanic Business.com / Home> News> News Column / October 29th, 201 3 /by a News Reporter – Staff New Editor at Life Sciences Weekly
The next few weeks are testing times for chess wizard Viswanathan Anand. For, he is busy getting himself ready – both mentally and physically – for his World Championship match against World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen next month in Chennai.
In between all the hype around the match, Vishy, as he is called, made it a point to spend time with his family for Navaratri, a festival he loves. He gets talking to us on his upcoming match, inspirations and more.
(Viswanathan Anand is busy…)
How are you preparing yourself for the big clash against Carlsen?
It’s been months of preparation – both in terms of chess, and physical work. Now, it’s the last mile. So, I’m just taking it easy and getting ready for the match.
You were in Chennai recently for Golu celebrations. How did you spend your time?
I enjoyed seeing Akhil (son) in his Indian attire at the golus. Navarathri is a beautiful time to be in Chennai. The daily visits, guests, healthy sundals and music… it’s all so beautiful. Importantly, Navaratri is a family effort – arranging the dolls and planning the scenic backdrops that go into it. This year has been hectic due to visits to other golus, but it was mainly about Akhil.
You must miss Aruna and Akhil a lot when you’re away touring. How does Akhil react when you talk to him over the phone and when you’re back home, how do you bond with him?
We like playing together; there are lots pillow fights at home! He has this book – Happy Hippo Angry Duck – that we love reading together. The trick is to pretend that we are reading it for the first time every time. His favourite pastime now is counting; so, we count anything these days. And, of course, there’s Tom and Jerry; while he cheers for Jerry, I support Tom. I love it when he wakes me up in the morning with my brush and says, “Brush teeth.”
In your career, how have you handled pressure, during and before a match? What are some things you do to ensure that it doesn’t get to you?
It’s very difficult to keep a checklist because always, the one thing you don’t want to think about will pop right into the head. I try to keep a cool face and for the rest, just rely on my game.
How friendly are you with Carlsen?
We are cordial with each other.
In a previous interview, you mentioned that you rarely get time to watch movies, and that you last watched Rajinikanth’s Sivaji…
Well, I watched Kahaani and liked it a lot. I hope to watch The Lunchbox soon. But I have been watching classic Rajini films like Billa, etc…
Finally, would you consider this as the most important match of your career, and why?
Each match I play is the most important one yet.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Sports> More Sports / by Srinivasa Ramanujam , TNN / October 19th, 2013
The IIFA Awards are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Bollywood , including the actors and actresses who have seemingly attained a ‘god-like’ status among millions of fans. Some of the most popular actresses are: The peerless Aishwarya Rai , the much-decorated Sonakshi Sinha and rising star Sonam Kapoor. It might also be a good time, however, to celebrate a couple of other Indian women who are arguably doing even more for the greater good of the society.
Born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu in 1955, Indra Krishnamurthy Nooyi is today the CEO of PepsiCo, and was rated by Fortune Magazine, each year between 2006 and 2010, as the most powerful business woman in the World. Serving as Pepsi’s CFO since 2001, Nooyi has garnered extensive accolades for her part in Pepsi’s dramatic rise in revenue and profit during the same period. She has been praised for her dynamic leadership, decisiveness and ability to rally her organization to a cause.
That a little girl born and raised in Chennai has grown up to become the most powerful business woman in the world is a stirring testament to the power of her dreams, the foundation provided by her family, and the nation that shaped her. I like the story of Indra Nooyi, for it is a reminder – powerful, tangible and inspiring – of the enduring promise of the daughters of India.
Just as little girls in India today may be inspired to play tennis because of Sania Mirza, or to become an astronaut because of Kalpana Chawla, they may also dream of reaching the top of the business world, because of Indra Nooyi.
Growing up in Chennai, Nooyi developed in an environment that would lay the groundwork for her future success, though she probably busted through a few more glass ceilings than anyone thought she would. A Hindu, she attended a Catholic school. She played cricket, and even started her own rock band in high school. She was allowed to express herself, with numerous interests outside the classroom.
The story of Indra Nooyi seems all the more poignant to me after reading recent articles detailing with the growing number of female fetuses being aborted in India. Easy access to ultrasound has become a tool for evil, and combined with the pressure to have a son, has resulted in a form of “gendercide”. The long term consequences to the country could be dire, as such a dramatic shortage of girls will inevitably lead to increasing social problems among a restless young male population. The tragedy is not that most little girls in India may not reach the same heights as Indra Nooyi, but rather, that so many will never even have the chance, their lives cruelly snuffed out simply because of their gender.
The need for collective honesty and effort when it comes to women’s issues is one reason why I support an initiative that might be distasteful to many traditional Indians.
Recently, a young Delhi based woman named Umang Sabarwal launched on Facebook a plan for ‘SlutWalk New Delhi’. The idea originated in my home city, Toronto. A local police officer said that women should avoid dressing like ‘sluts’ to prevent being raped, and in so doing paid homage to the great lie – perverse, self serving and chauvinistic – that how a woman dresses somehow excuses verbal and physical sexual harassment. The successful ‘SlutWalk’ in Toronto ended up spawning similar events in a number of other North American cities.
