Category Archives: World Opinion

A basket of 12,000 surprises

October 28, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Nature, World Opinionadmin

Sathya Narayanan sells exotic vegetables and fruits at Anna Nagar. /. Photo: K. Pichumani / The Hindu

Sathya Narayanan imports a bewildering array of exotic fruits and vegetables. Vipasha Sinha does a quick count

It always happens to cooking enthusiasts. They keenly watch the master class of Master Chef Australia and drop the pen the moment they hear about the ingredients. The problem: half the ingredients they use are not available here and often, they have no substitutes. Here is where Sathya Narayanan chips in.

His basket of surprises are 12,000 exotic fruits and vegetables from across the world that include artichokes, all kinds of avocados, baby leeks, baby patty pan, berries of all kinds, kiwis, kohlrabi, kumquats, laos, leeks, shimiji mushroom, eryngi/king oyster mushroom, enoki mushroom, portebello, chive flowers and the list continues.

Sathya has been importing international fruits and vegetables for a year now. “I realised that there is a niche market for exquisite fruits and vegetables. I supply appropriate ingredients for international menu to several five-star hotels,” says Sathya.

He says, “For those who live abroad, the very name of an Indian vegetable or ingredient makes them excited. Likewise, the expats here long for ingredients from their country. There is a considerable amount of Korean people living here and I supply them necessary ingredients.”

As these fruits and vegetables are imported, quality is an important concern. “Fresh stock arrives every week and are kept in cold storage under hygienic condition and they are supplied immediately, therefore preventing wastage,” he says.

Sathya has plans to supply items to two hypermarkets in Chennai.

He also says these ingredients can change the taste of the regular food.

“Many of these produce can be used instead of the regular vegetables and the taste changes completely,” he says.

You can get in touch with Sathya at fruitmarx@gmail.com or call 24798385.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai> DownTown / by Vipasha Sinha / Chennai – October 26th, 2013

A Peaceful Stroll Along the Secular Trail of Chennai

October 26, 2013Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, World Opinionadmin

The St. Thomas Basilica in Mylapore, in the city of Chennai, India, is one of only three church in the world to have been built over the tomb of an apostle of Jesus. (JG Photo/Wahyuni Kamah)

It was a hot and clear day when a friend of mine dropped me off nearby St. Thomas Basilica in Mylapore, an old district in Chennai, India.

“This is a neighborhood where you can see different houses of worship, churches, mosques and temples,” she explained.

In ancient times, Mylapore engaged in active trading with the Roman Empire. The settlement of Santhome in Mylapore was mentioned by merchants from Arab when they came to the area in the 9th and 10th centuries.

When I was entering the huge compound of the white cathedral, it was hard to believe I was in India, a country where Hinduism is the major religion and Hindu temples are ubiquitous.

In Chennai itself, Catholics make up about 5 percent of the population and the cathedral was built by the Portuguese after they arrived in the 16th century with no local influence.

The St. Thomas Basilica is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore, and the complex houses some other buildings. One of the newer additions houses a museum and an underground tomb chapel. Pilgrims are allowed to pray in an underground tomb chapel without disturbing the sacred functions in the church.

There were only four other foreign tourists during my visit, while a mass was being held in Tamil.

Upstairs, a simple museum exhibits artifacts and the history of St. Thomas and the basilica, including how Christianity dispersed in India.

According to the tradition of the Christian church in Kerala on the south west coast of India, St. Thomas, one of Jesus’s apostles, arrived around 52 A.D. from Judea. He died as a martyr in 72 A.D. in the outskirts of Chennai, which is now known as St. Thomas Mount. The body of St. Thomas was buried on the spot where the basilica was later built.

In the 19th century, when the British colonized India, they rebuilt it as a church with a cathedral status.

Pope Pius XII increased the status of the cathedral into minor basilica in 1956, and it has become a popular destination for Christian Indians since. The St. Thomas Basilica in Chennai is allegedly one of the three churches in the world that was built over the tomb of the 12 apostles of Jesus.

