Poompuhar to get fishing harbour

Business & Economy

In an attempt to promote deep-sea fishing in the State, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday granted administrative sanction for setting up a fishing harbour at Poompuhar in Nagapattinam district at a cost of `78.50 crore.

An official release said that the government under Jayalalithaa had been initiating a number of measures to improve fisheries in the State. This included orders for instituting a fisheries university near Nagapattinam. The CM had already ordered the setting up of 11 fish breeding farms with modern facilities across the State at a total cost of `37 crore. Orders have also been given to create fish landing facilities at a cost of `63 crore.

Further, the CM had also ordered creation of fish processing parks in 13 fishing towns in the State. In this regard, a model, processing parks in Cuddalore and Nagapattinam would be established at a cost of `14 crore and `23 crore respectively. In accordance with these measures, the Chief Minister has now accorded administrative sanction to construct a fishing harbour in Poompuhar at `78.50 crore. As an initial sum `6.67 crore has been released.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Express News Service – Chennai / March 14th, 2013

Rochelle, Karishma to co-host ‘Extraaa Innings’

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

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     Rochelle, Karishma for Extraaa Innings

Mumbai:

Models Rochelle Maria Rao and Karishma Kotak will co-host the new season of “Extraaa Innings”, the cricket-based TV show on the sidelines of Indian Premier League (IPL) matches. Rochelle and Karishma will join Samir Kochhar and Gaurav Kapoor, the permanent hosts of “Extraaa Innings”.

Talking about the project, Rochelle, the winner of Femina Miss India International 2012 crown, said she is looking forward to being part of something that has been her dream. “I have been a big fan of IPL since its inceptions. I remember my friends and I used to save money and buy tickets just to stay in the stadium and watch the IPL live. Being a part of IPL has been my dream and it seems all my dreams are coming true this year,” she said in a statement.

Karishma, last seen as one of the contestant in “Bigg Boss 6” house, is “thrilled” to be part of the show. “Cricket is very close to every Indian’s heart, so is IPL. While hosting the auctions, I realized how exciting IPL is going to be. I got the feel of the thrill. Watching IPL has always been exciting and now I’m looking forward to anchor ‘Extraaa Innings’. I am definitely excited to travel all over the country, hosting the IPL and watching the matches live,” she said.

(Agencies)

source: http://www.post.jagran.com / Home> Lifestyle News / Mumbai, March 05th, 2013

Collection of books published by Vamsi Pathippagam released

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

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Film director Bala (centre) releases the book Nammoduthan Pesugirargal | N Vajiravelu

Five books penned by different authors  and published by the Tiruvannamalai-based Vamsi Pathippagam were released here on Saturday.

Four books in Tamil – Sumithra penned by Kalpatta Narayanan, 6174 by K Sudhakar, Thamirabharaniyil Kollappadaathavargal written by Mari Selvaraj, and Nammoduthan Pesugirargal by artists Srinivasan and Balasubramanian and one book in English titled Nothing But Water penned by S Ramakrishnan were released.

Among the books released, Sumithra is the Tamil debut of Kalpatta Narayanan. Originally written in Malayalam as Ithra Mathram, the book was well-received in Kerala in both literature and film dormats. It has been now translated into Tamil by renowned translator K V Shailaja. It was released by film director Balu Mahendra and received by journalist Vijaya Shankar.

The book Nothing But Water is a collection of children’s folklore compiled and written by well-known writer S Ramakrishna. It was originally written in Tamil and has been translated into English by Chaitanya.

The book 6174 is a debut science fiction novel of K Sudhakar and Thamirabharaniyil Kollappadaathavargal is a debut short story collection of Mari Selvaraj, an assistant film director. These books were released by writer Era Murugan and documentary film maker R R Srinivasan respectively and those were received by activist A Muthukrishnan and documentary film maker Revathi.

