Villas on the East Coast Road

Business & Economy, Nri's / Pio's

Rajeshwari Foundations Pvt Ltd has launched its first project, an exclusive villa development on the East Coast Road to the south of Chennai. The new entrant to the market has been floated by an NRI businessman based in Malaysia, Mr Anand Nagpal.

The project, Tropicana, coming up at Kanathur includes over 14 villas on a 1.85-acre plot. Each villa of 4,800 sq. ft will be on a 3,600-sq.-ft plot. The houses cost around Rs 4.75 crore each. Mr Nagpal said Rajeshwari Foundations has long-term plans in the real-estate market in the city. Tropicana is the first of many in the pipeline and is designed as a unique offering to give a taste of comfortable living space offered in modern cities abroad. The project is designed by Veritas Architects, Malaysia. All the statutory clearances are in place and the project was formally launched on July 5. The project will be completed in 18-24 months.

Interest subvention extended

Last week the Union Cabinet approved the proposal to extend interest subvention scheme on housing loans for the current year. The 1 per cent subvention on housing loans up to Rs 15 lakh on purchase of houses costing up to Rs 25 lakh and the guidelines for release of funds were approved on July 4, according to an official press release. A budgetary provision of Rs 400 crore has been made for the current financial year to implement the scheme. Following the extension of the scheme, the limit of subsidy for an individual borrower would be Rs 14,912 on loan of Rs 15 lakh and Rs 9,925 for a loan of Rs 10 lakh. The extended scheme will benefit all house loans borrower in the current financial year. The original scheme offered interest subvention on housing loans up to Rs 10 lakh, on houses costing a maximum of Rs 20 lakh was approved by the Cabinet in September 2009. The scheme was revised by hiking the limits in the past financial year and was approved by the Cabinet in October. The scheme has now been extended for another year. The National Housing Bank is the nodal agency for implementing the scheme through scheduled commercial banks and housing finance companies.

source: http://www.TheHinduBusinessLine.com  / Home> Features> Investment World / by Hindu Chennai Bureau / July 2012

It’s better to race in wet conditions: Narain Karthikeyan

Sports

The weather played a major role once again in the second day of the British Grand Prix with a dry free practice session and a rainy qualifying session which got wetter and wetter. In the morning the team worked against the clock to carry out all the necessary tests to prepare for the qualifying session and tomorrow’s race, in what was the only dry session to date.

But in the end the rain started to fall during qualifying and every driver went onto the track immediately with intermediate tyres to set a time before conditions got worse. Pedro de la Rosa and Narain Karthikeyan made the most of their time on track to finish in 22nd and 23rd position respectively.
The uncertainty surrounding the weather makes tomorrow’s race an even greater challenge for the teams in terms of defining their strategies and making it to the checkered flag unscathed.
Narain Karthikeyan: 23rd (10 laps) 1:53.040
Qualifying was a big lottery because at some stages it was raining heavily in one part of the track and not on another. The car was really good in the dry this morning but English weather is very unpredictable and it turned things right around. We beat one Marussia, which is good, but we always want to do better. These conditions are a gamble and for us it’s better to race in wet conditions because anything can happen. You just need to stay calm and take the opportunities that present themselves.
Pedro de la Rosa: 22nd (11 laps) 1:52.742
This was probably the toughest qualifying session, because you didn’t know what you were going to find. Towards the end of the session they asked me through the radio if I wanted to change to dry tyres and I looked up to the sky and didn’t know what to go for because some parts of the track were dry, others we so we continued on intermediates and the strategy was to push on every lap as if it was the last one. As for tomorrow’s race, there aren’t many options because this is a high downforce track, both in wet and dry conditions. We used a set-up with a medium suspension, not too hard, because I doubt it will be a fully wet or fully dry race, so we have to be flexible.
Toni Cuquerella, Technical Director:
Today has been a very productive but hectic day because the sessions have taken place in different conditions to yesterday, dry in the morning and intermediate in the afternoon. In the practice session we had to work on a dry set-up and compare the tyres in only an hour but we gathered enough data in case qualifying or the race was to take place in those conditions. But this wasn’t the case so we had to adapt to the drizzly conditions. The first five minutes were the most important and we doubted whether to go for a risky strategy, with dry tyres, or go for intermediates like the rest. In the end we went for the latter and it was the right decision because the rain got stronger. The times in these conditions aren’t realistic because many mistakes occur, there’s traffic, you have to find the right moment on track…But despite all of this the drivers did a good job. Tomorrow will be a very open race where you can either win or lose a lot.
Source: HRT F1 Media
source: http://www.motorsportsgallery.com / Home / July 07th, 2012

