Winner of 1kg gold to help fund wedding, educate poor children

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Dubai:

Indian expatriate Jayaprakash Balureddy knows exactly what to do with the one kilogramme gold in his hand — help prepare for his wedding and help educate children in his hometown.

Balureddy, 30, from Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu, bagged the first 1kg gold prize (roughly worth Dh146,000) on Thursday from the Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group (DGJG) for this year’s Dubai Shopping Festival.

“This is definitely a big help for me. This is like receiving my three years’ worth of salary at one time only. That’s why I want to help,” Balureddy, an air conditioner technician, told Gulf News.

Balureddy said he plans on selling the gold bar so he could put the money to good use.

“I want to use a portion of the money to help my family and also for my wedding on February 10. I will use some of it to pay off my loan here,” Balureddy, the sole breadwinner of his family, said.

Balureddy said he will use the rest of the money, roughly Dh50,000, to help send underprivileged children to school in his village.

“I know how they feel. I myself had difficulty getting an education because we had no money when I was growing up. So I want to help.”

Balureddy was buying gold ornaments on Thursday for his wedding when he was given a raffle coupon. The Indian resident said he was clueless about the raffle and was surprised when raffle organisers called him.

“I didn’t believe it at first when they called me because I had just bought the gold an hour before that. I asked myself, ‘How can this happen?” he added.

Sunny Chittilappilly, DGJG chairman, described Balureddy as an extremely lucky man. And this, he said, was what they had meant by doubling the chances for everyone to win at the gold raffle.

“We lowered the minimum spend to Dh500 and gave two raffle coupons to give everyone more chances of winning,” Chittilappilly said.

Apart from the 1kg gold given away daily, the group is also giving away a diamond solitaire ring every day for 32 days.

source: http://www.gulfnews.com / Gulf News / Home> Gulf> UAE> Leisure / by Janice Ponce de Leon, Staff Reporter – Gulf News / January 04th, 2014

Vesti Day from January 7

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy

VestiDayCF17jan2014

Chennai:

Co-optex has called young men across Tamil Nadu to participate in ‘Vesti Day’ (from January 7 until Pon­gal) to promote the use of the traditional attire.

U. Sagayam, managing director, Co-optex, said he had written letters to district collectors, secretaries of all government departments, vice chancellors of various universities and many voluntary organisations, suggesting they wear vestis on any of the days preceding Pongal.

“‘Vesti Day’ will also help weavers across the state to gain good profits,” he said, hoping that government officials and youth in colleges do so too.

Not many men wear the vesti to the workplace unlike the sari because “there is a misconception that the vesti is for rural men and farmers. But it is suitable clothing for men in all age groups and vocations,” said Saga­yam, who consulted fashion experts and doctors for their comparative view of the vesti and trousers prior to launching the initiative.

Fashion designers sugge­sted using models to draw attention to the vesti while doctors said that this was comfort wear for men in Tamil Nadu.

All male staff at Co-optex will wear a vesti on Jan­uary 7 to launch the observance.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> News> Current Affairs / DC / by Pramila Krishnan / January 03rd, 2014

New Bus Stand in Theni Named After Pennycuick

Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has inaugurated the new bus terminus  at Theni-Allinagaram municipality named after Colonel John Pennycuick, the British engineer who constructed the Mullaiperiyar dam, the life-line of many southern districts.

While inaugurating the memorial for Pennycuick on January 15 at the Lower Camp in Theni district, the Chief Minister had announced that the new bus terminus would be named after the late British engineer.

The Chief Minister inaugurated this terminus through video conferencing facility at her Kodanadu camp office on December 30. The terminus has been constructed in an area of 7.35 acres at a cost of Rs 15.25 crore. As many as 59 buses can be parked in this terminus which has all the basic amenities including police control room, information officer, reception and driver’s rest room.,

Drinking water projects and underground drainage facilities established at a cost of Rs 64.47 crore in Tiruvannamalai, Kanchipuram and Kuttalam in Nagapattinam district, besides another six  districts were also inaugurated by the Chief Minister.

Apart from these, she also inaugurated new buildings in various districts.  In all, the Chief Minister has inaugurated and laid foundation for new projects worth Rs 118.2 crore.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Express News Service – Chennai / January 03rd, 2014

Celebrations commences at Sethupathi School in Madurai

Education, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All

Madurai :

Scholars, alumni and students gathered in large numbers to celebrate yet another milestone in the illustrious history of Sethupathi Higher Secondary School here. One of the oldest schools in the city, the two-day annual day celebration to commemorate its 125th anniversary was launched in its premises on Friday.

Although the school has produced freedom fighters, scholars, exceptional thinkers and speakers, the school is best known as the school where Subramanya Bharathi taught. The poet and renaissance personality had a stint as teacher here in 1904. The function on Saturday is expected to witness a large number of scholars and representatives of local administration.