The book Nammoduthan Pesugirargal is a compilation of discussions that happened between two artists – Srinivasan and Balasubramanian. It was released by film director Bala and received by educationist S K P Karuna.

Releasing the books, director Balu Mahendra said, “If a film director does not have  the knowledge or is in touch with literature, he will not be able to make films.”

Writers Prapanchan, Aadhavan Theetchanya, journalist Kadarkarai were also spoke in the occasion.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express News Service – Chennai / March 12th, 2013

A tale of grit and hardwork

About Chennai(Madras) / TamilNadu, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, All

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The history of Parsis in Chennai dates back to 1795 | N Vajiravelu

Though they have always been a small number, from the time the first group of Parsis came to the city from Coorg in 1795, the community has had a major role in shaping the history of the city from the time it was known as Madras.

As per records shared by Zarin Mistry in her series for Madras Musings, Heerjibhai Maneckji Kharas was accompanied by five other Parsis and two priests. It is likely that their decision to settle in Madras was not pre-planned but taken after arrival. They bought a plot in Royapuram, opposite the Catholic Church.’

It was in 1876 that they formed a Parsi Panchayat that comprised 11 members. Donning an important role, in 1893, Cawasji Panday was the first Parsi to be appointed Sheriff of Madras.

But, it was in the turn of the 20th century that turned out to be a glorious period in the history of the community in the city. Becoming prosperous dealers in motor cars and cycles, perfumes and dyes, the Parsis of Madras had a predominant role to play in various fields of occupation and services here, apart from being managers of banks and shops. Some established soda water and ice factories.

In 1906, when the young son of  philanthropist Phiroj M Clubwala died, the shattered family built the Fire Temple in his memory. This Fire Temple in Royapuram known as the Jal Phiroj Clubwala Dar E Meher was consecrated in August 1910. In 2010, the community celebrated the 100th year of the Temple amid pomp and splendour.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Janani Sampath  / ENS – Chennai / March 11th, 2013

Living my dream

Education

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Karthikeyan Subbarayan’s tryst with Germany’s scientific community began at IPK-Gatersleben.

Life’s opportunities as well as my own curiosity led me to Germany as a post-doctoral scientist. After schooling from a municipal elementary school and Anderson Higher Secondary School, Kanchipuram, I did my undergraduation and postgraduation at Madras Christian College (MCC) and VELS University, Chennai, respectively. During my initial college days, I was a member of the Scrub society of the MCC and was involved in the institution’s conservation activities to preserve the 365-acre campus. Later, it drove me to apply biotechnological strategies to conserve medicinal plants during my master and doctoral studies in VELS University.

The Department of Science and Technology (DST), India, sanctioned a travel grant to present my doctoral work in a conference at Gent University, Belgium, which provided an opportunity to expose myself to the European scientific environment. Later, I was selected from among the 194 worldwide applicants for the Leibniz-DAAD postdoctoral fellowships. This paved the way to IPK-Gatersleben, Germany. The Genebank at IPK represents one of the largest cryo-collections in the world. Here, my goal is to reveal the undisclosed stress factors in order to improve cryopreservation methodologies.

Deutschland

My experience in Germany has been invaluable. Germans are friendly by nature. In addition to my research activities I learned German and this enabled me to understand the German culture. Above all, the exposure helped me to understand myself. Living away from the comfort zone of home and homeland, made me confident, dynamic and flexible. This is exactly what today’s employers are looking for.

Every place in Germany is picturesque. The place where I lived Gatersleben is a village, and it is here that the international research institute and a world-class industry are located. It is temperate throughout with warm summers and cold winters — prolonged periods of frost or snow are common.

At the IPK, the scientific library and documentation include classic library services and special care databases such as continuous updating and maintenance of the publications, presentations and posters of the scientists. At IPK there are 16 Indian PhD scholars and scientists. We presented Indian values at the ‘The open day festival’ organised every year by IPK which provides a platform to communicate with the Germans. My weekends are usually spent at Gatersleben-Indoor stadium. Sometime I visit Leipzig’s traditional restaurants and pubs. At Leipzig, my favourite is chocolate. It is one of the most popular flavours in the world, and in Germany there is no exception. Chocolate is so loved in Germany that it is engrained into the culture.