Grand prelude to Mylapore’s biggest festival

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Sports

For City:  The annual car festival at Mylapore . Sri kapaleeswarar Temple. Photo: K_V_Srinivasan / The Hindu

The four Mada streets resounded with shouts of devotees

Be it picking up seven plastic toys for Rs. 50 from a pavement vendor or choosing from a bundle of ‘kolam’ stickers outside Indra Stores or buying liquid soap-filled containers to blow bubbles from, it’s fun choosing stuff you don’t really need. And this week, with the shops that have sprung up in Mylapore for the Arubathu Moovarfestival at the Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple, there’s no better time to indulge in unnecessary shopping.

D. Thilagavathy, a resident of Mylapore, was one of the thousands of devotees who had come to watch the car festival here on Tuesday. “Ours is a joint family and we bring all the children to the festival,” she said. “We are here for every occasion, including the Ther (Chariot), ‘Arubathu Moovar’, ‘Panguni Uthram’, and ‘ Adhikara Nandi’. The children ask for everything that they see. Each child will spend at least Rs. 100 on toys. We also enjoy buying them these things,” she added. Each time the chariot moved with the ‘uthsava’ idols of Lord Kapaleeswarar and Karpagamabal, the four Mada streets resounded with the shouts of devotees. Water was sprinkled on the path of the chariot and several philanthropists distributed food, water, buttermilk and ‘paanagam’ to the devotees.

When the temple car finally came to a halt, a winding queue of devotees waited to clamber onto it to get a better glimpse of the idols. I too, got onto the chariot along with my mother.

Two five-rupee tickets allowed us a few seconds of “proximity” to the gods. But it was a dangerous ride as there was hardly any space and one small misstep could lead to your hurtling down several feet to the ground. Able volunteers in the chariot stood minding every devotee who stepped onto it. After over four hours of following the temple car, the attention of the crowds turned to the vendors.

Adults too were enjoying the shopping.

With such variety on offer, it is hard to resist spending everything one has. You can pick up fake Kundan jewellery sets for Rs. 50, toy watches for Rs. 20 or Rs. 30 , Indianised Vuvuzelas that emit a deep booming sound when blown for Rs.10, and even earthen pots and pans. Visiris (handheld fans made of palm leaves), kumkum and thali charadu — considered auspicious sold the most, said a lady at the Srividya Manjal Kumkum shop.

Scholar Sudha Seshayyan says that the Panguni Uthiram Thiruvizha festival celebrated in most temples is very auspicious. “It is said that it was on that day that Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi married, Lord Muruga and Devayani married and Goddess Mahalakshmi was born. The Arubathu Moovar festival is of special significance to the Kapali temple as of the 63 Nayanmars, Thirugnanasambandar is very important. He is said to have brought to life the daughter of Sivanesa Chettiyar of Mylapore.

The girl was called Poompaavai. She came to life after he finished singing a pathigam where he describes all the festivals associated with the Kapali temple. This festival also shows the importance given to devotion and devotees. The Lord will be pleased if his devotees are happy,” Dr. Seshayyan explained.