Sethupathi School was started by Venkatarama Iyengar, who was then running a town primary school in the same area. Baskara Sethupathi, the then ruler of Ramnad, had supported establishing the school by donating his guest house. Bharathi worked in the school for a salary of Rs 17 a month in 1904. The school has received a coat of paint and have underwent repairs to sport a new look on its 125th b’day.

The function on Friday involved all the stake holders and was organised by the Madura College Board. Addressing the gathering, G Manivannan, one of the directors of Madurai College Board, said many schools in Madurai have been producing many top students. But most of these students are from well-off families.

However, Sethupathi Higher Secondary School has been transforming sons of auto rickshaw drivers, load men and other members of the working class into good class students. “The school was started basically to support the education of the students from unprivileged section. We have been producing centum in subjects including science, social science and mathematics,” he said.

Addressing the gathering, V V Rajan Chellappa, mayor, Madurai Corporation, said the school has the reputation for having produced a vast number of scholars. Lauding the school for its service to the society, he said the school has done so much to the society. The school has been the destination for a large number of underprivileged children from the surrounding areas.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai> Large number / by V Devanathan, TNN / January 04th, 2014

Bharathiar University student to represent India at meet in Japan

Education, World Opinion

Coimbatore :

KM Shashirekha, a first year post-graduate student in Mass Communication at Bharathiar University will represent India along with eight other students from various parts of the country in a programme on leadership to be held in Japan on January 22. Shashirekha was selected on the basis of her performance in social service organisations, including the National Service Scheme (NSS) and other youth service organisations. The ministry of youth affairs had recently informed her about the selection for the programme. She is one of the very few students selected from south India for the meet.

Shashirekha hails from a poor family at Hassan in Karnataka. From her under graduation years she has been active as an NSS volunteer. She was selected as to go for the overseas trip representing India at Japan on ‘Global Leader Development Program’ conducted by the Japanese embassy from January 22 to February 13. Students from nine countries from across the world will attend the meet.

She had won the best volunteer award in 2011 for various activities in NSS. She had also written street plays and dramas on various themes especially regarding social welfare activities. “I enjoy writing scripts in Kannada, my mother tongue,” she said. She has been an active volunteer here too but in various programmes. From speaking and distributing pamphlets to holding programmes, she has shown her interest in the various programmes.

Shashirekha will be part of the eight students who will be led by a young activist and will attend the month long activities in Japan. The programme is to identify potential leaders among youth from various nations. The team will take part in the deliberations and present papers on various topics. Shashirekha will present a paper on ‘Chanakya’s ideas on leadership’.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore> Programme / TNN / January 12th, 2014

Ropes ready for cattle, courtesy Andrews

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, Sports

Trichy :

Sitting in a small room belonging to the  Tamil Nadu Veera Vilayattu Jallikattu Padukappu Nala Sangam at Milaguparai, S Andrews has been knitting colorful ropes day and night. They will be used around cattle during Maatu Pongal celebration as well as for jallikattu events commencing in a few days with Pongal.

Every cattle owner in the state decks up his animals with all the fancy items for the occasion. Andrews knows the demand for fancy ropes and is in the knitting business for a decade. The rope, which is an essential item, is tied in a peculiar fashion around the cattle is called the “manda kayir”. “Pidi Kayir” is necessary to control the bull.

With the jallikattu season on, Andrews has been constantly knitting the nylon ropes day and night. The orders come much ahead of the traditional festival season. His clients are from across the state and are mostly bull-owners letting their bulls in for jallikattu. “The rope will be passed through the nostrils of the animal and then taken around their forehead and neck. Bells and fancy fur balls are tied to the rope,” Andrews explained.

When a bull enters the jallikattu arena, the rope is cut near the nose. A special knife, which is attached to a stick, is used for cutting so that the bull is not hurt. The nylon ropes are sometimes brought by the clients or Andrews has to travel to Coimbatore or Madurai to purchase them. A rope costs Rs 6,000.

Andrews quit his job at the head post office to concentrate on rope-making. “I learnt the art from one R Subramananian, a resident of Pudukkottai. After his demise in 2000 I took over the work and found it interesting,” said Andrews knitting a head rope.

Demand for Andrews’ skill grew only when he was spotted by Ondiraju S, state secretary of the Tamil Nadu Veera Vilayattu Jallikattu Padukappu Nala Sangam. “Previously Andrews’ services were required only ahead of Pongal. However, in recent years he is constantly knitting for more than seven months in a year,” Ondiraju said.

For the current jallikattu season Andrews has so far knitted at least 25 sets.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Trichy> Cattle / by Harish Murali, TNN / January 13th, 2014

Dainty Cow Figurines Prove to be a Sell-out!

