28th
27th
26th
25th
Tamil Nadu Assembly discusses cocks and bulls
Chennai :
The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Friday literally had a cock and bull discussion. MJK member Thameemun Ansari urging the State government to take steps to protect Kangeyam bulls and increase their population.
Handlooms Minister OS Manian responded, “Ansari has explained the greatness of Kangeyam bulls, but Umbalacherry bulls are the best in Tamil Nadu.” The minister went on to describe the ‘unique features’ of the animal, like a mark on their forehead, the white colour above its four ankles and tail. “When the Umbalacherry bull bellows, it can be heard even over a kilometre away,” he added.
Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa took steps many years ago to protect this breed by evolving a special plan and implemented it at government cattle farm in Korkai in Nagapattinam district, he said. Ansari also mentioned reports about health hazards allegedly caused by broiler chicken.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express News Service / August 20th, 2016
Kamal Haasan to get prestigious French honour
The Order is part of France’s premier award, the Legion of Honor.
Actor Kamal Haasan will be awarded the Chevalier de L’Ordre Arts et Lettres (The Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) by the French government. The Order is part of France’s premier award, the Legion of Honor.
“The distinction, which is yet another laurel for the actor, is in recognition of his high level of artistic excellence and his distinguished career achievements. The award will be conferred on Kamal Haasan at a special ceremony,” read a statement from the actor’s publicist.
The order of merit is awarded “to recognize eminent artists and writers, as well as people who have contributed significantly to furthering the arts in France and throughout the world.”
The Order has three ranks – chevalier (knight), officier (officer), commandeur (commander) – and two high offices.
Other Indians who have been conferred the Chevalier Order include veteran musician Balamuralikrishna, and actors like Sivaji Ganesan, Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Nandita Das and Shah Rukh Khan.
The actor released a statement thanking his family and fans for supporting him.
Our Staff Reporter adds:
In March 30 this year, the versatile actor, who made his debut as a child artiste in Kalathoor Kannamma in 1959, had received the Henri Langlois Award for his contribution to cinema in France.
Mr. Haasan, who is a recipient of the Padma Bhushan from the Government of India, has donned several hats and has been actively involved in production, direction, playback singing and song writing in films.
Chachi 420 (the Hindi version of Avvai Shanmughi), Viswaroopam and Hey Ram are among the movies he has directed.
He is currently directing and starring in the trilingual film Sabhash Naidu which is being made simultaneously in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu. He was last seen onscreen playing the lead in the movie Thoongavanam.
Here is his full statement:
“The French Government has kindly conferred the Chevalier award for Arts and Letters on me. On this occasion, I bow before my more deserving forerunners, Mr. Satyajit Ray and Mr. Sivaji Ganesan, who made even the common man realise the value of the Chevalier award. I thank His Excellency, the Ambassador of France in India, Mr. Alexandre Ziegler, who inimated me of this honour.
“This award humbles me rather than stiffen me with pride.
“I realise my journey in my chosen field has not been alone. Teachers and admirers abounded around me. With motherly care they have applauded my every little step forward. The melancholy of my parents not being alive to see this day is allayed by the fact that the elders and the young are still around in my family to enjoy it. I dedicate this award to my admirers and audience, who give me the tenacity of purpose to pursue, to this day and moment, my arts and letters. Thank you.”
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Cinema / Internet Desk / August 21st, 2016
WSF World Doubles: Saurav Ghosal and Dipika Pallikal settle for silver in mixed doubles
This is the first time that India clinched three medals from this event.
India finished a historic campaign at the WSF World International Doubles at Marrara, Darwin in Australia on Thursday with three medals for the first time in the history of the championships. The second-seeded mixed doubles pair of Saurav Ghosal and Dipika Pallikal had to settle for silver in the summit clash where they lost to the third seeds Paul Coll and Joelle King of New Zealand, 8-11, 8-11 in 34 minutes.
Besides that, the second Indian mixed doubles pair of Harinderpal Sandhu and Joshna Chinappa as well as the top-seeded women’s doubles team of Chinappa and Pallikal both captured the bronze after losing their respective semi-finals.
Pallikal and Ghosal had prevailed over the Kiwi mixed doubles pair in a tight match a day earlier in their final group assignment and were thus considered the favourites. But King and Coll put up a determined show that took the game out of the Indians’ hands.
By constantly varying their pace and returns, they never allowed the Indians to build a rhythm. The Kiwi pair’s dropshots and their strategy of keeping the ball in the middle paid rich dividends.
The Indians had more chances in the second game which was neck and neck. But Coll and King applied just the right amount of pressure in the end, to seal the win in straight games.
The performance of all the Indian players at the World Doubles earned praise from the national coach Cyrus Poncha who called it a ‘fabulous show’.