Inspiration

The DAAD (The German Academic Exchange Service) offered scholarships and I got the chance to participate in DAAD scholarship-holders meet ’12 in Gottingen, a home of 44 Nobel Prize Winners. This event inspired me to present my paper at the historical Linnean Society, London, in October 2012.

The writer is a post doctoral fellow at In Vitro Storage and Cryopreservation, Group//Genebank Department, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Germany.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> / Features> Education Plus> Colleges  / GOAL POST /  by Dr. Karthikeyan Subbarayan / March 11th, 2013

Pay tyagi pension to wife, says court

Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All

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Chennai:

Castigating the Union government for not giving due respect to freedom fighters, the Madras high court came to the rescue of a wife of a freedom fighter and quashed a 1980 Central order, refusing freedom fighter pension, and directed it to pay pension from the date of his application (1980) and family pension to the wife  from the date of his death.

Justice D. Haripa­ranth­aman allowed the petition filed by Ms Palammal, the wife whose husband N. Palaiyan was a freedom fighter.

Palaiyan joined the Indian National Army (INA), led by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and fought for freedom. He received freedom fighter pension from the state from 1967. In 1980, he applied to the Union government for pension under the Swat­hantratha Sainik Samman INA pension, along with two co-prisoners’ certificates. The Centre sought some clarifications and he replied. However, his claim was rejected on October 10, 1980 stating that there was some contradiction in his reply. After his death in 1993, and several representations to the Union government for pension, his wife filed the present petition.

Stating that he was quashing the 1980 order, the judge observed there was no contradiction. He said it is not known on what basis the Union government has stated that the British government did not imprison civilian members of INA. If that yardstick is adopted, neither Bose nor Captain Lakshmi would be entitled to pension under the Central scheme as they did not desert the British army. “Therefore, the reason given by the Union government is really a humiliation and not giving due respect to the freedom fighters.”

source: http://www.DeccanChronicle.com / Home> News> Current Affairs  / DC / by J. Stalin / March 10th, 2013

‘Be not job seekers, but job creators’

Business & Economy, Education, Leaders, Records, All

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Rajakumari Jeevagan, Founder and Managing Partner, Wings and Waalai Group of Hotels, Madurai, addressing students as part of Business Line Club lecture at St Mary’s College, Tuticorin. / The Hindu Business Line

Madurai , MARCH 8:

“Be not job seekers, become job creators’’ said Rajakumari Jeevagan, Founder and Managing Partner, Wings and Waalai Group of Hotels and Chairperson of “WE (Women Entrepreneurs)’’ forum of Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Madurai.

She was delivering a lecture on ‘Women Empowerment and Entrepreneurship’ under the Business Line Club of the Department of Commerce, St. Mary’s College, Tuticorin, recently.

The event was sponsored by Tamilnad Mercantile Bank, Tuticorin.

She said India is changing from a traditional society where the duties of women, especially at home as dependents, were stressed more. Today, women are equal partners in the process of growth and development and a significant productive force in the economy. A good number of them have risen to occupy high and commanding posts in public life. But this is not enough. The contribution will become more fulfilling only when they emerge as job creators, and not remain mere job seekers.

Opportunities abound around in their immediate environment. Only they need to be identified and grabbed. The Government aims to empower women and help develop their skill-levels. There are various programmes under implementation and institutions support such programmes, she said.

Citing her own experience, she spoke of the transformation from a humble housewife to an entrepreneur. She observed that one can become an entrepreneur either independently or as a team. Hard work and self-belief, coupled with uninterrupted focus are vital. A larger perspective and a sense of business climate are also necessary. Constant up-gradation of knowledge and a flair for technology adoption will also help women entrepreneurs. Under Indian conditions, circumstances such as family support and background do matter, but not for those who are determined, she said.