Somehow Mylapore seems to have become livelier and merrier. Perhaps it is in anticipation of Wednesday’s festival when the 63 Nayanmars of Lord Shiva are taken out in a procession. On Wednesday, festivities at the temple will begin at 9 a.m. The procession of the idols will be at 3 p.m. and it will take at least four hours to end.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> Life & Style> Religion / by Deepa H. Ramakrishnan / Chennai, April, 04th, 2012

Endangered 750kg stingray snared

Business & Economy, Nature, Uncategorized

A massive stingray, weighing 750 kg, was caught by fishermen in the coastal waters of Pazhaverkadu near Ponneri and dragged for over 10 hours to the shore in the hope that the endangered fish would fetch them several thousands of rupees in the market.

Giant stingrays are often in demand for their medicinal value and their skin, which is exported by dealers in Royapuram.

“Stingrays often get caught in the fishing nets and the smaller ones are even eaten, but this is the first time that we have netted such a huge one, ” said Anthony Raj, a local fisherman. Increased trawling activity has endangered several types of sharks and stingrays, but protecting them continues to be a difficult task, as in most cases the fishermen are not aware of the fish trapped in their nets, say locals.

“Neither the Zoological Survey of India nor the state forest department has done anything to educate the fishermen on this endangered fish species,” rued a senior biologist of the forest department.

Pazhaverkadu, a backwater lagoon, is rich in biodiversity and famous for its large mud crabs. The fish catch in the area, which has fallen over the years , has been the subject of research papers of several marine biologists attached to the Zoological Survey of India at Santhome

source: http://www.asianage.com / Home> Metros> Chennai / by C. S. Kotteswaran / DC / Chennai, July 05th, 2012

Videocon to start operations in Manamadurai unit in 3-4 months

Business & Economy, Science & Technologies, Uncategorized

The company has invested around Rs 700-800 crore for the plant

The electronic consumer durables manufacturing facility of Videocon Group in Manamadurai, at Sivaganga is likely to start operations in next three to four months, said Rajkumar Dhoot, managing director of Videocon Industries. The project has been proposed to complete with an investment of around Rs 1,600 crore.

Speaking to reporters in the sidelines of Vision Tamil Nadu,a seminar organised by Assocham, he said, “The plant would be ready for operations in next three to four months. We have so far invested around Rs 700-800 crore for the plant.”

The new facility would be manufacturing various consumer electronic products including washing machine, refrigerator and colour television.

There was some delay in completion of the project, due to the economic slow down and related issues. However, the works are on full pace now, he said.

The company would also look at exporting the products from the facility to overseas. It has identified demand in exporting electronic consumer durables to countries like Indonesia and Malaysia.

According to reports in 2009, the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu, the government agency which allots land for industrial projects, has allotted around 70 acres to Videocon to set up the plant in Manamadurai. The company currently has a manufacturing facility in Hosur.

The company is the largest manufacturer of colour television in India and though the market for cathode ray televisions are shrinking, it still has shortage in supply in states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, said Dhoot. The Manamadurai plant would initially create employment opportunity for around 500-700 people.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Home>  Companies & Industry / by Gireesh Babu / Chennai, July 04th, 2012

London-bound Indian walkers’ trip on ‘shoe-string’ of apathy

Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Sports

Bangalore:

Olympic-bound race walkers Basant Bahadur Rana and Irfan KT, both sepoys in the Indian Army earning just Rs 15,000 a month, have been forced to spend from their pockets for past several months to buy special walking shoes. Both are sole bread winners of fairly large families and have spent thousands each on their shoes in the past year, which they can ill-afford.

The government has spent crores on the training of sportspersons for the London Games, but these two talented athletes have got no help on this front either from the federation ( AFI),  Sports Authority of India or the sports ministry.

Rana, who is with 3/8 Gorkha Rifles, must have spent at least Rs 40,000 on shoes in the past 18 months. With each pair costing upwards of Rs 6,000, he has grinned and borne the burden. He joined the army to escape poverty in his home country Nepal, where his father is a farmer.