“Whichever way one viewed it, this has been a fabulous show overall by the Indians. Returning with three medals is something to be proud of and the players surely need a pat on their backs for this,” said Poncha, who was with the squad in Darwin.
The Indians will now be turning their attention to the season’s first World Series event – the Hong Kong Open that starts on August 23.
source: http://www.sportskeeda.com / SportsKeeda / Homepage> Squash> News / by Sudeshna Banerjee @Sudsports / August 18th, 2016
A temple for Tao
The Huan De Temple in Uthandi, the first in India, promotes the philosophy of peace in everyday life
Just off East Coast Road in Uthandi lies a gleaming, modern structure bearing an unusual name —‘Huan De Temple’.
‘Huan De Temple’ literally translates into ‘The Temple of Universal Virtues’ and is a centre for the propagation of a philosophy called Tao.
Not to be confused with Taoism, Tao is a philosophy that propounds an upright way of life as a means of understanding the Universal Truth,” says Master Mak Siew Fong, a founder-trustee who lives in Malaysia, who is on a visit to the temple. Elders of the Tao order are referred to as Masters or Teachers.
The philosophy believes that we are all imbued with the basic values of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness.
These are lost in the course of our daily lives; Tao seeks to bring about a transformation from within to help people connect with their true inner selves. While Tao is popular in China and South East Asia, it has its headquarters in New York, and centres in major cities of the world (there are more than 200 Tao temples worldwide). The Chennai temple is the first in India.
Chennai’s relationship with Tao goes back to the 6th Century CE, when Pallava king Simhavarman ruled Kanchipuram and its surrounding areas. His third son Bodhidharma is supposed to have been a meditative ascetic, who learnt Tao from a scholar. It is reported that he travelled to China, where he introduced Tao to the Chinese Emperor. This led to the proliferation of the philosophy throughout that country.
Master Fong explains that the doctrine of Tao comes from the teachings of Maitreya Buddha (or the ‘Laughing Buddha’ as we know him), who was a disciple of Gautama Buddha. “It is based on the premise that our needs are simple but our wants are endless, which leads to negativity in our lives. Tao teaches us that we are here to love one another and be kind. We hold the power to change our life by transforming our behaviour,” he elaborates.
The Chennai temple was established in April 2015, and holds three prayer services (mainly for world peace) every day. Master Madam Soong Moi Fong, another teacher, says the services are conducted in a serene, solemn atmosphere, where the “body, heart and thoughts have to be clean”.
The Temple does not actively solicit members or advertise ; most members were passers-by drawn to the temple while driving by.
The spacious three-storey temple has a central prayer hall, besides lecture halls, a dining room that can host 500 people, meeting rooms, a library, the administrative office and a couple of apartments for visiting teachers. Most of those who work at the temple are volunteers.
The temple funds some of its expenditure through the sale of fresh, home-made tofu that is made there every day.
As part of its outreach initiatives, the temple funds a host of charitable projects around ECR.
Volunteers were active during the floods in Chennai last December, taking part in relief efforts.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Metroplus> Society / by Shazia Andaleeb / August 19th, 2016
A year before retirement, fire fighter gets gallantry award
Coimbatore :
S R Chandran, who has been part of 3,000 fire service and rescue operations in the last 39 years, was bestowed with the President’s Fire Service Medal for gallantry services during the Independence Day celebrations.
The Coimbatore division’s fire and rescue district officer was in Vellalore, fighting the raging fire at the dumpyard there, when his friend called to tell him about the medal. Chandran joined the service in 1987 and will turn 58 next year. With just one year left to retire, he said this medal commemorates his service.
“In this field, we get direct appreciation from people and are given importance in any crisis situation. It gives me great satisfaction to save lives and be appreciated for it. Whenever any disaster strikes, we are the first people to reach the spot,” he said.
There were many instances when he was the last person to have spoken to the victim before he/she died. “I have gone to the rescue of several burn victims. They talk to us about the situation and what exactly happened. Initially, I felt a bit awkward, listening to their personal stories. But soon I became accustomed to it,” he said. He recalled his third day of service when a man on cycle was run over by a truck. “It was the first time I had seen a dead body but I was not afraid,” he said.
His most challenging rescue operation was the Karikaranpudur floods in 1993. He had participated in the effort to save 1300 lives. “Located in Dindigul district, the entire village was under water. At that time, we had no mobile phones for communication. I was the first person to cross the river using a rope and one by one I helped the villagers cross it. After a few months, the villagers held a function to felicitate me. That was one of my best moments in service,” he said.
Having always wanted to get into uniformed service since the age of six, Chandran has won 80 cash awards and 25 good service entries in more than 10 districts he had served.
Chandran says that officers should be given rigorous training in adventure sports such as scuba diving. “This would come in handy during rescue operations,” he said. Shortage of trained manpower is a huge crisis in animal rescue operations.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Coimbatore / TNN / August 18th, 2016