Stained-glass windows show images of St. Thomas inside.

Back outside on Kutchery Road in the Santhome neighborhood, many of Santhome’s buildings are related to Catholicism, such as the college, pastoral center and school, I also passed a Hindu quarter with shops selling goods needed for services and ceremonies in Hindu temples.

Just a few meters across, I spotted a small Jain temple. Jainism is one of the oldest religions in the world with most of its followers hailing from India.

By the end of my temple trail in Santhome, I was almost overwhelmed by the great diversity of faith, but at the same time, it was a relief to see that people of different religions can live peacefully side by side.

source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com / Jakarta Globe / Home> Category: Features, Travel / by Wahyuni Kamah / October 20th, 2013

Hindu temple sets new Singapore record

October 15, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, World Opinionadmin

Auspicious deco: Palaniappan inspecting the raffia strings holding up the ‘thoranam’ in Sri Thendayuthapani Temple. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

It took more than 2,200 strings of leaves and flowers to set a new record for the longest thoranam – a decoration done for auspicious Indian events.

The 371m long thoranam hanging in the hall of Sri Thendayuthapani Temple will be entered in the Singapore Records.

About 150 people took part in the “Thoranam 1000” event organised by the Chettiars’ Temple Society. They made strings of jasmine and rose flowers and coconut and mango leaves and strung them all around the temple.

The youths connected with Indian culture through learning how to make flower garlands.

Among the participants was S. Palaniappan, 54, who was seen standing on a mobile scaffold to put up the strings of flowers.

The event was held in conjunction with Navarathiri, a nine-day Hindu festival. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

source: http://www.thestar.com.my / The Star Online / Home> News> Regional / Monday – October 07th, 2013

iEnergy Wind investment proposal

September 26, 2013Business & Economy, Science & Technologies, World Opinionadmin

Chennai-based iEnergy Wind Farms (Theni) has submitted a fresh proposal to the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) seeking post-facto approval for issue of 4,500 shares to Mauritian company Indian Energy (Mauritius) Ltd one day before receipt of inward remittances.

According to the existing policy, equity shares are to be issued only after receipt of remittance. Since, in this case, shares were issued one day before receipt of remittance, the RBI advised the company to obtain ex-post-facto approval for it.

The FIPB had earlier deferred a decision on the proposal as the applicant had sought time to furnish details regarding beneficial ownership demanded by the Department of Revenue.

In 2009, Indian Energy (Mauritius) Ltd had become the holding company by investing in 4,500 equity shares of Rs 10 each with a premium of Rs 19,990 a share.

It also acquired 9,999 equity shares of Rs 10 each held by Santany Bagchi in 2010. The holding company has been investing in the equity and preference shares of the company.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Companies / The Hindu Bureau / New Delhi – September 19th, 2013

In reverse gear

September 14, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, World Opinionadmin

Over a 100 cars were in attendance at the annual rally of the Madras Heritage Motoring Club. / Photo: R. Ragu / The Hindu

Morris cars might have stolen the show, but many other vintage and classic vehicles had their set of admirers too, at the MyTVS Heritage Rally held recently

Prejudices among vintage vehicle owners are sometimes carryovers from the past. In the inter-war years, a rivalry was brewing between Morris Motors Limited and Austin Motor Company. Austin and Morris owners took the fight to British taverns, bitterly dissecting the rival cars in slurred conversations. Comparisons continued to be drawn even after the two car majors merged into British Motor Corporation in the early 1950s. The war of words continues to rage, but truces also happen.

A truce was once again reached on August 4 in Chennai, when the Madras Heritage Motoring Club (MHMC) gathered at Don Bosco School grounds for their annual MyTVS Heritage Rally, the club’s ninth on the trot. Austin owners — there are many of them in MHMC — had to put their prejudices on hold, because the day belonged to the Morris camp.