The capability for multi-tasking and a search for new things and value addition should be a constant endeavour. She urged the students to penetrate themarket, discover something new and start a business, a product through brand-building.

Earlier, R.Thangapandian, Regional Manager, TMB, explained the schemes of the bank, especially for promotion of education and entrepreneurship. Dr J. Ellora, Head of the Department, was present.

(With inputs from Paul Joseph)

source: http://www.TheHinduBusinessLine.com / Home> News> Education / by The Hindu Correspondent / Maduran, March 08th, 2013

Chennai girls launch Purple Club with DC

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

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Students and staff of D.G Vaishnav College gathered at the International Women’s Day celebrations organised by Deccan Chronicle on Thursday. — DC

Chennai:

 Hundreds of girl students in a Chennai college on Thursday resolved to launch a ‘Purple Club’ to create a ‘huge’ network of girls and women who will help each other in all possible ways, from tackling men’s harassment to sharing information on education and employment.

This first-of-its-kind initiative was launched at the International Women’s Day celebration hosted by Deccan Chronicle at D.G. Vaishnav College.

“Purple is the beautiful colour of the International Women’s Day and soon it will become the most vibrant and powerful colour too, as this initiative will grow into a national and even an international purple network of women sharing information and experience through mobile phones, Internet and Facebook.

Purple is all set to go viral,” said Shanti Reddy of Deccan Chronicle. College principal, Dr S. Narasimhan, said the club would enable its members, to begin with women from his college, to share experiences and access other members through mobile phones at times of difficulties.

DC and D.G. Vaishnav College will set up the club with its girl students joining as members.

The membership is free, sponsored by Deccan Chronicle. A central data bank would be created for members to access at times of need. The members would be given a purple-coloured button to wear on the dress for identification among other members.

“There will soon be a time when romeos on the road will keep away from the woman wearing the purple button on her churidar or T-shirt,” said a happy student leader.

Purple Club for overall development of women

Purple Club will be a group of women and girls, perhaps students of a particular school or college, but eventually broadening its membership to include women of the entire neighbourhood, perhaps the city and state, for sharing information and experiences among themselves.

More importantly, a member would be able to access quick help from her purple friend through mobile phone or other e-means. The Purple Club members will wear a purple button prominently on their dress to identify themselves.

Deccan Chronicle is initiating the first Purple Club in association with D.G. Vaishnav College at Arumbakkam, Chennai, for its girl students. It is proposed to expand the network to bring in other girls and women from various schools and colleges in Chennai and gradually include ‘purple friends’ from other districts and states as well, according to Ms Shanti Reddy of Deccan Chronicle.

DC is getting ready thousands of decorative purple buttons for distribution among the members of the club. “The empowerment stems from uniting their strengths through this club to share information and experiences. One member can quickly and easily reach out to another through mobile or other e-means.

I could be wearing a purple button and walking on the road in a new city, and come across an­other purple club woman in that place. We would be strangers but still a smile and a comfortable camaraderie will emerge even during that sudden meeting,” explained Ms Shanti Reddy.

In course of time, Purple Clubs could be expanded to include other cities and states, even other categories of women. For instance, there could be Purple Clubs of Mothers sharing their experiences about bringing up kids, hygiene, food information, education and scholarship opportunities for their children, their husbands’ mood swings and what not.

source: http://www.DeccanChronicle.com / Home> News> Current Affairs / DC / by Pramila Krishnan / March 08th, 2013

MCC felicitates alumni Seshan, Chandrika Tandon

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Historical Links, Pre-Independence

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T.N. Seshan and Chandrika Tandon are being felicitated at MCC on Wednesday. —DC

Chennai:

 Though two alumni —T.N. Seshan, former chief election commissioner and Cha­ndrika Tandon, foun­d­er of Tandon capital associates — represented two different periods in Mad­ras Christian College, they both went on to achieve in their respective fields wit­h­out forgetting their roots.