Sabarwal, 19, says she is concerned about women’s safety in her home city, and about the shameless ‘eve teasing’ carried out with seeming impunity by men in public. Predictably, much of the feedback directed at Sabarwal and her initiative has been decidedly negative. But Sabarwal says she will press ahead. ‘SlutWalk New Delhi’ is scheduled for some time near the end of July. The great problems of a society – and all societies have them – are not solved, or lessened, or made less bearable, by a quiet resignation, or by the pretense that they don’t exist. Societies and countries become better, more just and more fulfilled when the problems are first acknowledged, and then tackled with diligence and forethought. Umang Sabarwal understands this, and has demonstrated a courage that belies her years.
To reach the pinnacle of the business world. To insist on the right to walk the streets of Delhi dressed as one desires, without enduring verbal or physical harassment. Indra Nooyi and Umang Sabarwal, despite their significant differences, are both contributing to a brighter future for India’s daughters. Both, through example and action, are championing the complete emancipation of Indian women.
Check out ‘SlutWalk New Delhi’ on Facebook, and offer your support. And the next time you have a glass of wine with friends or family, raise a toast to these remarkable Indian women, whose extraordinary examples make their country proud, and indeed, make our world a better place.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Contributors> Indra Nooyi / by Jair Irwin / June 28th, 2013
District livestock farm in Hosur where the cricket ground was developed by Lt Col T. Murari. —DC
Krishnagiri:
Hosur is known for its salubrious climate and rapid industrial growth; but how many of us know that cricket in the southern part of India started from the cattle farm here, asked B. Venkatasami, 80, elaborating on the history of cricket in Hosur, 55 km from Krishnagiri on the Chennai-Bengaluru national highway.
Venkatasami, former MLA of the Swatantra Party of Rajagopalachari – the first Indian to become governor general of India – added that “Cricket was first introduced here by Lt Col T. Murari following his appointment as superintendent of the livestock research centre formed in Hosur as army remount centre.”
The octogenarian continued, “Murari, prior to his appointment at the Hosur cattle farm, served in the Second World War under king’s commission and later rose to the rank of a major.”
He has several firsts to his credit like the first Indian to become officer for the veterinary department and the first Indian to become member of the Marylebone Cricket Club and Madras cricket club during British rule.
Venkatasami recalled the history as narrated to him by his father late M. Beere Gowda. “The lieutenant colonel, while studying veterinary science in Oxford University, was approached by Hilson, director of agriculture department, asking him to join the department as officer.”
Following his consent, the British appointed Murari as superintendent of the livestock research station in Hosur, the first Indian to become officer of the veterinary department following the formation of Madras Veterinary College.
Murari, while in Hosur, formed a cricket team by training people who did menial jobs in the cattle farm. The team regularly played matches against teams in Bengaluru and Mysore.
He was also the first Indian to become member of the prestigious United Services Club in Bengaluru and was a founder-member of the Karnataka state cricket association, formerly known as Mysore cricket association.
Venkatasami was concerned about the status of the historical cricket ground formed by Murari. “A ground with a small visitors gallery to watch the game was there for some time after Independence, but the historical monument was removed for development works,” he rued.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> News> Current Affairs / DC / by Sanjeevi Anandan / October 21st, 2013
BONN, GERMANY – OCTOBER 17: Indian chess world champion Viswanathan Anand concentrates during his match against the Russian chess grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik on October 17, 2008 in Bonn, Germany. (Photo by Patrik Stollarz/Getty Images)
Even as one great man’s epic is about to draw to a weary ending, another man is preparing vigorously to sheath his story with one more epochal battle. Somewhere inside an elegantly dressed home in Chennai, Viswanathan Anand might be laughing in irony at the brouhaha that surrounds the departure of Sachin Tendulkar . The self-effacing genius enjoys living in the shade, long used to the skewed ways of the large masses of this nation.
As ironic as it might be, the World Championship of Chess, being held in India for only the second time ever is faced with the daunting task of competing with the farewell party of India’s foremost sporting icon. Not that Anand will be too fazed.
The modest man from Chennai has built a monumental career around his ability to navigate expertly around a complex maze of 64 squares. Matters of perception and market dynamics have rarely, if at all, bothered him or affected his love and hunger for mastering his craft.
Chess struggles for attention as it is and the hyperbole around the little maestro’s departure is only going to make matters worse. Anand might even afford a rueful smile in a private conversation with his confidant and spouse.
But under the glare of lights, he can be expected to deal with it in the most dignified manner possible. Their careers have run almost parallel and both men have shown exemplary character to enjoy an almost blemish-free run under intense public glare.
The similarities end right there though. An insanely cricket mad India cheered every run from the blade of the great cricketer. However, Anand had to satisfy himself with only fleeting acknowledgement every time he won a World Championship.
Breaking new ground is a refined habit with both these gentlemen. Sachin has collected more centuries and runs than was ever imagined possible. Anand, the country’s first chess grandmaster, usurped power from the customary champions of the Soviet bloc.