Cars at the Madras Heritage Motoring Club rally. / Photo: R. Ragu / The Hindu

As part of an MHMC exercise to commemorate the ‘Centenary of Morris’, around 20 machines, which included the marques Morris 8 ‘E’ Series, Morris Z-Type and Morris 1000, were prominently displayed at the rally. Cognates of the Morris Oxford, Hindustan 14 cars also joined in the honour.

S. Kylas, MHMC secretary and a Morris 8 owner, observed, “Austin is as iconic as Morris. Austin’s engines and pricing were its attractions.”

Wondering how Kylas, a Morris man, could bring himself to take a detached view of the age-old rivalry?

Well, he owns an Austin 8 as well.

Special categories to judge German, French and Italian cars were introduced in this edition of the rally /. Photo: R. Ragu / The Hindu

Widening the range

Special categories to judge German, French and Italian cars were introduced in this edition of the rally. The move was aimed at showcasing these cars, which rarely make it to the podium simply because the open field teems with British and American machines. A Volkswagen Karmann Ghia from the 1960s was adjudged the best German car. Karmann Ghia was a hand-crafted sportscar. A Peugeot from the 1970s made the cut in the French category. There was a slip between the bonnet and the grille for the lone Italian machine up for judging: a Fiat 125. Just when it appeared that the car would make it without any competition, the judges decided to scrap the category.

Family drive

There were some surprises in store, the biggest of them being the entry of a 1954 Dodge Kingsway (powerhood) convertible for judging, by two girls bearing the Guhan surname. M.S. Guhan has over the years lent silent support to MHMC rallies, bringing in a fleet of cars but refraining from entering any of them for judging. “This time, his daughters Aruna and Aparna were in the fray with their Dodge Kingsway convertible. The car was adjudged best restored in its category; C.S. Ananth had restored it for the Guhans,” says Kylas.

Public participation

Viewers’ Choice Award was another fresh introduction. “We have created this category to enhance public participation,” says Kylas. Visitors chose the Guhans’ Dodge Kingsway and Sumanth Chaganti’s 1952 BSA Star Twin as the best car and bike. Sumanth’s son Siddharth did a victory lap with the Twin Star, and how! Actor Priya Anand, who had earlier flagged off the rally, rode pillon as he did a round of the school grounds.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Metro Plus> Motoring / by Prince Frederick / Chennai – August 06th, 2013

Four Govt Arts College students do the city proud

September 13, 2013Education, World Opinionadmin

Coimbatore :

A Rajagopalan, a supervisor with a private firm near Sundarapuram and his wife, Lathika, are overjoyed after speaking to their daughter ReejaKuruvakkat, now at Edge Hill University in the UK on Thursday evening. Though she sounded a bit apprehensive about the food, Reeja, a second year MA History student at Government Arts College here, was full of pride and excitement when she told her parents that she was waiting to get her identity card as international student processed at the university. “We never expected that our daughter would get an opportunity to study abroad,” says LathikaRajagopalan.

Four students from the Government Arts College here have been selected for the all-expenses-paid study abroad programme joinly conducted by Tamil Nadu government and the British Council. Two of them, Reeja and J Sharon Jemima, have already left for the UK while I Nivedhitha and K S Anbarasu are all set to fly out in September for their four-month long academic sessions.

For Rajagopalan, Reeja’s achievement was a welcome relief after a series of personal and professional misfortune. Rajagopalan and Lathika were running a fabrication and lathe workshop in Hosur supplying automobile components which had to be shut down due to the acute power shortage and labour issues coupled with some personal issues. They had to sell the unit and shift base to Coimbatore, where Rajagopalan now works as a manager cum supervisor at a private firm. “I was under severe stress and depression. I am so proud to have Reeja as my daughter,” says Rajagopalan.