And when MCC, which completed 175 years, and the MCC Alumni Associ­ation decided to recognise the accomplishments of various alumni, they cho­se to honour these two al­umni in its first edition of the alumni series held on Wednesday.

Seshan completed BSc Physics (honors) in 1952 and joined the college faculty. “Education has ch­­anged out of shape now. Everyone should have a vi­s­ion to make MCC wor­ld-class in education. Departments like English should be upgraded,” he said.

Another alumnus who was felicitated was Chan­drika Tandon, who completed B.Com from MCC in 1973 and went on to work with 20 global institutions, their boards and CEOs.

Chandrika who founded the advisory firm Tandon capital associates also has a passion for music. She said, “I studied in Holy Angels, T. Nagar and ne­v­er went to Tambaram fr­om T. Nagar. It was difficult for me to convince my mother.

Also, my mother was having this plan of getting me married at a young age.” Though Tandon’s family was very conservative, she said that her focus and commitment to win and achieve in her field made her determined to overcome many obstacles in life.

source: http://www.DeccanChronicle.com / Home> News> Current Affairs / DC / March 07th, 2013

Bittersweet symphony

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education

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Nrithya Andrews | Albin Mathew/Express

It’s not every day that you find out that your class teacher is a pop goddess. And when you do chance across a Youtube video of your professor singing an MJ tune, well let’s just say the word gets around. So a week after singer-songwriter Nrithya Andrews joined the Journalism department of MOP Vaishnav College for Women, her students told her that she could take lessons on one condition — she had to sing them a song first.

“It was crazy,” laughs the 24-year-old who has been teaching for almost a year now. “Suddenly, every class I walked into demanded that I sing a couple of lines before I started teaching!” And when the girls found out that she was releasing her debut album, Bittersweet on March 11, the fun went up a notch. “I was going to do a promo for the album at college,” Nrithya relates, adding that for her stage avatar, her regular crisp professor sari was swapped for a formal shirt and jeans. She laughs, “The student who was supposed to introduce me on stage comes up to me and asks — ‘Should I say Nrithya…or Nrithya ma’am?’”

Incidentally, ‘Nrithya ma’am’ has already stepped into Kollywood as well, having sung for music directors like Yuvan Shankar Raja and G V Prakash. Some of her popular Tamil releases include Eapadiyo Matikitein (Siva Manasula Shakthi) and Will You Be There (Thandavam). Her first claim to fame was her Tamil rock outfit, ‘Shrishti’ that was selected as one of the winners of Ohlalaala by A R Rahman.

Although none of her songs on this album have been inspired by the classroom, Nrithya does tell us that all her compositions are based on experience; like her already popular romantic love ballad Boba, that made its way on to the airwaves of an English radio station in the city. “Oh those lyrics were actually sparked by a crush I had when I was 18,” she shares with a mild blush. Incidentally the then programming head of the channel, Geoffrey Thomas was so impressed with it that he went on to push her to make the album long after her internship stint with the company was complete. “And now he’s producing the album as well,” the singer can’t sound happier.

With so much going on for her, one has to wonder what brought on the album title Bittersweet? Apparently, the name is a testament to the constant extremes life throws at her. “The past year has been like a Hannah Montana life for me,” the dusky songstress admits. “In the day, I have 200 students to be responsible for, so I’ve got to be be be polite, I can’t swear…And then once I’m out of my sari, I go back to being me.”

(Nrithya Andrews’ album Bittersweet will be launched at the Sivagami Petachi Auditorium, Mylapore on March 11 at 7.30 pm)

source: http://www.newindiaexpress.com / Home> Cities> Chennai / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Sonali Shenoy, ENS – Chennai / March 07th, 2013