Sachin has been first among equals because his zeal for accumulation was unmatched. Anand was the first man from a famished third world country to usher in a new era, by winning the FIDE World Championships in 2000.
It was a victory that broadened the appeal of chess in Asia and expanded its market beyond the conventional hunting grounds around Europe. In a country abundant with patience even under duress, the success of chess isn’t entirely an anomaly. But it took the genius of Anand to pave the path for others to follow.
Thousands of other players have paraded their talent, but not one player has come close to emulating the greatest chess player India has ever known. He has been feted by the government – the Rajiv Khel Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan sit proudly in his overflowing cabinet of honours.
Ironically though, the unparalleled success of Anand is still not enough to excite nearly as much attention as anything to do with cricket might. Sample this – in 2010, a bevy of leading sportspersons donated their prized possessions to The Foundation, a charity run by actor Rahul Bose. A bat with which Sachin scored an obscure one-day international century in New Zealand fetched a whopping 42 lakhs. Even the racket with which Leander Paes won the 2010 Wimbledon mixed doubles title managed to get a bid for 7 lakh. In stark contrast, the 2008 World Championship medal of Anand managed a number that wasn’t worth a mention in the media around the time.
Anand has learnt well enough that his is a pursuit in solitude, only occasionally acknowledged even by his ardent fans. As polite and polished as Anand might be to his fans, he is a chess player driven by the quest for a place in the history of the game. It is this focus on his goals that lead Anand and his wife Aruna to find home in Spain.
The relocation helped Anand avoid even the limited attention in India and allowed him to pursue his ambition without the distractions that surrounded his time in India. The reigning champion has since moved back to India and was all set to celebrate a grand event of unmatched scale on his home soil. As fate would have it, Sachin’s plans intervened with the harvest plans of chess.
Anand is the only chess player to have won the World Chess Championships in all three formats – knock-out (2000), tournament (2007) and classical (2008 – current). While people close to the game of chess might rue the likely travesty in November, Vishy may be secretly enjoying the fact that all the attention will be on Sachin.
Even at his tender age of 22, Magnus Carlsen is a once in a generation talent in the opinion of experts as well as his opponents. Anand will need his sharpest skills to overcome the challenge from the charismatic Norwegian, who is nearly half the champion’s age. It might help ease the pressure on Anand just a tad that the event itself might escape the intense glare of the media.
Anand may have sincerely hoped for a big boost for the game of chess in India, riding on the back of an exuberant campaign ahead of the World Championships. But considering the enormity of the occasion, the world No. 7 will be happy to hunt his young opponent down in a quiet room inside the Hyatt Regency in Chennai between the 9th and 28th of November.
source: http://www.sportskeeda.com / SportsKeeda / Home> Chess – World Chess Championship 2013 / by Anand Datla, Tennis Expert (Featured Writer) / October 21st, 2013
As the nation celebrates the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, his faithful stenographer who took the speeches of the celebrated monk to the world, remains unhonoured and unsung.
Josiah Goodwin, an Englishman, followed Swami Vivekananada from London and documented his speeches in UK, Sri Lanka and India before he died in 1898 in Ooty following illness. He was buried near a church in Ooty.
“In his death I have lost a friend as true as steel, a disciple of never-failing devotion,” said Swami Vivekananda from Almora (UP) on receiving word about Goodwin’s demise.
Born to an English couple at Yorkshire in 1870, Goodwin came in contact with Swami Vivekananda during his second visit to the United States in 1895. “Followers of Swami Vivekananda placed an advertisement for a stenographer and Goodwin, who had come to the US in search of job, was chosen. From then, Goodwin travelled with Swamiji recording his speeches,” said a senior monk at the Ramakrishna Mutt, Chennai.
Vivekananda had such immense faith in Goodwin’s work that he started calling him ‘My faithful Goodwin’. “Though Goodwin was chosen to record Swamiji’s speeches for a salary, he refused to take money after a while,” said the monk. Goodwin travelled along with Vivekananda to the UK and India. “In 1897 when Swamiji reached Colombo, apart from the speeches delivered by him, Goodwin also recorded the reception given to the spiritual master at various places including the mammoth rally from Egmore to Vivekananda House in Madras,” said the monk.
After accompanying Vivekananda through his tour to Almora, Goodwin was sent back to Madras by the Swamiji with a plan to start a newspaper in English with Goodwin as its editor. But the newspaper plan did not materialise and Goodwin was involved in bringing out an English monthly journal of the ‘Mutt’ called Brahmavadin, which is now called the Vedanta Kesari.
“The Englishman could not withstand the heat of Madras and migrated to the cooler climes of Ooty but hardly took care of his health and finally died in 1898,” the monk narrated.
On hearing about Goodwin’s death, Vivekananda wrote a small poem to his mother called ‘Requiescat in Pace’ (Rest in peace). This poem is inscribed in Goodwin’s grave at the cemetery at St Thomas Church, Ooty.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai> Swami Vivekananada / by B SivaKumar, TNN / October 21st, 2013