The study abroad programme enlists meritorious students with a decent foothold in English language for a semester-long training at Edge Hill, Nottingham, Royal Holloway and Birmingham universities in the UK. Five students from Government Arts College were selected but one of them dropped out at the last moment due to personal reasons.

Anbarasu, a second year MSc Zoology student is the only boy in the 14-member group of students drawn from across the state. He is set to join the student community in Nottingham University. His father, S Sivaraj, is a conductor on a government bus that plies between Pollachi and Tirupur. He is, of course, thrilled that his son is going to study in England and got an opportunity to meet the chief minister when the group met in Chennai on Wednesday. “It is beyond our wildest imagination that such an opportunity would come for my son,” says Sivaraj. The family hails from Kallampatti, a village about 25 km off Pollachi.

For I Nivedhitha, a second year MSc Botany student from the college, applying for a passport and gearing up for the trip was the most strenuous part of the procedure. She plans to pursue a PhD in Molecular Biology. Her father, S Iranimose, works in a private firm near her residence in Udayampalayam in the city. Nivedhitha takes tuitions for school students at her rented residence along with her sister Priyanka, who is a second year student at Government Arts College. “The credits we score in the foreign university will be converted and added to our regular course credits after we return,” Nivedhitha told TOI.

J Sharon Jemima, a second year student of MSc Psychology, is already at Edge Hill University. Her father, S Julius, a mechanic residing in Anna Nagar on Sathy Road, told TOI that Sharon called him on Thursday and assured him of pursuing her academic stint abroad with full dedication.

“It is a matter of great achievement for our institution that four of the children selected for the programme are from our college. Our teachers and also a few of our retired professors pooled in money and handed over them for additional support during their stay there,” said V Jothimani, principal, Government Arts College, Coimbatore.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / by Binoy Valsan, TNN / August 30th, 2013

MADRAS 374- A taste of Madras in curry powder

September 3, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, World Opinionadmin

Madras curry powder -- Photo: Apoorva Sripathi / The Hindu — Madras curry powder — Photo: Apoorva Sripathi / The Hindu

Who would’ve imagined Madras curry powder would eventually turn out to be one of England’s best-loved spice mixes?

Comprising humble ingredients such as turmeric, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek, black pepper, red chillies and others, the spice blend first travelled all the way to London from Fort St. George in Madras.

According to ‘Notes from Madras’ by Arthur Robert K. Wyvern, Madras curry powder (as well as mulligatawny paste) was ﬁrst sold by Barrie’s in Leicester Square. By corollary, any dish that included the above-mentioned curry powder was duly named as ‘Madras’ something.

In the 1890s, P.V. Condiments’ brand of curry powder became famous in England thanks to a Mr. Sharwood. So famous that even the Buckingham Palace purchased it from them.

Believed to have originated from the Tamil word kari meaning sauce or relish, the frangrant Madars curry powder now has many variations.

Chennai Central at The Hindu celebrates Madras Week

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Apoorva Sripathi / Chennai – August 19th, 2013

Learning through exchange of ideas

August 30, 2013Education, World Opinionadmin

WCC students being trained by American faculties as a part of the transfer program

Building on the transfer program that they started with the Concordia College, New York, last year, the Women’s Christian College has now launched a teaching initiative with academicians from the US at the helm.

Six faculty members of the Concordia College along with the president, Viji George are now handling a series of one-week courses for over 350 of their undergraduate students at the WCC campus in Nungambakkam. The courses carry one credit (under the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS)) and offer Business, Psychology, Special Education, Life Sciences and Humanities as options.

WCC began the transfer program last year with the reputed American institution, which encouraged a mutual sharing of students, resources and knowledge between the two.

This year, the professors from Concordia are here to further their academic relations and hone their teaching expertise with a new set of students. Jim Burkee, associate professor of History and Economics said, “This is a unique opportunity for me as an American faculty member to share my passion for my discipline (entrepreneurship) with the students of WCC. I will walk away from this experience immensely enriched.”