“I am the sole bread-winner for a family of seven. We are not educated and there is hardly anything to gain out of farming. Depending on the season, we have to do hard labour to make ends meet,” says Rana, who earns around Rs 15,000 as havildar.

“I haven’t been of much help to my family as all my money is spent on the kit and shoes,” the first Indian to make Olympics grade in 50km Race Walk said.

For Madras Regimental Centre sepoy Irfan, who too hails from a poor background, it has been the same story for months. Mounting expenses had the Mallapuram (Kerala) lad worried for a while as he geared up for the quadrennial event with his mind forever on his family of seven which his father, a daily wage earner, struggled to support.

Again, Irfan’s salary of Rs 15,000 was hardly enough to cover every expense the family faced. It’s only now that he has found a benefactor in Malayalam superstar Mohanlal.

Both walkers point out that they require no other equipment but good shoes to come up with a good performance.

“I cover around 1,100km every month,” says Rana, as he shows two of his worn-out shoes. “I need at least 6-7 pairs of shoes a year. The kit that we receive from the government contains running shoes, which is of no use to us. There have been instances at the national camp when I had to put off buying new shoes by a few weeks. I make do with these worn-out shoes then.”

Rana, who paid $140 for a pair of shoes in Russia during the World Race Walking Cup, said the amount is yet to be reimbursed. “Two days back, Irfan found the shoes he wanted in Bangalore. He paid around Rs 6,000 for them. He too is hoping to get the money back.”

The two virtually circumambulated the earth ever since they began training for London 2012 before making the grade. Rana touched 4:02.13 in 50km, well within the ‘B’ mark of 4:09.00 while in 20km, Irfan clocked 1:22.09 as against the ‘A’ mark of 1:22.30 at the IAAF World Race Walking Cup in Saransk, Russia in May.

The two athletes, who are certainties for the Olympics along with the other two 20km walkers Gurmeet Singh and Baljinder Singh, had moved from Patiala to Bangalore in April after Athletics Federation of India decided to have both the walking camps, one under Russian Alexander Artsybashev and the other under SAI coach Ramakrishnan Gandhi, at the South Centre.

SAI to reimburse walkers’ expenses

Sports Authority of India regional director SS Roy was sympathetic to the walkers’ appeal, saying he would reimburse the amount immediately.

“These two walkers were in Patiala till April. I am not sure what happened there. But now that they have shifted base to Bangalore, we will take care of them,” Roy told TOI.

Apparently, the south centre has reimbursed the claims of the other walkers training under Ramakrishnan Gandhi – Gurmeet Singh and Baljinder Singh – and Roy said he saw no reason why the others walkers had to be denied. “They have been here for a few weeks but haven’t brought this to my notice. Let them produce the bills and we will do the needful,” he said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / TOI Home> Olympics 2012 / by V. Narayan Swamy, TNN / July 03rd, 2012

A R Rahman to introduce Punjabi beats for Olympics

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leaders, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Mumbai, Jun 30 (PTI)

 Oscar-winning composer A R Rahman, who is reuniting with Danny Boyle for London Olympics, will celebrate Indian influence in UK by incluing Punjabi track in the opening ceremony.

The 46-year-old has teamed up with Boyle, the artistic director of the games, for the gala ceremony.

“Clarifying the report on the Olympics track I am composing… It’s a track in Punjabi celebrating the Indian influence in the UK.

source: http://www.ptinews.com / PTI / by Staff Writer / July 01st, 2012

Beach kabbadi winner from Erode gets rousing welcome

Sports

Erode:

A rousing welcome was accorded to Marshal Mary, an M Com student with PKR College of Arts and Science at Gobichettipalayam, on Saturday morning when she arrived here after winning the gold in women’s beach kabbadi at the third Asian Beach Games, held in Haiyang in China.

Mary and her team mates won the gold defeating  Thailand 54-25 in the final on June 17. According to her, India put up a good show and dominated the match. The Indian team consisted of Mamata, Priyanka, Priyanka Negi, Kavita Devi and Randeep Kaur besides Marshal Mary.