Arts, Culture & Entertainment
Krishna’s cows figurines had sold out so rapidly that all that was left after 11 30 am were mud pots! | R Satish Babu
Krishna’s cows figurines had sold out so rapidly that all that was left after 11 30 am were mud pots! | R Satish Babu

What do you do if you’ve grown up giving your family cows a makeover on Mattu Pongal, but you suddenly get married and move to Chennai? You stop and pick up a colourfully decked up mud cow off the Kodambakkam pavement instead. “

I can’t travel this year because I’m carrying. But Pongal isn’t the same without bathing our four cows and watching my brothers paint the horns. But I can’t ask them to bring a cow from Dindigul here for my sake, so I persuaded my husband to get this (points to the doll) instead,” laughs a cheerful 22-year-old Subhashini.

She is not alone. In fact, according to Krishna Wodeyar who came up with the idea of making these cows as colourful as the pots, he has been getting plenty of enquiries from customers all through Monday, despite having sold-out his stock by 11.30 am.

“My son wanted to concentrate on pots but I usually like making cow dolls. This time we made lots of them and used various colour paints and glass work on them. They sold immediately,” he says with plenty of glee.

The mud-figurines were first put out on Saturday and have quickly been sold-out over the weekend – they came in two sizes with the smaller one being sold at `200 and the larger one fetching about `450.

“In the villages, it is not just about getting the cows clean but reinstilling belief that gomatha is godly. Plenty of people who bought it asked if this was made for keeping in the puja room, so I said yes! It was made with a lot of care so it deserves the attention, just like a real cow,” he adds.

To keep the effect real, Krishna had also perched the cows on an old push-cart and lined the surface with hay to create ‘a shed effect’.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express News Service – Chennai / January 14th, 2014

Spreading Smiles

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education

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Indian Community Welfare Organisation (ICWO) and social work students from Mohammed Sathak College, Loyola College, Mar Gregorious College, Madras Christian College, Hindustan College, Asan Business School, Vivekananda College and SDNB Vaishnav College organised New Year Celebration at the Nammathu Illam Shelter for homeless residents, recently.

ICWO works for various developmental initiatives with a specific focus on women and children. ICWO in collaboration with Corporation of Chennai initiated Nammathu in Thattankulam Chennai. It aims to provide shelter to the elderly, orphan women, homeless and people with disabilities.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / Express News Service – Chennai / January 01st, 2014

10-day book festival in Perambalur from January 31

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

The 10-day annual book festival will commence at the municipal ground near the new bus stand here on January 31.

More than 50 publishing companies and equal number of book selling companies will participate in the expo, a brain child of Collector Darez Ahamed. The exhibition last year netted a sale of about Rs. 98 lakh while Rs. 38-lakh worth books were sold in 2011. This year it has been targeted to sell books worth Rs. 1.05 crore through the exhibition, sources said.

V. Irai Anbu, Director of Anna Institute of Management and Director General of Training, and M. Thirumalai, Vice Chancellor, Tamil University, Thanjavur, will be chief guests at the inaugural function on Tuesday evening. Noted writers, including Ponneelan, Sahitya Akademi awardee and president of the All India Progressive Writers Association, Su. Venkatesan, Sahitya Akademi awardee, S.Tamilselvam, Prof. G. Gnanasambandam, and Parveen Sulthana, Tamil scholars, and Thamira, film director, will participate in programmes at the venue on different days.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Tiruchirapalli / by Special Correspondent / Perambalaur – Decemeber 30th, 2013

Tiruchi GH Doctors successfully operate on parasitic twins

Records, All, Science & Technologies

The fifth child of a Manapparai couple — Mamundi and Jaya — the baby was born in a private hospital and admitted to the Tiruchi GH on December 26 for surgery.

Doctors at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital successfully operated on the five-day-old pair of parasitic twins on Monday, removing a pair of arms, legs and other organs. After the operation, the baby was put on the ventilator at the intensive medical care unit of the hospital. The fifth child of a Manapparai couple — Mamundi and Jaya — the baby was born in a private hospital and admitted to the Tiruchi GH on December 26 for surgery.

Prior to conducting the operation, doctors conducted intensive investigation on the baby monitoring the oxygen level, pulse and blood pressure. A team of doctors consisting of paediatric surgeons and a couple of anaesthetists conducted the operation, lasting over three hours, and successfully removed the organs, said Dr. Bhaskar, a paediatric surgeon, who headed the medical team.

General anaesthesia was given to the baby born with extra arms and legs attached to the chest wall with the intestine and spleen projected outside the abdomen. Terming it as a rare case, Dr. Bhaskar said the surgery was complicated. A silo technic procedure was adopted to restrict the intestine and spleen into the abdominal cavity, Dr. Bhaskar said adding that this was the first time that the Tiruchi GH had carried out such a complex surgery on a newborn.

The condition of the baby was stable, he said, adding that the infant was being constantly monitored.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Tiruchirapalli / by A. Rajaram / Tiruchi – December 31st, 2013