Ridling Margaret Waller, principal of WCC, said that collaborations of this nature reflected the functional and meaningful ways of sharing expertise across institutions, thus providing a pathway for exchange of ideas between people.

source : http://www.newindianexpress.com / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express News Service – Chennai / August 15th, 2013

AIF to launch tuition centre today

August 24, 2013Education, World Opinionadmin

It is to improve the performance of Coimbatore Corporation school students

The American India Foundation (AIF) is going to launch a ‘DE Tuition Centre’ here on Wednesday to improve the academic performance of Coimbatore Corporation school students of Classes VI to IX.

The centre is coming up under the Digital Equaliser (DE) initiative of the civic body under which information technology and activity-based approach are adopted to make the curriculum easier for children to comprehend.

V. Alexander, Regional Coordinator (DE) – Tamil Nadu of the AIF, which has a tie-up with the Coimbatore Corporation, told The Hindu here on Tuesday that the tuition centre was aimed at achieving a 20 per cent increase in marks in the examinations.

Initially, 20 students in Classes VI to VIII would be given training in one subject a day, after which the project would be scaled up.

An audio–visual classroom would be utilised to develop subject knowledge during the tuition classes, which would also feature group discussions to improve collaborative learning. The sessions would focus on developing concentration, self confidence and increase the Intelligence Quotient level of the students.

He said that the classes were structured to enable the students to have a better conceptual understanding. The classes were open for students of all the Corporation schools. The student’s assessment will be made though tests held on weekly, monthly and term basis.

Mr. Alexander said that the tuition centre was coming up at the DE office in Corporation Elementary School at New Siddhapudur.

The classes would be held daily from 4.30 p.m. to 6 p.m. except on holidays. The DE coordinator would conduct the classes. This project was part of ‘Digital Equaliser’ Programme – for which the civic body had inked a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (2012-15) with the AIF under which subject content was provided in Tamil language through technology. It covered all the 10 high schools, 16 higher secondary schools, and one special school of the Coimbatore Corporation, which had provided 464 computers for the project.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Coimbatore / by R. Sairam / Coimbatore – August 14th, 2013

Beach-goers to be protected from memorial on Elliot’s

August 21, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, World Opinionadmin

The 80-yearold structure is in such bad shape that it is at risk of collapsing. The Corporation is now building a fence around it to prevent visitors from getting too close — Photo: M. Karunakaran / The Hindu

The KAJ Schmidt Memorial on Elliot’s Beach is now in such bad shape that visitors are being protected from it.

The Chennai Corporation has begun constructing a fence around the memorial, to prevent beach-goers from getting close to it.

“The structure is in bad shape. There is a huge risk of its collapsing completely. So we don’t want any visitors getting too close to it. The safety of beach-goers is our priority,” said a Corporation official.

An estimated 20,000 visitors flock to Elliot’s Beach in Besant Nagar every day.

Work on the fencing started this week and will be completed next week, the official said. The project will cost approximately Rs. 4 lakh.

The civic body has also floated bids for restoration of the structure at a cost of Rs. 20 lakh. The restoration will only be carried out by sculptors experienced in lime mortar construction. The sculptors are expected to be from areas in the delta region. This work too, is expected to start shortly.

“The memorial is an important structure on the beach. I have seen it ever since I was a child. It is in terrible shape now. The government’s efforts to restore it will bring back several memories that many in the city cherish. But they should not tamper with the original structure,” said Srinivasan, a 70-year-old resident of Besant Nagar.

Saravanan, another resident of the area said the lack of adequate toilets in Besant Nagar was one reason many people used the area near the memorial for defecation at dawn.

The KAJ Schmidt Memorial bears a plaque that dates it to December 30, 1930. It was built to commemorate the gallantry of Schmidt, a European sailor, who drowned near the spot trying to save others from drowning.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Staff Reporter / Chennai – August 04th, 2013

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