A large number of students, sports enthusiasts and citizens had gathered at Erode railway station to receive Mary. She was taken to her college in a procession with people gathering along the road to greet her.

The district collector and the mayor were conspicuous by their absence as they had to attend to some state ministers who were visiting the region.

Mary told TOI that her victory was significant since had trained in land-locked Erode. “Others in my team had practiced on real beaches. But I was able to contribute my bit to win the event,” she said. She credited her coach N Anpu, a staff of the PKR College, for her success. “He had convinced the management about the need to build a beach kabbadi team. We have a dozen players and Anpu trained us on two truck loads of sand purchased by the management at market rate,” she said.

Mary and her friends used to train for two hours daily in the morning and evening.

Mary, a native of Sankarapuram near Villupuram, had represented India recently at an international tournament in Colombo.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Coimbatore / TNN / July 01st, 2012

Chennai colleges attracting more foreign students

Business & Economy, Education

It may not be the most preferred location, but Chennai is definitely catching up and the figures are proof of the fact. The number of students from foreign countries applying to city colleges that had increased by almost 20 per cent over the last three years has hit a new high this time.

“We are getting a hostel built at a cost of Rs. 18 crore for international students in Taramani. It will have a support centre and all facilities to make them feel at ease here,” said Madras University Vice-Chancellor G. Thiruvasagam.

Foreign students at the university mainly study specific subjects in Music, Anthropology and Public Administration. “The city is not often the first choice, especially for graduation. For most of us back there it is only Delhi or Kolkata. But I wanted to pursue my M. Phil in Medical Pathology, so I am here,” said Rosario Kevin, from Denmark. Besides a steady flow from Thailand, Mauritius, Italy, Kenya and Bhutan, the university this year has recorded an increase in the number of students from Sri Lanka, the U.K and France for research.

“This time, we have quite a good number of students from China and Korea,” says Prince Annadurai, admissions in charge, Madras Christian College. “Education in English is what these Chinese students are looking for and so they are willing to take up any of the popular courses,” he adds.

The online admission process initiated this year by some colleges and their high position on most all-India lists of best colleges are some of the factors that attracted students. Oscar C. Nigli, former director of Foreign Desk, Loyola College, points out that “the city is intellectually vibrant, safe and has a lower cost of living.”

B. Com with an IMS – (Information Management Systems), biological sciences, computer science and electronics are some of the more popular courses.

“They look for computer training in every course which is not available back home. Students come with an assurance from the respective governments that they will get placements as lecturer or bank official after finishing studies. The Indian degree is considered so high there that a few students get senior posts in universities there,” says K.E.N. Nalla Mohammed, academic director, Mohammed Sathak College of Arts and Science.

The college is one of the most preferred destinations in the city for foreign students, especially for those from Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia and Arab countries, who come because of the low cost of education.

“A student has to spend just about Rs 50,000 a year which includes lodging, food and tuition fee, way less than what they would have to pay in their countries, which have fewer colleges and almost no postgraduate courses,” Mr. Mohammed says.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Vasudha VenuGopal / Chennai, June 30th, 2012

Destination Germany for ‘3’

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

After winning accolades in an American film festival, it is now destination Germany for ‘3’, the maiden directorial venture of Aishwarya Dhanush, which has her husband, Dhanush, and Shruti Haasan, in the lead role.

The movie will be screened at the ninth Indian Film Festival to be held on July 18 at Stuttgart, Germany. Aishwarya will be present at the festival representing the film.

“Aishwarya is happy that her first venture itself has managed to win laurels from various quarters,” sources say, adding:  “Only last weekend, she and Dhanush were honured at SIMAA in Dubai.”

Meanwhile, the elder daughter of Superstar Rajinikanth is also gearing up to start her second directorial venture. Besides, she is also supervising her home production, which has Siva Karthikeyan in the lead.

source: http://www.indiaglitz.com / Thursday, June 28th, 2012